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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Massively SpeakingJoystiqMassively Speaking<![CDATA[Neverwinter Days: The great economic collapse of 2013]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/neverwinter-days-the-great-economic-collapse-of-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/neverwinter-days-the-great-economic-collapse-of-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/neverwinter-days-the-great-economic-collapse-of-2013/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Neverwinter Days The great economic collapse of 2013
So funny story: In planning out in advance what I wanted to talk about in this biweekly Neverwinter column, I had selected something that recently caught my eye about the game and made me happy. That something was the Neverwinter Gateway, a web portal that allows out-of-game players the ability to fiddle with their character sheets, auctions, professions, guilds, and mail. I thought -- and I still do -- that this was a nifty service that deserved a day in the sun.

As I was getting set to write that column, Neverwinter's economy exploded and then imploded over the course of a weekend, thanks to a nasty exploit that involved, yup, the Gateway. Suddenly my topic had to shift from "isn't this a neat tool?" to "check out what the tools are doing with this tool." Seeing the economy effectively destroyed in a matter of hours and how Cryptic Studios dealt with this PR nightmare might be old news at this point, but it's definitely worthy of reflection, analysis, and speculation as to how trust can be rebuilt in this fledgling title.

Let's get cracking -- we have a lot of ground to cover!

Continue reading Neverwinter Days: The great economic collapse of 2013

MassivelyNeverwinter Days: The great economic collapse of 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>astral-diamondsbugcrypticcryptic-studiosdnddungeons-and-dragonseconomic-collapseeconomic-meltdowneconomyexploitexploitersexploitsf2pfantasyfeaturedfoundryfree-to-playgatewayneverwinterneverwinter-daysneverwinter-gatewayneverwinter-nightsopinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentPGCplayer-generated-contentpwethe-foundryThu, 23 May 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively surveys WildStar's Scientist and Settler paths, the Esper class, and the crazy things Jeremy Gaffney says]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/massively-surveys-wildstars-scientist-and-settler-paths-the-es/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/massively-surveys-wildstars-scientist-and-settler-paths-the-es/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/massively-surveys-wildstars-scientist-and-settler-paths-the-es/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WildStar -- hells yeah
So who wants to hear some cool stuff about WildStar? Thought so!

Massively's Gavin Townsley recently attended a WildStar media event in San Francisco, at which he was treated to a hands-on look at the upcoming sci-fantasy MMORPG's Scientist path and Esper class. He also chatted with Carbine Studios executive producer Jeremy Gaffney, who pulls a Gaffney (I'm coining that) and can't resist leaking a bit of new info about tradeskills while filling Gavin in on how endgame will work, why we should play the Settler path, and whether talent trees are passé. If you think making 10 pairs of cotton space pants sounds boring, then yeah -- you're going to like what he's got to say.

Enjoy all three articles plus the brand-new path videos we've embedded past the cut!
Hands-on with WildStar's Scientist path and Esper class
There is something exciting about taking your first steps into the mysteries of a new planet. I was anxious to mingle with the locals, analyze artifacts, and even pick a few plants -- that is, until I saw a flower burst from the ground as a giant vine-like beast.
WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney on the Settler path
WildStar's Settlers don't just build bonfires for sappy Explorers to sing around; these titans of construction will save you time in dungeons, establish bigger outposts, and open up new realms of quests for everyone.
WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney on progression, tradeskills, and endgame
Jeremy Gaffney divulges the beautiful details on essential parts of the game: character progression, tradeskills that don't suck, and life in the elder game.

Continue reading Massively surveys WildStar's Scientist and Settler paths, the Esper class, and the crazy things Jeremy Gaffney says

MassivelyMassively surveys WildStar's Scientist and Settler paths, the Esper class, and the crazy things Jeremy Gaffney says originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studioselder-gameendgameesperhands-onhousinginterviewinterviewsjeremy-gaffneyncsoftpathpathspreviewpreviewssandparksci-fantasysci-fiscientistsettlertrailertrailersvideovideoswildstarwsWed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney on the Settler path]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/wildstars-jeremy-gaffney-on-the-settler-path/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/wildstars-jeremy-gaffney-on-the-settler-path/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/wildstars-jeremy-gaffney-on-the-settler-path/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Wildstar's Settler Class An interview with Jeremy Gaffney
In a world full of potential and chaos, WildStar's factions will succeed on the planet Nexus on the backs of the Settlers. The Settlers don't just build bonfires for sappy Explorers to sing around; these titans of construction will save you time in dungeons, establish bigger outposts, and open up new realms of quests for everyone.

At a recent media event, Carbine Studios executive producer Jeremy Gaffney was only too happy to explain how the Settler path opens up the world, intersects with housing, and even plays a part in PvP.

Continue reading WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney on the Settler path

MassivelyWildStar's Jeremy Gaffney on the Settler path originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosfabkitfeaturedhousinginterviewinterviewsJeremy-Gaffneyncsoftphasingplayer-housingpreviewpreviewssandparksci-fantasysci-fisettlersettlerssocializerswar-plotwar-plotswildstarwsWed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RIFT introduces loyalty rewards program for dedicated players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/rift-introduces-loyalty-rewards-program-for-dedicated-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/rift-introduces-loyalty-rewards-program-for-dedicated-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/rift-introduces-loyalty-rewards-program-for-dedicated-players/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

RIFT introduces loyalty rewards program for dedicated players
RIFT is introducing an innovative new program that allows players to get items for free when they spend money or money-substitutes on other items! The new rewards program will give players Loyalty points as those players purchase or spend credits, subscribe as a Patron, or consume REX (RIFT's tradable currency that can be purchased for real-world money). Since REX is tradable between players, a particularly thrifty player could accrue loyalty points without ever spending a real-world dime in RIFT's store.

Current and former subscribers will be awarded some Loyalty points based on how long they have been subscribed. Players will be able to use Loyalty to unlock exclusive costumes, the ability to change target icons, and unique dimensions.

This is all part of RIFT's free-to-play initiative and will be going live on June 12th with RIFT 2.3: Empyreal Assault.

MassivelyRIFT introduces loyalty rewards program for dedicated players originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 May 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conquesteconomyempyreal-assaultfantasyloyaltyloyalty-rewards-programpatch-2.3pvprewards-programrexriftrift-2.3rift-exchangerift-literift-planes-of-telararvrthree-faction-pvpthree-way-pvptriontrion-worldsTue, 21 May 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Does SWTOR's F2P work?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/hyperspace-beacon-does-swtors-f2p-work/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/hyperspace-beacon-does-swtors-f2p-work/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/hyperspace-beacon-does-swtors-f2p-work/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon Does SWTOR's F2P work
Those of us who have played through the middle planets of Star Wars: The Old Republic know that chapter two is rather blasé. And as far as the free-to-play experiment is concerned, I really don't have anything new to report this week, or at least, not enough to fill a whole column. I will certainly have an update for you next week.

This week, I'd like to talk about SWTOR's free-to-play model in general. Although the design team has received a lot of heat from fans and haters alike, the system does have merit along with legitimate flaws. I do like SWTOR, but I'm not ignorant enough to believe that everything the game designers have done is perfect. I am also not one to hate because the game wronged me a year and a half ago. No matter the game, I understand, given my three years reporting in the industry and many other years playing video games, that there will always be people who hate a game no matter what developers do to appease them. At the same time, there will always be those who love a game no matter what stupid thing the developers do and will see no wrong no matter what you say to try to convince them. I try to put myself somewhere in the middle.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Does SWTOR's F2P work?

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Does SWTOR's F2P work? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebusiness-modelsdallasdamion-schuberteaelectronic-artsf2pfeaturedfree-to-playhyperspace-beaconlucasartsopinionsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubscriberssubscriptionswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 21 May 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Diablo III's auction house ruined the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/the-soapbox-diablo-iiis-auction-house-ruined-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/the-soapbox-diablo-iiis-auction-house-ruined-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/the-soapbox-diablo-iiis-auction-house-ruined-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Soapbox Diablo III's Auction House ruined the game
After his departure from the Diablo III development team, Game Director Jay Wilson released a statement that the introduction of an auction house "really hurt the game." While players predicted doom the moment the Real Money Auction House was announced, Jay argued that the gold auction house was equally to blame for the game's fall from grace following an absolutely stellar launch sales. I don't normally agree with what Jay has to say on Diablo III, but in this case he does have a very valid point.

Diablo II was consistently popular for over a decade thanks to its immense replayability. At its core, D2 was a game about building new characters and gearing them up by any means necessary. Every enemy in the game was a loot pinata just waiting to be popped, and players farmed endlessly for a few sought-after unique items. You almost never found an item that was ideal for your particular class and build, but you could usually trade for what you needed via trade channels and forums.

Blizzard claimed that the auction house was intended just to streamline this process, but when Diablo III launched, it was clear that the entire game had been designed to make the auction house almost necessary for progress. The fault here lies not just with the concept of an auction house but with the game designers.

That's right: I'm here to argue not only that Jay Wilson was right about the auction house ruining Diablo III but also that it was his own damn fault.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Diablo III's auction house ruined the game

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Diablo III's auction house ruined the game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgahauctionauction-housebarbarianbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcash-shopd2d3demon-hunterdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiieconomicseconomyeditorialfantasyfeaturedgame-designgameplaygeargearinggothic-fantasyinfernoitem-levelitem-rarityitem-valuejay-wilsonladderladder-resetlegendarylegendary-itemslegendary-weaponsmonkmultiplayernyphuronline-multiplayerop-edopinionopinion-piecepverantrantsrarerare-itemsreal-money-auction-housereal-money-tradingrmahroguelikerpgruinedsoapboxstatsthe-soapboxvaluewitch-doctorwizardTue, 21 May 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet permanently lowers Guild Wars 2's price point]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/arenanet-permanently-lowers-guild-wars-2s-price-point/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/arenanet-permanently-lowers-guild-wars-2s-price-point/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/arenanet-permanently-lowers-guild-wars-2s-price-point/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

ArenaNet permanently lowers Guild Wars 2's price point
ArenaNet has made the call to permanently lower the price point for Guild Wars 2. The game previously sold for $59.99 for the Digital Edition and $79.99 for the Deluxe Edition. Both of those prices are being lowered by $10. This is not a sale, but the new regular price of the game. ArenaNet expects that this change will bring in new players and make the game more accessible.

Content releases in Guild Wars 2 continue apace. Since launch, we've seen a handful of special events alongside one-time content, persistent content, and added features. On the other hand, NCsoft recently reported lower sales for this quarter than the previous one, citing "the reduction in Guild Wars 2 package sales" as part of the cause.

We're scheduled for a chat with ArenaNet's Colin Johanson later today; we'll be sure to update you with more information as soon as we can.

MassivelyArenaNet permanently lowers Guild Wars 2's price point originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 May 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbusiness-modelsbuy-to-playeconomyfantasyguild-wars-2gw2ncsoftTue, 21 May 2013 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: When are rollbacks and wipes absolutely necessary?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/the-daily-grind-when-are-rollbacks-absolutely-necessary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/the-daily-grind-when-are-rollbacks-absolutely-necessary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/the-daily-grind-when-are-rollbacks-absolutely-necessary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

When are rollbacks absolutely necessary
In the last few weeks, two big games we cover on Massively have been slammed with exploits that have injured their respective economies: Diablo III and Neverwinter. In Diablo III's case, a gold duping bug apparently pumped insane amounts of cash into the economy. Neverwinter's exploits run the gamut from Foundry abuses to negative auction hall bids that don't consume gold to classes that can one-shot bosses making farming trivial. According to these claims, NW exploiters are making off with thousands of real-life dollars when cashing out their ill-gotten funds.

In both cases, players called for characters wipes and rollbacks, believing each exploit severe enough to merit a clean slate. But in Diablo III's case, while the studio dealt harshly with the exploiters, the developers disagreed with the need for wipes and do-overs, presumably having concluded that such drastic measures would impact the legit playerbase far more than would a dented economy. Neverwinter, on the other hand, chose to roll back the servers, causing widespread uproar.

That brings us to today's question: Which studio was right? How bad does an exploit have to be before character wipes and server rollbacks are absolutely necessary?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: When are rollbacks and wipes absolutely necessary? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blizzardbrianna-royce-tdgcharacter-wipecryptic-studiosdaily-grinddiablo-3diablo-iiieconomyexploitexploitsneverwinteropinionperfect-world-entertainmentpwerollbackrollbacksserver-wipetdgthe-daily-grindwipewipesMon, 20 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Exploits plague Neverwinter economy, PWE responds [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/19/exploits-plague-neverwinter-economy-cryptic-responds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/19/exploits-plague-neverwinter-economy-cryptic-responds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/19/exploits-plague-neverwinter-economy-cryptic-responds/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Neverwinter
Multiple Massively sources and forum users are reporting that a serious auction hall exploit involving negative bids has turned the fledgling economy of Neverwinter on its head. Perfect World/Cryptic appear to be locking down forum threads on the topic and have posted the following in response to the exploits:
We currently are in the process of taking action against a subset of accounts that were confirmed to have utilized exploits that affected the game balance or economy. These accounts may be banned, temporarily or permanently, depending on the severity of exploit utilization. Anyone who is affected by this will receive notification via email. [...] Thank you for your patience and support while we continue to do everything in our power to ensure that Neverwinter remains a fair and balanced game experience.
The post also encourages anyone banned unfairly to contact customer support for resolution. A followup post by a Cryptic moderator from last night tells players that "there are no plans for another wipe at this time." And a message on the Neverwinter's German-language Facebook page suggests that the Neverwinter Gateway has been taken offline while the issue is investigated. We'll keep you posted as the story develops. [Thanks to Dan, J, Ehra, David, Dixa, Mike, xpac, Jan, and Zaph for the tips!]

[Update: Cryptic has posted a new response to the latest exploit: "The Astral Diamond Exchange and the Auction House have been temporarily taken offline to resolve a high priority bug. At this time we are still investigating the details regarding the issue and will post more information as the situation progresses. As the issue involves in-game currency, we understand that there may be questions regarding the follow up actions needed to ensure that the economy remains fair and balanced. At this time we are still in the process of collecting the data, but plan to share details regarding follow up actions once the investigation concludes. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we continually smooth out issues during open beta."]

MassivelyExploits plague Neverwinter economy, PWE responds [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmobugbugscrypticcryptic-studiosdndeconomyexploitexploitsf2pfantasyfree-to-playneverwinterperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpweSun, 19 May 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vivendi still trying to sell Activision-Blizzard]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/vivendi-still-trying-to-sell-activision-blizzard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/vivendi-still-trying-to-sell-activision-blizzard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/vivendi-still-trying-to-sell-activision-blizzard/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Acti-Blizz logo
French telecom company Vivendi is still looking to sell off gaming giant Activision-Blizzard, according to the Wall Street Journal. Vivendi announced its quarterly results yesterday and also said that Acti-Blizz's board of directors is still weighing multiple sale options for a company that's been up for grabs since the summer of 2012.

GamesIndustry.biz reports that Activision-Blizzard was worth more than $8 billion when it was put on the open market.

MassivelyVivendi still trying to sell Activision-Blizzard originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionActivision-Blizzardactivision-blizzard-for-saleblizzardbusinessgame-industrymmo-industryvivendiWed, 15 May 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: MMOs are to kids what MUDs are to us]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/the-soapbox-mmos-are-to-kids-what-muds-are-to-us/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/the-soapbox-mmos-are-to-kids-what-muds-are-to-us/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/the-soapbox-mmos-are-to-kids-what-muds-are-to-us/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Vendetta Online on the iPad
I love MUDs. When I go through a several-hour long MUD session, I feel as if I took part in a greater story, and most of the fun was not based on stats or gear. MUDs let me escape into a world because they are about story first. I think I'm pretty rare, though. I can't find many other writers who seem to write about MUDs unless they are referencing them like some sort of relic from the past. The truth is that MUDs are still being loved, played, and enjoyed by thousands. Covering MUDs is as important as covering any other MMO. They're still part of the bigger picture.

I'm sure many of you reading this now could not care less about MUDs. You might have played one years ago, but generally they are seen as the cute elderly citizens of MMOdom. That's cool if that's how you feel, but now think about this: The new generation, kids between 13 and 20 years old, will look at many of our large PCs and 20 gig MMOs the same way modern gamers look at MUDs.

Continue reading The Soapbox: MMOs are to kids what MUDs are to us

MassivelyThe Soapbox: MMOs are to kids what MUDs are to us originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbeau-hindmandelleditorialfeaturedIOSipadiphonemudMUDsmulti-user-dungeonop-edopinionpcpc-gamingrantrantssmartphonesoapboxtablet-pctabletsthe-soapboxTue, 14 May 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Yet another D3 exploit, Star Citizen pay-to-win debate, and MOBA news]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/not-so-massively-yet-another-d3-exploit-star-citizen-pay-to-wi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/not-so-massively-yet-another-d3-exploit-star-citizen-pay-to-wi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/not-so-massively-yet-another-d3-exploit-star-citizen-pay-to-wi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively Yet another D3 exploit, Star Citizen paytowin debate, and MOBA news
Diablo III was hit with yet another exploit this week as players discovered a way to duplicate gold via a bug in the auction house. Blizzard responded by shutting down the auction house but did not perform a server rollback to reverse the damage. Star Citizen clarified its stance on the lifetime insurance available to veteran backers amidst debate over whether it gives early adopters an unfair advantage over other players. Path of Exile also released a new Letters of Wraeclast lore feature in its latest update, and MechWarrior Online's update 15 added a new Misery mech.

Dota 2 began preparations for its biggest world championship tournament yet with the release of a new Interactive Compendium that players can use to stay up to date with the matches. Rise of Immortals has now officially launched its Battle For Graxia revamp, and Infinite Crisis officially entered closed beta this week with the release of new champion The Joker. Finally, Smashmuck Champions released its hilarious new community-designed champion that's half platypus and half unicorn.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Yet another D3 exploit, Star Citizen pay-to-win debate, and MOBA news

MassivelyNot So Massively: Yet another D3 exploit, Star Citizen pay-to-win debate, and MOBA news originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgbatmanbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentchris-robertscloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingd3dcdc-comicsdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgothic-fantasygraxiaindieinfinite-crisisinsurancejokerkiz-studioslifetime-insurancemobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeropinionpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvprise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgsandboxsci-fismashmuckstar-citizensupermanthe-jokerturbinevalvevideovideoswarner-broswonder-womanWraeclastMon, 13 May 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: The SWTOR F2P experiment, group leveling]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/hyperspace-beacon-the-swtor-f2p-experiment-group-leveling/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/hyperspace-beacon-the-swtor-f2p-experiment-group-leveling/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/hyperspace-beacon-the-swtor-f2p-experiment-group-leveling/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon The SWTOR F2P experiment, group leveling
With the last bit of Update 2.1: Customization revealed yesterday, I can talk about an item that will change the free-to-play side of Star Wars: The Old Republic. After the next update, F2P players can withdraw credits from escrow with Cartel Coins. Although I will not have a way to find out whether this will actually affect the prices on the Galactic Trade Market until it goes live, I think it's safe to say that prices will initially go up.

Let's talk about this and group leveling in this week's SWTOR free-to-play experiment.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: The SWTOR F2P experiment, group leveling

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: The SWTOR F2P experiment, group leveling originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredc-universe-onlineDCUOeaelectronic-artsescrowexperience-boostf2pf2p-experimentfeaturedfree-to-playfree-to-play-experimentgalactic-trade-networkgtnhyperspace-beaconLaura-Williamslucasartsopinionsci-fiSOESonySony-Online-Entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortaristhe-old-republictorvoidmynxTue, 07 May 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Forking over your cash to play for free]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/forking-over-your-cash-to-play-for-free/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/forking-over-your-cash-to-play-for-free/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/forking-over-your-cash-to-play-for-free/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Forking over your cash to play for free!
Free-to-play means you can play for free, right? Not if you've got your sights set on the top founders packs for upcoming games like Marvel Heroes. In a blog on Gamasutra, virtual world economist Ramin Shokrizade explores the trend of these F2P collector-edition equivalents and whether the value justifies the price or if it's all a con to push players into making uninformed purchases before they have enough info.

Shokrizade compares the value of both Marvel Heroes and MechWarrior Tactics founders packs. At $199.99 and $120 respectively, both come with a hefty price tag, but both also claim significantly higher values. Do you really get your money's worth? Because of the replayability inherent in trying each superhero, Shokrizade rated Marvel Heroes as "pricey but reasonable." MechWarrior Tactics, however, received a "poor value" rating due to the tremendous in-game advantage that the founders pack gives.

How will these titles ultimately fare? Shokrizade stated that it all depends on enjoyable player interactions. "[Players] should not have to spend a lot in order to be able to have a positive social experience," he said. "Taking this one step further, if [players] can spend to lower the experience of other players, this will cause a rapid collapse of revenues."

MassivelyForking over your cash to play for free originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actionaction-mmof2pfounders-packFounders-packsfree-to-playgazilliongazillion-entertainmentmarvelmarvel-heroesmarvel-universemarvel-universe-onlineMechWarrior-TacticsmuoRamin-Shokrizadesecret-identitysuperherosuperheroesMon, 06 May 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: Why broken economies hurt guilds]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/the-guild-counsel-why-broken-economies-hurt-guilds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/the-guild-counsel-why-broken-economies-hurt-guilds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/the-guild-counsel-why-broken-economies-hurt-guilds/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

The Guild Counsel Why broken economies hurt guilds
I have to admit, I read the recent article by Ramin Shokrizade on the pre-endgame economy of Guild Wars 2 and shrugged. He made a lot of great points, but the problems with GW2's economy are really not that unique. One of the biggest dilemmas is the fact that dropped items, like weapons and armor, really don't have any value prior to the endgame. As in many MMOs, the broker or auction house is flooded with pre-endgame armor and weapons and there's just no demand for it.

There are several design flaws that play a role in why dropped items, and virtual economies in general, feel stagnant. Let's look at a few common problems in MMOs today and see why broken economies actually hurt guilds as well.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Why broken economies hurt guilds

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Why broken economies hurt guilds originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adviceeconomieseconomyeqeverquestfeaturedguildguild-adviceguild-counselguild-leadershipguild-managementguild-wars-2guildsgw2leadershipopinionthe-guild-counselThu, 02 May 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online introduces a new way to raise your security status]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/eve-online-introduces-a-new-way-to-raise-your-security-status/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/eve-online-introduces-a-new-way-to-raise-your-security-status/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/eve-online-introduces-a-new-way-to-raise-your-security-status/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online introduces pirate NPCs and a new way to raise your security status
EVE Online players will soon have a new method by which to raise their security status: New pirate NPCs are being added to asteroid belts in low-security space. Upon death, these pirates drop a new sort of pirate tag, which can be taken into low-sec CONCORD stations and turned in at the Security Office to raise a character's security status.

It should be noted that this is a viable method only for raising your security status up to zero. To get a positive status, you'll need to go through more traditional methods. Additionally, the tags can be traded on the market like most goods, giving players different ways to acquire them.

You can check out all the details on the dev blog.

MassivelyEVE Online introduces a new way to raise your security status originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 May 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gameseveeve-onlineinternet-spaceshipssandboxsci-fispreadsheets-onlineThu, 02 May 2013 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Virtual world economist says Guild Wars 2's pre-endgame economy 'broken']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/virtual-world-economist-says-guild-wars-2s-pre-endgame-economy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/virtual-world-economist-says-guild-wars-2s-pre-endgame-economy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/virtual-world-economist-says-guild-wars-2s-pre-endgame-economy/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Screenshot -- Guild Wars 2
Ever since Guild Wars 2 went live back in August of last year, the state of the game's economy has... fluctuated wildly, let's say. But now, about eight months down the line, how is the economy holding up? Virtual world economist Ramin Shokrizade (the same fellow who wrote about using EVE Online to predict the real-world recession) has published a new piece on Gamasutra that takes an in-depth look at the economy of Guild Wars 2 as it stands today.

The article is too detailed to summarize here, but one thing worth taking away is Shokrizade's observation that, "with the exception of craft materials, [Guild Wars 2's] pre-endgame item economy is broken." He elaborates that, for example, a level 39 green-quality chestpiece regularly sells on the auction house for around 112 copper -- a scant 1 copper more than vendors pay for the same item. He concludes that GW2's pre-endgame economy is "one of the worst [he has] studied in the last 14 years." Eesh. He also takes an in-depth look at the role crafting plays in the economy and the effects of the in-game economy on cash-shop purchases. The full piece is a bit long but certainly worth the time for anyone interested in the intricacies of virtual economies or Guild Wars 2 players in general.

MassivelyVirtual world economist says Guild Wars 2's pre-endgame economy 'broken' originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbuy-to-playeconomicseconomyfantasyguild-wars-2gw2ncsoftramin-shokrizadeMon, 29 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Fanfest 2013 day two: World of Darkness, Odyssey, and EVE Virtual Reality with the Oculus Rift]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-fanfest-2013-day-two-world-of-darkness-odyssey-and-eve-vi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-fanfest-2013-day-two-world-of-darkness-odyssey-and-eve-vi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-fanfest-2013-day-two-world-of-darkness-odyssey-and-eve-vi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Fanfest 2013 day two World of Darkness, Odyssey, and EVE Virtual Reality with the Oculus Rift
EVE Online's tenth anniversary Fanfest promised to be its biggest yet, with over 1,400 players packed into Iceland's Harpa convention centre to find out the latest on EVE Online, DUST 514, and World of Darkness. The first day focused mainly on DUST and its link with the EVE universe, but today the focus largely switched back to internet spaceships. There were plenty of roundtable discussions, and the CSM and Alliance panels were as awesome as ever, but it was the EVE Keynote that really blew the crowd away.

The day got off to a good start with the highly anticipated World of Darkness talk. Most fans were probably expecting to see more airy game design ideas and another shiny trailer, but this year CCP just came out and put all its cards on the table. We saw that the game is still firmly in pre-production, with much of the previous work going into developing the engine and cool content creation tools and shaders. While I was initially disappointed at the lack of gameplay progress or shiny cinematics, I found this approach of being open and direct with fans very refreshing. As I told WoD art director Thomas Holt, honest beats shiny every time.

Read on for a full run-down of the EVE reveals from the second day of EVE's tenth anniversary Fanfest, including in-depth details of the Odyssey expansion's features.

Continue reading EVE Fanfest 2013 day two: World of Darkness, Odyssey, and EVE Virtual Reality with the Oculus Rift

MassivelyEVE Fanfest 2013 day two: World of Darkness, Odyssey, and EVE Virtual Reality with the Oculus Rift originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryarchaeologyarcheologyccp-soundwavediscovery-scannereveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eventevent-coverageevtfanfestfeaturedgraphicshackinghilmarhilmar-peturssonhilmar-veigar-peturssonicelandisotopesjon-landerjump-effectjumpingkeynotemassively-event-coverageminingoculus-riftodysseyorepreviewpreviewsprobeprobesprobingpvepvprekyjavikscan-probesscannerscanningstarbase-fuelstargatestargatesten-yearsthomas-holtvideovideoswodworld-of-darknessFri, 26 Apr 2013 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online plans major mining and industry revamp for Odyssey]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-online-plans-major-mining-and-industry-revamp-for-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-online-plans-major-mining-and-industry-revamp-for-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-online-plans-major-mining-and-industry-revamp-for-odyssey/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Online plans major mining and industry revamp for Odyssey
Details of EVE Online's exploration-focused Odyssey expansion have been floating around since PAX East, but it seems the company saved some pretty huge changes to reveal at this year's tenth anniversary Fanfest. In two massive devblogs accompanying today's EVE Online Keynote speech, CCP Fozzie discussed plans to overhaul EVE's entire resource distribution system. Everything from asteroid and ice mining to moon harvesting and nullsec industry will be affected by the revamp.

Miners will find their ice belts have been moved from static locations to hidden exploration sites that have to be scanned down, but to compensate it will now mine at double the normal rate. Normal asteroid mining in lowsec and nullsec is also due for a buff with the addition of large quantities of low-end minerals. Hidden asteroid belts will no longer need to be probed down but can be quickly located with the new Discovery scanner, and to top it off there'll even be new high quality ore sites that can only be found in prime areas of nullsec.

Outpost industrial infrastructure is due for an update with new purchaseable upgrade paths expanding factory, office and research lab capabilities to the same level as fully-fledged empire stations. Lastly, moon minerals are finally being addressed with a redistribution of rare materials and several new reaction paths to bypass current bottlenecks. A lot of value will be moved from Technetium back to rarer materials like Thulium, Neodymium, Promethium and Dysprosium, and new supplies of all four will be distributed randomly into moons across the universe. Re-scan all of your nearby moons when Odyssey lands because it could suddenly be worth a fortune!

Whether you're a die-hard fan of internet spaceships or just a gawker on the sidelines, EVE Fanfest is the EVE Online event of the year (and the key source of new DUST 514 and World of Darkness scoops!). Follow Massively's Brendan Drain as he reports back on this year's Fanfest starpower, scheming, and spoilers from exotic Reykjavik, Iceland.

MassivelyEVE Online plans major mining and industry revamp for Odyssey originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asteroidasteroidsdysprosiumeveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eventevent-coveragefanfesticeicelandmassively-event-coverageminingneodymiumorepromethiumrekyjavikstarbasestarbase-fueltechnetiumthuliumFri, 26 Apr 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars 2 goes on sale, releases free retro platformer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/guild-wars-2-is-more-than-30-off-til-april-28th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/guild-wars-2-is-more-than-30-off-til-april-28th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/guild-wars-2-is-more-than-30-off-til-april-28th/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Guild Wars 2 is more than 30% off 'til April 28th
Have you been meaning to try out Guild Wars 2 but afraid to commit to the box price? If you have been exceedingly clever, you might have noticed that several sites around the internet have been doing their best to throw trial codes at you for a free weekend experience. If you missed that or have exciting plans for the weekend, however, you might not be quite yet out of luck. Digital and Digital Deluxe editions of Guild Wars 2 are on sale on the official site until the 28th. You can pick it up for roughly 30% less than you would normally. Given that the Super Adventure Box is going strong until the end of the month and Flame and Frost: Retribution will be wrapping up this living story arc, this seems like a pretty promising time to check it out.

Meanwhile, the team has also released a dev blog chronicling the creation of the Super Adventure Box commercial mocked up for the April Fools' Day events. Turns out that the game the boy in the commercial is playing is called Rytlock's Critter Rampage; it's a real retro platformer game dreamed up by ArenaNet's Delly Sartika, and here's the best part: It's playable right now, by you, in your browser.

MassivelyGuild Wars 2 goes on sale, releases free retro platformer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbuy-to-playfantasyguild-wars-2gw2ncsoftsaleFri, 19 Apr 2013 15:30:00 EST