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[Kingdom Under Fire II gets 2013 launch window in SE Asia]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/kingdom-under-fire-ii-gets-2013-launch-window-in-se-asia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/kingdom-under-fire-ii-gets-2013-launch-window-in-se-asia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/kingdom-under-fire-ii-gets-2013-launch-window-in-se-asia/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Kingdom Under Fire II gets 2013 launch window in SE Asia
It's been a couple of years since we last heard about Kingdom Under Fire II, so it's good to check in with one of our neighborly MMOs to see... oh hey! You're launching! What are the odds that this would happen during a completely random house call?

OK, so the good news is that Kingdom Under Fire II has been scheduled for a 2013 launch. Unfortunately, the bad news is that so far this release will be limited to Southeast Asia at first. Apparently developer BlueSide wants to see the game in action in that region first before rolling it out elsewhere.

The title is a combination of action-RPG and real-time strategy, promises battlefields with "thousands" of soldiers fighting at once, and will be launching on the PC and PlayStation 3.

[Thanks to Steparu for the tip!]

MassivelyKingdom Under Fire II gets 2013 launch window in SE Asia originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asiabetabluesidehangamekingdom-under-fireKingdom-Under-Fire-2Kingdom-Under-Fire-IIkufkuf-iikuf2large-scale-battlefieldlaunchlaunch-windowmmortsplaystation-3Playstation3ps3release-windowrtsse-asiasoutheast-asiaWed, 15 May 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anno Online goes into closed beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/23/anno-online-goes-into-closed-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/23/anno-online-goes-into-closed-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/23/anno-online-goes-into-closed-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Anno Online goes into closed beta
City-builders rejoice, for Anno Online has gone into closed beta for its English version. The title is an MMO sequel to the Anno 1404 single-player strategy game and will be playable entirely within your browser. The goal is to build up medieval cities over time, establish trade routes, and expand one's empire over multiple islands.

As the beta testing progresses, Ubisoft has plans to implement a guild system next month. Each guild can hold up to 25 people and construct guild halls for gatherings.

You can check out the trailer for Anno Online after the jump!

[Source: Ubisoft press release]

Continue reading Anno Online goes into closed beta

MassivelyAnno Online goes into closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>annoanno-1404anno-onlinebetabrowserclosed-betaf2pfree-to-playtrailerubisoftvideoTue, 23 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Genia: Brain Storm seeks beta testers for knowledge-centric gameplay]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/genia-brain-storm-seeks-beta-testers-for-knowledge-centric-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/genia-brain-storm-seeks-beta-testers-for-knowledge-centric-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/genia-brain-storm-seeks-beta-testers-for-knowledge-centric-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Genia Brain Storm seeks beta testers for knowlegecentric gameplay
Would you play an MMO that was more about using your brain than your virtual brawn? Would you be fine with said game resetting every month? If you answered "yes" to these two questions and don't make a habit of talking out loud to a computer monitor, then Genia: Brain Storm wants you for beta testing.

Genia: Brain Storm challenges players to collectively work on constructive projects using real-world knowledge while delaying the opposition as much as possible. It looks like it's an isometric free-to-play MMORTS that will hold 5,000 players per game and will end every 30 days to allow for a fresh start.

"If you want to achieve ultimate victory, you must team up and put your collective knowledge and discoveries to work," the website proclaims. "Not only does this add a clever new dimension to your game, it also sharpens your mind, making your hours of fun time well-spent."

Genia Inc. has been working on this title for four years and is seeking testers for its upcoming closed beta. If you're interested, just head over to the company's website to apply.

MassivelyGenia: Brain Storm seeks beta testers for knowledge-centric gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-tale-in-the-desertbetabrain-stormclosed-betaf2pfree-to-playgeniagenia-brain-stormgenia-incisometricmmortsMon, 08 Apr 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: How the mobile market is trying to change MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/mmobility-how-the-mobile-market-is-trying-to-change-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/mmobility-how-the-mobile-market-is-trying-to-change-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/mmobility-how-the-mobile-market-is-trying-to-change-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Real Racing 3 screenshot
My brother called me the other day to tell me that he had just beaten me in Real Racing 3, an EA title that has drawn some criticism for its use of microtransactions. I enjoyed the heck out of the game, and it seems that EA is not worried about the criticism thanks to the overall positive response to the title. I asked my brother about the in-game purchases and he didn't really know what I was talking about. It was only more evidence that the rest of the market -- especially the huge mobile market -- doesn't really appear to care about persistent worlds or immersive lore. The fact is that pseudo-MMOs or games that are barely on the edge of MMO are MMO enough for many people, even people like my brother, who is no stranger to MMO gaming and has spent years in and out of World of Warcraft raiding and leveling.

I was going to write about a game called Raft Pirates for this column, but when I started to look at it, I realized that it didn't quite seem like a "real" MMO, and so I asked the developer to define the game for me. The response I got back only added to my confusion about where the mobile market is going. So in today's MMObility, I want to continue the discussion I started last week, but this time I'll like to look at how the mobile market is keeping things muddy.

Continue reading MMObility: How the mobile market is trying to change MMOs

MassivelyMMObility: How the mobile market is trying to change MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-baseddefining-mmosEAfeaturedMicrotransactionsmmobilitymobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmoopinionphoneraft-piratesreal-racing-3smartphoneWorld-of-WarcraftFri, 05 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: The 10 best-looking browser-based MMORPGs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/20/free-for-all-the-10-best-looking-browser-based-mmorpgs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/20/free-for-all-the-10-best-looking-browser-based-mmorpgs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/20/free-for-all-the-10-best-looking-browser-based-mmorpgs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Battlestar Galactica Online screenshot
Beauty, they say, is in the eye of the beholder. Keep that in mind before you tell that me the games that fill out the following list of "best-looking browser-based MMORPGs" are ugly as sin. Sure, some of them are an acquired taste, but I wanted to display just how much variety there is now in browser gaming. It's not the delivery system it once was; we have had fancier-looking Flash-based titles for a while, but now with engines like Unity or Silverlight and even HTML5 coding, we have games that look no different from their client-based counterparts.

There are still some ugly-as-sin games out there as well, but they have endearing qualities all the same. So keep that in mind; this is my top 10 list. If you want to suggest your own in the comments section, I would love to hear them!

Now, on to the list, in no particular order...

Continue reading Free for All: The 10 best-looking browser-based MMORPGs

MassivelyFree for All: The 10 best-looking browser-based MMORPGs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mystical-landarcane-legendsbattlestar-galactica-onlinebeau-hindmanBigpointcity-of-steamdragons-of-atlantisdrakensang-onlineEAf2pfeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiuminnogamesjagexkabamkartugalord-of-ultimamad-otter-gamesmilmoopinionrunescapespacetime-studiosvelvet-ropeWed, 20 Mar 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: The community portal of Grepolis might just be a model for the industry]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/mmobility-the-community-portal-of-grepolis-might-just-be-a-mode/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/mmobility-the-community-portal-of-grepolis-might-just-be-a-mode/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/mmobility-the-community-portal-of-grepolis-might-just-be-a-mode/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Grepolis community screenshot
Innogames' hit browser-based game Grepolis has been receiving some pretty exciting updates lately. It's one of my favorite MMORTS titles because it's simple to learn and can be played on practically any schedule, so I've really been enjoying the updates that have added music and sound effects, holiday mechanics, and more animations. There's a lot more to come, however, according to Grepolis' developer crew.

What sort of things? Well, besides the usual updates and additions to gameplay, the team is promising that how players interact with the community will change as well. Sure, plenty of developers have promised better communication and more interaction, but what Grepolis is promising might just be some of the coolest community tools yet. If they work, of course.

Continue reading MMObility: The community portal of Grepolis might just be a model for the industry

MassivelyMMObility: The community portal of Grepolis might just be a model for the industry originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedcommunityDavid-Biedermannfeaturedgrepolisinnogamesmmobilitymobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmoopinionphonepromisessmartphoneFri, 15 Mar 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: How to be OK with not knowing how to play]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/13/free-for-all-how-to-be-ok-with-not-knowing-how-to-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/13/free-for-all-how-to-be-ok-with-not-knowing-how-to-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/13/free-for-all-how-to-be-ok-with-not-knowing-how-to-play/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Asheron's Call screenshot
I've written before about how to accept your fate as a permanent newbie, international game explorer, or constant PvP victim. It has always come down to accepting the fact that many MMOs require hours of dedication in order to become skilled. Sure, we can break down what "skilled" really means and examine what sort of timetable is realistic for most human beings, but let's just say that we're past that. We're well into the territory of accepting our fate as a digital traveler, someone who simply cannot say no to a new MMO.

This time I thought it would be better to list some lessons on how I learned to love the MMO explorer lifestyle. It worked for me! (Cheesy theme music starts in the background.)

Continue reading Free for All: How to be OK with not knowing how to play

MassivelyFree for All: How to be OK with not knowing how to play originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alganonbeau-hindmandarkblood-onlinef2pfallen-earthfeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiummabinoginewbieNexonnexon-americanoobopinionvanguardVanguard-Saga-of-Heroesvelvet-ropeWed, 13 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Petroglyph puts Victory on Kickstarter, hopes for victory]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/petroglyph-puts-victory-on-kickstarter-hopes-for-victory/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/petroglyph-puts-victory-on-kickstarter-hopes-for-victory/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/petroglyph-puts-victory-on-kickstarter-hopes-for-victory/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

War never changes. Especially not this particular war.
The stack of games made about World War II is pretty thick at this point, but Petroglyph is hoping to add another game to that lineup with its newest Kickstarter project, Victory. Fresh off of its departure from the End of Nations project, the studio is trying something different with the game's formula. It's a strategy game in real-time, but it's not an RTS; rather, it's closer to playing World of Tanks with control over an entire squad.

As the project page outlines, players will be given control of a squad of units, which has to either defeat the enemy units or capture and hold key locations. Units that are killed are gone, with no base management or tech trees to worry about in the thick of gameplay. The game is not being designed as a free-to-play title, but it is meant for online competitive play. If this sounds intriguing enough to cut through the fatigue of endless World War II games, take a look at all the details on the Kickstarter page.

MassivelyPetroglyph puts Victory on Kickstarter, hopes for victory originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crowdfundingcrowdsourcingkickstartermmortsmobanew-titlesnewspetroglyphpetroglyph-studiossquad-based-strategystrategyvictoryWed, 06 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: The continued standardization of selling power]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/free-for-all-the-continued-standardization-of-selling-power/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/free-for-all-the-continued-standardization-of-selling-power/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/06/free-for-all-the-continued-standardization-of-selling-power/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Online forum screenshot
Selling power is a much quieter controversy than it used to be. I've been in gaming long enough to remember when selling anything desirable at all was taboo. At the same time, it's always been OK to sell some things like subscriptions or special boxed editions, proving that MMO gamers and others are brilliant at segmenting their rage. If it's a cool, special box with a neat virtual item inside, it somehow does not fall under the same umbrella as selling powerful, useful items in game. I think it does. But geeks in general are good at justifying poor behavior if they get what they want; just ask the hackers and file-swappers.

Still, it doesn't matter how we feel about selling power because the industry is already moving in the direction of selling power, lots of power. EA recently announced that every title it produces from now on will feature microtransactions. While that doesn't guarantee the sale of powerful items, I can promise that it will include some. This train ain't stopping. Sure, the console community seems a bit late to the party when it comes to the power-selling controversy, but that's likely because of MMOs' always-on multiplayer mode.

Continue reading Free for All: The continued standardization of selling power

MassivelyFree for All: The continued standardization of selling power originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinallods-onlineapbbattlestar-galactica-onlinebeau-hindmanBigpointcliff-bleszinskidead-space-3die2niteeve-onlineeverquestEverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiumgamersfirstgears-of-warGears-of-war-2gpotatokingsislekingsisle-entertainmentlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromabinogimass-effect-3mmortsmobileNexonnexon-americaopinionpirate101SOESONYspacetime-studiosTeam-Fortress-2turbinevalvevelvet-ropewakfuwizard101Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rise and Shiny: Game of Thrones Ascent]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/03/rise-and-shiny-game-of-thrones-ascent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/03/rise-and-shiny-game-of-thrones-ascent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/03/rise-and-shiny-game-of-thrones-ascent/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Game of Thrones Ascent screenshot
There are several things that Game of Thrones Ascent, a social game by Disruptor Beam, does right. At the top of that list is the way the game works as a vehicle for easily digestible content, content that comes from some of the densest reading material in modern fantasy. For the record, I still haven't read any of the books that the Game of Thrones television series is based on, but luckily I have a wife who will simply burst with excitement when she reads some new tidbit... unless she tells the nearest person (me).

It must be hard making a game based on such a popular piece of fiction. The fact is that I didn't expect the little-known developers to do much good. I thought players would be smashing through a game that served as nothing but a cheap commercial for the HBO series. I was very wrong.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Game of Thrones Ascent

MassivelyRise and Shiny: Game of Thrones Ascent originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmandisruptor-beamf2pfacebookfeaturedfree-to-playgame-of-thronesgame-of-thrones-ascenthands-oninnogamesinterviewinterviewsjon-radoffkartugalivestreammassively-tvrise-and-shinysocial-gamingstreamtwitchtwitch-tvunityvideoSun, 03 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Navy Field 2 entering closed beta on March 27th]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/navy-field-2-entering-closed-beta-on-march-27th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/navy-field-2-entering-closed-beta-on-march-27th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/navy-field-2-entering-closed-beta-on-march-27th/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

World War II lasted for approximately three centuries.
Is there a serious need for more games in your life based on World War II? There are a few options out there already, but very soon you'll have another as Nexon brings Navy Field 2 into closed beta testing on March 27th. Unlike many of the other options, this one isn't meant as an action-based game; it's an MMORTS focused on naval engagements and the more strategic pace of sending ships into confrontations.

Players will be able to choose between 500 different ships from World War I and World War II to build their own fleets, entering huge engagements of up to 64 players at a time. The ships can also be customized with new weapons and armor. If this sounds like your cup of tea, check out the official trailer past the break and sign up for the beta, which will run until April 10th.

[Source: Nexon press release]

Continue reading Navy Field 2 entering closed beta on March 27th

MassivelyNavy Field 2 entering closed beta on March 27th originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Feb 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabetashistoricalmmortsnavalnaval-battlesnavy-fieldnavy-field-2nexonnf2online-rtsrtsstrategytrailertrailersupcoming-betasvideovideosworld-war-2world-war-iiWed, 27 Feb 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Why I Play: Clone Wars Adventures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/why-i-play-clone-wars-adventures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/why-i-play-clone-wars-adventures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/21/why-i-play-clone-wars-adventures/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Clone Wars Adventures - Dueling Shaak Ti
I'm Jef, and I love Star Wars. This is the part where the rest of you addicts chime in with "hi Jef," before we go about trying to cure ourselves of a life-long obsession. Except we're not going to do that today, are we? In fact, I'm going to dangle another death stick that you may not have considered as of yet.

It's called Clone Wars Adventures.

Continue reading Why I Play: Clone Wars Adventures

MassivelyWhy I Play: Clone Wars Adventures originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browserbrowser-basedclone-warsclone-wars-adventurescwaeditorialfamilyfeaturedkid-friendlykidslightsaber-duellobbymassively-metametaminigamenostalgiaop-edopinionrepublic-defendersci-fantasysci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstarfighterwhy-i-playwhy-i-play-clone-warsThu, 21 Feb 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: Innogames' Fabio Lo Zito on cash shops, quality, and PvP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/mmobility-innogames-fabio-lo-zito-on-cash-shops-quality-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/mmobility-innogames-fabio-lo-zito-on-cash-shops-quality-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/15/mmobility-innogames-fabio-lo-zito-on-cash-shops-quality-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Innogames lineup screenshot
One of the greatest parts of my job is having the ability to take a peek into the minds of some of the industry's most creative developers. If an interview goes really well, I come away from it with not only a deeper understanding of mechanics or policies but some knowledge about the creative process. For me, MMOs represent a perfect storm of writing, music, art, and math; they click my creativity into hyperdrive. I couldn't write about MMOs if I didn't love them so much.

I'm not sure why I didn't notice German-based developer Innogames until relatively recently, but its lineup is more varied, challenging, and immersive than many of its rivals. It makes titles that offer a variety not only of gameplay but of accessibility. All of its titles can be played in a browser, and now a handful are available even on mobile.

I sat down with Innogames' Fabio Lo Zito during a livestream earlier this week to discuss what makes it all work.

Continue reading MMObility: Innogames' Fabio Lo Zito on cash shops, quality, and PvP

MassivelyMMObility: Innogames' Fabio Lo Zito on cash shops, quality, and PvP originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedfabio-lo-zitofeaturedforge-of-empiresgrepolisinnogameskartugalagooniammobilitymobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmoopinionphonesmartphonesocialsocial-gamingthe-westtribal-warsUltima-OnlineFri, 15 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: Skylancer Battle for Horizon actually displays originality]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/13/free-for-all-skylancer-battle-for-horizon-actually-displays-ori/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/13/free-for-all-skylancer-battle-for-horizon-actually-displays-ori/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/13/free-for-all-skylancer-battle-for-horizon-actually-displays-ori/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Skylancer: Battle for Horizon screenshot
Skylancer: Battle for Horizon is a pretty unique take on the hugely overpopulated MMORTS genre. I play a lot of the popular strategy titles, and I'd estimate that 85% of them are simple repeats of previous titles. To be fair, I must admit that gaming in general is much like other forms of entertainment like movies or music and is mostly full of stuff that we've seen before. It can be a bit disheartening to write about something you love like gaming, only to struggle to find games that are truly unique and give you that same feeling you had when you first played games.

Now, I'm not setting up Skylancer: Battle for Horizon as some sort of paragon of originality. The fact is that there are plenty of mechanics and systems in the game that are familiar to me, but there are also enough twists in the design to remind me that it is still possible to feel unique, even in this overcrowded genre.

Continue reading Free for All: Skylancer Battle for Horizon actually displays originality

MassivelyFree for All: Skylancer Battle for Horizon actually displays originality originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedf2pfeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiummmortsopinionRyzomsci-fantasysci-fiskylancerSkylancer-battle-for-horizonvelvet-ropeWed, 13 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: Modern War almost gets it, but only almost]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/08/mmobility-modern-war-almost-gets-it-but-only-almost/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/08/mmobility-modern-war-almost-gets-it-but-only-almost/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/08/mmobility-modern-war-almost-gets-it-but-only-almost/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Modern War screenshot
Modern War by Gree has some pretty neat things going for it. A lot of the gameplay is not really state-of-the-art, and most of it we've seen before in many social-style games, but it allows for some cool and relatively persistent play on your mobile device. It's hard to find MMOs in today's mobile market. A lot of the time I'll download a new one only to find out that it's not really an MMO at all. There are some really great titles in the mobile/smartphone market, but it takes work to find them.

Modern War is a sneaky one. It's more of a pseudo-MMO but does a few cool things that more MMORTS titles should. It also works nicely on my Nexus 7 tablet, for the most part, except for a few odd problems that I'll cover in a minute. After I'm done, you might understand how mixed up the game feels as it's pretty close to becoming a good game.

Continue reading MMObility: Modern War almost gets it, but only almost

MassivelyMMObility: Modern War almost gets it, but only almost originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedfeaturedGameloftgreemmobilitymmortsmobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmomodern-waropinionphonesmartphonewar-gamesworld-at-armsFri, 08 Feb 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: How to survive an attack in your favorite MMORTS]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/free-for-all-how-to-survive-an-attack-in-your-favorite-mmorts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/free-for-all-how-to-survive-an-attack-in-your-favorite-mmorts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/free-for-all-how-to-survive-an-attack-in-your-favorite-mmorts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Grepolis screenshot
You know what I love about the MMORTS? It's the massive scale of everything involved. But it's not as though you are hand-crafting every single siege engine or raising armies of monsters one baddie at a time; that would simply take too long. The MMORTS is really a casual genre that is equal to playing with your action figures on a Saturday afternoon when you were nine years old. Don't let its casual nature fool you; just like those battles between plastic toys, the wars that can happen in your favorite MMORTS can suck you in and keep you glued to the screen for hours.

It's going to happen to you at some point. Some bigshot is going to send a round of spies, estimate that you're easy pickings, and throw a fresh batch of hurt your way. What do you do? The good news is that it can be a thrilling experience almost every time if you follow a few basic guidelines.

Continue reading Free for All: How to survive an attack in your favorite MMORTS

MassivelyFree for All: How to survive an attack in your favorite MMORTS originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmancommand-and-conquer-tiberium-alliancesdragons-of-atlantisf2pfeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiumgrepolisillyriadillyriad-gameskabamlord-of-ultimaministry-of-warmmortsopinionsnail-gamesSurvival-Guidevelvet-ropeWed, 06 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: The Chromebook 'All-In-One' project - The pros and cons wrap-up]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/mmobility-the-chromebook-all-in-one-project-the-pros-and-co/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/mmobility-the-chromebook-all-in-one-project-the-pros-and-co/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/mmobility-the-chromebook-all-in-one-project-the-pros-and-co/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

All In One project screenshot
Well, it's been pretty much a month since I first got my hands on this Samsung Chromebook. In that time they have become a very successful product, and I've witnessed a lot of new 'Bookers falling in love with the device. I wanted to set out to see if I could use one device for pretty much every aspect of my digital life, from work to play. I've had help from my wife along the way, as she quickly got used to how easily the device worked. I've pushed it in every way that I could think of. I've watched videos on it, plugged things into it, written on it and used it to play games.

So, what do I think now? Does this little notebook fill every need? Well, yes and no. It's definitely able to do what I want it to do, but I want it to do some pretty specific things. I also wanted to show that gaming, especially massively multiplayer gaming, is accessible from the 'Book. Why? The truth is that I wanted to illustrate how MMO games not only come in all shapes and sizes, but that there are many different communities all over the world that enjoy very successful browser-based, "low-tech" MMOs. As far as Massively is concerned, this experiment was an attempt to sneak in some very cool MMOs under the guise of "cool new gadget."

Continue reading MMObility: The Chromebook 'All-In-One' project - The pros and cons wrap-up

MassivelyMMObility: The Chromebook 'All-In-One' project - The pros and cons wrap-up originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acer-chromebookall-in-one-projectbeau-hindmanbookersbrowserbrowser-basedchromebookchromebook-all-in-one-projectdc-universe-onlinedcuodragons-of-atlantisfeaturedgooglegoogle-chromebookGuild-Wars-2innogameskabammmobilitymobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmoopinionphonesamsungsamsung-chromebooksmartphoneSOEthe-westyoutubeFri, 01 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten pseudo-MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/25/mmobility-the-chromebook-all-in-one-project-ten-pseudo-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/25/mmobility-the-chromebook-all-in-one-project-ten-pseudo-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/25/mmobility-the-chromebook-all-in-one-project-ten-pseudo-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WarMage Battlegrounds banner
So here we are at the second-to-last installment of my Chromebook All-In-One experiment. This will be the last time I give you a list of games that work well on the Samsung Chromebook, but always keep in mind that some of the other Chromebooks, especially the Samsung 5 550, have more power and do not use an ARM-based chip. What does that mean? Well, some services like NetFlix will not work on an ARM-based machine yet. Spacetime Studios' cache of browser-based titles will not work on this Chromebook yet as well. Don't worry, it's coming soon. Imagine the ARM Chromebook as a tablet with a keyboard attached... it's not a normal netbook or notebook.

I also wrote up my wife's take on the Chromebook over at my personal blog. Be sure to check that out. She has been the perfect guinea pig as she pushes devices to their limits, and so the Chromebook has been getting heavy use from her and working wonderfully. Next week, my last installment of this series will be a video and article combo that covers the good and bad of the device, along with my final thoughts.

Until then, though, click past the cut and enjoy my list of pseudo-MMOs. These are games that don't quite fit into the MMO category but have a multiplayer aspect to them!

Continue reading MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten pseudo-MMOs

MassivelyMMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten pseudo-MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-in-oneall-in-one-projectbeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedchromebookChromeBookschromiumdie2nitefallen-londonfallen-swordfarm-kingdomfeaturedforge-of-empiresgoogleinnogamesjupiters-follylagooniammobilitymobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmoopinionphonepoptropicapseudo-MMOpseudo-mmossmartphonestardrift-empiressyfySyFy-GamesTurn-basedwarmage-battlegroundsFri, 25 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten standard MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/18/mmobility-the-chromebook-all-in-one-project-ten-standard-mm/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/18/mmobility-the-chromebook-all-in-one-project-ten-standard-mm/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/18/mmobility-the-chromebook-all-in-one-project-ten-standard-mm/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

War of Dragons artwork
It's time for another installment of my month-long look at the Samsung Chromebook, the newest in the line of all-in-one devices brought to us by Google. Everything has worked pretty well so far, but the light notebook does have its issues. I'm so used to using my Google Nexus 7 tablet for reading emails and now reading articles and magazines that I am having a hard time without the pinch-to-zoom. I love the instant zooming; it's much easier when I am reading or surfing the net. (Wait, do we still say "surfing the net"?) In fact, the main issue with the Samsung Chromebook is its size. I have to hit ctrl-+ to zoom in pages often.

Other than the smaller fonts, few other issues have cropped up -- I've found gaming has been really fun on this little guy. I've noticed that everyone who reads of gaming on the device is sort of perplexed. Why would I want to game on such a non-gaming machine? It's simple, really. As the title says, this is another attempt of mine to find the perfect device for doing all that I do using only the browser: writing, gaming, gaming, writing, watching videos, writing, and playing games.

This week, I have 10 "standard" MMOs for you. These are games that act more like a common, client-based MMOs than the MMORTS titles I covered last week, but with some exceptions. The desktop browser can handle amazing, 3-D graphics, but a Chromebook does not allow downloads like Unity or Java. Keep that in mind.

Continue reading MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten standard MMOs

MassivelyMMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten standard MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-in-one-projectbeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedchrome-oschromebookchromiumclub-penguindragon-eternityfeaturedhabbo-hotelkidslegend-legacy-of-the-dragonsmirimagiammobilitymmortsmobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmoopinionparallel-kingdomperbluephonepride-of-taernRTSsagramoreserenia-fantasysmartphonetraviantravian-gamestravianswar-of-dragonsFri, 18 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten MMORTS titles]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/11/mmobility-the-chromebook-all-in-one-project-ten-mmorts-titl/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/11/mmobility-the-chromebook-all-in-one-project-ten-mmorts-titl/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/11/mmobility-the-chromebook-all-in-one-project-ten-mmorts-titl/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chromebook picture
Last week I introduced you to my newest device, the Samsung Chromebook. Yes, that's the official way to refer to the newest $249.00 Chromebook, according to my contact at Google. I have pined after one for a while, but the price point finally became too tempting and I nabbed one at my local Best Buy. Why? Why didn't I just spit out a few more bucks and get a "real" laptop or netbook, one that runs Windows 7 or 8? Well, it runs silently and almost without heat. It's essentially a keyboard attached to an 11-inch tablet that runs Flash. The Chromium OS is very secure, and it auto-updates every six weeks.

But you're here to read about games. This week I am going to talk about the MMORTS genre and why it works so well on the Chromebook. I'll list 10 of my favorites -- a drop in the bucket for all the MMORTS games out there, but these are easily some of the best and run well on the Chromebook. Stay tuned for future columns, where we'll look at even more Chromebook-friendly MMOs and pseudo-MMOs as well.

Continue reading MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten MMORTS titles

MassivelyMMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten MMORTS titles originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-in-one-projectbeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedcastlotchromebookchromebook-all-in-one-projectchromiumchromium-oscommand-and-conquer-tiberium-alliancesdragons-of-atlantisEAfeaturedgoogleillyriadillyriad-gamesinnogameskabamlight-of-novalord-of-ultimaministry-of-warmmobilitymobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmoopinionphonesmartphonesnail-gamessnail-games-usathe-settlers-onlinetribal-warsUbisoftFri, 11 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST