Filed under: At a glance

EVE Evolved: Dominion be damned

by Brendan Drain Nov 8th 2009 at 6:00PM

Filed under: At a glance, Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Forums, Game mechanics, Patches, PvP, Endgame, Opinion, EVE Evolved

At the last EVE Online fanfest, it was announced that the Dominion expansion is slated for December 1st to coincide with Iceland's Sovereignty day. With less than a month to go until launch, there has been growing concern at the extreme lack of information on the new sovereignty mechanics at the expansion's core. There have been a few scheduled tests and several devblogs but few factual details on the mechanics we'll be using once the expansion goes live. I've even been on the test server and tried the new mechanics out but they're far from finished.

The worry was that if the specific details weren't revealed as soon as possible, it might end up being too late to make necessary changes based on player feedback. On Friday 6th, a devblog was finally released explaining the cost breakdowns in the new sovereignty system and what bonuses will be given for the various system upgrades. Rather than allaying people's fears, the devblog set the forums on fire. An intense debate has sprung up, with massive outcry from those that live in 0.0. Their concerns may well be warranted as the proposed mechanics don't quite match up with the original vision of the Dominion expansion that the EVE community has shown support for thus far.

Has Dominion veered off course and is time running out to get it back on track? In this opinion piece, I run down the new devblog and give an inside view into parts of the heated debate it sparked off.

Final Fantasy XI's A Shantotto Ascension releases new trailer

by Eliot Lefebvre Nov 1st 2009 at 8:00PM

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, Trailers, Final Fantasy XI, Expansions, Previews, News items

Final Fantasy XI's final new add-on adventure, A Shantotto Ascension, comes out the ninth of November. Should eight more days prove too long a delay, you might just be pleased at what we have to say. A new trailer, you see, has been put on the site, with our dear professor in the center spotlight. And if you lacked apprehension regarding Shantotto, this new trailer may have you pull quite the reversal.

The trailer makes mention of rituals demonic, a threat whose recurrence is horribly chronic -- but lest you assume that the danger's routine, you had best keep a watch on this unfolding scene. For Shantotto denies that she has lost her mind, and thinks herself flawless (or so she's opined). Yet all of the images that we see within leads us to believe something mad will begin -- and while we don't mean to drive players to terror, to not say the truth would be too much an error. For Shantotto seems poised upon something gigantic, and appears to enlarge to proportions titanic! If you've made Final Fantasy XI your home, be prepared to defend all the roots that you've sown. The release is still pending, but you may purchase today -- so go view the trailer, no need to delay!

Gracia Epilogue launches on Lineage II's test server today

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 29th 2009 at 1:00PM

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, Lineage 2, Expansions, MMO industry, Patches, News items

Just when we thought Gracia, the 2nd throne, was done and over with in Gracia Final, we get a tasty surprise in the form of Gracia Epilogue, the next patch coming out for Lineage II.

Gracia Epilogue is hiding many a tasty treat for Lineage II fans, with teasers pointing towards a new mail system, enhanced skill updates, and new hunting areas for high level players. However, these teasers are exactly that -- teasers. The official patch notes have not been released yet, leaving many to speculate what exactly will be in this patch.

However, if you're looking to get some hands on the Epilogue, you can cruise on over to NCsoft's test server for L2 today and try it out! See if you can track down some of these elusive changes in the test environment!

GameX 2009: Mobile EVE Online app, codenamed NeoCom, and IM program in development

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 27th 2009 at 4:30PM

Filed under: At a glance, Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Massively Event Coverage

During their presentation at GameX 2009 on agile game development, Nathan Richardsson and Adalsteinn "Alli" Óttarsson revealed the slide above, showing EVE Online's many facets and how they all tie into one another. But what's this down in the corner? A mobile application and a instant messaging client?

While information was scarce, we were able to confirm that CCP is certainly interested in the mobile market, especially with EVE. Neocom is planned to be a multi-mobile platform project, going beyond the iPhone to add "interaction with EVE Online in a meaningful way."

The plan seems to be to extend EVE across multiple locations to give players the ability to access all sorts of information from places outside of the game. It was mentioned that Neocom could do things like use corporation chat, check and change trades, and introduce other methods of two way interaction.

Later in the day, we'll be putting up our video interview with Alli Óttarsson and Nathan Richardsson on a variety of topics, Neocom included. Check back for more exclusive coverage of GameX 2009!

The Daily Grind: Why do you play?

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 22nd 2009 at 8:00AM

Filed under: At a glance, Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind

It's been a while since we actually asked the most basic question one can possibly ask an MMO player: Why do you play MMOs?

It's a good question too, because we all have different reasons for why we play. Some of us love to explore the world, some of us love to talk and party with others, some of us want to accomplish the goals the game sets forth for us, and still others of us want to kill stuff -- lots and lots of stuff. These are traditionally known as the Bartle psychological gamer types, taken from gamer/developer/researcher Richard Bartle's paper on player culture.

So readers, please tell us why you play and feel free to discuss with your neighbors. It's interesting!

Exclusive video of Mage class in Dungeon Fighter Online

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 16th 2009 at 6:30PM

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, Video, Classes, Game mechanics, New titles, Free-to-play, Dungeon Fighter Online

The team over at Nexon has given us a look at the Mage class from their new 2D dungeon crawling brawler, Dungeon Fighter Online, and boy does she pack a punch!

Hard hitting magical spells define this class, of course, but that's not all she can accomplish. The class also has some monster controlling abilities, like gravity wells and knockbacks, in addition to their elemental area of effect spells. If that wasn't enough, the mage can also summon elemental pets, making her the "stand back and let something else beat it" class of the game.

Of course, you shouldn't take our word on this alone. We have this fancy exclusive video of the mage exploding people! Hit the continue reading, and let your eyes absorb all of the tasty monster destruction.

Sacred Seasons: The flash-based MMO

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 14th 2009 at 3:00PM

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, Launches, New titles, News items, Free-to-play

We're not entirely sure how this one slipped under our radar. Perhaps it was a quiet launch, or perhaps it was a flash based massively multiplayer game, but we somehow failed to mention Sacred Seasons.

So now we're going to take the time to correct that error -- enter Sacred Seasons, an MMO that runs entirely in flash and entirely in your internet browser. The game tells the story of the Heartlands, a world that's much like ours except in hyperbole, where the seasons dominate so strongly that they resonate in humanity itself. The people of the world have broken off into four separate tribes, one each dedicated to one of the seasons. All of them ally together, however, to fight a plague spreading across the world -- the growing corruption of the badlands, areas of nothingness.

The Daily Grind: Game card or credit card?

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 14th 2009 at 8:00AM

Filed under: At a glance, Business models, Culture, MMO industry, Opinion

Yesterday we ran a story on this new game card hitting the market called the ONE game card, a card that you can pick up at your local store to redeem for a wide variety of games. That story got us thinking however, about game cards at large. How much do people use them? Are they widely accepted? And why use a game time card over a credit card?

How many of you Massively readers prefer going out and purchasing a time card / points card for your favorite online game instead of paying for it with your credit card? Why do you fine readers prefer your chosen method of payment? Do you find yourself buying more point cards for games that use cash shops while you pay subscription fees with a credit card, or do you really enjoy picking up time cards for your subscription games?

Drop us your comments and let us know how you feel about your payment plans!

Ryzom deploys patch 1.6, extends web applications system

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 13th 2009 at 11:30AM

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, Ryzom, News items

Ryzom has moved forward with their interactive web application goals, and with their newest patch players will be able to check mail both in-game and out of game.

While Patch 1.6 cleans up a few bugs, adds a few more tattoos to the game, and tweaks the GM's event creation tools, it also opens up the Ryzom player developers project even further. Beginning with the mail and notes applications, players will be able to log into the game's website to send/read their e-mail as well as review their in-game notes as long as they retrieve their API key.

Runes of Magic introduces diamond cards at Target

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 12th 2009 at 8:00PM

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, Business models, News items, Free-to-play, Runes of Magic

Runes of Magic is expanding their diamond trade to a black market. A black market of diamond and goods trade so black that their red ring logo demands fear and respect. They call this place... Target.

Odd movie introductions aside, Runes of Magic is offering their diamonds in new cash card form! For those of us who don't want to run out and throw a credit or debit card at the RoM website, we can now just visit Target and pick up some diamonds (the game's cash shop currency) in our next shopping run at the local strip mall.

Flyff expansion "Act V" to hit European servers

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 12th 2009 at 3:00PM

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, Flyff, Expansions, Endgame, News items, Free-to-play

European Flyff followers of the German and French variety, you have fun to look forward to! Flyff's next expansion, Act V, is going to be adding two new dungeons and an entire new continent for you to explore! Not a bad addition at all for the low low price of free.

Flyff's new continent, the lands of Harmonin, is a land of beauty at first sight. The jungles are lush, the lands are beautiful, and the monsters are... deadly? The island, in truth, is a corrupted land that conceals a curse. High level monsters lurk in the wilds, waiting to feast on tender MMO adventurer flesh.

Go out and steal oil in Planet Calypso's 10.1 update

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 9th 2009 at 6:30PM

Filed under: At a glance, Sci-fi, Entropia Universe, Economy, Game mechanics, Patches, PvP

In a move to make our virtual lives eerily more like our real ones, the First Planet Company has re-opened the oil pumping station on Planet Calypso with patch 10.1, offering all players the chance to make a quick profit by grabbing oil from the pump -- if you can make it out alive, of course.

The pumping station is not only in the middle of the wasteland, but it's also surrounded by angry NPCs (the wastelanders) and it's right in the middle of an open PvP area. Sure, you can make a tidy profit by grabbing oil from the station, but you have to be efficient and sneaky about it. Otherwise, you'll just end up with a bullet in your back and your blood mixed with the oil.

Playing the numbers game with EVE Online

by Eliot Lefebvre Oct 9th 2009 at 1:00PM

Filed under: At a glance, Sci-fi, EVE Online, MMO industry, Academic

MMORPGs, at their heart, are usually games all about numbers -- stats, levels, enemies to fight, and so forth. And EVE Online focuses in even more on numbers, where players worry not only about the amount of damage their ship's main gun can put out, but what the value of ore on the open market is and whether or not the cost of an attack on a mining facility would be worth the profit. But there are other numbers involved in the game, which were highlighted on MMORPG.com in a piece about the numbers behind the game discussed at the recent 2009 Fanfest.

Among the more interesting statistics is the stated goal to have EVE's total population exceed that of its country of origin, Iceland -- a goal that the game has either nearly reached or exceeded if you count in the game's trial accounts, which are a bit of a revolving door but add a significant number of players to the total. The article also discusses the game's overall economy, player retention, and other interesting figures in relation to the game. Take a look if you'd like a peek behind the scenes of one of the most unique MMOs on the market right now.

[ via MMORPG.com ]

Final Fantasy XI holds a contest to draw the professor, Vana'diel's newest royal successor

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 8th 2009 at 6:30PM

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Contests, MMO industry, News items, Consoles

We have news for all of you readers, you can now draw pictures of your future fearless leader! Final Fantasy XI's Lady Shantotto is the focus of the mini-expansion, "A Shantotto Ascension," and she wants to make sure her reign begins with your full apprehension!

If you are artistically inclined, then drop by the Final Fantasy XI website in time! There you will learn the contest's basics, so hopefully you can learn enough to face it. Many renditions of her fabulous nature will be chosen, but only a few will get the medal that is golden!

Those selected to win a prize will see it appear right before their eyes. A Nomad Moogle Rod is the contest's winning, and we think you'll find that the item will keep you grinning. Target a fellow party member and before you can say do-si-dori, a gift will end up in their inventory!

So don't wait and stop to yawn, or else this contest will have come and gone!

Sincerely, Professor Shan... er... the Massively.com staff. O~hohohohohohohoho!

Cities XL launch day roundup

by Shawn Schuster Oct 8th 2009 at 3:00PM

Filed under: At a glance, Launches, New titles, Cities XL

Today is the European launch of Cities XL, while tomorrow is the North American launch of the game. We've enjoyed playing the game throughout beta, and have given some hefty coverage along the way. Check out our best Cities XL posts and articles below, preparing you for getting started easily.

	Massively hands-on with Cities XL As the Cities XL closed beta continues to run strong, we got word that the beta's NDA has lifted [Edit: for press] and we can spill the beans on our first impressions of the game so far. Now, two very important points to be made here include the fact that this is not a review (MMO reviews are bad, mmkay), and this is still in early closed beta stage.
	E3 2009: A chat with Cities XL's Alexandre Zambeaux Last week at E3, we had a chance to sit down with Alexandre Zambeaux, Marketing Director for Cities XL developer Monte Cristo Games, for some more info on the current state of the game, and what MMO gamers can expect from such a project. You may remember a pre-beta Q&A we did with the Monte Cristo team a few months ago, and as the game hasn't hit an open beta just yet, it will later this year.
	Cities XL closed beta Q&A Monte Cristo was founded in 1995, and has mostly been very focused on simulation games. In recent years we have shifted our efforts to the city builder genre, especially with our latest game City Life. We currently employ over 80 people in two studios in Paris and Kiev, and we have been increasing in size a lot (and still are) for Cities XL.
	Cities XL Limited Edition box contents revealed Monte Cristo and Namco-Bandai have recently announced the contents of their Limited Edition box for the upcoming city-builder MMO, Cities XL. These Limited Edition boxes, as well as the Standard Edition boxes, are available in Europe on October 8th.