Saturday, January 10, 2015

MMO Updates

MMO Updates

Ask Massively: The most popular Massively posts of 2014

Posted: 10 Jan 2015 09:00 AM PST

Filed under: , , , , ,

Like MMOs themselves, the MMO-related stories we like aren't always the most popular across the internet. And sometimes the articles that go viral are unassuming duds with our actual commenters, not the most controversial and heated. That's what we're going to look at today in this edition of Ask Massively: the 10 most popular posts of 2014, weighted by pageviews, though we'll talk a bit about comment count as well. Enjoy this trek into the year gone by.

Continue reading Ask Massively: The most popular Massively posts of 2014

MassivelyAsk Massively: The most popular Massively posts of 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

    WRUP: Playing house

    Posted: 10 Jan 2015 07:00 AM PST

    Filed under: ,

    SWTOR
    Welcome back to Massively's What Are You Playing, the game in which we tell you what we're playing this weekend and you tell Larry that his decorated Star Wars: The Old Republic stronghold/house is awesome. Because it is.

    Continue reading WRUP: Playing house

    MassivelyWRUP: Playing house originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Jan 2015 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

      The Daily Grind: What does MMO fantasy need?

      Posted: 10 Jan 2015 05:00 AM PST

      Filed under: , , ,

      ddo
      A lot of times when we look at the proliferation of fantasy in the MMO industry and the community's apparent fascination with it, we often take a negative view in criticizing it. We pick out the well-worn tropes, the absurd elements, and the lack of distinction between fellow titles.

      But today I'd like for us to be more constructive with our analysis. My question for you today is, "What does MMO fantasy need?" It's a pretty open-ended question that invites you to share ways that you think MMO designers could strengthen their fantasy brands, differentiate themselves from the competition, and add original substance instead of rehashed ideas. What do you think?

      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 does MMO fantasy need? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Jan 2015 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

      Permalink | Email this | Comments

        Betawatch: January 3 - 9, 2015

        Posted: 09 Jan 2015 05:00 PM PST

        Filed under: , , , , , , , , , ,

        PlanetSide 2
        SOE confirmed this week that the beta for PlanetSide 2's PlayStation 4 edition will begin on January 20th. This month is shaping up to be a big one for the studio; its zombie MMO H1Z1 will kick off its own early access next week. What else is new in the world of MMO testing? Read on for our complete Betawatch roundup.

        Continue reading Betawatch: January 3 - 9, 2015

        MassivelyBetawatch: January 3 - 9, 2015 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

        Permalink | Email this | Comments

          A new World of Warcraft comic book series is on the way

          Posted: 09 Jan 2015 04:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , ,

          wow
          Lore doesn't just have to come at you via in-game text boxes; there are other mediums, such as comic books, that can help you understand a particular fantasy world. For example, Dark Horse Comics is preparing a new World of Warcraft series to explore the ancient history of Azeroth.

          World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 will be the first of several issues that trace the backstory of the world in a time before the Horde and Alliance. Blizzard COO Paul Sams says that it's being done to sate fan curiosity: "We often get questions from players who want to know more about the origins of the Warcraft universe, and the rise and fall of their favorite characters. This new series digs deeply into all of that -- we can't wait for players to read it."

          Unlike most comic books, Chronicle Volume 1 will be a hardbound edition. The series will go on sale this November in comic shops and book stores.

          MassivelyA new World of Warcraft comic book series is on the way originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

          Hawkgirl is coming to Infinite Crisis on January 21

          Posted: 09 Jan 2015 03:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , , , , ,

          Turbine continues to release new champions for its Infinite Crisis MOBA. The latest such is Hawkgirl, who is scheduled to debut on January 21st.

          A new preview video characterizes Hawkgirl as "an aggressive bruiser who excels at isolating and disrupting her opponents." You can get all the specifics on her skills and abilities by watch the clip embedded after the cut.

          Continue reading Hawkgirl is coming to Infinite Crisis on January 21

          MassivelyHawkgirl is coming to Infinite Crisis on January 21 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

          SWTOR devs looking at lag issues, prepping 3.0.2 and 3.1 updates

          Posted: 09 Jan 2015 02:30 PM PST

          Filed under: , , ,

          BioWare reps are all over Star Wars: The Old Republic's official forums as the week winds down. Thus far we've gotten an announcement about the game's 3.0.2 update which is scheduled to go live on January 13th. We also got a heads-up regarding the 3.1 update currently on the test server.

          Finally, community manager Eric Musco chimed in with a lengthy post detailing what BioWare is doing about the prominent lag issues introduced with game update 3.0.

          [Thanks Mikey Moo!]

          MassivelySWTOR devs looking at lag issues, prepping 3.0.2 and 3.1 updates originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

          Frontier expanding Elite's dev team, feature set

          Posted: 09 Jan 2015 02:15 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , , ,

          The latest Elite: Dangerous newsletter is out, and while it's chock full of tidbits for fans of the space sim title, perhaps the most interesting revelation occurs in the development update section.

          "We're expanding the team working on the game so that we can maintain a regular schedule of updates as well as working on the paid expansions," Frontier says. Those regular updates aren't limited to fixes, either, as "new features and content for all" is part of the plan. First up are the wings, "associated multiplayer features, and additional ships" that the devs hinted at in 2014.

          MassivelyFrontier expanding Elite's dev team, feature set originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

          New version of Divergence Online is live

          Posted: 09 Jan 2015 02:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , , , ,

          Divergence Online devs Stainglass Llama published a playable alpha earlier this week. Lead developer Ethan Casner says that anyone can download the game and have a look-see, but most of the gameplay functionality is reserved for those who helped crowdfund the sci-fi sandbox.

          Casner details how he and two programmers worked to release the first new version of Divergence in over a year, and he says that the long hours have ultimately been worth it.

          "This is not an MMO that exists in a series of dozens if not hundreds of servers," he explains. "The game world you're going to be entering is the only one in existence. If you know anyone else on planet Earth who plays this game, they're in the same server. It's because of this feature that anything we do in this game is exponentially more difficult to accomplish than it would be in (what passes for) an MMO of today."

          [Thanks Jon!]

          MassivelyNew version of Divergence Online is live originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

          The Stream Team: Prowling ArcheAge's Perinoor Ruins

          Posted: 09 Jan 2015 01:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , , , ,

          Thanks to the sandboxy nature of ArcheAge, there are still plenty of things Massively's MJ has never done. And one of those things is explore the wilds of Perinoor Ruins. Depending on the time and the threat level, the zone could be a hotbed of war activity or it could be a quiet stroll through a tropical park. Which will it be this time? Tune in at 4:00 p.m. and get a look at this corner of the Haranyan continent (and see just how long MJ survives!).

          Game: ArcheAge
          Host: MJ Gutrhie
          Date: Friday, January 9th, 2014
          Time: 4:00 p.m. EST

          Enjoy our Stream Team video below.

          Continue reading The Stream Team: Prowling ArcheAge's Perinoor Ruins

          MassivelyThe Stream Team: Prowling ArcheAge's Perinoor Ruins originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

          Permalink | Email this | Comments

            Fight through the underworld in DCUO's new DLC

            Posted: 09 Jan 2015 12:00 PM PST

            Filed under: , , , , , ,

            SOE has announced DC Universe Online's next DLC update. It's called Amazon Fury Part II, and it's coming your way "early this year," according to the firm's press release.

            Three eight-player raids are part of the new pack, as are a pair of four-player operations and one single-player mission. Story-wise, Amazon Fury Part II introduces Ares, Hades, and Cerberus to the DCUO mythos and allows players to fight alongside Wonder Woman or Circe as they battle through the underworld in search of Queen Hippolyta.

            The DLC also includes new themed base items, new feats and collections, more skill points, and new gear. Creative director Jens Andersen offers further details in the latest producer's letter.

            MassivelyFight through the underworld in DCUO's new DLC originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

            Permalink | Email this | Comments

            The Secret World's Bylos on 2015, Tokyo, and more

            Posted: 09 Jan 2015 11:30 AM PST

            Filed under: , , , , , , ,

            The Secret World game director Joel Bylos has penned an end-of-the-year/beginning-of-the-year producer's letter. The first half of his post serves as a tidy summary of TSW's content releases in 2014, while the second half focuses on how Funcom will complete the Tokyo storyline, improve the new player experience, and release new multiplayer content over the course of 2015.

            "There is a significant backlog of planned Tokyo content that we need to evaluate," Bylos explains. "We have material for a few more side stories as well as a new scenario map, auxiliary weapon, and lair content."

            MassivelyThe Secret World's Bylos on 2015, Tokyo, and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

            Permalink | Email this | Comments

            You'll soon be able to buy WoW garrison followers directly

            Posted: 09 Jan 2015 11:00 AM PST

            Filed under: , , , , ,

            wow
            If you missed out on snagging one of your World of Warcraft garrison followers or are willing to trade gold for time to complete your collection, then Blizzard is prepared to humbly accept your patronage. The studio announced on the forums that it will be adding a follower vendor in the next patch.

            "One specific change I can share is in the next patch we're planning to add a new NPC to tier 3 garrisons who will sell followers you might not have access to based upon which buildings and outposts you've chosen," Community Manager Crithto wrote. "You'll be able to browse for followers you did not choose from quests and any you might have missed from failed missions."

            MassivelyYou'll soon be able to buy WoW garrison followers directly originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

            Permalink | Email this | Comments

            STO Producer's letter hints at anniversary celebration and story to come in 2015

            Posted: 09 Jan 2015 10:30 AM PST

            Filed under: , , , , ,

            Star Trek Online's first producer's letter of the new year hailed 2014 as a fantastic year and suggested that 2015 may be even better. After recounting many of the additions to the game over the past 12 months and summing up the story arc thus far, Stephen D'Angelo stated that the past year was just setting the stage for what's to come! The continuation of this arc includes some challenges that even the grand alliance may not be able to handle. The next step in the story, along with the first of the new captain and bridge officer specializations, will release with the anniversary update in that's just over three weeks away.

            Just what kind of events and celebrations can players expect for this fifth anniversary? D'Angelo didn't share, but he did say that the details on that -- as well as the future content -- will be forthcoming piece by piece in dev blogs starting in the next few days.

            MassivelySTO Producer's letter hints at anniversary celebration and story to come in 2015 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

            Permalink | Email this | Comments

            EVE Online video gives brief 'recon' of Proteus

            Posted: 09 Jan 2015 10:00 AM PST

            Filed under: , , , , , ,

            eve
            Sometimes all it takes is a good preview video to ratchet up one's personal excitement and anticipation over an upcoming release. If you're an EVE Online fan, then you might get that rush from the following brief video in which the devs outline Proteus' main features.

            One of the biggest features of Proteus is a full rebalance for recon ships, including making them more sturdy and completely immune to directional scanners. The update will also contain the module tier side project, beta starmap tweaks, permanent places for newbies to mine, and visual improvements to one of the ships and asteroid belts.

            Check out the video after the break!

            Continue reading EVE Online video gives brief 'recon' of Proteus

            MassivelyEVE Online video gives brief 'recon' of Proteus originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

            Permalink | Email this | Comments

            Destiny development blog discusses updates and guns

            Posted: 09 Jan 2015 09:30 AM PST

            Filed under: , , , , , , ,

            And the winner for this year's weapon of choice is... GUN! Thanks for playing.
            The holiday break is over now, and the team behind Destiny is slowly returning from the collective bacchanalia and getting back to what really matters: giving players guns so that they can shoot aliens in the face and then get better guns to shoot bigger aliens. If you've already gone through Crota's End and are waiting for the hard mode, for example, you should know that it's almost done and should be going on to the live servers soon, although there's not a concrete date yet. It's all in the game's most recent developer blog.

            Players can look forward to loot updates in Vault of Glass and system changes in Crota's End as soon as January 13th, which should help soften the delay. The blog also contains information on guns, specifically on the most popular sorts of weapons that players are toting around to use during their alien-shooting sorties. Check out the full update for more details on the patch adjustments and future PvP rotations.

            MassivelyDestiny development blog discusses updates and guns originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2015 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

            Permalink | Email this | Comments
            Posted by
            Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...