Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Neverwinter Days: Beta blitz]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/13/neverwinter-days-beta-blitz/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/13/neverwinter-days-beta-blitz/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/13/neverwinter-days-beta-blitz/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Neverwinter Days Beta blitz
Welcome to Neverwinter Days, a fresh new column that will be pulling on our +1 boots of game exploring while we go tramping through dungeons and fantastic locales. I'm fairly excited about this game and wanted to explore it from top to bottom while bringing you along for company.

Neverwinter is a Cryptic title, and with that comes a laundry list of expectations: Players will be pretty divided on it, it'll skew toward "fun" and "buggy," there'll be a lot of visual customization, and "F" always, always interacts with the world. And it's a Dungeons & Dragons title, so there are even more genre expectations. For example, we're going to be laying the smackdown on Kobolds early and often. Poor buggers.

Usually we begin a column by showcasing the community resources out there, but we're going to put that off until next time in favor of discussing this past weekend's beta event. Yours truly and several other Massively staffers were on the scene to chow through Neverwinter and see how it's shaping up in these final months prior to release. So what did I get out of it? It's going to cost you one click to find out!

Continue reading Neverwinter Days: Beta blitz

MassivelyNeverwinter Days: Beta blitz originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baldurs-gatebaldurs-gate-dark-alliancebetabeta-eventbeta-weekendcombatcrypticcryptic-studiosdnddragons-nestdungeons-and-dragonsf2pfantasyfeaturedfirst-impressionsfoundryfree-to-playimpressionsneverwinterneverwinter-daysneverwinter-nightsopinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentPGCplayer-generated-contentpwestar-trek-onlinethe-foundryvindictusWed, 13 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announce retirement]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/bioware-founders-ray-muzyka-and-greg-zeschuk-announce-retirement/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/bioware-founders-ray-muzyka-and-greg-zeschuk-announce-retirement/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/bioware-founders-ray-muzyka-and-greg-zeschuk-announce-retirement/#commentsFiled under: , ,

BioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announce retirement
The doctors... are out. BioWare announced that Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk, co-founders of the studio, are retiring from the gaming biz. The two have been instrumental in the creation of many hit RPGs, from Baldur's Gate to Mass Effect. For us MMO fans, they're best-known for helming the ship that brought us Star Wars: The Old Republic.

The two are taking a break, perhaps indefinitely, from game creation and management. Muzyka is looking to engage in charities and social work, while Zeschuk is going to dive into projects involving craft beer.

"This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make; after thinking about it for many months, I made the decision to retire from videogames back in early April 2012 -- at that time I provided six months' notice to EA, to help enable a solid transition for my teams at BioWare," Muzyka wrote in his farewell letter.

"This decision isn't without significant pain and regret, but it's also something I know I need to do, for myself and my family. I've reached an unexpected point in my life where I no longer have the passion that I once did for the company, for the games, and for the challenge of creation," Zeschuk said in his.

The two maintain that BioWare is in good hands and will continue to excel going forward.

MassivelyBioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announce retirement originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dark Sun Online
Computer RPG players in the late '80s and early '90s were surely familiar with Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI) and its now-infamous Gold Box series. The series, so named because of their distinctive gold packaging, ran on a solid engine that helped the company churn out over a dozen titles within a five-year span. From Dungeons & Dragons' Pool of Radiance to Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday, these titles quickly became revered among the gaming community. I personally have very fond memories of playing both Buck Rogers titles, despite not having ever watched the show.

While the Gold Box series has not become as timeless or replayable as late '90s classics like Baldur's Gate and Fallout, they definitely had a huge impact on the PC scene and helped elevate the CRPG genre. Following the Gold Box engine, SSI went on to produce another engine that it used for a completely new series set in the D&D campaign setting of Dark Sun. Dark Sun: Shattered Lands (1993) and Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager (1994) were both modest hits, and when it came time for a third game in the series, SSI decided to make the leap to the then-untested realm of online gaming.

What followed was a wild two-year experiment in MMOs that happened prior to the Ultima Online and EverQuest generation. While ultimately unsuccessful in achieving its potential or gaining a large audience, Dark Sun Online: Crimson Sands made a valiant attempt at achieving the inevitable future of gaming.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: Dark Sun Online

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist: Dark Sun Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Al-QadimAndre-VrignaudAOLathasattatt-interchangeBaldurs-GateBuck-Rogersbuck-rogers-countdown-to-doomsdayclassicclassic-mmosclassicsCompuServeCountdown-to-Doomsdaycrimson-sandsdark-sundark-sun-onlinedark-sun-online-crimson-sandsDark-Sun-Shattered-LandsDark-Sun-Wake-of-the-RavagerdnddosDungeons-and-DragonsFalloutfeaturedgame-archaelogistGameStormGEniegold-boxgold-box-enginehackhackinginterchangemudmushNeverwinter-NightsnostalgiaopinionPool-of-Radiancerich-donnellyrick-donnellyshattered-landsssistrategic-simulations-inctenthe-game-archaeologistThe-Shadow-of-YserbiusthunderscapeTotal-Entertainment-Networkwake-of-the-ravagerwindowswindows-95Word-of-Aden-ThunderscapeTue, 15 May 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DDO's Menace of the Underdark releasing June 25th, opens up pre-orders]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/going-inside-dungeons-and-dragons-online-menace-of-the-underdar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/going-inside-dungeons-and-dragons-online-menace-of-the-underdar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/going-inside-dungeons-and-dragons-online-menace-of-the-underdar/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

DDO Menace of the Underdark
Speaking of Guinness World Records for video games, I wonder whether Dungeons and Dragons Online would be eligible for "Longest time between game release and launch of its first expansion?" Six years may just be the longest we've ever witnessed, as DDO released in 2006, and it wasn't until 2012 that Menace of the Underdark was revealed. The good news is that come June 25th, the drought will be over.

We asked Turbine why now seemed like a good time for an expansion. The devs said that Atari had made some noise back in the day about one, but it never came to fruition. With the success of free-to-play, Turbine wanted to see whether the expansion model was still viable, so Lord of the Rings Online was chosen as a test subject. When Rise of Isengard became the best-selling expansion for the company, the company felt secure letting DDO have a chance, although there was quite a lot of wrangling with Wizards of the Coast about the details and permissions.

Record or no, it's an exciting event for DDO players, and the today, Turbine has announced the two biggest details for the expansion's schedule. The first is that Menace of the Underdark has a release date, and the second is the opening of pre-orders. Read on to get all of the juicy infos.

Continue reading DDO's Menace of the Underdark releasing June 25th, opens up pre-orders

MassivelyDDO's Menace of the Underdark releasing June 25th, opens up pre-orders originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baldurs-gateddodruiddruid-classdungeons-and-dragons-onlineeberronepic-destiniesf2pfeaturedFernando-Paizforgotten-realmsfree-to-playmenace-of-the-underdarkneverwinter-nightspre-orderpreorderra-Salvatoretome-of-learningturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-12update-13update-14wizards-of-the-coastwotcMon, 27 Feb 2012 08:15:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist plays with MUDs: A talk with Richard Bartle]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/the-game-archaeologist-plays-with-muds-a-talk-with-richard-bart/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/the-game-archaeologist-plays-with-muds-a-talk-with-richard-bart/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/the-game-archaeologist-plays-with-muds-a-talk-with-richard-bart/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

From talking with Richard Bartle, reading his blog, and looking over several interviews that he's done, I've concluded that the co-creator of the first multi-user dungeon is, in many ways, a card. A smart one, a perceptive one, and an outspoken one, but a card nonetheless. I say this in a good way, of course, because for all of the verbal pussyfooting that often goes on in this industry, it's refreshing to hear the voice of someone who knows what he thinks and isn't afraid to say it, even if it goes against the grain.

Dr. Bartle's name often comes up in discussions of both MUDs and MMORPGs. His designs, work and scholarship have influenced MMOs in substantial ways, and it's possible that if our children end up learning about massively multiplayer RPGs in school some day, Bartle's name will be mentioned once or twice.

While he's sometimes polarizing, it's hard to deny the incredible work he's done, which is why I was excited to get to talk to him about this month's subject on the Game Archaeologist. So hit that pesky jump and let's pick the mind of a guy who really earned the right to post "FIRST!!1!"

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist plays with MUDs: A talk with Richard Bartle

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist plays with MUDs: A talk with Richard Bartle originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I'm going to dote a little on BioWare for a bit. Specifically, I would like to dote on Knights of the Old Republic, the precursor to Star Wars: The Old Republic. I want to accentuate the positive up front here, because in a moment I will say things that may be construed as negative. However, they're not. I have complete respect for what BioWare has done and is doing.

KOTOR was built on an original gaming engine (the Odyssey Engine). This gaming engine was designed as a 3-D version of the Infinity Engine, which is video game engine specifically designed to emulate mechanics found in the Dungeons and Dragons pen and paper game. In 1998, Baldur's Gate (Infinity Engine) -- which was said, at the time, to be like Diablo but more story-driven -- won the Origins Award for Best Roleplaying Computer Game. KOTOR, using a 3-D version of the same engine, is not lacking in its awards. It won game of the year from the Game Developers Choice Awards, Computer Gaming World, IGN, GMR Magazine, PC Gamer, Xbox Magazine, and G4, among other awards too long to list here.

The point of this is to show BioWare's track record and to show that BioWare went so far as to build a story-making game from the ground up. Now, based on reports from Gamasutra, BioWare is using the HeroEngine for SWTOR, but that, obviously, does not mean there will be less focus on storytelling in the game.

But has BioWare's storytelling energy finally run out? Have the original ideas presented in KOTOR and Baldur's Gate diminished to monotony? Has BioWare become -- dare I say it -- predictable? If it has, is that a bad thing? Continue reading to explore these ideas.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: The BioWare schtick

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: The BioWare schtick originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>A-Fire-in-the-Mindbaldurs-gateBioWaredaniel-ericksoneaElectronic-Artsfeaturedgameroitgeorge-lucashero-journeyIan-Miles-Cheongjoseph-campbellKnights-of-the-Old-RepublicKOTORLucasArtsStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-hero-with-a-thousand-facesthe-old-republictorTue, 07 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Baldur's Gate was almost an MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/baldurs-gate-was-almost-an-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/baldurs-gate-was-almost-an-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/baldurs-gate-was-almost-an-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , ,

For those of you who remember Baldur's Gate, we want you to close your eyes and imagine it as an MMO. For the time it released (the mid-90s), it quite possibly could have been the first MMO, at that.

At a recent GDC Europe panel for BioWare, studio founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk had some fun with the audience, reminiscing on what might have been. The original game's title was Battleground Infinity and was pitched to five publishers as a massively multiplayer online game that revolved around mythological gods.

Interplay are the ones who pushed the doctors toward the Dungeons & Dragons RPG route, which I'm pretty sure worked out for them in the end.

MassivelyBaldur's Gate was almost an MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baldurs-gatebattleground-infinitybiowaredungeons-and-dragonsgdc-europe-2010greg-zeschukpanelray-muzykarpgMon, 16 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Exploring (the rest of) Eberron]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/exploring-the-rest-of-eberron/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/exploring-the-rest-of-eberron/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/exploring-the-rest-of-eberron/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

By the time you read this, I'll be scampering about GenCon in Indianapolis, thick in the middle of four days of gaming and geekery. Don't weep for me, for I am already gone! One of my hopes for this weekend is to reconnect with pen-and-paper RPGs, a part of my gaming life that has almost withered into nothingness.

That got me thinking about Eberron -- the D&D campaign in which DDO is set. You don't hear DDO players fussing about it so much any more (people either made their peace with it or moved on), but way back when, the Eberron setting was a fairly controversial choice for Turbine to make. After all, there are dozens upon dozens of campaign settings, including some (like Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance) that most people associate with the franchise.

Eberron, on the other hand, was a relatively wet-behind-the-ears upstart with a quirky setting that can best be described as "Indiana Jones meets steampunk meets flashy, practical magic." Personally, I've grown to like the campaign, and I want to take a look at how the pen-and-paper version was constructed, how the Eberron setting shines in DDO, and how Turbine could be using it more.

Continue reading Exploring (the rest of) Eberron

MassivelyExploring (the rest of) Eberron originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artificerbaldurs-gatechangelingsclassesdaelkyr-half-bloodsddodruiddungeons-and-dragonseberronexploring-eberronfeaturedfilm-noirgnomeshalf-orckalashtarkhovairekieth-bakerneverwinter-nightspsiforgedpsionicspsychicpsychic-warriorpulp-adventurepulp-fictionracesshifterssoulknifesteampunkstormreachtheres-no-race-like-gnometurbinewarforgedWizards-of-the-CoastxendrikFri, 06 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: SWTOR turns up the heat, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/the-digital-continuum-swtor-turns-up-the-heat-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/the-digital-continuum-swtor-turns-up-the-heat-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/the-digital-continuum-swtor-turns-up-the-heat-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: SWTOR turns up the heat, part 2

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: SWTOR turns up the heat, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We just saw BioWare show off their new Dragon Age: Origins here at E3, and while that singleplayer game looks great (imagine a Mass Effect game set in the world of Baldur's Gate), we did spring the requisite massively multiplayer question on them for you. At the very end of the Q&A session with developer Dan Tudge after the demo, the PR rep told us there was just "time for one more question," and we threw it out there: "So, how's the Knights of the Old Republic MMO coming?"

There was silence in the room for a moment. Tudge quietly said, "I... have no idea what you're talking about," and then everyone laughed as the PR rep nervously said, "Good answer." Tudge added, "You're asking me that in front of my boss?" And so we revised the question: Dragon Age has a very MMO-style design -- there's a minimap in the upper right, party portraits in the upper left, and a bar with icons for skills across the bottom. Does BioWare really want to make an MMO? "The interface looked like Baldur's Gate to me," said Tudge cooly. "The real question is, how much of the MMOs did Baldur's Gate influence?"

Touché. But we left the press conference with a smile, a special secret that we'll share with you now. As much as Tudge was thrown off by the question, as much as the PR flack was aghast that we asked it, we did leave with this satisfactory piece of information: they didn't, in point of fact, deny.
Did you enjoy this? Check out all of our E3 coverage as the week rolls forward!

MassivelyE308: BioWare says there is no KOTOR MMO (wink) originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baldurs-gatebiowarebreakingdragon-agedragon-age-originse3e3-08e3-2008e308featuredjoystiqfeaturesknights-of-the-old-republicKOTORkotor-mmokotorommoprswtorWed, 16 Jul 2008 20:30:00 EST