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 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[SOE unveils The Agency Facebook game, announces The Agency will be at E3]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/soe-unveils-the-agency-facebook-game-announces-the-agency-will/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/soe-unveils-the-agency-facebook-game-announces-the-agency-will/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/soe-unveils-the-agency-facebook-game-announces-the-agency-will/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Hey, remember that time Sony Online Entertainment trademarked "The Agency Covert Ops" and we all wondered why? Now we know. It turns out that you're going to be able to play The Agency while you wait for The Agency to launch.

No, really. Covert Ops, the newest Facebook app from Sony Online Entertainment, serves as a tie-in to the upcoming secret agent MMO The Agency. Don't dismiss this as another boring mafia-style Facebook grind until you check it out, because our friends at Mashable scored an interview with the developers and Covert Ops goes way beyond "ask everyone on your friends list for two nails and a board." Customization is king here right from the start, offering a unique look from the tattoos on your character to their overall living space.

Continue reading SOE unveils The Agency Facebook game, announces The Agency will be at E3

MassivelySOE unveils The Agency Facebook game, announces The Agency will be at E3 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 May 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcovert-opscovert-ops-facebookfacebookFacebook gamesFacebookGamesSOEsony-online-entertainmentthe-agencythe-agency-covert-opsTue, 04 May 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC10: Our chat with Echo Bazaar's Alexis Kennedy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/16/gdc10-our-chat-with-echo-bazaars-alexis-kennedy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/16/gdc10-our-chat-with-echo-bazaars-alexis-kennedy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/16/gdc10-our-chat-with-echo-bazaars-alexis-kennedy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We caught up with Echo Bazaars's Alexis Kennedy to ask him about the wildly successful Facebook style game. It's hard to describe, easy to pick up and addictive to play. Picture an underground city populated by murderers, spies and all types of shady characters, add in a unique story and Twitter functionality and you wind up with this little gem.

"It's more of a single player experience than I'd like." said Alexis, who is the Chief Narrative Officer for the game. "We are always looking at ways to make it more social, we want to give more direct ways to interact with other people. I want to get as much variety in there as possible. But it's finding the right balance of making somebody's experience unique to them without going crazy trying to cater at every possible stage." But how to combat a player feeling as though his or her experience is devalued by seeing the same thing come up in their friend's streams? "The way to deal with that, really, is just to write more content."

Continue reading GDC10: Our chat with Echo Bazaar's Alexis Kennedy

MassivelyGDC10: Our chat with Echo Bazaar's Alexis Kennedy originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alexis-kennedyecho-bazaarfacebookFacebook gamesFacebookGamesfallen-londonfeaturedgdc-2010twittertwitter-gameTue, 16 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Get your Champions fix on Facebook]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/11/get-your-champions-fix-on-facebook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/11/get-your-champions-fix-on-facebook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/11/get-your-champions-fix-on-facebook/#commentsFiled under: ,


Recently we spotted an interesting post from Bill Roper, Design Director for Cryptic Studios' MMO Champions Online. On his Facebook page he showed a slightly blurry picture of a developers booth with the simple caption "GDC 2010: The developers of our Facebook Game." Sure enough you can now play a Mafia Wars style Facebook game while wearing your tightest spandex! It runs in your browser and hooks up to your Facebook account so that you can choose to announce level ups and achievements. You can also invite friends to form a superteam, customize your secret base and even attack other players.

Developer Lolapps claims to have "over 40 million active users per month, and has the largest network of social games and applications on Facebook." It looks like they know what they are doing, so it is definitely worth a look. Head over now, make your hero and get to stopping crime!

MassivelyGet your Champions fix on Facebook originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>championschampions-onlinecryptic-studiosFacebookGamesgdc10Gdc2010LOLAppsThu, 11 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flash Games Summit looks at social gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/09/flash-games-summit-looks-at-social-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/09/flash-games-summit-looks-at-social-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/09/flash-games-summit-looks-at-social-gaming/#commentsFiled under: ,

The arena of social gaming is a hotly contested one, with two equally enthusiastic schools of thought on whether or not they even count as MMOs. Regardless of your opinion, social gaming is here to stay, and more and more developers are turning their attention to the games (and the profits they potentially represent.) The very nature of social gaming allows development teams to take it in either direction: a distinctly non-MMO direction such as Bejeweled, or the ever-growing MMO format.

It's a relatively new and growing market, and several developers sat down earlier today to take a look at it during the Flash Games Summit. Moderator Sana Choudray of Traffichoney led a discussion of what is needed for a successful social game, as well as where they stand now and where they will go in the future.

While the developers acknowledged that social gaming is lacking at the moment, they all agreed that it's only going to grow over the next year or two. The full discussion is well worth a read.

MassivelyFlash Games Summit looks at social gaming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookFacebookGamesflash-gamesflash-games-summitsana-choudraysocial-gamessocial-gamingTue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PoxNora marches on Facebook]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/poxnora-marches-on-facebook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/poxnora-marches-on-facebook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/05/poxnora-marches-on-facebook/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


PoxNora, Sony Online Entertainment's CCG/RTS hybrid, has made the jump from browser game to full-fledged Facebook app as of early this morning.

The turn-based title, in which players build decks known as Battlegroups and augment their strategies with Runes via the PoxNora web site, can now be accessed directly through the Facebook application interface. You can connect your existing Facebook, Station Access, and PoxNora accounts, as well as share achievements and accomplishments with your friends in game.

PoxNora offers free trial play and the ability to purchase, upgrade, and trade Runes as well as options for creating custom Battlegroup decks.

Check out the original press release as well as the application.

MassivelyPoxNora marches on Facebook originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browser-basedf2pfacebookFacebookGamesfree-to-playpoxnoraSOEsony-online-entertainmentFri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST