MMO Updates |
- Massively Exclusive: New Vindictus video showcases Season 2
- RIFT going F2P in Korea, courting wage controversy in China
- New Darkfall dev diary vid talks art direction, Unholy Wars changes
- Massively Exclusive: RaiderZ announces launch date with new screens and a video
- Chaos Theory: Why you should be excited for The Secret World's Issue #4
- A (spoiler-free) jaunt through Guild Wars 2's Lost Shores
- The Daily Grind: Do you play similarly themed MMOs simultaneously?
- WildStar explores the nuance of sound
- Glitch closing down, cites limited audience
- MMO Family: How Khan Academy redefines learning
- PlanetSide 2 Command Center airs its last episode before launch
- Choose My Adventure: Guild Wars 2 disciplines and WvWvW
- New video and 2-for-1 deal announce Forge's launch
- Neverwinter details pour in from China
- A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The passion for City of Heroes
- Get a look at Cabal II's character creation
- EVE Online prepares to roll out Retribution ship rebalancing
- Rumor: Origin hacked, EA denies intrusion [Updated]
- Enter at Your Own Rift: Storm Legion is a go!
- New SWTOR dev diary explores Section X and HK-51
| Massively Exclusive: New Vindictus video showcases Season 2 Posted: 15 Nov 2012 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Patches, News items, PvE, Free-to-play, Vindictus  Have you ever wanted to grapple with a gigantic anthropomorphic octopus with spiked tentacles, or a towering undead pirate captain? If so, Vindictus' two new bosses will be right up your alley. But a couple new bosses isn't all Season 2 has to offer; the trailer also tours through the new zones that these foes inhabit. Get an up close personal look at the the bugs and spear-wielding Jungle Trolls of Crescent Moon Island and the rain-soaked planks of the Ship Graveyard in the clip past the cut. [Source: Nexon press release] Continue reading Massively Exclusive: New Vindictus video showcases Season 2
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| RIFT going F2P in Korea, courting wage controversy in China Posted: 15 Nov 2012 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, RIFT  Meanwhile Chinese publisher Shanda is under fire from a third-party group that performed translation services on RIFT's localized client. The outfit is claiming that the publisher owes it nearly $75,000 in unpaid wages and is staging a protest outside the Shanda office building for the second straight week. MMO Culture says that Shanda has not issued an official reply as of yet, but we'll update the story if and when it does.
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| New Darkfall dev diary vid talks art direction, Unholy Wars changes Posted: 15 Nov 2012 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items  The video boasts a bunch of fly-through shots that show off Agon's new textures, higher polygon counts, and improved shaders, many of which are a marked improvement over the originals (that date back to the game's genesis in 2002 in some cases). Oikonomopoulos also mentions that Unholy Wars and the original Darkfall are set "several hundred years apart," which accounts for some of the changes in both the landscape and the game's architecture. Continue reading New Darkfall dev diary vid talks art direction, Unholy Wars changes
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| Massively Exclusive: RaiderZ announces launch date with new screens and a video Posted: 15 Nov 2012 07:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Trailers, Video, Launches, New titles, News items, PvE, Free-to-play  Senior Producer Mark Hill noted that launch was just the beginning. He stated, "We'd like to thank fans for their continued support and also welcome new players to explore the Kingdom of Rendel. This is just the first part of our commitment to provide players with a great experience for years to come." Want a glimpse of what you can expect next week? Check out the beautiful world and watch a variety of battles in the launch trailer after the break, and enjoy some exclusive images in the gallery below. [Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release] Continue reading Massively Exclusive: RaiderZ announces launch date with new screens and a video
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| Chaos Theory: Why you should be excited for The Secret World's Issue #4 Posted: 15 Nov 2012 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, The Secret World, Chaos Theory  I have to say that The Secret World's Issue #4 update looks pretty funking sweet. Despite the tough times endured by the title over the summer and after the subsequent Funcom layoffs, all signs point to growth for the game and its dedicated players going forward. Join me after the cut for a peek at why I'm excited about the game's immediate future. Continue reading Chaos Theory: Why you should be excited for The Secret World's Issue #4
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| A (spoiler-free) jaunt through Guild Wars 2's Lost Shores Posted: 15 Nov 2012 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Previews, PvP, Endgame, News items, PvE, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Hands-on, Dungeons  Guild Wars 2's Lost Shores update is just around the corner -- that is, if you can consider nighttime to be a corner. What I'm trying to say is that Lost Shores goes live tomorrow. We brought you a content primer a couple of days ago to give you the basics of what's going on. Now it's time to take a closer look at what's to come. Skip on below the cut for a spoiler-free look at the Lost Shores content. I mean, reasonably spoiler-free. I'm going to tell you that the karka are involved and that there's a dungeon where you fight things. We can't really have much of a conversation elsewise, but what I'm not going to do is give away any big finales or gotcha moments. Now that we understand each other, let's get going. Continue reading A (spoiler-free) jaunt through Guild Wars 2's Lost Shores
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| The Daily Grind: Do you play similarly themed MMOs simultaneously? Posted: 15 Nov 2012 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, RIFT  So RIFT and EverQuest II are both expanding this week, and I've got something of a conundrum when it comes to spending my game time.On the one hand, EQII has more features than any other themepark in existence, and I've got a long, fun history with the game. On the other hand, RIFT is newer, shinier, and boasts a nifty riff on player housing that I'd like to experience. Part of my brain balks at the prospect of playing two fantasy MMOs, though, and with so many interesting games out there, I can't help but feel like I'd be missing something. What about you, Massively readers? Do you play similarly themed MMOs simultaneously?  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!
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| WildStar explores the nuance of sound Posted: 14 Nov 2012 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Previews, News items, WildStar  Meader uses a specific ability to walk through the process of making a sound to fit the on-screen action, in this case an ability deployed by the Skug Queen. The process starts by identifying individual sounds that fit the overall theme, then layering them together and adding additional effects as needed until the whole package sounds right. For all that it's easy to miss in the midst of the action, it's clear that the designers are paying a lot of attention to what you hear during battle and elsewhere.
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| Glitch closing down, cites limited audience Posted: 14 Nov 2012 05:30 PM PST Filed under: News items, Free-to-play, Sandbox  Apparently, the game simply could not find a critical mass large enough to be financially viable. The developers explained it simply: "Unfortunately, Glitch has not attracted an audience large enough to sustain itself and based on a long period of experimentation and our best estimates, it seems unlikely that it ever would." While Tiny Speck will continue with a smaller team working on other projects, many of Glitch's developers are now looking for work elsewhere. The studio posted a closure FAQ that included reasoning behind the shutdown and information on how to obtain refunds for money spent on the game. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
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| MMO Family: How Khan Academy redefines learning Posted: 14 Nov 2012 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Business models, Culture, Opinion, Kids, MMO Family, Family, Miscellaneous  This week, we're replacing our virtual swords with keyboards and substituting our colorful avatars for colorfully drawn instructional videos. We're taking a week off from cute pets and monster-slaying to look at how Khan Academy is turning the current system of public education on its head. Continue reading MMO Family: How Khan Academy redefines learning
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| PlanetSide 2 Command Center airs its last episode before launch Posted: 14 Nov 2012 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Video, Culture, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2  The episode kicks off with an update on the pace of the beta, with Higby explaining how the data from the latest round of beta has been applied to map balance and mechanics as well as bug fixes. There's also a chat with several developers, a look at the music of the game, a recap of this year's SOE Live event, and of course a glance at fan mail and the best fan YouTube videos. Take a look at the full episode past the cut for all sorts of nuggets to chew on before the game's launch next week. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release] Continue reading PlanetSide 2 Command Center airs its last episode before launch
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| Choose My Adventure: Guild Wars 2 disciplines and WvWvW Posted: 14 Nov 2012 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Polls, Screenshots, Video, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Hands-on, Massively Hands-on, Choose My Adventure  I had a blast with tailoring but maybe a little more with cooking. I discovered some interesting ways to go about crafting to level up faster. I lingered in Brisban Wildlands before moving on to WvWvW because I had to catch some more video and screenshots to add to the gallery and wanted to make a snazzy new video. Read on for more eye-popping screenshots, a recounting of my trials, and another round of voting. Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Guild Wars 2 disciplines and WvWvW
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| New video and 2-for-1 deal announce Forge's launch Posted: 14 Nov 2012 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Launches, New titles, PvP, News items  Tim Alvis, COO/CTO of Dark Vale Games, explained the 2-for-1 deal for what he calls "an incredible AAA-quality multiplayer fantasy game at an amazing indie price." "We understand that these titles are all about the community. That's why we're offering the best of both worlds - a great price point and a free copy that purchasers can give to their guild- or clan-mate or anyone else they would like to have fighting by their side. The more people we have playing FORGE, the more fun it will be. We truly believe that and we're putting our money where our mouth is to prove it."Forge is rated T for teen due to violence and blood. Curious about the in-game action? Watch the new video after the break! [Source: Dark Vale games press release] Continue reading New video and 2-for-1 deal announce Forge's launch
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| Neverwinter details pour in from China Posted: 14 Nov 2012 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Free-to-play, Neverwinter  The screenshots show the title screen, the map of the world (with helpful English subtitles), and several of the character selection screens. We're able to see four Neverwinter's five classes (Devoted Cleric, Guardian Fighter, Trickster Rogue, and Control Wizard) as well as the game's seven races (Human, Half-Elf, Tiefling, Dwarf, Drow, Elf, and Halfling). So far, Cryptic's only publicly announced the Control Wizard and Guardian Fighter classes. Head over to MMO Culture to check them out and then let us know what you're planning to roll!
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| A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The passion for City of Heroes Posted: 14 Nov 2012 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, Culture, Game mechanics, Endgame, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter  I really don't get that, considering that this column has been running for nearly three years without interruption, even when I had to send the text off to someone else because I was out of power due to a hurricane. There's no way I'm not going the last few feet. But I think some of it comes down to not understanding what about the game makes some of the players so passionate about the city. Passion is a lot of things, none of them logical. It's not possible to just point to items on a list and say, "I'm passionate because of that." But I can try to outline what's made the game so special beyond just its length of operation, and I'll do the best I can with today's column. Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The passion for City of Heroes
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| Get a look at Cabal II's character creation Posted: 14 Nov 2012 12:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles  In any case, before we were so rudely interrupted, we were going to tell you that Steparu.com has given us our first look at the game through its character creation system. Both male and female versions are present, along with a vast array of sliders, skin tones, tattoos, and saucy underwear. You never know if Cabal II might be in your future, but if it is, then the following videos will most certainly be your first steps into the game. Check them out! Continue reading Get a look at Cabal II's character creation
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| EVE Online prepares to roll out Retribution ship rebalancing Posted: 14 Nov 2012 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Dev Diaries, Sandbox  Even though change can be a scary prospect, Fozzie sees the rebalancing as a boon to the community: "Every time EVE's balance changes, it creates new opportunities for clever players to demonstrate their creativity and separate themselves from the pack. We know that our customers are amazingly creative with ship fittings and tactics and that if we give them a new set of tools they'll do things better than we could have imagined with them." The post goes on to detail the changes being made to frigates, destroyers, cruisers, weapons, and mods when Retribution goes live.
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| Rumor: Origin hacked, EA denies intrusion [Updated] Posted: 14 Nov 2012 11:30 AM PST Filed under: Ultima Online, Legal, Rumors, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Miscellaneous  Allegedly affected players claim that the hackers are changing the log-in emails associated with their accounts and that the new email addresses have a Russian suffix. In response to a question about whether any accounts were compromised by hacking, an EA spokesperson made the following statement: "At this point, we have no reason to believe there has been any intrusion into our Origin database." EA has updated us with its full security statement: Anytime a player has a question about the security of his or her account or personal data, we take it very seriously and take all possible steps to help. For any customer who cannot access their Origin account for any reason, we ask them to please contact Origin Help or EA's customer experience group at help.ea.com. The robust security measures in place to protect Origin users accounts are constantly being expanded and upgraded, and we also strongly recommend customers take the protective steps of using strong passwords and changing passwords often.
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| Enter at Your Own Rift: Storm Legion is a go! Posted: 14 Nov 2012 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Launches, Patches, Opinion, RIFT, Enter at Your Own Rift, Dungeons, Housing  And now it's here. By the time you read this, Storm Legion will have gone live on the servers and Telara as we know will be forever changed. New continents, souls, dungeons, raids, rifts, stories, player housing, dual-faction cities, and more will wash over us and leave us floundering in its wake. What to do first? What to see and experience? I have huge hopes for Storm Legion. Trion's smartly releasing it after the crazy rush of most of the big fall expansions, and if the expansion lives up to even part of the hype, it could cement RIFT's reputation as a premium MMO worth the subscription. Heck, I'll just be happy to see an influx of returning players and new souls (so to speak) because this is a title worth supporting and enjoying. My head is a jumble of thoughts and plans, so excuse me while I gibber about anything and everything in today's column. Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Storm Legion is a go!
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| New SWTOR dev diary explores Section X and HK-51 Posted: 14 Nov 2012 10:30 AM PST Filed under: MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Dev Diaries, Sandbox  Section X beefs up the offerings of daily repeatable quests for both the Republic and Imperial factions, including two new heroics with more rewards, more commendations, and more credits than ever before. Daily Commendation vendors will also have plenty of new goods to trade in for, and new campaign armoring mods will allow for even more customization. Obtaining HK-51, the new player companion joining SWTOR, is touted as a memorable moment for players. Future HK-51 owners must first run epic mission chain that involves a massive derelict Czerka ship deserted for a century. As an aside, the devs also noted that The Fatality wreck is definitely not located on Hoth. For more details on that tidbit, head on over to the dev blog.
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