MMO Updates

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• Why I Play: EVE Online
• Some Assembly Required: The ultimate MMORPG
• Vostok aiming for Survarium beta by the end of 2013
• Storyboard: Roleplaying for churn
• Vendetta using Kickstarter to fund new expansion, iOS client
• The Daily Grind: What's the absolute worst MMO economy?
• The Guild Counsel: Everyone's a critic
• Warface begins operation Closed Beta
• 38 Studios debt to be partially repaid with bloody sock
• DayZ standalone version should arrive by April
• Funcom restructures Montreal branch, keeps games operational
• Diablo III's Jay Wilson steps down as game director
• The Perfect Ten: Why MMO armor is completely ridiculous
• Ask Massively: Counting the hits
• Vanguard removes class, race, coin, and housing restrictions for F2P today
• New video shows off Kartuga's Mayan, Mediterranean, and Oriental locales
• EVE's February 12th patch adding dueling mechanic
• Bungie to talk up Destiny at GDC 2013

Why I Play: EVE Online Posted: 18 Jan 2013 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Opinion, Sandbox, Why I Play When I was a child, I was obsessed with space. In elementary school, I'd spend my library time reading books with titles like "The Moon" or "Space for Kids." It wasn't so much that I planned to be an astronaut (poor eyesight and math incompetency quickly blocked this ambition) but that I wanted to know what was out there, among the stars and moons and planets. "It can't," I reasoned as a very precocious second-grader, "be empty." Unfortunately, I never did make it to space. I haven't walked on the moon, flown a starship, or engaged in a series of humiliating and challenging physical conditioning challenges (oh, The Right Stuff, how I love thee). What I did do, however, was discover EVE Online. It's sort of the next best thing. And here's why. Continue reading Why I Play: EVE Online Why I Play: EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Some Assembly Required: The ultimate MMORPG Posted: 18 Jan 2013 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Game mechanics, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, DC Universe Online, Some Assembly Required, Sandbox It's been raining for four days straight, and I've been cooped up in my house with nothing but a head cold and a bunch of time to think about my ideal sandbox MMORPG. For this week's Some Assembly Required, then, I'm shamelessly borrowing the format from Massively's MMO Blender column to construct a perfect(ly) theoretical hybrid. I've done so once before, but this time I'm going to put the focus on fantasy instead of on the sci-fi stylings of Star Citizen and Star Wars Galaxies. Continue reading Some Assembly Required: The ultimate MMORPG Some Assembly Required: The ultimate MMORPG originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Vostok aiming for Survarium beta by the end of 2013 Posted: 18 Jan 2013 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, PvE, Post-Apocalyptic Vostok Games has updated its website with a 2013 development timeline for Survarium, an online shooter said to feature PvE, factions, and task and auction systems. Vostok, which is staffed by veterans of the much-loved Stalker series, says that the title will go into open beta before the end of the year. The timeline also mentions an alpha due in Q2 of 2013. The build will feature PvP, four game maps, and two playable factions. Survarium is something of a spiritual sequel to the post-apocalyptic Stalker games, and the new title will incorporate concepts planned for the defunct Stalker 2 project. Vostok aiming for Survarium beta by the end of 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Timeline Via: Eurogamer

Storyboard: Roleplaying for churn Posted: 18 Jan 2013 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous Odds are good that you're going to be moving on from your current game of choice at some point. I'd even ramp those odds up to nearly absolute under certain circumstances (if you're the sort who claims newer games aren't engaging whilst hopping from game to game on a regular basis, for example). This leads to a bit of a problem with a lot of roleplaying stories because there's a very real possibility that your character's arc is going to be truncated as a result. It's not intentional, but it happens just the same. You spend time building up character relationships at launch, and then as the three-month mark rolls around, people start leaving, playtimes drop off, you get tired of some of the game's systems... and the next thing you know, the people who cared about the character you've been building for some time have all evaporated, leaving you to either make your character relevant again to a whole new group of players or just stop bothering. One of the things I've been both considering and playing with of late is the idea that maybe this can be embraced instead of feared. Rather than planning something of indeterminate length, you can try working with the assumption that you've got a more limited window to work within and pace yourself according to that. Continue reading Storyboard: Roleplaying for churn Storyboard: Roleplaying for churn originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Vendetta using Kickstarter to fund new expansion, iOS client Posted: 18 Jan 2013 05:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, Business models, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding There's no shortage of sandbox MMO projects on Kickstarter these days, but how would you feel about a fundraiser for a game that's been live since 2002? That's the reality for Vendetta Online, as Guild Software has just announced a new pledge drive to help the game conquer Apple's iPad platform. Vendetta is already playable on PC, Mac, Linux, Android, and WinRT (and all of those space pilots play seamlessly on the same server, too), so Guild's next goal is integrating iOS users into its sprawling space-based sandbox. "We'll be thrilled to bring our intense brand of multiplayer space gaming to the iPad family of devices," says John Bergman, Guild CEO. "Our game offers a seamless transition between desktop and mobile, so players can easily switch back and forth between their iPad and their Mac without limitation." If successful, the game's Kickstarter project will also help fund a major expansion, which promises "enhanced player-owned capital ships and territorial conquest." Vendetta is a subscription-based MMO that features twitch-based space combat, extensive mining, trading, and exploration options, and a player-generated content system. You can check out an eight-minute gameplay video after the break, then head to the official website to sign up for a free trial. Continue reading Vendetta using Kickstarter to fund new expansion, iOS client Vendetta using Kickstarter to fund new expansion, iOS client originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Kickstarter

The Daily Grind: What's the absolute worst MMO economy? Posted: 18 Jan 2013 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Economy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind I'm known around Massively as a total player economy junkie. Crafting is nice and all, but trading is really what gets me excited. Auction houses, hawking wares in global chat, buying and selling on player vendors -- however it's done in the MMO du jour, that's where I want to be, playing the market and PvPing via brains rather than bloodshed (shed tears are another story). So when an MMO's economy goes belly up, I get annoyed. Really annoyed. Guild Wars 2's economy, for example, is not the shining light of the MMO industry I'd hoped it would be. It might be better than Guild Wars 1's since at least it has player crafting and an auction hall, but the supply and demand balance is an epic trainwreck, one that more resembles the tacked-on economies of games released in 2002, not 2012. I'm not sure it's the worst one ever, but it's certainly on the list. So let's hear some others that deserve to be on the list: What's the absolute worst player-run economy an MMO's ever 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! The Daily Grind: What's the absolute worst MMO economy? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Guild Counsel: Everyone's a critic Posted: 17 Jan 2013 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Guilds, MMO industry, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous If there's one truism about MMOs, it's that not all players are equal. It can be frustrating when you're grouped with someone who isn't that great at playing his class. At the same time, it isn't exactly fun to be on the receiving end of criticism, either. Most people want to play well, but they don't want to be constantly reminded of their shortcomings along the way. In a guild, the fine line between helpful advice and unwanted criticism can often lead to a tense atmosphere and the potential for plenty of drama. "L2p" gets tossed around on forums and in game, but what if someone really does want to get another player to improve? In today's Guild Counsel, let's take a look at some of the factors involved with criticism and explore why this is often a very sensitive subject. Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Everyone's a critic The Guild Counsel: Everyone's a critic originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Warface begins operation Closed Beta Posted: 17 Jan 2013 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Free-to-play, MMOFPS Warface. Warface never changes. Except when it does, such as how it's gone into closed beta today in anticipation of a spring launch. Trion Worlds and Crytek announced that the online shooter has now progressed into the beta phase, where it'll stay for the time being. Crytek General Manager Publishing Dirk Metzger says that players should be drooling over this ridiculously good-looking title: "We look forward to making the experience even more engaging as waves of pre-registered players are invited to join the closed beta and play their part in shaping Warface ahead of its final launch." The studio describes Warface as taking part in "a vast and frequently updated PvE universe." If you're interested in joining the beta test, you can apply on Warface's site. [Source: Trion Worlds press release] Warface begins operation Closed Beta originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

38 Studios debt to be partially repaid with bloody sock Posted: 17 Jan 2013 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Events, real-world, MMO industry In 2004, Curt Schilling ignored his doctor's advice and hobbled to the pitcher's mound with a wounded right ankle to win Game Two of the World Series, clenching the second of four straight victories against the St. Louis Cardinals and proving that the Curse of the Bambino had run its course. The blood-stained sock worn by Schilling on that day is now stuff of Boston legend and had become quite an icon during the series. It seemed to be a piece of memorabilia that Schilling wouldn't dare part with, but his recent business dealings have forced his hand. And foot. If you find yourself in need of a used bloody sock to frame in your sports den, you can start the bidding on February 4th. Schilling hopes to raise at least $100,000 through the auction. 38 Studios debt to be partially repaid with bloody sock originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Gamespot

DayZ standalone version should arrive by April Posted: 17 Jan 2013 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Horror, Launches, MMOFPS, Miscellaneous What everyone seems to be clamoring for these days is a standalone version of DayZ, the hit zombie survival game by Dean Hall. The creator opened up to Reddit on the progress of the version and his feelings on being confused for the maker of The War Z. Hall says that DayZ's standalone version should come out before April, although he allows for wiggle room if something comes up between now and then. The team is being cautious about pulling the trigger on testing, too: "Slowly we'll hand out the first keys and get a few servers running. Then we will reassess. It could go really well and we open up quickly, or it could go badly. Don't expect the tech test to be fun, or very pretty." Past the release of the standalone version, Hall said that he has plans to create a new map that centers around a western city. Hall also addressed his frustration at being confused with The War Z: "I am angry about The War Z. I'm very angry. I'm quite hurt personally because anyone can see how similar the words are, and while the average gamer knows the difference, individual people don't. I've had family members and close friends mistake the difference and confront me about what they believed was unethical behavior they thought I was making." DayZ standalone version should arrive by April originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Reddit Via: VG 24/7

Funcom restructures Montreal branch, keeps games operational Posted: 17 Jan 2013 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Age of Conan, Anarchy Online, MMO industry, News items, The Secret World, Miscellaneous Funcom is taking hedge trimmers to its Montreal offices today. Senior Game Designer Tanya Short posted the following this afternoon on her Twitter account: "When your branch shuts down, I guess it's less like being fired and more like honorable discharge. Thanks for going down with the ship! Bye!" Massively contacted Funcom for an official statement. Director of Communications Erling Ellingsen confirmed layoffs but assured us that Funcom's games will continue on: "We are currently in a restructuring process and the Montreal office is part of that process along with our other branches. This process unfortunately involves a reduction in staff, but the studio is not closing down. It will continue on, but in a different form and function than today. Anarchy Online, as well as The Secret World and Age of Conan, will definitely continue to operate and be an important part of the company's focus going forward." He said that the studio would provide more details when it had finished with the process. Funcom previously stated that it was restructuring the company to make it more profitable. The Montreal office was established in 2009 and employed 110 people. Funcom restructures Montreal branch, keeps games operational originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Tanya Short Twitter

Diablo III's Jay Wilson steps down as game director Posted: 17 Jan 2013 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Diablo III It's hard to imagine working on the same game for seven years, but for Diablo III's Jay Wilson, that was his reality. The game director won't be making it eight, however, as Wilson is stepping down to move to another position in Blizzard. "While it's been one of the most challenging and rewarding periods of my life, I've reached a point creatively where I'm looking forward to working on something new," Wilson wrote in his farewell letter. "The powers that be at Blizzard have been gracious enough to give me that opportunity." Wilson stressed that the ongoing development of Diablo III will "carry forward as normal" and that he'll remain available to the team for consultation and advice. He discusses the creation, launch, and development of the action RPG, ending with a sentimental wave to fans: "You are the most passionate, dedicated group of gamers a designer could hope to have. I wish you all the best, and want to thank you for making this an amazing experience for me." Diablo III's Jay Wilson steps down as game director originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Jay Wilson farewell letter

The Perfect Ten: Why MMO armor is completely ridiculous Posted: 17 Jan 2013 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Humor, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous This is probably a rant best saved for another day, but I want to know when it became completely acceptable not to demand that MMO studios explain the building blocks of their game universes. The devs know that we'll just draw on tropes (usually fantasy) to fill in the gap, so most of the explanations they give for in-game reasoning have to do with a weak backstory of a class instead of why, say, a liquid potion binds together bones and allows you resurrect completely after being chopped into 60 pieces. I get why tropes are depended on so much, but in my opinion, they rob these games of the potential to be more immersive and lifelike. Pretty much most elements of MMO games break down even when you apply the game's own internal logic (what little has been revealed) to it. Chief among these borked elements? Armor. MMO armor just doesn't make sense, nor does it hold up to even a light level of scrutiny. Today we're going to cast aside the "it's just fantasy, go with it" excuses to investigate why your gear is completely ridiculous from a common sense standpoint. Heck, I wasn't even breathing hard by the time I counted to 10 on this one. Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Why MMO armor is completely ridiculous The Perfect Ten: Why MMO armor is completely ridiculous originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ask Massively: Counting the hits Posted: 17 Jan 2013 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Lore, Opinion, Massively Meta, Humor, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous At the end of December, the Massively staff laid out its predictions for 2013 in a tidy post, after which a reader named flatline4400 graciously complimented our wild conjecture: I think Bree and Patrick are right on in a number of points. (Bree also did very well in last year's predictions too!) We are pretty awesome, aren't we? Well, except for the part where I also predicted City of Heroes 2. Soooooo maybe not so awesome after all. In today's Ask Massively, let's take a peek back at our staff predictions from last year, the ones we made in 2011 for 2012. And let's count the hits and the misses. Did we get as much right as we got wrong? Come on -- it'll be fun(ny). Continue reading Ask Massively: Counting the hits Ask Massively: Counting the hits originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Image source

Vanguard removes class, race, coin, and housing restrictions for F2P today Posted: 17 Jan 2013 10:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Classes, Vanguard, Free-to-play, Races, Dev Diaries, Housing One thing that really dissuades players from trying out or returning to a game after a free-to-play conversion is a large set of restrictions. And unfortunately, that is exactly what Vanguard: Saga of Heroes had -- restrictions on race, restrictions on class, even restrictions on owning a house. But now, all of that has changed. In his most recent producer's letter, Harvey Burgess outlined some pretty big improvements coming to the recently reinvigorated fantasy game; even better, the changes go live in today's update! All players can now roll any class and any race they desire, whether they are freemium or paid members. Everyone can also participate in Vanguard's expansive housing system, and anyone -- regardless of pay level -- can form guilds. Even the two plat coin limit has been removed. As a bonus, previously earned veteran rewards have also returned! With these changes (and more) hitting the F2P model, what will make subscribing worthwhile? How about discounts on various in-game fees, increased XP and faction gains, and even the ability to purchase an additional housing plot for starters! A full listing of the new F2P model can be viewed on the official site. Vanguard removes class, race, coin, and housing restrictions for F2P today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Producer's letter, Game update summary Via: Twitter

New video shows off Kartuga's Mayan, Mediterranean, and Oriental locales Posted: 17 Jan 2013 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, MMO industry, PvP, News items While last month's video highlighted one of Kartuga's classes, the Destroyer, the latest trailer shows off the visual diversity of the upcoming action-MMO's three different kingdoms. Players will be able to battle each other while dodging among the architecture and landscapes of the Mediterranean-flavored Ithosia, the Mayan-inspired Kartu, and the Oriental-themed Empire of the Sun. Within each locale are sectors divided into PvP or PvE mission areas. Kartuga will start with nine different sectors for players to explore. Philipp Arlt, game designer, stated, "We want to show that the wonderful world of pirates can be more diverse than what is out there now. Players can expect a lot of visual variety from Kartuga." Check out the stylings of the three kingdoms in the clip after the cut. [Source: InnoGames press release] Continue reading New video shows off Kartuga's Mayan, Mediterranean, and Oriental locales New video shows off Kartuga's Mayan, Mediterranean, and Oriental locales originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE's February 12th patch adding dueling mechanic Posted: 17 Jan 2013 09:30 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, PvP, News items, Sandbox Consensual dueling may not be the kind of battle that springs to mind when discussing EVE Online's harden-the-funk-up PvP ethos, but CCP is nonetheless adding the feature as part of its Retribution 1.1 patch. The company calls it a "much requested" feature and says that while it's possible to duel now with a "slightly awkward method of can-flipping," the new mechanic will streamline the process. The update is scheduled for February 12th, and you can read the fine print at the official EVE Online website. In other New Eden news, CCP has officially stated that "loitering in completed incursion sites with the intent of preventing further continuation of the incursion is now considered an exploit." EVE's February 12th patch adding dueling mechanic originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Bungie to talk up Destiny at GDC 2013 Posted: 17 Jan 2013 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, real-world, MMO industry, New titles, News items CVG has sussed out what could be one of the more interesting presentations at this year's Game Developer's Conference. The annual San Francisco-based event will see Bungie writer and design director Joe Staten and art director Christopher Barrett talk up the firm's super secret Destiny project. The title, which has at various times been rumored to be an MMO, a Halo spin-off, and a cure for various types of gaming cancer still hasn't seen an official reveal, though Bungie did acknowledge the validity of some leaked assets late last year. If you're curious about Destiny, and anxious to "get a glimpse of the brave new world that has been built, a place where the next ten years of great Bungie adventures will unfold," stay tuned to Massively this March as we'll have multiple reporters on-site to bring you the scoop. Bungie to talk up Destiny at GDC 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: GDC website Via: CVG

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