MMO News |
- Narrativium
- Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade
- The Phoenix Project
- Genre-bending Prime World Enters Open Beta
- Rumble Fighter Just Got Reloaded After 6 Years
- Player Studio Hits Planetside 2 – Tramell Isaac Interview
- Eudemons Online: Dawn of Romance Expansion Available July 31
- Webzen Announces Second Beta Celebration for MU Rebirth
- Microvolts Releases a Hot Summer Update
- Scrolls
| Posted: 26 Jul 2013 05:57 PM PDT Clipped from: http://wiki.lspace.org/mediawiki/index.php/Narrativium To drive a world, things need a reason. The reasons can be simple window dressing for some games. Take pretty much any FPS or MMOFPS. It’s either good guys versus the other guys or it’s Faction Flavour One versus Faction Flavour Two/Three/Etc. That’s no bad thing, if you pressed me, I’d happily identify as Vanu in Planetside. Smurfs and Commies can suck my plasma bolt. Conflict is easy to organize amongst players. Someone sooner or later is always going to take a swing at another person. A game based on it? Well that’s its own content. It also comes with its own troubles which we’ll cover another time.
In the PvE world however, we need something more. We need a narrative. A reason to be doing the things we are doing. On Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Narrativium is that driving force, or in his own words.. The most common element on the disc, although not included in the list of the standard five: earth, fire, air, water and surprise. It ensures that everything runs properly as a story. For example, if a boy has two older brothers, chances are they will go on a quest. The first will be strong, and fail because of his stupidity, the second will be smart, and fail because of his frailty and the youngest brother will then have no choice but to go out, succeed and bring fame and fortune to his poor family. Narrativium makes stories go, stories are life. Living Story The first thing to come to mind for me when dealing with the idea of a living story naturally is the one named for it. Specifically ArenaNet's Guild Wars 2 Living Story. Anyone in need of a refresher should pop over here for Dusty Monk's recap. Now win, lose or draw, ArenaNet deserves applause and support for the attempt to bring a constant stream of new content into the world in such a fashion. It does give the impression of passing time, changing identities and inescapably a Living story.
Another game near and dear to my heart bringing out content but nowhere near as regularly… (Can anyone else keep up with ArenaNet's promised every two weeks?).. is of course The Secret World. No one can in my mind say a word against Funcom's stories presented in The Secret World. Wonderfully written, cleverly voiced and acted out… the scenes of story are a delight each and every time I experience them. Whether DLC that you must purchase, an expansion or a free update, stories are what drives content. If there wasn’t a need for some sort of framework to give the activity meaning, well any studio would be able to pump out vast volumes of bland repetitive content to keep you clicking. Stories are here to stay in the massively online world. Sometimes they will be the creation of the players themselves in sandbox games. Other times they will be the newest biweekly/bimonthly/biannually release from the studio. Transmedia Stories are important, but I wonder if there isn’t a better way to arrange them. I’ve been playing through the Living Story in Guild Wars 2 when I want. Other times I end up ignoring it as something that hasn’t caught my imagination. For some I imagine Mist of Pandaria was a great thing to get their hands on, but what if you really just hate Pandas and wanted something else? Earlier I mentioned the problem with PvP games. That problem is sooner or later they run the risk of being repetitive. Some x factor can be introduced to shake things up but there is still always the chance that fans of the game will settle into a rut. One clever fix to this that I have seen is that of the upcoming Warhammer 40,000 Eternal Crusade. The new world may have a completely different ecosystem, new resources, new layout, and all of that to fight over. Think of it like competitive "seasons" in any sport. What's the point of a war if no one wins? And that's the philosophy behind having a campaign system in Eternal Crusade. Source
Eternal Crusade. As long as people are playing, well there’ll always be more of the galaxy to conquer.
So if sport can inform the e-Sport of a PvP game, how about we take something else and apply it to PvE games? Climactic Events Right now there is an operating Transmedia game, Defiance. However you know, I think they’re missing a trick. They have DLC and episodic content, but they don’t have a season arc at the moment. Maybe I am incorrect in that, please do drop a comment if I am. Turn on the TV and check out any big show at the moment. There is a season arc. There may well be episodes of the week but over all they have a describing arc which not only helps the characters grow but brings upswings to the climactic moments of mid-season and end of season breaks.
Do I want cliffhangers in my MMOs? No thank you. I’ve got enough of those, both resolved and not, from my television. I do think though some games and some IPs could benefit from stealing proven story methods from TV.
Next week Guild Wars 2 will move into Cutthroat Diplomacy. There will be a period where we vote for either Ellen Kiel or Evon Gnashblade. One will win, and players will get a bonus for it.
If this was television or a book? Well … let’s say I would be enjoying the imminent revenge plot line. Online, I hope that they remember to shake things up a bit more if they want the story to be truly living. (Bonus Question for particular Readers. If MMOs are TV shows, does that make NCSoft the Fox of Online gaming?) |
| Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade Posted: 26 Jul 2013 04:41 PM PDT Join the Eternal Crusade, a persistent battle set in the Warhammer 40,000. Where will you stand?  Publisher: Games Workshop Pros: +Customizable characters. +Persistent and dynamic action. +Levelless system. Cons: -Plans on a buy to play model. –Limited information available. Overview Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade OverviewWarhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade is an action MMORPG with a PvP focus. Select your army and faction, and join the fight for a persistent world. Claim territory, heave through procedural content, and earn the right to customize your character. Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade ScreenshotsComing Soon… Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade Featured VideoComing Soon… Full Review Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade ReviewComing Soon … Screenshots Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade ScreenshotsComing Soon … Videos Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade VideosComing Soon… System Requirements Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade System RequirementsComing Soon… |
| Posted: 26 Jul 2013 03:33 PM PDT City of Heroes may be offline, but it hasn’t been forgotten. Will you join the community to bring a new superhero game from the ashes?  Publisher: Missing Worlds Media Pros: +Community built project. Cons: -In early stages of development. –Limited information available. Overview The Phoenix Project OverviewThe Phoenix Project is a community-run studio devoted to building a new superhero MMO in the spirit of the now-closed City of Heroes. Currently the game is in early development. The Phoenix Project ScreenshotsComing Soon… The Phoenix Project Featured VideoComing Soon… Full Review The Phoenix Project ReviewComing Soon … Screenshots The Phoenix Project ScreenshotsComing Soon … Videos The Phoenix Project VideosComing Soon… System Requirements The Phoenix Project System RequirementsComing Soon… |
| Genre-bending Prime World Enters Open Beta Posted: 26 Jul 2013 11:22 AM PDT After many open beta weekends, the wait is finally over. The award-winning Prime World just entered its full 24/7 Open Beta. Prime World is a competitive RPG that merges fast-paced MOBA-style battles with long-term persistent MMO hero development and strategy castle building. The game boldly steps beyond the classic three-lane map of modern MOBAs – there are currently eight game modes: from fast and fierce PVP to cooperative PVE and even PVPVE if seven other modes weren’t enough.
“We at Nival never tried to fit Prime World into one genre and always strived to create genre-bending experiences. So while press praises the game, it seems journalists are yet to reach an agreement on what to call Prime World – we’ve got awards ranging from Best Strategy Game of E3 from IGN to Best MOBA from RTSGuru and Best MMO from Igromania,” said Sergey Orlovskiy, CEO of Nival. |
| Rumble Fighter Just Got Reloaded After 6 Years Posted: 26 Jul 2013 10:52 AM PDT OGPlanet, a longstanding publisher of Free-to-Play, multiplayer online games, yesterday released Rumble Fighter: Reloaded, the biggest update in 6 years for the MMO brawler Rumble Fighter that has “reloaded” the game with features that North American fans have awaited for years. Among the improvements are new in-game areas, bosses, items, events, a daily quest system, and the much anticipated social Plaza.
Rumble Fighter: Reloaded Key Features: Plaza – Take a break from fighting and meet friends in the Plaza, a new gathering place for players to unwind, chat, and even go fishing , another new feature for players to fish for rewards. Quest System – Providing a new way to improve and reach the top, players can now earn great rewards by completing daily quests.
D-H-SBASE – One of the toughest yet, this brand new Adventure Mode scenario challenges players to infiltrate Dr. Nature’s D-H-SBASE and defeat Big Dog to gain Boss Mode Set pieces. New Battle Maps – Two new war-torn maps, Basseterre Bridge and Overpass, offer challenging feats to overcome. Both maps are available in both Battle Mode and Rumble Mode – Arena.
New Items – In addition to a new Random Box (that players can open for rare items), the newly released Scrolls and ExoCores allow players to unleash special powers and fighting tactics. Players can even show off their signature fighting styles with matching costumes. Improved Training Mode – Players are now able to train on various maps, toggle training NPC settings such as movement and attack types, and recall training NPCs to their current location.
To kick off Rumble Fighter: Reloaded, a wealth of engaging events will be hosted for prizes from July 26th to August 2nd, 2013. Furthermore, players can earn a free Mystery Box Silver when they log at least one hour of playtime every Wednesday. Be sure to login and get your Rumble on now to win great items! |
| Player Studio Hits Planetside 2 – Tramell Isaac Interview Posted: 26 Jul 2013 10:45 AM PDT Questions by Darren Henderson (DizzyPW), MMOHut/OnRPG General Manager Answers by Tramell Isaac, Senior Art Director of Planetside 2 At this time last year I stumbled upon a truly intuitive and revolutionary system while attending SOE Live and Vegas. No I'm not talking about Wizardry Online, Dragon's Prophet, or Everquest Next but rather a supplementary program called Player Studio at the time designed to allow players of Everquest and Free Realms to build their own imagination into their game. This wasn't your typical player-made skin mod overlays but rather official content adopted by SOE to be included in future updates of the game.
My initial reaction (and I'm sure I wasn't alone) was "Well what's next?" Planetside 2 and DC Universe Online were top of my list but as soon as I asked I pretty much got the cold shoulder of "Oh sure, someday." So when I hopped on a phone call with Tramell Isaac and Raquel Marcelo yesterday to learn about the next Planetside 2 update and was told it had already soft launched and would be open for testing throughout the US by Monday, I was speechless. Below is a paraphrase of how the conversation went.
DizzyPW: I feel like every time I've asked about Planetside 2 being incorporated with Player Studio in the past, I've gotten a begrudging 'maybe someday' response. I imagine a game on this scale isn't as easy to connect to Player Studio as say Everquest and FreeRealms. What primary challenges held it back from the initial studio launch? Tramell: It wasn't so much challenges holding it back as the fact that Planetside 2 was newly established and in need of building a solid playerbase. This was not the case with Everquest and Free Realms so priorities were shifted. First we needed to stabilize Planetside 2 in the early days to ensure lag-free MMOFPS gameplay on a global scale. Establishing a presence in eSports and launching in China were also major hurdles that slowed this process. With the successful Chinese launch last month, we were finally ready to run down the home stretch for next Monday's US launch. DizzyPW: That said, surely this wasn't throw together in a month's time. How long has incorporating Planetside 2 with Player Studio been in the works? Tramell: Planetside 2 launched with Player Studio in mind. We've had it in the back of our minds the entire time and feel we have a much more solid product on our hands as a result.
DizzyPW: Will the PlayerStudio tools be familiar to users of the software from your other titles? Tramell: The main difference is users will have to utilize existing Planetside 2 textures rather than building their own from the ground up. It may be a bit limiting compared to Everquest's only limitation being size requirements, but we feel it will help make a seamless world in which new players won't know the difference between our in-house designs and Player Studio creations. This goes back to our focus on keeping the memory print of the game low for those playing on older PCs so Player Studio doesn't turn their favorite game into a lag nightmare overnight. That said, we have a hell of a lot of textures to work with and I challenge our players to make their dreams a reality within this system. You'll be pleasantly surprised just how unique you can make a helmet look from others. We'll of course also be offering plenty of samples for players to copy, tweak, and reinvent.
DizzyPW: What elements of the game will players be involved with designing? I imagine vehicles and weapons are the obvious choices but I'm curious how deep you're going with it? Tramell: No turns out vehicles and weapons are not on the table, at least in the beginning. We're starting out slow to make sure we don't break anything and intend to expand once we have our users acquainted with the basics of the system. For now though you can mess around with creating decals, hood ornaments, helmets and suits, cockpit logos, and various camo patterns. There might be some other items but that's what comes to mind without looking at the full list. These types of designs should be simple enough for everyone to get involved with as a deeper level of character customization. But for the advanced Player Studio artists itching to push the systems limits, we will have a few 3D designs and models they can mess with. Just be patient as it takes a bit longer for them to get through the approval process. DizzyPW: That's something I was curious about. Is Player Studio's approval team going to expand to accommodate for the influx of Planetside 2 submissions? Tramell: These designs will go straight to our core Planetside 2 development team for approval. We'll be incorporating the designs alongside our own content in future patches. They'll be checking the forums on a daily basis once things get rolling so expect a lot of interaction and guidance from the early stages on how strong they think your designs are.
DizzyPW: Will players designate designs for specific factions or is that something that will be decided after the submission? Tramell: You can create whatever you want so long as it fits into the Planetside 2 theme. Some designs will be specific to a faction while others will be more universally adopted and that's all based on the design itself and how well we can seamlessly integrate it into our lore and world. For those not catching my drift, I'm saying don't expect chicken heads and afro helmets popping up all over the game any time soon. Not to say we won't ever take comical designs, but it'll be a much slower and stricter approval process. Luckily you can get feedback at even the earliest levels of the design process so we can prevent you from wasting time making intricate joke designs that never get implemented into game.
DizzyPW: Are there plans for any competitive faction designs to celebrate the Playerstudio launch? Tramell: That's a good idea! We absolutely should. But not next week. I want to get Player Studio in the hands of a more worldwide audience including Europe and Russia before we start holding any faction versus faction competitions. I wouldn't want to leave so many important members of our playerbase out of the fun.
DizzyPW: Any juicy tidbits you wish to share to get players pumped to test out this new feature? Tramell: Starting Monday we'll get people into the forums to acquaint them with the process. If you want to be a first adopter you had better not miss the opportunity to get in on this! Also keep an eye out over the weekend as we'll be selecting a few key members of our community to beta test the tools.
DizzyPW: Thanks for the time and for pushing the industry forward with this one-of-a-kind system Tramell! |
| Eudemons Online: Dawn of Romance Expansion Available July 31 Posted: 26 Jul 2013 10:38 AM PDT Everything has an end, but Eudemons Online will never stop bringing the fans brand-new adventures! This summer, Eudemons Online is set to release a new expansion called the ‘Dawn of Romance’, in order to surprise the people who have fought with their friends, legion, and family members over these long 7 years! Looking at the past, Eudemons Online has already released 5 classes: the mighty Warrior, the clever Mage, the righteous Paladin, the shadowy Vampire and the nefarious Necromancer. We have watched these 5 classes fight together for the peace of the Eudemons world, weakening the consciousness of Alamut's puppets, awakening the living dead, and thwarting the attempt at Alamut's final revenge! But, this story never ends! This time, you aren't fighting just to survive, you must fight for your love!
Wedding Dresses and Ring Spirits In this new expansion, you and your beloved will have the amazing chance to host your very own romantic wedding! You can imagine the day when you put on your gorgeous wedding dress, stand hand in hand with your lover, and walk the plush red carpet to the center of the room and declare your undying love by placing a ring on the finger of your true love… It will truly be the happiest day of your entire life! You can even engrave the wedding ring with the couple's name. The amazing spellcraft is Level 3, and allows your wedding rings the power to summon a Ring Spirit, which will bear witness to your love in this fantastic world of love and magic!
The new Couple's Mount – Peacock In the Dai people’s minds, the peacock is the most kind, intelligent, free and peaceful bird. It symbolizes auspicious omens and happiness. In Greek mythology, the peacock is the emblem of the goddess, Hera, who treats her people well and shows them love. In China, the peacock is regarded as the embodiment of beauty and talent, and symbolizes the combination of the Yin and Yang philosophy, as well. You may have noticed that some MMORPG games already have peacocks as an available pet, not just Eudemons. However, this will be a brand-new mount in Eudemons Online! One of our EO players said, "This mount looks amazing, and I really want one!" You don't have to pay a high price for this sacred mount! You can acquire it by finishing the couple's quests! "It's a special chance for the EO players that have been a part of our 7 year story.", an EO team member revealed.
Six Types of Eudemon Babies These incredible Eudemon babies are gifted with different personalities and powerful attributes, such as M-Def, M-ATK, M-Atk & Def, P-Def, P-Atk and P-Atk & Def. You can even decide your own baby's type! Different types of babies will give you aid in your many battles. Plus, there are 9 composing methods to improve a baby's abilities, which will make your babies grow stronger!
Level Cap Upgrade The previous maximum level was 145, but it will be raised to 150. The higher level you get, the more battle points you will earn! Along with high battle points, you will be able to venture out and test your power in this action-packed Eudemons world! |
| Webzen Announces Second Beta Celebration for MU Rebirth Posted: 26 Jul 2013 10:27 AM PDT WEBZEN Inc., a global leader in next-generation free-to-play games, announces the official Second Beta Celebration for MU REBIRTH: The Official PvP Server, a new adaption of the classic fantasy RPG, MU ONLINE. Second beta for this heart-stopping MMORPG begins August 8, 2013 at 2:00 am and ends August 21, 2013 at 8:00 am (Global Server Time – Schedule subject to change, please check http://tinyurl.com/MURebirthFacebook for updates). Open beta for MU REBIRTH has been postponed to provide gamers a second chance to experience WEBZEN's new action-packed RPG during the testing period. The Second Beta Celebration will be available to all players and does not require a beta key code for activation. All user activity during second beta (including character creation, leveling and item purchases) will be saved after the beta period has concluded. In addition, WEBZEN will host special giveaways to kick off the return of MU REBIRTH:
- W Coin Giveaway: Players will be rewarded with W Coins © just for being a part of MU REBIRTH's second beta! All participants who log into the game will automatically receive 100 W Coins. For every 10 Rebirths , each player will receive an additional 100 W Coins (Players will be rewarded for up to 50 Rebirths, which can be redeemed for 500 W Coins). The Top 10 Rebirth Players will also be rewarded with 10,000 W Coins. (W Coins will be distributed on August 28 (GST) after maintenance. Please check WEBZEN.com for promotion regulations.) - Free Cash Giveaway: WEBZEN will be teaming up with various MMO sites to offer players free in-game cash. During the beta period, gamers can visit WEBZEN's partnering sites to obtain free item codes, which can be redeemed for 3000 cash points. These free credits can be used to purchase weapons, armor, enhancements and other items in MU REBIRTH. |
| Microvolts Releases a Hot Summer Update Posted: 26 Jul 2013 10:14 AM PDT  Rock Hippo Productions Ltd. announced today the launch of its latest update – Heatwave – for their popular free-to-play cartoon-style third-person shooter, MicroVolts. Down by the seashore, where life is easier but the battles are hot! The warm sand and the cool breeze are relaxing, but the competition is still fierce! Take on your opponents while catching a tan in the new "Beach" map! The action doesn't stop while you're playing in the sand!
Take on the heat of the sun with "Green" and "Pink Summer Swimsuit" Naomi, "Blue" and "Yellow Poolside Bikini" Naomi. Endure waves of combat with "Naughty Unmentionables" Pandora, "Racy Unmentionables" Pandora, and "Home Team Swimsuit" Pandora. Wash away the competition and look great doing it! The water isn't the only way to enjoy this beautiful weather. Grind your way to victory with "Red Skater" Pandora and "Green Skater" Pandora.
 Dive into the deep sea for buried treasures and avoid the blaring sun with "Diving" Naomi and "Scuba" Naomi. A trove of weapons has also been added in game! Explore new depths of competition with "Gold Trident", "Aqua Trident" and "Trident" melee weapons. Reel in a victory with "Gold", "Silver", and "Bronze Speargun."
 While you're out enjoying the blazing hot sun, join your returning favourites in combat again with "Mr. Pink" Knox, "Mr. Yellow" Knox, "Glacies" C.H.I.P. and the new "Dark Glacies" C.H.I.P.! C.H.I.P. and Pandora are now unlocked for all MicroVolters and no longer require Micro Points to use! Raptr players will also have something special coming soon! |
| Posted: 25 Jul 2013 09:45 PM PDT Conflict can be solved with words on a parchment – or so the legends say! Develop an army using resources and scrolls, and battle in enemy trials, and against other players, to prove your might in Scrolls.  Publisher: Mojang Pros: +Resource system adds depth to TCG gameplay. +PvE Trials and PvP modes available. Cons: -Buy to play. –Limited information available. Overview Scrolls OverviewDeveloped by Mojang (the mind behind Minecraft), Scrolls is a new twist on the online trading card game (TCG). In addition to cards with creatures and power, players will also have cards that feature resources, which must be used to place other scrolls on the field. In addition to multiple PvP modes, the game also will feature a Trials system to pit players against set AI opponents. Scrolls Screenshots       Scrolls Featured Video Full Review Scrolls ReviewComing Soon … Screenshots Scrolls ScreenshotsComing Soon … Videos Scrolls VideosScrolls Official Launch Trailer System Requirements Scrolls System RequirementsComing Soon… |
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