Filed under: Massively Event Coverage

GameX 2009: The expo in photos

by Seraphina Brennan Nov 3rd 2009 at 7:00PM

Filed under: Galleries, Massively meta, Massively Event Coverage

Did we have a good time at this year's GameX in Philadelphia? Well, if you can't tell by all of our coverage, we certainly did. But there was certainly more to the expo than just interviewing people and checking out Warhammer Online and Global Agenda running on the show floor! There were, gasp, other games there!

We got many neat photos of the various things on the show floor, from robots to steampunk to Egyptian statues, and we collected them all in one gallery for you guys to ogle. If you were interested in Bayonetta or Dante's Inferno, then also look no further, as we got some pictures of those booths in action as well.

So enjoy the photos as tomorrow we wrap up our coverage of GameX 2009. Hope you enjoyed reading/watching it as much as we enjoyed writing/recording it!

Gallery: GameX 2009: Photos from on the floor

GameX 2009: Our hands-on with Global Agenda

by Seraphina Brennan Nov 3rd 2009 at 2:30PM

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, PvP, PvE, MMOFPS, Global Agenda, Massively Hands-on, Massively Event Coverage

It's an MMO, it's a shooter, and we stealthily gathered enemy intelligence on it at GameX 2009. It's Hi-Rez's Global Agenda, the "spy-fi" team based shooter that has lots of people talking in excited whispers.

We sat down at Hi-Rez's gaming rigs once again for a look at the game, and this time we went beyond the PvP matches. We got to have some personal time with Global Agenda's PvE mode, getting an inside look at how secret agents deal with insane governments that utilize robots to the Nth degree.

So what can you expect from Global Agenda, both PvP and PvE-wise? If our looks into the game were any indication, you can expect lots.

Welcome to Massively's third year!

by Shawn Schuster Nov 2nd 2009 at 6:30PM

Filed under: Events, real-world, News items, Massively meta, Massively Event Coverage

Massively.com officially turns two years old today, and while that may be quite young for an MMO news site, we'd like to think we've really made a name for ourselves in that time. Starting out as the secret love child of Second Life Insider, WoW Insider (now WoW.com) and the rest of the Joystiq network, we've come a long way in our 730 days.

As we fondly reminisce about the good times we've had, we thought it would be best to not only compile our own favorite content, but also reach out to our readers for their own favorites. After all, without you, we would be nothing. Literally. No, seriously, we love you all. Even Graill and Mr. Angry!

So we reached out to our Twitter followers earlier today to grab a few opinions and combine them with our own. Follow along in the gallery below for our showcase of best content, and feel free to add your favorites in the comments below.

Gallery: Two years of Massively features

GameX 2009: Inside Global Agenda's PvE and AvA persistent content battles

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 30th 2009 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Video, Business models, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, PvE, MMOFPS, Global Agenda, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage

As we've said before, we got to see many, many people at GameX 2009 this year. But one of the main reasons we went to the expo was to catch up once again with the team from Hi-Rez Studios and ask them some more questions on their "spy-fi" MMOFPS, Global Agenda.

On the top of our burning question list was what exactly made Global Agenda into an MMO, so we set out to ask associate producer Michal Adam all about what made their AvA and persistent world battles so special. Along the way, we also inquired as to what their PvE content will hold, and what rewards players could expect to find from participating in Global Agenda: Conquest.

For our full video interview with Michal, look no further than after the break!

GameX 2009: 1.3.2 decision making, streaming client, and unlimited trials for Warhammer Online

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 30th 2009 at 5:30PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Business models, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, Warhammer Online, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage

We saw the Warhammer Online booth at GameX, and we wagggggghed ourselves right into a video interview with James Casey and Matt Shaw from Mythic Entertainment that pulled no punches. We wanted to know what was going on behind the scenes with their decision making in patch 1.3.2, shooting James and Matt the hard questions.

Why were fortresses pulled from the endgame? Why choose 1.3.2 for performance fixes and not fix these things earlier? While we interrogated, Matt and James were also happy to tell us about the new stuff for WAR, including the new-user experience added in 1.3.2, the awesome unlimited trial that starts today, and the new streaming client option that trial users will receive.

So for the answers to some burning WAR questions, jump with us after the break and check out our video interview!

GameX 2009: Victorian spaceships with Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 28th 2009 at 5:30PM

Filed under: Video, Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage

Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw of the infamous Zero Punctuation reviews on The Escapist is a bit tricky to track down, but we were able to get some time in with him at this year's GameX in Philadelphia.

We pitched the fast talking reviewer some questions to get his opinion on the MMO genre beyond his reviews of Tabula Rasa and EVE Online, and found out some interesting things -- like victorian steampunk spaceships are awesome. So what breaks the MMO genre for Yahtzee? Will more MMOs be smash... er... featured on Zero Punctuation? If you're wondering the answers to these questions, then wonder no more! Just click on through after the break to check out our video interview!

GameX 2009: Massively talks with Lee Hammock on what's next for Fallen Earth

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 28th 2009 at 4:30PM

Filed under: Horror, Video, Fallen Earth, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage

Content, community, and epic beards ahead fair readers! When lead game designer Lee Hammock walked into the media room at GameX 2009, we immediately tackled him into a chair and demanded he answer our many questions on what's coming up for Fallen Earth. What we got (after he figured out that we wanted to interview him and not kidnap him) were answers on the upcoming "social" patch for Fallen Earth, a look at the brand new crafting skill, construction, and the camps that will be added to the game, what lies beyond Sector 3 (hint: it's Sector 4) and how much the team loves their community.

So if you're interested in Fallen Earth, or are looking for a reason to get into the game, look no further than the interview that lies beyond the break! Unfortunately though, we must make a slight correction to what Lee says in the interview. Fallen Earth did send us 2,000 trial keys, but thanks to an overwhelming response, we're out of keys! This makes us sad pandas, but you can still enjoy what Lee has to say about the game, and be amazed by the hypnotic beard.

GameX 2009: Video interview with Nathan Richardsson and "Alli" Óttarsson

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 27th 2009 at 7:00PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage

After their panel at GameX 2009 (and some free lunch) we got to sit down with "Alli" Ottarsson and Nathan Richardsson from EVE Online and talk shop about the future of the game. Where are we going directly after the Dominion expansion releases this year? What other product tie-ins can we expect from the White Wolf end of the company? And what's Neocom all about anyway?

Nathan and Alli were happy to take our questions and give some direct responses on what they hope to tackle in Neocom, how EVE's model is multiple game models, and what we might see take place in the highly-anticipated Incarna in regards to gambling and missions.

To check our exclusive video interview, jump after the break with the "continue reading" button below!

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!

GameX 2009: Massively.com talks with The Guild

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 26th 2009 at 7:00PM

Filed under: Video, Culture, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage

GameX 2009 was insane this weekend and we were all over the place, but one of the first groups that we set a chunk of time aside for was Jeff Lewis (Vork), Sandeep Parikh (Zaboo), and Robin Thorsen (Clara) from The Guild. We weren't missing out on catching up with those three.

The interview that ensued answered some of the important questions in life, like how many MMO real life experiences get moved into The Guild's script, what it was like to work with Wil Wheaton and Jed Whedon, and is that a real Sandeep Parikh Backflip (TM) in the "Do You Wanna Date My Avatar" music video?

If you're curious to these answers and more, then you should click that button below and continue reading after the break. We have an exclusive video interview for you!

Massively's Fallen Earth trial key giveaway and in-game events

by Krystalle Voecks Oct 23rd 2009 at 2:30PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Events, in-game, News items, Hands-on, Massively Event Coverage, Giveaways

As we mentioned last week, we have quite a treat for you today as part of the Fallen Earth Halloween event. We're happy to present 2,000 trial keys for anyone interested in trying out this indie post-apocalyptic game before forking over the cash. This special trial key is good for 15 days, which will bring you through their entire Days of the Dead Halloween event, as well as our own upcoming in-game events.

To get your trial key, simply visit our giveaway page and follow the posted directions. For more information on our in-game events - including a great developer interview - keep reading below.

GameX coverage begins tomorrow!

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

Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, Massively Event Coverage

GameX, the Northeastern video game industry summit and expo, is starting tomorrow! As we said earlier this week, we'll be there, getting face time with guests, visiting Mythic Entertainment and Hi-Rez Studios, and getting you information on some of your favorite titles.

In addition to our coverage here on the site, we'll be updating our Twitter account with things we see at the expo and pictures! Now instead of running to us every five minutes for your Massively fix, you can get updates, pictures, and more from us in the form of tweets! If you're not currently following @massively, or if you're not on Twitter, now is the time to both sign up and add us to your follow list!

Massively.com jams at GameX in Philadelphia this weekend

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 19th 2009 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Events, real-world, Interviews, MMO industry, Massively Event Coverage

This weekend is GameX in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Massively.com is going to be on hand to grab some interviews with the members of the MMO community and perhaps a few more interviews from some notable non-MMO individuals as well.

Over the weekend, we'll be catching up with the two MMO companies in attendance -- Hi-Rez Studios and Mythic Entertainment. Hi-Rez will be showing off Global Agenda, continuing their convention tour around the US, and we'll be there to get our excited hands on the game for another round of futuristic shooting.

Mythic Entertainment will be bringing the WAR and the WAAGGGGH, showing off Warhammer Online to the unwashed masses. We'll be there as well, taking a look at all of the new changes that have come in Patch 1.3.2 and getting some talk time with the team.

So stay tuned for this weekend's coverage of the expo, including interviews, game coverage, photos, and more!

Fallen Earth launch day roundup

by Shawn Schuster Sep 22nd 2009 at 11:00AM

Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Launches, New titles, Massively Event Coverage

In addition to Aion's launch, today is also the official launch day for Fallen Earth, the post-apocalyptic MMO that is already gaining indie cred among old school MMO gamers. As a way to get our best Fallen Earth coverage into one place, we created this handy roundup for you to peruse while the servers are down before launch. We have helpful game guides, a FAQ and posts from our developer diary series that ran during the summer. This won't be it though! You can bet we'll be pumping out more Fallen Earth feature articles very soon.

	A WoW player's guide to Fallen Earth At Massively, we like to focus on making more MMOs accessible to more people. That accessibility to other MMOs is initially started by the 800 lb gorilla: World of Warcraft. Without WoW, a large percentage of MMO players would not be enjoying their current game today, even if they haven't stuck by WoW this whole time.
	FAQ That: Common answers to your basic Fallen Earth questions It's not easy figuring out what to do with yourself in the post-apocalyptic world, but thankfully we here at Massively have been working on compiling a list of questions that should help make your first steps in this strange new version of Earth a bit easier.
	Beginner's guide to horse crafting in Fallen Earth When you think of post-apocalyptic mounts, you probably imagine a gas-sipping motorcycle, an armored truck or the last of the V8s, right? Yet, a very practical way to get around when society falls is on horseback. In Fallen Earth currently, a horse mount is probably your best option -- especially considering the fact that you can get one very early in the game.
	First Impressions: Fallen Earth To say that it is an ambitious step into the field is an understatement of some pretty extreme proportions. It's not every day an MMO company decides to drop an MMO smack into the middle of a scale map of the Grand Canyon. More properly, a post Shiva-virus and nuclear post-apocalyptic Grand Canyon. Ambitious? Definitely. Whether or not it works, well... read on for my First Impressions, and make your own call once you have more of an idea what's in play here.

Aion launch day roundup

by Shawn Schuster Sep 22nd 2009 at 9:00AM

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Launches, New titles, Massively Event Coverage

Today is the official launch day for NCsoft's Aion, and if you're looking for a few guides to aid you through your first steps in Atreia, we've got you covered. As far back as early June, we were pumping out the Aion guides, so this roundup should be handy to have everything in one place.

	A WoW player's guide to Aion So, you're a big fan of World of Warcraft (or at least you were at one time) and you've heard about this new MMO called Aion. "Hmmm, I wonder what that's all about?" you ponder. "Anything similar?" you posit. "What's so different?" Well, we've written a WoW player's guide to Aion just for you! Sit back with a cup o' joe, while we compare and contrast the two MMOs for you.
	The Aion server queue survival guide So you pre-ordered Aion and you're super excited to jump into the game during the headstart release that's going on right now. You've set aside a whole block of time for your game play, you have your snacks at your side and your DVR ready to play some great entertainment while you grind your night away. You type in your username and password, accept the EULA, select the server that you made your character on during the pre-selection annnndd..... ...you get slapped in the face with a 2 hour wait time.
	Aion is the single most pre-ordered MMO this year In a piece of news that we're betting surprises precisely nobody at all, Aion has just broken the 400,000 pre-order mark. What's notable about this number is that it's enough to make Aion the largest number of pre-orders on an MMO for 2009. As Aion is also holding strong in the Steam and Direct2Drive sales charts, we wonder how many more we'll see added to that number before the official launch next Tuesday.
	Five reasons to play Aion We hope this article will shed some light on Aion and help you decide whether or not it pleases your taste buds. Aion is undoubtedly a unique game but it also offers enough familiarity to make things feel homey. It all comes down to player preference really, but based on the anticipation leading up to release, we are sure the game will have a successful launch.