Massively^™

Earlier in the week we gave you a broad overview of this Warhammer Online class based on our higher level beta experiences. Today, we continue our exclusive pre-NDA look at the Elves of WAR with a look at the White Lion class from the ground up.

The White Lion career is a melee dps class on the side of Order only available to High Elves. With a loyal lion pet by their side and an enormous axe in their hand the White Lion is very good at taking down enemies, especially small groups of them.

We've created a nice range of guides for Lord of the Rings Online so far, from the very basics to some rather intermediate. While these guides will continue to get more advanced, we wanted to take this opportunity to catch readers up on where we stand so far. We hope this wrapup will serve as an effective introduction to the game and gateway to our future advanced articles.

	Choosing your race in Middle-earth: Man and Elf In many ways, picking a race for yourself in an MMO is very much a personal choice. However it can help to have some tips and an overall viewpoint on the subject. This guide is here for old players or new players that are unsure of the the finer details of each race in Lord of the Rings Online. The goal isn't to answer the question of which race is best, but rather to give a few tips and some advice on the strong points of the races in Middle-earth.
	Finding the perfect name for your Hobbit Looking for a name for your little halfling? Unwilling to settle for "Frodow" "Samwizze" or "Bihlbo"? Have you already named your character one of these but are looking to change it to something decent and lore-abiding? This guide will help you to find the perfect name for your hobbit and avoid the wrath incurred when you turn on your role-playing flag with the name "Kneestabberxx". Also see: Finding the perfect name for your Man (Or Woman) Finding the perfect name for your Dwarf Finding the perfect name for your Elf
	LotRO guide to Roheryn: Getting the most from the preview server We realize that sometimes downloading what is essentially an entirely new game for the sake of previewing content may not be your cup of tea, so we've put together this extensive visual guide to let you know just how useful this preview server can be. For example, did you know that you can instantly level to 20, 30, 40 or 50 quiet easily?
	A guide to the new rare crafting trophies In many MMOGs, there appears to be a plague of seemingly useless items you find along your travels. These usually include various animal parts in some disgustingly descriptive state. Many of these items are simply merchant fodder, but there are a fair majority of them which are used in crafting. The frustrating part is discovering which ones are worth the 25 copper the merchant gives you, and which ones are worth 5 gold to another player at the auction house.
	PvP guide: The basics of Monster Play In the realm of Tolkien's Middle-earth, the ideals of general PvP get a bit complicated. For instance, you would never see bands of Hobbits battling with Elves, or vice versa. It's just not something Tolkien ever envisioned. This is a sticky situation for the developers of an MMO based on Tolkien lore, as PvP is a staple in the massively multiplayer genre. The solution, of course, is to allow players to play as the evil creatures that inhabit these lands.

We've created a nice range of Guild Wars guides so far, from the very basics to some rather intermediate. While these guides will continue to get more advanced, we wanted to take this opportunity to catch readers up on where we stand so far. We hope this wrap-up will serve as an effective introduction to the game and gateway to our future advanced guides.

	It's never too late to start playing Guild Wars Haven't had a chance to play Guild Wars yet? You're thinking maybe three years after launch is a bit late? Nah, you're just in time! Guild Wars has so many enticements for people who are just getting into this new-fangled MMO scene, but also for people looking for a change from their regular game. We're here now to explain a bit about ArenaNet's masterpiece, targeted at someone who has only heard of Guild Wars, but never actually played it.
	A PvEer's guide to PvP in Guild Wars So you think you want to get into Guild Wars PvP. Maybe you've taken a look at Observer Mode and thought, "Hey, I can do that!". After almost three years of playing against mobs and spawns with predictable patrol patterns, you're looking for something new to spice up your favorite game.
	A guide to Pre-Searing The name "Pre-Searing" comes from the fact that everything in this tutorial area of GW:Prophecies occurs before the Searing, when the evil Charr burned the lands of Ascalon to the ground. Because of the fact that it precedes the rest of the storyline by two years, the area cannot be accessed again once you leave.
	A guide to Heroes Guild Wars has been an innovator in so many different aspects of the MMO genre, but none more than the introduction of ally NPCs to fill out a party and make soloing easier. It started out simple enough, but it eventually evolved into something much more advanced (and exciting) with Heroes.
	A guide to the Hall of Monuments Who doesn't love to brag about their accomplishments and show off their stuff? Luckily for Guild Wars players, the addition of the Hall of Monuments with last year's Eye of the North expansion allows a new way to show off what you've achieved in game and the very best high-end items you've obtained. However, the Hall of Monuments is so much more. It's also a way to transfer these items into the future for all of your descendants in Guild Wars 2 to enjoy.

I should probably start this week's column by apologizing for missing last week. I won't, but I probably should. I'm sure your world kept turning despite a lack of my wittering on for 500-odd words, so let's crack on, shall we?

Assuming some of you managed to stay safe from the murderous robotic Santa this year, you may well have received gifts of new MMO games, and are sitting at home (unlike me) with your feet safely ensconced in new slippers, wracked with indecision over what new vista of unexplored gaming potential you should be delving into. Fortunately, my friends and family understand that my tastes in gaming are (relatively) more esoteric than theirs, meaning that they usually plump for the always welcome gifts of booze or vouchers. What this means is that I will finally be able to pick up Bioshock and the Orange Box – seriously, if I have to dodge one more spoiler for Bioshock or Portal, I may have to stab someone in the mouth.

But that's beside the point; let us get back on topic. With most of the big MMOs having been around for a good while now, the sheer amount of content available across these games is a daunting prospect – where do you start, how do you decide? Do you jump straight in and hope that you'll make it?