Free-to-play

This week's Tattered Notebook started off business as usual. I was putting together part two of a look at the layers of change in EverQuest II through the years. But I was also mulling over a column about the new Hero's Edge items that arrived on the Marketplace; something I had just speculated about in a recent column. There was also the news about upcoming crafting changes to talk about.

And then, suddenly everything gets put into perspective. Ribbitribbitt, the young EQII fan who had been battling cancer, passed away at the age of six. A couple of months ago, the EQII community got a request for assistance in building an in-game playground from his mother, and what followed was an unprecedented show of support. His mother, Myrose, passed along the sad news to the community this past week with a brief forum post, and the community mourned his loss.

In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll explore how Ribbitribbitt brought a community together, and look at the grieving process from losing an in-game friend.

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Sony Online Entertainment has begun carpet-bombing media outlets with publicity relating to its upcoming PlanetSide 2 MMOFPS. The game has been in development for quite a while now, but up until very recently the devs have kept a low profile. Now the title's Twitter feed is exploding on a daily basis, awe-inspiring alpha gameplay videos are finding their way into the public eye, and interviews abound.

I managed to get creative director Matt Higby's attention for a few moments, and he's got some interesting things to say about PS2's upside. Would you believe that MMOFPS is about to become a new industry buzzword? Read on after the break.

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The few. The proud. The quest writers.

At the best of times, the fruits of their labors guide us along in our progression of a local or global story, immersing us in the world. Even the nefarious "kill 10 rats" versions can be mini stories that pull players in when done well. But how many of us have ever had a "I could do better than that" moment or have simply wanted to live out a personal story or share in a customized grand adventure with our friends? Someone wished upon the right star because with features like the Mission Architect in City of Heroes you can do just that.

I am just going to come right out and say it -- the quest builder is one of the greatest boons ever for player-generated content in MMORPGs. Besides housing, it is the feature du jour for the creative crowd; I honestly can't see how any game can actually go without one. During this latest round of Choose My Adventure, I had the opportunity to check out the system in City of Heroes and revel in the creativity of others as well as try my hand at developing missions. And I tell you, it is addicting.

Feel like trying your hand at shaping some stories for heroes (and villains) to star in? Stick with me, kid, and you'll be directing your own missions in no time.

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I've had my fill of MMORTS games. I love them, and I mean love them, but after being asked to look at the 567,386th title from the genre, I am getting a wicked case of tunnel vision. Sometimes I wish I could hit a switch and see these games with the eyes of a brand-new player, to truly judge their quality without any preconceptions. That's not possible, unfortunately.

Luckily, once in a while there comes along a title that feels fresh or does enough with design to seem new and clever. Command and Conquer Tiberium Alliances stands out from the crowd with its interesting combat and a casual approach to hardcore gaming. I have to admit that, at first, I was a bit bummed at having to take a look at yet another epic strategy game that would probably not feel that epic, but my mind was changed after a solid week of playing.

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If you have wondered about what was going on in Spacetime Studios' Cinco Barnes' head while designing Dark Legends, wonder no more. I was asked to sit in on a Google + hangout, essentially a public video conference call, with Cinco, Carter Dotson from 148apps and Heidi Duran from GirlGamer. The event was moderated by Ashley Esqueda from G4TV. Cinco fielded some questions from us and fans of the game.

Want to see some cool concept art? Need to know if the energy mechanic in Dark Legends was created just to make fast cash? Have you heard about Spacetime's newly announced title Arcane Legends, but have no idea what might be involved with the game? Have you wondered about the images in the opening video, the appearance of top hats, and the possibility of obtaining all of those great costumes through in-game means? You can find out the answers to these and other important questions in the video, embedded just after the cut.

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Runes of Magic's Chapter V is on the way, and along with several new features, it's bringing a whole lot of dwarven flavor to the game's sprawling fantasy world.

The Shadowforge Dwarves are the game's latest race, and players who choose to roll one will begin their adventures in the new Yrvandis Hollows starting area. In addition to the usual newbie zone accoutrements, the area features an instance called the Outskirts of Taffrock that Frogster describes as "particularly challenging." Players will face off against a final boss known as Dark Gargoylem, along with his horde of aggressive spirits that have hunkered down in the lower levels of the ancient dwarven hall.

Runes of Magic is a free-to-play fantasy title developed by Runewaker and published by Frogster. The Fires of Shadowforge update releases June 12th.

[Source: Frogster press release]

During the first 10 minutes of my time with Heroes & Generals, I killed once, died twice, and drove a tank, a jeep, a half-track, and a bicycle (not necessarily in that order). I also rode shotgun on said tank and said jeep, manning a nifty vehicle-mounted machine gun in the process.

I marveled at the visuals, took way too many screenshots of my squadmates looking at the blow-away badass in-game map (it's the little things, amirite?), and generally had a helluva good time. Did I mention that all of this happened in a browser?

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DC Universe Online's fourth DLC pack is on the way. As you're probably aware, it's called Last Laugh, but what you may not know is that it's focused on PvP. New iconic characters are making their way to the game's Legends mode, including DC stalwarts like Power Girl and Amon Sur.

Up to this point, much of Legends PvP has focused on what creative director Jens Andersen terms the Bat family. Characters like Batman, Bane, Two-Face, Robin, and the Joker are all mainstays. Now, though, players can step into the tights of both Kryptonian and Lantern heroes, and they can do so on the new Fortress of Solitude Legends map. That's not all, of course, but you'll need to head to Games Radar for more details plus a nifty video.

Runes of Magic is counting down the days until its next major update, Chapter V: Fires of Shadowforge, and Frogster is throwing five exciting events to pep up its playerbase during the wait. The Big Five, as the company is calling it, is currently at the halfway mark as its third event that will take place over the holiday weekend.

From May 25th through May 29th, Runes of Magic players can visit the Helping Hands in one of several locations in the game to get an incredible buff. This two-hour buff will boost experience, talent point, and rare loot gain for all who accept it. Players can receive the buff once a day for the duration of the event.

The highlight of Chapter V is most definitely the addition of a pair of new classes: the Champion and the Warlock. Also coming with Chapter V are the playable Shadowforge Dwarves, a new starter zone, and additional high-level instances. The update will release on June 12th.

Command & Conquer fans, today's a banner day. The latest entry in the long-running franchise is Tiberium Alliances, a free-to-play browser-based title that's now available. You can pick from either the Global Defense Initiative or Nod factions, then harvest resources, build giant armies, and foster strategic alliances as you will your side to ultimate victory.

Players can take on the AI or each other, and TA's integrated status and news feeds makes it easier than ever to keep abreast of both in-game happenings and development rumblings. The game can be played on your desktop, your smartphone, or your tablet. Head to the official website to sign up and get started. Don't forget to check out the launch trailer after the break, and look for Massively's impressions on the game later this week in MMObility.

[Source: Electronic Arts press release]

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