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Quickdraw added to MechWarrior Online's hangar

Sci-Fi, Video, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, MechWarrior Online

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Just like me, they long to be close to you.  They probably don't want to laser you to death afterwards, though.
It can be hard to get close to someone. Especially in MechWarrior Online, where the people you want to get close to are riding walking battle tanks designed to vaporize you at long range. But the newly added Quickdraw is all about getting in close, at which point it can unleash the full might of its short-range missile launchers and medium lasers. Which is probably why people don't want to get close to one another in the first place, really.

Fortunately for Quickdraw pilots, the machine is quick, jump-capable, and generally very able to get in close and unleash its payload. This new 'Mech is available in three variants alongside the new Champion Hunchback, and you can take a look at the precise loadouts in the patch notes. Or you can take a gander at the preview video for the machine embedded just past the cut.

[Source: Piranha Games press release]

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Double your pleasure and double your experience in Star Wars: The Old Republic

Sci-Fi, Events (In-Game), News Items, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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Oh, those wacky Dread Masters.
Are you ready to start leveling in Star Wars: The Old Republic? More to the point, would you like to level a whole lot faster? That's good, because you're going to have the chance to do just that starting this weekend. Double experience weekends are back for the next three weekends, including an extra-long version during the fourth of July, so that all of your characters can enjoy the freedom to scream up in levels and possibly skip some of the more tedious planets.

The first weekend starts on June 21st at 2:00 p.m. EDT and runs until 3:00 a.m. EDT on June 24th, while the second weekend runs at the same hours from June 28th to July 1st. The third and final weekend starts at 7:00 a.m. EDT on July 4th and runs all the way until July 8th at 3:00 a.m. EDT, which should give you ample time over the holiday to buff up your levels.

Superman saves the world... of warcraft

World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Culture, MMO Industry, News Items

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Superman saves the world of warcraft
What does Superman -- sorry, Kal-El -- do when he's not punching General Zod out of the sky or making googly eyes at Lois Lane? Could be that he's playing World of Warcraft, possibly even in your PUG.

Man of Steel star Henry Cavill recently told GQ that he quite enjoys both Skyrim and World of Warcraft. Cavill's such a big fan of the latter, in fact, that he missed Man of Steel director Zack Snyder's telephone call offering him the role of Superman. "I saw it was him [calling]," Cavill told British GQ, "but the thing is, you can't save World of Warcraft, you can't pause it. It's live."

RIFT adds warfront modes on a daddy's day off

Fantasy, Patches, PvP, Free-to-Play, RIFT

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RIFT adds warfront modes on a daddy's day off
While most fathers were enjoying brand-new ties and meals out on the town this past Sunday, RIFT Lead Game Designer Bill Fisher decided that he'd be a papa to the PvP game community and take care of their needs. Fisher went into the office on his day off, asked players what they wanted added, and whipped up two new game modes for warfronts.

The Black Garden warfront got a domination mode added, which allows players to wrest for the control of two key points. Also sporting a new domination mode is the Karthan Ridge warfront, although this one is a little more complex. Players in Karthan Ridge have to fight over five control points; the control points on the enemy's side of the map award more score points than do those on the on the home team side.

The hotfix also reinstated the second dimension option to players which had been disabled after the 2.3 patch.

Massively Speaking Episode 252: Eee Eee Eee

Podcasts, MMO Industry, Massively Meta, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous

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Massively Speaking Episode 252 Eee Eee Eee
Jasmine is back from covering this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, and boy does she have stories! Cool stories, not just ones about bears that get their heads stuck in honeypots. What impressed each of us from E3? Listen and find out!

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

Get the podcast:
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Read below the cut for the full show notes.

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EverQuest Next's official title is... EverQuest Next

Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, EverQuest Next, Sandbox

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EverQuest Next's official title declared
At SOE Live last year, fans were told that the EverQuest Next moniker was only a working title for the upcoming sandbox sequel to the Norrathian franchise. Most believed that the true name would not be revealed until the annual convention this year. However, one fan took to Twitter and point blank asked Dave Georgeson, the franchise director, about the impending title. And Georgeson answered! So the official title for EQ Next is -- *drum roll* -- EverQuest Next!

Yes folks, the working title has now been declared the official title. Surprise! OK, maybe it isn't really a surprise, but there were plenty of creative ideas floating around for possible names that could have been used, not to mention ones I'm sure we haven't even heard yet. But for now, EQN is set in stone... or is it? The game itself was totally blown up and redesigned from scratch, so it stands to reason the name could follow suit.

Tell us, Massively readers, what name would you slap on the side of this sandbox? Give us your best ideas in the comments below.

Hyperspace Beacon: The roleplayer's guide to SWTOR event planning

Sci-Fi, Events (In-Game), Game Mechanics, PvP, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Guides, Hyperspace Beacon, Player-Generated Content, MMORPG

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Hyperspace Beacon Roleplayer's guide to event planning in SWTOR
Amidst the critiques and patch reviews, the reasons I stick with Star Wars: The Old Republic sometimes get lost in the shuffle. Despite being irritated by the way BioWare handled specific parts of this Star Wars MMORPG, I still find the setting and the storytelling to be superb. These interwoven tales of adventure and chaos provide an incredible platform for my favorite thing to do in an MMO: roleplay.

I've covered several topics about roleplay in this column. From breaking into the community to an RP wishlist to resolving RP-related conflicts, I've might have covered everything except for one of the most basic of roleplay elements: How do you host a roleplay event in SWTOR? Although Star Wars: The Old Republic varies in its presentation and tools, the types of events you can throw are pretty similar to the ones you can throw in any other MMOs. The tiny details vary, but the three basic type of events can be narrowed down to social, PvE, and PvP.

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Black Desert Online closed beta slapped with delay

Betas, Fantasy, New Titles, PvP, PvE

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Black Desert
MMO players eagerly awaiting a taste of Black Desert Online will be waiting just a bit longer than expected; the closed beta phase has been delayed from sometime this summer to sometime this fall. Apparently, Pearl Abyss wanted a little bit of extra time to add some polish and shine to the beta, thus completely defying the point of having a beta in the first place.

This delay appears to apply to the Korean closed beta test, and there's no clear word on what's going on with any of the game's other localizations beyond rumors of a 2015 launch.

Cryptic introduces Dilithium Mine Outpost to Star Trek Online

Sci-Fi, News Items, PvE, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play

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STO: Dilithium Mine
Earlier this month, Cryptic hinted at some big changes to fleet holding projects in Star Trek Online. Executive producer Daniel Stahl went on the record in the company's Ask Cryptic column and explained that the STO team had something planned involving "dilithium-based mechanics." Today's dev blog finally explained what all that means: Starting soon, fleets will have the option of working on the Dilithium Mine, a brand-new fleet outpost.

The Dilithium Mine features both indoor and outdoor environments and is accessible through the Beta Ursae Block or through an unlockable transwarp. If you play Star Trek Online, those are probably words that make sense to you. The mine's appearance will change as fleet members upgrade its facilities by following its three progression tracks.

Completing the main progression track for the Dilithium Mine will reward fleets with discounts on project dilithium input costs, new construction projects, daily missions, and a daily repeatable that allows fleet members to refine ore beyond their normal cap. The sub tracks offer a variety of bonuses, mostly related to discounts on fleet projects.

Fleets will have access to the Dilithium Mine the moment it goes live but will need to reach the first tier of its main track before being granted access to the physical space.

Neverwinter to launch with alchemy profession

Fantasy, Launches, New Titles, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Neverwinter, MMORPG

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Neverwinter Alchemy
Neverwinter formally launches in just two days, but it appears as though the folks at Cryptic aren't quite done adding features to the game. The company has just announced that an entirely new profession, alchemy, will go live at the same time as the game's official launch. This brings the total number of professions in Neverwinter up to six.

Alchemy works in the way you might expect: You use resources gathered from the environment to make potions that enhance your abilities or restore your health. There are also unstable concoctions that provide random buff or debuff effects depending on your luck. Alchemists will be able to create dyes that can be used for color customization.

Alchemy joins endgame PvE and PvP dungeon Gauntlgrym as day-one new content for Neverwinter players. Neverwinter is set for officially official release on June 20th.

MapleStory rewards new and existing players for this week's World Transfer event

Trailers, Video, MapleStory, Events (In-Game), Free-to-Play, Promotions, Family

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MapleStory rewards new and existing players for this week's World Transfer event
All this week from June 19 to 26, MapleStory is holding a special World Transfer event where anyone who wants to move characters over to a new world can do so for only one meso. But the best part is the free stuff! For any new players that sign up for a MapleStory account through June 30, a Blue Dragon Adventure Pack is waiting in the game.

This adventure pack includes customization coupons for face, hair, eye color, and style, as well as a set of Maple items that boosts your character's stats. Pet accessories are also included, as well as the coveted Blue Dragon pet.

Check out the videos and run-down of the Blue Dragon Pack features after the cut for more information.

[Source: Nexon press release]

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Flameseeker Chronicles: Raiding in Guild Wars 2

Fantasy, Video, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles, Buy-to-Play

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Flameseeker Chronicles Raiding in Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 has been criticized in the past for not having having much PvE content for guilds and large groups of players. Several months ago, guild missions were added and helped fill that gap, but apparently we have more to look forward to.

ArenaNet's Chris Whiteside was chatting with players in the game and was asked whether or not we'd ever see raiding in Guild Wars 2. His reply was, "Our answer to raiding may very well be in the works! It is something I am very excited about and will be unique to GW2."

What could this mean for Guild Wars 2 and its players? What kind of unique spin could ArenaNet put on raiding? Let's dive into those questions after the break in a video edition of the Flameseeker Chronicles!

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Exclusive: Mabinogi trailer teases new saga in Iria

Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, Mabinogi

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Exclusive  Mabinogi trailer teases new saga in Iria
A new story is unfolding in the land of Iria in the fantasy free-to-play game Mabinogi and we've got the teaser trailer to kick things off. It all begins when Shamala, who has been imprisoned in Cor Village and purifying the demons, suddenly and mysteriously disappears, leaving players to help defend the village from the demons. In the midst of this, players meet up with Milia, a girl bent on punishing Shamala for the death of her father at the hands of the demons.

What's the full story behind it all? Perhaps players will find out in the new series of quests that will accompany the story when the new episodes begin next week. Until then, check out the teaser trailer after the break.

[Source: Nexon press release]

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City of Steam dev journal discusses game events

Betas, Fantasy, New Titles, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Dungeons, City of Steam, Steampunk

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City of Steam dev journal discusses game events
With a name meaning the center, you'd expect City of Steam's Nexus to be a happening place even in beta, right? That means plenty of events for folks to get in on. Well, it just so happens that there are two general events already in game and a third on the way, and Mechanist Games gives players the lowdown on how to get in on the action in the latest dev journal.

Unlike temporary in-game events, events in CoS are permanent instances you queue for. Of course, victory promises reward. Of the two current events, the Arena is all about survival of the soloist as waves of mobs crash into you whereas Tesla Defense is a five-man tower defense. When patch 1.3 releases, the PvP-based Siege of the Spire will join the event lineup as a MOBA-inspired arena that includes mobs, turrets, and team bases. Players can join the regular events as well as daily and weekly events with larger rewards. For more details, check out the official site.

Jukebox Heroes: Tabula Rasa's soundtrack

Sci-Fi, Opinion, Tabula Rasa, Jukebox Heroes, Music

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Jukebox Heroes Tabula Rasa's soundtrack
It's a well-known fact that the ghost of Tabula Rasa haunts the Massively offices. I think it's because Shawn keeps feeding it ectopellets because he's not quite ready to let his beloved MMO go. The ghost is driving the rest of us crazy because it's constantly switching the labels on our lunchboxes and whistling the Tabula Rasa theme through the air ducts while we're trying to get honest work done.

So while the MMO no longer exists outside of a few forlorn collector's editions picking up dust on store shelves, the music persists. Tabula Rasa boasted a strong score thanks to the work of Tracy W. Bush. Bush is a name you should know when it comes to MMO soundtracks: He had a huge hand in the World of Warcraft score and contributed to several NCsoft titles (which are all dead, but that's probably not his fault). [Edit: Several readers wrote in to let me know that Curse Mackey, Stacie Cline, Chris Vrenna, and Clint Walsh also contributed to the score. Thanks!]

I find that sci-fi MMOs, particularly shooter-based ones, tend to elicit heavier tracks and more synth work than orchestral, and they are sometimes relentlessly grim. All of the above certainly can be applied to Tabula Rasa, up to and including its final surprising track.

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The Daily Grind: Do you like getting email updates regarding MMOs?

Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Humor, Miscellaneous

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I seriously don't care about Nightmare Mode Anything.
Yesterday morning I received an email from Star Wars: The Old Republic to let me know that the latest game patch went live and I should totally play and check it out. Which is kind of pointless, because I have been playing. I didn't stop playing. Playing has been happening consistently the whole time. The mail shares a space in the same folder I reserve for mails like the ones from EVE Online urging me to come back after playing for one month seven years ago.

Admittedly, working for this site means that there are very few bits of MMO information that don't manage to hit our ears at some point. But are these mails ever received with any real joy or interest? I ask you, dear readers: Do you like getting email updates regarding MMOs? Or would you prefer that games of all stripes stop pestering you and let you play what and when you want?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

Not So Massively: Dreamhack 2013, news from E3, and Path of Exile battles RMT

Betas, Video, Culture, Economy, Events (Real-World), Game Mechanics, New Titles, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Consoles, Casual, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III, Crowdfunding, Infinite Crisis, Path of Exile

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Game title image
This week saw the world's largest annual LAN party get underway as Sweden played host to DreamHack Summer 2013 and a series of live cash-prize competitive game tournaments. League of Legends had the biggest showing, with a dedicated 1,200-person stage for its $30,000 DreamHack Championship tournament. Heroes of Newerth presented the $30,000 HoNTour grand finals with livestreaming and commentary from the Honcast crew. Dota 2 launched its own huge $46,600 tournament for the event, but fans have been up in arms about the tiny seating area reserved for their game.

Blizzard revealed more details on its upcoming console release of Diablo III, from skill and runes to transferring your co-op characters between consoles. Path of Exile tackled the issue of RMT head-on by locking currency items to new players' accounts until one of their characters hits level 25 and revealed that thousands of players are being banned each week for botting and RMT spam. Indie MOBA Skara also dropped a gameplay trailer this week and was at E3 to show the game off, but things aren't looking good for its kickstarter campaign.

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Catapult your friends and foes with Forge's new Tinker character

Fantasy, Video, Classes, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Buy-to-Play

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Catapult your friends and foes with Forge's new Tinker character
Are you looking for a new character to play in Dark Vale's Forge PvP title? Look no further than Tinker, who is the game's next piece of free DLC.

Tinker is available in the live game starting today, and Dark Vale has posted some teaser info -- including three gameplay videos -- on Forge's official forums. You can also get a load of Tinker's cata pad, armored booth, barricade, buzz saw, turret, and more via the clips that we've embedded just past the break.

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Chaos Theory: A guide to auxiliary weapons in The Secret World

Horror, Real-Life, Game Mechanics, Opinion, The Secret World, Guides, Chaos Theory, Buy-to-Play

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Chaos Theory A guide to getting your auxiliary weapons
With Issue #7 A Dream to Kill inching closer and closer, my anticipation for the new auxiliary weapon coming to The Secret World is reaching near impossible heights. I'll admit it: As a pyro at heart, I am giddy with the thought of wrapping my hands around a permanent flamethrower! And I'm certainly not alone in that sentiment, either.

But an excitement for the new weapon doesn't diminish any of the current ones that are already in game; each auxiliary weapon -- the rocket launcher, the chainsaw, the quantum brace, and the whip -- is awesome in its own right with distinct skills and style. Is one right for you? Heck yeah! If you aren't taking advantage of an auxiliary weapon, you are depriving yourself of some extra oomph in your fights, not to mention an eighth active and passive skill on your hot bar.

How do you know which one is better for you? Honestly, you needn't choose just one; as with regular weapons, you can earn all four. But with a hefty price of 35 SP per weapon, payable all at once, it's impossible to get more than one at a time. So which do you choose first? And then how do you go about getting it? This guide will give a general overview of the four current auxiliary weapons and the paths to acquiring them.

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Turn-based MOBA Arena of Heroes enters open beta

Betas, Fantasy, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Mobile, MOBA

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Arena of Heroes
If your primary complaint about MOBAs is that they move too quickly, Arena of Heroes might be something that lands a bit more in your comfort zone. Developed by Sneaky Games, Arena of Heroes is a turn-based, tactical MOBA that focuses more on strategy than on twitch-clicking hard skills.

Essentially, you and another player square off in an arena (duh), each controlling a team of four heroes in a battle for supremacy. It's your basic MOBA fare, but with a smaller battle zone and a slower, more deliberate pace. You and your opponent receive two minutes each to make your moves, or you can try the game's asynchronous mode and play several games simultaneously, with up to two days being allotted for turns.

Arena of Heroes has officially shifted into open beta, so you're free to check it out at your leisure. You can also read our hands-on with the game for a more detailed look at its inner workings.

The free-to-play game will launch on PC, Mac, iOS, and, at some point, Ouya and Android.

[Thanks to Venova for the tip]

The Stream Team

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Release Dates

Core Games List | Games in Testing
Neverwinter Launch June 20, 2013
Aion: Dark Betrayal Launch June 2013
FFXIV: ARR Launch August 27
SMITE Launch Summer 2013
Transformers Universe Launch 2013
WildStar Launch 2013
Elder Scrolls Online Launch Spring 2014
Destiny Launch 2014

 

Massively Staff

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