Massively Speaking

Massively wishes you a happy Halloween

Alex Ziebart — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Age of Conan, Aion, City of Heroes, EverQuest, EverQuest II, Fallen Earth, Final Fantasy XI, Guild Wars, Lineage, Lineage 2, Warhammer Online, Star Wars Galaxies, Exteel, Free Realms, Champions Online, Runes of Magic, Legends of Norrath

Halloween is probably second only to Christmas in terms of holiday popularity. Ask just about anybody what their favorite holiday is, and they'll probably list one of those two (if it fits the culture). Naturally, as MMO players, we have fun celebrating it in our virtual worlds just like we do in the real world. And boy, this year, do we ever celebrate. Just about every active MMO out there had (or has) something going on. The 2009 lineup included:

Most of these events last a few days into November, so if there's any one in particular you're dying to experience, you might still have a chance if you have a subscription laying around. If you're not able to visit any of these in person, we have screenshots from many of these events in the gallery below. Enjoy!

Gallery: Halloween 2009

Massively wishes you a happy Halloween originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Redefining MMOs: Pesky Persistence

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: EVE Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, PvE, Opinion, Exteel, Massively Meta, Consoles, Casual, Virtual worlds, Redefining MMOs

Here in Redefining MMOs we've been over terminology, working with lore, the place of soloing in our online games, players acting as developers, and attempting to get away from the carbon copy feel of the genre. With all of that in mind, where could we possibly head to next? Well, how about dealing with persistence?

One persistent world holding thousands of players simultaneously, a world that continues even when you log off. That was the dream, wasn't it? Having an insane number of players all occupying the same game space? Having you and 100 of your closest friends (or perhaps enemies) battling it out over loot, bosses, pvp, and anything else the game had to offer? Persistence has long been one of the central aspects of the MMO genre, where "one continuous world" rules over all. So is persistence what defines an MMO or is it not that clear cut? Perhaps persistence is nothing more than a pesky piece of unpleasant pie and maybe we shouldn't define our genre by it as we do now.

In this issue of Redefining MMOs, I'm going to tackle the thorny issue of persistence, from its definition down to what we perceive the word to mean. I'm also going to include a discussion on two very different games -- 1 vs. 100 and Chromehounds -- and put both to the MMO persistence test. Then, as the article all comes together, I'm going to tackle the biggest question of them all: "Does persistence matter?" If you have an opinion on this week's subject, feel free to leave a comment on page 3 or even write your own "Redefining MMOs" blog post and leave a comment with the URL.

Continue reading Redefining MMOs: Pesky Persistence

Redefining MMOs: Pesky Persistence originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shopping list: Milk, bread, MMO game time cards...

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Lineage, Lineage 2, Business models, MMO industry, News items, Tabula Rasa, Exteel, Free-to-play

Let's face it, getting time cards for your favorite game is a necessity. It's up there with the milk, bread, and eggs that you need for your daily survival. We have enough stories about MMO withdrawal to fill a shopping cart, so why not sell our addiction where we can easily grab it?

NCsoft got the message and is pushing their time cards out to the masses by partnering up with Target, Rite Aid, and Best Buy. Now you too can literally walk down the street to the drug store and pick up your favorite addiction -- more play time. More importantly, if you're a subscriber to City of Heroes/Villains, grab yourself a time card because it will unlock an in-game jet pack for you to use.

The approach isn't anything new, as Nexon has already been providing their cash cards to customers of 7-Eleven convenience stores for some time now. What all of this does show is a marketing push by more game companies to get their cards into the mainstream market of consumer products.

Lastly, as a friendly reminder, when you're running out to get those "essentials" at Rite-Aid or Target before that "big storm" hits, remember your desktop computer doesn't work when the power is out.

Shopping list: Milk, bread, MMO game time cards... originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft's upcoming summer tour around the Globe

Matt Warner — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Real life, Aion, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Dungeon Runners, Contests, Events, real-world, Tabula Rasa, Exteel, Free-to-play

NCsoft is taking a whirlwind summer tour across the Globe. First stop is in San Diego, California at Comic-Con where games, geeks, and comics will collide on July 23-27. The NCsoft booth (#5920) will feature game stations set up for attendees to play CoX, Exteel, Tabula Rasa and other NCsoft games. Also City of Heroes fanzine artist, Dave Hamann will be present to draw character sketches.

In Europe, during July 29-31 Aion: Tower of Eternity will be playable to western journalists. This will be the first time in a year since the last firsthand look took place. NCsoft Europe is hosting the event at their Brighton England, locale and this is a select press event. However, one of the biggest gaming events is taking place August 20-24 in Leipzig, Germany. NCsoft is headed there and will be present at the Leipzig Games Convention in a big way. Attendants there will find a special surprise in Hall 3 Booth B20, Aion will be setup on several demo kiosks for the public to play, the first time outside South Korea.

Continue reading NCsoft's upcoming summer tour around the Globe

NCsoft's upcoming summer tour around the Globe originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ArenaNet to host 2nd annual PAX afterparty

Shawn Schuster — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Real life, Aion, City of Heroes, Dungeon Runners, Guild Wars, Contests, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Tabula Rasa, Exteel

Once again, NCsoft and ArenaNet will be making an appearance at Seattle's Penny Arcade Expo this year. The NCsoft booth (#642) will be packed full goodies during the weekend of August 29th through the 31st, and they will be showing off some of their new and old favorites, including Exteel, Dungeon Runners, Guild Wars, City of Heroes, Tabula Rasa and the brand new Aion.

As they did last year, ArenaNet will be holding contests where participants can win valuable prizes. Developers will also be on hand to meet and greet with the players. Possibly the most exciting news is the fact that ArenaNet will hold another after-party at the Game Works across the street from the Washington State Convention & Trade Center, as they did last year. This is your chance to meet the folks at ArenaNet in a more casual setting and even challenge a few to an arcade game or two!

ArenaNet to host 2nd annual PAX afterparty originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exteel fiction "Divided We Stand"

Shawn Schuster — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Lore, PvP, Exteel, Roleplaying

In a game that is mostly arena PvP between giant bipedal robots, we'd imagine that would be about all we'd need to know, right? We have all we need in the game with giant weapons, mechanaught add-ons and a hundred different ways to blast holes in our enemies. Or do we? Well, as it turns out, Exteel actually has a back story, and you can find it over at GameZone.

In this story, we learn about the struggle between four colonies on the recently-inhabited planet of Natha. Each of these colonies has their own ideals and their own reasons for warring against the others. Some are refugees from Mars, some from Saturn and some from Jupiter, but they're all at war with each other. The reason they were once unified has crumbled away, and now they must continue their skirmishes in their metal behemoths until a resolution is found.

Exteel fiction "Divided We Stand" originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exteel's top ranking players and clans now viewable online

Matt Warner — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, PvP, News items, Exteel, Free-to-play

You guys sure do talk a lot of crap in-game. Let's see if those bragging rights really do belong to your clan. Now everyone really knows who the heck the top bots in Exteel are with the latest ranking feature on the Exteel website is live which displays player and clan ranks. There is no extra software to install, no manual profiles to keep up to date, all you have to do is log on and smash each other into smithereens. You can also search for clans and pilots too see where they stand, there's actually some jerk out there named Legolas. You know what to do if you see that player roaming in-game. Both ranking lists will update every 24 hours, early in the morning and the ranking system is currently in-beta so players can expect more features later down the road.

Be sure to check out our Exteel coverage, or jump right into the game by downloading the Exteel client.

Exteel's top ranking players and clans now viewable online originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exteel: Boomrocker is a go

Jonathan Northwood — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: PvP, Exteel, Free-to-play

Heaviest of Exteel's early-era Mechanaughts, the Boomrocker is also one of the best support models available for pilots who can afford the armor and upkeep. Admittedly, it's slower and heavier than newer models, but it's also sturdier, and has a greater capacity for heat regulation. Additionally, the head is equipped with dual Mechanaught Processing Units (MPUs), so you can purchase and equip two skills at the same time.

Weighing in at 54K credits, the price tag is not minor, but it's also not prohibitive. And when you consider its classification as a Heavy, when the Trooper is classified as a Medium, it's a fairly sweet deal for the dosh. Yes, it's a support unit, but when you consider how much damage it can deal in close-quarters fighting, support can also equate to kicking opposing Mechanaught butt.

Now, a word of warning: we've already mentioned that it's not the fastest bird off the blocks, and it doesn't have the highest mobility. If you do get into a fight where you wind up on the front lines instead of supporting your troops, conserve your energy and reroute it to weapons and shields: don't try to boost or jump unless you can't avoid it, because the Boomrocker is just an eensy bit of a pig when it comes to sucking down the juice. Still, between the armor and the weaponry you're packing, the tradeoff in protection and penetration should more than make up for the occasional sphincter-loosening worry when the your team observes the solid biowaste impacting the rotary impellers.

Gallery: Exteel Boomrocker

Exteel: Boomrocker is a go originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exteel introduces Clan Mode

Shawn Schuster — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Guilds, Patches, PvP, Exteel

Exteel is set to release its newest patch very soon, and in it we'll see the implementation of Clan Mode where players will be able to create and manage their own clans from the Exteel website. These clans will have their own set of restrictions on use, but seem to be something the Exteel players have wanted for a long time.

To create a clan, you'll need to be at least level 20, and to join a clan, you'll need to be at least level 15. The clans are only able to enter clan battles once they have 8 or more players, but if that number ever dips below 8, they will have 37 days to re-enlist, or the clan will dissolve. The clan battles themselves are much like Team Deathmatch, but the points are deducted from the opposing team's score for each kill and assist, instead of adding to your own score. This new Clan Mode patch also brings with it 7-day items, changes to the online store, four new weapons and much more. Check out the complete patch notes for more details.

Exteel introduces Clan Mode originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jae Hwan Kim on Exteel

Matt Warner — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, PvP, News items, Exteel, Free-to-play

Exteel is already six months into launch, and it stays kind of quiet not often talked about in MMOG circles. If you haven't heard about this one it's a free-to-play MMOG where players can take up giant robots and smash each other into bits like retro-rats. Several Massively readers even gave it the thumbs up in our launch post. As for recent news we covered the Trooper recently, and the new Last Stand battle mode that interjects a PvE element into the game. The latest information comes from Jae Hwan Kim, Exteel US Producer, in this interview with WarCry.

A genuine concern exists regarding Exteel's well being and sustainability because the game is an Eastern esque MMOG supported by micro transactions. There is a lot more room for failure in the Western market for this type of MMOG. According to Kim, Exteel is doing great and broke a concurrency record last week which is always good news for any MMOG. Also in the interview Kim talks about a few new features coming soon such as the new Clan battle mode, NCcoin versus in-game credits, along with his quick thoughts on game balance. Be sure to check out the official Exteel website where you can download the relatively small client.

Jae Hwan Kim on Exteel originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Behind the Curtain: Why bother?

Craig Withers — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-fi, EVE Online, Myst Online: URU Live, Crafting, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, Exteel, Free-to-play, Behind the Curtain, Warhammer 40k

What is it that keeps us playing, months and years after our first trip through the character generation screen?

The obvious answer is that we're still having fun. Maybe you've been playing World of Warcraft since release or earlier, you've got an alt of every class, epics to make a GM weep with envy, but you still get that little tingle of excitement every time you log on, that keeps you coming back for more.

What kind of enjoyment do you get from your MMO? Hopefully you are actually having fun with it. If not, I suggest you seek help, or go play Vanguard. Just kidding, maybe.

That being said, how do you quantify 'fun'? Exactly what is it about WoW or EVE Online or any other MMO that keeps you coming back for more? The steep climb to yet another epic flying mount in WoW has pushed me perilously close to burn out over the past few weeks (the impending release of the new 40K rulebook may also be a factor) so I've been thinking, more than usual, about what keeps us going in situations like this.

Continue reading Behind the Curtain: Why bother?

Behind the Curtain: Why bother? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A look at Exteel's Trooper Mechanaught

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, PvP, Exteel, Free-to-play, Education

In previous developer letters from NCsoft, we learned about some of the entry-level Mechanaughts available in Exteel, their free-to-play robotic wargame MMO. In the most recent letter, we learn much more about the advanced Mechanaught known as the Trooper. This bipedal robot is the successor to the Frontliner and can absorb more damage, use energy more efficiently, regenerate energy faster, is much more responsive, and is a lot more accurate.

Also in this letter we get some detailed information on the Last Stand battle mode. This is an extremely useful mode where players can battle against scores of AI opponents and hone their skills, winning matches and accumulating hard-earned money for PvP battles. Plus, Last Stand matches can be played with a fewer group of players without the concern for finding enough people for balanced teams. All you need is some friends and that's it!

A look at Exteel's Trooper Mechanaught originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TurpsterVision: An MM-No?

Mark Turpin — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Reviews, Opinion, Exteel, Free-to-play, TurpsterVision

Every Tuesday think "T" for Turpster and take the "a" in "day", capitalise it, remove the little bit in the middle, turn it upside down and you get a "V". Put the two together and you'll have TV for TurpsterVision -- the best Internet video podcast on Massively! (Never mind that business about it being the only video podcast on Massively...)

I've made my name here at Massively reviewing MMOs; it's what I do. This week brought to my attention that not all the games here at Massively are as massive as you might believe - no I haven't gone and reviewed a game where you play as a tiny ant fighting other tiny ants...on a grain of sand. Though I must admit that it sounds like a totally awesome idea! It would rock, so consider it copyrighted. Instead, using my patented Random Augmented Nuclear Dart Yaw machine, or the R.A.N.D.Y Machine for short, I have managed to select a game that I don't think quite belongs here.

Continue reading TurpsterVision: An MM-No?

TurpsterVision: An MM-No? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively exclusive: Exteel's dev paper #5

Elizabeth Harper — Thu, 22 May 2008 16:45:00 EST

Filed under: Galleries, Tips and tricks, Exteel, Free-to-play

If giant robot fighting is your thing (and, really, who doesn't love a good giant robot fight every now and again?), than NCsoft's free-to-play Exteel is your game. Today the NCsoft developers have passed along a dev paper where they discuss the Trooper Mechanaught, highlight available weapons, and cover the game's Last Stand battle mode. Want to hear what the developers have to say? Read on!

Gallery: Exteel Dev Paper #5

Continue reading Massively exclusive: Exteel's dev paper #5

Massively exclusive: Exteel's dev paper #5 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 May 2008 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exteel's Unofficial Full Metal Mayhem Tournament announced

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 16 May 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Contests, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, PvP, Exteel, Free-to-play

The announcement was made recently that NCsoft developer HawkSteel has assembled his own unofficial Exteel tournament, without the official support of NCsoft. The idea behind this tournament is to get teams of players to battle each other in a round-robin style format to determine the overall winner by accumulating Tournament Points (TPs). Each team battles another team per round in three separate matches in the following battle modes: Capture the Flag, Team Deathmatch and Territory Control.

There are no prizes, as the tournament winners will only feed off of the prestige and honor of being the best of the best. Be sure to check out the extensively-detailed rules over at the official site for more information. May the best laser-gun-wielding-robot win!

Exteel's Unofficial Full Metal Mayhem Tournament announced originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 May 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A look at Exteel's Frontliner Mech and battle modes

Shawn Schuster — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Sci-fi, PvP, Exteel, Free-to-play

There just comes a time in every mechanaught's life when he needs a change. Whether it's a part upgrade or a full-blown makeover, we think we might just have the answer you've been looking for if you're an Exteel player in search of greener pastures, or wherever mechs graze.

According to a recent NCsoft dev letter, the Frontliner is a prime choice if you're ready to make that leap from the Pinkett. It features several new offensive and defensive weapon choices to defeat your opponent. Plus it introduces players to the durability rating, which basically means you'll need to keep an eye on the status of your mech a little more-closely in order to repair at regular intervals.

Continue reading A look at Exteel's Frontliner Mech and battle modes

A look at Exteel's Frontliner Mech and battle modes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars won't use NCsoft's microtransaction system

Michael Zenke — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Business models, Culture, MMO industry, Exteel, Free-to-play

NCsoft's recently announced NCcoin system is currently only in use by the mech title Exteel. Despite that, it's obviously a technology that the mega-MMO publisher has plans for. Future titles might make very interesting use of the microtransactional model. That said, the company took pains this week to stress that already-released games are not going to be retrofitted with the NCcoin system if it's not appropriate.

Speaking with Eurogamer, a representative for the company indicated that Guild Wars will not be making use of NCcoin anytime soon."NCcoin will not be retrofitted in games that have business models that do not work with a micro-transaction system. We will, however, work to have NCcoin incorporated in as many of our games as possible. What role NCcoin will play in our future console offerings is yet to be determined." Further comments in the article indicate that the NCcoin system is ultimately about choice; NCsoft wants to offer consumers as many options as possible.

Guild Wars won't use NCsoft's microtransaction system originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft bombards Facebook

Eli Shayotovich — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Dungeon Runners, Business models, Culture, Forums, Launches, Tabula Rasa, Exteel, Free-to-play

The social networking site Facebook is the MySpace for older folks like yours truly. NCsoft has apparently come to realize that these social networking sites are really just an extension of Massive Multiplayer Online Games and as such sees them as a viable means to spread the love and promote a few of their games. Currently they have individual pages for Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa, Dungeon Runners and Exteel.

As of this writing the TR page has 107 fans, the DR page has 112, and Exteel has 72. What I want to know is... where's the CoX love? Clickety-click on over and start connecting with fellow gamers. Ya never know who you might run into.

NCsoft bombards Facebook originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Behind the Curtain: Something Unexpected

Craig Withers — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-fi, EverQuest, EverQuest II, PvP, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, Exteel, Behind the Curtain, Roleplaying

More often than not, we tend to get stuck in a rut in our gaming careers. I've been quite guilty of it in the past - all of my characters in World of Warcraft have levelled their way up solo. I've decided to take steps to rectify this, by rolling up a new character, a Warrior this time, and I plan on making a concerted effort to get her into as many instances as I can. Even if it means jumping into the PUG from Hell, I'm going to force myself to step out of the rut I've gotten into in my games.

My big lottery win hasn't came round yet, so I'm not yet able to play WoW all day long in my boxer shorts. Since I have to work for a living, my time online is pretty restricted, so I like to know that I'm spending it wisely, which means that I tend to end up falling into the same routine - maybe a couple of daily quests, a quick check of the Auction House, maybe clear the odd solo quest out of my log. It doesn't sound very exciting, and sometimes it occurs to me that it isn't.

Continue reading Behind the Curtain: Something Unexpected

Behind the Curtain: Something Unexpected originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Upcoming Exteel patch to introduce in-game ads

William Dobson — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, Economy, Patches, Exteel

Some notes for the next Exteel patch at the official site inform us of what's in store for NCsoft's free mech-battling MMO. The last thing to be mentioned in the short blurb is the inclusion of in-game ads after the patch is live. Players already participate in a microtransaction-based model in order to buy certain upgrades for their Mechanaught, but obviously this wasn't enough of a cash-spinner, so Exteel will be able to take its place in this table soon.

Aside from the ads, there are a few other changes to come with the patch. A new map called Face-Off will be launched, two new Mechanaught sets will be available (one purchased with NCcoins from real money transactions), some changes to Territory Control rewards, weapon balancing, and a super-deformed gameplay option.

Upcoming Exteel patch to introduce in-game ads originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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