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[Where in the Champions Online world is Carmel Santiago?]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/where-in-the-champions-online-world-is-carmel-santiago/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/where-in-the-champions-online-world-is-carmel-santiago/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/where-in-the-champions-online-world-is-carmel-santiago/#comments
That is the big question in Champions Online. Ring any bells? Community member Mr. Funsocks began this contest yesterday and plans to continue it on a weekly basis, offering up a pretty nice prize in exchange for your time. Just meet up at Club Caprice at the appointed time and pay your 50n entrance fee. The money goes into a pot along with an additional 5g from Mr. Funsocks. The first person to find this strangely familiar person wins the pot. There are a few rules, including "no excuses", that you can read in the forum thread along with details on where, when, and how.

The contest thread sparked an interesting discussion exploring copyright, fair-use, parody, and Cryptic's wishy-washy policies regarding these issues. It will be interesting to see how that conversation plays out, but in the meantime big thanks and kudos to Mr. Funsocks for creating what looks like a great community event.

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Where in the Champions Online world is Carmel Santiago? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> champions-onlineCommunity-gamescontestcryptic-studios Rubi Bayer Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Leaked test feedback offers insights into Linden Lab design processes]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/leaked-test-feedback-offers-insights-into-linden-lab-design-proc/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/leaked-test-feedback-offers-insights-into-linden-lab-design-proc/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/leaked-test-feedback-offers-insights-into-linden-lab-design-proc/#comments Back, just before Halloween, a Linden Lab staffer accidentally sent an email intended for internal circulation to a mailing list containing quite a number of Second Life users. We were sent a copy a few minutes later, and the email was widely circulated among developers of third-party Second Life viewers by Halloween.

What caught people's eye about the email was how harsh it was when it came to describing aspects of the upcoming Second Life Viewer 2.0 user-interface (the key feature of that software). It certainly didn't pull many punches leveling criticism at various design choices that were obviously in evidence in the evaluation version that had come up for testing.

And for just that reason we are, after a little thought, rather heartened by it.

Continue reading Leaked test feedback offers insights into Linden Lab design processes

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Leaked test feedback offers insights into Linden Lab design processes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> alphaville-heraldbetaslinden-labopinionsecond-lifesecond-life-viewersl-version-2.0tom-haleviewer-2009virtual-worlds Tateru Nino Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[One Shots: We could use a vacation here]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/one-shots-we-could-use-a-vacation-here/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/one-shots-we-could-use-a-vacation-here/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/one-shots-we-could-use-a-vacation-here/#comments With the chilly, rainy winter settling in for much of the northern hemisphere, scenes like today's One Shots from Age of Conan are welcome sights. If you use those powers of imagination, you can almost imagine the balmy breezes coming in off the water as you disembark in a strange new land. Ray S. sent this great shot in of his first moments in town, and explains the scene: This is the view of Tesso village in Wild Lands of Zelata that greeted my Assassin Deltex when he was fresh off the boat from Old Tarantia in Age of Conan.

We love to look around the lands of Conan, but we need all of you players to send in your screenshots! All you have to do to show off the parts of the world you like best is to email your images to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com. Be sure to add in your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll put them out here on Massively for everyone to check out and give you the credit. Couldn't be easier!

Gallery: One Shots

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One Shots: We could use a vacation here originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> age-of-conanaocfuncomone-shotsray-sscreenshotscreenshots Krystalle Voecks Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The aesthetics of Black Prophecy's Genide faction]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/the-aesthetics-of-black-prophecys-genide-faction/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/the-aesthetics-of-black-prophecys-genide-faction/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/the-aesthetics-of-black-prophecys-genide-faction/#comments
We had some good news about Black Prophecy the other day and how things are looking up for the game's developer Reakktor Media. We're hoping more info will be revealed about the game in the coming months, and now they've released a dev blog on the art direction of the game's Genide faction. Whereas the Tyi faction is a cybernetic offshoot of humanity the Genides embrace biogenetic manipulation in their pursuit of perfection. The aesthetics of what the Genides have become is the focus of Black Prophecy Art Director Nick Ebenhoch's dev diary.

Nick kicks it off by explaining the significance of the Genide faction logo and what the symbol was designed to represent. Unlike the more utilitarian Tyi faction which favors a modular complexity, the Genide's cleaner, minimalist aesthetic sense permeates everything they create. This is seen in the smooth and tall look of their various space ships, which have vertical wing orientation rather than the standard horizontal orientation typically seen on such vessels, explains Nick.

Continue reading The aesthetics of Black Prophecy's Genide faction

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The aesthetics of Black Prophecy's Genide faction originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aestheticsart-directionart-directorblack-prophecycockpitsdev-blogdev-diaryfactionsgenidegenidesnew-titlesnick-ebenhochreakktorreakktor-mediasci-fityi James Egan Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:15:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[NCsoft hints at Guild Wars 2 beta in 2010, launch in 2011]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/ncsoft-hints-at-guild-wars-2-beta-in-2010-launch-in-2011/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/ncsoft-hints-at-guild-wars-2-beta-in-2010-launch-in-2011/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/ncsoft-hints-at-guild-wars-2-beta-in-2010-launch-in-2011/#comments Fans of Guild Wars have been waiting for well over two years for Guild Wars 2, ever since ArenaNet fired up the hype machine in a big way back in March of 2007. Anet announced Guild Wars 2 and Eye of the North at the same time, and anticipated that the beta for GW2 would arrive in the second half of 2008.

Since the announcement, the Guild Wars player base has become intimately familiar with various versions of the phrases "We haven't released that information" and "TBA", punctuated occasionally with new information.

While the bits of information given here and there add up to something relatively substantial, fans are still asking the big question: When? Obviously the planned 2008 beta didn't happen, and now fans will have to wait a bit longer.

CEO Jaeho Lee referred to GW2 and Blade and Soul in a recent conference call with investors: "I believe there will be certain public events in the year 2010... at least a closed beta test for those titles. Commercialisation will be expected, at this point, probably some time in the year 2011."

At least fans have plenty of time and motivation to finish filling their Hall of Monuments. Silence and delays aside, when Guild Wars 2 finally arrives, most fans trust ArenaNet to give them something well worth the wait.

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NCsoft hints at Guild Wars 2 beta in 2010, launch in 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> arenanetbetaguild-warsguild-wars-2GuildWarsgwgw2jaeho-leencsoft Rubi Bayer Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The systems of battle in Champions Online]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/the-systems-of-battle-in-champions-online/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/the-systems-of-battle-in-champions-online/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/the-systems-of-battle-in-champions-online/#comments
We've been getting a generous look under the hood of Champions Online courtesy of designer Brian Urbanek, with the second part of his system-focused developer diary now available. The first part covered the progression and improvement of a player's heroes, while this diary focuses on the mechanics of that ever-present diversion in almost every game -- combat. As one can imagine, with a game whose systems are based on a tabletop roleplaying game dating back more than twenty years, there are a lot of numbers and expressions to be thrown around.

Urbanek explains, in detail, how the team set up values for stats and durability with some baseline assumptions. They knew what they could expect for an "average" player to do in terms of damage-per-second at high levels, and they had some idea of how long they wanted each fight to last (the time cited is twenty seconds). From there, the diary goes into the balancing and scaling factors needed to ensure that players and enemies both are dealing reasonable damage and surviving for the preferrable amount of time. If you like numbers and systems, or just a clearer picture of how Champions Online works, this diary should be perfect for you, with promises of still more to come down the pipeline.

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The systems of battle in Champions Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bill-urbanekchampions-onlinecocombatcrypticcryptic-studiosdeveloper-diaryendgamegame-mechanicsmathematics Eliot Lefebvre Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Allods Online closed beta begins today and we have more keys!]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/allods-online-closed-beta-begins-today-and-we-have-more-keys/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/allods-online-closed-beta-begins-today-and-we-have-more-keys/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/allods-online-closed-beta-begins-today-and-we-have-more-keys/#comments Last week, we announced an upcoming closed beta test for Allods Online, with 500 keys to give out to the Massively readers. Since that went so well (the keys were gone in less than two hours!), we've been given 1k more to kick off the official CBT1, which starts at 2pm ET today. This first stage of closed beta covers levels 1-10 for both League and Empire sides, including all races, classes, and relevant zones. The beta test will run from November 10th through November 24th.

To grab your key, head on over to our giveaway page and follow the directions there. Remember, it doesn't start until 2pm ET today, so you have plenty of time to download and be ready!

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Allods Online closed beta begins today and we have more keys! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> allods-onlineBreakingBreakingNewscbtclosed-betagiveawaygpotato Shawn Schuster Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Spouse Aggro explores Darkfall's self-imposed limitations]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/spouse-aggro-explores-darkfalls-self-imposed-limitations/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/spouse-aggro-explores-darkfalls-self-imposed-limitations/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/spouse-aggro-explores-darkfalls-self-imposed-limitations/#comments Beau Turkey from Spouse Aggro took a look at Darkfall yesterday, a game he checked out earlier this year, and had an interesting perspective on the game and how it's painted itself into a corner with regards to its player base. "[...]the game really deserves more praise than it gets. It is fantastic looking, is very immersive and so far the developers have proven that updates will be frequent enough and great.", says Beau. So what's the problem?

Whether it's a problem or not really depends on your perspective. Beau explores the combination of open PvP, hefty system requirements, and no ongoing free trial period and how they combine to aim toward a very specific target audience: young, male, and aggressively PvP-centered. What this means is that Darkfall is unlikely to enjoy the huge player base that WoW or similar games like EVE Online do. As Beau points out, EVE Online is similar in several ways, but gives players the option to get away from PvP areas/turn the graphics down and still enjoy them/use a free trial, which potentially opens the game up to many more paying customers.

The entire post can be read over at Spouse Aggro.

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Spouse Aggro explores Darkfall's self-imposed limitations originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-turkeydarkfalldarkfall-onlinePvPspouse-aggro Rubi Bayer Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Is Warhammer Online doomed?]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/the-daily-grind-is-warhammer-online-doomed/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/the-daily-grind-is-warhammer-online-doomed/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/10/the-daily-grind-is-warhammer-online-doomed/#comments With yesterday's news of layoffs at Mythic, the MMO blogosphere is on fire with speculation and opinions. According to many, everything is to blame for these staff cuts, from World of Warcraft to software piracy. In the worst job market in almost 30 years, we can't help but think the recession plays a large part. Despite the reasons for these layoffs and "restructuring" by EA, there's always that underlying fear that Warhammer Online may be the next victim.

But we want to know what you think, faithful readers. Do you think WAR is doomed, or is this "restructuring" (along with the recent news of an unlimited free trial) part of a plan to ultimately save the game?

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The Daily Grind: Is Warhammer Online doomed? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> layoffsmythicopinionthe-daily-grindwarwarhammer-online Shawn Schuster Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Masthead Studios wraps up Earthrise crafting series]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/masthead-studios-wraps-up-earthrise-crafting-series/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/masthead-studios-wraps-up-earthrise-crafting-series/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/masthead-studios-wraps-up-earthrise-crafting-series/#comments
MMO fans who enjoy the crafting aspect of their games might be interested in what Earthrise will have to offer. The post-apocalyptic game's creators at Masthead Studios have been dropping quite a bit of info about how crafting will work, culminating in a two-part overview of Earthrise's crafting system. Masthead explained how gathered materials can be used to craft an item tailored for a specific purpose in last week's installment. They continue this week with the second half of "The Crafting Process" which walks us through the creation of a finished product.

Masthead's overview explains how players will manufacture the various modules which are assembled into the final product in factories. In this case, the example is of an assault rifle customized for the specific goal of taking down the Burzun mutants that prowl Enterra island. The second part of The Crafting Process also looks at how that weapon a player manufactures can be disassembled and upgraded to higher tiers of technology further down the line. Check out the latest installment of Masthead's Question of the Week series, The Crafting Process Part 2, for the best look we've had thus far at the game mechanics surrounding crafting in Earthrise.

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Masthead Studios wraps up Earthrise crafting series originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> burzuncraftingearthrisegame-mechanicsmasthead-studiosnew-titlespost-apocalypticqotwsci-fi James Egan Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Final Fantasy XI releases version update minus crafting]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/final-fantasy-xi-releases-version-update-minus-crafting/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/final-fantasy-xi-releases-version-update-minus-crafting/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/final-fantasy-xi-releases-version-update-minus-crafting/#comments
Well, maybe we should just be happy the Summoner updates went live now. The much-discussed November version update for Final Fantasy XI was released today, but it's lacking something that had just recently been announced -- namely, the entire evolith and synergy system that was promised to be dropped along with the version update. Square-Enix officially stated that the change is coming in another version update past mid-November. And, sadly, it gets a little worse before it gets better -- one of the promised ranger changes, reduced threat from ranged attacks at longer distances, has been nixed.

But let's not dwell on the negatives, really. After all, the crafting is coming soon enough, and it's not as if this update was sparse on content to begin with. There are a pile of new quests available, new improvements to the Moblin Maze Mongers service, and all the other updates and job changes we've covered previously. Not to mention that the add-on scenario A Shantotto Ascension is ready to play, something likely to produce at least some joy and spontaneous fits of rhyming. Take a look at the list of official patch notes for all the details, and don't fret -- there's enough content that you're sure to find something to do until mid-November.

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Final Fantasy XI releases version update minus crafting originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> a-shantotto-ascenioncraftingexpansionsffxifinal-fantasy-xigame-mechanicsnovember-2009-version-updatepatchessquaresquare-enix Eliot Lefebvre Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Aion reports nearly 1 million copies sold in North America and Europe]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/aion-reports-nearly-1-million-copies-sold-in-north-america-and-e/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/aion-reports-nearly-1-million-copies-sold-in-north-america-and-e/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/aion-reports-nearly-1-million-copies-sold-in-north-america-and-e/#comments

Aion hit the ground running earlier this year, easily breaking the 400,000 mark for pre-orders, and they're continuing the trend. The first month post launch was occasionally rocky, but the good seems to easily outweigh the bad in the eyes of fans: NCsoft announced today that they have sold nearly one million copies of Aion: The Tower of Eternity in North America and Europe.

North America accounted for over 500,000 of those copies, and European sales stand at around 470,000, allowing Aion to make up an extremely respectable 52 percent of NCsoft's total sales last quarter.

Aion has their player base to thank for the sales, but their timing certainly didn't hurt. They enjoyed a launch time relatively free of competition -- the MMO market wasn't exactly glutted with new high-fantasy PvPvE titles in 2009.

Aion officially launched September 22nd in North America, and September 25th in Europe.

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Aion reports nearly 1 million copies sold in North America and Europe originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aionaion-onlinencsoftsales Rubi Bayer Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Rumor: 80 more layoffs hit Mythic]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/rumor-80-more-layoffs-hit-mythic/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/rumor-80-more-layoffs-hit-mythic/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/rumor-80-more-layoffs-hit-mythic/#comments
Gamasutra is reporting that another 80 layoffs have hit Mythic Entertainment as well as several other Electronic Arts studios, although Mythic was the only MMO group to feel the sting of sudden unemployment. That would equate to 40% of the team, which would make for a brutal staff blow. Our best wishes go out to everyone finding themselves without a job and we sincerely hope they all find steady work as soon as possible.

What does this mean for Warhammer Online, exactly? In light of the new Endless Trial it seems like EA is doing everything it can to squeeze profit from the project, which began with a bang last year, but unfortunately fizzled out soon after Wrath of the Lich King hit. And now with Mythic assisting BioWare on Star Wars: The Old Republic, along with maintaining Dark Age of Camelot and Ultima Online, you would be forgiven for seeing dark clouds collecting in the skies above.

Nevertheless, there should be people still working on new content for Warhammer Online, at least in theory. So hopefully we'll hear something soon, such as a boxed expansion, which would raise spirits quite significantly at this point.

[Edit: This is no longer a rumor as it has been confirmed]

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Rumor: 80 more layoffs hit Mythic originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> biowarebreakingdaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsgamasutramythicmythic-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorultima-onlinewarwarhammer-online Kyle Horner Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Runes of Magic celebrates 10,000 Facebook fans]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/runes-of-magic-celebrates-10-000-facebook-fans/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/runes-of-magic-celebrates-10-000-facebook-fans/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/runes-of-magic-celebrates-10-000-facebook-fans/#comments Some people will jump on any good reason to celebrate, and we love them for it -- especially when "party" equals "giveaway". Runes of Magic is celebrating a milestone: 10,000 fans on their Facebook page.

They're celebrating by sending fans on a scavenger hunt. Runes of Magic wants you to take a look around their social networking sites: Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube, and find four gold coins that they've hidden. The coins spell out a word when put together. Find the word, head over to the contest page to enter it, and you've got a chance at winning. Ten people will be drawn from the pool of correct entries, with the first prize winner receiving a Leadtek Winfast GeForce GTX 275 graphics card. RoM t-shirts and mugs are up for grabs for nine more people.

To see the list of sites to visit, check the list on the official site, and good luck!

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Runes of Magic celebrates 10,000 Facebook fans originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> contestfacebookfrogstergiveawayromrunes-of-magictwitteryoutube Rubi Bayer Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Age of Conan community interview: Ask Funcom!]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/age-of-conan-community-interview-ask-funcom/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/age-of-conan-community-interview-ask-funcom/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/age-of-conan-community-interview-ask-funcom/#comments As anyone who has been following Age of Conan for the last few months knows, Funcom is working hard to get their MMO back on the top of everyone's playlists. Launch-day bugs have been fixed and they're focusing on more incentives to get players back into their game.

With last month's Game Director's letter explaining a push towards more player feedback, we wanted to help along the process a bit with your questions. Do you have something you'd like to ask about the new content? How about something concerning their revised subscription options? Whatever it is, Funcom is ready. Email your questions to shawn AT massively DOT com by Thursday, November 12 at 8am ET, and we'll pick the best 10 to send along to Funcom. Questions left as comments to this post will not be considered. Once the answers get answered, we'll be sure to post them up right away.

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Age of Conan community interview: Ask Funcom! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> age-of-conanaoccommunityfuncominterviewq-and-a Shawn Schuster Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[One Shots: At the heart of things]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/one-shots-at-the-heart-of-things/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/one-shots-at-the-heart-of-things/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/one-shots-at-the-heart-of-things/#comments Every so often we hear back from interstellar traveler and occasional One Shots contributor, Redwense, who sends us great visual postcards and interesting stories from within the galaxies of EVE Online. Today's One Shots is a stunning image captured during a recent skirmish. Before we turn today's post over, remember if you'd like to get in on the fun, email your image to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com. be sure to include your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. For now, we'll leave the explanation of this image to Redwense. Be sure to check out the rest of the story behind the break!

Red Federation and Blue Republic were on a "Purple" skirmish through low security space, hoping to catch some action against fresh targets. Normally, the corporations would continue their daily "Red versus Blue" campaign--taking the form of a primitive "fight club"--within the region of Verge Vendor, but members often craved for new targets elsewhere.

Gallery: One Shots

Continue reading One Shots: At the heart of things

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One Shots: At the heart of things originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ccpeveeve-onlineone-shotsredwensescreenshotscreenshotsstory Krystalle Voecks Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[It's official: Star Trek Online releases February 2nd, 2010]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/its-official-star-trek-online-releases-february-2nd-2010/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/its-official-star-trek-online-releases-february-2nd-2010/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/its-official-star-trek-online-releases-february-2nd-2010/#comments It looks like the rumors were true and Star Trek Online will indeed be hitting in early February, 2010. The dates are February 2nd in North America and February 5th in Europe, so start warming up your nacelles now because it won't be long before we'll all be warping into Cryptic's first non-superhero title.

With Trek's popularity on the rise due to the new J.J. Abrams movie -- and a second movie on the way at some point in the future -- there's no doubt that Star Trek Online represents a huge opportunity to Cryptic Studios, who've until now been known as "that superhero MMO developer" to anyone you might ask.

Since the release date is so very close at hand, there's no doubt that a flurry of new information (Klingons!) will soon become available. Be on the lookout for our weekly community Q&A sessions with the STO team, starting with this weeks' forthcoming feature focused on everything ships!

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It's official: Star Trek Online releases February 2nd, 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ataribreakingcrypticcryptic-studioslaunchreleaserelease-datestar-trekstar-trek-onlinesto Kyle Horner Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Aion 1.5.1 patch additions receive an overwhelming "Meh"]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/aion-1-5-1-patch-additions-receive-an-overwhelming-meh/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/aion-1-5-1-patch-additions-receive-an-overwhelming-meh/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/aion-1-5-1-patch-additions-receive-an-overwhelming-meh/#comments The latest additions to Aion's 1.5.1 patch notes illustrate the "damned if you do, damned if you don't" reality that is MMO development. They also show a potential communication disconnect between the game's players and developers or possibly even unrealistic expectations. Upon reading the pages and pages of player comments on these patch note additions, the general opinion can be summarized as such: "These changes don't address our major complaints."

There's no doubt that 1.5.1 will greatly improve Aion (less grind anyone?), but players seem to be sticking on a few major points that aren't yet in the tentative patch notes. Most of the players commenting on these notes seem to feel that Aion's first big patch should tackle the crashing fortresses issue (crysys.dll), flying spiritmaster pets, better UI customization, and a number of other issues (less grind included). There also appears to be resistance to a new debuff that will be added to aether extraction. Players will now be randomly debuffed when gathering, but can quickly remove it by typing a captcha. This change is obviously aimed at bots, but many state this will become an annoyance for everyone.

Check out our summary of part one of the patch notes and AionSource's interview with NCsoft's Lani Blazier to get a comprehensive view of the situation.

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Aion 1.5.1 patch additions receive an overwhelming "Meh" originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aionaion-patch-1.5.1aionsourcecrysys.dllinterviewlani-blaziernc-westncsoftpatches Brooke Pilley Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: Five exciting MMOs in 2010]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/the-digital-continuum-five-exciting-mmos-in-2010/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/the-digital-continuum-five-exciting-mmos-in-2010/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/the-digital-continuum-five-exciting-mmos-in-2010/#comments Space, car chases and heroic fantasies lie in wait, plotting the demise of our nights and weekends. 2010 will soon be upon us and with it a whole new set of MMO releases, which means it's time to look at some of the most exciting ones. Some are obvious, while others are surprises even to me. Overall, however, this next year is going to be pretty crazy for fans of the genre.

These are my five most exciting titles that the coming year has to offer, whether it wants to or not.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: Five exciting MMOs in 2010

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The Digital Continuum: Five exciting MMOs in 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> all-points-bulletinapbataricrypticea-partnersfeaturedgrand-theft-auto-onlinegta-onlineopinionrealtime-worldsstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestothe-digital-continuum Kyle Horner Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Massively Interviews: A look into Jade Dynasty's Ascension expansion with Andrew Brown]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/massively-interviews-a-look-into-jade-dynastys-ascension-expan/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/massively-interviews-a-look-into-jade-dynastys-ascension-expan/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/massively-interviews-a-look-into-jade-dynastys-ascension-expan/#comments As we mentioned on Friday, Jade Dynasty is getting a brand new expansion and we the inside scoop for you. This Thursday is the release of the free update, but you don't have to wait that long to find out the story on the game's new Ascension system, brand new race, and new pet features.

We sat down with Jade Dynasty's American product manager, Andrew Brown, and talked with him about the update. Not only did we find out exactly what's in the expansion, but we also got a glimpse into how the game is made and how much control American audiences have over the features in a Chinese MMO.

Continue reading Massively Interviews: A look into Jade Dynasty's Ascension expansion with Andrew Brown

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Massively Interviews: A look into Jade Dynasty's Ascension expansion with Andrew Brown originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> andrew-brownascensionexclusiveexpansioninterviewjade-dynastymassively-interviewpatchperfect-world-entertainmentskybladesocial-featureswesternization Seraphina Brennan Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Microtransactions and the splits in philosophy]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/microtransactions-and-the-splits-in-philosophy/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/microtransactions-and-the-splits-in-philosophy/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/microtransactions-and-the-splits-in-philosophy/#comments
No one was expecting the current 900-pound-gorilla of the MMO market to throw its hat in the ring regarding microtransactions, but the fact that it's in the mix has forced a large number of people to take a look at the philosophies and patterns of the business model. Killed in a Smiling Accident recently put down some thoughts regarding the differences, explaining that World of Warcraft's model is, in their opinion, inferior to the one found in the equally-significant microtransaction model of Dungeons and Dragons Online. The former has a store consisting of fluff items with no equivalent in the game, while the latter largely puts forth offerings that can be obtained in the normal game if you want to take the time.

Of course, there's the obvious counter brought up in the comments: that it's better to have microtransactions selling something you can't otherwise get in the game. Simply take a look at Champions Online and the controversy over retcon pricing to see how the two can be better left untethered. Getting something unique is a nice bonus for a game you enjoy -- for example, look at the bonus costume packs that City of Heroes sells. However, with items on sale that can be obtained from gameplay, the game can feel a bit more disjointed. There's a case to be made for both sides, and with the free-to-play model gaining speed, it should be interesting to note where the majority of MMO players draw the line.

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Microtransactions and the splits in philosophy originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> blizzardbusiness-modelschampions-onlinecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscocohcovcoxcrypticcultureddodungeons-and-dragons-onlinefree-to-playgame-mechanicskilled-in-a-smiling-accidentmicrotransactionsmmo-industryncsoftturbineworld-of-warcraftwow Eliot Lefebvre Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Free Realms begins job sampling week for free players]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/free-realms-begins-job-sampling-week-for-free-players/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/free-realms-begins-job-sampling-week-for-free-players/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/free-realms-begins-job-sampling-week-for-free-players/#comments
Last week we spoke to Laralyn McWilliams, the creative director for Free Realms, and she had a lot to say about upcoming changes and additions to the game. The most important change she mentioned was to the job system: "...as of early November, free player characters that are newly created will be able to play any job (Ninja, Chef, Postman, Kart Driver, Demo Derby Driver, Brawler, Miner, Soccer Star, Archer, Wizard, Medic, Blacksmith, Warrior) in Free Realms up to level five for free."

The Free Realms team will usher in the new availability of these jobs by holding a community job sampling event this week, running Monday through Friday. Twice each day, they'll be hanging out by a specific job trainer to spend some time with the players and answer questions to familiarize you with the newly available jobs. The full list of jobs they'll be covering, as well as locations and times, can be found on the site.

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Free Realms begins job sampling week for free players originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> community-eventsfree-realmsjobslaralyn-mcwilliamssoesony-online-entertainment Rubi Bayer Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Star Trek Online's 'Episode Missions' detailed]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/star-trek-onlines-episode-missions-detailed/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/star-trek-onlines-episode-missions-detailed/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/star-trek-onlines-episode-missions-detailed/#comments Many an MMO has its own word for the ever present quest, but usually a name change is the only real difference. With Star Trek Online's Episode Missions, Cryptic is working towards creating a nomenclature that describes the experience of living out the beloved television shows of our past, and you can read all about it in a new developer blog.

Each episode will be roughly 45 to 90 minutes long and functions as a primary mover in player progression. Many of their stories will be infused with conflict, although Cryptic is saying not all episodes have to end with battle. The setting -- the year 2409 -- is a time of war, which gives credence to a Trek universe where blowing things up is unfortunately more common. In this respect, Star Trek Online is much more like the movie versions than the series.

The game is set to launch with three seasons of episodes, where each season represents 14 episodes. That's 42 episodes at launch, which is kind of like a nerdy lucky number. We'll take it as a good sign.

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Star Trek Online's 'Episode Missions' detailed originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 2409ataricrypticcryptic-studiosdev-blogdeveloper-blogepisode-missionsepisodesstar-trekstar-trek-onlinesto Kyle Horner Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What MMO would you like to see be brought back to life?]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/the-daily-grind-what-mmo-would-you-like-to-see-be-brought-back/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/the-daily-grind-what-mmo-would-you-like-to-see-be-brought-back/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/09/the-daily-grind-what-mmo-would-you-like-to-see-be-brought-back/#comments
Today is a day where we should honor our fallen. Motor City Online. Tabula Rasa. Auto Assault. Asheron's Call 2. Earth and Beyond. Underlight. Shadowbane. Castle Infinity. The Matrix Online. The Sims Online. Seed. All of these games, and more, are MMOs that have launched, played, and then died.

Each of these games has a reason for why it was cancelled, but the outcome remains the same -- they aren't online today and their clients are nothing more than wasted code sitting on a disk. Some of these games were our introduction to the genre. Others were our favorite games -- the ones that could trump even the largest names in the MMO business.

So Massively readers, which dead MMO would you like to see be resurrected? Tell us some stories as to why you pick your game of choice, and drop them all in the comment box below. Mourn with others, we encourage it!

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The Daily Grind: What MMO would you like to see be brought back to life? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> asherons-call-2auto-assaultcancelled-mmoscastle-infinitydead-mmosearth-and-beyondmotor-city-onlineopinionseedshadowbanetabula-rasathe-daily-grindthe-matrix-onlinethe-sims-onlineunderlight Seraphina Brennan Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The perils of railroading in MMOs]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/the-perils-of-railroading-in-mmos/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/the-perils-of-railroading-in-mmos/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/the-perils-of-railroading-in-mmos/#comments
If your gaming origins consist of old-school tabletop gaming, you most likely know and fear the term railroading. It's used to describe an innocent-enough formulation that begins in a large number of games, usually run by younger players, wherein players are more or less forced along a preset path no matter what they might choose to do. That's a Terrible Idea recently took certain parts of the MMO world to task for this as well, as offering precisely that -- a game streamlined so effectively that you have no choices to be made. In particular it cites Aion as an example of a game offering a straight-line, no-thought approach to the genre.

Certainly one of the common criticisms of some newer games, such as Aion and Champions Online, is that you find yourself pushed along on a narrow set of tracksw toward an inevitable conclusion, without many choices to be made in terms of gameplay. On the flip side, of course, it's hard to argue that a certain amount of streamlining is a good thing -- we might miss the sensation of wondering what we should do next, but not the sensation of having no idea what comes next. But there's an argument to be made that streamlining too far removes the whole reason we play the game, and it certainly destroys any hope of meaningful immersion when all your choices have already been made.

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The perils of railroading in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aionaion-the-tower-of-eternitychampions-onlinecoculturegame-mechanicslinear-gamesopinionrailroadrailroadingstreamliningthats-a-terrible-idea Eliot Lefebvre Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Dominion be damned]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/eve-evolved-dominion-be-damned/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/eve-evolved-dominion-be-damned/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/eve-evolved-dominion-be-damned/#comments
At the last EVE Online fanfest, it was announced that the Dominion expansion is slated for December 1st to coincide with Iceland's Sovereignty day. With less than a month to go until launch, there has been growing concern at the extreme lack of information on the new sovereignty mechanics at the expansion's core. There have been a few scheduled tests and several devblogs but few factual details on the mechanics we'll be using once the expansion goes live. I've even been on the test server and tried the new mechanics out but they're far from finished.

The worry was that if the specific details weren't revealed as soon as possible, it might end up being too late to make necessary changes based on player feedback. On Friday 6th, a devblog was finally released explaining the cost breakdowns in the new sovereignty system and what bonuses will be given for the various system upgrades. Rather than allaying people's fears, the devblog set the forums on fire. An intense debate has sprung up, with massive outcry from those that live in 0.0. Their concerns may well be warranted as the proposed mechanics don't quite match up with the original vision of the Dominion expansion that the EVE community has shown support for thus far.

Has Dominion veered off course and is time running out to get it back on track? In this opinion piece, I run down the new devblog and give an inside view into parts of the heated debate it sparked off.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Dominion be damned

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EVE Evolved: Dominion be damned originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 0.0ccpccp-gamesdevblogdominioneveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedforumsnullsecopinionpvp Brendan Drain Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Are subscription game item shops the third Trammel?]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/are-subscription-game-item-shops-the-third-trammel/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/are-subscription-game-item-shops-the-third-trammel/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/are-subscription-game-item-shops-the-third-trammel/#comments We like to keep our ear to the blogging (under)ground here at Massively because we often find interesting ideas and perspectives on the MMO industry. For instance, Green Armadillo of Player vs. Developer (PvD) just made a bold yet insightful statement about subscription game item shops being the third Trammel. For those unfamiliar, Trammel changed the way most people played Ultima Online and could be considered a paradigm shift in the industry from "harsh" PvP-enabled MMOs to safer PvE.

It's no secret that the rise of microtransactions and MMO item shops (aka real money trading or RMT) are a big change in direction from traditional subscription based MMOs. However, it now seems we're seeing the line blur between the two. Dungeons & Dragons Online, Champions Online, and most recently World of Warcraft are all subscription-based MMOs with built-in RMT. Are we witnessing the birth of the third Trammel?

As for the second Trammel, PvD calls out WoW's solo quest system. Never in any previous MMO did players enjoy such easy soloability and it seems that every triple-A MMO since WoW has relied heavily upon the solo quest system. We think PvD may be on to something here.

Continue reading Are subscription game item shops the third Trammel?

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Are subscription game item shops the third Trammel? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> champions-onlinedungeons-and-dragons-onlineitem-shopmicrotransactionsreal-money-tradingrmtsubscriptiontrammelultima-onlineworld-of-warcraft Brooke Pilley Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[One Shots: The hat needs work]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/one-shots-the-hat-needs-work/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/one-shots-the-hat-needs-work/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/one-shots-the-hat-needs-work/#comments
When it comes to Aion, many players love just how highly detailed and cool-looking their armor and weapons are. However, when it comes to the recent holiday hats from the Aion Halloween event, those glowy pumpkin heads just don't really cut it in comparison. Even considering that, they're still fun to see. This recent image comes to us from our long-time One Shots contributor, Johanis, who writes in: Here is Metros...now almost level 25 Templar who just got his Halloween Hat. Lookin' good!

One Shots is all about reader contributions. MMOs from big to small are welcome. Just email them to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll post them out here and give you the love for sending 'em in.

Gallery: One Shots


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One Shots: The hat needs work originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aionhalloween-2009johanisncsoftone-shotsscreenshotscreenshots Krystalle Voecks Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic senior writer talks about writing the Jedi Knight]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/star-wars-the-old-republic-senior-writer-talks-about-writing-th/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/star-wars-the-old-republic-senior-writer-talks-about-writing-th/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/star-wars-the-old-republic-senior-writer-talks-about-writing-th/#comments Drew Karpyshyn is the senior writer for the Star Wars: The Old Republic team with plenty of experience writing characters from the dark side, but now he's stepping out of his comfort zone to take a walk on the Jedi side. The fun he's having writing the Jedi Knight class comes through clearly in Friday's developer blog entry: "Nothing says Star Wars like a brown-robed figure brandishing a shimmering energy blade of righteous destruction."

Exploring the Jedi Knight class meant delving the Jedi Code and how it works in theory vs. how it works in practice. What happens when you take that code and mix in a hefty dose of "what if?" is a recipe for all kinds of possibilities, and Karpyshyn is having a great time exploring them. His experience writing the dark side gives his version of "what if" a little edge, exploring thoughts of renegade Jedi Knights who are willing to bend the rules for the greater good.

It's a fun read, with a great look into Karpyshyn's thoughts on the class -- you can take a look at the full entry on the official site.

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Star Wars: The Old Republic senior writer talks about writing the Jedi Knight originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> biowareclassesdeveloper-diaryDrew-Karpyshynjedi-knightlucasartsnew-titlesstar-wars-the-old-republicswtor Rubi Bayer Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Pumpkin contest winners for Final Fantasy XI]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/pumpkin-contest-winners-for-final-fantasy-xi/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/pumpkin-contest-winners-for-final-fantasy-xi/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/pumpkin-contest-winners-for-final-fantasy-xi/#comments
As Halloween fades into a memory of candy, costumes, and cheaply-made outdoor decorations, the MMOsphere slowly closes its doors on the various holiday events. Final Fantasy XI's pumpkin-carving contest on Allakhazam has finally drawn to a close, with the votes in and tallied and the winners determined. And if you doubt that there's a great deal of talent and originality on display with the contest, the excellently-rendered San d'Orian knight charging into battle above wasn't the winner -- they placed fourth.

Third place went to a rendition of the title image for this year's Halloween event, while second place went to Final Fantasy XI's resident mad professor herself. First place went -- quite deservedly -- to this hauntingly well-rendered image of a tonberry in the darkness. The official announcement includes a tally of the votes, but that might not be quite as exciting to casual observers as a gallery of all the entries. Congratulations to the winners, and here's hoping that next year brings still more pumpkin-carving fun for FFXI.

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Pumpkin contest winners for Final Fantasy XI originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> contestsfan-artffxifinal-fantasy-xihalloween2009news-itemspumpkin-carvingpumpkinsreal-world-eventssquaresquare-enix Eliot Lefebvre Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How much do you care about subscription numbers as a consumer?]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/the-daily-grind-how-much-do-you-care-about-subscription-numbers/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/the-daily-grind-how-much-do-you-care-about-subscription-numbers/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/08/the-daily-grind-how-much-do-you-care-about-subscription-numbers/#comments
We've all heard that infamous World of Warcraft line -- "12 million people can't be wrong." People say it whenever a person doubts that World of Warcraft is the "omgbestestgameevar!11" but how much weight does that line actually hold?

Specifically, what we want to know here at Massively is how much do you pay attention to a game's perceived subscription numbers? Do you avoid games that don't seem to be doing so well? Or are you the type of person who just pulls the game off of the shelf due to content and content alone? Does a game have to have some huge number of subscribers to be successful in your eyes?

You know the drill. Words go in the comment box below. Typing is super effective!

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The Daily Grind: How much do you care about subscription numbers as a consumer? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> crowdopinionsubscription-numbersthe-daily-grind Seraphina Brennan Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Atlantica Online speeds up download with new Lite client]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/atlantica-online-speeds-up-download-with-new-lite-client/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/atlantica-online-speeds-up-download-with-new-lite-client/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/atlantica-online-speeds-up-download-with-new-lite-client/#comments
Atlantica Online just celebrated its first year in the US, but the free-to-play game apparently had another trick up its sleeve -- namely, allowing players interested in the game a chance to get in and start playing even faster. After all, it can be obnoxious to download a client and wait for it to patch through updates when you just want to dive in and get to playing. Ndoors Interactive has just launched the game's lite client, a way for a smaller initial download to let you start playing the game as fast as possible.

The new client's trick is to only frontload the first twenty levels of play while downloading the rest via background processes. This allows new players to log in and start playing their character faster, but it can cause issues for existing players who might be at a higher level (and the press release specifically suggests avoiding the lite client if that's the case). For everyone who hasn't started the game, it's an interesting way to make the startup more accessible and significantly faster. Consider taking a look over the weekend, and possibly getting in on some of the one year celebration goodies Atlantica Online has to offer.

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Atlantica Online speeds up download with new Lite client originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> atlanticaatlantica-onlineclientsdownloadsf2pfree-to-playlaunchesndoorsndoors-interactivenews-items Eliot Lefebvre Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Warhammer Online developer diary on combat with hackers]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/warhammer-online-developer-diary-on-combat-with-hackers/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/warhammer-online-developer-diary-on-combat-with-hackers/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/warhammer-online-developer-diary-on-combat-with-hackers/#comments
Hackers, as everyone knows, were scheduled to be the mirror class to Choppas... wait, no, that's not right. We're not talking about one of the classes of Warhammer Online, we're talking about that scourge of the paying and fair-playing populace of every MMO. The most recent developer diary on the game's official site is with John Cox, development manager, discussing some of the ways and means that allows Mythic to fight against the scourge of hacking and try and keep the game on the level.

Cox discusses a number of techniques, starting with the most obvious: that several people working on fighting the hacks are part of hacking communities, observing silently and sometimes even testing them internally to develop a response. He also discusses why some of the progress on fighting illegal behavior is a bit slower than the community would like, and why it's not always as possible to shut things down straightaway on the server end. With a discussion of some of the holes in detection, which includes an explanation of why the game briefly had Vista users almost universally flagged as hackers, it's an interesting look behind the scenes at Warhammer Online's efforts to fight the good fight. (That is, the one not involving Order versus Destruction.)

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Warhammer Online developer diary on combat with hackers originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bugsdeveloper-diaryeaelectronic-artsexploitshackersjohn-coxmythicmythic-entertainmentwarwarhammer-online Eliot Lefebvre Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Still more details on Final Fantasy XI's coming update]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/still-more-details-on-final-fantasy-xis-coming-update/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/still-more-details-on-final-fantasy-xis-coming-update/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/still-more-details-on-final-fantasy-xis-coming-update/#comments At the rate we're getting swamped with information about the upcoming Final Fantasy XI version update, we'll soon be finding out that the update is also adding two new jobs and a level cap increase. Well, maybe not, but Square-Enix has released yet more news about the upcoming November version update. Already we've heard about new gear enhancements, new crafting, job updates, and a reward for content-minded players. The most recent information involves some of the more miscellaneous activities of Vana'diel's inhabitants, including chocobo racing and fishing.

Chocobo races are being changed over to a new schedule system that keeps races running on a consistent real-world schedule to make coordination easier for players. The system is also adding new purchasable items that will have a variety of bonuses for the devoted race enthusiast. Of course, the new items won't be cheap -- nothing in Final Fantasy XI is -- but first through third-place winners in each race will be receiving a much larger amount of chocobucks for their placing, which should make affording things much more fesable. On top of that, there's a promise of more fish to turn in for the popular "In the Belly" quest, with the hint of new equipment. Keep your eyes peeled, as we might well have not seen the last of the additions to this now-massive update.

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Still more details on Final Fantasy XI's coming update originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> chocobo-racingffxifinal-fantasy-xifishinggame-mechanicsmaking-moneynovember-2009-version-updatepatchessquaresquare-enix Eliot Lefebvre Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[One Shots: A toast to your doom]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/one-shots-a-toast-to-your-doom/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/one-shots-a-toast-to-your-doom/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/one-shots-a-toast-to-your-doom/#comments Every year in Guild Wars, the Mad King Thorn invades, demanding that the residents there laugh -- or die. But for all that this may sound incredibly ominous, you can't help but appreciate just how utterly cool the ArenaNet team has made their game look. Today's spooky yet gorgeous screenshot comes to us from Thorband, who captured this image during the recent Guild Wars Halloween events. Add in those especially awesome wings, the grinning moon, and a ghoulish visage, and that's a hard Halloween image to beat!

Have you seen something really, really cool but unquestionably evil? We'd be thrilled if you'd share with the rest of us. Just email it to oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll post it out here and give you the credit. (Meanwhile, we'll be turning it into our desktop image for the day!)

Gallery: One Shots

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One Shots: A toast to your doom originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> arenanetguild-warsgwhalloween-2009mad-king-thornncsoftone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsthorband Krystalle Voecks Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[WRUP: Who needs to go outside edition]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/wrup-who-needs-to-go-outside-edition/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/wrup-who-needs-to-go-outside-edition/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/wrup-who-needs-to-go-outside-edition/#comments With so many delicious gaming options available, we have to agree with Tracey's conclusion: who needs to go outside? Virtual life is often by far the more exciting -- though we are all curious about this RL outdoor instance Krystalle is talking about. Either way, it's safe to say that this weekend the Massively staff is getting into as much trouble (virtually, of course) as is possible in the space of two tiny days. So, without further ado, read onward to see what the Massively team is playing -- and to tell us what you're playing!

Continue reading WRUP: Who needs to go outside edition

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WRUP: Who needs to go outside edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> what-are-you-playingwrup Elizabeth Harper Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Aion grips top ten digital sales charts a month past release]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/aion-grips-top-ten-digital-sales-charts-a-month-past-release/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/aion-grips-top-ten-digital-sales-charts-a-month-past-release/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/aion-grips-top-ten-digital-sales-charts-a-month-past-release/#comments You'd be forgiven for thinking Aion would've fallen off the Steam and DIrect2Drive top ten sales charts, what with the fire hose blast of new PC releases. Fortunately for NCsoft, that isn't the case as the game is still clinging to said charts in the face of games like Dragon Age: Origins, Borderlands, Torchlight and Left 4 Dead 2. Boldness!

Actually, the game is pretty darn good -- if you don't mind your peanut butter with extra grind -- so that's not a huge surprise all things considered. It's always a good sign when an MMO can stay on the top ten after its launch, moreso when it does so against high profile, high pedigree releases. So, rejoice Aion players, you've likely got a strong community! (We could've just told you that, but now numbers vindicate said observation.)

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Aion grips top ten digital sales charts a month past release originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aionborderlandsd2ddigitaldirect2drivedragon-agedragon-age-originsl4d2nc-westncsoftsteamtop-tentorchlight Kyle Horner Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you believe MMOs have one month to make a positive impression?]]> http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/the-daily-grind-do-you-believe-mmos-have-one-month-to-make-a-po/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/the-daily-grind-do-you-believe-mmos-have-one-month-to-make-a-po/ http://www.massively.com/2009/11/07/the-daily-grind-do-you-believe-mmos-have-one-month-to-make-a-po/#comments
This seems to be a divisive issue for many people... which makes it the perfect cannon fodder to use in a morning Daily Grind question! Readers of Massively, do you think that MMOs have a single month to make a gloriously positive impression on our player base?

Is the first month really the sink or swim times that internet buzz makes it out to be? Or do you believe an MMO is something that grows and refines itself over time like a fine wine, or cheese? A product that gets distilled by its developers and eventually turned into something brilliant?

Crash and burn or slow evolution, we want to hear your opinions loud and clear! Throw them into the white comment box below, and watch as our magical opinionating-opinionators whirr to life and print your wordymajigs on the Interwebz!

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The Daily Grind: Do you believe MMOs have one month to make a positive impression? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> commentsculturefirst-monthopinionthe-daily-grind Seraphina Brennan Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST Massively <![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