Massively http://www.massively.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.massively.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://www.massively.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) support@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[CCP's Ryan Dancey on keeping EVE Online compelling]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/ccps-ryan-dancey-on-keeping-eve-online-compelling/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/ccps-ryan-dancey-on-keeping-eve-online-compelling/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/ccps-ryan-dancey-on-keeping-eve-online-compelling/#comments
CCP Games Chief Marketing Officer Ryan S. Dancey recently spoke with Gamasutra's Christian Nutt about the state of EVE Online and what makes the sci-fi title unique. EVE has traits that many MMOs don't, such as player governance, a dynamic virtual economy, and slow but continual subscription growth. CCP does face problems in tandem with that growth however, namely from RMT operations. There is also the issue of balancing developer control over aspects of the game's economy (mission rewards, salvage and loot drops, ISK sinks) with the ideal of allowing EVE's economy to be as player-driven as possible, explains Dancey.

Among other things discussed in the interview, Gamasutra asks how White Wolf has changed following the merger with CCP Games nearly three years ago. Dancey tells Gamasutra: "It's just an imprint... White Wolf used to have a fairly large staff. It doesn't anymore. It's focusing primarily on the World of Darkness RPG products. It's not doing some of the things it used to do; board games and other card games and things. The focus of the company [CCP] is on making MMOs and our legacy table top business is a legacy business."

Continue reading CCP's Ryan Dancey on keeping EVE Online compelling

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CCP's Ryan Dancey on keeping EVE Online compelling originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ccpccp-gameschief-marketing-officerchristian-nutteconomyeveeve-onlinegamasutragoalsinterviewsmmo-industryplayer-drivenplexrmtryan-danceysubscribersunholy-ragevirtual-economywhite-wolfworld-of-darkness James Egan Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Warhammer Online's endless trial now available]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/warhammer-onlines-endless-trial-now-available/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/warhammer-onlines-endless-trial-now-available/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/warhammer-onlines-endless-trial-now-available/#comments The endless trial has arrived in the land of Warhammer Online, and it's quite the offer. Of course, we've reported on the actual trial before but as of today (post-maintenance) it's officially enacted within the game. So if you've been waiting to go back and check things out but didn't feel like re-subbing or somehow missed out on all the excitement of the game's launch last year, then now is the perfect time to get in and take a look. If you're not sure what the heck this whole "endless trial" thing is all about, here's a handy official FAQ to peruse.

We think it's a good if not bold concept, especially considering players only have to download 1gig of data before the game will dynamically stream the rest as they play. Hopefully it works out for Mythic, who've been putting much blood, sweat and tears in trying to improve perception since its heady launch days.

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Warhammer Online's endless trial now available originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> biowareeaelectronic-artsendless-trialmythicmythic-entertainmenttrialwarwarhammerwarhammer-online Kyle Horner Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Fallen Earth brings a bit of the apocalypse to the iPhone]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/fallen-earth-brings-a-bit-of-the-apocalypse-to-the-iphone/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/fallen-earth-brings-a-bit-of-the-apocalypse-to-the-iphone/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/fallen-earth-brings-a-bit-of-the-apocalypse-to-the-iphone/#comments Today Fallen Earth has announced a new iPhone app in the works that might well make all but the most hardcore earth-loving Vista reconsider their wary stance on technology. This new Fallen Earth app will offer players the ability to access their stored and equipped items, check out their character's stats and maps of the different sectors. What's most interesting to us is the addition of real-time chat, email, auctions and crafting to the mix. The ability to interact with the auction house and crafting queue is going to be huge to many crafters and travelers, thereby making sure that one never gets stuck with dead time when a project could be rolling.

While currently underway for the iPhone, the eventual plans are to branch it out to other smartphone platforms from there as we're given to understand. The Fallen Earth app is slated to release sometime in the first of next year, and no price has currently been mentioned that we're aware of. There's no doubt it will be wildly popular with many in the wastes. Stuck at work? You'll be able to let your clan know you'll be a bit late for that PvP scavenging trip. Or you could in-game mail some Red Rooster Chicken Beer off to one of those crazy Post Apoc Radio DJs. We hear they like drunken parties.

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Fallen Earth brings a bit of the apocalypse to the iPhone originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Krystalle Voecks Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Exclusive screenshots from Jade Dynasty's upcoming "Ascension" expansion]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/exclusive-screenshots-from-jade-dynastys-upcoming-ascension-e/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/exclusive-screenshots-from-jade-dynastys-upcoming-ascension-e/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/exclusive-screenshots-from-jade-dynastys-upcoming-ascension-e/#comments
Perfect World Entertainment's Jade Dynasty really is a unique offering on the MMO market. We here at Massively have been covering it and commenting on it since we got to see it at E3, and we're always interested to hear more about the MMO that "plays itself." Well, the team at Jade Dynasty hasn't disappointed us and they've let us here at Massively check out some exclusive screenshots of their upcoming expansion, Ascension.

Ascension is opening up the path for players to become veritable gods, but it's also adding two new factions, a brand new race, realm versus realm PvP opportunities, aerial combat, and much more. We've also gotten the opportunity to sit down with Jade Dynasty's product manager, Andrew Brown, and talk with him about all of the gritty details in the next expansion. However, you'll have to wait until Monday to check out that interview.

In the meantime, check out these screenshots and concept art of the Divine Realm area, and come back on Monday to check out our exclusive interview about the future direction of Jade Dynasty.

Gallery: Jade Dynasty: Ascension Screenshots

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Exclusive screenshots from Jade Dynasty's upcoming "Ascension" expansion originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> andrew-brownascensionesperexclusiveinvigoratejade-dynastyjdmediaperfect-world-entertainmentpwescreenshotsskyblade Seraphina Brennan Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Asheron's Call lead designer talks 10-Year anniversary, the MMO market, more]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/asherons-call-lead-designer-talks-10-year-anniversary-the-mmo/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/asherons-call-lead-designer-talks-10-year-anniversary-the-mmo/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/asherons-call-lead-designer-talks-10-year-anniversary-the-mmo/#comments
Not many MMOs last a decade, and this week marks 10 years since the launch of Asheron's Call, the fantasy MMORPG by Turbine Entertainment. Releasing several months after EverQuest, the game held its own and found its way to becoming one of the top MMOs of its time, providing fond memories for many players.

"I'm very proud of Asheron's Call, even today," said former AC lead designer Toby Ragaini in an e-mail to Massively. "It really broke a lot of new ground and I still have people come up to me saying what a great time they had playing. That's a pretty wonderful compliment after 10 years."

Ragaini, who has since worked on Sony Online Entertainment's The Matrix Online and is now working on a casual web-based MMO called Faunasphere, reminisced about working on Asheron's Call and spoke about what it's like working in the MMO market after 14 years of being in the biz.

Continue reading Asheron's Call lead designer talks 10-Year anniversary, the MMO market, more

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Asheron's Call lead designer talks 10-Year anniversary, the MMO market, more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> asherons-callfaunaspherefeaturedthe-matrix-onlinetoby-ragaini Tracey John Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Atlantica Online celebrates its one year US anniversary]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/atlantica-online-celebrates-its-one-year-us-anniversary/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/atlantica-online-celebrates-its-one-year-us-anniversary/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/atlantica-online-celebrates-its-one-year-us-anniversary/#comments
It's been one whole successful year for Atlantica Online in the US, and Ndoors Interactive is ready to celebrate with special bonuses and in-game events throughout this November. The first of many celebratory specials offers players a 200% experience boost, something sure to make everybody pretty happy. Then, there's the weekend in-game events, followed by new in-game items, a special Thanksgiving event, a fan art contest and we're guessing a lot more.

So, to recap: oodles of extra experience and rare new items, along with fun holiday and anniversary distractions. Oh, right and even a fan art contest for the creatively inclined types. Yep, seems like a particularly awesome month for Atlantica Online players.

In fact, for more deets from Ndoors themselves, check out the official word on all the in-game events and such after the break.

Continue reading Atlantica Online celebrates its one year US anniversary

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Atlantica Online celebrates its one year US anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> anniversaryart-contestatlantica-onlinein-game-eventndoors-interactivenovemberthanksgiving Kyle Horner Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Runes of Magic introduces Lair of the Demon Dragon]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/runes-of-magic-introduces-lair-of-the-demon-dragon/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/runes-of-magic-introduces-lair-of-the-demon-dragon/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/runes-of-magic-introduces-lair-of-the-demon-dragon/#comments
The Naga have settled around Aotulia Volcano, and they have a fancy new weapon at their disposal. They've captured Gestaro, a renegade Flame Dragon possessed by demons. Flame dragons are the most powerful of the five ancient dragon races, and the Naga plan to use this one to help suppress the free people.

That's the story in the brand new 12 player raid dungeon from Runes of Magic -- Lair of the Demon Dragon. Your job is to set Gestaro free, by venturing into the Autulia Volcano territory and fighting your way through elite Naga who aren't too keen on losing their new pet. If you can make it through the waves of Naga and break the magical dragon seal, as well as the general that the Naga send in as a last resort, Gestaro will appear and finish off the Naga for you.

This is an elite dungeon, and Runes of Magic warns that "Only the bravest Taborean heroes should choose this encounter," so visit the official for more of the story, and good luck!

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Runes of Magic introduces Lair of the Demon Dragon originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> dungeons-and-dragons-onlinefrogsterlair-of-the-demon-dragonraidingromancerunes-of-magic Rubi Bayer Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[MMO Family: Parental control tools]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/mmo-family-parental-control-tools/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/mmo-family-parental-control-tools/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/mmo-family-parental-control-tools/#comments MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family ... From tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate niches for every family member, MMO Family offers you advice on MMO gaming of the family, by the family and for the family.

If you've been following along here at MMO Family, you'll know we keep a pretty big toolbox. What works for one family won't fit another, so we believe in offering a lot of different options. You can't possibly use every tool at once -- or maybe you could, although you probably shouldn't. You'd be one busy parent if you attempted to wield all 17 internet safety tactics at once for every child, every day. You'd never have time to actually log in and play if you ran every game screening technique known to man ... Treat all these tactics like a buffet, and load up your plate with the ideas you think fit your family's taste.

That said, we've got another big tool for the box this week: parental controls. These settings on your computer, game consoles and individual games let you limit access to game features you don't want your children to use. You can use parental controls to determine what games your kids play (and block those M-rated games borrowed from the friend at school), who they're playing them with and when they're playing them.

Continue reading MMO Family: Parental control tools

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MMO Family: Parental control tools originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> childrenfamilyfeaturedmonitorparental-controlsparentsschedule Lisa Poisso Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Reakktor Media financial woes resolved, full speed ahead for Black Prophecy]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/reakktor-media-financial-woes-resolved-full-speed-ahead-for-bla/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/reakktor-media-financial-woes-resolved-full-speed-ahead-for-bla/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/reakktor-media-financial-woes-resolved-full-speed-ahead-for-bla/#comments
Those following the news surrounding development of sci-fi MMO Black Prophecy from Reakktor Media know there's been a significant hurdle to this title seeing the light of day -- the issue of insolvency. When parent company 10Tacle filed for insolvency, this adversely impacted subsidiary Reakktor Media and threatened continued development of Black Prophecy, which Reakktor addressed in an interview with Massively in April.

It was announced today that their restructuring plan has been successful, and that their insolvency plan saved the jobs of all 36 employees at the company. Even better, Black Prophecy is on track for a release next year, according to the press statement released by the HERMANN law firm which oversaw the insolvency proceedings.

Continue reading Reakktor Media financial woes resolved, full speed ahead for Black Prophecy

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Reakktor Media financial woes resolved, full speed ahead for Black Prophecy originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 10Tacle10Tacle-studiosblack-prophecybreakinghermanninsolvencykirk-lenkelegalmmo-industrynew-titlesreakktorreakktor-mediasci-fi James Egan Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[One Shots: A strange summoning]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/one-shots-a-strange-summoning/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/one-shots-a-strange-summoning/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/one-shots-a-strange-summoning/#comments As we visited the lands of Lord of the Rings Online yesterday for a bit of spooky fun, today we thought we'd take a peek in at Dungeons and Dragons Online. While this isn't specifically a Halloween shot, we thought the spooky summons was a nice counterpoint. This image comes to us from Tanek, who writes in to explain: [this] shot was taken during a show in the beta this past summer. I think the show was in the Marketplace, but I'm not sure. I'm also not sure I want to know exactly what is being summoned. Whatever it is, it does not seem happy.

If you're playing a game we only see on occasion -- or have never seen -- we want to hear from you! Show us your favorite areas, tell us a bit about the lore, or maybe just tell us why you like it. Email them to oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name and the name of the game. We'll post them up and give them a chance to shine.

Gallery: One Shots



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One Shots: A strange summoning originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ddodungeons-and-dragons-onlineone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotstanekturbine Krystalle Voecks Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Second Life plateaus during Q3 2009]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/second-life-plateaus-during-q3-2009/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/second-life-plateaus-during-q3-2009/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/second-life-plateaus-during-q3-2009/#comments

Linden Lab has released the figures for the third-quarter performance of Second Life.

If you want the short version, it wasn't a growth quarter. Q3 2009 figures were not really very distinguishable from Q2 2009. There's actually nothing wrong with that. Growth plateaus are occasional and inevitable and generally represent a good opportunity for engineering and support to catch up a little with the service.

Continue reading Second Life plateaus during Q3 2009

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Second Life plateaus during Q3 2009 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> business-modelseconomylinden-labopinionsecond-lifestatisticsworld-metrics Tateru Nino Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[MMOrigins: MUD on the tires]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/mmorigins-mud-on-the-tires/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/mmorigins-mud-on-the-tires/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/mmorigins-mud-on-the-tires/#comments Welcome to MMOrigins, a new weekly series here at Massively where we take a look at what makes us who we are as MMO gamers. Much in the style of our Redefining MMOs series, several members of the Massively team will have their chance to take a look back at their influences, favorite classic games and what got them to where they are today. Then, as we've done before, we'll ask you to compile your own blog posts on the same topic and we'll showcase it for the finale.

So I thought I would kick this new series off with my own influences and origins in gaming and what molded my current enjoyment of MMOs. As anyone who grew up in the 1980s might know, the dawn of personal computer video gaming was an exciting time. With inexpensive hardware such as the Atari 2600 and the Commodore 64 and 128, you didn't have to always get your mom to drive you to the arcade to play some good games.

Continue reading MMOrigins: MUD on the tires

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MMOrigins: MUD on the tires originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> featuredinfluencesmmoriginsopinionorigins Shawn Schuster Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic reveals Imperial Agent its newest class]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/star-wars-the-old-republic-reveals-its-newest-class/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/star-wars-the-old-republic-reveals-its-newest-class/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/star-wars-the-old-republic-reveals-its-newest-class/#comments We've got Trooper, Smuggler, Jedi Knight, Bounty Hunter, Sith Warrior, and now Imperial Agent. BioWare revealed the sixth class for Star Wars: The Old Republic today on their forums. This news comes as absolutely no surprise to those who attended the EA Press Tour earlier this week -- they enjoyed advance information from producer Blaine Christine.

Imperial Agents are a rogue class of sorts, doing their work for the Empire with high-tech tools to help them infiltrate the republic and assassinate enemies of the Sith Empire. The announcement from Sean Dahlberg says that Imperial Agents are "heavily inspired by several classic Star Wars characters such as Zam Wessel and Grand Moff Tarkin. [...] Players who choose to be Imperial Agents in The Old Republic (TOR) will see the underbelly of the Empire in a whole new light."

The Holonet will be updated next week with the Imperial Agent, but the class already has its own forum on the official site and discussion is going strong.

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Star Wars: The Old Republic reveals Imperial Agent its newest class originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> biowareclassesimperial-agentlucasartsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtor Rubi Bayer Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Lord of the Rings Online dev diary tells of creating Mirkwood]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/lord-of-the-rings-online-dev-diary-tells-of-creating-mirkwood/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/lord-of-the-rings-online-dev-diary-tells-of-creating-mirkwood/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/lord-of-the-rings-online-dev-diary-tells-of-creating-mirkwood/#comments We've been enjoying the gorgeous screenshots and trailers from Turbine in the weeks leading up to the release of Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood, and the latest LotRO developer diary gives a behind the scenes look at creating the regions in Mirkwood.

Jesse "Vastin" Kings writes about the fun the team had getting to play with new areas, monsters, and quests, and the challenge of balancing those plans with the available resources. Working with the original Lord of the Rings story line posed another challenge sometimes when it came to filling in the game and still remaining true to Tolkien.

Of course, not everything was on the showy, fun, creative side: "...it might interest you to know that the single largest share of all the time I've spent working on Mirkwood was in trying to figure out and implement ways to keep our servers from being reduced to piles of smoking slag within hours of Siege of Mirkwood going live and all of you hurling yourselves at it at once."

The full entry can be read here.

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Lord of the Rings Online dev diary tells of creating Mirkwood originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> developer-diaryexpansionjesse-kingslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrosiege-of-mirkwoodturbine Rubi Bayer Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Details on Final Fantasy XI's new Synergy system]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/details-on-final-fantasy-xis-new-synergy-system/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/details-on-final-fantasy-xis-new-synergy-system/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/details-on-final-fantasy-xis-new-synergy-system/#comments We've been seeing a great deal of news and information coming out from Final Fantasy XI -- which probably means the end times are coming, but be that as it may. Just the other day we found out about the upcoming Evolith system, with its cryptic mentions of the integrated "synergy" system and a promise of more details shortly. Sure enough, we already have an idea of what synergy will look like when it drops alongside the rest of the filled-to-bursting November version update. And it promises to be quite a deviation from the status quo for crafting right away -- it's an art practiced not by one person, but by a full six-person party.

In keeping with the extant nature of Final Fantasy XI's crafting, synergy doesn't promise to be simple. A number of reagents and elemental energies are dumped into the pictured "synergy furnace," at which point the entire part must begin carefully modulating and controlling the flow of elements therein. Crystals can be used to help alter the elemental composition, but will not be absolutely necessary from the sound of things. A failed synthesis can cause the whole mess to blow up in your face -- literally -- while success yields both slotted items and "cinders" that can be turned in for equipment to help boost your skill at the craft. There's a lot to digest here, so take a look and get ready for the most mold-breaking crafting yet seen in FFXI.

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Details on Final Fantasy XI's new Synergy system originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> craftingffxifinal-fantasy-xigroupingnovember-2009-version-updatepatchesprofessionssquaresquare-enixsynergysynthesis Eliot Lefebvre Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[MAG interview talks about gameplay and development]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/mag-interview-talks-about-gameplay-and-development/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/mag-interview-talks-about-gameplay-and-development/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/mag-interview-talks-about-gameplay-and-development/#comments
You can argue the specifics about whether or not MAG qualifies as an MMO, but the game certainly fits the "massive" portion of the bill -- 128 characters to a side in battle, customized and developed characters, persistent world based on the performance in the skirmishes. The game's release is only a couple months away, and there's still a great deal more to learn about it if you haven't yet opted in to the preorder beta. Luckily for all of us, Giant Bomb has an interview with Seth Luisi which sheds more light on how the game will play and progress.

The interview is quite substantial, covering everything from MAG's skill progression to leadership roles in the game. Among the more interesting tidbits is the system for squad leaders and further command posts. In order to give some incentive to follow a commander's orders, the objectives they set give a bonus to experience when fulfilled, and as the objectives are fulfilled the leader gets points to help improve their character. It's an interesting dual-reward system that should help lead to people being a bit more inclined to give and take orders in a setting notorious for just the opposite.

But that's hardly the entirety of the interview -- it's only a tiny slice of a talk that ranges to the state of the world affecting map play, character specialization, and some of the problems that the team is facing and working on improving. Take a look at the full interview, which clocks in at around eight minutes long, and you might be inspired to place a pre-order and get your hands on the beta early.

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MAG interview talks about gameplay and development originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> betabetasfpsgame-mechanicsinterviewsleadershipmagmmofpsnew-titlespersistenceseth-luisi Eliot Lefebvre Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Are you still playing a September MMO?]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/the-daily-grind-are-you-still-playing-a-september-mmo/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/the-daily-grind-are-you-still-playing-a-september-mmo/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/06/the-daily-grind-are-you-still-playing-a-september-mmo/#comments September 2009 saw the release of Champions Online, Dungeons & Dragons: Eberron Unlimited (an older MMO going F2P), Fallen Earth, and Aion. This was easily the busiest month for MMOs in recent memory and we're sure many of you at least picked up one of them to try out. We're curious to know if you're still playing a September MMO just over a month later. If so or if not, why?

No MMO in the history of MMOs has experienced a perfectly smooth launch and these September titles were no exception. Did the action-packed combat of CO pull you in or did the lack of content push you away? Were you awed by DDO-EU's polished suite of tools or annoyed by the limitations put on free accounts? Was Fallen Earth's post-apocalyptic setting a breath of fresh air or did you choke on a mouthful of radioactive bugs? Did the beauty and smoothness of Aion make your heart beat faster or did its grind and bot infestation crush your soul? Just how impressed were you with September's crop of new MMOs?

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The Daily Grind: Are you still playing a September MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aionchampions-onlinecrypticddoddo-ebberon-unlimitedfallen-earthicarus-studiosncsoftnew-titlesthe-daily-grindturbine Brooke Pilley Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Star Trek Online release date set]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/star-trek-online-release-date-set/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/star-trek-online-release-date-set/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/star-trek-online-release-date-set/#comments
According to Eurogamer, Cryptic has confirmed that Star Trek Online is set for a February 2nd, 2010 release date in the U.S., and a February 5th, 2010 release in Europe. This comes about a month after Cryptic previously confirmed that STO was set for a first quarter 2010 release.

STO is currently in closed beta, allowing those lucky select fans a chance to the game out. If you previously had purchased the Champions Online lifetime or six month subscription package, you will also be getting a chance to try the game out during the closed beta stage.

We'll be sitting down with the STO development team soon, and are looking to take all the questions you have about the ships of STO; so hurry up and get them in before 12 p.m. PST tomorrow!

[Edit: We contacted Cryptic to confirm Eurogamer's story, and they say that this is not the official release date, but they will be announcing it very soon.]

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Star Trek Online release date set originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> breakingcrypticcryptic-studioseurogamerrelease-datestar-trek-onlinestar-trek-online-release-datestar-trek-online-ship-datestosto-releasesto-release-datesto-ship-date Adam Holisky Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:04:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Champions Online's Bill Roper talks about the future of CO]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/champions-onlines-bill-roper-talks-about-the-future-of-co/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/champions-onlines-bill-roper-talks-about-the-future-of-co/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/champions-onlines-bill-roper-talks-about-the-future-of-co/#comments Bill Roper is the Executive Producer and Design Director for Champions Online, and he sat down with Techulous this week for a talk about how things are going for the game so far and what he sees in its future.

He talked about about the players, their feedback, and what's been happening in Champions Online so far, then Techulous got down to the big question: what's next?

Champions Online has big plans for the next few months, including some new content for all levels of players. He mentioned the two brand new mission chains for levels 18-21, and promised different development paths for new heroes as well as more endgame content for higher level players in the future.

Roper wrapped up the interview with some interesting information on what to watch for in the future: "We have a lot of things in the pipeline, including a new Nemesis-centric lair in November, a Winter Event in December, and something really big in the first part of 2010."

It sounds like Cryptic isn't finished adding to Champions Online by a long shot - you can read the full interview here.

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Champions Online's Bill Roper talks about the future of CO originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bill-roperchampions-onlinecrypticcryptic-studiosinterviewinterviews Rubi Bayer Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[New screenshots for Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/new-screenshots-for-lord-of-the-rings-online-siege-of-mirkwood/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/new-screenshots-for-lord-of-the-rings-online-siege-of-mirkwood/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/new-screenshots-for-lord-of-the-rings-online-siege-of-mirkwood/#comments
The Lord of the Rings Online expansion Siege of Mirkwood is set for release at the beginning of December, and Turbine takes us farther into the forest of Mirkwood today with brand new screenshots of the Ashenslades region. It's a bit farther in -- you can see Dol Guldur looming in the background -- and looks more dark and foreboding than our look at the somewhat-sunnier Scuttledells region.

The Ashenslades name fits what the screenshots show -- take a look at the forest in flames in one picture, and what appear to be burned and blackened trees in the background of another one.

This is the fourth region that Turbine has shown us in our tour of Mirkwood, giving us glimpses of Dol Guldur, Gathburz, and the Scuttledells regions in previous weeks. Monday's release of a trailer gave us a bit more of a look into Dol Guldur as well. We have just over three weeks until the release of Siege of Mirkwood, and hopefully Turbine will continue their previews to make the wait go by a little faster.

Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood Ashenslades region

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New screenshots for Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ashensladeslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroscreenshotssiege-of-mirkwoodturbine Rubi Bayer Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Warhammer Online interim city siege fixes]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/warhammer-online-interim-city-siege-fixes/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/warhammer-online-interim-city-siege-fixes/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/warhammer-online-interim-city-siege-fixes/#comments Mythic has been pulling out all stops lately in an effort to improve Warhammer Online. One of their latest changes was to remove fortresses from the RvR campaign equation because many players found them to be a laggy and boring hurdle to be overcome. Doing so, however, had a predictable result: Cities were sieged much more often. While Mythic was acutely aware this would happen, they didn't have measures in place to handle an "all city siege all the time" situation. Today, Andy Belford announced a suite of interim city fixes.

Check out the official forums for the complete run-down. A few notables include: The durations of stage 1 and 2 city siege have been cut in half, many parts of the city are no longer tied to city rank, city rank recovers much more quickly, and the Reikland Factory and Twisting Tower scenarios are making a comeback to provide those not engaged in city siege with something to do.

Many players and bloggers have pointed out that these fixes only address the symptoms and not the core issues related to WAR's RvR campaign. Andy was quick to mention that these are only initial changes and more will be coming (e.g., the Underdog system). Testing of these changes should begin next week so keep your eyes on the Herald.

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Warhammer Online interim city siege fixes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> andy-belfordcity-siegemythic-entertainmentreikland-factoryrvrrvr-campaignscenariostwisting-towerwarwarhammer-online Brooke Pilley Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: It pays to be paranoid]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/anti-aliased-it-pays-to-be-paranoid/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/anti-aliased-it-pays-to-be-paranoid/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/anti-aliased-it-pays-to-be-paranoid/#comments
Blame Shawn Schuster. No, really, it's applicable this time and I'm not just pulling your leg.

Many of you were wondering why we hadn't talked about the Champions Online failures this past weekend -- The "Blood Moon Blunder." Well, it was because pretty much the second we started getting reports from you guys about the client not working on Steam, or subscribing players complaining of the lag that the servers had over the weekend, Shawn turned to me, slapped the story on my desk and said, "All yours for Anti-Aliased."

And I sat there, smiled, and politely responded, "Oh crap. This is going to drive them all up the wall even further than last week's article. I'll do it."

So was the Champions free weekend a failure? Absolutely, but not for the reasons you may think. Come on, follow me after the break, and we'll go into yet another (and hopefully the last for a while) opinion column on Champions.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: It pays to be paranoid

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Anti-Aliased: It pays to be paranoid originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> anti-aliasedblood-moonbusinesschampionschampions-onlinecryptic-studiosfeaturedfree-weekendhalloween-eventmmo-industryopinion Seraphina Brennan Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Fallen Earth wants to know what your clone is thankful for]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/fallen-earth-wants-to-know-what-your-clone-is-thankful-for/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/fallen-earth-wants-to-know-what-your-clone-is-thankful-for/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/fallen-earth-wants-to-know-what-your-clone-is-thankful-for/#comments A cache of weak petroleum; cool Interceptors; sweet ammo drops; and having friends to face it all with. These are just some of the many things in Fallen Earth that clones might well be thankful for. Of course, if you think you can capture what you're thankful for in the wastes of the Grand Canyon, then the Fallen Earth team wants to hear from you. They're holding a screenshot contest in an attempt to find out what passes as an "authentic" Thanksgiving now that society has been mutated, fractured, and factionalized.

The idea is simple. You and up to four of your friends get together and hold your own Fallen Earth post-apocalyptic style Thanksgiving: killing, looting, maiming, working together, talking about the day's events over a nice warm Unicorn Whiz Beer -- whatever you think fits best. Then e-mail your entry off to fecontest [AT] fallenearth [DOT] com by Friday, November 13, and cross your fingers. Three winners will be picked for the contest. The first-prize image submitters get a sweet Fallen Earth t-shirt and a choice of some special in-game holiday noms for up to 5 people. More details and those pesky rule things can be found over on the Fallen Earth site for those interested. In the meantime, we're off to the wastes to figure out our own Thanksgiving entries!

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Fallen Earth wants to know what your clone is thankful for originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> contestfallen-earthfallen-earth-llcicarus-studiosthanksgiving-2009thanksgiving-screenshot-contest Krystalle Voecks Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[NCsoft responds to City of Heroes speculation]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/ncsoft-responds-to-city-of-heroes-speculation/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/ncsoft-responds-to-city-of-heroes-speculation/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/ncsoft-responds-to-city-of-heroes-speculation/#comments
A couple days ago, we had a post detailing some speculation on what City of Heroes: Going Rogue meant for NCsoft West, City of Heroes, and the future of the entire branch of the company. Ryan James, director of corporate communications for NCsoft, took the time to issue a direct response to us regarding that post. We also got an opportunity to ask him a few questions regarding NCsoft's current and future direction, which helps provide some context and some behind-the-scenes information to offset the speculative nature of the aforementioned post.

The official response is as follows:

"We wanted to respond to your post from November 2 on City of Heroes and clarify a few points for you and your readers. In short, the piece offers a rather sensationalist view of NCsoft West and our success thus far.

We're very proud of what we've accomplished here in the West - we have several major MMO franchises, including City of Heroes, Lineage and Guild Wars. And our newest addition to the NCsoft portfolio, Aion, has just seen a very successful launch here in the West. As you point out, we have had to make some tough portfolio decisions, but this is very much par for the course for any major game publisher today. That being said, we remain extremely proud of the Paragon team's accomplishments with the City of Heroes franchise. City of Heroes is still the world's most popular super-powered hero MMO. Even with an increasingly crowded landscape, City of Heroes remains the gold standard for comic book-inspired MMOs - it has stood the test of time and we're excited to be bringing Going Rogue to players next year.

As you note, the author of Vicarious Existence is indeed 'alarmist' in his assessment of NCsoft West and our future. We couldn't agree more. On the contrary, we're optimistic about our future."

Following the statement, Mr. James took the opportunity to answer a few questions about the company's game portfolio and future plans. Take a look at the questions and responses after the break.

Continue reading NCsoft responds to City of Heroes speculation

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NCsoft responds to City of Heroes speculation originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aionaion-the-tower-of-eternitybusiness-modelscity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxdungeon-runnersgoing-rogueguild-warsgwinterviewslineage-2lineage-iincsoftncsoft-westopinionrumorsryan-james Eliot Lefebvre Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Lord of the Rings Online explains skirmish rewards]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/lord-of-the-rings-online-explains-skirmish-rewards/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/lord-of-the-rings-online-explains-skirmish-rewards/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/lord-of-the-rings-online-explains-skirmish-rewards/#comments
"Let's be honest, people play new content for the rewards." Perhaps not the most uplifting or metaphorical way to start off a developer diary, but if nothing else you need to give Lord of the Rings Online credit for being so direct about it. But with the most recent developer diary regarding the Skirmish system coming in the Siege of Mirkwood expansion, they really deserve still more credit than that. One of the larger new features of the upcoming expansion, the Skirmish system has had a number of diaries devoted to it, but this one is focused on exactly what the opening would suggest: the meaty rewards from taking part.

Some of the specifics might seem a bit arcane to people unfamiliar with Lord of the Rings Online, but the short version is that the various bosses and so forth will be devoid of any loot except for what's referred to as skirmish marks. Accumulating them as well as special tokens depending on group size and skirmish difficulty will allow purchases from a wide variety of powerful items. However, the system is balanced so that even consistently solo players can still work toward the highest tier of rewards, although the road will be quite a bit longer. There's only so much we can get across in a quick overview -- it's better to take a look at the actual diary and get ready for one of the more dynamic systems coming with Siege of Mirkwood.

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Lord of the Rings Online explains skirmish rewards originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> developer-diariesdeveloper-diaryexpansionsgame-mechanicsgearlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrorewardssiege-of-mirkwoodskirmishturbine Eliot Lefebvre Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[CCP reaching out to potential EVE players with "Get a Clone"]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/ccp-reaching-out-to-potential-eve-players-with-get-a-clone/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/ccp-reaching-out-to-potential-eve-players-with-get-a-clone/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/ccp-reaching-out-to-potential-eve-players-with-get-a-clone/#comments
EVE Online creators CCP Games are taking a different approach to promoting the game with a new website. All players in EVE's setting of New Eden are "capsuleers" -- starship pilots who have attained immortality through cloning technology. CCP's "Get a Clone" site invites you to "Clone yourself. Not the way you are, but the way you want to be." The site belongs to Duvolle Laboratories, one of EVE Online's NPC corporations, and provides an in-character introduction to some of the basic career paths a pilot can explore in the game.

But first, Duvolle Labs asks you five questions that pin down how morally flexible you are (as a game character). Would you rather build or tear down? Would you risk your life for money or glory? Is success is measured by profits or progress? Your responses to five questions Duvolle Laboratories asks places you in one of four broad career paths - military, exploration, business, or industry.

Continue reading CCP reaching out to potential EVE players with "Get a Clone"

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CCP reaching out to potential EVE players with "Get a Clone" originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> careersccpccp-gamesclonescloningduvolle-laboratorieseveeve-onlinefreeform-professionsprofessionssci-fi James Egan Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[One Shots: Who ya gonna call?]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/one-shots-who-ya-gonna-call/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/one-shots-who-ya-gonna-call/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/one-shots-who-ya-gonna-call/#comments
While we didn't get in a bunch of Halloween shots, we did get a handful in, which I'll be sharing with you as we move into another great weekend full of gaming fun. Today's not-so-spooky image comes to us from the Lord of the Rings Online Landroval server, which seems to be a great place to be if you're into getting lots of RP out of your MMORPG! Harper Hendee sent back this annotated postcard from their events and explains it for us.

I know you don't usually take annotated screenshots but this is from a huge RP/storytelling/PvMP/musical event on Landroval called The Oathbreaker Captains. It culminates on October 31st with an army of Captains and their Oathbreaker pets fighting an army of spiders in the PvMP area of the Ettenmoors. This shot was snapped as they were geting a sendoff from the locals in Bree. They were happy to have the departed spirits fighting for them and to have those spirits... out of Bree. Lonely Mountain Band provided sendoff music as the spirits manifested in the Haunted Alley and made their way to the Prancing Pony.

We love to hear about role-playing events in MMOs! If you and your group are doing something fun, grab a great screenshot of it and send it our way. Pop it into an email to oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what's going on. We'll feature it here, and who knows - you might draw some more RPers to your next event who saw it here!

Gallery: One Shots

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One Shots: Who ya gonna call? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> harper-hendeelord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsturbine Krystalle Voecks Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:01:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Massively's Allods Online closed beta key giveaway]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/massivelys-allods-online-closed-beta-key-giveaway/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/massivelys-allods-online-closed-beta-key-giveaway/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/massivelys-allods-online-closed-beta-key-giveaway/#comments North American Closed Beta Test 1 is beginning on November 10th for Allods Online, and we're happy to throw a few keys out to our loyal readers. We have 500 to give out, thanks to our friends at gPotato, so they may go quickly. Simply head on over to our giveaway page and follow the directions there.

You can download the game from this link, but it won't be available until 2pm EDT today. You can also take a look at their main website to find out some interesting tidbits about the expansiveness of the game and its award-winning development team.

[Update: Make sure to only enter the numbers after the comma in the beta code you receive. Thanks!]

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Massively's Allods Online closed beta key giveaway originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> allods-onlineBreakingBreakingNewsclosed-betaclosed-beta-keygiveawaygpotato Shawn Schuster Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Evolith system coming to Final Fantasy XI]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/evolith-system-coming-to-final-fantasy-xi/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/evolith-system-coming-to-final-fantasy-xi/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/evolith-system-coming-to-final-fantasy-xi/#comments The November version update for Final Fantasy XI is going to contain a number of new and improved features -- for many of the game's players, just the changes being made to several jobs will alter the game significantly. However, the just-revealed Evolith system is going to add even more wrinkles to the gameplay, allowing players to insert powerful stones with a variety of properties into equipment. Not only is the system based around a new form of synthesis -- in essence an entirely new form of crafting -- but it promises to allow further customization and equipment improvement.

In order to obtain the Evolith stones themselves, players will need to hunt down notorious monsters as part of a new set of "hunt regimes" (which seem as if they'll likely be similar in nature to the Fields of Valor training regimes and enhancements). Equipment can both have new slots added to it via synergy, and then have the Evolith attached to the slots based on elemental properties. Original? Not precisely. But it's a new way for players to improve their abilities and their equipment, and it's a pretty large change for a regular patch. Take a look at the full article for more details and for a sneak peek at what some of the stones will offer.

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Evolith system coming to Final Fantasy XI originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> craftingffxifinal-fantasy-xigame-mechanicsnovember-2009-version-updatepatchessquaresquare-enix Eliot Lefebvre Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Scott Jennings MMO interview prep]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/scott-jennings-mmo-interview-prep/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/scott-jennings-mmo-interview-prep/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/scott-jennings-mmo-interview-prep/#comments It looks like Scott "Lum the Mad" Jennings started up a new column over at MMORPG.com granting players a rare peek behind the MMO industry curtain. His first article covers some of the things you can expect to be confronted with if you are ever lucky enough to land a game designer interview with an MMO studio. Given the competitive job market out there, these insights should not be taken lightly, even though they are just one man's opinion. But what a man!

No, we're not talking about his wild charisma and manly beard. Okay, that too, but Lum has been around the MMO block in various roles from programmer to lead designer. Put simply, his advice is valuable. The biggest point he made that stuck out to us was the suggestion to have opinions and back them up. "[A]s a designer you are being paid, in large part, to have opinions. Your job will be to analyze parts of the game and determine whether it will work, how it can be broken, and whether or not it will be fun."

So, whether you're an aspiring game designer or simply interested in boosting your interview skills in general (not a bad idea in these trying times), we recommend you take a gander at Lum's new column.

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Scott Jennings MMO interview prep originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> game-designgetting-a-jobinterviewinterview-skillslum-the-madmmo-industrymmorpg.comscott-jennings Brooke Pilley Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Massively's Star Trek Online community Q&A: Ship questions!]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/massivelys-star-trek-online-community-qanda-ship-questions/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/massivelys-star-trek-online-community-qanda-ship-questions/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/massivelys-star-trek-online-community-qanda-ship-questions/#comments Do you have burning questions for the Star Trek Online development team? We certainly hope so, because over the next several weeks we'll be issuing posts like this looking for your questions on a specific topic concerning the upcoming Trek MMO. This week? Ships! We want all your ship-related inquiries, whether they're about customization or weapon points; Federation of Klingon Empire.

We'll give you until 12pm Pacific time Friday, November 6th to submit your questions in the comments section below. Following that, we'll round up a cross-section of the most popular and most poignant questions and by next week we'll have your answers straight from the folks at Cryptic. We're also open to suggestions on next week's Q&A topic, so feel free to throw your hat into that ring while you're typing 'em up.

Update: We'll be extending the time limit on questions until the end of Friday, November 6th, so keep 'em coming guys!

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Massively's Star Trek Online community Q&A: Ship questions! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ataricommunity-qnacrypticcryptic-studioscustomizationinterviewstar-trek-onlinestoweapon-points Kyle Horner Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Face of Mankind: Rebirth goes into closed beta phase four]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/face-of-mankind-rebirth-goes-into-closed-beta-phase-four/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/face-of-mankind-rebirth-goes-into-closed-beta-phase-four/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/face-of-mankind-rebirth-goes-into-closed-beta-phase-four/#comments
Face of Mankind: Rebirth, the revitalization and recoding of Face of Mankind, has hit their last beta milestone as of last week -- closed beta phase 4.

Phase 4 is the final phase of their beta, the one where they let the flood gates wide open. If you have ever signed up for an FoM beta account, your account has been activated and you can log in to play the game. All you need to do is download the game client, which is available through links provided in your account activation e-mail.

Continue reading Face of Mankind: Rebirth goes into closed beta phase four

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Face of Mankind: Rebirth goes into closed beta phase four originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> betaclosed-betaduplex-systemsface-of-mankindface-of-mankind-rebirthfactionsmmofpsphase-4 Seraphina Brennan Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Exclusive interview with Linden Lab CEO Mark Kingdon]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/exclusive-interview-with-linden-lab-ceo-mark-kingdon/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/exclusive-interview-with-linden-lab-ceo-mark-kingdon/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/exclusive-interview-with-linden-lab-ceo-mark-kingdon/#comments Mark Kingdon, Linden Lab's CEO, has been a bit of a mystery figure since his appointment about a year and a half ago. While he has not been uncommunicative, it's been hard to get a very good sense of the man at the helm of Linden Lab, his passions, interests and direction.

We were very pleased, therefore, when he took the time to sit down with us and answer a whole grab-bag of questions, about himself, about Linden Lab, and - of course - about Second Life. Bear with us, because we've got a lot of ground to cover.

Continue reading Exclusive interview with Linden Lab CEO Mark Kingdon

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Exclusive interview with Linden Lab CEO Mark Kingdon originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cyn-lindencyn-skybergfeaturedfj-lindenfrank-ambrosehamlet-auinterviewslinden-labm-lindenmark-kingdonopen-sourceopensimorganicphilip-lindenphilip-rosedalePricewaterhouseCooperssecond-lifesecond-life-viewersl-version-2.0slcctom-halevirtual-worldswagner-james-au Tateru Nino Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[A look behind the systems of Champions Online]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/a-look-behind-the-systems-of-champions-online/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/a-look-behind-the-systems-of-champions-online/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/a-look-behind-the-systems-of-champions-online/#comments If you're good with numbers or would like to obtain some understanding of Champions Online's various systems, then this new systems dev blog is right up your alley. There's plenty of math happening here, so when you start to feel confused don't worry so much -- you're not alone.

Actually, the basics of what systems designer Brian Urbanek discusses aren't too convoluted. At least, the part where he explains the percentages of what influences a character's power isn't too bad. As it turns out, equipment makes up for 42.5% of your overall power, while talents take up 15%, "base" is 2.5% and super stats fill the rest at 40%. What that essentially means, is that your leveling choices in super stats and talents (which effect stats as well) make up a large part of where your character excels. This is all shortly followed by equipment, but creates a slightly bigger focus on how you design your superhero.

Soon Brian will be discussing combat, which is sure to be a hot topic within the Champions Online community. Until then, we're going to re-read this first entry in the hope that someday we can grok it.

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A look behind the systems of Champions Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ataribrian-urbanekchampionschampions-onlinecombatcrypticcryptic-studiosdev-bloglevelsmathsuper-statsuper-statssystemstalents Kyle Horner Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Your thoughts on Blizzard's new pets]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/the-daily-grind-your-thoughts-on-blizzards-new-pets/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/the-daily-grind-your-thoughts-on-blizzards-new-pets/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/05/the-daily-grind-your-thoughts-on-blizzards-new-pets/#comments
In a move some expected and others didn't, Blizzard decided to remove that last layer insulating its game from the practice of RMT: real money transactions. Previously, players had to purchase the trading card game to get the special extra pets for the game, and that was rather a dicey proposition. You could just pay a high price and get the card directly, or you could take your chances with your money, much like Charlie in his pursuit of a golden ticket. Now, you can just go to the Blizzard store and purchase a Pandaren or a Lil' KT pet for $10USD.

Considering how several people were unhappy with the Champions Online microtransaction store, we can't imagine this is going over too well with everyone. Some feel that these are just pets and -- while pricey -- aren't anything to make a fuss over. Others feel that this is the top of the slippery slope that will eventually see some form of in-game benefits gained through store purchases, much like many item mall games. This morning we thought we'd ask you. Do you think this is a wonderful idea, and you're glad to see Blizzard exploring the territory? Do you think it's a good idea but the price is way too high -- a macrotransaction rather than a microtransaction. Are you leery but trusting for now? Or is this all a load of crap, and subscription games should make everything available if you're willing to grind it?

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The Daily Grind: Your thoughts on Blizzard's new pets originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> blizzardopiniontdgthe-daily-grindworld-of-warcraftwow Krystalle Voecks Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Runes of Magic announces screenshot contest winners]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/runes-of-magic-announces-screenshot-contest-winners/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/runes-of-magic-announces-screenshot-contest-winners/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/runes-of-magic-announces-screenshot-contest-winners/#comments
Runes of Magic went all out this Halloween with lots of special items, games, decorations, and even some contests. The screenshot decoration contest asked players to decorate their houses, their guild halls, and even themselves in their best Runes of Magic Halloween style to compete for in-game prizes. Players had a great time with the contest, deploying armies of ghosts, witches, pumpkins and candles in their houses and guild halls. They decorated themselves just as thoroughly, with a combination of whimsical and scary Halloween costume pieces.

Runes of Magic announced the winners today, with first, second, and third place winners in the house and costume categories, and a single winner in the guild hall category. Each winner will receive their choice of a costume package for their character, with a number of choices for both male and female characters.

Congratulations from us to all of the winners, and enjoy your costumes!

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Runes of Magic announces screenshot contest winners originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> contestcontest-winnersfree-to-playfrogsterhalloween-2009romrunes-of-magic Rubi Bayer Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Aika announces closed beta]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/aika-announces-closed-beta/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/aika-announces-closed-beta/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/aika-announces-closed-beta/#comments If you're looking for some more RvR action outside of Warhammer Online, then you might want to take a look at Gala-Net's newest addition to their MMO lineup, Aika.

Aika is a new free-to-play MMO with the same type of nation versus nation bent that Warhammer and World of Warcraft provide to their players. Players get to defend territory during castle sieges, can steal artifacts from the enemy side, a la Dark Age of Camelot, and participate in the standard PvP battlegrounds.

The game has just gone into a closed beta testing phase for America, but getting in couldn't be simpler. Simply go visit the Aika website, fill out a survey and you'll be entered for a chance to participate in the closed beta.

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Aika announces closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aikaaika-onlinebetaclosed-betafree-to-playgala-netnation-vs-nationpvprealm-vs-realmrvrsurvey Seraphina Brennan Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Cities XL releases first content pack]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/cities-xl-releases-first-content-pack/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/cities-xl-releases-first-content-pack/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/cities-xl-releases-first-content-pack/#comments Cities XL is nearing the end of their first month post-launch and beginning to look toward what the future holds for the game.

Their first step is the release of their very first content pack, and Cities XL promises more to come on a regular basis. All Cities XL players will now have a new farm model, a high school, and a Ford dealership to add to their growing towns, with even more new content exclusive to Planet Offer players.

The content pack for Planet Offer subscribers will also include an eye-catching Old England building pack, three new maps (Want to live in a crater? You can now.), and three new megastructures. You can gather the resources to build the megastructures, but Cities XL also offers up an interesting addition to their overview: "Check your profile out on a regular basis to see if you are the lucky winner of an Alcatraz prison, a Tokyo Imperial Palace or a 30 St Mary Axe office building!"

The new content is automatically downloaded and installed through the launcher, so you won't need to do anything extra to receive it.

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Cities XL releases first content pack originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cities-xlcity-buildercontent-packmonte-cristonew-content Rubi Bayer Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Choose my Adventure: The Marketplace]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/choose-my-adventure-the-marketplace/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/choose-my-adventure-the-marketplace/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/choose-my-adventure-the-marketplace/#comments
Join me as I brave my way through lands unknown in an adventure dictated entirely by you, the Massively readers! Vote for everything from game played to character creation to ultimate goal and watch it unfold in a series of journals and galleries here on the site. Then, as the ultimate goal is reached, we'll do it all over again in a new game!

This week, we've made our way through the rest of the Waterworks quests in Dungeons and Dragons Online and into the Marketplace and the Cerulean Hills. Despite our limited time together, the Critical Mass bunch are really making headway through these quests.

We've finally brought back the polls for this week, as you'll have a chance to not only vote on where we go from here, but also enjoy a revisit to the use of Turbine Points earned so far. Follow along after the jump for Fahryn's in-character journal, my impressions and the return of the polls!

Continue reading Choose my Adventure: The Marketplace

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Choose my Adventure: The Marketplace originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> choose-my-adventureddodungeons-and-dragons-onlinef2pfeaturedfree-to-playturbine Shawn Schuster Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Better know Global Agenda's Assault class]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/better-know-global-agendas-assault-class/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/better-know-global-agendas-assault-class/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/04/better-know-global-agendas-assault-class/#comments
In an interview with Hi-Rez Studio's executive producer Todd Harris, Ten Ton Hammer discusses Global Agenda's Assault class at considerable length. For those looking for a simple analog, the Assault is like a meaty tank class wielding huge weaponry such as mini-guns. The interview covers such topics as ammo concerns -- as the aforementioned mini-guns chew up ammo like a man on a desert island drinks fresh water -- and several other matters that dig deep into the earth center of the class. Then again, if blowing stuff up is your preference, that's offered as well.

Much of what we've seen of the Assault class tells us that it's going to be a favorite with players who generally enjoy inflicting damage in the most terrible of ways. And really, that's a whole lot of people; those who drool at rocket launchers and chain-fed ballistics weaponry.

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Better know Global Agenda's Assault class originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> assault-classglobal-agendaheavyhi-rez-studiosinterviewmini-gunmmofpsrocketrocket-launcherrocket-launcherssci-fishootertodd-harris Kyle Horner Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST Massively