MMO Updates

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• MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten MMORTS titles
• WoW Cinder Kitten fundraiser garnered over $2.3 million for Superstorm Sandy relief
• Second Wind: Vanguard
• Storyboard: Hint, hint
• The Daily Grind: What MMO are you embarrassed to admit you play?
• New DCUO lair livestream highlights themes and decorating possibilities
• The Guild Counsel: How do you get your son to log off? Grief him!
• EverQuest answers questions about the addition of Krono
• The Think Tank: What elements make up your perfect business model?
• Get a load of World of Warcraft's Isle of the Thunder King
• T3Fun brings Granado Espada back online
• Ask Massively: Why we write about only the games you hate
• Age of Conan launches Dragon's Spine update today

MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten MMORTS titles Posted: 11 Jan 2013 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Previews, PvP, PvE, Opinion, War, Free-to-play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, MMORTS, Miscellaneous, MMObility, Sandbox Last week I introduced you to my newest device, the Samsung Chromebook. Yes, that's the official way to refer to the newest $249.00 Chromebook, according to my contact at Google. I have pined after one for a while, but the price point finally became too tempting and I nabbed one at my local Best Buy. Why? Why didn't I just spit out a few more bucks and get a "real" laptop or netbook, one that runs Windows 7 or 8? Well, it runs silently and almost without heat. It's essentially a keyboard attached to an 11-inch tablet that runs Flash. The Chromium OS is very secure, and it auto-updates every six weeks. But you're here to read about games. This week I am going to talk about the MMORTS genre and why it works so well on the Chromebook. I'll list 10 of my favorites -- a drop in the bucket for all the MMORTS games out there, but these are easily some of the best and run well on the Chromebook. Stay tuned for future columns, where we'll look at even more Chromebook-friendly MMOs and pseudo-MMOs as well. Continue reading MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten MMORTS titles MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten MMORTS titles originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

WoW Cinder Kitten fundraiser garnered over $2.3 million for Superstorm Sandy relief Posted: 11 Jan 2013 08:00 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items No stranger to assisting those in need after natural disasters, Blizzard announced its latest round of fundraising via a cash shop pet in the beginning of November -- this time a Cinder Kitten to benefit those affected by Superstorm Sandy. And World of Warcraft players responded with an abundance of generosity, snapping up the fiery feline and raising a total of more than $2.3 million USD. All of the proceeds from the pet purchase were given to the American Red Cross to support its ongoing relief efforts in the areas affected by the superstorm. As Blizzard says, "Thanks to everyone who made a difference." [Thanks to Chris for the tip!] WoW Cinder Kitten fundraiser garnered over $2.3 million for Superstorm Sandy relief originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: WoW news

Second Wind: Vanguard Posted: 11 Jan 2013 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, Vanguard, Free-to-play, Hands-on, Second Wind Welcome ladies, gentlemen, and small, furry creatures from Alpha Centauri to the premiere edition of Second Wind, where we'll be taking you through the annals of time to revisit some of the past's greatest (and not-so-greatest) MMOs to see how they hold up today. In this installment, we'll be checking in on Sony Online Entertainment's Vanguard. Here's a quick backstory for you: Vanguard originally launched in January of 2007 when Massively was still months away from its inception, and it was a mess. Bugs as far as the eye could see! Believe me -- I know because I was there. I played Vanguard at launch and lasted about a month before I grew tired of the never-ending parade of bugs and glitches and left. In the six years since Vanguard's launch, it's been sort of the red-headed stepchild of SOE's stable of MMOs. Content updates have been few and far between, and most patches the game has received have been (sorely needed) bug fixes. And of course, the game ended up going free-to-play back in August of last year. Now, six years after my first foray into Telon, I decided to jump back into Vanguard to give the game a fresh look. Did I find a diamond in the rough or just a big lump of neglected coal? There's only one way to find out: Follow me past the cut! Continue reading Second Wind: Vanguard Second Wind: Vanguard originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Storyboard: Hint, hint Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Lore, Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous During the last several months of Final Fantasy XIV, my main character did the unthinkable: She went to work for her old mentor alongside the Garlean Empire. Everything she was doing outside of personal ventures, up to and including rejoining the mercenary company she had previously helped found, was based around collecting information. She had quite the dossier by the time she was finished, too, having flushed out a number of secrets regarding both Eorzea's defensive plans and the Ala Mhigan resistance. Not that anyone knew this because it simply never came up. Part of how I screwed this one up came down to both my choice of roleplaying groups and my own work-based schedule in the game. But another part of this was the simple fact that I didn't make it clear quickly enough just what she was up to. I dropped some hints here and there, but they were lost in a rush of other events, and as a result that whole subplot never got explored, which is a shame, especially because I like to think I'm usually pretty good at dropping hints and getting others to catch on. So as I reflect on what I did wrong, let's talk about how to do it right. Continue reading Storyboard: Hint, hint Storyboard: Hint, hint originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: What MMO are you embarrassed to admit you play? Posted: 11 Jan 2013 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind, Humor, Miscellaneous One of the silly questions I posed the Massively staff during our end-of-2012 awards was about embarrassing MMOs that we play. But we didn't publish the answers, partly because we couldn't come to any consensus. Glitch took my vote; browser games are still looked down on, no matter how creative they are. Among the other writers, Clone Wars Adventures cropped up, as did RuneScape, Free Realms, Habbo Hotel, and Star Stable. It wasn't just "kids games" making the cut, either. Mike lamented the fact that World of Warcraft is a "punch line" in the community and that "serious" MMO players can't play it. Jef said Lord of the Rings Online makes him want to shower after he logs out, while Patrick argued that Champions Online's apparent lack of developer resources makes for a sad experience. But the other reason we didn't publish our responses was that most of us just aren't deeply embarrassed about playing anything. As Eliot put it, If you're playing an MMO, you have absolutely zero ground to make fun of someone else for playing another MMO. This is something that really gets under my skin, the idea that some games are somehow cooler than others. MMOs are just plain fun, and there's no reason to be embarrassed by anything you like to play. I'm happy when anyone finds a fun game, even if it's a game I'm personally not fond of. Follow your bliss, people, and hold your heads high. So where do you stand? Are you embarrassed to play a certain MMO, and if so, what is 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! The Daily Grind: What MMO are you embarrassed to admit you play? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Image source: WoW Insider

New DCUO lair livestream highlights themes and decorating possibilities Posted: 10 Jan 2013 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Super-hero, Video, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, DC Universe Online, Livestream, Housing Just a few days ago, DC Universe Online's Creative Director Jens Andersen and Systems Designer Andrew Buschmann introduced folks to the new housing lairs in the upcoming, and aptly named, Home Turf DLC via livestream. Today, the duo was joined by Ben Naumann, lead environment artist, for a more in-depth foray into the themes, styles, and overall decorating possibilities of the housing system. Three distinct themes (dive, art deco, and gothic) will be available for all players who purchase the DLC or who have legendary status, and four others (ancient, industrial, cave, and bunker) can be purchased. Lair trim and certain coloration of the themes matches your superhero's color scheme by default, but can be altered. The trio also demonstrated decorating and teased viewers with a quick mention of a new amenity: the suit holder. Although there is still no exact release date for Home Turf, you can whet your appetite for what's to come by watching the entire stream after the break. And for more information on the lairs, read Massively's interview with Andersen at SOE Live. Continue reading New DCUO lair livestream highlights themes and decorating possibilities New DCUO lair livestream highlights themes and decorating possibilities originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: DCUO Home Turf livestream

The Guild Counsel: How do you get your son to log off? Grief him! Posted: 10 Jan 2013 04:00 PM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Culture, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Opinion, Kids, Family, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous If there's one deplorable aspect about online gaming, it's the raw underside of the clash between parent and child that often occurs (sometimes all too publicly) when said child has stayed on too long. Everyone under the age of 40 has no doubt heard the words "get off that computer now!" at some point in his or her development. And for those under the age of 15, there's a fair chance that those words were uploaded to YouTube for all the world to hear. I'm often in a weird position because I play games for a living, and yet I fight the daily struggle to make sure my kids grow up with a moderated experience in their gaming career. I'm not hoping to raise the next MLG pro; I just want to see them have fun both in game and out as they grow up. But just when I think I've heard it all, along comes a story about a dad, his adult unemployed son, and the most unusual method ever of forcing his son to stop playing online games. Instead of battling out-of-game, one father in China decided to fight the battle in-game and hire players to hunt down and kill his son's avatar. It's an amazing story, but did it work? And what can we learn from this? (There has to be a lesson in there somewhere right?) Let's take a look! Continue reading The Guild Counsel: How do you get your son to log off? Grief him! The Guild Counsel: How do you get your son to log off? Grief him! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

EverQuest answers questions about the addition of Krono Posted: 10 Jan 2013 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest, Game mechanics, News items, Free-to-play If you play EverQuest but not the sequel, EverQuest II feels like the younger sibling that gets everything it wants. A new graphical engine, more expansions, more developer time, it's not fair. And then the game gets the option for players to buy game time and sell it for real currency in the game, which is just so unfair. But if you buy into this hypothetical pseudo-sibling rivalry, good news -- the Krono option is coming to classic EverQuest in the near future. An official FAQ has been posted explaining how Krono works and how players can use them to purchase time with in-game money or vice versa. The FAQ also clarifies that purchased Krono works in both EverQuest II and the original EverQuest so long as you purchase one directly; if you trade it to another player it's tied to the game where you made the trade. Take a look at the full FAQ and start enjoying the freedom to pay with your game subscription through in-game farming. EverQuest answers questions about the addition of Krono originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Krono FAQ

The Think Tank: What elements make up your perfect business model? Posted: 10 Jan 2013 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Business models, Opinion, Miscellaneous, The Think Tank The topic of the MMO business model is a hot one lately as studios are in the Wild West of experimentation, discovery, and limit-testing. New games are going free-to-play every week it seems, and we, as consumers, are accepting more and more as these business models become standard. But that's certainly not always the case. Among the Massively staff, pricing opinions run the gamut, and we're not afraid to tell you what we think. That's why this week's Think Tank column is all about how we would assemble our own perfect business models from the pieces of others. Who does it right? Who does it wrong? Read along for more on our thoughts for the perfect business model. Continue reading The Think Tank: What elements make up your perfect business model? The Think Tank: What elements make up your perfect business model? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Get a load of World of Warcraft's Isle of the Thunder King Posted: 10 Jan 2013 01:00 PM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Patches, Previews Those of you holding fast to your martial arts ursines in World of Warcraft are probably quite geeked about the upcoming patch 5.2. The second major post-Mists of Pandaria update for the game includes a new quest hub, raid, world bosses, and a farm that you can buy and make your very own. Our sister site WoW Insider took a closer look at 5.2, which is currently on the public test realm. The focus of the article was the Isle of the Thunder King questing zone, which involves a struggle between the Sunreaver Onslaught and Kirin Tor Offensive factions. The area has plenty of cool quest elements; it allows players to transform into the lizardy Sauroks, to be a counselor to golems, and use a ritual stone that summons group bosses. The article notes that players will see the return of a couple of familiar faces, such as the Image of Archmage Vargoth. Get a load of World of Warcraft's Isle of the Thunder King originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: WoW Insider

T3Fun brings Granado Espada back online Posted: 10 Jan 2013 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Launches, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play Granado Espada, formerly known as Sword 2, is up-and-running once again, this time under the care of T3Fun after the publisher picked it up from GamersFirst. Existing characters have been carried over to the new version of the game, so players can pick up right where they left off. To sweeten the deal, T3Fun is providing migrating players with some spiffy in-game items as a reward for their loyalty. On top of all of that, Granado Espada has gained some shiny new features in its transition to T3Fun's stable. The press release boasts of "14 brand-new recruit NPCs," along with new weapons, costumes, armor, maps, and missions. If you'd like to check the game out for yourself, head on over to the official site and give it a spin; it's free, after all. [Source: Redbana press release. And thanks to William for the tip!] T3Fun brings Granado Espada back online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ask Massively: Why we write about only the games you hate Posted: 10 Jan 2013 11:00 AM PST Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous Welcome back to Ask Massively because why not? You're here; I'm here. We've previously discussed defining MMOs and how we select the games and the news Massively covers. This week, let's talk about column selection and perception of story frequency. tomrobbins asked, "Why do you guys cover [WildStar] so intensely yet other MMOs you barely mention? This game can't do a thing with out getting an article written about it here, yet it's not even out. Other MMOs barely get mentioned. This site seems only about WildStar, EverQuest II, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Star Trek Online lately." Does it sometimes feel as if we're reading different sites entirely? Continue reading Ask Massively: Why we write about only the games you hate Ask Massively: Why we write about only the games you hate originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Age of Conan launches Dragon's Spine update today Posted: 10 Jan 2013 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Dungeons Age of Conan fans itching for a new content can now explore a whole new area and dive into new quests and storylines as the first part of The Secrets of Dragon's Spine update series launches today. This 4.0 update brings with it not only the new area with its accompanying quests and stories but also a new group instance, Sepulcher of the Wyrm. Named Dragon's Spine, this area is a desert region, found southwest of the ancient city of Pteion has only one small oasis and a network of caves and tunnels in the mountains to break up the vast stretches of sand dunes. But the content won't stop there; future updates in the series will contain a tradeskill system revamp, more dungeons, a new raid instance, and even a new PvP arena. Players should note that The Secrets of Dragon's Spine content is available to paid premium players only. Age of Conan launches Dragon's Spine update today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: 4.0 update notes Via: Twitter

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MMORPG News

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• World of Warcraft: Charity Pet Raises $2.3 Million for Hurricane Victims
• Salem: Beta Key Give Away!
• Granado Espada Online: Redbana's New (Old) Flagship Title
• Age of Conan: Unchained: Part 1 of Secrets of the Dragon's Spine Launches
• General: Garrett's Games of 2013
• The Secret World: Player Activity Up 400% Since Relaunch with B2P
• WildStar: Interview with a Tester
• Neverwinter: Big Shoes to Fill

World of Warcraft: Charity Pet Raises $2.3 Million for Hurricane Victims Posted: 11 Jan 2013 02:56 AM PST Blizzard Entertainment has announced that World of Warcraft players raised over $2.3 million to be donated to the American Red Cross to assist victims of Hurricane Sandy. The money was raised through sales of the Cinder Kitten in-game pet. 100% of the cost of the Cinder Kitten was donated to the ARC.

Salem: Beta Key Give Away! Posted: 10 Jan 2013 11:53 AM PST MMORPG.com has partnered with Paradox Interactive and Seatribe to give away keys to the Salem beta test. If you're a huge fan of sandbox MMOs with an emphasis on crafting, you'll definitely want to check this one out!

Granado Espada Online: Redbana's New (Old) Flagship Title Posted: 09 Jan 2013 01:31 PM PST Fans of Sword 2 will be happy to find out that a new publisher, Redbana, has taken over and is rebranding the game "Granado Espada". We caught up with Hakkyu Kim, Chief Producer of Granado Espada, and Jun Hyun Kim, CEO of Redbana to talk about the game and what a new publisher will bring to the series. Check it out!

Age of Conan: Unchained: Part 1 of Secrets of the Dragon's Spine Launches Posted: 10 Jan 2013 08:02 AM PST Funcom has announced that the latest update has been applied to Age of Conan servers. The patch brings the first part of the Secrets of the Dragon's Spine into the game and gives players a completely new zone to explore.

General: Garrett's Games of 2013 Posted: 09 Jan 2013 01:14 PM PST Last week we took a look back at the year that was and listed our favorite games. This week we turn to the year ahead and the games that have us sitting on pins and needles in anticipation. Each staff member will have his (or her!) day and we move on to Garrett for today's installment. See what's got Garrett all of a dither and then leave your thoughts in the comments.

The Secret World: Player Activity Up 400% Since Relaunch with B2P Posted: 10 Jan 2013 07:31 AM PST The latest Funcom financial report is out and contains some interesting tidbits of information, including the note that player activity in The Secret World is up 400% since last month's relaunch as a 'buy to play' game. Funcom is also reporting that over 70,000 copies of TSW have been sold since the relaunch.

WildStar: Interview with a Tester Posted: 10 Jan 2013 07:23 AM PST The latest WildStar Wednesday has been posted. In this new edition, fans of the upcoming game were given the opportunity to submit questions to a beta tester. This week's WildStar Wednesday is the result.

Neverwinter: Big Shoes to Fill Posted: 09 Jan 2013 02:37 PM PST We're starting yet another new column, this time devoted to Cryptic's Neverwinter. In our initial look forward at Neverwinter's potential, we take a look back at its roots. Check it out and then add your voice to the discussion in the comments.

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