MMO Updates |
- Age of Wulin emphasizes guild features
- More Season 7 changes beaming to Star Trek Online
- Heroes & Generals' Eisenhower update tweaks features, network code
- CCP considering mech vehicles for DUST 514
- It's all about story: Massively interviews BLESS's Jacob Han
- The Daily Grind: How would you advance your game's story?
- WildStar's development team thanks the fans with a song
- Evolution of Combat now live in RuneScape
- EVE Online sorts out its inventory system
- MechWarrior brings out a new 'Mech and new events
- Guild Wars 2 wants your feedback on the Lost Shores event
- Massively Exclusive: An interview with WildStar art director Matt Mocarski
- Meet Heroes of Evermore, Dungeon Runners' spiritual successor
- Age of Wushu invites you to be a beggar
- SWTOR begins testing Update 1.6
- The Soapbox: Everybody wins
- District 187 pulls the trigger and launches
- Massively Speaking Episode 225: 'Twas the week before Thanksgiving
- Hyperspace Beacon: Advantages and disadvantages of SWTOR's free-to-play
- Blizzard files complaint over Heroes of Warcraft domain name
- PlanetSide 2's launch trailer is packed with firepower
- The Secret World's NYC raid opens November 21st
| Age of Wulin emphasizes guild features Posted: 21 Nov 2012 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, New titles, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Guides, Sandbox Noting that guilds will play an important role in Europe's Age of Wulin, gPotato has launched a feature to help their formation for the upcoming fantasy sandbox. Groups can now create private message boards directly on the official Age of Wulin forums, giving players a one-stop shopping experience to find a guild. Why is gPotato encouraging folks to band together? Because a number of gameplay features are accessed only through guilds.Membership in a guild offers special perks, including the ability to take on special jobs and to support one of the in-game schools. Only a guild can own, defend, and develop a castle, or conversely attack, capture, or even burn down others' castles. Castle ownership opens up the ability to offer special services to guild members, including libraries and training areas. Guilds, which can grow up to 400 members strong, can participate in massive guild vs. guild warfare with up to 1,300 players (all members and up to 250 invited allies per guild). And in between the major PvP battles, members can pass the time by kidnapping the servants and robbing the holdings of rivals. Beta testing for Age of Wulin will begin in early 2013, and will launch later in the year in French, English, and German. [Source: gPotato press release]
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| More Season 7 changes beaming to Star Trek Online Posted: 21 Nov 2012 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play Star Trek Online's Season 7 has been out for a week, but that doesn't mean that everything is said and done. In fact, devs have announced a number of changes that will show up today, and others that will come during next week's update. Included in the changes are adjustments to the Dilithium economy, Reputation Projects, and Omega conversion crates (which can now be opened immediately without achieving T3 in Omega Fleet). The Foundry will also be turned back on today, and personal queues will come back online next week.As a holiday gift, STO is also offering folks who have missed any feature episodes the chance to play them during the Feature Episode Replay event in December. During this month-long event, all four series with all their limited-time rewards will be available. Then in January, a new Andorian ship will be released. For a full listing of all the incoming changes, check out the official post. And to read up on more Season 7 news, check out Massively's interview with Executive Producer Daniel Stahl.
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| Heroes & Generals' Eisenhower update tweaks features, network code Posted: 21 Nov 2012 07:30 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Historical, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, War, Free-to-play, Browser, Dev Diaries Heroes & Generals has updated its beta client to the Eisenhower build, and a new dev diary video features all the specifics. Chief among the additions are a new matchmaking system and ignore functionality as well as improvements to the in-game scoreboard and mounted machine gun handling.Reto-Moto also says it has "optimized the network code quite a bit," and the result is that each H&G mission can now handle 32 players. The devs are also "working on increasing that number." Heroes & Generals is a free-to-play browser-based World War II shooter featuring infantry, armored, and air combat as well a tactical mode and state-of-the-art production values. You can view the complete Eisenhower dev diary after the cut. Continue reading Heroes & Generals' Eisenhower update tweaks features, network code
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| CCP considering mech vehicles for DUST 514 Posted: 21 Nov 2012 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, DUST 514, Dev Diaries, Sandbox CCP has released a new dev diary video for its DUST 514 sci-fi shooter. The PlayStation 3 exclusive, which shares chat channels and an economy with MMO EVE Online, will initially feature three main vehicle classes.The game's current beta build boasts light attack vehicles (think jeeps and small transports), heavy attack craft (i.e., tanks), and drop ships (the DUST version of a helicopter). CCP is also considering additional vehicle classes. Yes, including mechs. Lead vehicle designer Ryan Thornton gives us a preview of the current classes in the video after the cut. Continue reading CCP considering mech vehicles for DUST 514
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| It's all about story: Massively interviews BLESS's Jacob Han Posted: 21 Nov 2012 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Game mechanics, Interviews, New titles, Massively Interviews, Miscellaneous Upcoming Korean MMO BLESS has been creating quite a stir as of late, what with its gorgeous HD visuals and action-packed "in-game" trailers. But MMO fans, skeptical bunch that they are, have expressed concern over the game, likening it to other Korean games, graphically attractive yet overly grindy experiences. What's to say this isn't just more of the same?This is exactly the question we posed to Jacob Han, lead producer at Neowiz Games. Han's studio collaborated with Epic Games Korea to build the Unreal 3-based title, and we figured he'd be the perfect person to help give us an idea of what makes this game different from the pack and why MMO fans should take note. Hop on past the break and see what BLESS has in store. Continue reading It's all about story: Massively interviews BLESS's Jacob Han
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| The Daily Grind: How would you advance your game's story? Posted: 21 Nov 2012 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Lore, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous One of the facts of life about MMOs (other than Trudy) is that they change. Or at least they should in theory. Part of the joy of a persistent world is that developers are able to advance the timeline, continue the story, and change the status quo.While some MMOs feature monthly story updates, such as Asheron's Call, others reserve the big changes for expansions. Guild Wars 2 is making waves with its first two updates for making radical changes to the landscape and introducing permanent features as part of its ongoing story, and The Secret World keeps its options open to continue the storylines of all of the prominent NPCs in the game. So if it was your call, how would you advance your game's story? Would you introduce a cataclysmic event, off a character, or change a faction's alignment? Is there a good idea inside of you that you think would enrich your MMO's lorescape?
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| WildStar's development team thanks the fans with a song Posted: 20 Nov 2012 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Culture, News items, WildStar The fanbase for WildStar has only grown since the game's initial announcement, and the team behind the game knows that this is the hardest time to be a fan. The game isn't out yet, after all, and that means that all fans can really do is chew on bits and pieces of interviews and previews. So in honor of Thanksgiving, the team found a special way to say thanks to the fans.A couple weeks ago, WildStar Wednesday outlined the lore behind the Exile/Dominion factional split. The story of Brightland's rebellion caught the imagination of a fan by the handle of Dyraele who penned a poem about the event. The team was so taken by the poem that they sat down, grabbed some instruments, and made a song out of it. Now everyone can enjoy a little musical adaptation of the game's lore in the video just past the cut, which we can all agree is a pretty effort-intensive way for the developers to thank fans for their devotion. Continue reading WildStar's development team thanks the fans with a song
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| Evolution of Combat now live in RuneScape Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, RuneScape, Free-to-play, Browser Two weeks ago, Jagex announced the launch date of RuneScape's big Evolution of Combat patch. And lo and behold, that day has arrived! Players can now log in and try their hands at dual wielding, explore different combat styles, and see how the all-new action bar speeds up skill training and resource gathering.Jagex also offered players a handy launch day FAQ to explain what will happen when they first log in. All players will be teleported to a bank where they will find 15 extra slots of space available, which will come in handy since all gear will be unequipped and placed in players' inventories. Players will also find their depleted player points fully restored and task totals recalculated. For more details about the new patch, check out the full notes.
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| EVE Online sorts out its inventory system Posted: 20 Nov 2012 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, Dev Diaries, Sandbox While inventory management might not be at the top of everyone's most-anticipated expansion features, CCP is going to lengths to drum up enthusiasm for EVE Online's upcoming inventory overhaul. In a new dev diary, the changes coming with the Retribution expansion are laid out in excruciating detail.When players get their hands on Retribution, they'll find a much more streamlined inventory experience. The windows will persist longer, performance time will improve by leaps and bounds, the system will be easier to use, a compact view will be introduced, and there will be multiple ways to access one's inventory. Even something as small and mundane as the scroll bars are being revamped. The devs are also adding an intuitive feature to allow players an easy way to loot wrecks either all at once or one at a time based on whether or not the index tree is expanded.
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| MechWarrior brings out a new 'Mech and new events Posted: 20 Nov 2012 03:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, MechWarrior Online Sometimes you want to give thanks for the many positive things happening in your life. Other times, you want to give thanks that you're the one piloting a 70-ton marching tank and the other guy isn't. MechWarrior Online is celebrating the latter feeling with the introduction of the Cataphract 'Mech, a heavy unit available with four different loadouts in the game's latest update.In addition to the new machine, the game has also added a new map, the Frozen City at Night, featuring large shooting lanes and patches of shadow to hide within. There are also two new modules and a new piece of equipment, all of which should help keep a better lock on your target even as they dart around the battlefield. Last but not least, the development team is hosting a live event tomorrow at 9 p.m. EST on the official livestream channel. If you're a player and want to see how your 'Mech skills hold up against those of the designers, be prepared to throw down with some autocannons tomorrow night. [Source: Piranha Games press release]
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| Guild Wars 2 wants your feedback on the Lost Shores event Posted: 20 Nov 2012 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, MMO industry, Opinion, Guild Wars 2 So Guild Wars 2 had this event last weekend and it seems like things didn't go quite as planned. There were bugs, crashes, and enough glitches to keep Glitch alive with namesake royalties (too soon?), but ArenaNet realizes that players weren't as happy as they'd have liked.So tonight the dev studio has released a survey asking your opinion on the Lost Shores event. Did you experience any event-ruining bugs? Was everything peachy-keen on your end? Let them know what did or didn't work for you so the next events can be even better. [Source: ArenaNet survey email]
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| Massively Exclusive: An interview with WildStar art director Matt Mocarski Posted: 20 Nov 2012 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Interviews, Previews, Massively Interviews, WildStar WildStar doesn't look like anything else out right now. We're not just talking about the game's mechanics; the game's stylized graphics make it look distinct. There's a lot of unique visual elements in the game, from its opening cinematic to the most recent screenshots, and while you might not like the more stylized approach, you can't say that it lacks personality.This comes with its own set of challenges, though. After all, creating stylized graphics for a game means you're not just making the best-looking environments possible; you're also creating a whole new aesthetic and making environments that make sense within that style. We had a chance to ask WildStar's art director Matt Mocarski a few questions about the process of putting the game's unique look together, and he provided us some excellent insights into bringing the visuals from concept to reality. Whether you're a fan of the game in specific or stylized art in general, take a look at the full interview past the break. Continue reading Massively Exclusive: An interview with WildStar art director Matt Mocarski
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| Meet Heroes of Evermore, Dungeon Runners' spiritual successor Posted: 20 Nov 2012 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, Free-to-play, Mobile, Massively Interviews Almost three years ago, a quirky and charming MMO died. It was NCsoft's Dungeon Runners, a Diablo-like action title that had a wicked funny streak running through it. We were genuinely sad to see it go away, but perhaps not as sad as its producer, Steve Nichols. In fact, Dungeon Runners was such an influence on his life that when he moved on to a new studio, he brought with him the idea of creating another MMO in the same vein.Today we caught up with Nichols to talk about that project, called Heroes of Evermore. Heroes of Evermore is currently in pre-alpha but is pushing hard to make strides in 2013 toward release. What would the spiritual successor to Dungeon Runners look like? You're about to find out! Continue reading Meet Heroes of Evermore, Dungeon Runners' spiritual successor
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| Age of Wushu invites you to be a beggar Posted: 20 Nov 2012 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Classes, Free-to-play, Sandbox, Age of Wushu MMO players are definitely used to being recruited to fill heroic roles, but what about jumping into the shoes of a street bum? That doesn't happen as often. Don't tell that to Age of Wushu, however, as this contrarian sandbox is looking to make an entire class out of martial arts panhandling.That's right: One of the classes in the game is the Beggar. This isn't your average drunk wino (well, not too drunk); the Beggars are tough as nails and can go toe-to-toe with the best of the rich kids. Beggars fight in a similar fashion to the Drunken Master style, using booze to fuel their flexible attacks and witty comebacks. The class relies mostly on hands and feet to do damage, although the occasional quarterstaff is wielded as well. Go slumming with the Beggars in a video after the break! Continue reading Age of Wushu invites you to be a beggar
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| SWTOR begins testing Update 1.6 Posted: 20 Nov 2012 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, Free-to-play, Star Wars: The Old Republic Hot on the heels of last week's Update 1.5 release, Star Wars: The Old Republic has begun testing its next content patch. Update 1.6: Ancient Hypergate is currently on the test servers and allows players to experience a new warzone and tougher space combat.The Ancient Hypergate PvP warzone has been in the works for months now. In it, players will compete to control two energy pylons. While the pylons can open portals to let in reinforcements, they might also do some damage to the controlling team. Also available for testing are a dozen new heroic mode space missions, six per faction. These are designed for the most skilled (and geared out) pilots in the endgame. While the missions may be tough, the bounty of Black Hole Commendations and elite gear should be incentive enough to give them a go.
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| Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:30 PM PST Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous I make no bones about the fact that despite working in this industry for three years, I know there are parts about MMOs and the culture around them that I just do not get. For example, I still have no idea what possesses someone to think that "toon" is a good term for characters. But on a slightly more serious note, I have no idea what makes people cheer for a game to fail.You see it everywhere. World of Warcraft subscription numbers drop; people cheer. Something bad happens to EVE Online's community; people cheer. A game goes free-to-play; people announce the game's impending demise and begin cheering prematurely. A game closes down; people cheer. I don't get this. All right, I get it on the most basic level, inasmuch as this is a game you don't like and you're willing to publicly crow about your schadenfreude. The thing is that this is never a good thing. Cheering for a game you dislike to do badly does not result in anything good. Continue reading The Soapbox: Everybody wins
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| District 187 pulls the trigger and launches Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Launches, Free-to-play, MMOFPS PlanetSide 2 isn't the only MMOFPS to launch today, as CJ Games' District 187 decided to pop out of the digital womb on the same date. The free-to-play shooter included a large day one patch with the launch, including its cash shop, new maps and weapons, and additional game modes.Producer Jon-Enée Merriex hopes that trigger-happy players will give this title a chance: "This update is a testament to our global team's dedication to making District 187: Sin Streets the most robust, original and fun shooter on the market. Whether players have just started playing PC games or are old farts like me, there is something for everyone to love in this game!" District 187 takes place in a dystopian future when SWAT players take on gang members on the street. CJ Games says that it's planning to focus heavily on the game's budding e-sports nature with tournaments coming next year. [Source: CJ Games press release]
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| Massively Speaking Episode 225: 'Twas the week before Thanksgiving Posted: 20 Nov 2012 11:30 AM PST Filed under: Podcasts, MMO industry, News items, Massively Meta, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous In today's jam-packed episode of Massively Speaking, Bree and Justin (now in Smell-o-Vision[TM]) attempt to wrap up one of the busiest weeks of MMO releases... like, ever. Battered and bruised, they survived to tell you the harrowing tale. Won't studios please think of the children when they schedule releases like this?Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air! Get the podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes. [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly. Listen here on the page: Read below the cut for the full show notes. Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 225: 'Twas the week before Thanksgiving
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| Hyperspace Beacon: Advantages and disadvantages of SWTOR's free-to-play Posted: 20 Nov 2012 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, Patches, Opinion, Free-to-play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon In a recent Gamasutra article, Funcom's Craig Morrison argued that most games that have moved from subscription to free-to-play are "using a hybrid model, where the free-to-play is a trial and then what they really want is the users to move on to whatever they've called what used to be a subscription." You don't have to look too deeply to realize that was BioWare's intention when it shifted Star Wars: The Old Republic to a free-to-play model. But is there still some advantage to just playing free-to-play?Also, the Cartel Market, SWTOR's cash shop, both opened up a new real-money economic arena and transformed the in-game market. Most free-to-play cash shops offer cosmetic items or items that don't give players a clear advantage over other players. There are certainly no endgame items available on the market, but what about other buy-to-win items? Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Advantages and disadvantages of SWTOR's free-to-play
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| Blizzard files complaint over Heroes of Warcraft domain name Posted: 20 Nov 2012 10:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items Blizzard is playing the domain name game of late, according to a blurb at Fusible. The website reports that the gaming juggernaut has "made a number of domain acquisitions," including StarCraft.com and WarcraftBattles.com, over the past year.The company has also filed a complaint with the National Arbitration Forum in order to expedite a transfer of control for the HeroesofWarcraft.com domain name from a private owner. It's unclear what Blizz intends to do with the name, though it did register HeroesofWarcraft.co.uk in September.
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| PlanetSide 2's launch trailer is packed with firepower Posted: 20 Nov 2012 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, Launches, New titles, PvP, News items, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2 You've prepared for this moment, PlanetSide 2 fans, and now the moment is here. From the ground and the air and in vehicles and on foot, battle is about to begin on a massive scale. Are you ready to jump in and fight for your faction's rightful control of the land? Or maybe just die a whole bunch? Oh, you're stuck at work like a regular person. Well then, how about a video?In honor of its new MMOFPS title's launch, Sony Online Entertainment has released an action-packed new trailer, chock-full of combat and explosions. Experience all the firepower in the video ofter the break, and then, if you just can't get enough PlanetSide 2, check out our launch day roundup and watch Massively cover the game tonight via livestream at 6:00 p.m. EST on our Twitch channel. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release] Continue reading PlanetSide 2's launch trailer is packed with firepower
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| The Secret World's NYC raid opens November 21st Posted: 20 Nov 2012 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Horror, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, PvE, The Secret World When Funcom sprung the news about The Secret World's fourth monthly update going live (giving players less than a day's notice!), the studio said that one piece of the patch would be missing. Due to bugs, Big Trouble in the Big Apple's New York City raid needed a bit more time before it was ready. Now, one week later, the content is hitting the live servers. And again, the devs are giving short notice: Tomorrow, November 21st at 7:00 a.m. EST, the servers will be offline for the patch.After an expected three-hour downtime, folks will be able to log in and throw themselves at the game's first-ever raid experience. So grab your friends and get ready! Not sure if a raid is your style? Check out Chaos Theory for why this instance might appeal to more than just dedicated raiders.
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