Wednesday, September 10, 2014

MMO Updates

MMO Updates

Choose My Adventure: I am Elite: Dangerous

Posted: 10 Sep 2014 10:00 AM PDT

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Elite: Dangerous
Space is not a very good place for people to hang out. Humans have a specific list of things that are needed for survival, and space is in a continual state of being fresh out of all of them. Thus, the space race isn't just about firing objects into the universe and seeing how far they can go but about building contraptions that deliver enough tender love and care to keep folks alive for the journey. Space travel is immensely expensive and complicated; humanity is still decades or even centuries away from easily accessible personal spacecraft.

Space sims like Frontier Development's Elite: Dangerous let you skip ahead a bit to see what things might be like when launching yourself into space will come with all the grandiosity of running to the store for some bread. "Yeah, you have a spaceship," Elite says, "but what exactly do you intend to do with it?"

In this, the second week of our Elite-focused Choose My Adventure, we'll be seeking an answer to that very question.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: I am Elite: Dangerous

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: I am Elite: Dangerous originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Sep 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Wings Over Atreia: The spoils of Aion's fifth anniversary

    Posted: 10 Sep 2014 09:00 AM PDT

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    Another year has flown by! Aion is turning five years old, and that means it's time for Daevas to enjoy cake and presents during the nearly month-long birthday bash. What goodies are in store during this year's North American festivities? Associate Product Manager Sean Orlikowski has shared with us the schedule of events that span from today until October 8th; it includes contests, buffs, double drop rates, and a special anniversary-day GM hosted event. There's also a special new Daevonian armor set for only 1 NCoin (which is practically free) that even new players can use.

    Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: The spoils of Aion's fifth anniversary

    MassivelyWings Over Atreia: The spoils of Aion's fifth anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Sep 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Star Wars: The Old Republic launches the Legacy of the Rakata

      Posted: 10 Sep 2014 08:00 AM PDT

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      In hindsight I sort of wish any of us knew how to read Rakata writing. We can't feed this into HoloGoogle Translate.
      The Rakata are kind of a big deal in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Their influence is everywhere in both the leveling game and in the overall lore, and finding out what their deal is kind of trumps other priorities of the week. So the new Legacy of the Rakata flashpoint that's just been added to the game should be of particular interest to lore hounds, as well as anyone looking to the completion of the game's Forged Alliances storyline.

      The flashpoint sees players exploring the ruins of Rakata Prime, learning more about the Star Forge with Agent Theron Shan and Lord Lana Beniko, and exploring the ruins with smuggler Jakarro. It's a tactical flashpoint, as well, which makes it that much easier for players to explore and discover more of the story while leading into the next major expansion storyline. If you're interested in seeing what the Rakata left behind, you can log in now and try the flashpoint out.

      MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic launches the Legacy of the Rakata originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Sep 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Guild Wars 2's living story season resumes in November

      Posted: 10 Sep 2014 07:30 AM PDT

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      Guild Wars 2
      A cryptic lore-only press release from ArenaNet this morning delivered this curious Guild Wars 2 news: The second season of the game's living story content will resume on November 4th, leaving just under two months between yesterday's feature pack release and the next leg of the playable plot. But if the teaser pic is any hint at all, we're likely to snag a new zone, at least. Here's the message:
      The fate of Tyria hangs in the balance. The world's races are uniting against the Elder Dragon Mordremoth. Their first lesson - there is no sanctuary.

      At the culmination of the first half of Season 2, Tyria's leaders had gathered for a secret summit at the Grove, at the base of the sylvari's sacred Pale Tree. They proved an easy target for Mordremoth's forces, facing a surprise attack by the Shadow of the Dragon.

      Tyria's heroes are now scattered across the world but in pursuit of one goal: how to bring the battle to Mordremoth. The secret may lie in a vision delivered by the Pale Tree moments after she was badly wounded by the Shadow of the Dragon.

      What did the vision mean, and will a united Tyria be enough to thwart the threat from this powerful Elder Dragon?

      The fight continues...

      MassivelyGuild Wars 2's living story season resumes in November originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Sep 2014 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Sci-fi sandbox Beyond Sol hopes you'll Greenlight it on Steam

        Posted: 10 Sep 2014 07:00 AM PDT

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        Beyond Sol
        Here's a ray of sandbox sunshine to brighten your morning: Praxia Entertainment has unveiled Beyond Sol, sci-fi pseudo-MMO focused on space exploration, trade, crafting, and piracy. It's even got cities. According to the devs,
        Beyond Sol is a multiplayer, buccaneering, open world sandbox game, set in the distant future when humanity has developed into a young galactic space-faring civilization. As an independent ship captain, you venture to a newly colonized and virtually lawless outlying system within the rim in order to pursue new opportunities. Once there, anything goes: explore, mine asteroids, salvage derelict ships, plunder merchant vessels, hunt pirates, pilot capital warships, construct an epic orbital city, and make friends with - or rival - other factions and players.
        Just how MMOsy is it? "The game is designed for 1 to N players (N being dependent on your hardware capabilities)," says Praxia, "meaning you can play single player or you can invite people into your session."

        The game is angling for approval on Steam Greenlight and intends to hit early access in winter 2015. We've included the game's trailer below.

        Continue reading Sci-fi sandbox Beyond Sol hopes you'll Greenlight it on Steam

        MassivelySci-fi sandbox Beyond Sol hopes you'll Greenlight it on Steam originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Sep 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Daily Grind: What's your favorite MMO forest?

        Posted: 10 Sep 2014 06:00 AM PDT

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        ddo
        I love me a good forest in an MMO: One that's not too dense, not too annoying to navigate, and not too full of shrieking spiders jumping on me from above. Give me a quiet, gorgeous, lush grove to wander through and I could easily lose myself in the game.

        Some of my favorite forests include LotRO's Lothlorien, World of Warcraft's Elwynn Forest, and Dungeons and Dragons Online's King's Forest. Each has its own personality and absolutely beckons to be screenshotted as I softly wander through its flora.

        So what is your favorite MMO forest and what do you like about it?

        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!

        MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's your favorite MMO forest? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Sep 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Jukebox Heroes: LEGO Universe's soundtrack

          Posted: 09 Sep 2014 06:00 PM PDT

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          lego universe
          I'm still incensed that nobody had the courtesy of informing me that LEGO Universe had such a great soundtrack until well after the title was shuttered. I guess it doesn't make a big difference -- at least I know now -- although I might have mourned its passing more.

          Composed by Brian Tyler and Michael Jason Corder, the LEGO Universe score was never released, although it looks as though there were once plans to do so. This is an incredible shame because the wider listening audience is missing out on one of the most diverse, cheeky, and fun soundtracks from online gaming. The one word that kept popping into my mind while listening to this was "personality" -- as in, it has so much of it. At so many points I kept thinking that I was hearing the score to a well-done kids movie and not a "mere" video game.

          I'm limited to six picks (and a bonus feature!) in this space, but I highly recommend that you use this column as a jumping point to listening to the LEGO Universe soundtrack in its entirety. If you do, I think you'll agree with me that this score is simply a triumph.

          Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: LEGO Universe's soundtrack

          MassivelyJukebox Heroes: LEGO Universe's soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Sep 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Hear snippets of Chance Thomas' Dota 2 score

            Posted: 09 Sep 2014 05:00 PM PDT

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            dota 2
            Composer Chance Thomas has revealed his latest project: creating a Compendium score for Dota 2. In a new behind-the-scenes video, you can see Thomas conducting a choir and orchestra as they perform snippets of various tracks for the popular MOBA.

            Thomas previously worked on MMOs such as Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons and Dragons Online. You can watch the Dota 2 soundtrack video after the jump!

            Continue reading Hear snippets of Chance Thomas' Dota 2 score

            MassivelyHear snippets of Chance Thomas' Dota 2 score originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Sep 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Xsyon now has cooking and farming

            Posted: 09 Sep 2014 04:00 PM PDT

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            Did you know that you can cook and farm in Xsyon? Yep, you can, thanks to the latest patch which added the ability to combine ingredients and create recipes, food buffs and bonuses, and even signature dishes.

            If farming's more your style, Notorious Games says that you can now "raise a variety of different crops, watering, tending, and fertilizing them to obtain bountiful harvests." More details are available via the latest Xsyon patch notes.

            MassivelyXsyon now has cooking and farming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Sep 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Riot Games kicks off e-sports documentary

            Posted: 09 Sep 2014 03:00 PM PDT

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            I guess no eSports player has ever savagely beaten another human being or started a dog-fighting ring. That's something.
            Want to know more about e-sports without all of the "watching e-sports" that it would otherwise entail? That's the purpose behind a new documentary being assembled by Riot Games. Road to Worlds is all about tracking the path of professional League of Legends players as they fight through the championships, culminating in a shot at the top prize at Worlds.

            The first episode is available past the cut and runs for about 25 minutes, exploring the origins of several competitive teams and how players first broke into the industry. If you want a deeper look at the culture, or if you're already a big fan of e-sports and want to watch more about them, jump on past the break. The remaining portions of the documentary will be posted later this month, on September 12th and 15th.

            Continue reading Riot Games kicks off e-sports documentary

            MassivelyRiot Games kicks off e-sports documentary originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Sep 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Piranha unveils Transverse, a sci-fi MMORPG coming in 2015

            Posted: 09 Sep 2014 02:30 PM PDT

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            The makers of MechWarrior Online have announced Transverse, a new sci-fi MMORPG scheduled to launch in 2015. Transverse is a "galactic flight-based MMORPG" featuring "incredibly detailed ship and station construction, massive solar-system-wide player events and real-time, physics-based combat," according to a Piranha press release.

            It also features some sort of crowdfunding component judging by the funding and backer counters on the official website, though the PR doesn't mention how far along the game's development actually is.

            You can read the full announcement and watch the associated trailer past the break.

            [Source: Piranha press release]

            Continue reading Piranha unveils Transverse, a sci-fi MMORPG coming in 2015

            MassivelyPiranha unveils Transverse, a sci-fi MMORPG coming in 2015 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Sep 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Massively Speaking Episode 312: Sailing into the sunrise

              Posted: 09 Sep 2014 02:00 PM PDT

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              archeage
              No time for small fry; this week's podcast is all about the huge news stories that have been slamming into the MMO world as of late. From conventions to betas, from layoffs to merges, we've got snarky opinions and wise fortune cookie sayings about them all!

              Get all of our opinions and analysis on the most important stories of the past week right here on Massively Speaking, the industry's leading MMO podcast. And if you have a comment, question, or topic for the podcasters, send an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

              Get the podcast:
              [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator.
              [MP3] Download the MP3 directly.
              [iTunes] Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.
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              Listen here on the page:



              Read below the cut for the full show notes.

              Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 312: Sailing into the sunrise

              MassivelyMassively Speaking Episode 312: Sailing into the sunrise originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Sep 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Perfect World International boasts 2M active accounts, gives gift pack for anniversary

                Posted: 09 Sep 2014 01:30 PM PDT

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                pwi
                Perfect World International turns six years old this month, and even if you haven't given it a second thought, apparently the fantasy MMO is quite popular worldwide. PWE released an infographic that stated, among other tidbits, that the game currently enjoys over two million active accounts.

                Other interesting statistics from the infographic include a population of 51% female players and 39,787 in-game marriages performed. We've got the infographic for you after the break with a code that's good for a Jade Gift Pack in-game.

                [Source: Perfect World press release]

                Continue reading Perfect World International boasts 2M active accounts, gives gift pack for anniversary

                MassivelyPerfect World International boasts 2M active accounts, gives gift pack for anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Sep 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Destiny launches a day one patch

                  Posted: 09 Sep 2014 01:00 PM PDT

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                  Yikes. Sorry, folks.
                  If you've played MMOs for any length of time, you've probably acquired a fear of the phrase "day one patch," as it's rarely an indication that everything will be smooth sailing. Destiny has just launched (as the most pre-ordered new IP ever, according to Activision), and it's already gotten its first patch out now, with sweeping changes to several key areas of the game's systems. Subclass locking is gone from builds and the unlocking order for subclasses has been adjusted; in addition, several classes and subclasses have seen their abilities and mechanics adjusted.

                  The patch also ushers in balance changes for most styles of weapon: assault rifles, pulse rifles, shotguns, scout rifles, hand cannons, HMGs, the list goes on. Some PvP mechanics and several maps have also been adjusted, which might lead to some rude awakenings for players jumping into the game expecting to know everything from beta. Check out the full patch notes for a breakdown of all the changes.

                  MassivelyDestiny launches a day one patch originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Sep 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  APB: Reloaded is working on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 ports

                  Posted: 09 Sep 2014 12:30 PM PDT

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                  apb
                  The resurrected APB: Reloaded is about to see if the console generation will embrace this cops vs. crooks title even more than the PC crowd. Game N Guide reports that Reloaded Games announced that both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 ports are being designed for the game.

                  The studio said that it's aiming for a mid-2015 release but is struggling with both Microsoft and Sony, as those companies don't want players to be able to bring over created content without paying for it on the console platforms. Bjorn Book-Larsson said that the studio is seeing "incredible resistance from platform owners."

                  In other words, Reloaded Games would like APB to be truly cross-platform, whereas Microsoft and Sony would want the ports to be isolated within those consoles for financial gain.

                  MassivelyAPB: Reloaded is working on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 ports originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Sep 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Adopt a Guild Wars 2 developer for WvW this fall

                  Posted: 09 Sep 2014 12:00 PM PDT

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                  gw2
                  With the fall World vs. World tournament coming up in Guild Wars 2, ArenaNet is pushing its team outside of its comfort zones by encouraging guilds to "adopt" a developer for the season.

                  "We want to fight by your side, experience the ups and downs, have fun and learn together with you how to make a better WvW experience," the studio posted. "We are going to be looking for guilds in different leagues who wish to host a dev. They will participate in your activities and fight for the honor of your world and guild!"

                  There are, of course, several rules for this sort of thing that boil down to "please don't abuse our devs and make them your slave monkeys." Interested guilds can apply for adoption by sending in a PM to John Corpening.

                  [Thanks to Zander for the tip!]

                  MassivelyAdopt a Guild Wars 2 developer for WvW this fall originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Sep 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  TUG updates metallurgy and multiplayer capabilities

                  Posted: 09 Sep 2014 11:00 AM PDT

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                  Despite what Gene Simmons seems to think, metal is doing quite well.
                  TUG is about to get a lot more metal. It's about to be so metal that you won't be able to handle all of the metal. At least, you'll need to be skilled with forging to handle all of the metal, as the game's initial implementation for metallurgy is coming to a test client near your desktop. The game has posted an update for backers explaining that the first pass is nearly complete, and the next game update will allow players to build a forge, make simple bronze age tools, and mine for important minerals.

                  But what's it all worth if you can't show off to your friends? Multiplayer support is currently high on the priority list, with no specific ETA provided beyond a promise of another update in the near future. For more details on the developing features, check out the full update on Kickstarter.

                  MassivelyTUG updates metallurgy and multiplayer capabilities originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Sep 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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