Tuesday, September 16, 2014

MMO Updates

MMO Updates

This video reveals part of SWTOR's new expansion

Posted: 16 Sep 2014 10:00 AM PDT

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A deadly force
Be careful watching this video because there are huge spoilers about the Forge Alliance series of flashpoints. However, if you have played all the flashpoints, then you will not be surprised that the star of the next Star Wars: The Old Republic expansion is someone we've seen before.

Writer Charles Boyd and Community Manager Eric Musco blasted through the Rakata flashpoint in a live stream today, then premiered the video for "A Deadly Force Returns," which is hopefully not the name for its next expansion. However, it does make for a great teaser.

You can catch the full 22 seconds of it after the break.

Continue reading This video reveals part of SWTOR's new expansion

MassivelyThis video reveals part of SWTOR's new expansion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Sep 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Turbine developing an MMO for mobile devices?

Posted: 16 Sep 2014 09:30 AM PDT

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We are a mystery!
No. Yes. Maybe? We're going to level with you, dear readers: We frequently have no idea what Turbine Entertainment is doing. We had no idea the studio was going to bring back Asheron's Call 2, for example, and our bets about Infinite Crisis were way off. So when we say that the company might be developing an MMO, well, it's a shot in the dark, but there's reason to suspect this might be happening.

The studio is looking for both a Senior Mobile Engineer (that is, an engineer experienced with mobile engineering, not an engineer who is both a senior and mobile) and a new Art Director, both of which seem to imply that the studio is developing something completely new rather than a mobile port. Or maybe it's baseless speculation. Who knows?

MassivelyIs Turbine developing an MMO for mobile devices? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Sep 2014 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flameseeker Chronicles: Why I'm a fan of Guild Wars 2's new player experience

Posted: 16 Sep 2014 09:00 AM PDT

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Actual image of what happens when you touch a cat full of static electricity.
Guild Wars 2's second feature pack dropped last week, bringing balance changes, new collection achievements, a rework of the trading post, and upgrades to the new player experience. Reactions to the last have been mixed, to say the least: Some of us like them, some of us are neutral on the subject, and some of us think ArenaNet made a terrible mistake.

For my own part, I'm really enjoying the changes. If you happen to be in the "terrible mistake" camp, hold on to your assorted fruit-based projectiles until the end of the article and I'll explain why.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Why I'm a fan of Guild Wars 2's new player experience

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Why I'm a fan of Guild Wars 2's new player experience originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Sep 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Final Fantasy XIV introduces personal housing (badly) with patch 2.38

    Posted: 16 Sep 2014 08:00 AM PDT

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    WHO CAME UP WITH THIS SERVER ARCHITECTURE AND WHY CAN I NOT DO THIS YET?
    After more than half a year of waiting, Final Fantasy XIV players can finally purchase houses of their own. Provided, of course, that they have an exceptional amount of disposable gil and were on the servers early. Patch 2.38 introduces the option of purchasing land in the housing wards as an individual, but with prices starting at 4 million on the most populated servers for the smallest plot and with only two new wards introduced, many players who had been hopeful for a new house will find their hopes quickly dashed.

    Producer Naoki Yoshida took to the forums to apologize for the land shortage, promising that more wards will be introduced with or following the launch of patch 2.4, which should double the amount of available land. While the prices are equal for both personal and free company houses (being built on the same plots), these prices are significantly lower than those when housing was first introduced, even after adjustments to Legacy worlds. The update also contains other features, including new emotes, new Relic Weapon quests, and update loot in Syrcus Tower and the Second Turn of the Binding Coil.

    MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV introduces personal housing (badly) with patch 2.38 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Sep 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Farewell to Rusty Hearts

    Posted: 16 Sep 2014 07:00 AM PDT

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    Rusty Hearts
    Back in August, Perfect World Entertainment announced that it planned to shut down story-driven action MMO Rusty Hearts come mid-September, and that date has now come and gone. Last night was the game's final evening, and players gathered to say farewell without much fanfare from PWE, which has not yet updated the website or forums to indicate that the game is now closed.

    One forum-goer was kind enough to provide screenshots of the game's last 10 minutes, which another poster said featured "more people than the average population of the servers these days."

    Farewell to you, Rusty Hearts.

    [Thanks, Fakepants.]

    MassivelyFarewell to Rusty Hearts originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Sep 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: What do you think of ArcheAge's PvP?

      Posted: 16 Sep 2014 06:00 AM PDT

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      I've been playing a lot of ArcheAge since Friday, but I'm still not level 30 on any of my characters so I still haven't sampled much of the game's PvP. In fact, aside from an ocean-going trade run last night where I tagged along as a lowly level 12 and ended up on the wrong end of a level 35's sword, I haven't PvPed at all.

      What about you, ArcheAge fans? Have you PvPed yet, and if so, what did you think of 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 do you think of ArcheAge's PvP? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Sep 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        A look at new nautical monsters from the Korean ArcheAge

        Posted: 15 Sep 2014 07:00 PM PDT

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        Leviathan, Leviathan (Endless)! Leviathan, Leviathan (Send us)! Leviathan, Leviathan (Breathless)! Leviathan, Leviathan (Deathless)!
        After a wait so long that more or less everyone could be forgiven for thinking it would never happen, ArcheAge has finally entered its early access period here in America. But that doesn't mean you don't have more to look forward to. Over on YouTube, InporylemQQ has taken a peek at a pair of nautical additions coming to the Korean version of the game, major PvE monsters meant to challenge players.

        The first foe on display is a massive sea beast that's easily larger than the vessel of the player in the video; it gets a few good hits on the ship before it slips beneath the waves. There's also a ghost ship that fires cannon at the player. Both appear to be high-end monsters meant to challenge players with adequate gear, and both were added in patch 1.7 -- which means that they're a fair way off in the game's updates in the West. Think of them as coming attractions.

        [Thanks to Karl for the tip!]

        Continue reading A look at new nautical monsters from the Korean ArcheAge

        MassivelyA look at new nautical monsters from the Korean ArcheAge originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Not So Massively: Hellgate's return, HEX's beta, and Elite's pricing

          Posted: 15 Sep 2014 06:00 PM PDT

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          NSM
          Welcome back to No So Massively, where every Monday we round up the highlights from the past week in the world of MOBAs, roguelikes, MMOTCGs, and other games that aren't quite MMOs.

          Continue reading Not So Massively: Hellgate's return, HEX's beta, and Elite's pricing

          MassivelyNot So Massively: Hellgate's return, HEX's beta, and Elite's pricing originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The Stream Team: Exploring ArcheAge with devs

            Posted: 15 Sep 2014 05:00 PM PDT

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            What's better than finally playing ArcheAge? Doing it with devs! Massively's MJ is joined by some of the folks behind getting the game to launch. They'll be talking about all about all things ArcheAge while exploring on the final day of early release. Have any questions you want answered? Join us live at 7:00 p.m. and ask away.

            Game: ArcheAge
            Host: MJ Guthrie
            Date: Monday, September 15th, 2014
            Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT

            Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

            Continue reading The Stream Team: Exploring ArcheAge with devs

            MassivelyThe Stream Team: Exploring ArcheAge with devs originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Archlord 2 turns on Archlord system tomorrow

              Posted: 15 Sep 2014 04:30 PM PDT

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              archlord 2
              Has Archlord 2 officially launched yet or is it merely riding that nebulous open beta soft launch train? It's hard to tell with this title, but what we do know is that the MMO will be releasing its first major content update tomorrow.

              This update includes two new world zones, a contested area, the titular Archlord PvP system, four additional dungeons, a flexible dungeon system, and plenty of equipment sets. To go with the update, the team is running a login event from September 16th through October 13th during which players can receive a four-piece avatar set by logging in at least once a week.

              We've got the official launch trailer for Archlord 2 after the break, which is perfect for those of you with eyes or ears or an acceptable substitute.

              Continue reading Archlord 2 turns on Archlord system tomorrow

              MassivelyArchlord 2 turns on Archlord system tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Elder Scrolls ups VR cap, adds upper Craglorn and more

              Posted: 15 Sep 2014 04:00 PM PDT

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              Did you know that Elder Scrolls Online's fourth major content patch came out today? It sure did, and judging by the 1.4.3 notes it's a biggun.

              ZeniMax has added the upper region of Craglorn and a new trial called Sanctum Ophidia. The four-player Dragonstar Arena with its 10 stages of monsters is live, too, along with a VR level cap bump to 14. That's not all, so click the links below to read about the additional changes.

              MassivelyElder Scrolls ups VR cap, adds upper Craglorn and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Eminence: Xander's Tale lands on Kickstarter

              Posted: 15 Sep 2014 03:30 PM PDT

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              Well, on the bright side, it's not promising an old-school sandbox experience.
              Do you want a bit of MMO in your virtual card game? Because that can totally be a thing now. Eminence: Xander's Tale is an MMOTCG that isn't purely either of those things, blending card-slinging action with an explorable world and social hubs. Players will take part in battles via card games, but the exploration and upgrades will feel more familiar to veterans of other MMOs.

              The actual card battles will be familiar to anyone who took part in Final Fantasy VIII's Triple Triad, focused on matching numbers on different card faces along with utilizing various abilities and stealing opposing cards. If this sounds like your sort of jam, go ahead and drop a few dollars on it; there's still quite a bit of time left on its funding campaign and it's already passed the halfway mark.

              MassivelyEminence: Xander's Tale lands on Kickstarter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Age of Wushu: Winds of Destiny coming in October

              Posted: 15 Sep 2014 03:00 PM PDT

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              age of wushu
              Never feel lonely in Age of Wushu again! As of next month, a new content update for the sandbox martial arts MMO will feature a companion system that allows offline players to continue assisting their friends as NPCs.

              "Players going offline can allow themselves to be available as companions for those clever and committed enough to earn their loyalty," Snail posted. "While offline, these players can receive special rewards from their online brothers in arms, and in exchange are available to be summoned to their aid during a fight."

              Age of Wushu: Winds of Destiny is the sixth so-called "expansion" for the game. In addition to companions, there will be a new zone called Delightful Island, a special Flower Prince Contest, a Path of the Departed adventure, and a dungeon called the Silver Hook. The update will be free for all players.

              MassivelyAge of Wushu: Winds of Destiny coming in October originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Hearthstone boasts 20 million registered players

              Posted: 15 Sep 2014 02:30 PM PDT

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              Ironically, this would be far better than Warcraft is doing lately.
              Does it ever seem like there's an endless flow of players in Hearthstone? There's not. But there are quite a lot of players, with Blizzard Entertainment announcing today that the game has broken 20 million registered accounts. If those were all people with real cards, that would be... a lot of cards. Like, at least a dozen.

              The game launched on the iPad in April and is aiming at an Android tablet release in the near future, as well as expanding to iOS/Android phones. Hearthstone will also have its first world championship at Blizzcon this year, with contestants fighting for a $250,000 prize pool.

              [Source: Blizzard Entertainment press release]

              MassivelyHearthstone boasts 20 million registered players originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                Captain's Log Supplemental: A look at Star Trek Online's history with lead designer Al Rivera

                Posted: 15 Sep 2014 02:00 PM PDT

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                You can amost hear the cries for coffee now.
                Star Trek Online is a game that's got some history, not just by virtue of the franchise that's been running for half of forever but because the game itself has a rather madcap development history. Cryptic Studios got the license to develop the game at the eleventh hour, and the caveat was that the game needed to be shipped in the same timeframe as the original developer had promised -- leaving almost no time for development.

                I sat down and talked with lead designer Al Rivera about the game's history, its development ethos, and where the game is going with the upcoming release of the second expansion, Delta Rising. It's been a long process, but Rivera shed some light on how the game is designed by its modern team, why things launched the way they did, and what players can expect as the game continues toward its five-year anniversary.

                Continue reading Captain's Log Supplemental: A look at Star Trek Online's history with lead designer Al Rivera

                MassivelyCaptain's Log Supplemental: A look at Star Trek Online's history with lead designer Al Rivera originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  World of Warcraft reclaiming abandoned names for Warlords of Draenor

                  Posted: 15 Sep 2014 01:30 PM PDT

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                  wow
                  Your mothballed Gnomes and Tauren might be losing their names if you haven't logged into World of Warcraft recently (and by "recently," we mean "in the last six years."). Blizzard announced that it will be reclaiming old and abandoned names to free them up for the expansion.

                  Names in danger of reclamation are those belonging to any characters that haven't logged in since November 13th, 2008. The names will be reclaimed with the Warlords of Draenor pre-patch 6.0.2 this fall. Blizzard suggests that anyone in danger of losing a desired name should log on before the patch hits.

                  MassivelyWorld of Warcraft reclaiming abandoned names for Warlords of Draenor originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  Legend of Edda is returning September 24th

                  Posted: 15 Sep 2014 01:00 PM PDT

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                  it didn't work the first time, but something something second time around!
                  You could be completely forgiven for thinking that Legend of Edda had breathed its last when the game shut down at the beginning of this year. It was cute, but it just couldn't sustain itself. But the game is getting another lease on life starting on September 24th, when the game opens up under new publisher JC Planet. The opening will not feature any wipes or resets, apparently skipping public testing in favor of moving straight to launch.

                  Numerous launch events are planned, including bonuses for registering your account before the start of service and for reaching level 20 quickly after the 24th rolls around. If you'd always meant to take a look at the game but never quite managed to, you'll be getting another shot at it in just a little while, hopefully without the issues that made it shut its doors back in January.

                  [Thanks to Evan for the tip!]

                  MassivelyLegend of Edda is returning September 24th originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  ArcheAge brings two new head start servers online

                  Posted: 15 Sep 2014 12:30 PM PDT

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                  aa
                  ArcheAge responded to "burgeoning" player populations during the head start period by releasing a pair of new servers today. North America gets the Inoch server while Europe is graced with Aier. Since everyone is in a mad scramble to secure housing plots right now, a fresh server might be your ticket to a primo location.

                  [Thanks to Stephen for the tip!]

                  MassivelyArcheAge brings two new head start servers online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  The Stream Team: A first look at Albion Online's alpha event

                  Posted: 15 Sep 2014 12:00 PM PDT

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                  If you are interested in getting an early peak at how Albion Online is developing, you're in luck: Its special summer alpha event just kicked off today! And that means Massively's MJ is on the case, ready to explore all the nooks and crannies of this new experience. First task: Get some clothes on! Players in Albion are not given a bunch of niceties; they have to go earn them for themselves. Join us live at 2:00 p.m. for this first look inside the alpha test.

                  Game: Albion Online
                  Host: MJ Guthrie
                  Date: Monday, September 15th, 2014
                  Time: 2:00 p.m. EDT

                  Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

                  Continue reading The Stream Team: A first look at Albion Online's alpha event

                  MassivelyThe Stream Team: A first look at Albion Online's alpha event originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    The Mog Log: On the twilight of Final Fantasy XIV's story

                    Posted: 15 Sep 2014 11:00 AM PDT

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                    I want to talk about the screaming, because by rights it's probably coming, but I just don't know it yet.
                    As I write this, we don't yet have the patch notes for Final Fantasy XIV 2.38. Supposedly this is when we're getting personal housing, and people are abuzz with speculation about how that will be rolled out, what will work, what will be broken, and so forth. Alas, I can't yet address any of it -- not prices, not availability, not any of that. It's all just guesswork until the powers that be let us know what's going on, which will likely be in the evening after you read this.

                    My guess is that there's going to be something to make people angry, but there usually is.

                    So since I've nothing to offer regarding Final Fantasy XIV's mini-update other than speculation, it's best to turn to something that can be much more clearly seen. We're not at the end of the 2.0 update cycle just yet, but it seems pretty obvious that we're on the back nine, so to speak. So where are we going from here? What awaits? And what does all this mean from a storyline perspective? (If you'd like to avoid any potential spoilers, do look away now.)

                    Continue reading The Mog Log: On the twilight of Final Fantasy XIV's story

                    MassivelyThe Mog Log: On the twilight of Final Fantasy XIV's story originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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