Filed under: World of Warcraft

One Shots: Born to be wild

by Krystalle Voecks Aug 24th 2010 at 2:00PM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Screenshots, One Shots

As they say, change is inevitable. Not only in life, but also in the MMOs we all know and love. Thankfully, much like photographs, screenshots serve to freeze fun moments in time so that we can recall what things were like. With World of Warcraft set to explode in the upcoming Cataclysm expansion, there are people taking snaps -- or just digging through their folders to find interesting images of what had come before. Today, we have a great example of hotrodding craziness courtesy of one very determined daredevil dwarf named VBOOST. Here's the note we got: "Here is my World of Warcraft toon, VBOOST, on a choppah before they nerfed them (don't get me started) being cheezily metal in the great forge!"

Do you have screenshots of your favorite game that you haven't sent in to One Shots yet? If so, why are you holding back? You should gather those up and send them to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We can always use more screenshots to show off!

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

Cataclysm collector's edition revealed

by Jef Reahard Aug 17th 2010 at 6:30PM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Expansions, News items

Blizzard has officially announced the content and pricing for its hotly anticipated World of Warcraft expansion collector's edition. While the developers continue to be coy with the release date, speculation has it that the big day will happen within the current calendar year.

Interestingly, the Cataclysm collector's edition will only be available at retail, a curious move considering the mad rush by most gaming companies to do away with box costs and restrict customers to a more profitable digital-download model.

In addition to the Cataclysm game content, collector's edition buyers will be treated to a 176-page art book, a miniature Deathwing in-game pet, a Deathwing mouse pad, World of Warcraft TCG cards, and a Cataclysm soundtrack.

Blizzard awarded $88M from WoW private server lawsuit

by Justin Olivetti Aug 16th 2010 at 9:00AM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, MMO industry, Legal

Private game servers are a controversial, often hushed topic in gaming circles. Some gamers enjoy the fee-free nature of private servers, while others use these forbidden realms to experience the MMO in a different state than the live game (for example, playing on a "classic" private server that doesn't allow for expansion packs). No matter what the reason, game companies tend to frown on such activities. Last week, Blizzard frowned at a particular private server and was awarded $88,000,000 for the effort.

In October 2009, Blizzard filed a suit against Alyson Reeves, owner of Scapegaming and a private World of Warcraft server. Reeves was making a profit from the enterprise, using microtransactions on the server. The judge ruled that this was indeed copyright infringement against Blizzard, and ordered Scapegaming to pay $85.5M in statutory damages, $3M in inappropriate profits, and $63,600 in attorney fees. Reeves may appeal the suit at this point.

As with the bnetd case, Blizzard is sending a clear message to people trying to mess with their code: don't. Scapegaming's Facebook page isn't exactly overflowing with support for the company, and we can imagine that many private server operators are thinking long and hard about whether the risk is worth it this week.

The Daily Grind: What would your MMO dream job be?

by Justin Olivetti Aug 13th 2010 at 8:00AM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind

I'll be Frank and you'll be Ernest, and we'll both admit that we as players have the tendency to be armchair game designers. No, no, don't deny it; it just makes you look defensive. If there's a single theme that pervades every official MMO forum out there, it's that the players think they know what's best for the game, even more than the devs themselves, and if they were making the calls, Game X would be mopping the floor with World of Warcraft.

So hey, why not indulge in the daydream -- what if tomorrow you could have any job in the MMO industry? If you could make a very real, very direct impact on the games that are being made or are operating in live mode, what would it be? Would you be a writer, finally free to pen the perfect quest? Would you be a project manager, in charge of the direction and goals of the teams at your disposal? Would you be a big-shot CEO, making the major calls and shaping the future of the company? Or would you settle into a creative role as an artist or composer, helping to contribute to the game's frills?

No, wait, I got it. You'd totally want to be a quality assurance tester. Those guys and gals get all the glory, am I right?

One Shots: Surprise

by Krystalle Voecks Aug 11th 2010 at 2:00PM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Screenshots, One Shots

If you're out stomping around the battlegrounds in World of Warcraft on the Bladefist server, you might have run across today's contributor, Vych, recently. As a dutiful member of the Horde, Vych loves nothing more than to spend some time blowing the Alliance up in PvP. Witness today's One Shots, wherein he's facing off against an oncoming tank! He writes in: "World of Warcraft isnt really known as a mass PvP game, but I take part in as much of it as possible. On this character I had a trusty rocket launcher vs. the oncoming Alliance. I did die, but not before one hit that incoming siege engine!"

Have you got a battle scene you'd like to show off? Perhaps a PvP achievement that shows off just how much fun you have wiping the other side out? We'd love to see it, if so. Just email it in to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here and give you the credit for sending it in.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

The Daily Grind: Graphics don't matter?

by Jef Reahard Aug 10th 2010 at 8:00AM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Age of Conan, Opinion

Spend any time around gamers and you'll likely hear the phrase "graphics don't matter." It's one of the pillars of gaming wisdom, if you will, that has probably existed as long as there have been graphics and nerds arguing about them. I've got friends who swear up and down that "gameplay" is all that matters, and a soft spot for high-definition eye-candy is the mark of a shallow gamer. Perhaps this is one reason why critical darlings like LittleBigPlanet, anything with Mario in the title, and World of Warcraft gobble up the superlatives despite visual aesthetics that might have been state-of-the-art in 1995.

Graphics are also quite subjective (if you don't believe me, look for the inevitable "WoW has a consistent art style" comments below), calling into question the validity of the "graphics don't matter" hypothesis. Clearly they matter to some folks, and In some games, like Age of Conan, high levels of world detail not only look beautiful but can also can obscure mobs and add to the challenge and/or immersion.

What about you, dear readers? Do you care about graphics, subscribe to conventional gamer wisdom, or both?

Watch a stream of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm live, right here, right now! [Updated]

by Seraphina Brennan Aug 5th 2010 at 9:00PM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Video, Events, in-game, Previews

It's 9 PM on Thursday, folks! That means it's time for me to jump into the closed beta of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, and let you guys guide me around the zones!

Yes, that's right, I'll be looking for your input on this hour and a half tour of the new Azeroth! To interact with me, simply take advantage of Livestream's chat function, located right below the streaming video in our green Livestream widget, or pull out your Twitterscope and tweet the hashtag #MassiveCataclysm with where you want me to go!

Stuck at work, but have an iPhone, iPad, or Android phone on you? Worry not, as you can access our mobile Livestream by visiting http://www.livestream.com/massivelytv in your phone! How cool is that?!

So sit back and enjoy the ride, readers! I look forward to talking with you all as I fly around on my snow white gryphon! If you want to start watching the stream, simply hit the continue reading button to find the stream after the jump!

[Update: Thanks for coming, everyone! We had over 200+ viewers! Thank you for your great support, and look forward to more special events in the future! If you want to see the Cataclysm tour, where we checked out Kalimdor and the Worgen starting area, check our video on demand on http://www.livestream.com/massivelytv]

Massively TV Livestream Event: Cataclysm live!

by Seraphina Brennan Aug 3rd 2010 at 5:00PM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Betas, Fantasy, Events, in-game

You've heard about World of Warcraft: Cataclysm from our good friends at WoW.com, and you've probably seen a boatload of pictures of the new areas. But have you seen it live?

Well, thanks to our newest feature here on the site, you'll get to see the lands of Azeroth as never before! We're running head-first into the world of livestreaming, and we want you to join us for the ride! Enter Massively TV -- a whole Livestream channel dedicated to bringing you footage of new and upcoming MMOs, as well as tips and tricks, trailers, and more!

Massively TV is still in its beta phases as we work everything out, but we thought it would be a great idea to kick off the channel with a livestream of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm! We'll be starting our stream on Thursday, at 9:00 p.m. EDT (6:00 p.m PDT) and running until 10:30 p.m. EDT (7:30 p.m. PDT). Just visit our Livestream page, or visit here on the site and look for the Cataclysm stream post!

If you're not able to attend the live event, no worries, as we'll be recording and leaving it up for you to watch later! And, if you want to see anything special, just be sure to mention it in the chat during the live event, or twittering your request to us with the hashtag #massivelytv while the event is on the air!

Anti-Aliased: Modding your way out of a paper bag

by Seraphina Brennan Jul 22nd 2010 at 6:30PM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Culture, Opinion, Anti-Aliased

If there's been a theme to this week, it's been interfaces and modding. Both EverQuest II and Lord of the Rings Online have had announcements related to their interfaces, be it re-skinning or new Lua functionality being installed. However, it was these two articles that set off the Rube Goldberg device in my head. They reminded me just what I thought about mods.

My relationship with mods has always been iffy. While I certainly appreciate what they do for us in our many MMOs, they also irk me to no end. While I understand (and totally support) some mods, there are others that I'd rather offer to Zuul.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't hate the mods because they're not useful. It's quite the opposite, in fact. Sometimes, I think mods are too useful. When you start skipping social interactions in favor of an e-peen number, that's the point where mods are going over the line.

Free for All: Assumptions based on assumptions

by Beau Hindman Jul 21st 2010 at 3:00PM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Darkfall, Business models, Culture, Economy, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Comics, Casual, Kids, Free for All

I decided to write this article based on a nagging feeling. It's not something I would normally look into, being that the questions I have are not that easy to ask, or not that easy to clarify. But, as I sink deeper and deeper into the world of international websites, games and toys, I always find certain attitudes pop up during my conversations about my findings. Perhaps it is because I am used to the sights, sounds and styles of free-to-play titles, and have learned to look beyond some of the long titles and odd descriptions. I no longer see games divided into groups and sub-groups.

When hearing the complaints about "foreign" games, I rarely see the counterbalance to the comments. If "Asian" games are grindy, that would mean that North American games are not? If free-to-play games "force" you to spend money, then that means that North American subscription titles do not? The descriptor "free-to-play" is accurate, nine times out of 10, yet there seems to be an issue with using that term, because at some point the player might need to spend money to go at a pace she wants to.

In fact, I am confused by the constant use of the words free-to-play to describe, essentially, a class of game. Where is the counterbalance to that? Does that mean that all subscription games are from a different world of higher quality?

One Shots: Zoooooom!

by Krystalle Voecks Jul 18th 2010 at 2:00PM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Screenshots, One Shots

Looking for a fun, fast way to get around? Well, if you were to offer us a wicked-looking rocket-powered jet ski -- especially one like this with the head of a shark emblazoned across the front -- we certainly wouldn't turn it down. It certainly seems like it would be fun to zoom through World of Warcraft on this ride! While we don't know quite how Itanius happened to get this (and whether or not it involved dismembering either a gnomish or goblin engineer, as the forsaken are wont to), we do know where it was taken, thanks to his note. He writes in: "[This is] my character Jawa on Lightbringer doing some arctic jet skiing in the Howling Fjord."

Do you have a cool screenshot of your character on a mount of some type? Would you like to show off your awesome ride? We'd love to see it. All you have to do is to email it to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here and give you the credit.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

Free for All: Remembering my first F2P experiences

by Beau Hindman Jul 14th 2010 at 4:00PM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Anarchy Online, Flyff, Business models, Opinion, Free-to-play, Casual, Free for All

I sit here, racking my brain, trying to think of the very first free-to-play game that I experienced. It's been quite a long time, at least seven years. As a quick history, I started in MMORPGs in '99, by bringing home a box of Ultima Online for my wife to look at. She laughed at me at first, but soon I would return home from work to find her in the middle of a marathon gaming session. We then switched to EverQuest and then to City of Heroes. In between those major choices, I spent a lot of time exploring the internet for new games.

I want to say that one of the first free-to-play games I found was FLYFF, or possibly ROSE Online. It's hard to remember exactly. I searched old emails and found a few references to some games, but I can only verify start dates like February of 2004 for games like There or Second Life. On a side-note, my EVE account started on July 30th, 2004. Regardless, I can remember my first experiences with free-to-play games. I recall the grindy-yet-beautiful worlds I visited, marveling at high-level players who must have played for six months solidly in order to achieve their greatness.

Blizzard backs down on Real ID

by Rubi Bayer Jul 9th 2010 at 1:10PM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Culture, News items

"We've been constantly monitoring the feedback you've given us, as well as internally discussing your concerns about the use of real names on our forums. As a result of those discussions, we've decided at this time that real names will not be required for posting on official Blizzard forums."

After what turned out to be a complete PR nightmare, the voices of the fans have been heard and the requirement for real names on Battle.net forums is not going to happen. Blizzard CEO and co-founder Mike Morhaime put the word out just a short while ago, but he had quite a bit more to say about Blizzard's plans for the future.

Check out the full post on the World of Warcraft forums for all the details.

Anti-Aliased: What's in a name

by Seraphina Brennan Jul 8th 2010 at 4:00PM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Business models, Culture, Opinion, Anti-Aliased

Earlier this week, Blizzard really got the MMO gaming community up-in-arms after the announcement of its latest Real ID feature -- your real name attached to all of your forum posts on its official forums. That's right. No more hiding behind a fake persona when you want to go a-trolling.

But, with the transition to a "real name" system comes a whole slew of security issues, privacy issues, and comfort issues. Everyone has an opinion on the system, as well as their own theories on if the official forums are going to crash and burn or if the forums are going to experience a rebirth as people finally watch their tongues when they post.

Blizzard is, essentially, asking, "What's in a name?" And, if Shakespeare is to be believed, there's not much back there. It's not the name that needs changing, it's the personalities behind them. It's less about the name, and more about what, or who, it represents.

The Daily Grind: Real ID -- Do we finally have our WoW killer?

by Rubi Bayer Jul 7th 2010 at 8:00AM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Culture, MMO industry, News items, Opinion, The Daily Grind

Okay, maybe we do and maybe we don't, but there's no question that Blizzard dropped a huge bomb on their community yesterday.

Battle.net forum members were treated to a wall of blue text yesterday, but here's the core of the issue: "The first and most significant change is that in the near future, anyone posting or replying to a post on official Blizzard forums will be doing so using their Real ID -- that is, their real-life first and last name -- with the option to also display the name of their primary in-game character alongside it."

Given the fact that the most gamers cut their teeth on internet security lessons, this announcement was met with a predictable storm of protest. It can be argued that it's a pretty short leap from someone's real name to their forum posts to their game name/account information, even if they choose not to link their character names directly -- and that's treading in dangerous territory. Everyone either has a horror story or has heard one.

A huge number of the over 13,000 forum posts are variations of "See ya", including many popular MMO bloggers. But the fact that others saw this as only a good thing proves that there are two sides to every coin. So where do you stand on this hot topic? Is it something that will finally get the WoW forums in order or will upset players truly leave the game for good this time? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Massively Features

Events Calendar

Name	Date
Dragon*Con	Sep 3-6, 2010
PAX Prime	Sep 3-5, 2010
Clone Wars Adventures Launch	Sep 15, 2010
Final Fantasy XIV Launch	Sep 30, 2010
GDC Online	Oct 5-8, 2010
LEGO Universe Launch	Oct 26, 2010
DCUO Launch	Nov 2, 2010

Massively Staff

Name	Title
Shawn Schuster	Editor-in-Chief
Seraphina Brennan	Senior Editor
Brianna Royce	West Coast Editor
Dan O'Halloran	Features Coordinator
Brendan Drain	Contributing Editor
Eliot Lefebvre	Contributing Editor
Jef Reahard	Contributing Editor
Justin Olivetti	Contributing Editor
Krystalle Voecks	Contributing Editor
Rubi Bayer	Contributing Editor
Tateru Nino	Contributing Editor
Beau Hindman	Columnist
Edward Marshall	Columnist
Greg Waller	Columnist
Jeremy Stratton	Columnist
Larry Everett	Columnist
MJ Guthrie	Columnist
Patrick Mackey	Columnist
Ryan Greene	Columnist
Lisa Poisso	Columnist