Filed under: New titles

The Daily Grind: You or not you, in Star Trek Online?

by Kyle Horner Nov 21st 2009 at 8:00AM

Filed under: New titles, Opinion, Star Trek Online, The Daily Grind

This isn't often a question we find ourselves asking others when it comes to character creation in an MMO, but, well Star Trek Online is different in this regard. Considering the very specific sort of wish fulfillment Cryptic's next game offers, do you plan to first create a fictional captain or in-game version of yourself to captain a starship?

You see, we began thinking on this very subject not too long ago and a dilemma struck. While being a Vulcan or some odd new species is undoubtedly a tempting concept, seeing ourselves sitting in the captain's chair is nearly as exciting. Considering Cryptic's knack for powerful character creation tools, we've no doubt that coming up with a close approximation of our likeness wouldn't be too difficult.

We know that every Star Trek fan is going to create themselves at some point but your first "main" is so very important. Since creating a Klingon-sided character is unlocked after some initial Federation play, we're thinking of making ourselves first, and then, wait for it... a Gorn second. Yes!

Everybody loves a good cantina fight in Threat of Peace, issue #20

by Kyle Horner Nov 20th 2009 at 11:00PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

And so the plot thickens, as the identity of the man attempting to dissolve the peace treaty between the Republic and the Empire is now closer to being revealed. Yes, this week BioWare continues their free online comic Threat of Peace with issue number 20, which largely focuses on the Bounty Hunter known as Braden.

The developer's propensity for seeding hints at future in-game content through this series continues, and in that statement we mean to say Nar Shadda is most likely going to be a playable planet in Star Wars: The Old Republic. We also wouldn't be surprised to see Dantooine become an in-game destination as well, since it's both a classic location and apparently the future site of some intrigue for Threat of Peace readers.

We suppose it'd be easy enough to assume most planets featured from the movies and previous KOTOR games will end up in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Nonetheless, it's fun to play the guessing game when it comes to a highly anticipated MMO. We're hoping the next official planet announcement goes to Nar Shadda, as it's just such a lovely place to visit.

Bill Roper on Champions Online's launch, current state and future

by Kyle Horner Nov 20th 2009 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Interviews, New titles, News items, Champions Online

In a recent interview with Boomtown, Bill Roper spoke his mind on everything from Hellgate: London hate to Champions Online's launch and future. In fact, the man spoke quite candidly on all topics, particularly that of Cryptic's missteps with their second superhero MMO as well as their successes.

Of particular note, there's a mention of how Champions Online will handle DC Universe Online's 2010 launch given that the superhero MMO market hasn't really expanded of late. Curiously, Roper says he feels that the Xbox 360 version will help to vastly expand Champions' user base. There's a chance Cryptic could be pushing to get into the console market by or before SOE releases their superhero MMO. Although given the headaches Cryptic has expressed at getting an MMO on Microsoft's console, we get the feeling much of the developer's focus is presently on Star Trek Online and continued live game support.

Star Trek Online ship tactics, part 2

by Adam Holisky Nov 20th 2009 at 4:00PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, New titles, News items, Star Trek Online

Part 2 of the Star Trek Online starship tactics video premiered over at IGN, and there are a couple concepts clarified over a few subjects -- but as with the last video, it's nothing really new. The gameplay footage that's attached to the explanation is quite compelling however, especially with the boarding parties where you can see the little shuttlecrafts head towards the Romulan ship. Let's take a closer look at each of the concepts the video covers.

Power management.

Power management is going to play a big role, which we known about for a while. You can see some detailed pictures of part of the power management UI in yesterday's article, located along the bottom of the screen with words like Defense, Attack, and Speed. Say you have 100 units of power, in STO you're going to be able to devote 25 of those units to the shields, 10 to auxiliary systems, 50 to weapons, and 15 to the engines. Power allocation will not be immediate, it will have some sort of delay associated with it. That means you'll have to think ahead about your strategic choices.

Anti-Aliased: Blade & Soul > Aion

by Seraphina Brennan Nov 20th 2009 at 11:00AM

Filed under: Fantasy, New titles, Opinion, Anti-Aliased, Blade & Soul

All right, now that the inflammatory title that makes you look at my column is out of the way, let's get down to business. This week we got to see a 30-second teaser trailer from the folks at NCsoft about Blade & Soul, a game from NCsoft that has been stealthing in the background, waiting for the right time to strike and jump in front of Aion.

Blade & Soul isn't a brand new game though. In fact, the game's artwork has already made a guest a ppearance on our website. (With subsequent comments on how that woman's back is going to break in half if she should walk forward.) Plus, if you really want to see what the game has to offer, a quick YouTube search will bring you to the Blade & Soul HD gameplay video which looks, well, simply stunning.

So why am I dedicating my opinion column to a game that's nowhere close to being released? Well, because I think it has potential, and because it's my opinion column. So come along after the break, and let's look at Blade & Soul.

Karos Online enters open beta Dec 4th

by James Egan Nov 19th 2009 at 7:00PM

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, in-game, MMO industry, New titles, Free-to-play

Karos Online publisher NHN Corporation has announced that open beta for the fantasy MMO will kick off on Friday, December 4th. The official site's link for CBT sign-ups is still active, so this may be worth a shot. Those gamers already in the Karos Online closed beta will have some things to look forward to in the final CBT event running from November 27th - 28th. Characters will be given gear and items for high-level play with rapid experience gain. NHN says players will reach a level cap of 44 "almost immediately". There will also be new monsters, weapons, and Holy Creatures to tear into.

In addition, players in the CBT will be able to reserve their character names for when Karos Online's open beta doors swing wide to the masses. The English version of Karos Online is scheduled to launch in Q4 2009, with German and Turkish versions to follow in 2010.

Star Trek Online open beta dates announced

by Adam Holisky Nov 19th 2009 at 6:30PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, News items, Star Trek Online

According to a press release put out today, Star Trek Online will hold its open beta from January 12th through January 26th. There are some preorder deals that will give you an open beta key, and there are bound to be numerous opportunities to win one at various spots around the net.

Star Trek Online is currently in closed beta, which began last month. Champions Online six-month and lifetime subscribers have been told that they'll be in the closed beta before the end of the year, so those folks should get at least a month of beta access before the game hits the retail shelves on February 2nd, 2010.

Once the open beta begins, you'll likely see a flood of information and guides about STO since the NDA will have been lifted. This will provide everyone with key information as to the finer details of the gameplay mechanics.

Code of Everand browser MMO teaches kids about traffic safety

by James Egan Nov 19th 2009 at 5:00PM

Filed under: Real life, MMO industry, New titles, Tips and tricks, Free-to-play, Browser, Kids

The United Kingdom's Department for Transport has launched a free browser MMO, Code of Everand, that teaches traffic safety to children. It does so through a fantasy theme with direct parallels to real world dangers -- streets are Spirit Channels, glowing energy streams populated with many dangerous beasts. The Spirit Channels crisscross the map of Everand and make travel perilous. That's where the players come in as Pathfinders, explorers trained in the techniques that allow for safe passage across the Spirit Channels. Pathfinders learn important safety lessons along the way in their journey to discover the secrets of Everand.

Code of Everand was developed for the UK Department for Transport by NYC-based firm Area/Code over the course of two years, reports Game Set Watch. Area/Code has a long track record of creating cross-media games for advertising and media firms, television networks, and even major consumer brands. According to Area/Code's site, they've taken innovative approaches to games in the past -- "online games that respond to broadcast TV in real time, simulated characters and virtual worlds that occupy real-world geography" and "game events driven by real-world data". Interesting concepts. If you like the idea of games used as an effective educational tool, you can see the animated trailer for Code of Everand after the jump.

New Star Trek Online video shows tactical combat, UI

by Adam Holisky Nov 19th 2009 at 9:00AM

Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, New titles, Star Trek Online

Cryptic has released the first part of a series looking at the tactical ship combat in Star Trek Online. It's definitely worth watching, especially if you've been following the progression of Star Trek Online's combat development; in this regards it's nice to finally see some in-game action as we'll experience it when STO releases in February.

There are a few points that STO Director of Production Craig Zinkievich, Game Designer Zeke Sparkes, and Producer Daniel Stahl make which are worth noting. We've already heard most of it, but the in-game footage demonstrates most of these concepts nicely.

You can watch the video above, or head over to our sister site Big Download to grab the hi res version. The hi res version of this video is worth it.

After the break we'll take a look at the major points, as well as talk about some of the high resolution screen grabs of the UI shown in the video.

Gallery: Star Trek Online Beta User Interface

Lost Saga launches

by Eliot Lefebvre Nov 18th 2009 at 8:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Business models, Launches, New titles, News items, Free-to-play

You've taken part in the endless debates online about pirates versus ninjas. Admit it, you have. Well, add cowboys, knights, wizards, and nurses into the mix, and you're nine-tenths of the way to Lost Saga, a new game launched by OGPlanet. Billed as a massively multiplayer online fighting game, it features a variety of different gameplay modes and "heroes" that combine for what looks like an entertaining and frantic experience. Character types run the gamut, from soldiers to assassins to (you guessed it) pirates and ninjas, each bringing a small collection of different abilities to the table.

It might sound a bit simplistic, but there are some interesting features such as the option to change heroes mid-battle -- in essence a quick class change whenever needed. The game also features some interesting battle modes beyond the prosaic Deathmatch style, such as Boss Raid, which allows one player to take the reins of an intensely powerful boss while the other players struggle to take said player down. And let's not forget that the game is also free-to-play, so you can satisfy your curiosity without commitment. Lost Saga won't revolutionize the industry, but it looks to be quite a bit of fun, so you might want to check out the official site for more information and to sign up.

Final Fantasy XIV support page located

by Eliot Lefebvre Nov 18th 2009 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, New titles, Consoles, Rumors, Final Fantasy XIV

Sometimes new information comes from the strangest sources. Apparently, when Square-Enix made their last update to the Final Fantasy XIV with two new jobs revealed, they added a little something unexpected. Not what would have been expected, either -- it was the support site for the game. Since the game is yet to be released or even have a finalized date published, said site contains only a handful of questions, which largely contain no new information... but there are at least two interesting pieces to be gleaned from the site, one minor and one slightly larger.

The smaller piece of information is the list of supported platforms for the game: Windows PC and Playstation 3. That isn't exactly new information, but it's confirmed. The slightly larger tidbit is the confirmation that Japanese releases of Final Fantasy XIII will contain a code to obtain an exclusive in-game item for Final Fantasy XIV. The answer specifies that plans to include said code in the North American or European releases have yet to be decided... which could mean anything. Will the item be exclusive to Japanese players to compensate for the game having a global launch instead of one in Japan first a la Final Fantasy XI? Will the item be cosmetic or have some game impact? Will there be different items based on region? No answers are yet forthcoming, but it should be an interesting tidbit for fans looking forward hungrily to the game's release some time in 2010.

Allods Online's European closed beta starts November 19

by Rubi Bayer Nov 18th 2009 at 1:00PM

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, Free-to-play, Allods Online

Allods Online, the new free-to-play MMO from gPotato, has been getting some attention from the Massively staff lately, so we're excited to hear that European players are getting a shot at it too.

Phase one of the EU closed beta starts this Thursday. Beta testers can experience the game up to level 19, as opposed to the level ten cap that current US beta testers are experiencing. Both League and Empire factions are available for play, and there are no class or race restrictions. They'll be playing on the "Isa" server, named after the Gibberlings homeland.

While the beta is currently only available in English, upcoming beta phases will include French and German servers and clients as well. If you are interested in participating in any of the closed beta phases, there are a couple of ways to pursue a beta key. You can register on the official site, and beta keys will be made available on the Allods Online Facebook and Twitter pages.

Allods Online is scheduled for release in early 2010.

Windstorm Studios announces partnership with 226 Productions for an upcoming MMO

by Seraphina Brennan Nov 18th 2009 at 9:00AM

Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, MMO industry, New titles, News items

While Windstorm Studios has been very tight lipped regarding what they're currently working on, they certainly have been offering up a few glimpses into what looks to be a retro-future themed MMO they have in production.

The art of the game has recently been entrusted to 226 Productions, a Russian based art company that has done work on Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow, NBA '07, and TimeShift. 226 is no stranger to the IP that Windstorm has been brewing -- some of the pre-production artwork was completed by them.

As to what exactly Windstorm will bring to the MMO table remains to be seen, but if these pictures are any indication, it looks to be something fresh, exciting, and filled with laser shooting scooters.

Official Star Trek Online website revamped

by Kyle Horner Nov 17th 2009 at 1:00PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, News items, Star Trek Online

An impending MMO launch changes a many things, one of them being official websites. It's basically common practice to revamp a website leading up to a game's launch at this point. Don't get us wrong, we're not complaining, especially since the new Star Trek Online website is quite snazzy and promises new interactive ways to obsess about the game. It's just, well, it's not very surprising and we're disappointed in ourselves for no longer being able to revel in things like this like we used to.

While the site itself has been changed, there doesn't seem to be any drastic difference to the information or media available. Although we're certain that news, previews and interviews are soon to be pouring out of the main news feed over at Star Trek Online dot com -- yes, we spelled it out.

Plasma and Romulans in these five new exclusive STO screens

by Kyle Horner Nov 17th 2009 at 10:00AM

Filed under: Screenshots, New titles, News items, Star Trek Online

Today we bring you five more exclusive Star Trek Online screens, courtesy of Cryptic Studios. We hope you Romulan fans out there are paying attention, because there's one new screen in particular we think you'll find quite... satisfying. Although, as you can see from the image above, there's a little extra Romulan love.

We find ourselves wanting to express concern for this lone Connie class vessel attempting to take on a Borg cube. That's just dangerous! We're fairly certain such encounters in the game proper will consist of a substantial grouping of players -- we're sure those screens will be quite something, actually.

The fact that many of these screens depict space combat is adventitious indeed, as our current Community Q&A for Star Trek Online concerns the very topic. We'll be taking questions for Cryptic developers until the end of today, Tuesday, November 17th -- so get 'em in while the asking is good.

Gallery: Star Trek Online Gallery