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Need for Speed World celebrates its second anniversary

Patrick Mackey — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events (In-Game), Interviews, Patches, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Giveaways, Need for Speed World

It seems like only a scant few months have passed since we covered the launch of Need for Speed World, EA's street racing MMO. But NFSW celebrates its second anniversary today, kicking it off with a double XP boost for everyone as well as a free Chevy Camaro ZL1 for all registered players.

In honor of the occasion, the dev team invited us to a group interview session culminating in a race-off during which we got to show just how hot (or not) our racing skills were. Lead Producer Marc de Vellis and Lead Designer Melvin Teo were on hand to answer our questions and talk about how the game has grown over the past two years. They enthusiastically discussed the ways they've developed NFSW as a result of community feedback, both in terms of game features and in terms of community interaction. Read on for a look at what changes they've made to keep their virtual drivers coming back for another lap.

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Need for Speed World celebrates its second anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Need for Speed World's Gamescom trailer has a lead foot

Matt Daniel — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Trailers, Video, News Items, Free-to-Play, Need for Speed World, Miscellaneous

Does the revving of an engine make your knees weak? Do the sleek curves of a Porsche make your heart beat faster? Yeah, me neither. But if pretty cars going really fast happens to blow up your skirt, then we've got a present for you.

Straight from Gamescom 2011, Need for Speed World is kicking it into high gear with an adrenaline-pumping new trailer. Fasten your seatbelts and hang on for your life as a Porsche 911 GT3 RS goes head-to-head with a Lamborghini Murcielago LP 640 (don't they just sound expensive?) in a frenetic race through Rockport. Of course, the other racer isn't the only hazard to your health in Need for Speed World; you also have to dodge and weave through incoming traffic and keep an eye out for the pesky five-o. For the full trailer, shift gears on past the cut.

Continue reading Need for Speed World's Gamescom trailer has a lead foot

Need for Speed World's Gamescom trailer has a lead foot originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Community Detective Issue #24: Need for Speed World

Jef Reahard — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real-Life, Sports, MMO Industry, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Need for Speed World, Community Detective, Miscellaneous

Thus far, Community Detective has stayed on the straight and narrow course of fantasy MMORPGs during its brief existence. Sure, I've taken the occasional detour into sci-fi, superhero, and quasi-historical territory, but the majority of the column's first 23 issues were -- like the genre itself -- largely concerned with sorcerers, scantily-clad he-men, and sword-related violence.

This week I'd like to break out of that mold for a bit and examine a title based in the real world (or more accurately, Electronic Arts' approximation of the real world). To borrow a quote from dear old '80s cinema: I feel the need, the Need for Speed World.

Continue reading Community Detective Issue #24: Need for Speed World

Community Detective Issue #24: Need for Speed World originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Need For Speed World takes off July 27th

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sports, Launches, Free-to-Play, Need for Speed World

Fast cars. Expensive gas. Gaudy spinners. Fuzzy dice. A lead foot. Radar detectors. EA is set to provide all of these and more when Need for Speed World launches next week. A release date of July 27 has been announced, and will be available via digital download for all hot rod enthusiasts.

Of course, if you can't wait to settle into the driver's seat, you can get into the game today by pre-ordering the Need for Speed World Starter Pack. Apart from the benefit of early access, pre-orders will get their hands on exclusive cars, be fueled with double XP, and have the ever-so-elite "VIP" tag added to their driver profile from now on. The Starter Pack also includes an allowance of NFSW's in-game currency for a shopping trip if one so desires.

A trial of the game will become available next week as well, offering a free sample of NFSW up through level 10 to any and all who mosey by. EA is obviously crossing its fingers that NFSW will go the distance and not break down on the side of the road like Motor City Online, but so far, things are looking up for this title.

Need For Speed World takes off July 27th originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Behind the wheel with Need For Speed World

Ryan Greene — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Events (Real-World), New Titles, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Need for Speed World

Vroom vroom! I want to tell you to warm up your engines and place your hands at 10 and 2, because Need For Speed World is just about ready to burn some asphalt and squeal some rubber. Too bad I couldn't car-metaphor my way out of a wet paper bag. But I can tell you this: EA's free-to-play racing MMO is awesome fun. And it's almost here.

I sat down Wednesday with Adam King, EA product manager, and a copy of NFSW, which opens July 20 with a pre-order head start before going fully live July 27. King gave me a chance to look under the engine, punch the tires and take the game for a twirl -- car metaphors, agh! -- so follow me past the jump for my impressions of the game, plus some hints about what to expect in the first major content update.

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Behind the wheel with Need For Speed World originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Need For Speed World races its last warm-up lap in a stress test

Larry Everett — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sports, Events (In-Game), New Titles, Need for Speed World

Need For Speed World is preparing for starting flag! Today and tomorrow, the developers of this highly anticipated action MMO are rounding the final lap with a stress test. And you are invited! This free-to-play action-racing persistent world closed its beta last week with high marks among fans, and, per the norm, developers need to test the server capacity.

The race to stress EA's servers begins July 13th at 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT), and the checkered flag flies on July 14th at 5 p.m. PDT (8 p.m. EDT). To celebrate this special event, all rental restrictions have been lifted. That means even at level 1 you can rent any car you would like. This is your chance to test drive that Porsche that you could only ogle during beta testing. As an added bonus, each player will receive 8000 SpeedBoost power-ups. Also, if you are one of the top five racers in the Community Sprint Race Competition for car tiers 1, 2 and 3, the starter pack is yours for free. This packaged upgrade to your account sells for $19.95 in the EA Store and allows you to progress beyond level 10 and obtain a Toyota Corolla AE86.

Drive on over to world.needforspeed.com now for your last chance to feed your Need For Speed before the game's official launch!

Need For Speed World races its last warm-up lap in a stress test originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Need For Speed open beta starts July 2nd

Jef Reahard — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Real-Life, New Titles, News Items, Need for Speed World

Ready to get your race on? We are too, and luckily Electronic Arts is dropping the hammer on the Need For Speed World open beta test beginning tomorrow, July 2nd. The open beta will run through the holiday weekend and conclude on July 5th.

If you haven't signed up for the beta yet, you can do so (and get automatic access) simply by registering on the official website. In addition, veterans of the closed beta test (which powered down last night) will not have their accounts wiped for the open beta period. Finally, Massively readers who have previously received beta keys are eligible to continue participating.

New to the online racing scene? Be sure to check out our Need For Speed World coverage from E3.

Need For Speed open beta starts July 2nd originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E3 2010: Your complete Massively coverage roundup

Jef Reahard — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Super-hero, Jumpgate Evolution, Lord of the Rings Online, Events (Real-World), Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, The Agency, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser, Casual, Might and Magic, Crime, MMOFPS, Warhammer 40k, LEGO Universe, Kids, DC Universe Online, Black Prophecy, Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, Final Fantasy XIV, TERA, Battlestar Galactica Online, Vindictus, Need for Speed World

The 2010 edition of the gaming nirvana known as E3 has come and gone, and Massively was there to bring you three days of exclusives, firsts, and hands-on impressions for all your favorite MMORPG titles, studios, and developers. This year's Expo saw plenty of news and announcements regarding highly anticipated games, as well as plenty of information on assorted titles large and small.

We thought it best to collate our coverage into a complete and concise roundup post for your viewing pleasure, so read along after the cut to make sure you didn't miss anything. You can also check out all of our E3 galleries along the way.

Continue reading E3 2010: Your complete Massively coverage roundup

E3 2010: Your complete Massively coverage roundup originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Online freedom highlighted for Need for Speed World

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real-Life, Video, New Titles, Previews, News Items, Need for Speed World

If you're looking forward to the pending release of Need for Speed World -- a release which is only a bit more than a month away -- you probably have all sorts of ideas about what you could do in the open environment. The good news is that the developers did as well, and they took the time to chat about it. There's a new video developer diary for those looking forward to the game, and it's embedded just past the cut.

Aside from talking about the new elements brought in via the game's online experience, such as a world that players can drive in without ever seeing the boundaries, the video also shows off some footage of the game in action. Everything from hairpin turns to smashing through police barricades seems to be here, and it's all true to what players have come to expect from the franchise. Take a look at the video past the cut, and keep your eyes peeled for more news as we edge closer to the summer release of Need for Speed World.

Continue reading Online freedom highlighted for Need for Speed World

Online freedom highlighted for Need for Speed World originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Need for Speed World releases new art and trailer

Rubi Bayer — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Screenshots, Trailers, New Titles, News Items, Need for Speed World

Need for Speed World is the upcoming MMO from EA games, and while things on that front have been fairly quiet, we have a feeling that's about to change. This morning EA released a new game trailer, a handful of screenshots, and box art, and so far we like what we see.

The trailer is full of pretty graphics, fast cars, and destruction of public property -- what's not to love? (We particularly enjoyed the fleet of cars blowing past a 45 MPH sign at considerably more than 45 MPH.) You can work with or against other players, racing as a team or singly, and the game also promises "epic online pursuits," depicting a car chase with police cars that are presumably NPCs.

Of course, a game is much more than looks -- in the end, it all comes down to how well it's is done. Follow along after the jump for a peek at the trailer. Then, if you're interested in a firsthand look, Need for Speed World is accepting beta applications now, so head over to the official site to try it out for yourself.

Gallery: Need for Speed World

Continue reading Need for Speed World releases new art and trailer

Need for Speed World releases new art and trailer originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA fiscal report slots APB for potential Q3 2010 release

Rubi Bayer — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: News Items, All Points Bulletin, Crime

Electronic Arts has released a list of key titles in their investor's report for fiscal year 2011, and amidst the spectacularly unsurprising news that they are going to continue cranking out Sims titles are a few bits and pieces of interest to those of us in the MMO world.

It looks like urban crime title All Points Bulletin is planned for fiscal Q2 2011, which sounds like a long time, but the word "fiscal" is important here. "Q2 2011 fiscal" equals approximately "Q3 2010" (between July 1, 2010 and September 30, 2010) for the rest of us, so it's not as bad as it sounds. Still, this is a change from previous rumors that the game could launch in March of 2010.

There are a few other titles of interest in the list as well. No, we are not referring to the Littlest Pet Shop game or Tiger Woods PGA Tour, although those have some serious MMO potential. But look at some of the others, such as "Need For Speed Title TBA", and "Action Title TBA". Electronic Arts isn't exactly a stranger to the MMO world, and it's quite possible they're venturing farther in with more MMO titles. It's something that we at Massively will definitely keep an eye on.

EA fiscal report slots APB for potential Q3 2010 release originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apocrypha 1.3 improvements and Tech III changes coming to EVE on Monday June 29

James Egan — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Game Mechanics, Patches, News Items

EVE Online patch Apocrypha 1.3 is slated for a Monday June 29 deployment. CCP Games is pushing ahead with their Need for Speed initiative, which aims to streamline the game's performance and provide a better play experience. They're making some database changes with the next Apocrypha patch that should improve what you experience in your game client with inventory management, but beyond addressing "The Jita Problem" there will be a fair number of changes in the next patch.

On that topic of speed, players should notice a huge change with starbase deployment (or hasty tear downs): players will be able to anchor, online, or unanchor offensive and defensive starbase structures in half the time it took previously. (Ninja POS deployment?) Perhaps more significant to some players than others, station reprocessing will be much faster -- apparently refining stacks of items will be up to 25 times faster than before. Also, some of those changes to Tech III production we've mentioned before are going into effect on Monday, and should ultimately be a boost for Tech III. Apocrypha 1.3's changes extend far beyond what is mentioned here; players heavily invested in wormhole exploration and the production it fuels should look closely at the patch notes to see how CCP's changes to the game might affect them.

Continue reading Apocrypha 1.3 improvements and Tech III changes coming to EVE on Monday June 29

Apocrypha 1.3 improvements and Tech III changes coming to EVE on Monday June 29 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Electronic Arts announces Need For Speed: World Online

Kyle Horner — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play

There aren't a lot of racing MMOs to choose from, which is why Electronic Art's announcement of Need For Speed: World Online is something of a fun surprise. We don't really know anything about the title other than that it's a jointly-developed free-to-play game from Black Box and EA Shanghai. Oh, and it's coming out in North America this winter, so we won't have to wait much longer to find out more.

At least this answers the question of what Black Box was going to be up to after having more than half of its staff laid off recently. We're glad to see the developer behind titles like Skate 1 & 2 and the NFS franchise has something to work on. And of course we'll be keeping our collective eyes on this title as more information develops in the coming months.

[via Joystiq]

Electronic Arts announces Need For Speed: World Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Even NPC agents are running from Jita's lag in EVE

James Egan — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Economy, Game Mechanics, Crafting, Server downtime, PvE

Despite being the most notoriously lag-choked solar system in EVE Online, the teeming trade hub of Jita remains a central destination for all things bought and sold in New Eden. Jita is very much a victim of its own success though, as we said before: "Not a day goes by without an EVE pilot, somewhere, cursing Jita and calling for the system to be nuked." The Need for Speed initiative launched by CCP in 2007 aims at improving both server and client performance, and their latest announcement -- the removal of agents from Jita -- is the latest effort they're using to combat lag. This writer feels you're just begging to have your mission probed out, or you might have a masochistic streak by dealing with Level 4 aggro coupled with Jita lag, but that's not for us to decide.

Apparently a number of mission runners use agents in Jita, but according to CCP Wrangler, these players will soon be receiving EVE mails "informing them that the agents are relocating and the date of the downtime when the move will take place. From that point the agents will cease to offer new missions but they will accept ongoing missions, and of course they will resume their normal activities after the move." We'll see how well removing mission runners from the fabric of Jita's lag will improve the situation, but this might be a step in the right direction. The relocation of agents is likely one of a number of steps CCP Games will need to take to deliver smooth gameplay to a playerbase that keeps growing every year, making lag issues more pressing. On the topic of being relocated, have any of you ever gotten stuck in Jita and needed to be moved by a GM?

Even NPC agents are running from Jita's lag in EVE originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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