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[The Perfect Ten: Movies for the MMO fan]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/the-perfect-ten-movies-for-the-mmo-fan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/the-perfect-ten-movies-for-the-mmo-fan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/23/the-perfect-ten-movies-for-the-mmo-fan/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Perfect Ten Movies for the MMO fan
You love movies? Sure, who doesn't? I certainly do; I've been reviewing them with friends since 1997. I'm always fascinated by how many out-of-the-way gems there are that go overlooked by the mainstream audience, and I love how films tie into our daily experiences in unexpected ways.

MMOs haven't quite gotten popular enough to spawn their own sub-genre of films, apart from the odd fan project or the long-rumored World of Warcraft flick. That doesn't mean that we're lacking good movie role models for our hobby, however. I think that there are plenty of films that are perfectly suited for the MMO fan, even if they've never been thought of as such.

So here are 10 films that speak to us as gamers. To make things interesting, I excluded any movie that shares the same IP as an MMO. Read this list and let me know what you would pick!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Movies for the MMO fan

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Movies for the MMO fan originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cinemafeaturedfilmfilmsflickflickshumormoviemoviesopinionp10perfect-10perfect-tenroundupscott-pilgrimthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tentop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listThu, 23 May 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Which MMO races do you detest?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/12/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-races-do-you-detest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/12/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-races-do-you-detest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/12/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-races-do-you-detest/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Daily Grind Which races do you detest
My loathing of Elves is not only well-documented here on Massively, but stretches back to my childhood. I've just never liked them, period. Maybe it's because they're the preppie cool kids in my mind's John Hughes movie, or maybe it's their incredible haughty arrogance and froofy love of flowerwear. In any case, I don't like them, I don't play them, and I feel perfectly fine wishing all manner of humiliating harm upon them. After all, they're pretend and that makes it OK, right?

So in the tongue-in-cheek spirit of imaginary racism, which pretend species makes your skin crawl in MMOs? Can you not abide by Dwarves no matter what? Do Gnomes irk you? Will your eyes roll out of your head if you see another humanoid cat race invade your gaming space? Let's get our hate on this morning! Whee!

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: Which MMO races do you detest? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>caithlincathardaily-grinddwarveselfelvesgnomeshumorno-elvesopiniontdgthe-daily-grindSun, 12 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Second Wind: Age of Conan]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/second-wind-age-of-conan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/second-wind-age-of-conan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/second-wind-age-of-conan/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Age of Conan screenshot
I remember playing Age of Conan when it first came out; it seems like an eternity ago. So many titles have been released and failed since then that it's easy to get it all mixed up, and it doesn't help when many of those titles are sub-par or just plain boring and forgettable. Age of Conan sort of messed with my head with its insistent instancing and odd combat mechanics. I just couldn't wrap my head around what the game was trying to do.

Is it a hardcore PvP-centric MMO? Many would say so. Is it a grand, single-player adventure? In some ways. Is it an immersive romp through the long-lived lore of Conan the Barbarian? I guess so. It's a bit of all of these but does none of them perfectly. I decided to jump back into the game because the last time I played it was when it switched over to its odd freemium model that is all-too-common in Western MMOs these days.

Continue reading Second Wind: Age of Conan

MassivelySecond Wind: Age of Conan originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedaocaoc-unchainedbeau-hindmanconanf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfreemiumftpfuncomhyboriapost-launchre-reviewreviewroundtablesecond-impressionssecond-looksecond-windtranscriptunchainedupdated-impressionsFri, 10 May 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Massively: Trailers, emulators, and 'skill caps']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/ask-massively-trailers-emulators-and-skill-caps/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/ask-massively-trailers-emulators-and-skill-caps/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/ask-massively-trailers-emulators-and-skill-caps/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Dragon Sword
It's time for a grab bag edition of Ask Massively! A reader named Nicholas is up first:
I was wondering if you could help me remember a game studio that was developing a new Korean action- MMORPG game engine (and it wasn't Bless, Blade and Soul, or ArcheAge). In the tech demo, no environment was being shown; it focused on the combat aspect of the engine. All the combat took place against a white background, and it was combo-based and reactive to hits. I remember a slow motion scene with an NPC being punched in the face and the face distorting. At the time, there were no announced games using the engine; the video was just showing what tech the game studio had developed. If it helps any, I remember the comments saying that the engine was just going to be vaporware.
I think we might! Massively's Lis pegged it as NetEase's Dragon Sword trailer. +1 to Lis.

Continue reading Ask Massively: Trailers, emulators, and 'skill caps'

MassivelyAsk Massively: Trailers, emulators, and 'skill caps' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ablegamersadviceadvice-columnage-of-wushuask-massivelybeau-hindmanbrianna-royce-ask-massivelydifferently-ableddisableddmcadragon-swordemulatoreulaeula-violationfeaturedgames-in-developmentguild-wars-2gw2humorin-developmentkickstartermassively-metametaopinionprivate-emulatorsprivate-shardRichie-Procopiotrailertrailersultima-onlineThu, 09 May 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: MMOs that died in development hell]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/the-perfect-ten-mmos-that-died-in-development-hell/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/the-perfect-ten-mmos-that-died-in-development-hell/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/the-perfect-ten-mmos-that-died-in-development-hell/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Perfect Ten MMOs that died in development hell
If you know me, you probably know that I have a weird fascination with alternate history. You know, the daydreams of historians when they're not rewriting the past to suit the latest trends. "What if?" my mind wonders, especially when it comes to MMOs.

You see, for every game that actually makes it to launch, there are several that die gasping and alone in the bowels of development hell. Sure, many of these are pathetic creatures that didn't really stand a chance anyway, but there are some that could have made an impact on the industry if they had reached release and been halfway decent. We'll never know what a world would look like with these games in them, but we can always muse, "What if?"

Continuing Perfect Ten's recent dark streak, here are 10 MMOs that died in development hell; it's to our eternal loss that we'll never get to play them.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: MMOs that died in development hell

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: MMOs that died in development hell originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>38-studioscheyanne-mountain-entertainmentcodemastersdark-age-of-cameloteafeaturedhalohalo-mmohumorimperator-onlinejagexjumpgatejumpgate-evolutionlevel-5microsoftmythicmythicaopinionp10perfect-10perfect-tenproject-copernicusra-salvatoreroundupstargate-worldsstellar-dawnthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenthqtodd-mcFarlanetop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listtrue-fantasy-livetrue-fantasy-live-onlineultima-xultima-x-odysseywar40kwarhammer-40000-dark-millennium-onlineThu, 09 May 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Drinking and fighting are encouraged in Age of Wushu]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/drinking-and-fighting-are-encouraged-in-age-of-wushu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/drinking-and-fighting-are-encouraged-in-age-of-wushu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/drinking-and-fighting-are-encouraged-in-age-of-wushu/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

I drink a whiskey drink, I drink a vodka drink, I drink a lager drink, I'm no longer wearing pants.
Sobriety is overrated. Sure, a lot of games give players the options to get characters plastered, but Age of Wushu takes it one step further by incorporating the pop culture notion of drunken fighting into the game. A character with a high alcohol tolerance won't just be able to fight after tipping back a few drinks; he'll actually be able to fight better due to an Evade buff granted after imbibing. Characters with lower tolerance, meanwhile, will just stagger and find themselves unable to react appropriately.

That's not the limit of what you can do with liquor in a fight, though. You can also spray your opponent with spirits in mid-battle, hopefully intoxicating and disorienting the other fighter. Of course, if you attempt to use this technique on someone with a predilection for potables, you might find that you've just handed your nemesis a major advantage. Take a look at some plastered punching in the preview video just past the break.

Continue reading Drinking and fighting are encouraged in Age of Wushu

MassivelyDrinking and fighting are encouraged in Age of Wushu originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-wulinage-of-wushuasiachinachinesechinese-mmodrunken-fightinggame-mechanicsgpotatogvgkidnappingmartial-artsming-dynastynewspreviewpvpsandboxsnail-gamessnail-games-usavideovideoswushuwuxiaTue, 07 May 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What abilities do you find the most fun to use?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/the-daily-grind-what-abilities-do-you-find-the-most-fun-to-use/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/the-daily-grind-what-abilities-do-you-find-the-most-fun-to-use/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/the-daily-grind-what-abilities-do-you-find-the-most-fun-to-use/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The downside is that I wind up never having any energy left because I'm too busy rolling around like an acrobat.
Hitting 51 on my Scoundrel in Star Wars: The Old Republic meant getting what is probably the greatest ability ever, the ability to quickly roll forward. I absolutely love any sort of quick movement ability like that, especially rolls -- anything that lets me dart around the battlefield without being directly tied to combat. Being able to do so in Guild Wars 2 was one of my favorite parts of the game as a whole.

We've all got certain abilities that we just like making use of in MMOs. Sometimes they're not really beneficial to our builds, and sometimes they're not even all that useful, but darn it they're just plain fun to trigger. So what abilities do you find the most fun to use? Silly cosmetic tricks? Certain impressive storms of particle effects? Or are you just fond of abilities that work well from a mechanical standpoint with no concern for silly elements?

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: What abilities do you find the most fun to use? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abilitiesculturedaily-grindfun-toysgame-mechanicshumoropinionpowerssillinessskillstdgthe-daily-grindtoysTue, 07 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rise and Shiny: Heroes and Generals]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/05/rise-and-shiny-heroes-and-generals/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/05/rise-and-shiny-heroes-and-generals/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/05/rise-and-shiny-heroes-and-generals/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Heroes and Generals screenshot
Heroes and Generals is a new browser-based game set in the wonderfully bright and shiny world of... World War II. OK, so it's really a gritty game, and it's sluggish at best, but I have a feeling that combat during that amazing time was from the "two steps forward, one step back" school of warfare anyway. I tried to keep that in mind as I slogged through round after round of being shot in the head.

It's not that the game is boring. It's fun-ish, but when I compare it to many other MMOFPS titles, I find it small and slow. It's an instanced-based lobby sort of design. That's not normally a bad thing, and we certainly cover that style of game here on Massively, but this one just sort of felt a bit too small. There's more coming, I hear, so maybe in the future, the game will feel larger.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Heroes and Generals

MassivelyRise and Shiny: Heroes and Generals originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanf2pfeaturedfree-to-playhands-onheroes-and-generalslivestreammabinogimassively-tvmmofpsNexonnexon-americaplanetside-2rise-and-shinystreamtwitchtwitch-tvvideoworld-of-tanksworld-war-2World-War-IIwwIISun, 05 May 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A guide to Guild Wars 2's Molten Weapon Facility dungeon]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/a-guide-to-guild-wars-2s-molten-weapon-facility-dungeon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/a-guide-to-guild-wars-2s-molten-weapon-facility-dungeon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/a-guide-to-guild-wars-2s-molten-weapon-facility-dungeon/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A guide to Guild Wars 2's Molten Weapon Facility dungeon
Massively's Richie "bogotter" Procopio is concerned for you. He's concerned that you might not have tried out Guild Wars 2's Molten Weapon Facility dungeon, the latest installment of the game's "Living Story" arc Flame and Frost: Retribution. He's equally concerned that you might have missed the memo about just how temporary this dungeon really is: It's over on May 12th, meaning you don't have long to check it out before it's gone. Forever.

But it's all good because Richie has put together a brand-new video guide to the dungeon, so you can either watch it and get a jump on playing through the zone yourself this weekend or just live vicariously through him, which would certainly involve less death. Enjoy his walkthrough after the break! (Dead goat sold separately.)

Continue reading A guide to Guild Wars 2's Molten Weapon Facility dungeon

MassivelyA guide to Guild Wars 2's Molten Weapon Facility dungeon originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbuy-to-playdungeonfantasyflame-and-frostflame-and-frost-retributionguild-wars-2gw2living-storymolten-weapon-facilityncsoftretributionRichie-ProcopiotrailertrailersvideovideosFri, 03 May 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pantsless: First impressions of Neverwinter's open beta headstart]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/pantsless-first-impressions-of-neverwinters-open-beta-headstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/pantsless-first-impressions-of-neverwinters-open-beta-headstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/pantsless-first-impressions-of-neverwinters-open-beta-headstar/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pantsless First impressions of Neverwinter's open beta
Neverwinter's launch into open beta began last week, and through the grace of my press account, my Great Weapon Fighter was lucky enough to begin her digital life alongside players who forked over $199.99 for the Hero of the North Founder's Pack. I lack any of the Founders Pack bonuses, so off my plucky human character went, surrounded on her first day almost exclusively by panther-having Drow.

Justin's been serving up a delicious helping of launch diary goodness, but he's relaxing on a cruise ship this week, so you're stuck with me! Join me as we sally forth into my launch-but-not-really-launch-it's-open-beta-okay-guys-but-we-aren't-deleting-characters-anymore-no-really-it's-still-open-beta-look-it-says-so-in-this-blog-post impressions! The first section is about thighs.

Continue reading Pantsless: First impressions of Neverwinter's open beta headstart

MassivelyPantsless: First impressions of Neverwinter's open beta headstart originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmocrypticcryptic-studiosdndf2pfantasyfeaturedFirst-Impressionsfree-to-playhands-onimpressionslaunchlaunch-daylaunchesneverwinteropinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpreviewpreviewspweTue, 30 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: My lore problem]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/the-soapbox-my-lore-problem/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/the-soapbox-my-lore-problem/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/the-soapbox-my-lore-problem/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2
"In the distant forests of El'quen, a dark evil stirs. Marrowgore the Unhunter, imprisoned for a thousand years in Cauldron Lake by the Eye of Son'drak, has broken free. Now, he and his evil BoneSlurpers stage an all-out war on the United Provinces. You, a freshly christened hero known for valorous acts both on and off the battlefield, must take charge of the Sacred Axeblade of Loqtai, harness the power it contains, and send the Unhunter back to his watery prison.

"But first, can you get me nine wolf pelts?"

Continue reading The Soapbox: My lore problem

MassivelyThe Soapbox: My lore problem originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alphaalphasbetabeta-testbeta-testingbetasbetawatchclosed-betacutsceneeditorialfeaturedgame-testinglaunchlaunchesloremassively-metammo-loreop-edopen-betaopinionplotrantrantsroundupsoapboxstorystorytellingtestingthe-soapboxtropesTue, 30 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rise and Shiny: War Thunder]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/rise-and-shiny-war-thunder/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/rise-and-shiny-war-thunder/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/rise-and-shiny-war-thunder/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

War Thunder screenshot
War Thunder, a new instanced-based WWII flying battle, uhm, thingy, didn't really seem that appealing at first. It looks nice, and yes, the planes can be controlled in a few different styles ranging from an FPS twitch style to a more "realistic" mode, but I was worried it would be just another slogging grind until I was able to have any fun. There's some truth behind my worry about the grind, but overall I had an incredible time in the game. The only real shame is that I didn't get to put as much time in it as I would have liked. The game had infrequent connection issues, but when they cropped up, they lasted a while. Even so, each match lasted long enough to give me a pretty good taste of combat.

I stuck with the "arcade" style of gameplay. It's a simpler way to control the planes that allows players to point the mouse pointer for control. You might need to land for repairs and take off again, but it's as simple as slowing down until you touch down. I started to take the more realistic mode's tutorial, but as soon as it told me I had to manually control much more of the plane's controls, I gave up. Call me a wimp, but I just wanted to shoot planes.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: War Thunder

MassivelyRise and Shiny: War Thunder originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanf2pfeaturedfree-to-playhands-onlivestreammassively-tvrise-and-shinystreamtwitchtwitch-tvvideowar-thunderwar-thunder-world-of-planesworld-of-tanksworld-of-warplanesworld-war-2World-War-IIwwIISun, 28 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What frustrates you about official game sites?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/the-daily-grind-what-frustrates-you-about-official-game-sites/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/the-daily-grind-what-frustrates-you-about-official-game-sites/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/the-daily-grind-what-frustrates-you-about-official-game-sites/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

For the record, screenshots are under the community header. Which doesn't make a lick of sense.
Working at Massively has given me several years to gain an appreciation for official game sites done properly. You wouldn't think that putting together a website for a game that's already online would be the difficult part, but apparently it is. EverQuest II and Lord of the Rings Online both hide their screenshot galleries in unrelated headers. Final Fantasy XIV doesn't link to the official forum from the main page. And this isn't even discussing sites with auto-playing videos or Flash elements preventing you from interacting with the site normally.

Pretty much every MMO requires you to go through the official site on a semi-regular basis, which means that any minor problems start to become continual irritations given enough time. So what frustrates you about official game sites? Wonky graphic placement? Poor font choices? Too many separate logins? For that matter, what official game sites do you think have pretty much gotten the formula correct?

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: What frustrates you about official game sites? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>culturedaily-grinddisplayhumorinterfacelayoutofficial-sitesopinionsitestdgthe-daily-grindwords-on-the-internetSat, 27 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Second Wind: All Points Bulletin Reloaded]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/second-wind-all-points-bulletin-reloaded/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/second-wind-all-points-bulletin-reloaded/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/second-wind-all-points-bulletin-reloaded/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

APB reloaded screenshot
I could make this a very short piece by saying that APB: Reloaded is simply as fun now as it has ever been. The game is a blast in more ways than one. Heck, I could close it right now by telling you that not only was my return to the game well worth the effort but also that it also served to slap me on the side of the head to say, "Hey, dummy, remember how fun it is to run over people?" I'd rather give you more details, though, especially for those of you who might not have played the game or haven't played it in a long time.

APB: Reloaded is essentially a lobby-based shooter. The lobby -- or social district, as it is called -- and the instanced battle arenas are massive places. While I livestreamed the game last week (you can watch the embedded video after the cut), someone accurately commented that watching it was like watching "GTA Online." I agree, but it's also so much more than that. Join me past the cut and I promise not to run you over.

(EDIT: I was able to order an APB: Reloaded box from Newegg.com for $7.99 USD which contains "over $50 value" like a permanent Magnum gun, a Cisco car, 500 G1 credits and 30 days of premium. I paid no shipping fees at all and received it within three days of ordering, but after this article went live.)

Continue reading Second Wind: All Points Bulletin Reloaded

MassivelySecond Wind: All Points Bulletin Reloaded originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten Final moments of MMOs, part 2
LAST TIME ON THE PERFECT TEN: Games were shut down, tears were shed, memories were dragged unwillingly from long-term storage, and videos were shown. Also, Marty totally suckered Biff into driving into a truck full of manure and then got his parents to kiss at a dance so that he wouldn't be erased from the space-time continuum.

AND NOW FOR THE EXCITING CONCLUSION!

Is it completely morbid to want to revisit (or see for the first time) the final moments of MMOs? Yes, but also no. Really, it's just interesting to me, and I have no great agenda at play here. Sometimes seeing how a game goes out can tell you a lot about its community and dev team. So join us now as we hit the second half of 10 videos showing the last few minutes of these online RPGs.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Final moments of MMOs, part 2

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Final moments of MMOs, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-reloadedapbapb-reloadedapbrback-to-betabetabrowserbrowser-basedcasualcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohconsoleconsolescovcoxcrimef2pfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivflashfree-to-playfreedomg1gamersfirstglitchhipsterhumorlego-universencsoftopinionp10paragonparagon-studiosperfect-10perfect-tenpvproundupsandboxsquaresquare-enixsuperherosuperheroesthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tentinyspecktop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listunlauncheningThu, 25 Apr 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Stream Team: Spring has sprung edition, April 22 - 28, 2013]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/the-stream-team-spring-has-sprung-edition-april-22-28-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/the-stream-team-spring-has-sprung-edition-april-22-28-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/the-stream-team-spring-has-sprung-edition-april-22-28-2013/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

The Stream Team Spring has sprung edition, April 22 28, 2013
If you live in the Northeast, chances are you ignore both the calendar and the furry little four-footed weatherman when it comes to anticipating the arrival of spring. In fact, you just don't believe it until you see it! Plenty of kids in that region are pros at gathering Easter eggs in a snowsuit. Although some might argue that the four seasons are actually Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter, and Road Construction, I contend that they can experience an actual spring. And after a week of sunshine and non-frosty temperatures, I say it's finally made an appearance!

Doh! I spoke to soon: It's back to the 20s. Tricksy weather, you almost fooled me. Oh well, I guess I can dive back under some blankets and watch more Massively TV instead of venturing into that thing called "outdoors." You, too, can take refuge from the never-ending winter by watching The Stream Team visit virtual lands of sun, warmth, even lava. Whom am I kidding? They will probably taunt us in another world of snow!

Continue reading The Stream Team: Spring has sprung edition, April 22 - 28, 2013

MassivelyThe Stream Team: Spring has sprung edition, April 22 - 28, 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Aurora World screenshot
There are a lot of MMOs out there. A lot. Sometimes I rattle off a list of MMOs during a conversation with fellow fans and they look at me as if I have butter pouring from my fingertips. They don't believe it, but they know it's happening. There are that many MMOs out there? Yes, there are. There are literally thousands in the world, hundreds in the United States. Out of all of those many different titles that I have played and come across, I like to say that most aren't really bad or horrible, but just... the same. Bland, boring, vanilla, dull. I like to throw the figure "80 percent" around to represent how many of them are just ugh.

The Aurora World is an MMO. It has systems. It has skills to learn, and pets and monsters and quests and all of those trademarks that have, unfortunately, given MMO developers blanks to fill in on a checklist that is titled "MMORPG." There are a few tricks up the game's sleeves, but only a few. Actually, The Aurora World reminds me of one of my favorites, Zentia, but it lacks the soul that made me love Zentia.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: The Aurora World

MassivelyRise and Shiny: The Aurora World originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yes, we know it's spelled
For this edition of the Second Wind Roundtable, I thought it'd be a funny little prank to coerce a couple of my colleagues into playing Scarlet Blade with me. I was wrong. I was so, so very wrong. We lost some good men in there, but those of us who survived to talk about it gathered 'round for some group therapy over hard whiskey and mind-bleach.

Coincidentally, we also transcribed it so that you can learn from our mistakes. Be warned, many screenshots below the cut are explicit, though some have been tastefully censored for the sake of all things holy and sacred. No, really, we are not kidding: This post is not safe for work/children/anyone with a sense of common decency. That being said, you can join us after the cut.

I'm so, so sorry.

Continue reading Second Wind Roundtable: NSFW edition

MassivelySecond Wind Roundtable: NSFW edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aeria-gamesf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreemiumi-dont-want-to-live-on-this-planet-anymoremicrotransactionmicrotransactionsnsfwopinionpost-launchpremiumre-reviewreviewroundtablescarlet-bladesecond-impressionssecond-looksecond-windsecond-wind-roundtabletranscriptupdated-impressionsFri, 19 Apr 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch Might and Magic: Duel of Champions' producer destroy Massively]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/watch-might-and-magic-duel-of-champions-producer-destroy-massi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/watch-might-and-magic-duel-of-champions-producer-destroy-massi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/watch-might-and-magic-duel-of-champions-producer-destroy-massi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Might and Magic Duel of Champions screenshot
Might and Magic: Duel of Champions is a new collectible card game brought to us by Ubisoft Quebec. Some folks might say that trading card games are a dime a dozen and that once you've played one, you've played them all. But I think the genre is always moving forward and expanding, introducing new designs and interesting ways to play, which is true of Might and Magic's latest go at the TCG market. During my tour, I found myself up against producer Stephane Jankowski. Unfortunately for me, he is no stranger to the game. He takes it quite seriously, going so far as to "go easy" on me so that I was not embarrassed. Little did he know that I am a noob at every game out there, so no harm was done.

Might and Magic: Duel of Champions is a great game for those who want not only more strategy but also a faster pace. The tutorial walked me through some of the basics, but I learned more in the hour I played with Stephane than I had playing during the previous week. Click past the cut to watch the livestream and read up on what makes this one stand out.

Continue reading Watch Might and Magic: Duel of Champions' producer destroy Massively

MassivelyWatch Might and Magic: Duel of Champions' producer destroy Massively originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanccgCollectible-Card-Gamefeaturedhands-onLiveStreammight-and-magicmight-and-magic-duel-of-championspreviewpreviewsstephane-jankowskistreamstream-teamstreamingstreamteamtcgtrading-card-gametrailertrailerstwitchtwitch-tvvideovideosFri, 19 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar chronicles closed beta metrics and milestones]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/wildstar-chronicles-closed-beta-metrics-and-milestones/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/wildstar-chronicles-closed-beta-metrics-and-milestones/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/wildstar-chronicles-closed-beta-metrics-and-milestones/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

wildstar dev blog
Last night, WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney posted up a dev blog recapping the first days of the game's closed beta, which you are likely not in. We feel for you; we're not in either. Who is in? An Aurin by the name of Poptart, who became the first closed beta tester to make her way through character creation and set foot on Nexus. The first player-created UI mod, a friend-finding tool, was also whipped up within 24 hours. (Massively broke the news on how WildStar's modding system will work back in February.) And apparently, the Algoroc zone is a nasty place; it boasts four of the nine mobs most responsible for player death.

Gaffney offers up these metrics for humor, but he's actually serious business about data parsing and player feedback even as he wants the early invitees to enjoy themselves:
We're tracking almost everything that goes on in the game. Combat timings, level timings, movement, you name it. The players' actions matter to us. Betas aren't always fun per se (there's often a big difference between "playing" and "testing"), so we've tried hard to make sure the game is actually fun even in this, our very first round of external testing.
Tester feedback, he says, is funneled to straight to a rapid response team to deal with on a daily and weekly basis. And if testers don't submit that feedback? "One player actually found that some taxi drivers in a fit of generosity would give you money for flying to your destination instead of taking it and spent four hours riding back and forth," Gaffney admits. "We left him with 50 copper of the 14 gold he farmed as thanks for making us laugh."

MassivelyWildStar chronicles closed beta metrics and milestones originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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