Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.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/<![CDATA[NCSoft do the time warp, again]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/31/ncsoft-do-the-time-warp-again/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/31/ncsoft-do-the-time-warp-again/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/31/ncsoft-do-the-time-warp-again/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There's no reason stated, but NCSoft are changing their entire billing department's time zone from Eastern Standard Time (EST, -5 hours GMT) to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC, = GMT) starting tomorrow, a difference of about five hours.

As it's just a time zone swap, nobody will lose or gain any hours they've already paid for, but depending on when you opened your NCSoft account you may be billed a day later in future. It's very important that you don't think about why they'd make this change, how you can go five hours into the future and not gain any extra time, or why the acronym doesn't match the full phrase. Trust me.

MassivelyNCSoft do the time warp, again originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    ]]>    accountsbillingdowntimencsofttime-gentlementime-warpstime-zonestimingMon, 31 Dec 2007 23:00:00 EST    <![CDATA[NYTimes says children's virtual playgrounds are serious business]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/31/nytimes-says-childrens-virtual-playgrounds-are-serious-business/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/31/nytimes-says-childrens-virtual-playgrounds-are-serious-business/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/31/nytimes-says-childrens-virtual-playgrounds-are-serious-business/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

    It's not *that* seriousIt's that's time again, gentle reader: the New York Times are taking a look at the financial side of virtual worlds, and analyzing the potential for growth within the market. But instead of focusing on Second Life or World of Warcraft, it's ... WebKinz and Club Penguin.

    Despite my mental age, until now I've known the bare minimum about either. But now they're big business, and the virtual worlds market is entirely under their thrall. Or so the article claims. There are a few flaws in the article, but there's plenty of food for thought -- could virtual worlds overtake television in the children's entertainment sector? Is there big money in virtual worlds aimed at kids? Or, like the conference last month discussed, how will this influence our children?

    Nobody really knows, I suspect. Analysts are notorious for being unable to predict what children want, beyond jumping on the bandwagon when it comes into town -- it's not like the 'adult' virtual worlds market, where further growth is guaranteed. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

    MassivelyNYTimes says children's virtual playgrounds are serious business originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      ]]>      analystsbandwagonclub-penguinmoneynytimessecond-lifevirtual-worldswebkinzworld-of-warcraftMon, 31 Dec 2007 16:30:00 EST      <![CDATA[Mythos gets Crunched, levels 1-10]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/30/mythos-gets-crunched-levels-1-10/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/30/mythos-gets-crunched-levels-1-10/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/30/mythos-gets-crunched-levels-1-10/#commentsFiled under: , ,

      If you mention Horadric Cubes to me once more...Just in case you missed it earlier this week, MMOCrunch attacked the first 10 levels of the Mythos beta and posted their main thoughts about the game so far -- which seem very positive.

      My own brief impressions: when people say it's similar to Diablo, they're really not exaggerating! Mythos is Diablo 2, except free, online-only, with better, brighter graphics, and most pretenses of story discarded. Plus no Deckard Cain. You could argue that's a major list of improvements, actually.

      If you want better images of how Mythos looks in-game, check the official site or the Massively Gallery from Akela Talamasca's first impressions of Mythos last month.

      Beta accounts are still flying out, so the wait is minimal if you sign up for one. Though, be warned if you're on an outdated operating system -- Mythos won't work on anything less recent than Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Vista.

      MassivelyMythos gets Crunched, levels 1-10 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Dec 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        ]]>        1-10crunchdeckard-caindiablodiablo-2horadric-cube-obsessed-old-menimpressionsmythosSun, 30 Dec 2007 13:00:00 EST        <![CDATA[WoW mud dolls attack the internet]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/wow-mud-dolls-attack-the-internet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/wow-mud-dolls-attack-the-internet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/28/wow-mud-dolls-attack-the-internet/#commentsFiled under: , ,

        Oh my god, that grin is just SO. FABULOUS.
        And now it's time for something ridiculously cute. Behold, World of Warcraft mud dolls! There's grinning Orc Shamans (pictured), Blood Elf Warlocks in cartoon tier 5, and even a Paladin wearing full Lawbringer, which is awesome beyond words. 'W00t' doesn't count.

        Thousands may have lined up to buy their own characters from FigurePrints.com, but these ones were all hand-made by a girl in China. And very nice they are, too. It's not just me that finds these stupidly amusing, right? RIGHT?

        The full gallery contains twenty-one total images and is hosted at MMOsite.com; the blog they're hosted on appears to be Chinese-only.

        MassivelyWoW mud dolls attack the internet originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          ]]>          chinafigureprintsfigurineslawbringermud-dollsridiculously-cutetier-5w00tworld-of-warcraftFri, 28 Dec 2007 10:00:00 EST          <![CDATA[Exodus to the Virtual World review from the other virtual world]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/27/exodus-to-the-virtual-world-review-from-the-other-virtual-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/27/exodus-to-the-virtual-world-review-from-the-other-virtual-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/27/exodus-to-the-virtual-world-review-from-the-other-virtual-world/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

          Corp PorAs we've previously covered on Massively.com before, virtual worlds researcher Edward Castronova's new book is entitled Exodus to the Virtual World: How Online Fun is Changing Reality -- but if you want to know if it's actually worth reading, there's a review over at Rik Santos's personal blog.

          I'm almost tempted to pick up a copy, but to me, serious real world influence from virtual worlds feels a long way off. When governments can't even accept gaming, the idea of them trying to learn from MMOs doesn't seem likely any time soon.

          And yes, the author is the same man who recently demanded a female dwarf. Comments from that post show he isn't the only one!

          MassivelyExodus to the Virtual World review from the other virtual world originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            ]]>            edward-castronovaexodusexodus-to-the-virtual-worldfemale-dwarfreviewsrik-santosted-castronovavirtual-worldsThu, 27 Dec 2007 21:30:00 EST            <![CDATA[Holidays of the MMOG universes, past and present]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/25/holidays-of-the-mmog-universes-past-and-present/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/25/holidays-of-the-mmog-universes-past-and-present/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/25/holidays-of-the-mmog-universes-past-and-present/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

            So here it is, merry christmas
            Christmas. Everyone chooses to celebrate it in a different way. The majority of us will be spending the time with our immediate family, some of us will actually get the chance to play these MMOs we've been visiting all year, and one or two of you will be writing on a laptop older than Chuck Norris jokes, trying to avoid being force-fed eggnog.

            96.4% of MMOs commemorate the holidays in their own special way, too, so you might want to read the latest Warcry editorial that covers most of the major MMOG winter holidays, past and present -- even Anarchy Online is there. A bit of lore, some background, and Emperor Palpatine's boxer shorts (!!!).

            Don't forget to check out the Guild Wars event if you get a spare minute. Snowball for great justice!

            MassivelyHolidays of the MMOG universes, past and present originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Dec 2007 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              ]]>              anarchy-onlinechuck-norris-jokeseggnogemperor-palpatine-boxerseverquestguild-warsholidazepoisonstar-wars-galaxiesTue, 25 Dec 2007 11:30:00 EST              <![CDATA[Gollum wisshes you a merry Christmases]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/22/gollum-wisshes-you-a-merry-christmases/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/22/gollum-wisshes-you-a-merry-christmases/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/22/gollum-wisshes-you-a-merry-christmases/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

              Suddenly, I can hear Slade.
              Lord of the Rings Online and Turbine are nearly done for the holidays, but not before a Christmas-themed wallpaper featuring none other than Gollum ... or is it Sméagol? No prizes for guessing what he wants for Christmas. Not that there was Christmas in Middle-earth, it was more Yule-tide, but ... oh, you know what I mean.

              Follow the link               to download the full image at either 1600 x 1200 or 1024 x 768 resolution, or if you're the kind of LotRO fan to prefer something in-game, check out Dan O'Halloran's excellent Yule-tide quest guide.

              MassivelyGollum wisshes you a merry Christmases originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Dec 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                ]]>                gollumholidazelotromiddle-earthseasonal-eventsmeagolturbineyule-tideyule-tide-quest-guideSat, 22 Dec 2007 10:00:00 EST                <![CDATA[TR beginner's guide to the Spy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/21/tr-beginners-guide-to-the-spy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/21/tr-beginners-guide-to-the-spy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/21/tr-beginners-guide-to-the-spy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                James Bond in 2014.IGN's TRVault has the first part up of a new series covering the major classes of Tabula Rasa, and first up is the Spy. It's reasonably concise, as primers go. For those who don't know, Spies are TR's version of the rogue class. They're stealth armored, blade wielding killing machines that can do everything from polymorphing into an enemy soldier, to causing hostile foes to turn traitor, to calling in bombing runs.

                Currently, Spies are not only the most popular class in the final tier, but arguably the most powerful too. Spies are the only class that can tank, heal, resurrect, and DPS as the situation requires -- though some of these may change if Polymorph gets the rumored bug-fix in 1.4. Spies are great for experience multipliers when played properly, too.

                Spies are amazing at PvP as things stand, so I can see the temptation to level one built for PvP. But unless you're in a very active PvP clan, the better option is to level yourself as PvE, gather as many clone tokens as possible from Targets of Opportunity, then clone yourself a pure PvP Spy when relevant updates are implemented. Tabula Rasa Capture The Flag, anyone?

                MassivelyTR beginner's guide to the Spy originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  ]]>                  1.4blade-wielding-killing-machinescapture-the-flagctfguideshow-topolymorphprimerpvproguespytabula-rasatargets-of-opportunitytrtr-101tr-pvptr-spyFri, 21 Dec 2007 21:00:00 EST                  <![CDATA[The Guardian asks: without sci-fi or fantasy, where would MMOGs go?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/20/the-guardian-asks-without-sci-fi-or-fantasy-where-would-mmogs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/20/the-guardian-asks-without-sci-fi-or-fantasy-where-would-mmogs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/20/the-guardian-asks-without-sci-fi-or-fantasy-where-would-mmogs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

                  Yes it, really really really could happen.UK newspaper The Guardian has a good post up on its gaming blog, asking why fantasy is the dominant genre for MMOGs. And if you -- yes, you -- were to design a MMOG without any fantasy or sci-fi elements, where would it be set and how would it work?

                  Sadly, the only MMOG I can think of that isn't fantasy or sci-fi is City of Heroes, but that's kind of sci-fi too. There's also WWII Online; about which the less said, the better. Generally, as soon as you take MMOGs to the real world you complicate matters so much it isn't even funny. Where is it set? Are you going to model geographical locations accurately? Will there be product advertising? Everyone wants product advertising. Is that a Dell PC in the corner?

                  But quite frankly, that's no fun. So what would you design, if fantasy and sci-fi were excluded? For me, 1930's zombie invasion. Who doesn't love zombies? Now imagine if they wore bowler hats.

                  Continue reading The Guardian asks: without sci-fi or fantasy, where would MMOGs go?

                  MassivelyThe Guardian asks: without sci-fi or fantasy, where would MMOGs go? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    ]]>                    1930s-zombie-invasionadvertisingbowler-hatscity-of-heroescity-of-villainsdell-xpsin-game-advertisingreal-world-mmotaxi-to-victorywwii-onlineThu, 20 Dec 2007 11:30:00 EST                    <![CDATA[Former Auran producer defends staff, management]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/16/former-auran-producer-defends-staff-management/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/16/former-auran-producer-defends-staff-management/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/16/former-auran-producer-defends-staff-management/#commentsFiled under: , ,

                    By the power of Grayskull!The entire Auran staff may have been let go earlier this week, but former Producer David Gillespie has a post up on his personal blog that defends Auran's staff, and the decisions made by management. This is the "Game flopped and the entire team was laid off, but the staff were the best!" law -- a far too frequent occurrence in the gaming industry. This law works in opposites, too. Sid Meier eats babies.

                    David Gillespie left Auran long before it went into administration, but he obviously had a lot of respect for everyone there. I didn't know Auran were the same developers responsible for 90's RTS classic Dark Reign, though. And there's an industry lesson to learn from this -- no matter how talented your team, how great your working environment, how successful your studio has been up till now -- if you make a commercial MMO that's a failure, you're in a whole world of trouble.

                    Maybe now that Fury is free, I should download it just to see what it was really like-- but on second thoughts, I think I'll pass for now.

                    [Via warcry.com]

                    MassivelyFormer Auran producer defends staff, management originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 Dec 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      ]]>                      administrationauranaustraliababy-eatingdark-reigndavid-gillespiefurylaid-offlay-offnice-guys-lawsid-meierSun, 16 Dec 2007 17:30:00 EST                      <![CDATA[LotRO Lorebook now includes item effects]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/lotro-lorebook-now-includes-item-effects/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/lotro-lorebook-now-includes-item-effects/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/lotro-lorebook-now-includes-item-effects/#commentsFiled under: ,

                      Is that a sword? Luxury!
                      Turbine have updated the Lord of the Rings Online Lorebook again, and this time it's something awesome: the Lorebook now features full item effects.

                      Hurrah! This is a great step to making the Lorebook really useful, rather than just for... well, lore. Further updates are planned -- according to Aylwyne, item set pages have been implemented, and will be going into the Lorebook shortly after the holidays. One minor problem with the item effects currently, though: if an item has a use effect, the cooldown is listed properly but not what the use effect actually does. You'll have to look elsewhere for that.

                      MassivelyLotRO Lorebook now includes item effects originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        ]]>                        aylwynecooldownsitem-effectsitemslord-of-the-rings-onlinelorebooklotroturbineFri, 14 Dec 2007 19:30:00 EST                        <![CDATA[Scott Jennings on how to make PvP not suck]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/scott-jennings-on-how-to-make-pvp-not-suck/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/scott-jennings-on-how-to-make-pvp-not-suck/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/scott-jennings-on-how-to-make-pvp-not-suck/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

                        haha u died lolJust in case any of us design a PvP ruleset for a massively multiplayer online game, Scott Jennings has helpfully posted a 13-step guide to "PvP done right" on his personal blog, BrokenToys.org.

                        It's a potent mixture of common sense, personal opinion, and thousands upon thousands disagreeing that classes are needed. It's a great primer, aphorisms or not, and written wonderfully. Put simply, PvP in a game needs to work -- if it's an impossible concept or impossible to implement, nothing else matters. Personally, I'd go as far as to say the simpler the concept, the better the execution -- of course, that's a huge sweeping statement, but be it Team Fortress 2 or World of Warcraft or Chess, the depth doesn't come from the rules, it comes from the implementation. Except Cricket.

                        All decisions will upset someone. It's just about having a realistic, well-defined goal for PvP in your game and going from there -- and accepting that there will always be an awful lot of criticism, rage, and Fury.

                        MassivelyScott Jennings on how to make PvP not suck originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                          ]]>                          auranbalancebrokentoyscricketfurykeep-it-simple-stupidmechanicspvpragerulesscott-jenningstabula-rasateam-fortress-2world-of-warcraftTue, 11 Dec 2007 22:00:00 EST                          <![CDATA[Action MMO powered by Crysis engine? That'll be The Day]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/action-mmo-powered-by-crysis-engine-thatll-be-the-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/action-mmo-powered-by-crysis-engine-thatll-be-the-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/action-mmo-powered-by-crysis-engine-thatll-be-the-day/#commentsFiled under: , ,

                          In the parallel world, all this was caused by a butterfly.
                          Former employees of NCSoft and Phantagram have created a new studio to design a 'third-person massively multiplayer online action game'? And it's powered by CryENGINE 2, the same game engine used in Crysis? Tell me more.

                          As it says in the press release: Reloaded Studios are a Seoul-based game company that seem to lack neither experience nor funding. Their first project is entitled The Day, and it aims to have a heavy emphasis on PvP combat plus a unique, immersive storyline involving parallel worlds and the destruction of all humanity. I also aim to solo Illidan Stormrage tomorrow.

                          The Day joins a growing list of MMOs to use the Crysis engine, along with Entropia Universe and Blue Mars. They're both more virtual world than action MMO, though, and there's a lot of untapped potential in the latter. Planetside never made much of an impact, but games in a similar vein are a market waiting to happen -- even if it isn't a Halo MMO.

                          MassivelyAction MMO powered by Crysis engine? That'll be The Day originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                            ]]>                            actionblue-marscryengine2crysiscrytekentropia-universehalo-mmoillidan-stormragencsoftphantagramplanetsidereloaded-studiosthe-dayTue, 11 Dec 2007 18:00:00 EST                            <![CDATA[Jiminy Cricket is a Manga Fighter: free-to-play producer interview]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/10/jiminy-cricket-is-a-manga-fighter-free-to-play-producer-intervi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/10/jiminy-cricket-is-a-manga-fighter-free-to-play-producer-intervi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/10/jiminy-cricket-is-a-manga-fighter-free-to-play-producer-intervi/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                            This little fella never read Watership Down.Over at freetoplay.biz, there's a candid interview with YJ Jin, the producer of Manga Fighter, which is best described as a fast-paced third person shooter MMO. With hawaii shirts.

                            The interview is a little on the short side, but it's refreshing to hear an honest take on the distinctions between the commercial subscription market and the free-to-play sector. The tactics used for Manga Fighter? Viral marketing, email collectibles, and extended open betas that wouldn't hurt the game in the long-term. The specter of secondary markets also rears its head.

                            As for Manga Fighter: don't let the "fighter" part confuse you, it looks to be more Quake than Street Fighter. I'm reasonably confident it's also the first and only game to feature a (manga) Jiminy Cricket lookalike jumping on a trampoline and unloading a 9mm handgun at a gigantic gateaux. No, really.

                            MassivelyJiminy Cricket is a Manga Fighter: free-to-play producer interview originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                              ]]>                              free-to-playgigantic-gateauxjiminy-cricketmanga-fighteron-netquakesecondary-marketstreet-fighteryj-jinMon, 10 Dec 2007 15:10:00 EST                              <![CDATA[WoW 3v3 tournament ended, videos from the finals]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/wow-3v3-tournament-ended-videos-from-the-finals/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/wow-3v3-tournament-ended-videos-from-the-finals/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/06/wow-3v3-tournament-ended-videos-from-the-finals/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                              Tasteless gold buying joke goes here!
                              The Dreamhack Winter festival in Sweden ended last week, and video footage of the Electronic Sports League World of Warcraft 3v3 arena tournament that took place right there in freezing Northrend Northern Europe is now online. The series went right down to the wire in a best-of-five between MoB-TurtleForce and team Pandemic. The videos are a little blurry (see below), but the grand final is definitely worth watching if you're at all interested in seeing competitive gaming in an MMO, with five extremely close games and amazing teamwork. Check them out!

                              As we covered previously, the tournament itself arose from the ashes of the deceased WSVG, and whilst the high quality feed of the event was broken, it's nice to see it went off without *too* many hitches. And it gets better -- the commentary was almost passable.

                              MassivelyWoW 3v3 tournament ended, videos from the finals originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                ]]>                                3v3arenablizzarddreamhackeslfinalsmob-turtleforcenorthrendswedenteam-pandemictournamentworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 06 Dec 2007 10:00:00 EST                                <![CDATA[LotRO lorebook heads north, finds civilization]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/lotro-lorebook-heads-north-finds-civilization/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/lotro-lorebook-heads-north-finds-civilization/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/lotro-lorebook-heads-north-finds-civilization/#commentsFiled under: , ,

                                You... shall... not... pass!Turbine have returned to their Lord of the Rings Online lorebook groove with a spotlight on Ost Forod, one of the main outposts in the Evendim region. Last week it was wolf-men, this week it's brigands and tomb raiders. No, not Lara Croft.

                                Northeast of Lake Evendim (which in itself is north and east of the Shire), Ost Forod is a trading village not so much built on the bones of an ruined fortress as part of one. But by the time you visit, there's more than a little bit of trouble in paradise.

                                Turbine have really flexed their creative muscles for the whole Evendim area. Even if you're not a fan of LotRO, you have to admire Turbine's phenomenal handling of the enviroment; they're living and breathing lore so well it's not always obvious what's Tolkien and what's Turbine.

                                MassivelyLotRO lorebook heads north, finds civilization originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Dec 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                  ]]>                                  dunedainevendimlara-croftlorelorebooklotroost-forodthe-shiretolkienturbineWed, 05 Dec 2007 10:00:00 EST                                  <![CDATA[Stereotypes, women in promotional art, and Prince Rurik]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/02/stereotypes-women-in-promotional-art-and-prince-rurik/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/02/stereotypes-women-in-promotional-art-and-prince-rurik/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/02/stereotypes-women-in-promotional-art-and-prince-rurik/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                                  HELLO nurse!Via the magic of our tips page, we were recently submitted a link that takes a very humorous look at women in promotional videogame art. Guild Wars in particular has always taken this to ridiculous extremes; from wallpaper, to box art, to the entire website, really.

                                  And yet -- it's marketing. And marketing will always do what they think will sell best, even if it alienates other potential customers; whatever will sell to the majority. If Blizzard thought World of Stardiablo 4 would sell best with box art consisting of David Hasselhoff wearing only speedos (hey, after seeing Mr. T playing a night elf mohawk? anything can happen), that's what we'd get.

                                  Continue reading Stereotypes, women in promotional art, and Prince Rurik

                                  MassivelyStereotypes, women in promotional art, and Prince Rurik originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Dec 2007 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                    ]]>                                    advertisingblizzarddavid-hasselhoffguild-warsmr-tncsoftprince-rurikpromotional-artrichard-garriotttabula-rasaSun, 02 Dec 2007 11:30:00 EST                                    <![CDATA[Warhammer Online: an interview of massive miniatures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/warhammer-online-an-interview-of-massive-miniatures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/warhammer-online-an-interview-of-massive-miniatures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/warhammer-online-an-interview-of-massive-miniatures/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                                    Armored and dangerous.
                                    Tentonhammer have recently posted an interview with Erik Mogensen, Licensing Manager of Games Workshop, about the upcoming Warhammer Online. The interview focuses on the problems of turning a tabletop miniature game into a top-flight MMO, and whether EA Mythic have had difficulty adapting to the licensing requirements that Games Workshop need.

                                    Licenses and MMOs are curious bedfellows, and it's a separate kind of balance that -- although Erik is very upbeat about the work that's been done by Mythic, it's usually much less flexible than the PvE and PvP side of things. On the one hand, it's instant market saturation -- you don't have to explain what a Klingon or a Lightsaber is to anyone. On the other hand, condensing a universe into a single game will never be easy.

                                    MassivelyWarhammer Online: an interview of massive miniatures originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                      ]]>                                      ea-mythicerik-mogensengames-workshopklingonlightsabermythicwarhammerwarhammer-onlineFri, 30 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST                                      <![CDATA[Voodoo Extreme's MMO of the year poll]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/voodoo-extremes-mmo-of-the-year-poll/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/voodoo-extremes-mmo-of-the-year-poll/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/voodoo-extremes-mmo-of-the-year-poll/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                                      Trevor quickly grew upset when he realized he'd lost his daggerIt's about the right time of year for it, and with perfect timing Voodoo Extreme has a poll up for (MMO)RPG Game of the Year.

                                      Being in the same category as The Witcher & Mass Effect seems harsh for the MMOs listed, as some great titles went retail in 2007. Was Lord of the Rings Online really just this year? We've also had the first expansion to one of the biggest games of all time, and a minor explosion of Free-to-Play MMOs -- which of course won't feature in a commercial games poll, but they're still surging through the market even so.

                                      Overall, 2007 has been a solid year for MMO fans. It may end up being remembered as the year of Halo 3, Assassin's Creed, and Bioshock -- but then 2008 may redress the balance somewhat.

                                      Is there an MMO of the year for you, so far?

                                      MassivelyVoodoo Extreme's MMO of the year poll originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                        ]]>                                        20072008assassin's-creedbioshockfree-to-playhalo-3lord-of-the-rings-onlinemass-effectthe-burning-crusadethe-witchervoodoo-extremeTue, 27 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST                                        <![CDATA[Kieron Gillen on TR, betas, and free trials]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/25/kieron-gillen-on-tr-betas-and-free-trials/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/25/kieron-gillen-on-tr-betas-and-free-trials/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/25/kieron-gillen-on-tr-betas-and-free-trials/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

                                        Beam me up- WAIT! YOU'RE NOT SCOTTY!Kieron Gillen of Rock, Paper, Shotgun has a great retrospective up about Tabula Rasa, its launch, and where Destination Games should go from here.

                                        Kieron talks about how he actually likes TR, but how the game has been damaged -- maybe ruined -- by an ill-advised Beta test. Which is spot on, really. Loads of serious MMO fans played the Beta at one time or another, and it was missing so many features that made it into the final game it's not even funny -- in fact, it's still missing some even now, hence the rush for patches and new content. The solution? Kieron recommends TR gets a free trial. Not the refer a friend scheme going around at present -- a real free trial so Beta testers can reevaluate the game as it stands.

                                        The quality of a Beta influences how successfully a game sells much more than publishers seem to believe, and similarly, free trials. It's always struck me as foolish that every MMOG doesn't have a free trial to begin with. Whilst retail sales is something publishers will always hate to lose, surely if subscriptions are increased in the long-term it's a wise investment?

                                        MassivelyKieron Gillen on TR, betas, and free trials originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Nov 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                          ]]>                                          betadestination-gamesfree-trialkieron-gillenncsoftrefer-a-friendrock-paper-shotguntabula-rasaSun, 25 Nov 2007 17:30:00 EST                                          <![CDATA[The Daily Grind: The nature of addiction]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/24/the-daily-grind-the-nature-of-addiction/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/24/the-daily-grind-the-nature-of-addiction/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/24/the-daily-grind-the-nature-of-addiction/#commentsFiled under: , ,

                                          Thanks Engadget.com for the fabulous image!I can't forget an article featured earlier this year on The Washington Post about an internet addiction clinic in China, and how they were treating patients there with the same techniques they've used on heroin addicts. From electroshock therapy to involuntary isolation, take your pick.

                                          That's disturbing enough in itself, but personally? I've never considered internet usage to be addiction. Let alone MMOs, which are always at the heart of the argument. Would we send people to addiction clinics for watching too much TV? Reading too many books? Drinking too many smoothies? Of course not. Personal choice isn't addiction, even if it isn't good for you.

                                          But maybe we're too close to the issue. Judging from admittance to the clinic, anyone who has attended a Molten Core raid in World of Warcraft is a die-hard addict. We've all heard -- or seen! -- one or two horror stories, as well.

                                          Do you consider over-usage of the internet to be personal choice? Habit? Or an addiction that should be treated as such?

                                          MassivelyThe Daily Grind: The nature of addiction originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                            ]]>                                            addictionchinaclinicsmmomolten-coreopinionsmoothies-stole-my-soulthe-daily-grindworld-of-warcraftSat, 24 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST                                            <![CDATA[WoW tournament resurrected at Dreamhack, $75,000 in prizes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/wow-tournament-resurrected-at-dreamhack-75-000-in-prizes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/wow-tournament-resurrected-at-dreamhack-75-000-in-prizes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/wow-tournament-resurrected-at-dreamhack-75-000-in-prizes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

                                            The rogue-only 3v3 tournament made for awkward viewing.Electronic Sports League have announced a "new" World of Warcraft 3v3 tournament to be held at this year's Dreamhack Computer festival in Sweden, between the 29th and 30th. The tournament will be 8 top-ranked teams, invite only.

                                            Prize money is as follows:

                                            First place: $45,000
                                            Second Place: $22,500
                                            Third Place: $7,500

                                            This seems to be the replacement for the now-deceased WSVG a few months ago, but ESL have picked up the reins, along with the usual sponsors -- Dell, Intel, Blizzard. A new spectator system has also been unveiled, DreamArena, which should mean there'll be decent coverage of the competition for those who want to watch it. Here's hoping this one goes ahead!

                                            [Via Curse.com]

                                            MassivelyWoW tournament resurrected at Dreamhack, $75,000 in prizes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Nov 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                              ]]>                                              3v3arenablizzarddreamhackesltournamentworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 22 Nov 2007 15:00:00 EST                                              <![CDATA[First look at Space Time Studios]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/21/first-look-at-space-time-studios/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/21/first-look-at-space-time-studios/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/21/first-look-at-space-time-studios/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                                              Kobolds! Riding Beholders! In Spaaaaaace!
                                              TenTonHammer have an interview up with Space Time Studios, discussing their brand new "epic science fantasy" MMO. This is the first serious bit of news to come out of the studio, other than their art director visiting China.

                                              Space Time Studios are still keeping quiet about major details of their new MMO, but we now know that the primary focus will be real-time space flight & combat, and it's epic science fantasy. Whatever that means. Presumably kobolds riding beholders and firing laser rifles at each other. Formed in late 2005, Space Time Studios includes many game industry vets that have worked on such titles as Star Wars Galaxies, Jump to Lightspeed, Wing Commander ... and even a Duke Nukem Forever escapee.

                                              Major details and a name for their project shouldn't be too far off, so stay tuned.

                                              MassivelyFirst look at Space Time Studios originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Nov 2007 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                ]]>                                                cinco-barnesduke-nukem-forevergary-gattislonestarncsoftspace-time-studiosspacetime-studioswing-commanderWed, 21 Nov 2007 21:30:00 EST                                                <![CDATA[Starr Long talks Personal Armor Units]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/starr-long-talks-personal-armor-units/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/starr-long-talks-personal-armor-units/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/starr-long-talks-personal-armor-units/#commentsFiled under: , ,

                                                I love me some giant robots.Destination Games have been talking quite a bit recently about what's to come in Tabula Rasa, but the main focus is on ... giant robots! TenTonHammer have a sneak peek up, talking to Starr Long, discussing the Personal Armor Units -- no screenshots or concept art, unfortunately, but there's decent descriptions.

                                                Personal Armor Units, as they're known, are TR's version of mounts. The names of five are known so far -- Angel, Ghoul, Grendel, Shiva, and Spectre. According to Paul Sage, Lead Designer of TR, you'll get access to your PAU at level 40. All we know so far is that Grendel is Grenadier only, Spectre seems to be Spy only, and that you can fight in them. These ain't no horses!

                                                There's some details about other end-game content in TR, though whether that will come in the same update as PAUs is anyone's guess.

                                                MassivelyStarr Long talks Personal Armor Units originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                  ]]>                                                  angeldestination-gamesghoulgiant-robotsgrendelpaul-sagepersonal-armor-unitsshivaspectrestarr-longtabula-rasaTue, 20 Nov 2007 23:12:00 EST                                                  <![CDATA[Building the Bane]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/18/building-the-bane/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/18/building-the-bane/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/18/building-the-bane/#commentsFiled under: , ,

                                                  I'm not evil, I'm just morally ambiguousOver at GameZone, there's a lengthy article about the origins of the main villains of the whole Tabula Rasa saga: The Bane. It's also got some beautiful shots from Destination Games of a Thrax soldier and the Neph, and goes into a bit of detail of the Bane hierarchy -- standard story fluff, you'd think, but intriguing.

                                                  The Thrax are quite well personalized as a race, actually -- in that they're immediately recognizeable as repulsive, and that you want to shoot them. It also makes a break from tradition in that they're the first foe you'll encounter in TR, and that they're not stupid; instead of the usual fighting of rats / bats / giant spiders / kobolds to introduce you to a standard MMO, dropping assorted body parts that you'll immediately sell for two shillings. Not that I'm a cynic, and not that other MMOs don't have their own memorable opponents -- be they Charr, Nazgûl, or other players.

                                                  Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to kill some Trolls.

                                                  MassivelyBuilding the Bane originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Nov 2007 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                    ]]>                                                    banecharrdestination-gamesgiant-spidersnephstorytabula-rasathraxSun, 18 Nov 2007 20:00:00 EST                                                    <![CDATA[Tabula Rasa seeks more rookies]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/17/tabula-rasa-seeks-more-rookies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/17/tabula-rasa-seeks-more-rookies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/17/tabula-rasa-seeks-more-rookies/#commentsFiled under: , ,

                                                    RealKiller27 quickly regretted dying his armor purple.Tabula Rasa has wasted no time in joining the list of MMOs with "refer a friend" schemes. After all, if Earth had just been invaded by aliens -- and assuming Will Smith wasn't available -- the first thing you'd do would be to get your buddies to join the military and flee into ancient wormholes. Right?

                                                    It's a pretty tempting offer with the game having been released so recently, though. If anyone you know happens to pick up a copy of TR, they get three extra days playtime and you get an additional month -- not a bad deal. Of course if Tabula Rasa really wants to sell some more copies, it could do with more than a handful of reviews on the internet. Perhaps General British is storming offices?

                                                    MassivelyTabula Rasa seeks more rookies originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                      ]]>                                                      general-britishlord-britishrecruit-a-friendtabula-rasatrwill-smithSat, 17 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST                                                      <![CDATA[LotRO DirectX10 screenshot contest, prizes missing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/16/lotro-directx10-screenshot-contest-prizes-missing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/16/lotro-directx10-screenshot-contest-prizes-missing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/16/lotro-directx10-screenshot-contest-prizes-missing/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                                                      Is it Gray Dragon Scale Mail, or Grey?Turbine are quite pleased about Lord of the Rings Online being the only live MMO with implemented DX10 -- so pleased there's now a contest to celebrate. Submit a screenshot to them, three winning entries will then be picked each Monday, and an overall winner is announced on the 17th of December.

                                                      What fabulous prize does this screenshotting demigod win, I hear you cry? Well ... nothing. The winning screenshot may be featured on lotro.com, and that's it. Which I find rather disappointing, especially following the cloak contest -- if you're lucky enough to have a card capable of running LotRO in DX10, and enough of a fan to submit an entry, you deserve something.

                                                      I tried to take a LotRO DX10 screenshot myself, but I fear my computer wasn't up to the task.

                                                      MassivelyLotRO DirectX10 screenshot contest, prizes missing originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Nov 2007 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                        ]]>                                                        contestsdirectx10lord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroscreenshotsturbineFri, 16 Nov 2007 23:00:00 EST                                                        <![CDATA[Guild Wars balance discussed, changes hinted]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/guild-wars-balance-discussed-changes-hinted/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/guild-wars-balance-discussed-changes-hinted/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/guild-wars-balance-discussed-changes-hinted/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                                                        Now, who lives on an isle like this?The latest Guild Wars State of the Game is Talking Skill Balance with Izzy and Ensign, and it's a good look at the the current metagame in PvP.

                                                        For the uninitiated, it provides a snapshot for just how seriously PvP balance is considered in Guild Wars; and for existing players, it seems like ArenaNet are at least aware of the current stagnation.

                                                        I don't envy the job of balancing GW PvP in the state it's currently in. When it's not so much a case of skill balance but how the game is played, it's a different issue altogether. Merely changing skills like Light of Deliverance probably won't be enough, because GvG teams run with such defensively stronger lineups at present -- and regardless of skill changes, that will continue until more guilds start experimenting with split builds and greater offense again, and find one that works enough to break things up.

                                                        Any hardcore PvPers got thoughts on this?

                                                        MassivelyGuild Wars balance discussed, changes hinted originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                          ]]>                                                          arenanetguild-warsgvggwizzypvpstate-of-the-gameWed, 14 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EST                                                          <![CDATA[Tabula Rasa gains test server, patch notes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/tabula-rasa-gains-test-server-patch-notes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/tabula-rasa-gains-test-server-patch-notes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/tabula-rasa-gains-test-server-patch-notes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

                                                          Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfastTabula Rasa received an official test server a few days ago, but of more interest is the public test patch notes that are now up over at the official site.

                                                          It's about five thousand bug fixes, with a few more welcomed tweaks. 30 max missions in your log, a few specific mob nerfs (not Warnets, unfortunately), plus increased server / client stability & performance. Goodbye memory leak?

                                                          Whilst there's no new servers announced, French & German TR installations are at least getting their own language-specific channels, which should clear things up a bit on Centaurus. There's no ETA for when these changes will go live, but let's hope soon.

                                                          Full Public Test patch notes can be found here.

                                                          MassivelyTabula Rasa gains test server, patch notes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                            ]]>                                                            centaurusncsoftpatchestabula-rasatest-realmstest-serversWed, 14 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST                                                            <![CDATA[Design a hat for Guild Wars]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/12/design-a-hat-for-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/12/design-a-hat-for-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/12/design-a-hat-for-guild-wars/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                                                            Now that's a hat.Like many of you, all I wanted to be when I grew up was a hatter. The careful crafting of the brim. The fine finishing on the interior.

                                                            Alas! Like many childhood fantasies, very few of us got to be the hatters we always dreamed of becoming. But someone at ArenaNet is giving you a second chance this Wintersday.

                                                            Wintersday in Guild Wars is a twisted cross between Christmas, PvP, lots & lots of snow, hats, and a PvP arena in which you slay your opponents with snowballs. No, really.

                                                            The GW art team are going to use a fan-created concept for their design of the Grenth Wintersday helm, and they want your designs. There's assorted hardware & in-game prizes for the winners, in addition to whoever gets to be immortalized as a GW hatter of legend.

                                                            The deadline for entry is Monday 19th of November, and the GW team have a history of doing this kind of thing so your hat will be in good hands. Now then, how to tie a Clockwork Orange bowler hat into a Grenth & Wintersday theme?

                                                            MassivelyDesign a hat for Guild Wars originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                              ]]>                                                              arenanetcontestsdesign-a-hatguild-warshatswintersdayMon, 12 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST                                                              <![CDATA[Tabula Rasa crafting 101]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/11/tabula-rasa-crafting-101/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/11/tabula-rasa-crafting-101/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/11/tabula-rasa-crafting-101/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                                                              I want to craft me one of those!Over at Stratics, there's a good guide for learning how to craft, modify and disassemble items in Tabula Rasa.

                                                              Crafting was relatively broken in the Tabula Rasa beta, so I'm looking forward to creating enough paint to drive Dulux out of business. Delicious, delicious paint.

                                                              Several TR veterans have also recommended you start disassembling weapons for their components immediately -- whilst it loses you some credits in the short term, it'll give you a wider range of modification ingredients when you're a higher level and with a Supersonic Rocket Launcher Flamethrower of Doom that you want to upgrade. Try it out.

                                                              Be sure to read the end of the guide too, if you've been curious what the numbers next to a weapon attribute mean!

                                                              EDIT: fixed link, tricksy blogsmith

                                                              MassivelyTabula Rasa crafting 101 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Nov 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                ]]>                                                                101craftingguideshow-torgtrstraticstabula-rasaSun, 11 Nov 2007 18:00:00 EST                                                                <![CDATA[Hellgate: London, demons in the system]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/09/hellgate-london-demons-in-the-system/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/09/hellgate-london-demons-in-the-system/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/09/hellgate-london-demons-in-the-system/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                                                                Is that a sword? Luxury!Just a warning to those of you with an active Hellgate: London subscription, or those considering getting one. The moment you unsubscribe to the service, all subscription benefits are terminated instantly -- regardless of how long your subscription was due to last.

                                                                The cancellation page warns you this will happen immediately, but it's still annoying those who have encountered it.

                                                                As one of our tipsters put it: "so in reality you aren't paying for one month of subscription time, you can't cancel and still play out the month you PAID for, they cut you out at the instant you unsubscribe". That means it's entirely possible to start a monthly subscription one day, unsubscribe the next, 27 days deleted from your account. Is this "fair game" to you, and just count the days manually before you cancel? Or more than a little discourteous? To me, if you pay for a month, you should get a month -- no exceptions.

                                                                On the back of the recent billing problems, this doesn't make HG:L the most user-friendly of launches. Or the smoothest.

                                                                Has this affected any Massively.com readers?

                                                                [Thanks, RandomEngine & Anonymous!]

                                                                MassivelyHellgate: London, demons in the system originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Nov 2007 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                  ]]>                                                                  billingcancellationsflagship-studioshellgate-londonlaunchessubscriptionsFri, 09 Nov 2007 07:30:00 EST                                                                  <![CDATA[LotRO gets gold edition, Europe only]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/lotro-gets-gold-edition-europe-only/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/lotro-gets-gold-edition-europe-only/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/lotro-gets-gold-edition-europe-only/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                                                                  Neigh, good fellow!All that is gold does not glitter -- unless you happen to live in Europe. As of this week, Lord of the Rings Online: Gold Edition is now available across Europe, but it's been confirmed as exclusive to the region.

                                                                  The Gold Edition contains all the bells & whistles you'd expect: a Book 11 version of the game with a 45 day subscription, three unique in-game items for use in the Book 11 Housing, and a unique in-game mount -- the Bree Horse.

                                                                  But what's slightly unusual is that you can use the new mount a full ten levels earlier than you gain the Riding trait in LotRO, without paying a dime for it. Admittedly, the Bree Horse comes with different stats -- but it still must be a little vexing to those outside of Europe.

                                                                  Is the Gold Edition going to be enough to convince you to pick up LotRO? Or if you're elsewhere in the world, do you wish this had got a release where you live?

                                                                  Further details about the Gold Edition can be found in the recent LotRO devchat.

                                                                  MassivelyLotRO gets gold edition, Europe only originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Nov 2007 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                    ]]>                                                                    book-11codemasterseuropegold-editionlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotr-weltenlotroturbineThu, 08 Nov 2007 07:30:00 EST                                                                    <![CDATA[Gamespot rips Fury with scathing review]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/06/gamespot-rips-fury-with-scathing-review/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/06/gamespot-rips-fury-with-scathing-review/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/06/gamespot-rips-fury-with-scathing-review/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

                                                                    I HAVE FURY!!Gamespot is one of the most professional & conservative gaming websites you can find -- which is why seeing them emerge to tear Fury to shreds in their review is so deliciously ironic.

                                                                    Fury is just one of a trio of MMO titles released last week; Tabula Rasa and Hellgate: London being the other two.

                                                                    "True to its title, this fantasy action game will make you furious" is the opening headline. It just gets better (or worse, if you're a Fury fan) from there on in. Unless being a fat Speedy Gonzales addicted to amphetamines is a good thing. And still it goes on: there's too much text, there's not enough game modes, the "world instance setup" is contrived -- the game just sounds plain broke.

                                                                    I've been in two minds over whether to give Fury a try, but this convinces me to steer clear for now. Tabula Rasa and Hellgate: London must be hoping for a kinder reviews than the one doled out to Fury. Auran can't have enjoyed this one.

                                                                    MassivelyGamespot rips Fury with scathing review originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                      ]]>                                                                      auranfurygamespotreviewspeedy-gonzalesTue, 06 Nov 2007 00:02:00 EST                                                                      <![CDATA[Ear modification: bad for your elf]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/05/ear-modification-bad-for-your-elf/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/05/ear-modification-bad-for-your-elf/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/05/ear-modification-bad-for-your-elf/#commentsFiled under: , ,

                                                                      Moonfire! Moonfire! Moonfire!One of the more bizarre stories to surface on the internet this week is the Modern Plasztikai Sebészet -- henceforth referred to as the "Elf Ear Clinic". The site is almost certainly fake -- but it's an idea that isn't too far off being a reality, and surely must appeal to a percentage of MMO players somewhere.

                                                                      Real world influencing MMOs is nothing new -- but MMOs being able to influence physical aspects of real life is something new entirely, Second-Life excluded. And it's maybe just a little bit scary. They can say faun-clubs all they want, but what they really mean is level 70 night elf druids.

                                                                      And just so you know; pointy elf ears wouldn't necessarily allow you to hear better anyway. Ear shape and hearing is individual, not universal -- having elongated pointy ears would change how you hear sounds, and after years of your brain interpreting sounds from your original ear shape it's unlikely to be an improvement. Oh well.

                                                                      Would *you* be tempted to get a pair of elf ears? Or is this a step too far in body modification?

                                                                      MassivelyEar modification: bad for your elf originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Nov 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                        ]]>                                                                        druidelffaun-clubmodern-plasztikai-sebészetweirdMon, 05 Nov 2007 13:00:00 EST                                                                        <![CDATA[Tabula Rasa launch: how it went]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/05/tabula-rasa-launch-how-it-went/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/05/tabula-rasa-launch-how-it-went/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/05/tabula-rasa-launch-how-it-went/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

                                                                        Seek him there, mortal. In the... wait, what? Wrong game?It's now over three days since Tabula Rasa went retail, so I thought I'd cover the kind of launch and reception that it's received so far.

                                                                        Let's face it: MMO launch servers are notorious for spending their first couple of days offline -- but in a surprise twist, I'm still yet to encounter any of the TR servers going down for more than a second. Having said that, the game seems to have attracted a lot more players than NCsoft were expecting -- the solitary EU server in particular has been almost continuously maximum population since day one, and starting today I've had to queue up to enter. Not cool. There's also been major lag on the EU server at peak times with so many players logged in at once.

                                                                        In more continental news, there's a large French (and German) community on Centaurus, both of which are obviously keen on getting their own language-specific server. A second or third EU server at very least is badly needed, but as yet there's been no announcement from NCsoft. Over on the US servers, things have been a lot more stable -- so much so, I've already decided to skip over to Pegasus.

                                                                        Overall, I've been quite surprised by how enthusiastic the reception Tabula Rasa has received from players in-game has been. Opinions were divided in the beta prior to launch, and I personally thought the game was being launched early -- but the TR crew have cleared up the code, improved framerates, and given the game the extra layer of polish needed. By polish, yes, I *do* mean wearable shades.

                                                                        The chat interface is still awful, though.

                                                                        (Note -- there's almost no reviews for RGTR up at present, but once a sufficient amount have hit the Internet, we'll throw up a Joystiq-style metareview for your enjoyment.)

                                                                        MassivelyTabula Rasa launch: how it went originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                          ]]>                                                                          centauruslaunchncsoftpegasusretailtabula-rasaMon, 05 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST                                                                          <![CDATA[Two launches & an anniversary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/two-launches-and-an-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/two-launches-and-an-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/two-launches-and-an-anniversary/#commentsFiled under: ,

                                                                          Now that's what I call graphics!The 2nd of November is a notable date for MMOs -- not only was today the release of Tabula Rasa and the grand unveiling of a certain new MMO blog site, but Asheron's Call was also eight years old today! Turbine have put up a brief "thank you" message to all players over at their website.

                                                                          On November 2nd 1999, Asheron's Call was the first MMO to be launched by developers Turbine -- now better known for creating Dungeons & Dragons Online & Lord of the Rings Online. A sequel, Asheron's Call 2, was released at the end of 2002, but was shut down just over three years later after unsuccessful sales and subscriber numbers -- despite a major expansion released in an attempt to save it.

                                                                          Asheron's Call always had a small but dedicated community (and deserved a *much* bigger one, at the time!), so I'm not surprised to see there's still some subscribers out there. Nice to see Turbine haven't forgotten about their first title, too. Any AC1 players -- past or present -- still out there?

                                                                          Happy anniversary Asheron's Call!

                                                                          MassivelyTwo launches & an anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Nov 2007 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                            ]]>                                                                            classic-mmosold-skoolturbineFri, 02 Nov 2007 22:30:00 EST                                                                            <![CDATA[Jeffrey Steefel on all things Book 11]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/01/jeffrey-steefel-on-all-things-book-11/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/01/jeffrey-steefel-on-all-things-book-11/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/01/jeffrey-steefel-on-all-things-book-11/#commentsFiled under: , ,

                                                                            What has it got in its pocketses?!Tentonhammer have got a great interview up on their site with the executive producer of Lord of the Rings Online, Jeffrey Steefel, discussing all things Book 11. (LotRO Books are roughly equivalent to major content patches in other MMOs)

                                                                            A lot of the new content in the update is discussed, ranging from the three-piece, 12-man Balrog raids, to... usable cowbell & bagpipe musical instruments. Blue Öyster Cult would be proud. It also features player characters first encounter with the wonderfully crazy Gollum, with promises that he'll play a major role in the LotRO storyline -- although what kind of role is still being kept under wraps, it's probably not a wild guess to assume he'll be causing a lot of trouble. Nassty hobbitses!

                                                                            Player housing (covered just a few days ago by us) is discussed too. It's a strange -- risky? -- move incorporating player housing into a patch, rather than an expansion pack or, as in certain popular other MMOs, not at all -- yet Jeff comes across as enthusiastic about the subject, and Turbine appear to have thought it through carefully. He also does everything except say "there will be an expansion!" without ... actually saying it. But we all know it's coming, amiright?

                                                                            Book 11 also included some love for the Loremaster & Minstrel classes, the latter of which sorely needed some outside of healing.

                                                                            The interview is three pages long, and definitely worth a read if you're a LotRO fan.

                                                                            MassivelyJeffrey Steefel on all things Book 11 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                              ]]>                                                                              balrogbalrog-raidsbook-11executive-producergolluminterviewjeffrey-steefelloremasterLotROminstrelplayer-housingturbineThu, 01 Nov 2007 22:35:00 EST