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[MV Guide: February 6-12, 2012]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/mv-guide-february-6-12-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/mv-guide-february-6-12-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/mv-guide-february-6-12-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Global Agenda
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV.

Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.)

Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule!

Continue reading MV Guide: February 6-12, 2012

MassivelyMV Guide: February 6-12, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetarenanet-guild-warsbiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorccpccp-eveccp-gamescloud-ninecode-clubeaelectronic-artseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineglitchglobal-agendaglobal-agenda-hi-rezguild-warsguildwarsgwhi-rezhi-rez-global-agendahi-rez-stdioes-global-agendahi-rez-studiosliden-labs-second-lifelinden-labslivestreamlivestreaminglucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgmv-guidemv-tvncsoftnetgamenexusnexus-the-kingdom-of-the-windsrolf-jannsonryzomsecond-lifesecond-life-linden-labsslsl-liden-labsstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republictiny-specktwitch-tvvirtual-worldwurmwurm-onlineMon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MV Guide: January 30-February 5, 2012]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/mv-guide-january-30-february-5-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/mv-guide-january-30-february-5-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/mv-guide-january-30-february-5-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Runes of Magic
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV.

Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.)

Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule!

Continue reading MV Guide: January 30-February 5, 2012

MassivelyMV Guide: January 30-February 5, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardall-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-gameall-points-bulletin-reloadedanetapbapb-eaapb-gameapb-reloadedarenanetarenanet-guild-warsatomic-bluebiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorblizzardccpccp-eveccp-gamesd3dc-universe-onlinedcuodiablo-3diablo-iiidiiieaelectronic-artseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefrogsterfrogster-runes-of-magicglitchglobal-agendaglobal-agenda-hi-rezguild-warsguildwarsgwhi-rezhi-rez-global-agendahi-rez-stdioes-global-agendahi-rez-studiosjagexliden-labs-second-lifelinden-labslivestreamlivestreaminglucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgmv-guidemv-tvncsoftplaneshiftromrunes-of-magicrunescaperyzomsecond-lifesecond-life-linden-labsslsl-liden-labssoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republictiny-specktiny-speck-glitchvirtual-worldMon, 30 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MV Guide: January 23-29, 2012]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/mv-guide-january-23-29-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/mv-guide-january-23-29-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/mv-guide-january-23-29-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV.

Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.)

Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule!

Continue reading MV Guide: January 23-29, 2012

MassivelyMV Guide: January 23-29, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetarenanet-guild-warsbiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorbrowser-basedccpccp-eveccp-gamesdisneydisneys-toontowneaelectronic-artseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinef2pfeaturedfree-to-playfrogsterfrogster-romglitchglobal-agendaglobal-agenda-hi-rezguild-warsguildwarsgwhi-rezhi-rez-global-agendahi-rez-stdioes-global-agendahi-rez-studiosjagexjagex-game-studiosjagex-runescapeliden-labs-second-lifelinden-labslivestreamlivestreaminglucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgluvinia-onlinemassively-livestreammassively-tvmv-guidemv-tvoutsparkromrunes-of-magicrunescaperyzomsecond-lifesecond-life-linden-labsslsl-liden-labssoesonySony-Online-Entertainmentstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republictiny-specktoontownurban-rivalsvanguardVanguard-Saga-of-Heroesvirtual-worldMon, 23 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MV Guide: January 16-22, 2012]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/16/mv-guide-january-16-22-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/16/mv-guide-january-16-22-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/16/mv-guide-january-16-22-2012/#commentsFiled under: , ,

APB: Reloaded
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV.

Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.)

Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule!

Continue reading MV Guide: January 16-22, 2012

MassivelyMV Guide: January 16-22, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-gameapb-gamebiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorccpccp-eveccp-gameschampions-onlinecodc-universe-onlinedcuoeaelectronic-artsEVEeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinef2pfeaturedfree-to-playfrogsterfrogster-interactiveg1gamersfirstglobal-agendaglobal-agenda-hi-rezhi-rezhi-rez-global-agendahi-rez-stdioes-global-agendahi-rez-studiosjagexkabamliden-labs-second-lifelinden-labslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgmilmommortsmv-guideperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpweromrunes-of-magicrunescaperusty-heartssecond-lifesecond-life-linden-labsslsl-liden-labssoesony-online-entertainmentst-onlinestar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicstosw-torswtorthe-old-republicthirst-of-nighttrek-onlinevirtual-worldMon, 16 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Previously on MV TV: Week of January 9th, 2012]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/15/previously-on-mv-tv-week-of-january-9th-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/15/previously-on-mv-tv-week-of-january-9th-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/15/previously-on-mv-tv-week-of-january-9th-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Fallen Earth, aka Good God in Heaven, shoot it!
Welcome to the brand-new Previously on MV TV! Our livestreaming schedule has picked up a lot over the past few weeks, and our readers have busy lives, so we know it's impossible to watch every single streaming event live. Fortunately for you, we save all of our streams all for posterity on Massively's Twitch TV channel, so you can view them at your leisure. Even better, we've got a roundup of a few of last week's MV TV highlights from the livestream team. Follow along after the jump for the best of the best!

Continue reading Previously on MV TV: Week of January 9th, 2012

MassivelyPreviously on MV TV: Week of January 9th, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's healing lightning. Or something.
The gaming industry is pretty morbid when you get right down to it. 2011 has seen several people predicting the death of the MMO market and the death of subscription games, often times in the same sentence. But according to analyst Colin Sebastian, the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic makes it clear that these reports of death have been greatly exaggerated. As Sebastian puts it, the unprecedented growth of SWTOR's player figures indicates that the market still possesses a demand for new games and still responds favorably.

Sebastian goes on to predict that the game will likely move around three million units by March 2012, the end of the fiscal year, although he believes that staying power is a bit more questionable. He believes that predictions of up to two million paying users by the end of 2012 might be overly optimistic. That having been said, the game has certainly come out of the gate with real strength; it only remains to be seen if it can maintain that.

MassivelyAnalyst claims that Star Wars: The Old Republic points to a healthy MMO market originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analystanalystsbiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorcolin-sebastianeaelectronic-artsfinancialgame-industryindustryindustry-opinionslaunchlucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgmarketmmo-industrystar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republicTue, 27 Dec 2011 19:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Newest patch notes Star Wars: The Old Republic highlight bug fixes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/27/newest-patch-notes-star-wars-the-old-republic-highlight-bug-fix/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/27/newest-patch-notes-star-wars-the-old-republic-highlight-bug-fix/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/27/newest-patch-notes-star-wars-the-old-republic-highlight-bug-fix/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Patches are a lot like starship maintenance, albeit with slightly less vaccuum.
Bugs are frustrating, and inevitably some of them seep through to launch with a new MMO. Star Wars: The Old Republic produced a fairly polished end product, but there were still issues, most notably certain memory problems with Taris and some harvesting nodes that couldn't be harvested. As a result, the game's first patch has been rolled out following this morning's maintenance, and the first set of patch notes have gone live detailing the bugfixes and minor updates provided.

Aside from the two obvious changes, there has been a handful of balance adjustments. Slicing has seen a slight downgrade to bring its rewards more in line with those of other gathering professions, and the Mandalorian Raiders flashpoint has seen several enemies lose their immunity to crowd control. Players can look forward to more steady adjustments as the game continues, but some quick fixes to noteworthy issues are always good to see -- especially so close to the holidays.

MassivelyNewest patch notes Star Wars: The Old Republic highlight bug fixes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorbugfixeseaelectronic-artsgame-updateslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgnewspatchpatchessmall-patchesstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorsystem-updatesthe-old-republicupdatesTue, 27 Dec 2011 19:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic launches Android authenticator and upcoming test server]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/star-wars-the-old-republic-launches-android-authenticator-and-u/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/star-wars-the-old-republic-launches-android-authenticator-and-u/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/star-wars-the-old-republic-launches-android-authenticator-and-u/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Pictured: not security.
If analyst predictions hold true, Star Wars: The Old Republic is going to be big. And that means that it's going to be heir to the natural problem of account hackings, the sort of thing that goes hand in hand with every major MMO. Luckily, the game has launched with security authenticators already available, with a physical version and an Apple app available right out of the gate. The mobile authenticator for Android devices is also now available, meaning that you have a multitude of ways to ensure that the only threats to your characters are those of the blaster-wielding variety.

Once you've gotten through the authenticator stage, however, perhaps you'd like to see what's coming next for the game? Ask a Jedi reports that it looks like BioWare is in the process of setting up a public test server, giving every subscriber a chance to enjoy the upcoming patches and updates before they go live. While players will not be able to copy characters from the live servers to the test environment at this time, the team behind Star Wars: The Old Republic seems to be polishing up the game on a daily basis even though it's just launched, so that likely won't remain the case for long.

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic launches Android authenticator and upcoming test server originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-securityauthenticatorbiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtoreaelectronic-artslauncheslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgmobile-authenticatornewspublic-test-serversecuritysecurity-keystar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtortest-serverthe-old-republicWed, 21 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic preps for guild imports, server list takes shape]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/star-wars-the-old-republic-prepping-for-guild-imports-server-l/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/star-wars-the-old-republic-prepping-for-guild-imports-server-l/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/star-wars-the-old-republic-prepping-for-guild-imports-server-l/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

No word yet on the riots that will ensue for each player who doesn't get an access pass tomorrow.
At 7:00 a.m. EST tomorrow morning, the coveted early access invitations will be sent out for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Some of them, anyway. (Some players will have to wait a little bit longer.) If you're in one of the many guilds that prepared and recruited prior to the game's launch via the on-site recruitment feature, you're also in line to start in on the early guild deployment, which is outlined in detail on the official site. Long story short, you'll be given your guild's server assignment, and if you're unhappy with it, you're going to have to start up on a different server rather than using the automated joining.

Unfortunately, players aren't being given a full preview of servers ahead of time, but based on the deployment messages, a list is taking shape over on Ask a Jedi. The list is, of course, not absolute -- it's simply what servers are known that have been passed along -- but it's certainly extensive, with several different PvE, PvP, and RP servers for both US coasts and Europe. Keep checking back for more information, and keep your eyes on your mailbox early tomorrow morning.

Star Wars: The Old Republic is finally here, and the Force is with Massively! We've prepared a Hutt-sized feast of class introductions, gameplay guides, lore roundups, and hands-on previews to help you navigate the launch period and beyond. And don't forget our weekly SWTOR column, the Hyperspace Beacon!

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic preps for guild imports, server list takes shape originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-austinbioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-mythicbioware-star-warsbioware-swtoreaearly-accessearly-game-accesselectronic-artsguild-importguild-launchlaunchlauncheslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgnewsserver-listserversstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republictorMon, 12 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR: So you want to play a Jedi Consular]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/swtor-so-you-want-to-play-a-jedi-consular/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/swtor-so-you-want-to-play-a-jedi-consular/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/swtor-so-you-want-to-play-a-jedi-consular/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

SWTOR - The Consular
Peace. Serenity. Harmony. These are some of the touchstones of the Jedi order, and they are the values that the Consular embodies. Where the Jedi Knight is meant to be the military and defensive might of the Jedi Order, the Consular is instead a teacher, a defender, and a scholar of the mysteries of the Force. If a Knight can be seen as a paladin, then the Consular is the gentle monk, teaching others and seeking out new mysteries for spiritual purposes.

Of course, the war against the Sith Empire means that there is no opportunity for these scholars to remain passive, but the Jedi Consular does not act with rash and overt motion. Instead, Consulars remain subtle, either slipping through the shadows or calling upon the raw might of the Force. In battle, they may specialize in a variety of roles, but all Consulars take a more cerebral approach. For them, the war is not their truest focus -- what matters is learning and understanding. This war will end, and afterwards, the Consular will teach those who remain what has been forgotten in the ravages of battle.

Continue reading SWTOR: So you want to play a Jedi Consular

MassivelySWTOR: So you want to play a Jedi Consular originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtoreaelectronic-artsfeaturedguideguidesjedi-consularlucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpglucasartspreviewpreviewssci-fistar-warsstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorswtor-class-guideswtor-guideswtor-launch-guidethe-old-republictorMon, 12 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR: So you want to play a Sith Warrior]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/swtor-so-you-want-to-play-a-sith-warrior/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/swtor-so-you-want-to-play-a-sith-warrior/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/swtor-so-you-want-to-play-a-sith-warrior/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

SWTOR - The Sith Warrior
No class embodies the Sith philosophy so completely as the Sith Warrior. Inquisitors hide and scheme, but Warriors let their passion run rampant. It's not that they lack in subtlety, merely that they are capable of channeling their passion into destructive force so effortlessly that careful manipulation is often unnecessary. In the army of the Sith Empire, they are the lords and the commanders, the highest aspirations of those with Force sensitivity, and the natural-born masters of nearly everyone else.

Sith Warriors are correspondingly limited in their options on the field. They can tear apart armies or hold said armies off single-handed, but they certainly can't help patch the wounds of their comrades. But the whole class philosophy is built around the best defense being a strong offense, and the plethora of Force abilities and agile lightsaber strikes in the Warrior's arsenal give you several options while you're breaking everything that stands before you. It's a talent that comes in handy as you progress through the class questline, a story of expectations, betrayal, and the survival instincts necessary for someone to be a true Sith.

Continue reading SWTOR: So you want to play a Sith Warrior

MassivelySWTOR: So you want to play a Sith Warrior originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtordpseaelectronic-artsfeaturedguideguideslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpglucasartsopinionpreviewpreviewssci-fisithsith-warriorstar-warsstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorswtor-class-guideswtor-guideswtor-launch-guidetankthe-old-republictorMon, 12 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic approaching the final phase of testing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/star-wars-the-old-republic-approaching-the-final-phase-of-testi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/star-wars-the-old-republic-approaching-the-final-phase-of-testi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/star-wars-the-old-republic-approaching-the-final-phase-of-testi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Republic agents preparing to beta test The Even Older Republic. It's pretty meta.
It's hard to believe that after all this time, Star Wars: The Old Republic is launching in less than a month. As you would expect, the game is making its final testing pushes for players. According to Stephen "Rockjaw" Reid's Twitter feed, players selected for the final testing weekend will be seeing schedules sent out over the next 12 hours, with players allowed to start testing either Friday or Saturday, starting at 11:00 a.m. EST. Existing testers and visitors to the site will also have to contend with some degree of maintenance trouble, as the site is experiencing an understandable groundswell of traffic.

The final push also means that the deadline is approaching for players to get in on the Pre-Launch Guild Program, which ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on December 2nd. This means that players who fulfill all the requirements will be able to transfer their guilds straight into the live game -- but they'll have to finalize everything before the deadline. So if you're a guild leader with a few things left to finish up before launch, the holiday weekend might be an ideal time.

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic approaching the final phase of testing originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-conclusionbeta-testingbeta-weekendbiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-mythicbioware-star-warsbioware-swtoreaelectronic-artslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgpre-launch-guild-programrockjawstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicstephen-reidstephen-rockjaw-reidsw-torswtortestingtesting-conclusionthe-old-republicWed, 23 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: TORn away]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/wings-over-atreia-torn-away/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/wings-over-atreia-torn-away/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/wings-over-atreia-torn-away/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Wings Over Atreia header
*suits up in full firefighters gear* Alrighty, now I am ready!

The topic for this week's Wings Over Atreia presented itself when I logged into Aion at prime-time on Thursday night and found the very odd occurrence of both an empty legion list and an empty friends list. Considering how full the latter is (plug for larger lists here), I've never seen both be completely empty simultaneously, even when I pop in during my odd super-late hours. While I saw some life over the rest of the weekend, overall numbers stayed pretty low, even during the hours of the new arena instances. To what do I attribute this? In some cases it was the usual attack of the Real Life (tm) that got ahold of people, but two extra factors contributed to the population insta-decline: the release of Skyrim and more weekend beta invites from Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Now in the case of Skyrim, it can't be helped (but maybe we can have a little spacing between the release of so many games?!). We know that once the game is played through, people will wander back to their MMOs. TOR, however, is another matter: Besides the shininess of of a new game and the fact that it is both Star Wars-based and made by BioWare, does Aion have a future of vast, empty lands to look forward to at the release of the latest OMG-it's-the-second-coming-of-games title? Some are certainly screaming doom-and-gloom, but we hear that from dissenters about nearly every little thing. Is it possible that there is room enough for both games to survive after the initial hype has passed?

*checks and readjusts all gear again* Come on and join me past the cut for some thoughts on the matter.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: TORn away

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: TORn away originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No, Dad, I'm not a psycho killer, I'm an assassin! ...well the difference is that one's a job and the other's mental sickness!
It's been a day for news about Star Wars: The Old Republic as we move still closer to release. The latest character progression video has been unveiled for the Agent, showing both the differences in equipment and abilities players can expect as they level up as one of the subtle hands of the Sith Empire's will. As players grow in power, they can either take the route of the stealthy and aggressive Operative or the resourceful ranged Sniper.

On the Operative route, armors tend toward hooded attire as the character employs a variety of blades, bombs, and short-range blaster attacks to keep enemies pinned. Snipers, meanwhile, are sleekly armored ranged dispensers of death, with their abilities culminating in a large-scale orbital strike to take out inconvenient enemies. If you're itching to play an Agent, you'd be well-served to take a look at the full trailer to see all that the class is capable of doing in the name of the Empire.

Continue reading Agent progression revealed for Star Wars: The Old Republic

MassivelyAgent progression revealed for Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The original Republic flashpoint of Jedi Meditation and Posing has sadly been sent back to the drawing board.
Last weekend's big convention, New York Comic Con, hosted another panel on Star Wars: The Old Republic. And perhaps to the surprise of the fans, this panel was all about numbers. Specifically, it was all about the numbers for upcoming content in the game, such as Flashpoints, Operations, and Warzones. Stephen Reid took his time to lay out what players can expect from this content and how many different areas players can expect, starting with 15 different Flashpoints at launch.

The Flashpoints will not all be story-focused, according to Reid, with some focused more heavily on the puzzle or gameplay aspects. All of them, however, can be replayed at higher difficulties in the endgame. In addition, Reid showed off the upcoming fleet hubs for the game, the central gathering areas for players that feature vendors, auction systems, and a special "VIP Lounge" for people who purchased the Collector's Edition. With only a little over two months remaining until the game's launch, there's not much more time before these promised features become a reality.

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic talks instanced regions and hubs at NYCC originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eurogamer Expo
Some of the industry's biggest names were at Eurogamer Expo last week, including BioWare, NCsoft and Trion Worlds. I was on the floor at the expo to get some hands-on experience with several upcoming MMOs and countless singleplayer games. Guild Wars 2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic stole the show, with hands-on gameplay sessions and in-depth developer talks. BioWare also made the bold move of announcing SWTOR's official release date during its talk at the convention. In addition to promoting the heck out of RIFT, Trion showed off upcoming MMORTS End of Nations with a hands-on demo and encouraged attendees to sign up to the End of Nations newsletter.

RIFT and World of Tanks were both playable on the show floor for the entire weekend, but nothing new was being shown. Hack-and-slash adventure RPG Dark Souls and the beautifully zen Journey both demonstrated incredibly innovative multiplayer aspects that I'll likely cover in my weekly Not So Massively column, but neither falls neatly into the MMO box. OnLive had a spectacular showing at the expo, giving away free home consoles to every attendee and demonstrating the system's surprisingly lag-free gameplay on the floor. We discovered that although there are no MMOs in OnLive's current lineup, this isn't due to technical infeasibility, so we may yet see MMOs launched on the service.

Skip past the cut for my in-depth hands-on impressions of Guild Wars 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic and End of Nations from Eurogamer Expo 2011.

Continue reading MMO impressions from Eurogamer Expo 2011

MassivelyMMO impressions from Eurogamer Expo 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetarenanet-guild-wars2betabetasbiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorDark SoulsDarkSoulseaelectronic-artsEnd of Nationsend-of-nationsEndOfNationseurogamer-expoEurogamer-Expo-2011featuredfirst-impressionsgallerygameplayguild-wars2guildwars2gw2hands-onlucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgonlivepetroglyphpreviewstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republictrion-worldsSat, 01 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Massively: Early access pre-order hooray edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/28/ask-massively-early-access-pre-order-hooray-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/28/ask-massively-early-access-pre-order-hooray-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/28/ask-massively-early-access-pre-order-hooray-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We could pretend that the important story of last week was something other than the launch of pre-orders for Star Wars: The Old Republic, but that would be a lie. I know I went straight down to pre-order my copy as soon as I was done with some work in the morning. As usual, it wasn't without controversy -- issues over staggered pre-order releases, limited quantities, and my personal favorite, the fear that it might include some sort of microtransactions in its business model. You know, like every other major subscription game on the market.

Before you ask, I got the regular edition. I'm not paying three times the price for a statue.

Anyway, this week's Ask Massively is pretty heavily tied into the pre-order talk, what with questions about release dates and the state of no-trial launches. As always, you can feel free to ask a question for a future installment of the column via mail to ask@massively.com, or you can just toss your question in the happy comment field below.

Continue reading Ask Massively: Early access pre-order hooray edition

MassivelyAsk Massively: Early access pre-order hooray edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-massivelybiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorcolumneaelectronic-artsfeaturedgame-trialslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgopinionpre-ordersreleaserelease-datesstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republictrialsThu, 28 Jul 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview with BioWare's Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk details studio philosophy and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/19/interview-with-biowares-ray-muzyka-and-greg-zeschuk-details-stu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/19/interview-with-biowares-ray-muzyka-and-greg-zeschuk-details-stu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/19/interview-with-biowares-ray-muzyka-and-greg-zeschuk-details-stu/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

BioWare holds a reputation in the gaming community for consistently releasing polished, high-quality games, especially when it comes to in-depth narratives. Have you ever wondered about the studio's philosophy in regard to game creation? Ever wondered what it is that drives BioWare, and moreover -- since this is Massively, after all -- how it influences the ongoing development of Star Wars: The Old Republic? In a rather lengthy interview with Gamasutra, BioWare's Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk give gamers a peek behind the curtain at what really makes BioWare tick.

There's a plethora of interesting information in the interview, ranging from the company's philosophy of imbuing each game with emotion -- leading to the strong narratives for which BioWare is so renowned -- to the qualities Ray and Greg think will separate The Old Republic from the elephant in the room that is World of Warcraft. The interview itself is far too lengthy to adequately summarize in the length of a news post, but one point that stands out is that, despite being an absolute powerhouse in the gaming industry, BioWare still focuses heavily on humility. Being able to admit when mistakes have been made and learning from the experience is something that many studios could certainly learn from. For the full, information-packed interview, head on over to Gamasutra.

MassivelyInterview with BioWare's Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk details studio philosophy and more originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA's financial results report was released to the public today, and alongside the various bits of fiscal information is one important tidbit for fans of Star Wars: The Old Republic. On page 17 of the document, we find "The Packaged Goods title release schedule excludes Star Wars: The Old Republic, which is expected to launch in either Q2 FY12 or Q3 FY12," where Q2 FY12 and Q3 FY12 correspond to July through September and October through December, respectively, of this year.

This is obviously excellent news for those who are anticipating The Old Republic's release, and it's aptly timed to boot, coming to light on Intergalactic Star Wars Day. Given that the last piece of information we heard regarding The Old Republic's launch was back in March, we're heartened to see that EA is still holding strong for a 2011 release. If you're the sort of person who likes numbers and financial information for some unholy reason, the document in its entirety is available for your perusal.

Fan site Darth Hater has parsed the earnings call itself, noting that EA has also confirmed that SWTOR will be launched as a "Digital Service" under a subscription model.

MassivelyThe Old Republic expected launch window confirmed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fridays mean new updates for fans eagerly waiting on Star Wars: The Old Republic, and while last week saw the kickoff of PAX East and a hands-on demo (which we played), this Friday sees discussion on a wide range of different aspects. For starters, the latest Fan Friday feature has been posted, showing off new concept art and a fansite spotlight as well as a few new Sith avatars for forumgoers.

A new developer diary is also available, which discusses cinematic animations, one of the major selling points for the game. Certainly the motion capture helps, but as the diary notes, it's not quite as simple as suiting up some capture actors and getting their raw data. Even for a simple scene, there's some fairly elaborate work necessary to make the animation and overall environment feel convincing.

The end of the entry is devoted to several community questions regarding flashpoints, fresh in everyone's mind after the aforementioned demo at PAX East. If you're curious about how loot will be balanced in a dungeon with multiple storyline options, take a look at the full entry to get a clearer picture of how the system will be implemented in Star Wars: The Old Republic.

MassivelyA smattering of topics from Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It may be the biggest shopping day of the year, but that hasn't stopped BioWare from coming through with its traditional Friday update for The Old Republic. Today's calibrated leak focuses on some new inhabitants made available in the Holonet database: the terentatek, the vine cat, the Sith pureblood, the M3-M1 med droid and the S3-F5 probe droid.

Staying true to our fanboy training, we jumped right to the Sith pureblood page and found out that this humanoid is a descendant of the original Sith species and features a long history of involvement with the dark side of the Force. The rate of Force sensitivity among purebloods is near 100 percent, and these individuals exhibit many of the visual characteristics of the original Sith race. Check out the Holonet inhabitants page for more info.

MassivelyBioWare releases new TOR inhabitants entries originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWarebioware-eaBioware-MMObioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtordroidseaElectronic-Artsholonetlorem3-m1mobss3-f5sci-fisithsith-pure-bloodSith-Purebloodstar warsstar-wars-the-old-republicStarWarsswtorterentatekvine-catFri, 26 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Episode II - A New Hype]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/19/the-soapbox-episode-ii-a-new-hype/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/19/the-soapbox-episode-ii-a-new-hype/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/19/the-soapbox-episode-ii-a-new-hype/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect that of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Well golly, I think it's time for a bit of contrarian opinion regarding The Old Republic. I know, I know, I don't write about TOR aside from the occasional news post, but here is one of the many joys of Massively (and more specifically, the Soapbox). We all play a lot of games and have pretty strong opinions about them regardless of whether or not they're our bread and butter.

So, while my day job consists of covering sword and sorcery titles for our fine website, it's hard to get away from the oncoming repulsorlift hype train that is The Old Republic. Several months back, I wrote a Daily Grind in which I basically said that all the hoopla surrounding the game was getting tiresome. Predictably, crucifixion by comments ensued, all for daring to question the supremacy of both BioWare and Star Wars.

The fact that a minority opinion generated so much rancor (yeah, I went there) got me to thinking about TOR, BioWare, and the unrestrained optimism that often characterizes MMO fandom in general. On a purely personal level, my fire has gone out of the Star Wars universe, the fandom is all but extinct, a couple of posters and a model X-Wing are all that's left of my former religion. Can BioWare rekindle that fire? Do I even want it to?

Make point five past the lightspeed jump for more.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Episode II - A New Hype

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Episode II - A New Hype originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fans of Star Wars: The Old Republic have been spoiled at this year's E3, with new game trailers and talks on what we can expect from the game when it launches. Earlier today, we learned the surprising fact that each player would get his own starship and got a first glimpse of what lies ahead for SWTOR's PvP. At their latest presentation, Bioware have now confirmed that space exploration will be a part of the game, using a system very similar to that used by Mass Effect's Normandy. They went on to disclose two of the classes of ship players will be able to get in the game. Players siding with the Republic can get their hands on the Corellian Vanguard light corvette while Imperial players can get the Fury Class Imperial transport.

Skip past the cut to watch this awesome video of SWTOR's ship interiors and find out what's in store for PvP and group gameplay.

Continue reading Bioware discuss SWTOR player ships, group gameplay and PvP at E3

MassivelyBioware discuss SWTOR player ships, group gameplay and PvP at E3 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlegroundsbiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorbreakingcharactercustomisatione3e3-2010eaelectronic-artslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgpvepvpraidsshipstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republictrailervideowarzonewarzonesTue, 15 Jun 2010 18:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic not planned for fiscal year 2011]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/star-wars-the-old-republic-not-planned-for-fiscal-year-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/star-wars-the-old-republic-not-planned-for-fiscal-year-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/star-wars-the-old-republic-not-planned-for-fiscal-year-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

If you're eagerly awaiting the release of Star Wars: The Old Republic, even with the release window of April 2011 being thrown around, you could be forgiven for holding out hope that the game might get a slightly earlier release. (If you're sick of hearing about it, you might be hoping for an early release too, just so everyone will shut up.) But your hopes will not be borne out, it seems -- and the game might even come a bit later than we'd expected. John Riccitiello, CEO of Electronic Arts, has stated again that the game is not expected to ship during fiscal year '11.

Although he didn't reference Star Wars: The Old Republic by name, Riccitiello referred to a new MMO currently under development -- and CFO Eric Brown later referred specifically to the game as not being part of the '11 fiscal year forecast. The period under discussion ends on March 31st, 2011, which means that we can still look for the game early next year, but it's not getting pushed any faster. Still, it's only a year away, and that year could go quickly.

[ via Joystiq ]

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic not planned for fiscal year 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 May 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtoreaelectronic-artseric-brownfiscal-yearJohn-riccitiellolucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgreleaserelease-datestar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republicTue, 11 May 2010 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: the Old Republic expands Blood of the Empire]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/star-wars-the-old-republic-expands-blood-of-the-empire/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/star-wars-the-old-republic-expands-blood-of-the-empire/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/star-wars-the-old-republic-expands-blood-of-the-empire/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If there's one difficult task that Star Wars: The Old Republic has set for itself -- well, it's set several, but if there's one difficult lore task it would be transforming the Sith into a sympathetic and likable player faction. After all, they've got years and years and years of fiction painting them as unrelentingly evil bastards, while BioWare wants them to be heroic in their own way. It's no surprise, then, that the most recent installment of Blood of the Empire continues to show both the brutality of the Sith as well as their more compassionate side.

Expanding the focus from the young Teneb Kal from the first issue, this installment shows us what happens to Sith who decide to strike out on their own -- successfully or not. It also gives a look into some of the morality of the Sith, where attempts to seize power are expected, but failure to do so means you overstepped your bounds. With a closer look inside Dromund Kaas at the heart of the empire, the latest installment should be of interest to every Star Wars: The Old Republic lore scholar.

MassivelyStar Wars: the Old Republic expands Blood of the Empire originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 May 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorblood-of-the-empireeaelectronic-artslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgmoralitysithstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republicFri, 07 May 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Environmental effects and new comics for Star Wars: The Old Republic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/25/environmental-effects-and-new-comics-for-star-wars-the-old-repu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/25/environmental-effects-and-new-comics-for-star-wars-the-old-repu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/25/environmental-effects-and-new-comics-for-star-wars-the-old-repu/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The big announcement out of Star Wars: The Old Republic came ahead of time this week, with the release of a surprise video documentary detailing combat. On the other hand, the game isn't only about combat. Having completed the Threat of Peace storyline in comic form, the site has launched a new comic to continue exploring the game's lore in more personal terms. Blood of the Empire has gone live, taking the exact opposite approach to the prior comic by focusing on a young Sith during the conquest of Republic worlds for the growing empire.

True to form, the comic presents the Sith in the most straightforward fashion possible, leaving plenty of room for the moral ambiguity that classically defines BioWare's games. If that doesn't quite grab your fancy, the team's fan roundup has gone live, along with new concept art and a short trailer for the game. The former shows off some of the technology designs at work, while the latter highlights environmental effects from sparking generators to rippling water. It's a somewhat more contemplative look at Star Wars: The Old Republic compared to non-stop lightsabers and laser blasts, and it might prove a welcome contrast after the earlier announcements

MassivelyEnvironmental effects and new comics for Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backstorybiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorblood-of-the-empireeaelectronic-artsenvironmentenvironmental-effectslorelucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgrepublicsithstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republicthreat-of-peaceSun, 25 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic drops a surprise video documentary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/star-wars-the-old-republic-drops-a-surprise-video-documentary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/star-wars-the-old-republic-drops-a-surprise-video-documentary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/star-wars-the-old-republic-drops-a-surprise-video-documentary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It seemed like just another day for the legion of fans rabidly awaiting more information on Star Wars: The Old Republic, or more specifically another Thursday. After all, the site updates with content on such a regular schedule on Fridays that you could set your watch by it, assuming that your watch only measures what day it is. But we were surprised by the tease that the game would be posting an update via its social media sites on Twitter and Facebook. Lo and behold, it's a new developer video on one of the most central activities in the game: combat.

Currently exclusive to Gametrailers, the movie highlights the speed and fluidity of the game's combat animations as well as the overall design philosophy. One of the points the developers choose to point out is that most MMO combat is focused on several players versus a single boss enemy, which feels much less heroic and epic than a lone warrior struggling against unbeatable odds. Mobility, style, and more than a few interesting powers are on display in the six-minute video, which should give Star Wars: The Old Republic fans plenty to look forward to.

[ Thanks to Tziena for the tip! ]

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic drops a surprise video documentary originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorbreakingbreaking-newscombatdevelopmenteaelectronic-artslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republictrailersvideosThu, 22 Apr 2010 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Still hyped for Star Wars: The Old Republic?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/17/the-daily-grind-still-hyped-for-star-wars-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/17/the-daily-grind-still-hyped-for-star-wars-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/17/the-daily-grind-still-hyped-for-star-wars-the-old-republic/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

When we first heard that the much-anticipated Star Wars: The Old Republic was more than a year away (at the time), it was pretty depressing. Not just because it meant it was that much longer until it was playable, but also because there was little left they could tell us about the game and the world. We knew all the classes and what seemed like most of the areas -- and we had more than a year to wait. There wasn't much left to look forward to in 2010 other than expansions and maybe Final Fantasy XIV.

Time has passed, as it is wont to do, and we're now just around a year out from the projected release. We've seen steady updates from the Star Wars: The Old Republic team, but they've been a bit more content-light on occasion. And, of course, 2011 is starting to gain a full roster even without BioWare's much-anticipated game. So what are your feelings? Are you still excited to be one of the two million desired subscribers, or has your ardor cooled? Do you hold out hope for a big new announcement in the next few months? Or are you just sick of hearing about it one way or the other?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Still hyped for Star Wars: The Old Republic? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The looks we've gotten inside the planets of Star Wars: The Old Republic paint a number of different pictures, but for most of them the conflict is fairly cut-and-dry. There are objectives for Imperial Sith forces or the Republic, but there haven't been things that are external to both forces. But Voss, the latest world revealed, is a bit different. There is already an intelligent species living there, and they face utter annhilation even as both the Empire and the Republic try to curry their favor.

The eponymous Voss are isolated against the other natives, the Gormaks, and have been fighting a long and losing war in which Gormak assaults have all but destroyed them. But the reclusive Voss are powerful natural Force users, an asset to either major galactic power. Both are trying to gain the allegiance of these potentially powerful allies, even as they stare one another down.

The possibility for diverse adventures are obvious -- do you try and talk the Voss into helping your faction? Wipe out the Gormak? Attack your enemies when they're distracted? Ensure that if you don't get the aid of the Voss, no one does? The full reveal talks more about what looks poised to be a divisive part of Star Wars: The Old Republic, whatever path you would take.

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic reveals Voss originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtoreaelectronic-artslocationslorelucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgplanetsrepublicsithsith-empirestar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republicvossFri, 09 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Getting communal with Star Wars: The Old Republic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/07/getting-communal-with-star-wars-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/07/getting-communal-with-star-wars-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/07/getting-communal-with-star-wars-the-old-republic/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Star Wars as a franchise is not exactly unfamiliar with the idea of opposing sides, so it's kind of understandable that Star Wars: The Old Republic would eventually talk about the opposing forces in MMO design. No, not Mages versus Warlocks -- freeform or sandbox gameplay versus structured or themepark gameplay. And as BioWare seems to like doing whenever they talk about their game, the answer to these extremes comes down to "neither." Systems Designer Damien Schubert takes the opportunity in the most recent developer blog to talk about trying to place the game in tune with what he considers the most unique defining feature of MMOs -- the community.

Schubert affirms that the game's design goals are to reinforce group play and external interaction not by forcing players to group, but making them want to group. Options such as more community-oriented crafting are explored, as well as letting multiple people take part in the game's dialogue trees. After all, nothing builds interaction like a party member accidentally driving a quest contact into a rage through a poorly-timed interjection. The full entry contains more information on both design goals and their implementation in Star Wars: The Old Republic -- and even a year out, it seems the game itself is already doing quite a bit of community development.

MassivelyGetting communal with Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorcommunitycommunity-designdamien-schuberteaelectronic-artslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republicWed, 07 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR testing portal discovered, confirmed by BioWare]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/26/swtor-testing-portal-discovered-confirmed-by-bioware/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/26/swtor-testing-portal-discovered-confirmed-by-bioware/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/26/swtor-testing-portal-discovered-confirmed-by-bioware/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

No other community is perhaps more enthusiastic about their upcoming MMO than the one surrounding Star Wars: The Old Republic. Recently, they found what appeared to be a testing portal for the game and coupled with the countdown clocks on every other BioWare site (except for Star Wars: The Old Republic's site) the discovery created a fervor of speculation and discussion on the official forums -- mostly surrounding whether or not beta was near.

Shortly after these events, SWTOR community manager Sean Dahlberg confirmed that yes, this page is in fact a "Game Testing Portal". While we don't have even the slightest clue as to what this means, it may be a good time to update your hardware scan for the game's beta application. As for us? We'll be keeping our eyes locked on the game and perhaps we'll even stalk BioWare staff at PAX East like an Imperial Agent ready to strike.

MassivelySWTOR testing portal discovered, confirmed by BioWare originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtordarth-hatereaelectronic-artslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgsean-dahlbergstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republicFri, 26 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare adds SWTOR holonet biographies]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/26/bioware-adds-swtor-holonet-biographies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/26/bioware-adds-swtor-holonet-biographies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/26/bioware-adds-swtor-holonet-biographies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Fridays are traditionally a day for BioWare to let slip a little bit more info about their upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG. Today is no different, as the official web site has been updated with a brand new Holonet feature called Biographies.

The new section is arranged by faction, and to kick things off, BioWare has tidbits on Grand Moff Kilran ('the Butcher of Coruscant'), Nemro the Hutt, and Jedi Grand Master Satele Shan. As is also tradition around the official site, there are a few blank spaces left visible to whet our collective appetites for future updates.

Check out the news release as well as the bio page proper.

MassivelyBioWare adds SWTOR holonet biographies originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biographiesbiowarebioware-mmoholonetlorestar warsstar-wars-mmostar-wars-the-old-republicStarWarsthe-old-republicFri, 26 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare countdown breeds speculation on Star Wars: The Old Republic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/24/bioware-countdown-breeds-speculation-on-star-wars-the-old-repub/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/24/bioware-countdown-breeds-speculation-on-star-wars-the-old-repub/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/24/bioware-countdown-breeds-speculation-on-star-wars-the-old-repub/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's a sure thing that if you put a countdown on your site, gamers will start speculating rampantly as to what it means. BioWare has apparently decided to get in on some of that action, with their pages for the company, Dragon Age: Origins, and the Mass Effect franchise all displaying the same cryptic countdown. At the time of the above screenshot, it's going to hit zero on March 29th at roughly noon EST. The question, of course, is only half-answered by doing the math -- because the real question isn't just "when," but also "what?"

Fans of the hotly-anticipated Star Wars: The Old Republic have been speculating up a storm that it ties to an announcement for the game, perhaps the start of beta or even more news on launch. Careful digging from forum members Ianril and Zechio have uncovered a potential launch site for the game, which is currently devoid of content but certainly looks legitimate enough. Short of the company coming out and saying what it's for, we won't know for sure until noon on Monday, but those who can't wait to test the game (possibly after our GDC impressions) might have good reason to hope for the best.

[ Thanks to everyone who sent this in! ]

Update: Attempting to log into the new "launch" page with a BioWare account will return the error, "No game servers are currently available for play." Could this be the actual game servers, or perhaps servers for some other type of promotional game? Speculation continues...

Update 2: BioWare's PR has responded to Joystiq's Ben Gilbert with the following statement: "The announcement is more community focused and won't be a game announcement. Unfortunately we can't share the details with the press."

MassivelyBioWare countdown breeds speculation on Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-countdownbioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorbreakingcountdowneaelectronic-artslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgspeculationstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republicWed, 24 Mar 2010 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR's lead writer shares more insight on the Sith]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/23/swtors-lead-writer-shares-more-insight-on-the-sith/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/23/swtors-lead-writer-shares-more-insight-on-the-sith/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/23/swtors-lead-writer-shares-more-insight-on-the-sith/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Yesterday's story about Star Wars: The Old Republic writer Daniel Erickson's explanation of how someone writes for the Sith Empire sparked a Rancor-sized amount of discussion. There was so much discussion in fact, that Daniel Erickson took to the official forums to further explain his reasoning and thought process behind writing from the Empire's point of view.

Of the conversation occurring across the official forums, Erickson had to say, "An interesting thread. I always like to see what responses the philosophical discussions provoke. Hopefully people noticed that there were no quotes from me saying the Sith were good -- even the interviewer ended on it being an excuse to unleash ones hate." After that intro, Erickson goes on to deftly explain the complexities behind writing for ostensibly the "evil side" in a manner that makes them more than dastardly villains with cape and cane. It's a short, but very good read and we highly recommend it for anyone with even a passing interest in Star Wars: The Old Republic.

MassivelySWTOR's lead writer shares more insight on the Sith originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtoreaelectronic-artslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republicTue, 23 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Are the Sith 'good guys' in Star Wars: The Old Republic?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/22/are-the-sith-good-guys-in-star-wars-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/22/are-the-sith-good-guys-in-star-wars-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/22/are-the-sith-good-guys-in-star-wars-the-old-republic/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Is it possible to think of the Sith as good guys in Star Wars: The Old Republic? Well, according to the game's lead writer Daniel Erickson it's all about perspective. One of the many pens behind BioWare's first MMO spoke with Ars Technica on the topic of telling the Sith Empire's side of the story in a way that makes them more than just simple villains.

Erickson explained that growing up in the Sith Empire, a person would know there is an Emperor and that he saved their people's very existence. They would also know there is a much larger society out there who, "deemed your people and your religion not worthy to exist." In fact, Erickson even went so far as to say, "[The Sith] get chased out of the galaxy. In fact, in the lore, chased to the point where the Jedi believe they are dead. This is very close to genocide! The Jedi believe these people to be unredeemable."

It's very interesting explanation of a culture and people that could've otherwise been portrayed as mustache-twirling villains. Obviously, this is only a taste of the lore waiting for us all once Star Wars: The Old Republic launches but it's quite the preview if you ask us.

MassivelyAre the Sith 'good guys' in Star Wars: The Old Republic? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ars-technicabiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtordaniel-ericksoneaelectronic-artslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republicMon, 22 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How well do you think SWTOR will do?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/20/the-daily-grind-how-well-do-you-think-swtor-will-do/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/20/the-daily-grind-how-well-do-you-think-swtor-will-do/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/20/the-daily-grind-how-well-do-you-think-swtor-will-do/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We're not very surprised to hear that Electronic Arts is expecting a heaping ton of subscribers for Star Wars: The Old Republic. After all, we're talking about an MMO based in the beloved Star Wars universe, made by BioWare and set during the Old Republic era popularized by the developer's hit game, Knights of the Old Republic.

There's still the mystery of Star Wars: The Old Republic's business model to consider. A blended system seems possible, but at this point there's no solid evidence for any one particular system. But is two million a bit too much, you think? Or perhaps you think it's not enough. Whatever you do think the success level of the game is going to be, we're curious to read everyone's thoughts on the topic.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How well do you think SWTOR will do? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtoreaelectronic-artsgame-discussiongamer-discussionlucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgmmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicsstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtortdgthe-daily-grindthe-old-republicSat, 20 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic's 'heady' sneak peek at character customization]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/19/star-wars-the-old-republics-heady-sneak-peek-at-character-cu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/19/star-wars-the-old-republics-heady-sneak-peek-at-character-cu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/19/star-wars-the-old-republics-heady-sneak-peek-at-character-cu/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As you can see from the image above, this week's Star Wars: The Old Republic Fan Friday brings us a peek at some of the customization options for character heads. There's also another work-in-progress video, this time of the Force Lightning powers as used by the Sith Inquisitor. The game continues to look better at a very consistent rate. So much so, that we wouldn't be too surprised if BioWare has some really exciting stuff to show off at E3 2010.

Moving back into the now, this week's fan art highlight is by community member Hazaz who's got some really great stuff that we think is worth checking out. However, this "Short History of the Sith for Newbies" guide on the official forums is a recommended read for any Star Wars fan, regardless of their interest in the game. But tread carefully or you may lose your entire weekend -- or a few hours, depending on your reading speed -- to the uncaring black depths that is Star Wars lore.

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic's 'heady' sneak peek at character customization originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There's something to be said about feeling like you're fully engaged by an MMO. By "fully engaged" I don't mean that an MMO should be incredibly challenging. I also don't mean that it should "feel immersive" via sandbox or any other design philosophy.

What I mean is that -- and this is obviously just my opinion -- a game should do its very best to make sure the player is always instantly, nearly and eventually involved. I know that sounds confusing, but let me explain before you start attempting to mail me lettuce so that I can pay a friend to throw it at me.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: The importance of involvement

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: The importance of involvement originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionactivision-blizzardbiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorblizzardeaelectronic-artsfeaturedlucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgopinionstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-digital-continuumthe-old-republicworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 08 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: GDC10 predictions?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/the-daily-grind-gdc10-predictions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/the-daily-grind-gdc10-predictions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/the-daily-grind-gdc10-predictions/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With GDC 2010 officially beginning tomorrow, March 9th, we'd like to hear your MMO predictions. And remember, the wilder the better. Although, if you've got some inside info, we're always happy to receive hints via our contact form.

Here are some of our predictions, see if you can figure out the wild crazy ones:

  • Red 5 Studios minimally reveals the name of their first title.
  • BioWare attends, but Star Wars: The Old Republic maintains a low presence.
  • Realtime Worlds will be there showing off something awesome about All Points Bulletin. This particular blogger will obsess over not attending and missing out on seeing the game again.
  • Massively Editor Sera Brennan will be dared and subsequently sing a most heinously embarrassing song. She'll later regret these events, as the very performance of said song will delay, at minimum, five MMOs set to release sometime within the next 24 months.
Think you can do better? We agree, but would like to see proof, mind you.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: GDC10 predictions? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-gameapb-eaapb-gamebiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtoreaea-all-points-bulletinea-apbea-gameselectronic-artselectronic-arts-all-points-bulletingdc-2010lucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgopinionred-5red-5-studiosstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-daily-grindthe-old-republicMon, 08 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Feeling jaded on MMOs?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/28/the-daily-grind-feeling-jaded-on-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/28/the-daily-grind-feeling-jaded-on-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/28/the-daily-grind-feeling-jaded-on-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Reading the comments around Massively, sometimes we wonder if any of our readers are feeling jaded with the current crop of MMOs. In fact, we often wonder if even the upcoming titles like All Points Bulletin, Final Fantasy XIV and Star Wars: The Old Republic are of any interest to many of you.

And, if nothing out there is really doing it for you, we'd like to hear what would. Of course, we're far more interested in hearing what isn't appealing to you and why. It's an unpredictable world out there where games like Perpetuum look to meld open economy/PvP with giant robots in the future. So why wouldn't anyone elses' crazy MMO idea have a shot at taking root?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Feeling jaded on MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-gameapbapb-eaapb-gamebiowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtoreaea-all-points-bulletinea-gameselectronic-artselectronic-arts-all-points-bulletinffxivfinal-fantasy-xivlucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgperpetuumrealtime-worldssquare-enixstar-warsstar-wars-mmostar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-daily-grindthe-old-republicSun, 28 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST