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[EVE Evolved: Fitting battleships for PvP in Odyssey]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/16/eve-evolved-fitting-battleships-for-pvp-in-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/16/eve-evolved-fitting-battleships-for-pvp-in-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/16/eve-evolved-fitting-battleships-for-pvp-in-odyssey/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved Fitting battleships for PvP in Odyssey
Tech 1 ships in EVE Online used to be arranged in tiers that determined the cost and power of the ship and what level of the appropriate skill was required to fly it. This gave a sense of progression back in 2004 when all we had was frigates, cruisers, and battleships, but developers have since filled in the gaps between ship classes with destroyers, battlecruisers, strategic cruisers, and tech 2 ships of all shapes and sizes. In a recent game design initiative, CCP has been removing the tiers from within each tech 1 ship class by buffing the lower-tier ships up to the same rough power level as the largest ship in its class.

The recent Odyssey expansion saw the humble battleship buffed beyond all recognition. The Megathron, Raven, Tempest, and Apocalypse all became extreme damage-dealing powerhouses, but the Dominix, Scorpion, Typhoon, and Armageddon were buffed the most. Each of them can now fit several monster setups, dealing upward of 1,000 damage per second or completely disabling enemy ships with energy neutralisers and electronic warfare. The build costs of these tier one battleships were more than doubled in the expansion, but prices are only slowly rising due to the existing stock on the market. That makes the tier one battleships incredibly cost-effective PvP powerhouses at the moment, and players are beginning to take advantage of it.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I experiment with PvP setups for the newly revamped Typhoon, Armageddon, Scorpion, and Dominix battleships.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Fitting battleships for PvP in Odyssey

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Fitting battleships for PvP in Odyssey originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>100kmarmageddonbattleshipbattleshipsbuffcapcapacitorcapacitor-warfareccpccp-gamesdominixdronedrone-damage-amplifierdronesecmelectronic-warfareeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedgeddonguideinternet-spaceshipsjump-drivelowsecmicro-jump-driveneutneutraliserneutralizernullsecodysseyopinionpvpsandboxsci-fiscorpionshipship-fittingship-fittingsship-setupship-setupsshipssnipersnipingspreadsheets-onlinetiertier-1typhoonSun, 16 Jun 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E3 2013: DUST 514 and EVE's virtual reality demo]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/14/e3-2013-dust-514-and-eves-virtual-reality-demo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/14/e3-2013-dust-514-and-eves-virtual-reality-demo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/14/e3-2013-dust-514-and-eves-virtual-reality-demo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE
To an outsider, CCP Games' focus on EVE Online's player panel, comics, incoming television series about player adventures, and museum induction show just how much the company works to earn its players' respect, which might sound weird for studio running a cutthroat PvP sandbox. But I've always felt as if I made stronger personal attachments through high-stakes PvP than through most other gaming activities. I don't play EVE or its console cousin DUST 514, but after stopping by the CCP booth for my interview and hands-on at E3 yesterday, I feel as if I should be doing more than reading and writing about it.

Continue reading E3 2013: DUST 514 and EVE's virtual reality demo

MassivelyE3 2013: DUST 514 and EVE's virtual reality demo originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesconconsoleconventionconvention-coveragedustdust-514e3e3-2013electronic-entertainment-expoeveeve-onlineeve-virtual-realityevent-coverageEVRexpofeaturedfpshands-oninternet-spaceshipsmassively-event-coveragemmofpsplaystationplaystation-3previewpreviewsps3sandboxsci-fishooterspreadsheets-onlineFri, 14 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: My very own top ten list of MMO pet peeves]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/free-for-all-my-very-own-top-ten-list-of-mmo-pet-peeves/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/free-for-all-my-very-own-top-ten-list-of-mmo-pet-peeves/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/free-for-all-my-very-own-top-ten-list-of-mmo-pet-peeves/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Top ten list screenshot
I couldn't just sit back and let Justin Olivetti have all the fun, could I? When he published The Perfect Ten: My gaming pet peeves, I swept my fist to the sky and screamed "Sypsterrrr!" Literally a week earlier I had jotted down an idea for a similar column. I mean jotted down because I keep yellow pads around the house for late-night ideas or dog-walk eurekas.

Of course his will probably end up the superior article as he is the better writer (and has a good bit of facial hair), but I'm going to present mine anyway. In fact I'll do one better by listing 11 of my MMO pet peeves because, well, I jotted down 11.

Continue reading Free for All: My very own top ten list of MMO pet peeves

MassivelyFree for All: My very own top ten list of MMO pet peeves originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbeau-hindmanccpdefianceeve-onlineeverquestEverQuest-2f2pfeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiumGuild-Wars-2justin-olivettilord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromabinogimilmommortsNexonnexon-americaopinionperfect-tenplanetside-2RyzomSandboxsci-fiscience-fictionspellbornthe-chronicles-of-spellbornTop-Tentriontrion-worldsturbinevelvet-ropeWed, 12 Jun 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E3 2013: Check out DUST 514's new trailer, EVE Online screenies]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/e3-2013-check-out-dust-514s-new-trailer-eve-online-screenies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/e3-2013-check-out-dust-514s-new-trailer-eve-online-screenies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/e3-2013-check-out-dust-514s-new-trailer-eve-online-screenies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

E3 2013 Check out DUST 514's new trailer, EVE Online screenies
Sometimes a space cowboy or cowgirl just wants to gaze out of the cockpit and marvel at the beauty of the cosmos. Sometimes being that pensive is a good way to get podded, but at least those final moments are spent in awe.

So whether or not you're facing imminent combat, we've got some new CCP eye candy for you. Below are several new screenshots from EVE Online: Odyssey and DUST 514, and after the break is the E3 trailer for DUST called Fight Your Own War. Enjoy!

[Source: CCP Games]

Gallery: E3 2013: EVE Online and DUST 514

Continue reading E3 2013: Check out DUST 514's new trailer, EVE Online screenies

MassivelyE3 2013: Check out DUST 514's new trailer, EVE Online screenies originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesconconsoleconventionconvention-coveragedustdust-514e3e3-2013electronic-entertainment-expoeveeve-onlineevent-coverageexpofpsgalleryinternet-spaceshipsmassively-event-coveragemmofpsodysseyplaystationplaystation-3ps3sandboxsci-fiscreenshotsshooterspreadsheets-onlinetrailervideoTue, 11 Jun 2013 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: First impressions of Odyssey]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/09/eve-evolved-first-impressions-of-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/09/eve-evolved-first-impressions-of-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/09/eve-evolved-first-impressions-of-odyssey/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved First impressions of Odyssey
The Odyssey expansion has been live for a couple of days now, but it's already starting to have a massive impact on EVE Online. Traffic through low-security space has increased significantly for the first time in years thanks to explorers hunting data and relic sites, and some players are even hunting asteroid belt NPCs in lowsec for the new security tags. New wars have erupted in nullsec following the redistribution of moon wealth, mining has become a more valuable profession, and the rebalanced battleships feel powerful again.

Unfortunately, Odyssey has seen its fair share of problems too. The new jump effect looks spectacular the first few times you see it, but long-term play is reportedly causing motion sickness in some players. Some players have also been objecting to the ice mining changes, and the revamped radial UI menu hasn't done much to fix the game's usability problems. Explorers in low-security space and nullsec are reporting incomes in the billions of ISK per day range thanks to the scan probe changes and new hacking minigame, but not everyone is happy with the new loot-scattering mechanic.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the early impact of Odyssey on the EVE Online universe and discover the secrets behind collecting all the valuable loot when hacking.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: First impressions of Odyssey

MassivelyEVE Evolved: First impressions of Odyssey originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Jun 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archaeologyarcheologybattleshipbattleshipsblueprintBlueprintscargo-scannerccpccp-gamesdatadecryptoreveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexplorationfeaturedFirst-Impressionsgraphicsguidehackinghands-onhow-tointernet-spaceshipsjump-effectlootloot-distributionmaterialsmini-gameminigamenew-player-experienceodysseyopinionpartsprobesradial-menusandboxscan-probesscannersci-fispreadsheets-onlinestargateuiuser-interfaceSun, 09 Jun 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online flirts with virtual reality]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/06/eve-online-flirts-with-virtual-reality/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/06/eve-online-flirts-with-virtual-reality/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/06/eve-online-flirts-with-virtual-reality/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

EVE Online flirts with virtual reality
At this year's Fanfest, EVE Online teased the possibility of putting players into the game with the magic of virtual reality. The VR demo, courtesy of an Oculus Rift dev kit, turned a few heads both metaphorically and literally. Today, CCP put forth a blog post explaining the hows and whys that went into this intriguing project.

CCP Karuck details the journey that led the team to adapting the studio's flagship title for a VR headset: "We brought up many genres and styles, but in the end decided to make a game in the EVE universe where players could fly fighter spaceships. That idea just checked all the boxes, and who hasn't wanted to experience first-person space flight in EVE?"

Challenges for the team including modifying the UI to work with a headset and tweaking the experience so that users wouldn't get motion sickness. Karuck estimates that around a thousand players tried out the EVE VR demo at fanfest, and the team has plans to bring it to E3 for press previews. Still, he admits that he doesn't know what is in store for the future of it all: "We still don't know what will become of this little project of ours, with CCP considering various options."

MassivelyEVE Online flirts with virtual reality originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesccp-karucke3e3-2013eveeve-onlineeve-online-fanfest-2013eve-vrfanfestinternet-spaceshipssandboxsci-fispreadsheets-onlinevirtual-realityvrThu, 06 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP gifting 50,000 skill points to EVE pilots due to downtime]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/ccp-gifting-50-000-skill-points-to-eve-pilots-due-to-downtime/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/ccp-gifting-50-000-skill-points-to-eve-pilots-due-to-downtime/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/ccp-gifting-50-000-skill-points-to-eve-pilots-due-to-downtime/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

CCP gifting 50,000 skill points to EVE pilots due to downtime
CCP is ponying up 50,000 unallocated skill points as a way of saying thanks to EVE Online players who endured the game's extended downtime over the weekend. The firm took its Tranquility server cluster offline for much of June 2nd and portions of June 3rd in order to deal with a DDoS attack, which affected EVE and newly released PlayStation 3 shooter DUST 514.

The bonus skill points were distributed during today's Odyssey expansion deployment, and CCP says that all accounts except trials are included.

MassivelyCCP gifting 50,000 skill points to EVE pilots due to downtime originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Jun 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gameseveeve-ddoseve-downtimeeve-hackeve-onlineeve-skill-pointsinternet-spaceshipssandboxsci-fispreadsheets-onlineTue, 04 Jun 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP marks EVE Online: Odyssey launch with trio of new videos]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/ccp-marks-eve-online-odyssey-launch-with-trio-of-new-videos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/ccp-marks-eve-online-odyssey-launch-with-trio-of-new-videos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/04/ccp-marks-eve-online-odyssey-launch-with-trio-of-new-videos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online: Odyssey
Odyssey, the 19th free content expansion for sci-fi sandbox EVE Online, is now live. Like the EVE expansions that came before it, Odyssey brings a collection of changes, tweaks and major overhauls to EVE's existing universe, among them resource redistribution, deep modifications to the exploration career, a brand-new radial navigation tool, upgrades to player-owned stations, and a redesigned system scanner.

To mark the occasion, CCP has released no fewer than three videos covering Odyssey, including the expansion's final launch trailer. Check out all three after the break, and have a look at our Odyssey coverage for in-depth information on everything that's changing.

Continue reading CCP marks EVE Online: Odyssey launch with trio of new videos

MassivelyCCP marks EVE Online: Odyssey launch with trio of new videos originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archaeologyccpccp-gamesdev-videoeveeve-onlineeve-online-odysseyhackinginternet-spaceshipslaunchOdysseysandboxsci-fispreadsheets-onlinetrailertrailersvideovideosTue, 04 Jun 2013 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[96 percent of EVE Online players are male]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/96-percent-of-eve-online-players-are-male/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/96-percent-of-eve-online-players-are-male/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/96-percent-of-eve-online-players-are-male/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online - Here's a huge helping of dudes
CCP marketing bigwig David Reid recently told Destructoid that 96 percent of EVE Online players are male. The site also interviewed EVE senior producer Andie Nordgren, who opined that the numbers are a byproduct of genre.

"Part of it is due to the theme of the game. Science fiction is an extremely male-dominated domain," she explained. Whatever the reasons, CCP is OK with EVE's current demographics. "It's not a goal for us as a development team to specifically increase the number of female players," Nordgren said. It's "more an indicator than something [to] strive for."

Massively96 percent of EVE Online players are male originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Jun 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>96-percent-of-eve-players-are-maleAndie-Nordgrenccpccp-gamesdavid-reideveeve-onlineinternet-spaceshipssandboxsausage-festsci-fispreadsheets-onlineMon, 03 Jun 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online details Odyssey ship rebalancing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/eve-online-details-odyssey-ship-rebalancing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/eve-online-details-odyssey-ship-rebalancing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/eve-online-details-odyssey-ship-rebalancing/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

EVE Online details Odyssey ship rebalancing
When Odyssey hits for EVE Online, it's going to be a whole new ballgame for many of its ships. CCP is planning to revamp and restructure its Navy faction ships across the board and has written up a nice fat post about the upcoming changes.

Odyssey will feature 40 revamped hulls, including four brand-new ones. This is being done to fit in with the ongoing ship balancing project that's seeking to kill tiers off in a brutal and uncompromising fashion. It also bring the hulls in line with a "Navy" theme that will be featured in the expansion.

There are a lot of changes to absorb, including a change-up to 23 ship skills, a division of cruisers into attack and combat categories, and a rebalancing of Tech 1 battleships.

MassivelyEVE Online details Odyssey ship rebalancing originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesdev-blogdev-diarydev-posteveeve-onlineinternet-spaceshipsodysseysandboxsci-fiship-rebalancingspreadsheets-onlineMon, 03 Jun 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Does CCP's future depend on DUST 514?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/ccps-future-depends-on-dust-514/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/ccps-future-depends-on-dust-514/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/ccps-future-depends-on-dust-514/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

CCP's future depends on DUST 514
It's been a couple of weeks since DUST 514 launched as a free-to-play title on the PlayStation 3. While it may be too early to tell whether the MMOFPS will be a big success story, a big flop, or something in the middle, Chief Marketing Officer David Reid argues that DUST 514 is vital to the future of CCP Games.

"The second product is often the big product," he said. "Anybody can have a hit, but can you have two? It's very important for CCP right now to make DUST 514 a success. It has a lot to do with the long-term trajectory of the company. We're definitely thinking about that."

Reid says that CCP is not trying to directly compete with MMO industry titans, but is forging its own path with a sustained cult following. He sees DUST 514 as an important step to the growth of the EVE Online universe: "On some level, DUST is a bit of a tracer bullet. A very big tracer bullet, a big investment, but it's a test bed. This could be the beginning of a much more interesting strategy of lots and lots of things joining into Tranquillity, and all being part of that shared economy, those shared politics and that shared universe."

MassivelyDoes CCP's future depend on DUST 514? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Jun 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesconsoledavid-reiddustdust-514eveeve-onlinefpsinternet-spaceshipsmmofpsplaystationplaystation-3ps3sandboxsci-fishooterspreadsheets-onlineMon, 03 Jun 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Why MMOs stopped getting bigger]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/why-mmos-stopped-getting-bigger/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/why-mmos-stopped-getting-bigger/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/why-mmos-stopped-getting-bigger/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Why MMOs stopped getting bigger
If after looking over the state of MMOs lately you've been left singing, "Where have all the big games gone?" to yourself, Ramin Shokrizade has an answer just for you. A virtual world economist, Shokrizade states that up until EVE Online and World of Warcraft, games grew in size and scope and then stopped. Why? Because it was never about getting big; it was about protecting and ensuring the equity of the gamers.

Shokrizade delves into why equity -- the sum of gamers' in-game efforts, such as levels and possessions -- is so important in a game and why those games that ignore protecting this equity don't measure up when it comes to success. He discusses how microtransactions that deal in in-game content destroy equity as well as how expansions that make previous content (such as crafting tiers) obsolete do the same thing. He then goes on to discuss the games that get it right, like League of Legends and World of Tanks.

MassivelyWhy MMOs stopped getting bigger originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Jun 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentccpccp-gamesdotae-sportesporteveeve-onlinef2pfantasyfree-to-playhistoricalinternet-spaceshipsleagueleague-of-legendslolmobapvpRamin-Shokrizaderiotriot-gamessandboxsci-fispreadsheets-onlinetanktankswarwarcraftwargaming.networld-of-tanksworld-of-warcraftwotwowMon, 03 Jun 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE and DUST DDoS attack not a threat to customers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/eve-and-dust-ddos-attack-not-a-threat-to-customers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/eve-and-dust-ddos-attack-not-a-threat-to-customers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/eve-and-dust-ddos-attack-not-a-threat-to-customers/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

EVE Online DDoS attack not a threat to costumers
This weekend's downtime in both EVE Online and DUST 514 -- the results of a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack -- is now over and both CCP games are back online, according to a statement from the studio's COO, Jón Hörðdal Jónasson.

CCP assures its customers that "at no time was customer data compromised or accessible in any way." Compensation to all EVE and DUST players will be announced soon.

MassivelyEVE and DUST DDoS attack not a threat to customers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Jun 2013 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attackccpccp-gamesconsoleddosdowntimedustdust-514eveeve-onlinefpsinternet-spaceshipsmmofpsplaystationplaystation-3ps3sandboxsci-fishooterspreadsheets-onlineMon, 03 Jun 2013 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Get ready for Odyssey]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/02/eve-evolved-get-ready-for-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/02/eve-evolved-get-ready-for-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/02/eve-evolved-get-ready-for-odyssey/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved Get ready for Odyssey
With just two days to go until EVE Online's exploration-focused Odyssey expansion goes live, players have been scouring the test server for information that can give them an edge. Some have been practicing moon surveying techniques for the upcoming redistribution of tech 2 minerals, and others are hoping to get rich quick by speculating on battleship price changes. Explorers are kitting out new exploration ships, theorycrafters are working on new setups for rebalanced ships, and pirates are setting up base in lowsec areas that are about to become fertile hunting grounds.

Odyssey isn't quite the Apocrypha-level expansion I've been hoping for, but it certainly seems set to shake things up. Changes to moon minerals will throw nullsec into chaos and hopefully ignite some big territorial wars, and battleship buffs may change EVE's popular fleet compositions. The Discovery Scanner Overlay will make exploration much easier for new players to get into, but will also give pirates another tool with which to hunt down explorers. A new co-operative hacking minigame will also make exploration more of a team sport. But how can you make the most of the expansion from day one, and what can you do today to prepare for it?

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the new exploration system and other changes you can expect when you log in on Tuesday, and what you can do now to make the most of them.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Get ready for Odyssey

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Get ready for Odyssey originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Jun 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alliance-warfareapocryphaarchaeologyarcheologybattleshipbattleshipsbuffccpccp-gamescloakdysprosiumeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexpansionsexplorationfeaturedget-readygroup-pvehackinghighsecinternet-spaceshipsisklowsecmaking-iskmineralmineralsmoon-mineralsmoon-miningneodymiumnullsecodysseyopinionprepareprocurerprofitpromethiumpvepvpr64richsandboxsci-fiship-tiersspreadsheets-onlinetechtechnetiumthuliumtiertiericideSun, 02 Jun 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP takes EVE and DUST offline due to DDoS attack]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/02/ccp-takes-eve-and-dust-offline-due-to-ddos-attack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/02/ccp-takes-eve-and-dust-offline-due-to-ddos-attack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/02/ccp-takes-eve-and-dust-offline-due-to-ddos-attack/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

CCP takes EVE and DUST offline due to DDoS attack
If you were looking to play EVE Online or DUST 514 this afternoon, you might want to go with your backup plan. CCP has taken its Tranquility server cluster offline in order to deal with a "significant and sustained distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack."

Tranquility hosts EVE and DUST players, and while CCP initially reopened the servers, it has since decided to close them down in order to conduct an investigation and "an exhaustive scan of our entire infrastructure." The outage also affects CCP's web presence. You can follow the situation via the company's Twitter feed.

[Thanks to everyone who tipped us.]

MassivelyCCP takes EVE and DUST offline due to DDoS attack originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Jun 2013 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingccpccp-gamesconsoleddosdustdust-514dust-ddoseveeve-ddoseve-hackeve-onlinefpshackedinternet-spaceshipsmmofpsplaystationplaystation-3ps3sandboxsci-fishooterspreadsheets-onlineSun, 02 Jun 2013 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online dev blog discusses Odyssey UI changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/30/eve-online-dev-blog-discusses-odyssey-ui-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/30/eve-online-dev-blog-discusses-odyssey-ui-changes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/30/eve-online-dev-blog-discusses-odyssey-ui-changes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Screenshot -- EVE Online's new Fleet Management window
The folks over at CCP have put up a new, puntastically titled post on the EVE Online site to fill players in on some of the UI changes coming in EVE Online: Odyssey. The changes range from the miniscule ("you can now make the input field in chat a single line and gain like 20 extra pixels! Yay!") to the more ambitious (such as a major reworking of the game's fleet management window), plus a few things in-between. To get the down-and-dirty details on all of the UI changes coming with Odyssey, just head on over and read the full post at the game's official site.

MassivelyEVE Online dev blog discusses Odyssey UI changes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gameseveeve-onlineeve-online-odysseyinternet-spaceshipsodysseyreal-punny-guyssandboxsci-fispreadsheets-onlineuiuser-interfaceThu, 30 May 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online lays down Alliance Tournament rules]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/29/eve-online-lays-down-alliance-tournament-rules/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/29/eve-online-lays-down-alliance-tournament-rules/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/29/eve-online-lays-down-alliance-tournament-rules/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EVE Online lays down Alliance Tournament rules
EVE Online's Alliance Tournament XI is coming up this summer, and prospective combatants can now check out the full list of official rules as well as format details. Changes from past tournaments include the elimination of pre-qualifying and group stages, an entry fee of just 5 PLEX, the addition of a practice server, and a new tie-breaking system.

The tournament will pit 64 alliance teams against each other in a single stage that involves double-elimination brackets and random initial seeding.

MassivelyEVE Online lays down Alliance Tournament rules originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alliance-tournament-xiccpccp-gameseveeve-onlineformatinternet-spaceshipspvprulessandboxsci-fispreadsheets-onlinetournamentWed, 29 May 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jukebox Heroes: EVE Online's soundtrack]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/jukebox-heroes-eve-onlines-soundtrack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/jukebox-heroes-eve-onlines-soundtrack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/jukebox-heroes-eve-onlines-soundtrack/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Jukebox Heroes EVE Online's soundtrack
EVE Online's soundtrack is a strange puppy to me. I've heard players proclaim their love and undying affection for it, although I believe that a great deal of that is tied into game loyalty and monogamy. From this outsider's perspective, it's a large number of ambient synth tracks that are big on atmosphere and small on catchy melodies or memorable themes.

Even though I wouldn't rate it as one of the most exciting scores I've covered for this column, I don't want to dismiss its atmospheric nature as a negative. Creating a soundscape that communicates the wonder, mystery, and largely empty gulf of the cosmos has proven to be a great asset to gamer immersion for EVE, and at least most of these tracks are soothing and low-key enough to warrant a high rating on the replayability scale.

Icelandic composer Jón Hallur Haraldsson was in charge of this project. Responding to an interview question about the score's musical category, Haraldsson said, "Back in the days I used to concern myself a lot with defining my music, but I don't do that as much anymore. I like to amalgamate, to take whatever I like from whatever style and try to put that into my music."

You can listen to a bulk of the game's music on Sound Cloud, but here are my picks for the six best tracks out of the bunch!

Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: EVE Online's soundtrack

MassivelyJukebox Heroes: EVE Online's soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamescomposercomposerseveeve-onlinefanfestfeaturedgame-musicinternet-spaceshipsJón-Hallur-HaraldssonJon-Hallur-Haraldssonjukeboxjukebox-heroesjustin-olivettimmo-jukeboxmmo-musicmusicopinionsandboxsci-fisoundtracksoundtracksspreadsheets-onlinesymphonyTue, 28 May 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online: Odyssey promises huge changes, dual character training]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/eve-online-odyssey-promises-huge-changes-dual-character-traini/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/eve-online-odyssey-promises-huge-changes-dual-character-traini/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/28/eve-online-odyssey-promises-huge-changes-dual-character-traini/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Online: Odyssey
It's time again for another enormous EVE Online expansion. This latest chunk of tweaks, changes, and updates, titled Odyssey and due for launch June 4, marks the 19th free content addition in the space-based MMO's 10-year history. And like the expansions that came before it, Odyssey promises to make a host of changes to the EVE universe -- some big, some small, and some even game-changing.

We sat down with CCP to get a look at Odyssey and some of its more major components, including a huge exploration overhaul, more user-friendly controls, and a dramatic change to the way in which resources are distributed across its vast, starry expanses.

Here's what we've learned.

Continue reading EVE Online: Odyssey promises huge changes, dual character training

MassivelyEVE Online: Odyssey promises huge changes, dual character training originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gameseveEve-Expansioneve-onlineeve-online-odysseyexpansionfeaturedinternet-spaceshipsinterviewinterviewskristoffer-touborgodysseypreviewpreviewssandboxsci-fispreadsheets-onlineTue, 28 May 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Archaeology and Hacking in Odyssey]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/26/eve-evolved-archaeology-and-hacking-in-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/26/eve-evolved-archaeology-and-hacking-in-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/26/eve-evolved-archaeology-and-hacking-in-odyssey/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved Hacking and Archaeology in Odyssey
EVE Online's Odyssey expansion is set to land in just over a week's time, kicking off the game's second decade with a focus on exploration, immersion, and resource rebalancing. Developers plan to shake up nullsec by redistributing the value of various moon minerals and buffing player-owned outposts, and lowsec will become a more tempting place to visit with the addition of valuable new tags to asteroid belt NPCs. But what's in it for highsec players?

In addition to new navy issue battlecruisers and immersive new jump and death sequences, players from all corners of EVE will find new exploration content in their back yards. A big part of the new exploration system is a complete redesign of the Hacking and Archaeology mini-professions, which have been in EVE for as long as I can remember and have remained relatively unchanged. Odyssey will add new sites for both professions and replace the boring old chance-based system with a new minigame that emphasises co-operation with other players.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the history of Hacking and Archaeology in EVE and what the new system brings to the table.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Archaeology and Hacking in Odyssey

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Archaeology and Hacking in Odyssey originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analyzerarchaeologyarcheologyccpccp-gamescodebreakerconsoledustdust-514eveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexplorationfeaturedfpshackhackerhackinginternet-spaceshipsmini-gameminigamemmofpsodysseyopinionplaystationplaystation-3ps3sandboxsci-fishooterspreadsheets-onlineSun, 26 May 2013 18:00:00 EST