MMO Updates |
- CCP's Team Klang revamping EVE's soundscape, removing jukebox
- Name this Elder Scrolls Online Dunmer
- EverQuest II: Chains of Eternity launch day roundup
- RIFT video heralds today's Storm Legion launch
- RIFT: Storm Legion launch guide
- Captain's Log: Q&A with Star Trek Online's Daniel Stahl
- Star Citizen makes final crowd-funding push, dogfight video released
- The Daily Grind: Are you tempted by perks for lifetime subscriptions?
- ArenaNet explains Guild Wars 2's new Ascended item tier
- Not So Massively: Sci-fi sandboxes, LoL pre-season updates, and D3 bans
- EverQuest II posts a preview for Chains of Eternity on the last day to pre-order
- Wings Over Atreia: Promises, promises
- Dungeons and Dragons Online's Update 16 goes live
- Blizzard's response to authenticator lawsuit: 'Without merit'
- Leaderboard: Poor planning or poor circumstances?
- Transformation-focused Eclipse War Online debuts with video
- Guild Wars 2 updates Lost Shores page with video, schedule
- Super Hero Squad Online tops four million registered players
- Dinosaurs are now live in Wizard101's Azteca content update
| CCP's Team Klang revamping EVE's soundscape, removing jukebox Posted: 13 Nov 2012 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox  Also noteworthy is the fact that CCP is getting ready to remove EVE's MP3 jukebox feature in favor of a soundscape where the music will "play in context of where you are and what you are doing." Translation: there will be individual playlists for hi-sec, low-sec, and null, with 20 base tracks featuring roughly 500 permutations. The devs have placed all 69 of EVE's current tracks on Soundcloud for those of you who want to continue to roll with custom playlists.
|
| Name this Elder Scrolls Online Dunmer Posted: 13 Nov 2012 08:45 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Contests, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Promotions, The Elder Scrolls Online  Yep, ZeniMax wants you to christen this particular NPC so that he can more properly assist adventurers in Tamriel when the fantasy title goes live sometime that isn't today. The naming contest starts on November 13th and runs through November 21st. Read all the entry details via the links below.
|
| EverQuest II: Chains of Eternity launch day roundup Posted: 13 Nov 2012 08:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, PvE, Free-to-play, Dungeons  In terms of content, Chains of Eternity focuses on EQII's afterlife via the realm of Ethernere and expansive new zones like the Obol Plains and the Eidolon Jungle. The update also boasts nine new dungeons as well as the ability for players to skip part of the game's alternate advancement grind. SOE is gifting two of your level 90 characters with 280 free AA (which is the minimum threshold for beginning the journey to max level). Head past the cut for a roundup of all our Chains of Eternity coverage. Continue reading EverQuest II: Chains of Eternity launch day roundup
|
| RIFT video heralds today's Storm Legion launch Posted: 13 Nov 2012 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Launches, MMO industry, News items, RIFT, Housing  "Storm Legion is a labor of love, and we dedicate it to our incredibly amazing players. Their feedback and critique throughout the expansion's development really pushed it over the top, making it a truly special experience. Thanks to them, Storm Legion is huge, dynamic, and incredibly fun to play."For even more on Storm Legion, head to Massively's launch day guide. Then check out the new screenshots in the gallery below and watch the trailer after the break. [Source: Trion Worlds press release] Continue reading RIFT video heralds today's Storm Legion launch
|
| RIFT: Storm Legion launch guide Posted: 13 Nov 2012 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Launches, RIFT, Guides  We have been covering the development of Storm Legion since its announcement this past May and have assembled all of the interviews, livestreams, columns, concept art, screenshots, and news in one handy launch guide to help you get the best start in this next phase of RIFT. Have fun and let us know what you think about the expansion! Continue reading RIFT: Storm Legion launch guide
|
| Captain's Log: Q&A with Star Trek Online's Daniel Stahl Posted: 13 Nov 2012 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Interviews, Patches, Endgame, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Massively Interviews, Captain's Log  On the cusp of the new release, we took the opportunity to ask Star Trek Online's Executive Producer, Daniel Stahl, some questions about the new content and what we can expect from STO in the coming months. So jump past the break to check out what he said and take a look at some exclusive screencaps of the new material! Continue reading Captain's Log: Q&A with Star Trek Online's Daniel Stahl
|
| Star Citizen makes final crowd-funding push, dogfight video released Posted: 13 Nov 2012 05:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, PvE, Sandbox  Roberts has also released an early gameplay video showing off a cockpit view, wingman AI, and a brief dogfight. He says the video is far from representative of the final product but useful for gauging the progress of Star Citizen's advanced AI system. "The Squadron 42/Star Citizen pilot AI will be the most sophisticated AI that I've attempted on any of my games. My goal is to take the ideas that I pioneered with Wing Commander and later games -- distinct personalities, dynamic learning, signature moves -- to the next level with the power of modern CPUs," Roberts explains. See both videos in their entirety after the cut. Continue reading Star Citizen makes final crowd-funding push, dogfight video released
|
| The Daily Grind: Are you tempted by perks for lifetime subscriptions? Posted: 13 Nov 2012 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Promotions, Miscellaneous  Silly? Most definitely. But I'm willing to bet that many of us look at a game occasionally which is no longer in our play rotation and have a moment of appreciation for the carrots we're being offered. Some people no doubt look and aren't tempted to go back to a game of yesteryear just for some new perks, but some are. So what about you? Are you ever tempted to pick up a lifetime subscription to a game just because of the added perks offered?  Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
|
| ArenaNet explains Guild Wars 2's new Ascended item tier Posted: 12 Nov 2012 09:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, Endgame, News items, PvE, Guild Wars 2, Dev Diaries, Dungeons  Earlier today, Guild Wars 2 players got their first real idea of what's awaiting them in the Lost Shores content update. They responded with an collective outcry against the introduction of Ascended items, which inhabit a new tier of item rarity. The roar of outrage was a little muddled, however, as there weren't a whole lot of details about what purpose Ascended items serve. A new blog post clarifies the whole issue. Get ready for some knowledge! One of the primary design purposes for the Ascended item tier is to bridge the gap between Exotic gear (which fairly casual players can have a reasonable certainty of acquiring without too much angst) and Legendaries (which are for the hardest of hardcores). Specifically, Ascended items will be used specifically to combat new endgame mechanics. Foes within the new Fractals of the Mists dungeon will inflict Agony on players. Agony can only be mitigated by Infusions, which can be put only into Ascended armor. As players get to higher levels of difficulty within the dungeon, they will eventually find a point at which they have to counter Agony (by Infusions) before they can hope to proceed. Rather than being upgraded with normal components, Ascended gear has upgrades built-in, and upgrade slots have been repurposed into Infusion slots. November's update will include only Ascended rings and back items. More Infusions and Ascended item types will be added with time. When Ascended items are added to the game, Legendary weapons will be updated so they are still the best available option (as opposed to being on-par with Exotic weapons, as they currently are).
|
| Not So Massively: Sci-fi sandboxes, LoL pre-season updates, and D3 bans Posted: 12 Nov 2012 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Video, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, New titles, Patches, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, Sandbox, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III  Path of Exile continued on the path to open beta this week with the announcement of a secure trade system and two closed-beta hardcore race events. League of Legends began preparations for its upcoming third competitive season this week as developers explored item balance and jungling changes on the way. Plans include making early game jungler ganks less viable and introducing new items for specialised builds. Heroes of Newerth's voting system was made anonymous in this week's patch in an effort to prevent players from being singled out or pressured into conceding matches. Dota 2 released its hilarious Reverse Captain's Mode, which lets each team pick the heroes it wants the other team to play. Console MOBA Guardians of Middle-earth announced its release date this week and revealed two new heroes, Thráin and Gothmog. Finally, Prime World gave details of its persistent castle system, which may tie the game into Facebook. Continue reading Not So Massively: Sci-fi sandboxes, LoL pre-season updates, and D3 bans
|
| EverQuest II posts a preview for Chains of Eternity on the last day to pre-order Posted: 12 Nov 2012 04:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, EverQuest II, Expansions, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons  But what if you're still undecided? The team at Sony Online Entertainment has put together one last preview video to help tempt you over with information about the expansion's dungeons. It's a quick video hitting the highlights of the nine new dungeons included with the expansion, complete with commentary from the developers regarding the design and the visual points of interest. Jump past the break for the preview, and if you're still on the fence about ordering, you'll need to make up your mind quickly. Continue reading EverQuest II posts a preview for Chains of Eternity on the last day to pre-order
|
| Wings Over Atreia: Promises, promises Posted: 12 Nov 2012 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Expansions, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, Wings Over Atreia  At first, I was overjoyed to learn new bits about the upcoming expansion. It even spawned some entertaining speculation. But the fact remained that since we still didn't know when Aion 4.0 might arrive, each added bit of news was a tease. Then it dawned on me: The studio combined my request for more news with my pleas for more frequent, if smaller, content updates. But instead of actual content in-game to excite players and keep them playing, we are getting the intangible promises of content to come! Ingenious. But is it working? Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Promises, promises
|
| Dungeons and Dragons Online's Update 16 goes live Posted: 12 Nov 2012 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Patches, Free-to-play  Update 16: The Netherese Legacy includes a wilderness area, five adventures, new DDO store options, and a new epic destiny line for Druids called Primal Avatar. The adventure pack is included with VIP players' subscriptions and requires purchase for free players. Massively recently talked with Turbine about the story and features of Update 16, so while you're downloading the patch, why not give it a read? [Source: Turbine press release]
|
| Blizzard's response to authenticator lawsuit: 'Without merit' Posted: 12 Nov 2012 12:30 PM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, MMO industry, Legal, Miscellaneous, Diablo III  Blizzard released a statement that began as follows: "This suit is without merit and filled with patently false information, and we will vigorously defend ourselves through the appropriate legal channels." The studio went on to address the concerns brought up by the lawsuit and defend its actions during the past summer's Battle.net security breach. Blizzard said that the onus to secure one's computer is on the operator, which is why the company "strongly encourages" the use of authenticators.
|
| Leaderboard: Poor planning or poor circumstances? Posted: 12 Nov 2012 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Polls, Culture, Events, in-game, MMO industry, Opinion, Miscellaneous, Leaderboard  Final Fantasy XIV isn't the first title to implement a huge live event that caused a server-breaking mess. Today, our question centers on magnanimity vs. culpability. When these sorts of server events happen, is your first reaction that the development team should have planned for this popularity instead of letting the whole thing go cross-eyed? Or do you say that the team probably did everything possible and that there's a certain point past which planning doesn't help? Continue reading Leaderboard: Poor planning or poor circumstances?
|
| Transformation-focused Eclipse War Online debuts with video Posted: 12 Nov 2012 11:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items  If players acquire the transformation card, they will be able to transform into almost every monster in game -- including bosses. When in altered form, players then get some of that monster's special abilities to use on top of their own. Want to be a wolf? Go kill a wolf. The principle flows through to PvP as well; killing another player will net the victor some of the loser's skills. Choosing which form to fight in also becomes a matter of strategy, as some monsters' powers change depending on time of day, location, etc. Want to get a gander at some of the available forms players can turn into? Catch a glimpse in the trailer after the break. Continue reading Transformation-focused Eclipse War Online debuts with video
|
| Guild Wars 2 updates Lost Shores page with video, schedule Posted: 12 Nov 2012 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Events, in-game, Patches, Guild Wars 2  The first stage of Lost Shores begins on November 16th and tasks players to defend Lion's Arch. On the next day, the tides will turn as players seek to retake the town. The 17th is also when the new area, Southsun Cove, opens for business. Finally, there will be a one-time event on November 18th in Southsun Cove, where the invasion and counter-attack will come to a head. You can watch the trailer after the jump, and don't forget to check out our Lost Shores primer! Continue reading Guild Wars 2 updates Lost Shores page with video, schedule
|
| Super Hero Squad Online tops four million registered players Posted: 12 Nov 2012 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Super-hero, MMO industry, Free-to-play, Kids, Family  Gazillion President David Brevik popped the celebratory cork anyway: "Breaking four million registered users is a tremendous achievement for Super Hero Squad Online and for Gazillion Entertainment. We love the passion that our players have shown for the game, and we are excited to continue to put out new and exciting content for them to enjoy." The studio is working hard to expand the overall service of the game, including a redesigned website that will allow European players to access North American servers. [Source: Gazillion press release]
|
| Dinosaurs are now live in Wizard101's Azteca content update Posted: 12 Nov 2012 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Patches, News items, PvE, Free-to-play, Kids, Wizard101, Family  Besides dinosaurs, this content update includes new mounts, gear, pets, another crafting tier complete with new recipes, a higher level cap (90), and many new spells. Adventurers can also explore 13 new zones. To learn more about the update, check out Massively's Interview with Producer Leah Ruben. Don't forget about the patch notes! [Source: KingsIsle press release]
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from Massively To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
