Filed under: Dark Age of Camelot

Electronic Arts takes over Dark Age of Camelot in Europe

by Eliot Lefebvre Feb 13th 2010 at 10:00AM

Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items

Dark Age of Camelot is under new management -- sort of. Actually, it's under new management that could more properly be termed old management, or maybe it would be better termed the original management... it's a bit complicated. After many years of the European branch of the dark Arthurian MMO being managed by GOA, the game has come under the direct control of Electronic Arts. Mythic Entertainment will be taking over the game's operation in Europe... which is what they're already doing with the game in North America, seeing as how the game is originally theirs. Like we said, the pedigree is a bit odd.

For the many players affected by the change, a pre-emptive olive branch is being offered -- all Dark Age of Camelot players being brought under their aegis will be receiving a free month of play time. The game will also be patched up to match the current North American version. No word is officially given on why the change in management was deemed necessary, although speculation is certainly possible. What this will mean for the game's future is uncertain, but the offer of a free month of play certainly helps take the edge off, as does the promise of improved synchronization between both regions.

Mythic taking over DAoC Europe

by Kyle Horner Jan 7th 2010 at 8:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, News items

Mythic Entertainment today announced that GOA's license to publish and maintain Dark Age of Camelot in Europe will not be renewed, and that Mythic plans to take hold of the reins for European support. The news post says the transition will occur "in the coming weeks" which hopefully means a gradual shift is being planned, rather than a sudden one.

The developer makes sure to assuage any fears of rocky times ahead by saying, "We are currently working with GOA to take over operation of the game and its European community, and will soon be providing details about pressing player questions such as existing subscriptions, character transfers, game versions, localization, and more." It sounds like everything is well under control, but an effort like this is most certainly a delicate one. Hopefully things go smoothly, as we'd rather report good news over bad.

One Shots: New year, old school

by Krystalle Voecks Jan 2nd 2010 at 2:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Dark Age of Camelot, One Shots

While yesterday's One Shots featured one of the sad stories from 2009 -- the loss of a game some found home -- today's shows off something old-school, yet cheery. For those who may not be familiar, this is a screenshot from Dark Age of Camelot, the game that many feel is the game for challenging and fun realm vs. realm action. This image comes to us today from Casey, who writes in: I know you guys don't cover much about Dark Age of Camelot but here is a screen from me letting you know there is still life and fun to be had in the game. As far as the picture goes, I just made a Cabalist and moved on to a new zone.

From old-school to new school, we love to see your images! If you'd like to take part, all you have to do is email your screenshot to us here at oneshots [at] massively [dot] com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll post it out here and give you the credit.

Gallery: One Shots

Massively's 2009 Winter Holiday Event Guide

by Rubi Bayer Dec 16th 2009 at 4:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Super-hero, Aion, City of Heroes, Dark Age of Camelot, Dungeons and Dragons Online, EVE Online, EverQuest II, Fallen Earth, Final Fantasy XI, Guild Wars, Lineage, Lineage 2, Lord of the Rings Online, MapleStory, Culture, Events, in-game, Warhammer Online, Star Wars Galaxies, Ultima Online, MetaPlace, Free-to-play, Runes of Magic, Dragonica Online, Cities XL

It's that time of year again -- whatever holiday you are celebrating, the denizens of your favorite MMO are sure to be celebrating it too. Whether it's Festivult in Dungeons and Dragons Online, Wintersday in Guild Wars, or the Starlight Celebration in Final Fantasy XI, the theme is the same. There are presents, some sort of sugary treats, and tons of fun. Follow along with us as we check out who's partying in your favorite MMO and what you need to do to get in on the fun.

Celebrate the holidays with Mythic

by Eliot Lefebvre Dec 8th 2009 at 9:00AM

Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Contests, Events, real-world, Warhammer Online, News items, Ultima Online

There's good news for everyone who's a fan of one of the MMOs supervised by Mythic Entertainment -- Dark Age of Camelot, Ultima Online, and of course Warhammer Online. Admittedly the recent history has not been particularly kind to the game's fans (and has at times been downright unsettling), but the company is still rolling along with its "Twelve Days of Mythic" celebration of the holidays. By following the MythicNews twitter account, fans of the company have chances at prizes as well as special item codes.

Here's the breakdown of the process: each day, the MythicNews twitter will post a tweet with a link to a YouTube video. In order to be entered into the giveaway, all that players have to do is retweet the link before the end of the day. Winners will be randomly selected for prizes that "celebrate all the great games you enjoy." In addition, the team will be randomly offering up item codes for Warhammer Online on the twitter feed, with the codes free to anyone who nabs them in time. It promises to be an interesting way for fans of the company's stable to get involved and celebrate the holidays, so grab a Twitter account if you don't have one and enjoy the giveaway.

Fourth and fifth Dark Age of Camelot expansions now free

by Kyle Horner Aug 14th 2009 at 9:00AM

Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Expansions, News items

Call us crazy, but Mythic seems to be on a roll with these expansion announcements lately. As of right now, both Dark Age of Camelot's Darkness Rising and Labyrinth of the Minotaur are completely free to subscribers. We're sure that many of you who've been playing the game have long since had these expansions. The real deal here seems to be for trial players who're just getting into the title, as they too now benefit from the free updates.

This really helps show that Mythic hasn't just dropped support for their original baby. We're certain there'll be more promotions in the future if this one is any indication, which is just more icing on the cake for anyone who might want to jump back into the worlds of Midgard, Hibernia and Albion. Even if it's for nostalgia's sake!

Mark Jacobs on his departure from Mythic and EA

by William Dobson Jun 26th 2009 at 8:30AM

Filed under: Dark Age of Camelot, MMO industry, Warhammer Online, News items

We've had comments and opinions flying in from all over the internet regarding Mark Jacobs' departure from Mythic and EA, but finally we get to hear from the man himself, in a new post with the heading "All Things Must Come to an End" on his personal blog. Much of this post is devoted to thanking and farewelling his former co-workers, and he mentioned that there will be more thanks to come -- there's no doubt he would have built a great many relationships throughout his journey with Mythic and EA.

As for Jacobs' comments on the reasons for him leaving, we don't find it out too much, but he did have have this to say:

Early in May, Electronic Arts let me know that they wanted to make some changes within the Games Label and as a result of those changes I have been out of the office (and out of touch with the team, game, etc.) since that day.

and:

However, if you are looking or expecting me to damn EA or anyone there, you will be sorely disappointed. Over my 23 years of making games professionally I have refrained from attacking the competition, former and/or current partners, other game developers, etc. except on a few very rare instances. I have no intention of breaking with tradition at the present time and I hope my track record in this regard remains unchanged for the rest of my career.

We will be keeping an eye on Jacobs' blog for the additional posts he has promised.

Dark Age of Camelot Grab Bag touches on Origins server issue

by Michael Zenke Jan 25th 2009 at 3:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Culture, Game mechanics

Just a few days ago we wondered aloud about the absence of the 'Origins' server for Dark Age of Camelot. We linked to a post on MMO Champions that talked about the history of the Origins server (a promised new server returning to the old days of DAoC), but the big question was 'where is it'? While the server was promised months ago and the playerbase seemed very much in favor of the new/old mix, Mythic has been tight-lipped about the possibility of late. Thankfully the recent interest seems to have reminded the developers of that discussion.

This week's edition of the Dark Age of Camelot Grab Bag touched directly on the Origins server ... though perhaps not as informatively as we would have liked. CM Joanne Laroche offered: "I know that many of you are eager to know what the status of the Origins server is and can't wait for an update. I just wanted to let you know that while there isn't any information to share with you right now, I'm pleased to say that there will be in the weeks ahead. As always keep an eye the Herald for the latest news." So, hopefully more news soon on this front. Read through to the Grab Bag as a whole for additional details on everything from Dragonsworn armor to crafting. Forsooth!

So what ever happened to DAoC's Origins server?

by Shawn Schuster Jan 22nd 2009 at 12:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Game mechanics, MMO industry

In June of last year, Mythic made an announcement regarding a new server that would be created to reinstate the way Dark Age of Camelot was played around 2001-2002. This new "Origins" server would not exactly replicate the game as it was back then, as it would also incorporate improvements made since then, such as housing, horses, the market explorer, UI changes and more.

Well, the problem arises when we realize that players haven't really heard much about it since then. There was a poll asking players to vote on the idea, an announcement predicting an August/September 2008 launch date, and then another announcement changing a launch date to 'when it's ready'. Now players are getting a bit restless, as it's been six months since that last announcement, with no other news. Speculation has even stemmed from the recent cuts at Mythic, and the fact that most of the company's attentions seems to be with Warhammer Online. So is the Origins idea being scrapped? Is it simply on the backburner as Mythic deals with more pressing issues? We'll be sure to keep you up-to-date on any news we hear regarding this story.

Mythic Entertainment to work with IGDA on credit attribution for Warhammer

by Michael Zenke Sep 25th 2008 at 7:00AM

Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Launches, MMO industry, New titles, Warhammer Online

Late last month, before Warhammer had even launched, there was a minor dustup between the International Game Developer's Association and Mythic Entertainment. Mythic claimed that the sheer number of people who had worked on the game made proper accreditation impossible, and would only be recognizing the people on the project when the game launched. IGDA responded via its newsletter that it found that disrespectful to the people who had previously worked on the game, and took Mythic GM Mark Jacobs to task for the oversight. We've since noted the release of the Warhammer credits video to the game's official website.

Though Mythic hasn't made a formal announcement to this effect, IGDA has announced that the EA subsidiary will be taking pains to recognize everyone who has worked on the project. Furthermore, Mythic will take pains to create an online database tracking credits for titles under their control. Mark Jacobs will even work with the organization to help them understand the issues inherent to MMO development. Mr. Jacobs expands on this announcement in a post to his personal blog.

At the end of the day, we're just glad everyone is getting the nod they richly deserve.
[Via Broken Toys]

News from the Wider MMO World: September 2, 2008

by Akela Talamasca Sep 2nd 2008 at 11:00AM

Filed under: At a glance, Betas, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Dark Age of Camelot, Dreamlords, Fallen Earth, Flyff, Events, in-game, Expansions, Forums, Game mechanics, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Massively meta, Saga, Grand Chase

The MMO genre is more than World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, and Warhammer Online. Here's what's going on in the rest of the world.

Dreamlords the Reawakening makes deal to move to Russia
Lockpick Entertainment has signed an agreement with Akella Games, Russian distributors of Planetside, Everquest 2, and Pirates of the Burning Sea, to localize and distribute Dreamlords the Reawakening. "Our goal is to reach out to new audiences and the Russian market is fast growing and with Akella's expertise we're able to do just that," said David Rosén, CEO of Lockpick Entertainment. "We hope that collaboration between our two companies will benefit both parties and that such an interesting genre will draw gamer's attention" said Alexander Trifonov, Managing Director of Akella Online. Closed beta testing is expected to begin in early September.

Pet Evolution Manuals debut on Grand Chase
Three different Pet Evolution Manuals are available at the shop in Grand Chase, allowing knights to evolve their pets at levels 0, 20, and 40. There will also be prizes for each knight that evolves and raises their pet to level 10. Prizes for winning pets include nutrient shots, pet food, gacha coins, and pet skills. Additionally, players who log on between the hours of 4 and 8 PM every day will receive double xp and double gp, in the Afterschool Adventure Hour.

EA Mythic reclaims original Mythic Entertainment name

by Matt Warner Jul 11th 2008 at 9:30AM

Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, MMO industry, New titles, Warhammer Online

It was only a name change! Remember when Mythic Entertainment, the force behind Dark Age of Camelot and Warhammer Online sold out and got slapped in the face with the EA brand? Many gamers associate a stigma to EA and were disheartened by the name retrofitting that took place in 2006. In an interesting twist, Mark Jacobs announced yesterday that EA Mythic has reclaimed the Mythic Entertainment name. As to why, according to Jacobs it's as simple as EA wanting to reinvent itself. EA's recently acquired studios Bioware and Pandemic retained their identities.

In an MMORPG.com interview conducted by Jon Wood, Jacobs explains the new rationality being employed by John Riccitiello, CEO of Electronic Arts. EA wants studios functioning as their own city states with more creative freedoms and maneuverability, an example Riccitiello uses in a February 10th Gamasutra article. It's important to note that even with the name change Mythic Entertainment is still a part of Electronic Arts. (Duh!) Mark Jacobs also confirmed that the company will be revealing a new logo soon.

Two more Warhammer Online announcements are planned for later today. What will they be? It could be about the Collector's Edition pre-orders, a release date, or worse another delay. We will keep you posted.

The latest news from Dark Age of Camelot

by Brenda Holloway Jun 30th 2008 at 4:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Game mechanics, News items

There's news and views aplenty in the latest dispatch of helpful information and answered questions in this week's Camelot Herald! Each week, the enigmatic oracles in EA Mythic's stone fortress come down from their golden throne rooms to answer questions. This week's cover druid maces -- that look like hammers. That can't be right (and isn't!). Also mentioned -- how to invite people into invitation-only battering rams, how to open your house to all guild members of a certain rank, and how to find a certain very shy pig.

The Camelot Road Trip hits San Diego on July 26th, so if you would like your Dark Age of Camelot questions answered in person -- and you can get to San Diego -- RSVP so they know you're coming.

DAoC Grab Bag Q&A regarding patch 1.94

by Shawn Schuster Jun 16th 2008 at 1:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Forums, Game mechanics, Interviews, Patches

In this week's Grab Bag for Dark Age of Camelot, we're treated to yet another of what we'd expect from this aptly-named Q&A session from the Herald. The Bearded Wonder and the Balancinator answer eleven questions this time, each with their own focus on what the game has to offer with the upcoming patch 1.94.

One interesting question centers around rest XP, and how certain locations give more rest XP for players. This question brings up a great point about how the rest XP should be higher in the housing zones, as opposed to the capital city zones, which would make perfect sense. Another question asks about expanded vault space, for which the Bearded Wonder responds, "We are working on some adjustments to housing that will assist this issue indirectly. Some of these changes can be seen in 1.94 that is coming up." It looks like this new patch will be full of goodies for us all!

Should EA Mythic offer an all-in-one pass for its games?

by Michael Zenke Jun 13th 2008 at 5:30PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Dark Age of Camelot, Business models, Warhammer Online, Ultima Online

The Green Skin has up a post wondering about the future of EA Mythic as an MMO service provider. At this point, the EA subsidiary is now responsible for three separate virtual worlds: Ultima Online, Dark Age of Camelot, and the in-development Warhammer Online. Snafzg ponders the great cross-promotion that Sony Online Entertainment gets from its Station Access program, considering whether the same sort of offering would be worthwhile for Mythic's games.

Certainly, other multi-MMO publishers have considered similar services. NCsoft has made no secret of their intention to eventually offer a pass of some sort for their games. Turbine, likewise, has previously indicated they aren't opposed to the idea. With EA also sponsoring the development of BioWare's as-yet-unnamed title, the possibility exists that Mythic's games could exist on the same subscription as the RPG legends' offering.

If EA offered a 'golden ticket' for all of its MMOs, would you subscribe?