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Bigpoint's DarkOrbit Reloaded launches

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, Launches, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser

Fans of the original browser-based Dark Orbit that launched seven years ago are in for a treat today: Bigpoint announced the release of Dark Orbit Reloaded. The space MMO's new iteration has a new UI, a redesigned game entry (including bonuses for newcomers), over 200 new missions, an epic storyline, new maps, and new faction characters. Taking advantage of newer technology, Dark Orbit Reloaded also boasts high-resolution graphics as well as has other features in the works for players to look forward to. Check out the official trailer below.

[Source: Bigpoint press release]

Continue reading Bigpoint's DarkOrbit Reloaded launches

Bigpoint's DarkOrbit Reloaded launches originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Feb 2014 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: If you want to sell special items, just do it already

Beau Hindman — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, MMO Industry, Opinion, Free-to-Play, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

I've argued before about the merits of being an honest cash-shop salesperson. You have to be upfront, blunt, and willing to take some heat. Bigpoint is one of my favorite examples of a cash-shop dependent developer simply because it says what it means and means what it says. It sells items, sometimes powerful items, in several different titles. Granted, the studio usually offers a way to get those same items through in-game means, but that doesn't make for as good a story.

We reported on Bigpoint a while ago when its reps essentially said that if a developer is going to make an effort to sell in-game items, it should do it the right way by making those items have a significant impact on the game by being either powerful or desirable. I cannot agree more. Bigpoint is a car lot that sells beautiful luxury automobiles. It also sells junkers and even gives out a lot of cars for free, but its charity once again does not make for a good dramatic write-up. I tend to think that if you you are going to make a cash-shop, depending on the style of game, of course, you as a developer have got to consider just what sort of impact you want that cash-shop to have on your players, and you can't be afraid to push your idea from the beginning.

But just get on with it.

Continue reading The Soapbox: If you want to sell special items, just do it already

The Soapbox: If you want to sell special items, just do it already originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: Bigpoint's cash-shop policies and why they are OK

Beau Hindman — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Culture, Opinion, Browser, Battlestar Galactica Online, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

I have been tasked with explaining to Massively readers why I am OK with Bigpoint's very public policy on selling "advantages." I imagine that this will not be an easy task. After all, we gamers aren't much different than the rest of humanity in the way we tend to care about things that have little or no effect on us. We all have an opinion on "selling power," but I think it's high time that someone attempts to explain why it really isn't always power that Bigpoint is selling -- and why it would be fair even if it were.

I will attempt to stick to the specific topic of Bigpoint's policies, but much of what I say will probably apply to any game developer that sells practically anything for real world money. Yes, I am talking about those wonderful collector's editions and favorite cash-shop mounts. They all fall under the same category that Bigpoint's ships or special drones do.

Click past the cut and I'll explain why.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Bigpoint's cash-shop policies and why they are OK

The Soapbox: Bigpoint's cash-shop policies and why they are OK originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bigpoint's DarkOrbit turns five this month

Jef Reahard — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser, Casual

If you'd never heard of Bigpoint's browser MMO known as DarkOrbit prior to last month's space drone microtransaction brouhaha, you're not alone.

According to the company, though, lots of people have heard of the game, which launched in 2006 and is currently celebrating its fifth anniversary. Bigpoint claims a community of over 65 million registered players, and a news release says that DarkOrbit is "the most popular and biggest space game worldwide."

DarkOrbit is a 2-D flash game that puts players in control of a spaceship while working for one of three corporations.

[Source: Bigpoint press release]

Bigpoint's DarkOrbit turns five this month originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bigpoint's €1000 space drone sale clarified

Jef Reahard — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Business Models, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser

Last week we told you about Bigpoint's eyebrow-raising sale of a €1,000 virtual space drone. Gamesbrief recently updated its news posting after its readers chimed in with a healthy dose of skepticism regarding the numbers involved in the supposed windfall.

As it turns out, said numbers are likely still impressive, but rather less impressive than the €2 million ($2.7 million) initially surmised. Gamesbrief's correction post states that the drone cannot be bought for real cash, and instead must be purchased with DarkOrbit's Uridium currency, which is available for real money or earned in game. Bigpoint has in fact sold 2,000 of the drones, but not at a direct cost of €1,000 each.

"I no longer think that you can multiply 2,000 10th Drones sold times €1,000 to work out how much revenue Bigpoint made from this single item," Gamesbrief's Nicholas Lovell writes.

Bigpoint's €1000 space drone sale clarified originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MV Guide: August 15-21, 2011

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Livestream, Miscellaneous, MV Guide

MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel.

Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During livestream events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.)

Follow along after the jump to see what's scheduled for this week!

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MV Guide: August 15-21, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMObility: Fifty games for the mobile lifestyle

Beau Hindman — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Anarchy Online, Asheron's Call, Wurm Online, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Browser, Casual, Free Realms, MMObility

I like lists. Lists help keep my candy-coated brain functioning. I see so many games, devices, and developers that I need to write things down periodically or become lost. Not so long ago I made a list of 25 games for your shiny new laptop, but I wanted to update it with other devices as well. I'd like to clarify the devices I have, though, especially since it was brought to my attention that a lot of players use laptops as their primary gaming machines. When I refer to a laptop, it is far from a gaming machine and could not run games like EverQuest II or Age of Conan.

So here are some stats: I have an HTC Inspire, an iPhone 3GS, an iPad, a Phenom Triple-core PC desktop with an Nvidia 9800 card, six gigs of ram and onboard sound. My laptop is an HP G62 with an AMD Athlon II P340 dual core processor, three gigs of ram and an AMD graphics chip built in. I also have a more powerful gaming PC, but that is often referred to as "the wife's machine" around here, and it is so packed with her items that I rarely touch it. So most of these games can be run on their native devices, and if they are meant for PC, probably on netbooks as well. When I'm playing on netbooks, resolution is often the major issue. Some games just will not fit on the tiny screens without some slight modding.

Anyway, click past the cut to see the list. The first 11 are my favorites, the ones that I play often, if not every day. The rest are in no particular order, so keep that in mind as well. Remember that this year is going to be an incredible one for mobile, thanks to the new games I found at E3. So this list will change!

Continue reading MMObility: Fifty games for the mobile lifestyle

MMObility: Fifty games for the mobile lifestyle originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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