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[Waging WAR: Hands-on with Thanquol's Incursion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/23/waging-war-hands-on-with-thanquols-incursion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/23/waging-war-hands-on-with-thanquols-incursion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/23/waging-war-hands-on-with-thanquols-incursion/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

This week, Waging WAR brings you Greg's hands-on impressions of the new RvR 24v24 instanced dungeon coming soon to Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. With true grit, determination, a staff, sequined robe and his trusty wizard hat, Greg brushes the dust off of his Archmage skills and reviews Thanquol's Incursion.

I was able to put together everything needed on Wednesday evening, so setting up for Friday afternoon's scheduled test of Thanquol's Incursion didn't take long at all. I didn't want to get tied up in learning a new career along with testing completely new content, so I decided to stick with what I know best and roll my Archmage on the PTS. Luckily, I tend to go light in the add-on department, so after getting my keybindings ready and scattering my UI all over the screen in my own (olympically) special way, I flew to Praag and found a warband in no time flat. Friday's event started up right on time, and the testing was under way. The warband headed out to one of the various instance gates and we zoned in.

Follow along after the break as I discuss my first-time hands-on experience with the new RvR gated 24v24 instanced dungeon: Thanquol's Incursion.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Hands-on with Thanquol's Incursion

MassivelyWaging WAR: Hands-on with Thanquol's Incursion originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archmageBioWarebioware-eaBioware-MMObioware-mythicboneripperchosencloud-of-corruptionEAea-biowareea-bioware-mythicea-gamesea-mythicfeaturedmantrapmythicmythic-eaMythic-Entertainmentpatch-1.4ptsQuakerat-ogrerr100rvrrvr-packskavenskaven-dungeonskeetkslayerthanquolthanquols-incursionthrotthrot-the-uncleanttkunderempirewaging-warwarwarhammer-eaWarhammer-OnlineWarhammer-Online-Age-of-Reckoningwarhammer-online-eawarlock-engineerSat, 23 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Quake creator repeatedly turned down MMO opportunities]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/quake-creator-repeatedly-turned-down-mmo-opportunities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/quake-creator-repeatedly-turned-down-mmo-opportunities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/quake-creator-repeatedly-turned-down-mmo-opportunities/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

John Carmack, co-founder of id Software and lead programmer of the historic first-person-shooter games Doom and Quake, told Shacknews that id has been approached by multiple publishers interested in releasing an MMO version of Quake. Each time, the company turned them down.

It was implied that id has not pursued (and will not pursue) the idea because of the etreme challenges of developing a triple-A MMO.

There's a good point here. It's not as if Carmack and friends were throwing a money printer in the trash compactor by passing on the opportunity. The concern seems valid: MMOs are expensive, risky endeavors. Even with a team of experienced developers and a well-known intellectual property, there's always a risk that id could get in over its head.

[Via Joystiq]

MassivelyQuake creator repeatedly turned down MMO opportunities originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>doomfirst-person-shooteridid-softwareinterviewjohn-carmackmmommofpspublisherquakeshacknewsWed, 06 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Open sourcing your MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/22/open-sourcing-your-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/22/open-sourcing-your-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/22/open-sourcing-your-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Many single player games have gone open source with raving success. Take Quake for example. When Id Software released the Quake engine as open source with Quake 3, people went nuts with it. How many mods and games were created after that using "The Quake Engine"?

So the question posed over at Stroppsworld's blog is why can't we open source our MMOs? Stropp makes some great points for open source, against open source and a common ground that may be a viable alternative. It seems he's covered all of his bases and asked the questions we'd need to ask for a project like this, but wants your feedback on his ideas.

MassivelyOpen sourcing your MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>open-sourceopen-source-mmoquakestroppsworldTue, 22 Jul 2008 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Jiminy Cricket is a Manga Fighter: free-to-play producer interview]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/10/jiminy-cricket-is-a-manga-fighter-free-to-play-producer-intervi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/10/jiminy-cricket-is-a-manga-fighter-free-to-play-producer-intervi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/10/jiminy-cricket-is-a-manga-fighter-free-to-play-producer-intervi/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This little fella never read Watership Down.Over at freetoplay.biz, there's a candid interview with YJ Jin, the producer of Manga Fighter, which is best described as a fast-paced third person shooter MMO. With hawaii shirts.

The interview is a little on the short side, but it's refreshing to hear an honest take on the distinctions between the commercial subscription market and the free-to-play sector. The tactics used for Manga Fighter? Viral marketing, email collectibles, and extended open betas that wouldn't hurt the game in the long-term. The specter of secondary markets also rears its head.

As for Manga Fighter: don't let the "fighter" part confuse you, it looks to be more Quake than Street Fighter. I'm reasonably confident it's also the first and only game to feature a (manga) Jiminy Cricket lookalike jumping on a trampoline and unloading a 9mm handgun at a gigantic gateaux. No, really.

MassivelyJiminy Cricket is a Manga Fighter: free-to-play producer interview originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>free-to-playgigantic-gateauxjiminy-cricketmanga-fighteron-netquakesecondary-marketstreet-fighteryj-jinMon, 10 Dec 2007 15:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Why no horror genre?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/why-no-horror-genre/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/why-no-horror-genre/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/why-no-horror-genre/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I'm not currently aware of any horror-themed MMOs, and it made me wonder why. Think about how immersive and creepy a Silent Hill-esque MMO might be, where perhaps your field of vision is narrowed, with graphics outside of the cone murky and nebulous. Your only real notification that there's an enemy nearby being your trusty radio's static. The feeling of isolation and madness in a world you only dimly comprehend.

But maybe that's the problem. A lot of what horror is depends on the singular experience, despite those movies that feature a gaggle of teenagers getting dismantled in various gruesome ways. Like Silent Hill, or Resident Evil, or even Quake to a certain extent, true horror depends on getting under your skin, establishing a rapport with the player one-on-one. This experience can only be diluted by online MMO play, where you have the companionship of other players, even if only peripherally.

Consider also that the main feeling associated with an MMO is that of heroism, of being the One Who Makes a Difference. In horror titles, the prevailing feeling tends more toward survival, or perhaps discovery/enlightenment, where you attempt to solve a mystery. Horror requires a resolution, and it typically cannot be replayed -- once you've seen the monster under the sheet, it no longer holds dread for you. I guess we can write this genre off, then. What's next, the Western? Hmm ... lemme think about it.

MassivelyWhy no horror genre? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredhorrormassivelyquakeresident-evilsilent-hillWed, 14 Nov 2007 10:30:00 EST