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[The Game Archaeologist: The return of Habitat]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/04/the-game-archaeologist-the-return-of-habitat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/04/the-game-archaeologist-the-return-of-habitat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/04/the-game-archaeologist-the-return-of-habitat/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

habitat
After over four years of writing for Massively, I've ceased to be surprised by how bizarre and unexpected this industry can be. However, if you had told me a few weeks ago that, of all things, Habitat would be coming back online, I would have laughed mightily in your face.

And yet, that's exactly what's happening. The Museum of Arts and Digital Entertainment has taken up the challenge to restore LucasFilm's Habitat to working condition and then, for the first time ever, open this original virtual world up to the internet to play. Museum staff, former Habitat devs, and volunteers have been wrestling with the old code and hardware to make this happen, and I can think of no better topic for this week's column than to look at how this 28-year-old game for the Commodore 64 will emerge blinking in the light of the modern era.

I reached out to MADE's director, Alex Handy, to chat about the project and get clarification concerning what steps will need to be taken between now and the moment the switch is thrown to power up Habitat.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: The return of Habitat

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist: The return of Habitat originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Oct 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alex-handyaolc64chip-morningstarclassicclassic-mmosclassicsClub-Caribecommodore-64disneyfeaturedfujitsugame-archaelogisthabitatlucasartslucasfilmlucasfilmslucasfilms-habitatmadenostalgiaopinionq-linkrandy-farmerthe-game-archaeologistthe-madethe-museum-of-arts-and-digital-entertainmentSat, 04 Oct 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Museum hopes to resurrect Habitat, 'world's first MMO']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/09/26/museum-hopes-to-resurrect-habitat-worlds-first-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/09/26/museum-hopes-to-resurrect-habitat-worlds-first-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/09/26/museum-hopes-to-resurrect-habitat-worlds-first-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Habitat
So here's a bizarre little piece of MMO news for your Friday morning: This weekend, with the help of Kixeye and Fujitsu, a volunteer-driven, public museum in Oakland, California, hopes to relaunch an antique Lucasfilm game called Habitat, which it's calling the world's first massively multiplayer online game (that part is probably debatable, but let's hear them out).
"The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment (The MADE) will be spending Sunday, September 28th, attempting to resurrect the world's first massively multiplayer online game, Habitat. The project seeks to relaunch the Habitat server on original Stratus Technologies hardware from 1989, and to allow users on the Internet to connect to the game server for free using a Commodore 64 emulator. The MADE is the first videogame museum to attempt such a relaunch. In fact, there has never been an attempt to relaunch a 28 year old, dead MMO before, primarily because MMO's are mostly a phenomenon that has existed only over the last 15 years."
According to Wikipedia's curators, Habitat was created in 1985 as the "first attempt at a large-scale commercial virtual community that was graphically based" and is "considered a forerunner of the modern MMORPGs." MADE even claims the game invented the term "Avatar" for use in online games. The 1989-era server hardware it'll run on can today support 10,000 users, says the museum.

Massively's very own Game Archaeologist, Justin Olivetti, investigated Habitat's history in a two-part series in 2012.
The Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 1
The Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 2

MassivelyMuseum hopes to resurrect Habitat, 'world's first MMO' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Sep 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cultureFujitsuhabitatkixeyelucasfilmmademuseummuseum-of-art-and-digital-entertainmentresurrectionthe-madeFri, 26 Sep 2014 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Disney buys out Lucasfilm, LucasArts for $4.05 billion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/30/disney-buys-out-lucasfilm-lucasarts-for-4-05-billion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/30/disney-buys-out-lucasfilm-lucasarts-for-4-05-billion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/30/disney-buys-out-lucasfilm-lucasarts-for-4-05-billion/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

LucasArts logo
Disney is continuing its quest for global domination of the entertainment industry by announcing that it has bought out Lucasfilm -- including the studio's game developing branch, LucasArts -- for $4.05 billion US. While we're sure the nerdosphere has plenty to say about Disney's development of the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII (slated for release in 2015), we MMO fans are probably focused on a different facet of the buyout.

Now that LucasArts is under Disney's wide-reaching umbrella, there's a distinct possibility that we'll be seeing a new breed of Star Wars games hitting shelves in the near future. The question is, of course, whether a new Star Wars MMO could rise from the new ownership. So let's discuss, dear readers. Do you think a new Star Wars MMO is on the horizon? If so, what would you like to see? Many gamers mourned the loss of Star Wars Galaxies last year. Would you like to see a revival with Disney at the helm, or would you rather see something completely different? Smack on your tin-foil hats and let the speculation run rampant, folks.

MassivelyDisney buys out Lucasfilm, LucasArts for $4.05 billion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>disneylucasartslucasfilmspeculationstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorTue, 30 Oct 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 1]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/the-game-archaeologist-moves-into-lucasfilms-habitat-part-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/the-game-archaeologist-moves-into-lucasfilms-habitat-part-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/the-game-archaeologist-moves-into-lucasfilms-habitat-part-1/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Habitat
For some of you reading this, you may simply never have known a world before the internet existed by virtue of your age. It's not your fault, but as generational divisions go, this was a biggie. The internet saturates so much of our lives now that it's even difficult for those of us born prior to the '90s to remember how we functioned without smartphones, Google searches, and terabytes of cheap entertainment on demand. I think there were video game arcades in the mall or something.

Because of this, some of you will not understand the import of how it felt when technology advanced to the point that people could reach out online and interact with others, first through written communication and later through applications and games. What we take for granted in today's MMOs -- the constant presence of thousands of real humans interacting with us in a virtual space -- simply blew the minds of those who first encountered it.

And way back when, those encounters depended on the person and technology available. Some folks had access in the '60s and '70s to the early form of the internet and email in universities and government offices, but these close encounters of the virtual kind only started to make its way into households in the '80s (and even then, mostly to those plugged into the geek community). The developers of these programs -- the MUDs, the BBSes, CompuServe, etc. -- were truly pioneers forging a path while trying to figure things out on the fly.

So it amazed me to hear that I've been missing out on a key part of MMO history by overlooking Lucasfilm's Habitat, which wasn't quite an MMO by modern standards and yet created a graphical virtual world with many of the elements that were adopted into later projects. In our two-week look at Habitat, we'll see just how eerily similar this 1986 title is to what we know today -- even though it came out on the Commodore 64.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 1

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 1 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbschip-morningstarcommodore-64compuservedikudiku-clonednddungeons-and-dragonsfeaturedfujitsufujitsu-habitatgraphical-mudhabitathack-the-gibsonlucasartslucasfilmlucasfilmslucasfilms-habitatmudquantumlinkrandy-farmertgathe-game-archaeologistvernor-vingevideovzoneswilliam-gibsonworldsawayTue, 10 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: We hope this never comes out of SWTOR, but knowing our luck, it probably will]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/hyperspace-beacon-we-hope-this-never-comes-out-of-swtor-but-kn/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/hyperspace-beacon-we-hope-this-never-comes-out-of-swtor-but-kn/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/hyperspace-beacon-we-hope-this-never-comes-out-of-swtor-but-kn/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: We hope this never comes out of SWTOR, but knowing our luck, it probably will
When I started the Hyperspace Beacon, I didn't want every article to be a stoic look into the world of Star Wars: The Old Republic. Sometimes we need to kick back and have a little fun with the product that we love. We kind of earned it, right? Within the first couple months of articles, I examined the worst parts of the Star Wars games and movies and what is it that we hope to never see in TOR. That is when I wrote We hope this never makes it into SWTOR, but knowing our luck, it probably will. I speculated on not just what we didn't want to see in the game but how it would implemented.

This week, I visit WHTNMIISWTORBKOLIPW again and ask about merchandising. There have been some horrific ideas that came out of the Star Wars franchise, and I don't just mean the changes in the Blue-Ray release. I shared a couple of these on Google+ this weekend. The Princess Leia Pizza Pringles has to be the worst. I didn't believe it myself until I saw the photographic evidence.

We know that if SWTOR is hugely successful, Lucasfilm will certainly use that as an opportunity to capitalize on the game. Follow after the break for my leap into the world of TOR-vertizing. (OK, not everything works with TOR dropped in front of it.)

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: We hope this never comes out of SWTOR, but knowing our luck, it probably will

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: We hope this never comes out of SWTOR, but knowing our luck, it probably will originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Action-FleetBilly-Dee-WilliamsBioWaredarth-malgusEAElectronic-Artsfeaturedgaloobgeorge-lucashope-trailerlando-calrissianLando-mustacheLucasArtsLucasFilmmicro-machinesmustachePrincess-Leia-Pizza-PringlesRepublic-TrooperscarsStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictortrooper-scarsWHTNMIISWTORBKOLIPWTue, 06 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic fans get Deceived today]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/star-wars-the-old-republic-fans-get-deceived-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/star-wars-the-old-republic-fans-get-deceived-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/22/star-wars-the-old-republic-fans-get-deceived-today/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

"Our time has come. For 300 years, we prepared; we grew stronger while you rested in your cradle of power believing your people were safe and protected. You were trusted to lead the Republic, but you were deceived."

These were the words that set off the chain of events in the very first Star Wars: The Old Republic trailer. That trailer introduced us to a pale Sith Lord named Darth Malgus, but who is this man? Is he a man at all? Paul S. Kemp weaves the words for Malgus' tale following the Sacking of Coruscant in the book Deceived. The 255-page novel hit store shelves today for the suggested retail price of $27.00 US for the hardback.

If you are looking for a glimpse into the book before you buy it, be sure to check out Massively's review of the novel, and follow after the break for a trailer put together specifically for the book's release.

Continue reading Star Wars: The Old Republic fans get Deceived today

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic fans get Deceived today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Biowarebookdarth-malgusDelReyEAElectronic-ArtsLucasArtsLucasfilmnovelPaul-S-KempreleaseSacking-of-CoruscantStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 22 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Homage to we hope this never makes it into SWTOR, but knowing our luck, it probably will]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/30/hyperspace-beacon-homage-to-we-hope-this-never-makes-it-into-sw/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/30/hyperspace-beacon-homage-to-we-hope-this-never-makes-it-into-sw/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/30/hyperspace-beacon-homage-to-we-hope-this-never-makes-it-into-sw/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

One of the best compliments you can give a creator is to make an homage to his work. The title of one of the Hyperspace Beacons was an homage to TOROCast articles. It's a way to tell the creator, "You're doing a good job. Keep up the good work." Not to mention, homages are a lot of fun. In fact, my first published work was an homage to the work of Charles Dickens. I wrote a story about what happened to the Cratchit children. But what happens when an homage goes too far?

Every once in a while, the Hyperspace Beacon takes a side track and asks about ideas that should end up on the cutting room floor. We all know games have concepts that just don't work. Star Wars: The Old Republic will be no exception. This little humorous segment is called We hope this never makes it into SWTOR, but knowing our luck, it probably will -- or WHTNMIISWTORBKOLIPW, for short.

Follow me after the break to see what "homageneous" ideas should never make it into the release of SWTOR, but knowing our luck, they will anyway.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Homage to we hope this never makes it into SWTOR, but knowing our luck, it probably will

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Homage to we hope this never makes it into SWTOR, but knowing our luck, it probably will originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-christmas-carolaperture-scienceBioWareCastlevaniacastlevania-lords-of-shadowCharles-DickensDavid-BowieeaElectronic-Artsfallout-new-vegasfeaturedGLaDOShoward-the-duckhyperspace-beaconILMIndiana-JonesIndustrial-light-and-magicJennifer-Connellyjim-hensonLabyrinthLucasFilmportalraiders-of-the-lost-arkron-howardStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republicthe-orange-boxtorTOROcastvalvevalve-softwareWHTNMIISWTORBKOLIPWWorld-of-WarcraftWoWYoung-Indiana-Jones-ChroniclesTue, 30 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWG invites you back and offers gifts if you stay]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/swg-invites-you-back-and-offers-gifts-if-you-stay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/swg-invites-you-back-and-offers-gifts-if-you-stay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/swg-invites-you-back-and-offers-gifts-if-you-stay/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Did you have a Star Wars Galaxies account and were just itching to try out the Galactic Civil War content? Maybe the interviews with Tony Tyson or Lydia Pope made you consider trying out the new Witches of Dathomir content? Now is your chance! If you had an active account between January 1st, 2008 and September 15th, 2010, then you are eligible to log in for the free week of SWG, which started yesterday November 23rd and goes to November 30th at 4 a.m PST.

All week, those players will receive a whip decorative item and a fedora decorative item. These items are replicas of the items worn by Indiana Jones from another LucasFilm franchise: Raiders of the Lost Ark. The film starring Harrison Ford is coming up on its 30th anniversary, and the current LucasArts MMO is giving away the fedora and whip in-game items to celebrate.

As an added bonus, if you choose to renew your subscription before midnight (PST) December 31st, you will be given the option to make the whip and fedora wearable items. Check the official website to find out how you can take advantage of this offer, and may the Force be with you, always.

MassivelySWG invites you back and offers gifts if you stay originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fedorafree-weekgiftsgiveawayin-game-itemsLucasArtslucasfilmSOESONYSony-Online-EntertainmentStar-Warsstar-wars-galaxiesSWGwhipWed, 24 Nov 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR's Comic-Con agenda]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/28/swtors-comic-con-agenda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/28/swtors-comic-con-agenda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/28/swtors-comic-con-agenda/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Those attending Comic-Con 2009 will have a chance to get up close and personal with some of the developers of the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic, and the team has now filled in the details of their visit:

  • Their panel will be called "Behind the Scenes: The making of Star Wars: The Old Republic", taking place in room 7AB on Friday the 24th of July, from 1:00PM to 2:00PM. This will feature the most SWTOR devs of the show.
  • Signed "Threat of Peace" comics will be given away from Thursday through Saturday at the Lucasfilm booth (booth #2913) and Dark Horse Comics (booth 2615).
  • The "Deceived" cinematic trailer will be shown at the Lucasfilm booth (booth #2913) on Saturday and Sunday, at 11am, 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm.
  • The Star Wars Spectacular special event, hosted by Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira from G4, will happen on Friday the 24th of July at 5:15PM to 6:15PM in Hall H. The show is about everything Star Wars, so it won't be entirely SWTOR, but it will definitely be included.
Comic-Con International goes from the 23rd of July through to the 26th. Although the show is currently sold out (and no passes will be sold at the door), you can find more information about the event at the official website.

MassivelySWTOR's Comic-Con agenda originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Jun 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecomic-con-2009comic-con-internationaldark-horse-comicsdeceivedkevin-pereiralucasfilmolivia-munnstar-warsstar-wars-spectacularstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthreat-of-peaceSun, 28 Jun 2009 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Massively: I feel a disturbance in the Force]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/23/ask-massively-i-feel-a-disturbance-in-the-force/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/23/ask-massively-i-feel-a-disturbance-in-the-force/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/23/ask-massively-i-feel-a-disturbance-in-the-force/#commentsFiled under: , ,



We are optimists here at Ask Massively. We went to go see Episode 3 despite the fact that Lucas managed to turn the Greatest Movie Villain of All Time into a whiny emo teenager. We choose to remember, fondly, the days of the Zahn Trilogy and Star Wars Mud and not the fiasco that was N.G.E.

You can imagine that I have been dreading this question ever since I heard that BioWare is planning on creating an MMO set in the Star Wars universe called Star Wars: Old Republic.

Dear Obi-Wan Massive,

Is BioWare going to fall to the Curse of Lucas and release yet another crappy Star Wars video game? They beat the curse once with Knights of the Old Republic, but can they evade Lucas and his creative death touch forever?

- Laura T.

Continue reading Ask Massively: I feel a disturbance in the Force

MassivelyAsk Massively: I feel a disturbance in the Force originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarefeaturedlucasartslucasfilmsonystar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicThu, 23 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[KotORO it ain't: There's a third Star Wars MMO out there]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/kotoro-it-aint-theres-a-third-star-wars-mmo-out-there/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/kotoro-it-aint-theres-a-third-star-wars-mmo-out-there/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/kotoro-it-aint-theres-a-third-star-wars-mmo-out-there/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Star Wars Galaxies and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Online (or more likely, Star Wars: The Old Republic) apparently aren't the only two Star Wars MMOs out there. We didn't originally mention this because lacking the Star Wars bit it was under the radar of our normal coverage, but McDonald's is including keys to virtual worlds for kids in its Happy Meals.

Among the worlds: a Sci-Fi environment based on the animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which hits theaters across the United States and the United Kingdom today. The environment is some kind of space station, and be there Yoda will. (You see what we did there?) So if you're really, really desperate to wander around a Star Wars-based virtual world other than SWG, well ... this is your chance, right?

Yeah, okay, it's probably best to wait for KotoRO. We just thought you should know in case you're really hardcore.

[Via Raph Koster]

MassivelyKotORO it ain't: There's a third Star Wars MMO out there originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>childrenclone-warshappy-mealkidskotorolucasfilmmcdonaldspromotionstar-warsstar-wars-the-clone-warsswtorthe-clon-warsvirtual-worldFri, 15 Aug 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New Lucasfilm trademarks sound suspiciously KotOR MMO-like]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/12/new-lucasfilm-trademarks-sound-suspiciously-kotor-mmo-like/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/12/new-lucasfilm-trademarks-sound-suspiciously-kotor-mmo-like/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/12/new-lucasfilm-trademarks-sound-suspiciously-kotor-mmo-like/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Lucasfilm has registered a number of new trademarks, including Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Old Republic, Star Wars Legends, and Star Wars Sagas. This news is interesting as is, but it gets really juicy when you read the type of patent and its description: "Entertainment services provided on-line by means of global and local area networks, namely, providing interactive computer game software, interactive video game software and interactive computer games and interactive video games, all on-line by means of global and local area networks ... "

That sounds awfully MMO-like, doesn't it? It's not even remotely conclusive though. It could be another kind of multiplayer, or it could even be some kind of web-based community service connected to a single-player game; the patent description suggests that it's also for news and "fan club services."

That said, it could be the fabled, BioWare Austin-developed Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic MMO. We suppose it all depends on just how badly you want to believe!

[Via Kotaku]

MassivelyNew Lucasfilm trademarks sound suspiciously KotOR MMO-like originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-austinknights-of-the-old-republickotorkotor-mmolucasartslucasfilmrumorrumorsstar-warsstar-wars-knights-of-the-old-republicstar-wars-legendsstar-wars-sagasstar-wars-the-old-republicthe-old-republictrademarkSat, 12 Jul 2008 08:30:00 EST