Massively Speaking http://massively.joystiq.com This is the Massively podcast http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Massively SpeakingJoystiqMassively Speaking<![CDATA[Dark Age of Camelot updates Relic mechanics and classes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/dark-age-of-camelot-updates-relic-mechanics-and-classes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/dark-age-of-camelot-updates-relic-mechanics-and-classes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/dark-age-of-camelot-updates-relic-mechanics-and-classes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Relics also cannot be used any longer as snack food for pet monsters.
Some people no doubt see the venerable Dark Age of Camelot as a relic. But you know what's even more of a relic? The game's Relics. These powerful items have received an overhaul in the latest patch; the items have been moved to central locations in each Realm that cannot be captured or claimed. Players carrying Relics have also become more visible and slightly less mobile, and special Envoys have been added to help defend Relics from capture.

The patch also updates several class abilities. Bonedancers get a new spell to target a region on the ground, while Friars and Valewalkers both gain a rear snare. On the flip side, toxic direct damage poisons have all seen a slight downgrade in effectiveness for balance reasons. Dark Age of Camelot players can see the full list of changes in the patch notes, and while it's not a major content patch, the changes should spice up the game's ongoing realm warfare.

MassivelyDark Age of Camelot updates Relic mechanics and classes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 May 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecamelotclassclass-balanceclassesclassic-mmodaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsfantasygame-mechanicsmechanical-changesmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologypatchpatchespvprelicsrvrupdateTue, 22 May 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/the-perfect-ten-free-to-play-holdouts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/the-perfect-ten-free-to-play-holdouts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/the-perfect-ten-free-to-play-holdouts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
In the increasingly diminishing field of subscription-only MMOs, two distinct camps have formed. There is the Old Guard that has its established playerbase and is simply not interested in jumping on board the F2P train, and then there are the New Kids on the Block (which would make an excellent band name, by the way), who argue that their premium features and AAA content warrant a subscription in the F2P age.

A few years ago, doing a list of the final few F2P holdouts would have been a ridiculous proposition, but now it's actually difficult to get to 10 of these. Each company has a different reason that it hasn't given these games more flexible payment options (FPO should replace F2P; pass it on!), and while some have addressed this publicly, others say nothing and leave us to speculate on it.

For today's Perfect Ten, we're going to look at the 10 biggest current F2P holdouts in the industry and muse about what's going on behind the scenes. Will this list be impossible to do in a few years or will subscription-only titles come back in a big way? Hey, I don't predict things; I just make lists.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acactivisionAndy-Cataldoasherons-callbiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcamelotccpccp-gamesclassic-mmoconsoleconsolesdaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsendless-trialeveeve-onlinef2pfantasyfeaturedffff11ff14ffxiffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivfpsfree-to-playhumorinternet-spaceshipsKai-Schoberlord-britishlucasartsmmofpsmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyopinionp10perfect-10perfect-tenplanetsidepsps1pvpriftrift-literift-planes-of-telararounduprvrsandboxsci-fiscott-hartsmansoesony-online-entertainmentspreadsheets-onlinesquaresquare-enixstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feeswtorthe-old-republicthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tentop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listtortriontrion-worldsturbineturbine-entertainmentultimaultima onlineuowarwarcraftwarhammerwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Dark Age of Camelot video shows off relic raid test-run]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/16/new-dark-age-of-camelot-video-shows-off-relic-raid-test-run/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/16/new-dark-age-of-camelot-video-shows-off-relic-raid-test-run/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/16/new-dark-age-of-camelot-video-shows-off-relic-raid-test-run/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Screenshot -- Dark Age of Camelot
Realm-vs.-realm combat pioneer Dark Age of Camelot is seeing a number of changes to the relic raid system in the upcoming patch 1.112, and last Wednesday the devs gathered a bunch of guillible cannon fod-- err, brave adventurers to help them test out the new updates with an all-out relic raiding brawl.

Mythic figured that an event of such magnitude shouldn't go unnoticed, so the studio recorded the ordeal and put together a lovely little video full of an incredible amount of death, destruction, and general RvR chaos. Which faction will reign supreme in this rumble for the relic? Well, there's only one way to find out: Go see for yourself!

Continue reading New Dark Age of Camelot video shows off relic raid test-run

MassivelyNew Dark Age of Camelot video shows off relic raid test-run originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecamelotclassic-mmodaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsfantasymythicmythic-entertainmentmythologypatch-1.112pvpraidraidsrealm-vs-realmrelicrelic-raidrelic-raidsrvrtrailertrailersvideovideosMon, 16 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week five]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-five/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-five/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-five/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

DAoC
As I headed into my final week of playing Dark Age of Camelot, I found myself thinking about Warhammer Online more often than not. That shouldn't be surprising, really, as both games were made by Mythic and share a focus on RvR. I suppose it's because I finally hit a point in the game when DAoC started to emulate experiences I had in WAR, and thus a comparison between the two began to unfold.

While I'm sure plenty of folks who played DAoC went on to WAR, I'm curious whether there are many like me who went through the games in the reverse order. I may not be a veteran DAoC player after a few weeks in the game, but I certainly have a mountain of experience in WAR, and it intrigues me to be able to identify the connections between the two.

So as I plundered the battlefields of DAoC this week, I started to examine the game through the lens of a WAR vet to see whether I could spot the traits each game had in common and which traits each game handled better than the other.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week five

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week five originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecamelotchoose-my-adventureclassic-mmocmadaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsendless-trialfantasyfeaturedhands-onmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyopinionpollpollspvpreaders-choicervrvotevotingwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineWed, 11 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dark Age of Camelot retunes Relic system]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/dark-age-of-camelot-retunes-relic-system/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/dark-age-of-camelot-retunes-relic-system/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/dark-age-of-camelot-retunes-relic-system/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

DAoC
Dark Age of Camelot's Relic system is under the dev team's magnifying glass this month, and it looks as though dedicated RvRers are going to have to adjust to a few significant changes to how Relic raids work in the near future.

"We have learned over the years that being complex and being complicated are two very different things," Producer Stuart Zissu writes. "If players can't immediately grasp the situation and understand what is needed of them, then there is room for improvement."

In a new producer's letter, Zissu spells out the changes to the Relic system. Relics Temples and Mile Gates will be eliminated, and Relics themselves will be moved to the inner keeps. These new Relic Keeps will be granted additional guards the more keeps a realm holds in their home territory. However, the more relics a faction claims, the weaker the guards will be. Relic runs will be made more challenging, as the game will notify everyone in the region where the Relic holder is and faster avenues of transportation will be cut off.

MassivelyDark Age of Camelot retunes Relic system originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecamelotclassic-mmodaocdark-age-of-camelotdev-blogdev-diaryeaelectronic-artsfantasymythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyproducers-letterpvprelicrelic-keeprelic-keepsrelic-runsrelic-systemrvrStuart-ZissuTue, 10 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/05/the-perfect-ten-mmo-tributes-to-real-life-people/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/05/the-perfect-ten-mmo-tributes-to-real-life-people/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/05/the-perfect-ten-mmo-tributes-to-real-life-people/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
When a beloved friend, family member, hero, or role model dies, we feel the pain of that loss and grieve in many different ways. Part of that grieving and healing process is often entails those left behind constructing some sort of tribute to the dearly departed. Sometimes this comes in the form of a shrine of flowers, sometimes it's the establishment of a charity, and sometimes it's creating an in-game memorial that thousands if not millions of people will see over the course of years.

So while death and illness are depressing topics to dwell upon, I find the many MMO tributes that studios and even gamers have erected to be inspiring and a celebration of individual players' lives. With the help of my fellow Massively staffers, I researched 10 wonderful in-game tributes that serve to honor the lives of fellow gamers.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionahab-wheathoofAnthony-StarkArmando-Ossexbiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcamelotCaylee-Dakcity-of-heroescity-of-villainsclassic-mmocohcovcoxcoyoted-and-dDak-Krausedanieldaniels-questdaocdark-age-of-camelotdave-arnesonddodnddungeons-and-dragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlineeaelectronic-artsEmilyeqeq1everquesteverquest-iiezraezra-chattertonezra-wheathooff2pfantasyfeaturedFrank-Campbellfree-to-playfreedomgalaxiesgary-gygaxhumorjeff-freemanJesse-Moraleskylelord-britishlunar-festivalmake-a-wishmake-a-wish-foundationmatthew-braggmemorialMichel-Koitermythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyncsoftopinionp10paragonparagon-studiosperfect-10perfect-tenphoenixpvpribbitribbitRobert-Bridenbeckerrounduprvrsandboxsci-fishrinesoesonysony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiessuperherosuperheroesswgswgothe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenTony-Starktop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listtributeturbineturbine-entertainmentultimaultima onlineuowarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week four]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-four/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-four/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-four/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

DAoC
By participating in Choose My Adventure, I'm starting to realize that this column is perhaps one of the most meta projects that we do here on Massively. It's not just a popularity contest between games (although it begins that way) nor a mere hands-on play-through of a title. Instead, it's a bizarre combination of one person led by hundreds of puppet masters with the added layer of forging a path as a complete newbie so that others who follow in my wake may learn from my mistakes.

But with all of you as my puppet masters, I have the added pressure of not wanting to let any of you down. I know that last week some of you were disappointed with my progress (or lack thereof) and could identify dozens of things I was just doing flat-out wrong. That's another layer to this experience, I think: It gives experienced vets the chance to see the game through virgin eyes and to pass down sage advice that they themselves wish they had gotten right out of the gate.

So this past week was all about taking in your advice and attempting to execute it to the best of my ability. Some of it worked, and some did not, but the end result was a series of Dark Age of Camelot play sessions that were far less frustrating -- and even, dare I say, intriguing?

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week four

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week four originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advicebiowarecamelotchoose-my-adventureclassic-mmocmadaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsfantasyfeaturedhands-onlevelingmacrosmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyopinionpollpollspvpreaders-choicervrskaldvotevotingWed, 04 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week three]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-three/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-three/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-three/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

DAoC
Frustrating and boring: These are two words that don't bode well for any MMO, and yet that's exactly what my Dark Age of Camelot experience this past week was.

Now, granted there's always an adjustment period with new MMOs, and I like to think of myself as a fairly patient person. I know that sometimes it might be a matter of minutes or understanding to flip "frustration" into "joy" and "boring" into "addictive," which is why it's good to stick games out until you're sure that the issue isn't with you playing the game wrong or being ignorant of what makes it work.

That said, if I wasn't covering DAoC for this column but was just trying it out for myself, I certainly would not have subscribed after finishing the 14-day trial. New player journey or no, I found more aggravation than fun this past week and kept wondering to myself, "When does it start to get good? Where's all that great stuff players are telling me about? And as a Troll, how much lotion do I need to get my skin feeling silky soft?"

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week three

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week three originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecamelotchoose-my-adventureclassic-mmocmadaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsendless-trialfantasyfeaturedhands-onmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyopinionpollpollspvpreaders-choicervrvotevotingwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineWed, 28 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week two]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-two/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

DAoC
Some of you probably know that I first got into the blogging scene with my Warhammer Online blog Waaagh! Back then in early 2008, I was a veritable Mythic and PvP newbie, and I spent a good portion of the lead-up to the game's release reading up on Dark Age of Camelot. I figured that, after all, WAR would be built on the foundation of DAoC. In a way, it both was and wasn't.

The one thing I never did was actually play DAoC. Older MMOs can be quite intimidating; they have deep-rooted communities and tomes of updates and history, and they were more rough around the edges. Rough in their cores, too, if we're being honest. So the intimidation factor kept me away until this past week, when Massively readers sent me on a quest to Camelot for the first time in my life.

Last week readers voted on the character I was to roll. An impressive 82% of you said to check out the realm vs. realm ruleset and roll a a Midgard (43.2%) beastly (40.8%) hybrid (43.3%) character. After reading some of the recommendations in the comments, I ended up making a female Troll Skald on a traditional server. She may be lumpy and bulky, but I took a shine to her right away.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week two

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week two originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcamelotchoose-my-adventureclassic-mmocmadaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsendless-trialeqeq1everquestf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playhands-onmidgardmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyopinionpollpollspvpreaders-choiceron-swansonrvrskaldsoesonysony-online-entertainmenttrollvotevotingwarwarcraftwarhammerwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 21 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week one]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-one/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-one/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-one/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

DAoC
Hol. Ee. Crap.

Seriously, folks, I don't know how it usually goes down in CMAtown, but I've never experienced a week of my life when I was literally watching strangers decide my destiny -- and go neck-and-neck in the process. After thousands and thousands of votes, it all came down to a difference of... three. Really.

Three MMO communities caught wind of last week's poll regarding the game I'd be playing and writing up over the next several weeks. Dark Age of Camelot players fought valiantly against Anarchy Online fans for the privilege of this column's focus, often times trading spots for first and second place. The City of Heroes community got into the game late and racked up several hundred votes in an attempt to secure the win, but ultimately it came down to a last-minute brawl in which DAoC garnered three measly votes more than AO, which means I'll be heading off to Camelot starting next week.

With the insane voting over a game at an end, today begins the real fun: You get to roll my character for me. Join me as I lay out just how this is going to work with DAoC's crazy setup.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week one

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week one originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecamelotchoose-my-adventureclassic-mmocmadaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsfantasyfeaturedhands-onmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyopinionpollpollspvpreaders-choicervrvotevotingWed, 14 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist and the Kesmai legacy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-kesmai-legacy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-kesmai-legacy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-kesmai-legacy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Air Warrior
Most studios would be overjoyed to have pioneered one significant advancement in video game history, but then again, most studios aren't Kesmai. While it's not a household name today, it's reasonable to say that without the heavy lifting and backbreaking coding that this company shouldered in the '80s and '90s, the MMO genre would've turned out very different indeed.

Last week we met two enterprising designers, Kelton Flinn and John Taylor, who recognized that multiplayer was the name of the future and put their careers on the line to see an idea through to completion. That idea was Island of Kesmai, an ancestor of the modern MMO that used crude ASCII graphics and CompuServe's network to provide an interactive, cooperative online roleplaying experience. It wasn't the first MMO, but it was the first one published commercially, and sometimes that makes all the difference.

Flinn and Taylor's Kesmai didn't stop with being the first to bring MMOs to the big time, however. Flush with cash and success, Kesmai turned its attention to the next big multiplayer challenge: 3-D graphics and real-time combat. Unlike the fantasy land of Island of Kesmai, this title would take to the skies in aerial dogfighting and prove even more popular than the team's previous project.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Kesmai legacy

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the Kesmai legacy originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>air-warriorair-warrior-for-windowsair-warrior-iiair-warrior-iiialiens-onlineaolbattlefield-1942cd-romChris-Holdenclassicclassic-mmosclassicscompuservedark-age-of-camelotdungeons-of-kesmaieaelectronic-artseverquestfeaturedgame-archaelogistgame-developers-conference-choice-awardsgamespotgamestormgdcgdc-choice-awardsgenieharpoon-onlineisland-of-kesmaijohn-taylorkelton-flinnkesmaikesmai-corporationkesmai-studioslegends-of-kesmaimark-jacobsmatchmakingmeridian-59Multiplayer-Battletechmythicnews-corpnostalgiaonline-game-legend-awardopinionrealm-vs-realmrvrthe-game-archaeologistultima-onlinewarwarhammer-onlineythic-entertainmentTue, 13 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dark Age of Camelot producer's letter looks toward the future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/dark-age-of-camelot-producers-letter-looks-toward-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/dark-age-of-camelot-producers-letter-looks-toward-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/dark-age-of-camelot-producers-letter-looks-toward-the-future/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Screenshot -- Dark Age of Camelot
Dark Age of Camelot's Valentine's Day event is still in full swing, but the devs over at Mythic Entertainment have plenty more in store for players. Stuart Zissu, DAoC's producer, stopped by the official site to give players a heads-up as to what they can expect in upcoming updates. For starters, the next phase of the ongoing live event will be coming sometime "in the next few months," and players are warned that the Pict encampments they've already encountered are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

On top of that, the devs will be adding a number of new titles throughout the year that center on the long-running title's 10th anniversary. Zissu adds that "there will also be new titles for the next phase of the live event" as well as a special trophy commemorating Dark Age of Camelot's 10 years of RvRvR action. For more information, including details on DAoC's first video contest, just click on through the link below and give the post a look.

MassivelyDark Age of Camelot producer's letter looks toward the future originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>camelotdaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsletter-from-the-producerlive-eventlive-eventsmythicmythic-entertainmentproducers-letterrealm-vs-realmrvrrvrvrstuart-zissutitletitlestrophiestrophyWed, 15 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Dark Age of Camelot storms the castle with Patch 1.111]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/dark-age-of-camelot-storms-the-castle-with-patch-1-111/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/dark-age-of-camelot-storms-the-castle-with-patch-1-111/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/dark-age-of-camelot-storms-the-castle-with-patch-1-111/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

DAoC
People of Midgard, Albion, and Hibernia -- fight for glory! The call to battle is strong and never-ending, and Mythic is looking to your continued diligence and thirst for blood to keep Dark Age of Camelot's PvP raging. For its part, Mythic has delivered the latest tantalizing update to the game today, Patch 1.111.

To keep the battlefield skirmishes hot, the studio has added new RvR missions to the Frontiers. This should hopefully cause a greater amount of conflict as players strive to accomplish their tasks.

Patch 1.111 also includes a host of class tweaks (including a huge buff to Thanes), additional controllable pets for Animists, and new Atlantis quests. These quests start at level 30 and will help players garner more Atlantean Glass for their artifacts, which should help ease the pain of grinding out Master Levels.

The patch is currently live on all servers.

MassivelyDark Age of Camelot storms the castle with Patch 1.111 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.111animistsartifactsatlantean-questsatlantisdaocdark-age-of-camelotea-mythicfrontiersmaster-levelsmythicpatch-1.111patch-notespvprvrrvr-queststhaneswalking-mushroomsWed, 25 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist seals up 2011]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/the-game-archaeologist-seals-up-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/the-game-archaeologist-seals-up-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/the-game-archaeologist-seals-up-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2
You know what I love about the end of each year? The lists. Man, but I'm a sucker for lists, especially when they come in "best of" varieties. In the lull between Christmas and New Year's, there typically isn't a lot happening in the world of entertainment, so it's a good time to look back before we head forward.

And so it is for The Game Archaeologist. 2011 marks the second year I've been doing this column, and it's been one of my personal favorite series to write. Every week I'm learning more and more about the history of the MMO genre, and I'm encouraged to see just how much passion and interest there are for the titles that started it all and got us to where we are today.

So before we head into 2012, let's take one last glimpse back at the road we've traveled. If you've missed out on any of these columns or want to revisit your favorite classic MMO, I've compiled a huge list of everything I talked about this year, from histories to interviews to player stories. There's also a special request for you (yes, you) at the end of this column, so do me a favor and hit that jump!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist seals up 2011

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist seals up 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011a-tale-in-the-desertac2Andrew-Tepperasherons-callasherons-call-2Ben-Chamberlainbrian-greenclimaxdark-age-of-cameloteaearth-and-beyondeqEric-Heimburgeverquestfeaturedimperator-onlineJosef-HalllineagelistlistsMeridian-59Middle-earth-Onlinemudmulti-user-dungeonmxomythicaplanetsidepsychochildRade-StojsavljevicrarebitRichard-Bartleround-uproundupshadow-of-yserbiusshadowbaneStuart-Zissuteppytgathe-game-archaeologistthe-matrix-onlinethe-shadow-of-yserbiusThom-TerrazasTodd-ColemanTrue-Fantasy-Live-OnlineUltima-Worlds-Online-OriginUltima-X-OdysseyWarhammer-Onlineworld-of-warcraftyear-in-reviewTue, 03 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Most significant MMO stories of 2011]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/the-perfect-ten-most-significant-mmo-stories-of-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/the-perfect-ten-most-significant-mmo-stories-of-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/the-perfect-ten-most-significant-mmo-stories-of-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
2011 was an odd duck of a year for MMO news. A huge chunk of the year felt devoid of significant releases, but that was mitigated somewhat by the major launches of RIFT and Star Wars: The Old Republic. Titles got shoved back to 2012 or beyond, MMOs that we thought never would go free-to-play did, and the industry continually surprised us with revelations, ideas, and controversy.

So in my last Perfect Ten of 2011, I put together the 10 most significant MMO stories of the year. Ten seems like an awfully small number for such a great big field, so I had the rest of the staff members chime in with their nominations just to make sure I wasn't too off-base with any of these.

It was a whopper of a year, and Massively was there for all of it -- the ups, the downs, the queues, and the QQs. It's time to wrap it up with a pretty bow and dedicate it to the history museum!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Most significant MMO stories of 2011

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Most significant MMO stories of 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20112012aionataribiowareccpccp-gameschampions-onlinecity-of-heroescrypticcryptic-studiosdaocdark-age-of-camelotdc-universe-onlinedcuoeve-onlineeverquesteverquest-iif2pfallen-earthfeaturedfree-to-playglobal-agendajagexkung-fu-pandaleague-of-legendslistlistslucasartsmists-of-pandariamonoclegatemythicpandaperfect-tenperfect-worldriftrunescapesoesonysony-hacksony-online-entertainmentstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorthe-agencythe-perfect-tentriontrion-worldswarhammer-onlineworld-of-darknessworld-of-warcraftwrath-of-heroesThu, 29 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dark Age of Camelot celebrates 10th birthday with limited edition lithograph]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/dark-age-of-camelot-celebrates-10th-birthday-with-limited-editio/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/dark-age-of-camelot-celebrates-10th-birthday-with-limited-editio/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/dark-age-of-camelot-celebrates-10th-birthday-with-limited-editio/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Badger badger badger badger
Mythic Entertainment's popular RvRvR-based MMORPG, Dark Age of Camelot, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. In order to commemorate this momentous occasion, Mythic is selling a limited edition Dark Age of Camelot 10th anniversary lithograph. There will only be 300 prints available, each signed and numbered by artist Eric Polak, so if you want to get your grubby paws on one of these beauties, you'd better preorder now.

MassivelyDark Age of Camelot celebrates 10th birthday with limited edition lithograph originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10th-anniversary10th-birthdaybioware-mythicdaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artslimited-editionlithographmythicmythic-entertainmentpvprvrstoretenth-anniversarytenth-birthdayTue, 29 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist celebrates Dark Age of Camelot's 10th anniversary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/the-game-archaeologist-celebrates-dark-age-of-camelots-10th-ann/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/the-game-archaeologist-celebrates-dark-age-of-camelots-10th-ann/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/the-game-archaeologist-celebrates-dark-age-of-camelots-10th-ann/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Dark Age of Camelot
Last month was a historic occasion for MMOs, as Dark Age of Camelot joined the exclusive Decade Club, turning 10 years old and making most of us sit down heavily and wonder, "Has it really been that long?"

It has indeed. You may wish to invest in a calendar. While it might be a tad tardy, I got the chance to interview the ever-busy Mythic about this milestone... and here it is!

The Game Archaeologist: Could you please introduce yourself, your role on the team, and the faction for which you live, breathe and sleep?

Stuart Zissu: I am Stuart Zissu, producer on Dark Age of Camelot. Asking which Realm I prefer is like asking which child is my favorite, I love them all! They all have their advantages and disadvantages, and each one brings something different to the table. With that said, my first level 50 was an Albion Enhancement Friar (before Enhancement Friars were "viable").

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist celebrates Dark Age of Camelot's 10th anniversary

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist celebrates Dark Age of Camelot's 10th anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.110-patch10th-anniversarybioware-mythicdaocdark-age-of-camelotf2pfeaturedfree-to-playinterviewmythicmythic-entertainmentpatch-1.110realm-vs-realmrvrStuart-Zissuten-yearsten-years-oldtenth-anniversaryultima-onlineuowarwarhammer-onlinewrath-of-heroesTue, 29 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist and the Classic MMOs in October]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-classic-mmos-in-october/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-classic-mmos-in-october/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-classic-mmos-in-october/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

SWG
Today we're going to start a new feature of this column in which we devote a week to catching up with previous Game Archaeologist spotlights and see what's going on in these classic MMOs. I figured that it was a shame to give these titles a big burst of publicity and then dump them like yesterday's news. After all, if these games' communities are still alive and kicking, and if the developers are churning out new content, then it's worth a monthly mention, don't you think?

I won't just be regurgitating news here; I'll also peek at the various official forums to see what the community is talking about and highlight discussions and debates that are of interest. Not every classic MMO will be featured every month in this space, as I'll try to rotate around to make sure they all get their fair share of mentions.

October was an interesting month for classic MMOs in that several of them produced extremely newsworthy stories that got front-page mention on Massively. On a special note, I won't be covering Asheron's Call today as we're prepping a special anniversary tribute for later this month!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Classic MMOs in October

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the Classic MMOs in October originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daocdark-age-of-cameloteqeq2eqiieverquesteverquest-iifeaturedhalloweenmoviepumpkin-moon-risingscott-jenningssoestar-wars-galaxiessunsetswgtgathe-game-archaeologistveil-of-alarisTue, 01 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Dark Age of Camelot patch introduces New User Experience, RvR changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/26/new-dark-age-of-camelot-patch-introduces-new-user-experience-rv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/26/new-dark-age-of-camelot-patch-introduces-new-user-experience-rv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/26/new-dark-age-of-camelot-patch-introduces-new-user-experience-rv/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Dark Age of Camelot
It's a big day for Dark Age of Camelot players, as patch 1.110 is going live today. The update includes the revamped New User Journey, which redesigns the tutorial and many mainland areas in each of the three realms in order to "make character progression more efficient and enjoyable than ever before." And of course, DAoC is all about the RvR, so many updates have been made to the game's Battlegrounds in an attempt to make them a "one-stop source for character progression and RvR action through level 49."

A number of UI updates have been made as well, which should hopefully make the game more user-friendly and customizable. Balance passes have been made on all classes, with some classes being given free respecs to account for the changes. All-in-all, it seems to be a rather comprehensive update to the game, so if you're a denizen of DAoC, head on over and check out the changes.

MassivelyNew Dark Age of Camelot patch introduces New User Experience, RvR changes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlegroundsbioware-mythiccontent-updatedaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsmythicmythic-entertainmentnew-user-journeypatchpatch-1.110updateWed, 26 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dark Age of Camelot unveils its 10th anniversary masterpiece]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/dark-age-of-camelot-unveils-its-10th-anniversary-masterpiece/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/dark-age-of-camelot-unveils-its-10th-anniversary-masterpiece/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/dark-age-of-camelot-unveils-its-10th-anniversary-masterpiece/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

DAoC
It's not every day that an MMO turns 10, and Mythic is taking full advantage of the situation to hype up Dark Age of Camelot's impressive milestone by treating players to a few goodies. First up is a highly detailed mural depicting the conflicts, races, and classes of DAoC over the years. Mythic has been revealing the mural piecemeal over the last few weeks before finally unveiling it today to the playerbase.

In addition to this poster, Mythic's unleashed Producer Stuart Zissu to film a video laying out the plans for the game's celebration. Zissu talks about the new training hubs designed to get beginners on their feet, epic encounters in the world for groups to tackle, moral arcs that give players concrete choices to make, UI changes, and the 10th anniversary t-shirt. Players logging into the game in October will also find that they'll be enjoying several bonuses to XP, crafting, and more.

You can watch Zissu get the crowds pumped up for the party after the jump!

Continue reading Dark Age of Camelot unveils its 10th anniversary masterpiece

MassivelyDark Age of Camelot unveils its 10th anniversary masterpiece originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10th-anniversaryanniversaryanniversary-celebrationartworkbioware-mythiccelebrationdaocdark-age-of-camelotea-mythici-played-this-game-and-all-i-got-was-this-awesome-t-shirtmuralmythicmythic-entertainmentposterStuart-Zissuvideoxp-bonusTue, 11 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST