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[Darkfall Unholy Wars video details the Fire Mage]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/19/darkfall-unholy-wars-video-details-the-fire-mage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/19/darkfall-unholy-wars-video-details-the-fire-mage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/19/darkfall-unholy-wars-video-details-the-fire-mage/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Darkfall Unholy Wars video details the Fire Mage
Fire School is in session! Aventurine has released a new video that shows off the skills of one aspect of Darkfall Unholy Wars' Elementalist role, and casters and and pyros-at-heart will enjoy a look into the Fire Mage. Feel like swimming through a bubbling lake of lava? Cast a self-buff and dive right in! Like to lob flaming balls at others and watch them catch fire? Then Fire Mage is the class for you!

Like its name implies, this particular mage uses an arsenal of fiery tricks to best opponents. The class focuses on medium- to long-range combat and incorporates knockbacks and area effects into many of the spells. For a demonstration of Dragonbreath, Magma Bomb, Heat Stroke, and other skills, check out the sizzling video after the break.

Continue reading Darkfall Unholy Wars video details the Fire Mage

MassivelyDarkfall Unholy Wars video details the Fire Mage originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agonaventurinedarkfalldfElementalist-RolefantasyFire-MageFire-Schoolopen-pvppvpsandboxunholy-warsvideoMon, 19 Nov 2012 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Does MMO magic need a revolution?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/22/the-daily-grind-does-mmo-magic-need-a-revolution/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/22/the-daily-grind-does-mmo-magic-need-a-revolution/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/22/the-daily-grind-does-mmo-magic-need-a-revolution/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

While the concept of magic in a fantasy setting (or something like nanos in a sci-fi setting) seems to offer unlimited potential and possibilities, MMO magic systems are almost depressingly routine. Ooh, I'm a fire mage, I cast... fireball! Ooh, I will suck out some of your life and inject it into my bloodstream and then star in a popular RomVamp series! Ooh, I will now summon something from the heavens to cave your skull in if you'd be so kind as to stop hitting me for the next five seconds!

Honestly, is it time that MMOs see a revolution in the magic department? Where's the danger of magic, the elaborate preparations, the imaginative systems that we read about in the fantasy series but never see in games? If I never have to see someone's hands light up all glowy-like before he thrusts them out and a ball of liquid hate spews forth, I wouldn't complain.

So what do you think? Are developers too complacent with how magic's been portrayed in MMOs? Do we need new systems to make magic come alive, or is it fine as is?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Does MMO magic need a revolution? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 May 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fire-magefireballmagicmagic-systemsnanonanosopinionrevolutionromvamptdgthe-daily-grindtwilightvampireSun, 22 May 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daze of Darkfall week 4: The terror of Agon pt. 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/07/the-daze-of-darkfall-week-4-the-terror-of-agon-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/07/the-daze-of-darkfall-week-4-the-terror-of-agon-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/07/the-daze-of-darkfall-week-4-the-terror-of-agon-pt-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



The second hamlet: Wherein we learn that fire is hot

We rode onwards to our next target when suddenly a fireball roared towards Wardragon, barely missing him. The next hamlet had already seen us, and a fire mage was casting spells from atop the main keep. We rode onwards, splitting up our formation to avoid the incoming fire (literally.)

Once again, we quickly cleared the hamlet of everyone, except the fire mage, and three of our men started to clean out their quarry and their farm. The other three of us played an annoying game of cat and mouse with the fire mage who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, keeping his interest while we cleaned them out and put their stuff into the bank.

Once again successful, we jumped on our mounts and rode towards the sea. The last hamlet was on an island out from the mainland, so we reached the beach and jumped off of our mounts to swim across. It was here that our trailing 6th man reported that he was being followed by the people from the last hamlet. They were apparently angry, and concerned about the security of their shit.

Wardragon noticed a smaller, desolate island on the map that was close to us, and we used that ground to make our stand. Initially we had counted 6 men in the force... then that was 8 men... then it was 12 men. Arrows were being flung from all sides as we darted between broken buildings. I peeked out from around a corner only to catch a sword to my chest from... Pluto Nash?

Hamlets one and two had teamed up to end our reign of theft and tyrrany -- combining their forces to out-man ours. I danced around on the beach for a while with Pluto, who was now wearing a very nice sword and a full set of banded armor, jumping and parrying his blows while I asked for help over Ventrilo. Wardragon came to my aid, but it was too late. With one last slash I fell over onto the ground while Wardragon picked up where I left off.

The end of an era

While I lay on the ground, coughing up blood, I thought back on all of the things I had seen and done in Darkfall. All of the harvesting, and then more of the harvesting, and then all of that time grinding PvE mobs, then more harvesting, then killing newbies, then more harvesting, then admiring my city, then AFKing on the bloodwall, AFKing on the bloodwall, AFKing on the bloodwall...

Dying here was actually more fun than most of the things I had done in Darkfall. There was more action in one 30 minute stretch than my entire playing experience, and I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that. Plus, as I lay there dying, I was about to lose most of the work that I had done during those long stretches of playtime.

Darkfall is an interesting game that varies between an intense grind and a game of cat and mouse. It is competitive and brutal in its nature, where only those with large amounts of time or a willingness to cheat the system prevail. On the flip side, however, when it all comes down to a battle or a clash of forces, Darkfall gets to be quite fun. I guess what remains is a very Machiavellian question -- "Do the ends justify the means?" Is it fun if the culmination of hours of tedious gameplay is an extremely fun sequence?

Dear readers, I'm not touching that question with a 30 foot pole. As for that battle, I'm sure you're wondering about the outcome. Did Wardragon and his men win the battle? Or did they die horribly like I did? Well, I don't know much about that, but I can say that I love my new set of banded armor. My compliments to the designer -- Mr. Pluto Nash.

MassivelyThe Daze of Darkfall week 4: The terror of Agon pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aventurinebattledarkfalldarkfall-onlinefire-magehamletislandpvpresourcesstealingthe-daze-of-darkfalltheftwarbandwardragonFri, 07 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Teenager burns peer, blames WoW; WoW incredibly not sued]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/21/teenager-burns-peer-blames-wow-wow-incredibly-not-sued/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/21/teenager-burns-peer-blames-wow-wow-incredibly-not-sued/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/21/teenager-burns-peer-blames-wow-wow-incredibly-not-sued/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

According to the Beijing News, a teenager was recently hospitalized by another, who set him on fire with gasoline, claiming later to have 'transformed into a Fire Mage' a la World of Warcraft. The author of the referring article has it right: had this occurred in America, Blizzard would have been sued by the victim's parents. Apparently the legal mechanisms for doing this are not (yet) in place in China, so this did not occur.

This is an old, old topic, but since it's come up, I'll throw my 2 cp in. I've always thought it odd that whenever something like this occurs (which is all too frequently), parents and the media are so quick to demonize videogames, yet this behavior has been around since the dawn of mankind itself. Violence in movies is so much more pervasive and visceral than anything you could possibly see in a game, yet movie scenes are very rarely cited as the source of antisocial behavior.

Continue reading Teenager burns peer, blames WoW; WoW incredibly not sued

MassivelyTeenager burns peer, blames WoW; WoW incredibly not sued originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Dec 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behaviorblamebreakingchinafire-magepongspace-warviolenceworld-of-warcraftFri, 21 Dec 2007 10:30:00 EST