MMO Updates

Why I play: Lord of the Rings Online
The Guild Counsel: Why Jack Sparrow would make a great guild leader
Duncan Jones to helm live-action WoW film
Captain's Log Supplemental: An exclusive interview with Daniel Stahl
Ask Massively: Developers, players, and respect
The Daily Grind: Have you ever attempted a large-scale building project in an MMO?
A tour of DDO Update 17: Return to Gianthold
Choose My Adventure: Exploring Egypt in A Tale in the Desert
Vanguard throws sixth anniversary giveaway
The Elder Scrolls Online lead deals with differences between the MMO and single-player RPGs
Wizardry Online launch-day roundup
Cryptic releases STO anniversary trailer, hints at Romulan content [Updated]
Free for All: The West: The most realistic fantasy MMO yet

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 09:00 AM PST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Lord of the Rings Online, Guilds, Professions, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Crafting, Why I Play

A year ago I came to Massively as an odd-man-out of sorts. I had very little experience with MMOs, but for the previous two years I had podcasted and blogged about Star Trek Online. That being my only experience with the genre, I had very little interest in (read: I was fearful of) trying any other game. Trying another game meant that I was leaving my comfort zone and also, maybe, risking the perception that I was being disloyal to the game that gave me so much enjoyment.

However, a new friend and co-worker, Justin Olivetti, changed my mind. Because of him and his great The Road to Mordor columns here at Massively I decided to take the plunge and give Lord of the Rings Online a try. So in June of last year I took the plunge and I have found myself smitten by yet another MMO based on a powerhouse franchise that I adore.

Continue reading Why I play: Lord of the Rings Online

Why I play: Lord of the Rings Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Guild Counsel: Why Jack Sparrow would make a great guild leader

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 08:00 AM PST

Filed under: Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel

Recently, I was watching Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and remembering how much I enjoyed the weird yet adventurous personality of Jack Sparrow. He's a pirate, a thief, and so dishonest that he's honest about it, but you can't help but cheer for him anyway.

When you think about it, the traits that make Jack Sparrow such a popular character are traits that also make for a good guild leader. In this week's Guild Counsel, let's take a light-hearted look at why Jack would make a great guild leader.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Why Jack Sparrow would make a great guild leader

The Guild Counsel: Why Jack Sparrow would make a great guild leader originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Duncan Jones to helm live-action WoW film

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 07:30 AM PST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Culture, MMO industry, News items

OK, maybe the long-in-development World of Warcraft film isn't the worst idea ever since the project just picked up Duncan Jones as its director. If that's an unfamiliar name, consider that Jones is the indie maestro behind thoughtful sci-fi fare like Moon and Source Code.

As Topless Robot notes, the fact that Jones' prior protagonists tended to die and respawn over and over again may make him uniquely qualified to helm a picture based on an MMORPG.

The WoW movie, which is being produced by Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros., was at one time rumored to feature Spider-man and Evil Dead auteur Sam Raimi in the director's chair. Jones, who is also the son of rock icon David Bowie, is now charged with the task of translating one of the world's most successful games to the big screen.

This isn't the first time that Jones' name has been floated in connection with the WoW movie, either. Early in 2011, the director was quoted as saying that the production "could be the launch of computer games as good films."

Duncan Jones to helm live-action WoW film originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: Topless Robot

Captain's Log Supplemental: An exclusive interview with Daniel Stahl

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 07:00 AM PST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Events, in-game, Expansions, Game mechanics, Interviews, Patches, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Captain's Log, Anniversary, Neverwinter

Huzzah! It's here! Star Trek Online's third anniversary celebration begins today! So while we all await the patch and loosen up our trigger fingers in order to undertake the new mission that will reward players with either an Ambassador class or a Kamarag class ship, you can sit back and read a new interview with Star Trek Online's Executive Producer, Daniel Stahl.

Stahl took the time out his busy schedule to answer a litany of questions about the past year as well as the future of STO. We were also given a few new screenshots and you can view them in the gallery below. There are a lot of questions, so let's get to it!

Gallery: Star Trek Online: Third Anniversary Q&A Dan Stahl

Continue reading Captain's Log Supplemental: An exclusive interview with Daniel Stahl

Captain's Log Supplemental: An exclusive interview with Daniel Stahl originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Massively: Developers, players, and respect

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 06:00 AM PST

Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, Ask Massively, Community Q&A, Miscellaneous

Welcome back to Ask Massively We're pleased you could join us on the deck of the Massively yacht for today's edition. You should really try a mojito. It's the best.

In between drinks today, we're talking about respect -- the earned kind, not the given kind. Don't worry; I'm not talking about respect you have for us or even for each other. (We all know that's non-existent.) I'm talking about the respect game studios have (and don't have) for MMO gamers in general.

Continue reading Ask Massively: Developers, players, and respect

Ask Massively: Developers, players, and respect originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Have you ever attempted a large-scale building project in an MMO?

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 05:00 AM PST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Opinion, Sandbox, Crafting

In case you missed it, a hundred enterprising souls spent the past four months reconstructing A Song of Ice and Fire's capital city of King's Landing in Minecraft. And when I say reconstructed, I don't mean they simply made a model of the Red Keep or the Sept of Baelor and called it a day.

I mean they built the entire bloody town, right down to the interior decorations for 3,000 unique buildings.

Now, I've undertaken a few MMO building projects in my time, but all of that pales in comparison to what goes on in Minecraft. What about you, Massively readers? Have you ever participated in a big construction project in an MMO or co-op title?

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: Have you ever attempted a large-scale building project in an MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A tour of DDO Update 17: Return to Gianthold

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 04:00 PM PST

Filed under: Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Patches, Previews, Free-to-play

Just because Dungeons and Dragons Online has spent the better part of a year fawning all over the Forgotten Realms doesn't mean that Turbine is finished with Eberron. As a matter of fact, the team called us in to check out next month's Update 17, which is all about Eberron and some classic content made fresh and new once more.

Update 17: Return to Gianthold revisits the popular Gianthold content that came out with DDO's second level-cap increase. The devs said that players love to run it for its variety of quests, loot, and experience, which is why they wanted to tweak up the existing content as well as add a brand-new raid for epic-level characters.

Read on as we take a look at Gianthold 2.0 and other exciting additions coming to DDO in February!

Continue reading A tour of DDO Update 17: Return to Gianthold

A tour of DDO Update 17: Return to Gianthold originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure: Exploring Egypt in A Tale in the Desert

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:00 PM PST

Filed under: Historical, Opinion, Massively Meta, Choose My Adventure

What a week it's been! Last week, you decided that I should build my compound first, and focus on architecture as my first principle to work on. That turned out to be a great selection for me, and I kept myself busy collecting all the materials to pay the tuition and then start construction.

But I couldn't help but wander off the path a bit. Every time I turned around, I was bumping into something that made me wonder A) what it was, and B) how it was made. And as helpful as the wiki is, I needed to search out players who could help teach me faster than any wiki could. Did I succeed in making some connections? And did I rip out my hair over the ripping of grass? Check out the highlights of my past week in A Tale in the Desert.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Exploring Egypt in A Tale in the Desert

Choose My Adventure: Exploring Egypt in A Tale in the Desert originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vanguard throws sixth anniversary giveaway

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 02:00 PM PST

Filed under: Fantasy, Contests, Vanguard, Free-to-play, Giveaways, Anniversary

It's Vanguard's sixth birthday today, and if you haven't read our recent dev tour of the game's progress since free-to-play, we're going to have a strong word with your mother. As for SOE's part, the studio is giving away five 'schwag bags' full of awesome Vanguard goodies -- but you'll have to sign up quick to get your chance at winning something.

The prize package contains a signed copy of Vanguard's collector's edition, a backpack, a $15 Station Cash gift card, a mug, a mobile stylus, and a phone case. It's open to everyone 18 and older, but all entries must be in by tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. EST. You can head over to the official contest page for more details and your chance to win.

Vanguard throws sixth anniversary giveaway originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: Contest page

The Elder Scrolls Online lead deals with differences between the MMO and single-player RPGs

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 01:00 PM PST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Interviews, The Elder Scrolls Online

With all of the excitement over The Elder Scrolls Online's beta signups, Game Director Matt Firor has his hands full adjusting the expectations of those used to single-player Elder Scrolls titles. Firor danced around several specific questions by The PA Report on how the MMO would tackle the world, heroism, guilds, and politics in comparison to the single-player games.

Firor expanded a bit on how the team is putting together the larger world of Tamriel, especially the areas yet unseen by single-player gamers: "The Elder Scrolls IP is very down-to-earth and gritty, so we had to take the traditional 'these are High Elves' fantasy visuals -- tall towers, white marble, landscaped terrain -- and merge them with the grittier and more medieval-realistic (there are poor High Elf farmers, etc.). It came together very well."

He said that while players won't always be at the center of attention, game NPCs will recognize great deeds and instancing will be used for important moments. One thing that won't happen as in the single-player titles is for characters to become the heads of game guilds (as opposed to player guilds). Firor also hinted that the Emperor of the world will be based on player PvP performance, but declined to give any further specifics.

The Elder Scrolls Online lead deals with differences between the MMO and single-player RPGs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: The PA Report

Wizardry Online launch-day roundup

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 PM PST

Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, Wizardry Online

If you've been waiting to get your fill of fantasy in the no-holds-barred setting of Wizardry Online (and then waited some more when the launch was pushed back), your patience is about to be rewarded. The time is finally at hand; the hardcore game sporting permadeath and friendly fire launches today.

Curious about what lies ahead in the wilds of Wizardy Online? Get a glimpse of dungeons and death along with a taste of the adventures that await you through our hands-on experiences, gallery, videos, and news bytes after the break.

Continue reading Wizardry Online launch-day roundup

Wizardry Online launch-day roundup originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cryptic releases STO anniversary trailer, hints at Romulan content [Updated]

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:00 AM PST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, MMO industry, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Anniversary

This is a big week for Star Trek Online's PR machine, and the latest salvo is a three-year anniversary trailer that's been published by PCGamer. The clip gives prospective players a glimpse at the game's various updates, its free-to-play transformation, and a new mission arc featuring The Next Generation alum Denise Crosby.

There's also a brief tease for some sort of new Romulan content. Could it be a playable faction or a series of missions? It's anyone's guess at this point, and we'll find out for sure this May. In the meantime, you can view the trailer after the cut.

Update: A dev blog on three-year anniversary ships has just been published as well.

Continue reading Cryptic releases STO anniversary trailer, hints at Romulan content [Updated]

Cryptic releases STO anniversary trailer, hints at Romulan content [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: PCGamer

Free for All: The West: The most realistic fantasy MMO yet

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:00 AM PST

Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Real life, Video, Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, Humor, Free for All, Livestream, Sandbox

There's something distinctly unfair about being an American fantasy fan. If you enjoy all of the movies or run around in all of the wonderful fantasy landscapes you'll quickly notice how un-American the inhabitants are. Sure, monsters or knights in a fantasy MMO don't really belong to any one nationality or time, but they are more likely to sound like they're from England rather than Long Island. It's not fair. What do Americans have in their past that is anything as cool as knights and swords?

Actually, we've had some pretty cool stuff over here as well. And, if you think about it, a lot of it is pretty much like a more recent middle ages... sort of. The thought sunk in as I was looking at Salem, a hardcore free-for-all PvP MMO by Paradox Interactive. Then the thought really sunk in when I recently fell in love with The West by Innogames, a German publisher.

America has a very primitive, and recent, past that had to feel a lot like a time of magic and wonder to those who were in it. Why aren't we seeing more Western MMOs or games set in the time of the founding of our country?

Continue reading Free for All: The West: The most realistic fantasy MMO yet

Free for All: The West: The most realistic fantasy MMO yet originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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