MMO Updates |
- The Soapbox: The problem with power creep and progression
- Kingz blends RTS, MMO, and collectible card game elements
- Latest Bless gameplay video treats viewers to HD visuals
- KingsIsle releases Grub Guardian satellite game for Wizard101
- Flameseeker Chronicles: There's something in the water in Guild Wars 2
- The Daily Grind: If your favorite game relaunched, what one thing would you fix?
- Guild Wars 2 reveals schedule for the Lost Shores
- Not So Massively: Halloween events, tournaments and character reveals
- Champions Online previews the upcoming vehicle system
- Wings Over Atreia: Bite-sized Aion
- Age of Wushu founder describes Hollywood movie plans
- TERA Producer Chris Hager leaves En Masse
- Massively exclusive: Newest Vindictus boss can swallow you whole
- Captain's Log: Testing Season Seven in Star Trek Online
- Leaderboard: One character or many?
- MechWarrior Online celebrates open beta with a new trailer
- EVE Online readies $10,000 tournament
| The Soapbox: The problem with power creep and progression Posted: 06 Nov 2012 09:00 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, City of Heroes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, The Secret World, Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Soapbox  Power creep can't be avoided, right? Developers have to make new content to keep people interested in the game. And themepark games have to have a linear progression, right? We also don't want the disparity between the new players and the old players to be too great because it will discourage population growth. Then how in the world do we stop this never-ending cycle? How do we keep MMO progression fun and interesting without content falling off the end of the treadmill? Continue reading The Soapbox: The problem with power creep and progression
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| Kingz blends RTS, MMO, and collectible card game elements Posted: 06 Nov 2012 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, MMORTS  Steparu has a quick preview and a gameplay trailer from G-Star that introduces the game's instanced kingdoms and kingdom management. That takes care of the RTS aspects mentioned above, but what about the MMO part? Well, apparently players can leave their private kingdom at any time and adventure in the wider world, encountering traditional MMO mobs, resources, and other players. PvP is also an option, though you can only attack another player's kingdom if he's actually online. The card game elements are broken down into three distinct phases. The first card type boosts your kingdom resources, harvesting abilities, etc. The second card type is equipped on your player character and affects individual combat abilities. The third and final card type is used during siege warfare. Get a look at all this and more via the gameplay trailer after the cut. Continue reading Kingz blends RTS, MMO, and collectible card game elements
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| Latest Bless gameplay video treats viewers to HD visuals Posted: 06 Nov 2012 07:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, New titles, News items  The HD format of this video really shows off the world; although the dragonback transport route is predetermined, the trip takes viewers through some of the beautiful vistas and locals in Bless. Be sure to check it out after the break. Continue reading Latest Bless gameplay video treats viewers to HD visuals
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| KingsIsle releases Grub Guardian satellite game for Wizard101 Posted: 06 Nov 2012 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, Wizard101  Players can log in using their existing Wizard101 accounts and "advance the skills and experience of their in-game pets," according to a KingsIsle press release. The company boasts of more than 30 million registered users across its free-to-play family-friendly MMOs, and it says that satellite games like Grub Guardian "represent a new frontier for game design in which standalone mobile game connect seamlessly with larger online worlds like Wizard101." [Source: KingsIsle press release]
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| Flameseeker Chronicles: There's something in the water in Guild Wars 2 Posted: 06 Nov 2012 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Patches, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles, Dungeons  October is gone, and with it went the Mad King. He's returned to his realm, and if the number of his slippers I have piled up in the corners of my bank vault is any indication, he's ill-prepared to deal with any sudden drops in temperature. On the first day of November, Lion's Arch citizens marveled at the sudden disappearance of all the festive decorations, applauded the continuity of the lion statue's still being absent from the Piazza, and set about life as normal. Until they saw the whales. Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: There's something in the water in Guild Wars 2
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| The Daily Grind: If your favorite game relaunched, what one thing would you fix? Posted: 06 Nov 2012 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Game mechanics, Patches, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  A lot of games don't relaunch -- the majority, even, unless you count now-ubiquitous free-to-play conversions. But those that do so change a lot about the game, some of it good, some of it bad. Today, we're not asking for all of the things you'd change if you had the choice; today, we want to pick a single element of a game that you like. A lone thing that bothers you that you would want changed. Maybe you'd like to enhance the game's crafting. Maybe you'd like to improve the storytelling. Maybe you even would just add in a few more travel options around a particularly annoying point. If your favorite game was relaunching, what's the one thing that you would want to see fixed in the new version?  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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| Guild Wars 2 reveals schedule for the Lost Shores Posted: 05 Nov 2012 05:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Events, in-game, Previews, News items, Guild Wars 2  At 3 p.m. EST on November 16th, the first event chain will kick off. This will be followed by another kickoff event on November 17th and a final culmination on November 18th, both mirroring the 3 p.m. EST start time. While the 16th and 17th will still have content for players who miss the starting bell, the 18th's event will run for several hours and will not come back around, meaning that if you only catch one part of the event, be there for the ending.
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| Not So Massively: Halloween events, tournaments and character reveals Posted: 05 Nov 2012 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Video, Culture, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Lore, New titles, Patches, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III, Firefall  SMITE revealed its new god Loki, adding a deadly backstabbing assassin to the game's growing roster of characters. Guardians of Middle-Earth also released its first two real hard carries this week with a Battle Profile on Ori and Agandaûr, two characters whose ability power scales up with each use. Heroes of Newerth's inclusive competitive league HoNTour got off to a great start this week despite early setbacks. Upcoming action RPG Path of Exile spruced up its website this week and released its anticipated PvP arena patch. Diablo III players have reported that monsters with the Reflect Damage affix are almost impossible to kill in higher Monster Power levels. Finally, the first Firefall Fest saw special guests Athene, Felicia Day, and Wil Wheaton trying the game for the first time, and Blacklight: Retribution released its Evacuation update. Continue reading Not So Massively: Halloween events, tournaments and character reveals
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| Champions Online previews the upcoming vehicle system Posted: 05 Nov 2012 04:30 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Champions Online  The vehicle system will start off by offering players just two choices -- jets and hovertanks -- but more will be available in the future. Each vehicle chassis offers a certain set of base stats, which can be further improved by slotting in vehicle equipment from the new vehicle missions. Players can also apply a variety of skins to each vehicle chassis, ensuring that you can make the ride feel unique even around your friends with a similar machine.
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| Wings Over Atreia: Bite-sized Aion Posted: 05 Nov 2012 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Free-to-play, Wings Over Atreia  Such has been my case over the past couple of months. Sadly, real life intervened in both some wonderful and some tragic ways that have prevented me from spending any length of time in-game at one sitting. And even when I did get in, I'd feel so paralyzed by how much I need to do that I'd end up doing nothing. So what's a Daeva to do? Well, just because you or I cannot spend hours at a time in Atreia doesn't mean we can't still enjoy it! Even if you find yourself temporarily unable to spend quantity time in Aion, you can still indulge in quality time; there are plenty of smaller tasks that move you toward your goals without requiring inordinate amounts of time to actually accomplish. Today, Wings Over Atreia explores some of those bite-sized bits of Aion that can be enjoyed when only quick bursts of gaming time are available. Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Bite-sized Aion
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| Age of Wushu founder describes Hollywood movie plans Posted: 05 Nov 2012 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Video, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, Free-to-play, Miscellaneous  GamerHubTV caught up with Snail Games' CEO and Founder, Shi Hai, for a video interview detailing everything from the origins of Snail Games, the involvement of Jet Li, and the possibility of an international film based on the game. You can watch the two-part video interview after the cut below, and check out the entire transcription over at Forbes. Continue reading Age of Wushu founder describes Hollywood movie plans
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| TERA Producer Chris Hager leaves En Masse Posted: 05 Nov 2012 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, TERA  Bluehole Studios' Harns Kim first made mention of Hager's departure on his Twitter feed. It is unclear whether Hager left of his own volition or was let go. Prior to working for En Masse, Hager was with NCsoft, developing titles like Guild Wars, Lineage II, and Aion. [Thanks to Maniac for the tip!]
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| Massively exclusive: Newest Vindictus boss can swallow you whole Posted: 05 Nov 2012 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Previews, Free-to-play, Vindictus  Lakoria is described as the "grand-daddy of all serpents," complete with purple venom, shedding skin, and the ability to swallow your character in one big gulp. In this special exclusive reveal, we've teamed up with Nexon to bring you new screenshots of the boss and a brief developer diary with more details. You can check it all out right after the cut below. Continue reading Massively exclusive: Newest Vindictus boss can swallow you whole
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| Captain's Log: Testing Season Seven in Star Trek Online Posted: 05 Nov 2012 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Patches, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Captain's Log  A majority of the new material is already up on Star Trek Online's Tribble test server, and this past weekend, a special Tribble test event was held. Players who signed into the test server and played for at least one hour will be granted a special reward. I had an opportunity to take a quick run around the new Tau Dewa Sector and the new adventure zone on the planet of Mol'Rihan (New Romulus). I've also had the opportunity to give the new Romulan reputation system a spin. So join me as I go over my first impressions of the material that's coming in Season Seven! Continue reading Captain's Log: Testing Season Seven in Star Trek Online
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| Leaderboard: One character or many? Posted: 05 Nov 2012 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Polls, MMO industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Final Fantasy XIV, Leaderboard  By contrast, Star Wars: The Old Republic all but insists that you make alts. The game's Legacy feature encourages you to level several different characters, and the fact that chunks of the game's story differ depending on your choices means that a single character doesn't see the whole game. Having another character enhances both characters to the point that filling your character slots is almost expected. Most players fall somewhere away from either extreme on the sliding scale of alts. But let's assume you have a game that gives you only the two options -- have one character or have all the characters. Which would you prefer: a lone character who can do everything or an army of characters that collectively do everything? Continue reading Leaderboard: One character or many?
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| MechWarrior Online celebrates open beta with a new trailer Posted: 05 Nov 2012 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, Events, in-game, PvP, News items, War, MechWarrior Online  MechWarrior Online has been in open beta testing for a week now. What better way to celebrate than with a snazzy new trailer? (There is no better way.) If you're a fan of MWO and its franchise, you're probably part of the open beta already. If you're not already partaking, consider this your official reminder that this is likely the best way to get a sample of the game -- and you'll be helping the team make the game better at the same time! And if you're not a fan, perhaps this trailer can entice you. Skip below the cut to see the video in all its mech-on-mech glory. Continue reading MechWarrior Online celebrates open beta with a new trailer
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| EVE Online readies $10,000 tournament Posted: 05 Nov 2012 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Contests, Events, in-game, Dev Diaries, Sandbox  A dev blog illuminates some of the nitty-gritty details leading up to the tournament, including where and when teams can practice and how the absence of a full roster will affect the elimination brackets. Of most interest, however, is the schedule for the tournament. CCP breaks the event down day by day as the New Eden Open proceeds from November 17th through December 2nd. The studio also announced that it will host contests and giveaways for viewers during the tournament, although details on these are still forthcoming. For more information on the New Eden Open, check out our EVE Evolved column on the event.
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