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 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Massively SpeakingJoystiqMassively Speaking<![CDATA[Wasteland Diaries: Try not to be such a noob]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/23/wastland-diaries-try-not-to-be-such-a-noob/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/23/wastland-diaries-try-not-to-be-such-a-noob/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/23/wastland-diaries-try-not-to-be-such-a-noob/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth has a steep learning curve. It's not hard to die a horrible death in Fallen Earth because you simply didn't have even the slightest clue what you were doing. But life doesn't have to be short and brutal in the wasteland. In fact, you can eke out a decent living and make quite a name for yourself. There are a few things you can do to minimize the bewilderment you will face once you emerge from the LifeNet pod for the first time into the unforgiving desolation of the apocalypse. After reading this guide, you are likely to be heard saying things like: "Y'know what? The apocalypse isn't all that bad." and "I wish this place were just a little more dangerous."

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Try not to be such a noob

MassivelyWasteland Diaries: Try not to be such a noob originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buildbuildingcraftingfactionfactionsfallen-earthfallen-earth-llcfaqfaqshelphintsnoobnoob-guidenoobztipstips-and-trickstips-tricksFri, 23 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: Greed is Good]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/22/wings-over-atreia-greed-is-good/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/22/wings-over-atreia-greed-is-good/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/22/wings-over-atreia-greed-is-good/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The world of Atreia can be a bit unforgiving to the uninitiated, particularly when it comes to providing for your Daeva's economic well-being. Gear costs kinah, Aion's currency, and new skills cost even more kinah. Attaining level 40 last week set my sorcerer back over 800 thousand smackers. Granted, I got some nifty new death-dealing skills for my trouble, but I also parted with nearly all my net worth.

What's that you say? You want to advance your crafting and gathering skills beyond the newb tier? Yep, you guessed it, get ready to shell out some more kinah. In fact, skilling up a single crafting discipline to the mastery level will cost you between 2 and 2.5 million kinah, not including the cost of the materials needed to craft the work orders. Gathering is similarly expensive, though it doesn't require materials like crafting, only level tier purchases. Finally, there is the Soul Healer, that bank account black hole that has sucked many millions of mah money into the nether regions of NCSoft's server nebula, for, every time I die in PvE, it's off to see the Soul Healer to regain a bit of lost experience. As of level 40, my average trip to this big-hat buffoon costs between 40 and 50 thousand kinah. Last week, after a particularly unfortunate pickup group, I wracked up a 300 thousand kinah Soul Healing bill.

Fly past the cut for some Aion kinah-making strategies.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Greed is Good

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Greed is Good originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionbalaurcraftingeconomyfarmingfeaturedgatheringkinahncsoftopinionWings-Over-Atreiawings-over-atreia-jef-reahardMon, 22 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[It pays to love Darkfall]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/it-pays-to-love-darkfall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/it-pays-to-love-darkfall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/it-pays-to-love-darkfall/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Do you like Darkfall? Does it go above and beyond the call of duty, insofar as paying a company a monthly subscription for their game can be described as a duty? Or, if you would consider your love for the game somewhat more pedestrian, would you be willing to go above and beyond for the tune of five thousand dollars? (Yes, yes, read it in the Dr. Evil voice if you must.) Then you may want to take a look at the recently announced contest on the official forums, the celebration of the game's birthday with the new "I Love Darkfall" contest.

Thraiax made the official announcement, calling for the game's fans to do... well... whatever they see fit. The contest makes no distinctions about how a fan shows their love, be it a video, artwork, or something completely out of left field. All that matters is that it shows the depth of your love for the game. The best entry, judged by the staff, will receive a whopping $5,000 prize, proof that love can indeed pay your bills. More will be revealed in the next few days, but for the time being, start thinking of how best to show your love. (Flowers probably won't work here.)

MassivelyIt pays to love Darkfall originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryaventurinebirthdaycontestsdarkfalldarkfall-contestdarkfall-lovelovemoneyprizesthraiaxThu, 04 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Hey big spender!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/the-daily-grind-hey-big-spender/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/the-daily-grind-hey-big-spender/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/the-daily-grind-hey-big-spender/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Gil. Gold. Adeena. ISK. Influence. Infamy. Chips. Crowns. Whatever the game calls it (and there are a lot more words aside from those) money is an important part of most MMOs. Much like money in the real world, it generally follows three simple rules: you need it, you don't have enough of it, and you can't get it fast enough. And we all deal with it in our own way.

But when the time comes, almost every one of us will pony up seemingly astronomical sums for that one thing. It might be a mount, maybe weapons or armor, perhaps a piece of furniture in a game with player housing. Whatever the item is, the cost of obtaining it becomes a non-obstacle, and your cash display turns into a new experience bar that you need to fill for your precious treasure.

So, what was your biggest purchase? Was it something that was once expensive but now cheap, or is it still pricey as ever? Were you happy to have it or regretful at blowing your bankroll? And perhaps most importantly, do you still have it and use it, or has it long since been replaced?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Hey big spender! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adeenacashchipscrownsexpensivefundsgilgoldinfamyinfluenceiskmoneymoolahtdgthe-daily-grindTue, 16 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kung Foo! closed beta event]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/24/kung-foo-closed-beta-event/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/24/kung-foo-closed-beta-event/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/24/kung-foo-closed-beta-event/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If you've been involved in a beta over the last several weeks and haven't been boldly going where no gender-neutral-pronoun has gone before, you've probably been taking a look at Kung Foo!. Statistically speaking. Maybe you're in on the Hello Kitty Online: Rise of Cthulhu beta testing, we're not sure. Anyway. If you have been testing Kung Foo! recently, you'll be familiar with the volume and intensity of events that the community team has been organizing to keep the beta tests as engaging as possible. In preparation for Closed Beta 2 next week, they've announced another testing event... and the rewards are cold, hard cash.

Well, cold, hard, item-mall cash. Which is still a nice freebie.

The servers will go live for Closed Beta 2 on January 26th, 4 PM PST (7 PM for those of us running on EST), and the event will start an hour later at 5 PM PST on Realm 4. The official blog for Perfect World Entertainment will update this blog entry with a screenshot hinting at where the GM is hiding. Be the first to find him, and you win $50 worth of Zen currency. Easy money, isn't it? And a perfect way to get more excited about the game's launch when testing starts.

MassivelyKung Foo! closed beta event originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>closed-betahide-and-seekin-game-eventkfkung-foomoneyperfect-world-entertainmentpwerise-of-cthulhutestingzenSun, 24 Jan 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Being in it for the money]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/being-in-it-for-the-money/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/being-in-it-for-the-money/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/21/being-in-it-for-the-money/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We might fight a lot of enemies in our MMOs, but a number of players will agree that there's one enemy that is bigger than anything else: the company that makes the game. Blizzard, Square-Enix, Funcom, Bioware -- according to this branch of the playerbase, they don't care at all about the people playing their game. All they're concerned about is making money. They just want to get your money by any means necessary.

However, the people who claim that say that like it's a bad thing.

Nobody ever smiles and says "boy, I'm sure glad Sony Online Entertainment is in this for the money." Oddly enough, when you start to think about it, the fact of the matter is that it's not only transparent that these companies are in it for the money, it's a good thing. We should be happy that most of these companies are there to get our money by any means necessary.

Continue reading Being in it for the money

MassivelyBeing in it for the money originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allodsallods-onlinebiowareblizzardchampions-onlinecity-of-heroescocohcontent-costddodevelopment-costdungeons-and-dragons-onlinefallen-earthfefeaturedfuncomgreedin-it-for-the-moneyjack-emmertmicrotransactionsmoneysquaresquare-enixThu, 21 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Confessions of a gold scammer and identity thief]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/confessions-of-a-gold-scammer-and-identity-thief/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/confessions-of-a-gold-scammer-and-identity-thief/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/confessions-of-a-gold-scammer-and-identity-thief/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

"We have met the enemy and he is us." The player identified as "Patrick" is not the malevolent monstrosity we'd like to see. Nor is he a victim of circumstance, at that. He acts for all the world like a perfectly normal gamer, and if you didn't know he'd scammed between $10,000 and $20,000 in a year of reprehensible behavior, you certainly wouldn't be able to guess. That's what makes a video interview with him, mirrored and annotated at PlayNoEvil and originally recorded by Marcus Eikenberry, so odd on many levels.

The full interview lasts thiry-eight minutes, which makes it a bit long for casual viewing. The article which mirrors the video notes some of the highlights, including when he almost breathlessly exhorts the moment he realized that there was nothing in PayPal's EULA that prevented him from not transferring his EVE Online account to a purchaser on Craigslist.

His rationalizing of the actions include the loss of his job and financial instability, even as he begins the interview explaining how he would scam players in both EVE Online and World of Warcraft for fun. His words are unsettling, but what makes them all the more eerie is the fact that without the foreknowledge... there's no way to tell his voice from any of ours. When you have the time, the whole interview is well worth looking at if you're at all interested in account security and the culture of scammers.

MassivelyConfessions of a gold scammer and identity thief originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-securityaccount-theftcon-manconfidence-gamecraigslisteveeve-onlinepatrickpaypalplaynoevilscammerscamsworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 19 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Korea rules that virtual currencies can be exchanged for real money]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/13/korea-rules-that-virtual-currencies-can-be-exchanged-for-real-mo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/13/korea-rules-that-virtual-currencies-can-be-exchanged-for-real-mo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/13/korea-rules-that-virtual-currencies-can-be-exchanged-for-real-mo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The odd thing about us gamers is that we seem to think of the various doodads in our games as being real -- even more to the point, as being ours. We think and act as if we're owed some compensation if we're deprived of them. Which is silly, really -- after all, that Monster Signa isn't a real staff, that Deputy Chain Coat isn't a real coat, and all that gold isn't real money.

Except that now, in South Korea, it is. A ruling by the nation's supreme court has stated that virtual currency is the equivalent of real-world money. Even more sweeping are the details of the case that led to the ruling, in which two men were on trial for exchanging a large amount of Lineage II Adeena for cold, hard currency.

For those of you who might not be drawing the link, the core there is that selling in-game currency for real money is essentially just an exchange of currency and perfectly legal in South Korea. This could have sweeping implications for RMT operations the world over, not to mention free-to-play games and... well, online games in general. The official story is available online from both the Korea Times and JoongAng Daily.

MassivelyKorea rules that virtual currencies can be exchanged for real money originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>koreal2liilineage-2lineage-iimoneymoney-exchangereal-money-tradingrmtsouth-koreavirtual-moneyvirtual-worldsWed, 13 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Research: Five top tips]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/03/eve-evolved-research-five-top-tips/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/03/eve-evolved-research-five-top-tips/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/03/eve-evolved-research-five-top-tips/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

In the past three weeks, I've covered the ins and outs of research in EVE Online, from Tech 1 blueprints and the Tech 2 invention system to Tech 3 and reverse engineering. In my nearly six years of playing EVE, I've delved into every traditional profession and picked up some valuable tips and insights on each one. Having been involved in every aspect of the Tech 1, 2 and 3 industries, I've built up a fairly complete picture of how the research portion of any industry interacts with its production lines. In this final part to the EVE Evolved guide to research, I give five top tips that I consider invaluable for anyone getting into research and industry.

#5 - Chasing profit:
To keep your profit margins high in any business, you'll need to adjust your choice of products frequently to keep up with what's recently profitable. The most important tool you'll ever have in any industry is a spreadsheet or application to calculate build costs for you. By updating the prices on your spreadsheet regularly, you can quickly spot which items are profitable to build and stay ahead of the curve. This is important because in some areas, like the market for Tech 2 modules, it can take as little as a week for an item to go from high profit to making a loss. In EVE's highly competitive markets, it's the most agile players able to stay on top of market trends who make the most ISK. There are several freely available applications and websites that can help with practically every industry but I've always found it useful to make my own spreadsheets.

Skip past the cut for four other invaluable tips on reverse engineering chances, invention profit margins, predicting trends and more.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Research: Five top tips

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Research: Five top tips originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blueprintccpccp-gameseveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedguideindustryinventionproductionprofitresearchreverse-engineeringtech-1tech-2tech-3tipstips-and-tricksSun, 03 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Research: Reverse Engineering and Tech 3]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/27/eve-evolved-research-reverse-engineering-and-tech-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/27/eve-evolved-research-reverse-engineering-and-tech-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/27/eve-evolved-research-reverse-engineering-and-tech-3/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

In the first two parts of this guide to Research in EVE Online, I covered the basics of Tech 1 blueprint research and the "Invention" system that allows players to make their own Tech 2 blueprint copies. The reverse engineering process used to make Tech 3 blueprints is a lot like invention except with a new set of materials, equipment and skills. Though the process used to create it will be familiar to inventors, the end product is a strange beast. Unlike Tech 2, Tech 3 isn't just a straight improvement over lower tech levels and doesn't use Tech 1 or 2 as a base. Instead, it's an entirely new technology used to make custom, modular ships. At the moment, the only Tech 3 products we have are the modular "Strategic Cruiser" class but more is planned for future patches. Tech 3 frigates are rumoured to be next on the development table and it's entirely possible that we'll see strange new Tech 3 modules thrown into the mix too at some point.

In today's part of this bumper guide to research, I look into EVE's newest addition to the researcher's repertoire as I examine Tech 3 and "Reverse Engineering". I'll look at how it all fits together to make a finished product, what's required to get involved and best practices for staying profitable in what has become a very competitive marketplace.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Research: Reverse Engineering and Tech 3

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Research: Reverse Engineering and Tech 3 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blueprintccpccp-gamesengineeringeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedguidelegionlokiprofitproteusreresearchreversereverse-engineeringskillssleepersstrategic-cruiserssubsystemtech-1tech-2tech-3tengutipstips-and-trickswormhole-explorationwormholesSun, 27 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Research: Invention and Tech 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/20/eve-evolved-research-invention-and-tech-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/20/eve-evolved-research-invention-and-tech-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/20/eve-evolved-research-invention-and-tech-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

In last week's first part to this multi-part guide to research in EVE Online, I covered the basics of Tech 1 blueprint research. Tech 2 blueprints are an entirely different animal and the way players get their hands on them has changed vastly over the years. The first system put in place was an agent-based lottery system. Players would set up research contracts with the various NPC R&D agents in EVE, who would then generate a certain number of research points per day. Whenever new Tech 2 items were released into the game, original blueprints were passed out via these agents.

Each research point you had became a ticket in an on-going lottery and the prize was essentially a license to print money. After many player-run cartels, rampant price gouging and one incident of developer misconduct, CCP replaced the blueprint lottery with the "Invention" system. Although the invention system contains no way to get an original Tech 2 blueprint, it does allow players to upgrade Tech 1 blueprint copies into limited-run Tech 2 versions.

In this second part of my guide to research in EVE, I look into Tech 2 blueprints. I delve into the invention system, explain how to make your own Tech 2 blueprints and look at all the variables that could help you get an edge in a competitive marketplace.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Research: Invention and Tech 2

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Research: Invention and Tech 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blueprintbpcbpoccpccp-gamesdatacoredecryptoreveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedgame-mechanicsinterfaceinventionresearchskillst2tech-2Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP releases first video tutorial for exploration in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/18/ccp-releases-first-video-tutorial-for-exploration-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/18/ccp-releases-first-video-tutorial-for-exploration-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/18/ccp-releases-first-video-tutorial-for-exploration-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Exploration is one of the more rewarding mini-professions a player can have in EVE Online. With the right skills you can scan down all types of hidden content, such as harvestable gas clouds, hidden asteroid belts, and combat encounters that take advantage of an explorer's skills like Archaeology and Hacking. The new exploration system that became part of EVE with the Apocrypha expansion last winter also made it possible for players to discover wormholes leading to uncharted space. However, exploration is also something a number of new players feel daunted by. (Truth be told though, the drag and drop system of manually guiding probes on a map and adjusting scan ranges is *far* easier than what many of the older players will remember from exploration pre-Apocrypha.)

EVE Online currently has four different exploration tutorials in-game to help players get a handle on the profession, but sometimes it's easier to just sit back and watch how it's done. CCP has now released a video tutorial for exploration that teaches players how to scan down the hidden content. The EVE Online: Scanning Guide Tutorial is a tag team effort from EVE TV's CCP Charlie who goes through the steps while Stevie SG narrates. They show the viewer how it's possible to find a wormhole in just a few minutes. The video tutorial coincides with the free Zephyr exploration ship that players are receiving as a holiday gift from CCP Games. Stay with us after the jump for a video embed of the official Scanning Guide Tutorial for EVE Online.

Continue reading CCP releases first video tutorial for exploration in EVE Online

MassivelyCCP releases first video tutorial for exploration in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaarchaeologyccpccp-charlieccp-gamesdeadspace-complexeveeve-onlineexplorationladarmagnetometricmini-professionsplexesprofessionsradarscanningsci-fistevie-sgtutorialsvideowormholesFri, 18 Dec 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Research: Tech 1 blueprints]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/eve-evolved-research-tech-1-blueprints/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/eve-evolved-research-tech-1-blueprints/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/eve-evolved-research-tech-1-blueprints/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

While it's most often lauded for its PvP, not everything in EVE Online is about shooting people. Research and manufacturing are two of EVE's most popular PvE professions because of the small time commitments they require. A lot of things in EVE are built from blueprints and through research, you can be one of the people supplying those blueprints. Whether you want to improve your own blueprints to increase manufacturing profit margins or make blueprint copies for sale, it's worth looking into doing your own research. Jobs can be set up to run for days on end, taking you as little as a few minutes per week to manage. This can augment your income from active sources like mining, trading or mission-running.

In this article, I look at the basics of tech 1 blueprint research, the skills required to make the most of your time and how you could run your own research labs in the relative safety of high security space.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Research: Tech 1 blueprints

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Research: Tech 1 blueprints originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blueprintblueprintsccpccp-gamescopyeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedguideguideshighseclabmepeposresearchstarbaseSun, 13 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The most efficient way to make money in MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/the-most-efficient-way-to-make-money-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/the-most-efficient-way-to-make-money-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/the-most-efficient-way-to-make-money-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Cash flow in many games is almost as big a problem as it can be in real life. We've recently had our resident EVE Online column running a series on the best ways to make ISK in the game, and you can barely throw a stone without hitting a site offering a guide to make X ludicrous amount of gold per hour in World of Warcraft. But we may have reached the end of all this maneuvering, as We Fly Spitfires has recently posted the most efficient way to make money in every game, ever. Go ahead and take a look right now, but fair warning -- it requires some out-of-game work. And your credit card.

Now, before you start sending angry letters, take a moment to consider the point. It's not that the author is condoning RMT, simply that he's pointing out how much we seem to want to streamline the process of playing the game when, really, we already know the absolute fastest way to increase our virtual coffers. That doesn't make it commendable or ethical, but if we're so keen on speeding ourselves up, we might do well to remember that the journey, not the destination, is more frequently our reason for playing.

MassivelyThe most efficient way to make money in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buying-goldbuying-moneyefficiencygoldin-game-economymaking-moneyopinionrmtwe-fly-spitfiresSun, 13 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The faction warfare mission debacle]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/06/eve-evolved-the-faction-warfare-mission-debacle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/06/eve-evolved-the-faction-warfare-mission-debacle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/06/eve-evolved-the-faction-warfare-mission-debacle/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

When faction warfare went live with EVE Online's Empyrean Age expansion back in the summer of 2008, It was a magnificent success. It was intended as a way for newer players to get into PvP and as a stepping stone from the safe haven of empire to full-on sovereignty warfare. It wasn't long before large fleets were duking it out in low security space and for a time, it was great. Eventually, problems began to come to light that demanded developer attention. Capturing exploits and a lack of rewards were causing players to leave the war and after a year with no development, faction warfare was looking abandoned.

Rewards were eventually implemented in an attempt to revitalise the ageing faction warfare system and promote PvP. With the Dominion expansion came the most anticipated of those rewards - new tier 1 navy battleships available only from the faction warfare loyalty point store. Since the announcement that they were coming, mission-runners have been farming faction warfare missions like crazy for loyalty points. The promise of unique rewards from the missions was intended to revitalise the game and give pilots something to fight over. But did the rewards really improve faction warfare and promote PvP or was it a huge mistake?

In this three page exposé, I run down the history of faction warfare missions, from the development mistakes to the EVE corp that made almost enough ISK to build a titan. Did the mission buff revitalise faction warfare or did it put the final nail in its coffin? And just how did mission-runners make billions of ISK?

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The faction warfare mission debacle

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The faction warfare mission debacle originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amarrarmageddoncaldariccpccp-gamesDominiondominixempyrean-ageeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexploitexposeexposedfactionfactional-warfarefeaturedfleetgallentegangminmatarnavypvpscorpionstrategytyphoonwarfareSun, 06 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Trading: Tips and tricks]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/eve-evolved-trading-tips-and-tricks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/eve-evolved-trading-tips-and-tricks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/eve-evolved-trading-tips-and-tricks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

So far in this guide to trading in EVE Online, I've covered the jobs best suited to new players and some of the more advanced trading techniques like margin trading, market speculation and price manipulation. This is by no means the entirety of what can happen in EVE's marketplaces, but serves as a good foundation for those trying to break into the trading game. In the hyper-capitalistic world of New Eden, the markets are hugely competitive and any edge you can get will help. With that in mind, this final part of the guide will cover a few of the tips and tricks I've learned over the years that have given me an edge in the marketplace. Some are common sense rules that most traders will learn eventually and will be invaluable to newer players. Others are more closely-guarded secrets that I've gleaned from years of gameplay.

What is a cyclic product and what do you do when you spot a price manipulation? In this final part of the trading guide, I dish out some of my personal top tips for budding marketeers.

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MassivelyEVE Evolved: Trading: Tips and tricks originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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1-2-3-4-5 might not be the combination on your luggage, but it could fetch you a tidy sum of gil or some rare items in Final Fantasy XI in the near future. The third iteration of the Mog Bonanza event is incoming, and those five digits might be the key to riches. Or to irritation at having thrown money away on a ridiculous gamble. Starting on December 24th, all characters who have been in existence for at least 45 days may purchase a Mog Bonanza marble, which then is inscribed with five digits of the player's choice. On January 29th, 2010, a set of winning numbers will be chosen.

Of course, you might argue that your odds of getting exactly the right five numbers are rather low (1 in 100,000 or so), which is true. But luckily for everyone involved, it's easier to win than matching the whole number. The best prizes go to those who match all five numbers, but even if just the last digit of your chosen numbers match the picked numbers, you win a reward. Your odds of that are about 1 in 10, which isn't a bad deal. For the full rules and the details of the rewards, take a look at the official page, and start dreaming of high-powered artifacts and buckets of gil in Final Fantasy XI. (We recommend 8-1-5-1-6, if you're so inclined.)

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XI plays the moogle lottery originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>contestsffxifinal-fantasy-xiin-game-eventslotterymog-bonanzanews-itemsprizesWed, 25 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Trading: Advanced trading]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/22/eve-evolved-trading-advanced-trading/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/22/eve-evolved-trading-advanced-trading/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/22/eve-evolved-trading-advanced-trading/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In the first part of this guide I covered the basics of trading in EVE Online and some of the jobs best suited to newer players. There's a lot more to trading than buying low and selling high and in this week's installment, I'll cover some of the more advanced trading and marketeering tactics that have proven themselves effective in EVE. From margin trading on the market to making a living off the contracts page, anyone with enough dedication can learn to rake in hundreds of millions of ISK per day without even leaving the station. For the gamblers and risk-takers among you, market speculation and price manipulation can produce incredible short-term profit but with significant risks attached.

In this second part of my concise guide on trading, I look at margin trading on the market, playing the contract pages, market speculation around patches and the dirty art of market manipulation.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Trading: Advanced trading

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Trading: Advanced trading originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Of all the moneymaking endeavours you can take in EVE Online, trading is perhaps the one with the highest potential for profit. While mission-running profit tops out at a few tens of millions per hour and the profit margin from production isn't that big, trading is limited only by the amount of effort you're willing to put in and is much improved by inherent business talent. At the low end of the trading spectrum, beginners can make a healthy income ferrying items from A to B. At the other extreme, a market-savvy individual can pull billions per week out of the players in EVE's great conglomerated marketplaces.

In this first guide in a short series on trading, I look at the different types of trading options available to newer EVE players.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Trading: The basics

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Trading: The basics originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buyingccpccp-gamescontractscouriereveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedguidehaulingiskmarketprofessionsprofitpverefiningsellingtipstips-and-trickstradingSun, 15 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Are subscription game item shops the third Trammel?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/08/are-subscription-game-item-shops-the-third-trammel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/08/are-subscription-game-item-shops-the-third-trammel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/08/are-subscription-game-item-shops-the-third-trammel/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We like to keep our ear to the blogging (under)ground here at Massively because we often find interesting ideas and perspectives on the MMO industry. For instance, Green Armadillo of Player vs. Developer (PvD) just made a bold yet insightful statement about subscription game item shops being the third Trammel. For those unfamiliar, Trammel changed the way most people played Ultima Online and could be considered a paradigm shift in the industry from "harsh" PvP-enabled MMOs to safer PvE.

It's no secret that the rise of microtransactions and MMO item shops (aka real money trading or RMT) are a big change in direction from traditional subscription based MMOs. However, it now seems we're seeing the line blur between the two. Dungeons & Dragons Online, Champions Online, and most recently World of Warcraft are all subscription-based MMOs with built-in RMT. Are we witnessing the birth of the third Trammel?

As for the second Trammel, PvD calls out WoW's solo quest system. Never in any previous MMO did players enjoy such easy soloability and it seems that every triple-A MMO since WoW has relied heavily upon the solo quest system. We think PvD may be on to something here.

Continue reading Are subscription game item shops the third Trammel?

MassivelyAre subscription game item shops the third Trammel? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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