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[WildStar's state-of-the-game missive promises new content, quality-of-life adjustments]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/10/wildstars-state-of-the-game-missive-promises-new-content-quali/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/10/wildstars-state-of-the-game-missive-promises-new-content-quali/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/10/wildstars-state-of-the-game-missive-promises-new-content-quali/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Carbine Studios has just posted another WildStar state-of-the-game letter to fans. In it, the studio says that an upcoming content update will provide two content chapters: The first, Mystery of the Genesis Prime, will introduce a new level 50 zone and tie into the plot from The Strain. The second, Journey to OMNIcore-1, opens up the "galaxy-spanning Nexus Saga," which the devs say includes "content for players of all stripes, from lore-filled immersive solo content, to fast and furious 5-player quests and massive 20-player public events."

Carbine also mentions sweeping bug fixes, ELO tweaks, housing remodeling, extensive quality-of-life adjustments for lowbies, and tutorial-skipping for alts.

The studio does not provide a date for the release; Carbine has previously floated November for the patch's likely arrival. The devs do say they're putting more into this release "than [they've] put into any update so far."

MassivelyWildStar's state-of-the-game missive promises new content, quality-of-life adjustments originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosncsoftsandparksci-fantasysci-fisotgState-of-the-gamewildstarwsFri, 10 Oct 2014 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Nexus Telegraph: Dribs and drabs of WildStar]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/06/the-nexus-telegraph-dribs-and-drabs-of-wildstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/06/the-nexus-telegraph-dribs-and-drabs-of-wildstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/06/the-nexus-telegraph-dribs-and-drabs-of-wildstar/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Admittedly, talking about it seems a little silly.
The past few weeks have not been a fun time to be a fan of WildStar, and we still have heard distressingly little about what's coming in the next patch. Heck, the most I can think of hearing about in recent memory is the announcement that the game will not feature any sort of holiday content this year, and as those of you who know me will probably guess I kind of wanted a Halloween event. (I like October.)

But let's talk about what we do know and where we are right now, since barring any further developments, there's not much more to be said about what isn't working. Either things get addressed or they don't. So let's talk about the next drop, what we will and won't be getting from it with any measure of luck, and about the complete lack of holiday content and why anyone should care. Yes, even if you normally don't care about holiday content!

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: Dribs and drabs of WildStar

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: Dribs and drabs of WildStar originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Oct 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oh, what could have been.
If you're a Fallen Earth player eagerly awaiting the release of the Outpost (the player-built town originally meant for live implementation this month) you're going to have to wait a little longer. But you're not being forgotten, either. The latest development update states that while it's taken a while to even bring the new feature to the test server, the team is still hard at work testing all of the ways it interacts with other systems in the game, and it's still on its way.

Additionally, this update reveals that another developer has joined the team. The Scapegoat is a systems developer who will be responsible for tweaking the game's skills and mutations, with a build and patch notes due to arrive on the test server very shortly. While it's still largely quiet for the post-apocalyptic game, players should be happy that there are still signs of life.

MassivelyFallen Earth posts its update on development in May originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 May 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A new state of the game post is up today for Infestation: Survivor Stories (formerly The War Z), and the team claims that the title has seen 2.5 million players pass through its doors, with "over 100,000 people" playing the game daily.

The team apologized for not getting its promised updates out on time and said that it's made "sweeping changes" to improve communications and be more accurate with releases. Part of these efforts included hiring CMs and pledging to an internal model of "complete transparency whenever possible."

The state of the game post went on to list some of the game's recent additions, including vehicles, Super Zombies, balance tweaks, and an overhaul of the Colorado map. The team also said that it has committed itself to work on Infestation without external funding.

MassivelyInfestation: Survivor Stories claims 2.5 million players to date originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Apr 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>b2pbuy-to-playhammerpointhammerpoint-interactivehorrorinfestationinfestation-survivor-storiessandboxstate-of-the-gamethe-war-zwar-zwarzzombiezombie-mmoFri, 25 Apr 2014 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Elder Scrolls Online's Matt Firor posts on the state of the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/23/elder-scrolls-onlines-firor-posts-on-the-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/23/elder-scrolls-onlines-firor-posts-on-the-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/23/elder-scrolls-onlines-firor-posts-on-the-state-of-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

ESO's Alik'r desert
Elder Scrolls Online lead developer Matt Firor has posted a state-of-the-game address on the fantasy MMO's forum.

Firor says that, yes, ZeniMax sees the groups of bots clustered around the game's dungeon bosses and that yes, it is taking steps to address the problem. "We regularly ban accounts involved in spam and bot activity," Firor says, but the scope of said activity is so large that it accounts for nearly 85 percent of ESO's customer service tickets.

There's also a blurb about de-synched quests as well as a brief preview of the game's first major update that ZeniMax is currently prepping for ESO's test server.

Continue reading The Elder Scrolls Online's Matt Firor posts on the state of the game

MassivelyThe Elder Scrolls Online's Matt Firor posts on the state of the game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2014 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdabethesda-softworksbethsoftbotsbottingdaggerfallelder-scrollselder-scrolls-onlineelder-scrolls-state-of-the-gameesofactionsmatt-firormorrowindoblivionpvprvrskill-basedskyrimstate-of-the-gametamrieltestesothe-elder-scrollsthe-elder-scrolls-onlinethree-faction-pvpthree-way-pvpzenimaxzenimax-mediazenimax-onlinezenimax-online-studiosWed, 23 Apr 2014 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth nodes to get less 'willy-nilly']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/09/fallen-earth-nodes-to-get-less-willy-nilly/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/09/fallen-earth-nodes-to-get-less-willy-nilly/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/04/09/fallen-earth-nodes-to-get-less-willy-nilly/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Fallen Earth
Tired of node placement refusing to make a lick of common sense in Fallen Earth? There's a dev for that.

Fallen Earth's new state of the game post for April has a word or two to say about how the team is moving around gathering nodes to fit the environment better. "What this will look like is an increase in hand-placed nodes that reflect the setting and environment better and fewer nodes scattered willy-nilly," said Producer Marie Croall.

The post also talks about new armor suits and cosmetic gear recipes that are coming soon as part of the rewards for controlling the Outpost.

MassivelyFallen Earth nodes to get less 'willy-nilly' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Apr 2014 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallen Earth
The Fallen Earth team is hard at work on the next major update of the game, which will include a player-built town called the Outpost.

In a new state of the game post, the devs show off a few of the structures in this town. "Since the plot for the area revolves around the Outsiders and GlobalTech, we wanted to take advantage of those groups' love of technology and give the buildings some high tech pieces as well as keeping the aged pre-fall feel," the devs wrote.

The Outpost will be bigger and "more robust" than Citadel and should be hitting the live servers some time in May.

MassivelyFallen Earth gives a sneak peek at its player-built town originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Mar 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neverwinter
It's no surprise that big PvP changes are coming to Neverwinter soon, and Cryptic Executive Producer Rob Overmeyer has a state of the game video to help sum up what's going down in this action MMO.

Coming "early 2014," the PvP update will contain stat changes, a new stat called Tenacity, crowd control tweaks, and new armor sets. But as they say, seeing is believing, so check out the overview by Overmeyer after the break.

Continue reading Watch Neverwinter's PvP state of the game

MassivelyWatch Neverwinter's PvP state of the game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallen Earth dev blog
There's a brief state-of-the-game update now live on the Fallen Earth website. The devs are apparently hard at work on some new content as well as various improvements to existing stuff. The post mentions PvP keep adjustments, and more specifically tweaks that will shift the focus from player-vs.-door to player-vs.-player.

The game's Outpost area also gets a mention. It's "staged content will give players more to explore as well as give [the devs] new ways to challenge and reward both group and solo activities.

MassivelyHere's Fallen Earth's latest state-of-the-game originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Jan 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfallen-earthfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstpost-apocpost-apocalypticsandboxsci-fistate-of-the-gamewastelandsFri, 10 Jan 2014 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Neverwinter state of the game talks player feedback and future expansions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/23/neverwinter-state-of-the-game-talks-player-feedback-and-future-e/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/23/neverwinter-state-of-the-game-talks-player-feedback-and-future-e/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/23/neverwinter-state-of-the-game-talks-player-feedback-and-future-e/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Neverwinter
Neverwinter fans may want to pop over to the game's official site and read lead producer Andy Velasquez's state of the game post, which outlines challenges faced by the dev team, successes it has seen this year, and hopes it has for the future of the game. Velasquez noted the Shadowmantle expansion as a high point for the game, praising his team for being able to "get it done so quickly while maintaining a high-quality product."

Velasquez also explained that it is Cryptic's goal to get future expansions live on the test server earlier in the development process, thus allowing for deeper testing and the collection of more player feedback. According to Velasquez, player feedback is invaluable in helping the Neverwinter team understand which changes to implement.

Other small successes were celebrated; Neverwinter has launched a Russian shard and the team is hard at work on the next content update.

MassivelyNeverwinter state of the game talks player feedback and future expansions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Dec 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Defiance
Defiance Creative Lead Trick Dempsey is in the middle of his move to Trion Worlds' Redwood Shores studio, but he's paused to take the time to write a state of the game before he changes ZIP codes.

The top priority for the Defiance team is fixing weapons -- all of them. Dempsey said that the team is examining the "core balance" of all of the weapons and sorting out rarity and bonus issues. "Higher rarity weapons will always be accompanied with celebration and never disappointment," he promised.

The team is also looking to tweak and improve shields, inventory, objectives, the UI, and especially the chat system. Dempsey ends his letter teasing the upcoming second DLC, the details of which he says will be coming "soon."

[Thanks to Etaew for the tip!]

MassivelyDefiance state of the game promises improvements originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Sep 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallen Earth shares State of the Game birthday blog
While many are celebrating (or suffering) back-to-school this month, Fallen Earth is focusing its celebratory sights on a different event: its birthday! That's right -- this month the post-apocalyptic wasteland turns four years old. And as part of the festivities, AP Augmented weapons will be released, rifles are getting a power boost, and new player-requested clothing items are hitting the scene. Players can custom color a set of Phoenix Plate armor, grab a new duster with removable spiky shoulder pads, or wear a hoodie that would make Tiggs happy. All subscribers will get a revamped Lifenet suit for the anniversary.

Also coming soon are more dyeable accessories and clothes (like boots, belts, and head wear), holiday garb, and a special something in honor of the Breaking Bad series.

MassivelyFallen Earth shares State of the Game birthday blog originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neverwinter talks new classes and more in latest State of the Game
It's been almost three months since Lead Producer Andy Velasquez last checked in with a State of the Game for Neverwinter, but yesterday's post touched on several new features leading up to Module 1: Fury of the Feywild.

There's mention of the dedicated exploit team checking for cheaters, the NeverwinterPreview server, Module 1's new content across the board, The Foundry's uptime, and the live team. But possibly of the most interest in this article is talk of new classes and Paragon Paths, which Velasquez says will be coming by the end of the year.

You can check out the full article over at the game's main site for more information.

MassivelyNeverwinter talks new classes and more in latest State of the Game originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Aug 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoandy-velasquezcrypticcryptic-studiosdndf2pfantasyfree-to-playfury-of-the-feywildmodule-1neverwinterneverwinterpreviewparagon-pathsperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpwestate-of-the-gameThu, 22 Aug 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hearthstone begins closed beta testing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/16/hearthstone-begins-closed-beta-testing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/16/hearthstone-begins-closed-beta-testing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/16/hearthstone-begins-closed-beta-testing/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Hearthstone begins closed beta testing
Shuffle the deck of your hopes and dreams because Hearthstone has just started its closed beta testing and sent out the first wave of invites from the applicant pool. To make matters more interesting, Blizzard is not holding an NDA for the duration of the beta process, so expect to hear a lot of feedback from people trying out this online card game as the beta progresses.

To get into the beta, you'll need to have a Battle.net account and choose to opt in to the test from there or through the website. Blizzard will be notifying beta participants via email, but cautions players to watch out for scams.

The studio said that it will invite more waves of players as needed and confirmed that it will be wiping all collections and progress partway through the beta period. Blizzard does not expect to do another wipe after this one, however.

MassivelyHearthstone begins closed beta testing originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardbetabeta-testblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcardcard-gamescross-platformdeckbuildingdecksdraftdraft-decksdraft-formatf2pfree-to-playgame-mechanicsgame-modeshearthstoneipadmobilendaonline-card-gamesopen-betapreviewsstate-of-the-betastate-of-the-gamevirtual-card-gamesworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 16 Aug 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth focuses on augmented weapons]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/14/fallen-earth-focuses-on-augmented-weapons/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/14/fallen-earth-focuses-on-augmented-weapons/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/14/fallen-earth-focuses-on-augmented-weapons/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Fallen Earth focuses on augmented weapons
Do you have a pool of unused, long-suffering AP sitting around on your Fallen Earth character? GamersFirst has plans for something to put those points to good use: the upcoming AP augmented weapon system.

These augmented weapons are high-end devices that can be tweaked by using players' AP to increase stats and skills. A tricked-out augmented weapon is an awesome thing, as it'll add powerful buffs to players when used.

The team said that it'll also be doing a weapons pass with many of the game's deadly instruments to make sure that the damage is balanced and consistent throughout. There were also hints regarding a "rather ambitious plan" coming in the near future: "After looking at the player response to features such as citadel and farms, we want to focus more on the players impact on the world and let everyone drive the action more."

MassivelyFallen Earth focuses on augmented weapons originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Aug 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ap-augmented-weaponsaugmented-weaponaugmented-weapon-systemf2pfallen-earthfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstpatchpost-apocpost-apocalypticpreviewsandboxsci-fistate-of-the-gamewastelandsWed, 14 Aug 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RaiderZ shutting down in Korea, NA version endures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/14/raiderz-shutting-down-in-korea-na-version-endures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/14/raiderz-shutting-down-in-korea-na-version-endures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/14/raiderz-shutting-down-in-korea-na-version-endures/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

RaiderZ shutting down in Korea
RaiderZ just can't catch a break, it seems. Just a few weeks after the title was shuttered in Europe, Neowiz announced that it will be taking the game offline in South Korea next month. The Korean version will go dark on September 24th, and the publisher said that it will be reimbursing cash purchases through October.

The North American version is still alive and kicking, however, and has released a state of the game post to rally players behind the title. Perfect World said that it's preparing new monsters, zones, dungeons, and loot for the near future. The company also took the opportunity to promote its in-game events, such as GM-run hide-and-seek games.

MassivelyRaiderZ shutting down in Korea, NA version endures originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Aug 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actionaction-mmoclosing-downclosuref2pfantasyfree-to-playneowizperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpweraiderzstate-of-the-gamesunsetWed, 14 Aug 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hearthstone preps for beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/07/hearthstone-preps-for-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/07/hearthstone-preps-for-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/08/07/hearthstone-preps-for-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Hearthstone preps for beta
While it's not quite beta time for Hearthstone, Blizzard's wild and crazy crew (above) announced that it has finished all of the major features that will be present for testing. However, there's still some more work to be done before the team opens the beta valve; bug fixes and infrastructure building are taking priority prior to any large-scale testing.

"What that means is that we're not days away from launching the beta, but we're not months away either," the devs wrote. "At the Hearthstone announcement we committed to going into beta testing before the summer was over, and the team has been pulling out all the stops to make that happen."

The upcoming beta will begin in North America, but the team assures residents of Europe, Korea, and Taiwan that their time will come shortly thereafter. While the initial influx of testers will be small, Blizzard will continually expand the testing pool until everyone can join in. The team revealed a special gold card that will be given to any testers who spend money in the beta and said that a recent test of cross-platform gaming between a PC and an iPad went smoothly.

MassivelyHearthstone preps for beta originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardbetabeta-testblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcardcard-gamescross-platformdeckbuildingdecksdraftdraft-decksdraft-formatf2pfree-to-playgame-mechanicsgame-modeshearthstoneipadmobileonline-card-gamesopen-betapreviewsstate-of-the-betastate-of-the-gamevirtual-card-gamesworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 07 Aug 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth is opening up in June]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/fallen-earth-is-opening-up-in-june/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/fallen-earth-is-opening-up-in-june/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/fallen-earth-is-opening-up-in-june/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Saint's Row the Post-Apocalyptic.
While the pace of its updates is a little slower than it used to be, Fallen Earth is still the same basic game -- a post-apocalyptic wasteland with plenty of ways for players to kill or maim one another in a harsh landscape. And the June State of the Game address takes a moment to mention that, reminding players that traveling through PvP areas is supposed to be a dangerous venture. The developers are also adding in The Dome and another open PvP area in the near future, so there will be new places for players to experience that danger.

Not interested? That's all right because there are also plans to add a new area to the game's PvE side, which will offer players a chance to explore some of the game's biggest lore mysteries. Ever wondered if anything else is intact outside of the Grand Canyon area? That's something for players to look forward to in the future, and the developers are promising it'll allow you to explore the wasteland in a new fashion. So that's something to look forward to.

MassivelyFallen Earth is opening up in June originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>areasdevelopment-diaryf2pfallen-earthfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstnewspatchespost-apocpost-apocalypticpreviewsregionssandboxsci-fisotgstate-of-the-gamewastelandsTue, 11 Jun 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pirates of the Burning Sea unfolds 2013 road map]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/pirates-of-the-burning-sea-unfolds-2013-road-map/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/pirates-of-the-burning-sea-unfolds-2013-road-map/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/11/pirates-of-the-burning-sea-unfolds-2013-road-map/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Pirates of the Burning Sea unfurls 2013 road map
Portalus Games Lead Programmer Hamled has apologized to players for "the lack of discernible progress and substantive information" in Pirates of the Burning Sea as of late. To make it up to fans, Hamled has posted an extensive development road map for 2013.

In descending order of priority, the dev mentions the following projects for the team: getting out the 2.12 update, completing the transition from Flying Lab Software, bringing back up needed hardware infrastructure, rebuilding the account system, providing localization services, creating a dedicated game installer, and redesigning the official website.

"I will be working on many of these tasks in parallel because we can't afford to wait until each one is completely finished before moving on to the next," Hamled stated.

MassivelyPirates of the Burning Sea unfolds 2013 road map originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.122.12-updatef2pfantasyfree-to-playhamledhistoricalpatch-2.12piratespirates-of-the-burning-seaportalusportalus-gamespotbsroadmapstate-of-the-gameupdate-2.12Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth rolls out the '13 Vandal]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/fallen-earth-rolls-out-the-13-vandal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/fallen-earth-rolls-out-the-13-vandal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/fallen-earth-rolls-out-the-13-vandal/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Fallen Earth rolls out the '13 Vandal
April Fools in the wasteland of Fallen Earth is just like our holiday, except that pranks tend to be a lot more radioactive and fatal than ours. But just as funny, y'know? What isn't a joke is the new Fallen Earth state of the game post, in which the team unveils the latest car coming to the game: the Vandal.

The Vandal is a decked-out car with as much style as it has armor. While the model on display was a uniformly plain gray vehicle, the devs promise that there will be several different paint jobs available when it rolls off the assembly line.

The team is also working on resolving issues with Blood Sports; it says that these issues should be resolved soon if they aren't already.

MassivelyFallen Earth rolls out the '13 Vandal originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blood-sportsbugbugscardev-blogdev-diaryf2pfallen-earthfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstpost-apocpost-apocalypticpreviewsandboxsci-fistate-of-the-gamevandalwastelandsFri, 05 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Trion Worlds promises that it's addressing critical Defiance issues]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/trion-worlds-promises-that-its-addressing-critical-defiance-iss/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/trion-worlds-promises-that-its-addressing-critical-defiance-iss/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/trion-worlds-promises-that-its-addressing-critical-defiance-iss/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Trion Worlds promises that Defiance's team is addressing critical issues
Executive Producer Nathan Richardsson has mixed emotions in regards to Defiance's release. "This first day of launch of Defiance has been as awesome as we expected it to be," he wrote in a state of the game post. "And by awesome, I mean we're neck deep addressing all the issues that come up when you scale something up to a million people from a test environment of thousands."

Richardsson promised that the large Trion team is working hard to "update, patch, fix, and improve" Defiance post-launch. The most critical problems that he identifies are connectivity problems, missing pre-order items, the scaling of bosses and arkfalls, and broken chat and VOIP.

"We appreciate the trust that you are showing us by coming with us and we will address all these issues," he concludes.

Speaking of awesome, check out the main theme to Defiance, composed by Bear McCreary, after the jump!

Continue reading Trion Worlds promises that it's addressing critical Defiance issues

MassivelyTrion Worlds promises that it's addressing critical Defiance issues originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arkark-hunterarkfallBear-McCrearybugbugsdefiancehotfixissueissueslaunchmmo-shooterNathan-Richardssonpatchproblemspvpreleasesci-fishooterstate-of-the-gamesyfythird-person-shootertpstransmedia-synergytriontrion-worldstvxboxWed, 03 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC 2013: James Ohlen on how F2P saved SWTOR]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/29/gdc-2013-james-ohlen-on-how-f2p-saved-swtor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/29/gdc-2013-james-ohlen-on-how-f2p-saved-swtor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/29/gdc-2013-james-ohlen-on-how-f2p-saved-swtor/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

GDC swtor panel writeup see team email for the assets
If you've been following BioWare for any length of time, then you know James Ohlen. When I interviewed him a couple of years back at PAX East and again last year at the Star Wars: The Old Republic guild summit, I could feel his sincere passion for the game. Ohlen joined the SWTOR project at its inception and held the creative director position for well over half a decade. SWTOR is as much his game as anyone's.

As is common at the Game Developers Conference, developers speak candidly to other future game-creators about the inner workings of their studios' biggest projects. Sometimes those tales are cautionary; some are inspiring. This time, Ohlen's told the story of SWTOR, the game that currently holds the record as the second largest subscription MMO ever, and how free-to-play turned what could have been a tale of utter failure into a story of success.

Continue reading GDC 2013: James Ohlen on how F2P saved SWTOR

MassivelyGDC 2013: James Ohlen on how F2P saved SWTOR originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareconconferenceconventioneaelectronic-artseventevent-coverageeventsexpansionf2pfeaturedfree-to-playgame-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-2013gdcgdc-2013greg-zeschukhutt-carteljames-ohlenlucasartsmassively-event-coverageopinionray-muzykarise-of-the-hutt-cartelrothcsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicState-of-the-gameswtorthe-old-republictoryear-oneFri, 29 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare: SWTOR servers 'teeming with people']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/bioware-swtor-servers-teeming-with-people/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/bioware-swtor-servers-teeming-with-people/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/bioware-swtor-servers-teeming-with-people/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

SWTOR - Black Talon group
BioWare executive producer Jeff Hickman has penned a state-of-the-game post for Star Wars: The Old Republic. In it, he says that the firm's "new high-capacity servers are teeming with people." SWTOR has seen more than two million new accounts created since its free-to-play switcheroo, and Hickman also promises that the dev team's "eight-week new content cadence" will continue.

New features are coming, too, including a new avatar customization feature and the new Cathar species, not to mention the Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion.

MassivelyBioWare: SWTOR servers 'teeming with people' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecustomizationeaelectronic-artsf2pfree-to-playjeff-hickmanlucasartsrise-of-the-hutt-cartelsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicstate-of-the-gameswtorswtor-customizationswtor-state-of-the-gamethe-old-republictorThu, 21 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet devs weigh in on Guild Wars 2 state-of-the-game video]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/arenanet-devs-weigh-in-on-guild-wars-2-state-of-the-game-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/arenanet-devs-weigh-in-on-guild-wars-2-state-of-the-game-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/arenanet-devs-weigh-in-on-guild-wars-2-state-of-the-game-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2 - Angry Charr
Guild Wars 2 Guru has partnered with ArenaNet to bring you a lengthy state-of-the-game video. The clip features Guild Wars 2 devs Tyler Bearce, Johnathan Sharp, and Karl McClain and it runs for a good hour-and-a-half.

Topics include Spirit Watch, profession balance, tournaments and matchmaking, and future plans for the game. Grab your favorite beverage and watch the whole thing after the cut.

Continue reading ArenaNet devs weigh in on Guild Wars 2 state-of-the-game video

MassivelyArenaNet devs weigh in on Guild Wars 2 state-of-the-game video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbuy-to-playfantasyguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-state-of-the-gamegw2gw2-state-of-the-gamejohnathan-sharpkarl-mcclainncsoftstate-of-the-gametyler-bearcevideoFri, 15 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Goodbye Scott, hello 2.2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/enter-at-your-own-rift-goodbye-scott-hello-2-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/enter-at-your-own-rift-goodbye-scott-hello-2-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/enter-at-your-own-rift-goodbye-scott-hello-2-2/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Enter at Your Own Rift Goodbye Scott, hello 22
If I was to make a list of the top, oh, five or 10 MMO developers whom I admire, Scott Hartsman would be on there. It's not just that I appreciate that he's one of the few human beings who is shorter than I am, but that he's had a remarkable career full of accomplishments that I respect. EverQuest II and RIFT both owe a great debt to the leadership of Hartsman, which is why it was a sad shock to hear that he was leaving Trion Worlds for unknown pastures.

And thus we begin a new year of RIFT, teetering between uncertainty and promise. For as severe as Hartsman's departure will be felt in the development of the game and in its community, we're also looking ahead to the title's third year of operation and a new update that looks to add even more delectable treats on top of this fantasy buffet.

So today we're going to say goodbye to Scott and hello to Update 2.2 as we look at the recent state of the game post.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Goodbye Scott, hello 2.2

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Goodbye Scott, hello 2.2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.22.3archeagebill-fisherconquestdefiancedepartureend-of-nationsenter-at-your-own-rifteq-iieverquest-iifantasyfeaturedopinionpvpriftrift-literift-planes-of-telararvrscott-hartsmanstate-of-the-gamestorm-legiontelarathree-faction-pvpthree-way-pvptriontrion-worldsupdate-2.2update-2.3Wed, 06 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar reveals 2013 launch window, ambitious plans to make MMOs fun again]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/wildstar-reveals-2013-launch-window-ambitious-plans-to-make-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/wildstar-reveals-2013-launch-window-ambitious-plans-to-make-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/wildstar-reveals-2013-launch-window-ambitious-plans-to-make-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Check it, y'all. I'm the cutest thing this side of Dominion space. And I'm clothed.
WildStar has won Massively's "most anticipated MMO" award for the past two years, even edging out Guild Wars 2 for the title in 2012. No pressure or anything, right? Fortunately, the game won't have an opportunity to go for three: As announced in this morning's state of the game letter, we can expect WildStar's closed beta within the next three months and a launch at the end of 2013 if all goes well during the testing process.

To mark the occasion, Carbine Studios invited press to the equivalent of a video game debutante ball in San Francisco to see just how much the sci-fantasy sandpark MMO has grown since our last tour (nearly two years ago). I escaped my Editor-in-Chief cage to attend the event and play the game, interrogate the developers, and judge whether those anticipated awards were well-deserved after all. Enjoy the fruits of my sneak peek!
The 'biggest game on the planet': WildStar's boundless ambition
Who better to explain WildStar's philosophy and mechanics than Executive Producer Jeremy Gaffney? I give my impressions of his talk, the demo, and my hands-on, then ruminate on the game's iterations, innovations, and ambitions.
Slap a rocket on a pig: WildStar's modding and PGC community
Carbine's Troy Hewitt outlines WildStar's grand plans for a massive modding community, a UI developer tool for the masses, player advisory committees, and player-generated content. "Social" is clearly not just a buzz-word.
You can't take the sky from me: WildStar's Exiles
You can't dip into a setting like WildStar's without hearing the familiar chords of Firefly's opening theme; the game's two factions brazenly mimic that IP's rustic space cowboys and refined imperial aristocracy. Here's a look at the Exiles.

MassivelyWildStar reveals 2013 launch window, ambitious plans to make MMOs fun again originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Feb 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-testbeta-testingcarbinecarbine-studiosclosed-betafeaturedgalleriesgalleryhands-oninterviewinterviewslaunchncsoftpreviewpreviewssan-franciscosandparksci-fantasysci-fiscreenshotscreenshotsstate-of-the-gametestingtrailertrailersvideovideoswildstarwsWed, 06 Feb 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO commits to housing revamp, player council, and more Rohan in 2013]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/lotro-commits-to-housing-revamp-player-council-and-more-rohan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/lotro-commits-to-housing-revamp-player-council-and-more-rohan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/31/lotro-commits-to-housing-revamp-player-council-and-more-rohan/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

LotRO commits to housing revamp, player council, and more Rohan in 2013
Turbine's Kate Paiz might be brief in her Lord of the Rings Online producer's letter, but this economy of words holds a treasure trove of ideas for the year. In the letter, she outlines the primary goals for the game in 2013, including a much-requested housing revamp and further expansion into the Rohan region.

Paiz outlines four initiatives for the year. The first is forming a player's council to facilitate discussion and feedback between players and the dev team. The second is adding Western Rohan to the game, initially through a region called Wildermore in the spring and later through a bigger addition in the fall. The third is the aforementioned housing revamp, which will take place later in the year.

The fourth initiative is an effort by the team to make "significant changes" to classes. "We will be making some significant changes to the skills and traits of the Free Peoples classes," Paiz writes. "We'll be pruning out skills that just feel disappointing in play and increasing the potency of others. The end result will be fewer skills, but a more profound impact on moment-to-moment play."

MassivelyLotRO commits to housing revamp, player council, and more Rohan in 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>class-changesf2pfantasyfree-to-playhousingkate-paizlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroplayer-housingplayers-councilproducers-letterriders-of-rohanrohanstate-of-the-gameturbineturbine-entertainmentwildermoreThu, 31 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online celebrates two million 'captains']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/star-trek-online-celebrates-two-million-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/star-trek-online-celebrates-two-million-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/28/star-trek-online-celebrates-two-million-players/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Star Trek Online celebrates two million players
On the verge of its third anniversary, Star Trek Online has good reason to celebrate. In a state of the game post, Executive Producer Dan Stahl says that the title is growing by leaps and bounds: "You may have noticed that more than two million captains are continuing their voyages in Star Trek Online. With sustained increases in daily participation, the game is richer and more alive than ever before."

Stahl looked back over the accomplishments and milestones of 2012, including Star Trek Online's transition to a free-to-play format.

For the game's third anniversary, the team is releasing a featured episode on Thursday that will have a special reward for those who play it between January 31st and February 14th. The reward will be an Ambassador Class (the Enterprise-C model) for Federation players and the Kamarag Class for Klingon fans.

Stay tuned for an on-air interview with Dan Stahl about STO in tomorrow's episode of Massively Speaking!

MassivelyStar Trek Online celebrates two million 'captains' originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3rd-anniversaryambassador-classanniversarycrypticcryptic-studiosdan-stahldaniel-stahldev-diaryenterpriseenterprise-cf2pfree-to-playperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentproducers-letterpwesci-fistar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestate-of-the-gamestothird-anniversarythree-yearsMon, 28 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lineage II looks back at 2012 and forward to 2013]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/24/lineage-ii-looks-back-at-2012-and-forward-to-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/24/lineage-ii-looks-back-at-2012-and-forward-to-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/24/lineage-ii-looks-back-at-2012-and-forward-to-2013/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Not included in next year's updates are add-on packs for your armor spikes to give you additional spikes.
Lineage II went free-to-play last year, and according to the newest state of the game letter, that conversion went very well indeed. The letter points out that more than one and a half million new accounts were created in 2012 alone, an impressive number for any game and doubly so for a game approaching its ninth anniversary. Over 800,000 store items have been sold, solidifying the game's performance and moneymaking capabilities. In other words, if you were worried the game wasn't doing well, you can stop worrying.

But what about the future? Well, there's another major installment of the Goddess of Destruction series due out. The development team is also looking into a variety of improvements for players including tradeable shop items, methods of gifting microtransaction currency, and more options to pay for your cash shop purchases. There's also discussion of more events and tournaments for everyone to enjoy, showing that the title is aging but still has quite a lot of life left.

MassivelyLineage II looks back at 2012 and forward to 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>coming-attractionscoming-patchescoming-updatesf2pfantasyfree-to-playlineagelineage-2lineage-iilooking-forwardncsoftsotgstate-of-the-gameupcoming-updatesyear-in-advanceThu, 24 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth devs explain how schedules are made]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/16/fallen-earth-devs-explain-how-schedules-are-made/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/16/fallen-earth-devs-explain-how-schedules-are-made/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/16/fallen-earth-devs-explain-how-schedules-are-made/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Fallen Earth devs give a behindthescenes tour
As January is fairly quiet for the devs working on Fallen Earth, they've used the monthly state of the game post to share a behind-the-scenes look into the production process. The team begins by making a list of all of the ideas it wants for the game, and then reviews this list quarterly. Out of the list comes the schedule to bring these ideas to reality.

Schedules are almost impossible to stick to 100%, however. Issues and limitations pop up, requiring the team to be flexible. "This is actually where the strength of the team comes into play," Napalm posted. "They're very adaptable and adept at changing direction or coming up with 11th hour solutions. And despite the best laid designs there are ALWAYS 11th hour solutions."

The state of the game does mention that the team is cleaning up some bugs relating to farming and has hopes that the new system will be more integrated in the future. There's also a sneak-peek at the sector 3 coresuit, which is currently being modeled.

MassivelyFallen Earth devs explain how schedules are made originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Jan 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behind-the-scenescoresuitdev-diaryf2pfallen-earthfarmfarmingfarmsfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstpost-apocpost-apocalypticsandboxsci-fistate-of-the-gamewastelandsWed, 16 Jan 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar Wednesday looks at the state of the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/12/wildstar-wednesday-looks-at-the-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/12/wildstar-wednesday-looks-at-the-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/12/wildstar-wednesday-looks-at-the-state-of-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

WildStar Wednesday looks at the state of the game
What is the holiday season all about if not thoughtful introspection? We reflect on our lives and how we've changed and grown, and we look forward to our hopes and dreams for the future. WildStar's Executive Producer Jeremy Gaffney recently got into the spirit of the season with a look at the state of the game.

Raid playspaces have been getting some attention as the team goes through to make sure that the areas are big enough for the large amounts of people they'll be playing host to. Friends and Family testing has been ramping up in preparation for closed beta tests in 2013, while "small scale" PvP tests of up to 24v24 have been going on. Races and classes that are still under wraps have been getting love and care to make sure they'll be ready for the public eye. Most importantly, the game now has flamethrowers.

2013 looks like it'll be a busy year of testing, announcements, and excitement. Hop on over to the official blog to read the full state of the game.

MassivelyWildStar Wednesday looks at the state of the game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Dec 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosjeremy-gaffneyncsoftsandparksci-fantasysci-fistate-of-the-gamewildstarwildstar-wednesdaywsWed, 12 Dec 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth readies the land for farms]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/08/fallen-earth-readies-the-land-for-farms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/08/fallen-earth-readies-the-land-for-farms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/08/fallen-earth-readies-the-land-for-farms/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth readies the land for farms
Fallen Earth's latest state of the game is as country as one can get. The title is currently testing out farms, which should go live in the game sometime in December.

Farms are a branch of the construction crafting set, which can grow plants and animals. That's right: Through the magic of cloning, livestock can be cloned right there on the farm. Players can build one of these farms anywhere with enough space and no landscape conflicts. They come with a farmhouse and several amenities and last for four hours before disappearing.

Of course, don't take the state of the game for it; read our in-depth interview of the new farming system from last month!

The state of the game also said that the next stage of the Coresuit will be coming in the new year, player housing is still being investigated on the technical front, and a certain mount will be getting an update this holiday season.

MassivelyFallen Earth readies the land for farms originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Dec 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cloningconstructioncraftingdev-diaryf2pfallen-earthfarmfarmsfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstpost-apocpost-apocalypticsandboxsci-fistate-of-the-gamewastelandsSat, 08 Dec 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth to introduce farming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/09/fallen-earth-to-introduce-farming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/09/fallen-earth-to-introduce-farming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/09/fallen-earth-to-introduce-farming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth to introduce farming
Fallen Earth's upcoming content includes new stage 3 coresuits, skill and mutation adjustments, and farming. Yes, farming is coming to Fallen Earth!

According to the most recent dev blog, post-apocalyptic farming will be a crafting skill that will allow a player to build a three-, six-, or nine-plot farm where organic resources can be grown through seed planting, and animals can be raised. Additionally, harvesting will give a player the chance to get a common, uncommon, or rare component. Farming in PvP zones will increase the resource yield.

Be sure to read the entire dev blog for more information on what's coming to the PTS with the next content patch.

MassivelyFallen Earth to introduce farming originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Nov 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>coresuitf2pfallen-earthfarmfarmingfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstpatchpost-apocpost-apocalypticsandboxsci-fistate-of-the-gameupdatewastelandsFri, 09 Nov 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR executive producer reveals the state of the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/06/swtor-executive-producer-reveals-the-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/06/swtor-executive-producer-reveals-the-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/06/swtor-executive-producer-reveals-the-state-of-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR executive producer reveals the state of the game
Players have been anxiously waiting to hear how Star Wars: The Old Republic is fairing -- straight from the tauntaun's mouth, as it were. Executive Producer Jeff Hickman jumped to the official website earlier today to specifically address player concerns. Players have been curious as to why certain developers have left. They wanted to know why so many bugs passed through Update 1.4. And finally, Oceanic players are concerned about their server populations.

Hickman explained in the post that a studio like BioWare and a game like SWTOR "live on and thrive as we change, actually thrive because we change," implying that developers leaving are a natural part of studio evolution. He was quick to note that key players like Creative Director James Ohlen are still around to "carry the banner of BioWare."

Regarding the 1.4 bugs, he was quick to note that designing and testing a large game like SWTOR is very complex. However, the QA team has put in new measures to help catch future issues like those seen in the last update. He said, "We will strive to give you the best, high quality, bug-free experience that we can."

Lastly, the Oceanic players are still a concern for the developers, but the free-to-play update will hopefully change the population of the Oceanic servers. Hickman explained that he wants to hold out to see what F2P brings before making a final decision regarding these servers.

MassivelySWTOR executive producer reveals the state of the game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Nov 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebugseaelectronic-artsjeff-hickmanlucasartsoceanic-serversci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicState-of-the-gamestudio-evolutionswtorthe-old-republictorupdate-1.4Tue, 06 Nov 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar reveals the State of the Game in October]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/17/wildstar-reveals-the-state-of-the-game-in-october/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/17/wildstar-reveals-the-state-of-the-game-in-october/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/17/wildstar-reveals-the-state-of-the-game-in-october/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Now, you can luxuriate in a nice jail cell, but if your hand touches metal, I swear by my pretty floral bonnet, I will end you.
It's been anything but a quiet month for the development team behind WildStar. Sure, the game isn't out for you to play at the moment, but there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes. According to the latest WildStar Wednesday by executive producer Jeremy Gaffney, part of the trouble with an MMO is that you simultaneously have to deliver more content than a normal boxed game while being more flexible to player feedback.

So what's been going on behind the scenes? The development team has been working on designing the game's mid-level zones, distinct from the low-level zones that have been previewed thus far. There's also more work being done on the game's second faction and the earliest implementations of raids, PvP matches, and instanced dungeons. If you're an avid fan of the game, you'll want to check out the latest dispatch for a few more teases of what you can expect from future Wednesday reveals and the game's eventual launch.

MassivelyWildStar reveals the State of the Game in October originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosdevelopmentdevelopment-processncsoftpre-testingpreviewssandparksci-fantasysci-fistate-of-the-gamewildstarwildstar-wednesdaywsWed, 17 Oct 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PlanetSide 2 release date to be announced this Thursday]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/16/planetside-2-release-date-to-be-announced-this-thursday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/16/planetside-2-release-date-to-be-announced-this-thursday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/16/planetside-2-release-date-to-be-announced-this-thursday/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

PlanetSide 2 title image
Sci-fi MMOFPS PlanetSide 2 has impressed beta testers with the sheer scale of the game's warzones and its rewarding cooperative gameplay, but there are still a few problems to iron out before launch. In this week's State of the Game development update, SOE announced the main areas developers are currently working on and promised to give the game a final release date this week. The release date announcement is scheduled during the SOE Live keynote at 10 p.m. EDT (7 p.m. PDT) on Thursday, October 18th.

SOE has promised to have PlanetSide 2 out in 2012, and that leaves some fans skeptical as to whether the beta is far enough along to be released in the next few months. Developers are pressing ahead with plans to fix the performance issues some players are having, and the studio aims to release with a complex metagame involving three continents. Remaining development time will be spent on issues ranging from weapon balance to a tutorial that gets players into the action as quickly as possible.

MassivelyPlanetSide 2 release date to be announced this Thursday originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabetascontinentcontinentsfpslaglaunchlaunch-datelaunchesmmofpsplanetsideplanetside-2ps2pvpreleaserelease-datesci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentState-of-the-gameTue, 16 Oct 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: The state of Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/24/captains-log-state-of-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/24/captains-log-state-of-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/24/captains-log-state-of-star-trek-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

STO Regent Class Header
This week saw the release of a new State of the Game blog from Star Trek Online Executive Producer Daniel Stahl. Much of what he said gave players hope for the future of Star Trek Online, including remarks that the game is "thriving at a time when many MMOs have kicked or are about to kick the bucket." The blog also featured some additional comments about the future of the game and how the company planning for 2013 and beyond.

Join me as I discuss his blog post and the poll results that were generated over the past couple of weeks. I'll also take a look at the future of the game, the expanding STO team, The Foundry, and the Klingon Empire.

Continue reading Captain's Log: The state of Star Trek Online

MassivelyCaptain's Log: The state of Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>38-studiosask-crypticcaptains-logcrypticcryptic-studiosdan-stahldaniel-stahlf2pfeaturedfree-to-playneverwinteropinionparagon-studiosperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpollpwesci-fisotgstar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlineState-of-the-gamestoMon, 24 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars 2's launch week in review]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-launch-week-in-review/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-launch-week-in-review/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/04/flameseeker-chronicles-guild-wars-2s-launch-week-in-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Flameseeker Chronicles Guild Wars 2's launch week in review
It's been quite the week in the world of Guild Wars 2. Launch, issues, near-daily server updates, fixes, and launch parties have likely kept the entire team high on adrenaline and low on sleep. If you're one of the folks in attendance at one of ArenaNet's launch parties, you likely saw a lot of very tired but very happy people. If you're not hounding the Guild Wars 2 Twitter account or subreddit, it's easy to miss a lot of communication, and even if you do, it's a lot to sort through. So what's been going on? A great deal.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars 2's launch week in review

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars 2's launch week in review originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbansbugscommunicationcscustomer-supportfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw1gw2launchlaunch-weekncsoftopinionpermabanningstate-of-the-gameTue, 04 Sep 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: The state of Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/30/captains-log-the-state-of-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/30/captains-log-the-state-of-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/30/captains-log-the-state-of-star-trek-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

STO EV Suits HEADER
This past week, Star Trek Online's developers proved they're listening to community feedback. STO Executive Producer Daniel Stahl has released this month's state-of-the-game letter, Foundry missions are playable again, and a few of the game's developers began preparations for their appearance at the upcoming Discussion with the Devs panel, which will be co-hosted by Massively and Trek Radio at the official Star Trek convention in Las Vegas.

Still, there are some outstanding issues that haven't been addressed by Cryptic or Perfect World, and some players are beginning to wonder whether PvP has been laid to rest in STO. Also, the addition of a new EV suit to the ZEN Store has ruffled quite a few feathers, including mine. Join me while I sift through what happened in STO over the past week!

Continue reading Captain's Log: The state of Star Trek Online

MassivelyCaptain's Log: The state of Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>captains-logcrypticcryptic-studiosdan-griffisdan-stahldaniel-stahlf2pfeaturedfoundryfree-to-playlas-vegasopinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpwesci-fisotgstar-trekstar-trek-conventionstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlineState-of-the-gamestothe-foundryMon, 30 Jul 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online's Foundry is back online, sort of]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/27/star-trek-onlines-foundry-is-back-online-sort-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/27/star-trek-onlines-foundry-is-back-online-sort-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/27/star-trek-onlines-foundry-is-back-online-sort-of/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Star Trek Online
Star Trek Online Executive Producer Dan Stahl has just posted his latest state-of-the-game letter to the official site, declaring that Season Six marks the perfect time for a new player to jump in, thanks to its streamlined mission structure and brand-new starbases.

Here's the juicy bit: Current players know that The Foundry, the game's player-generated content system, has been offline for quite a long time as a result of tweaks made to it by the Season Six patch. Stahl notes that the team is still working on the issues but has finally brought part of the system back online:
Season 6 also introduces some nice improvements for our Foundry. As some may have noticed though, we have yet to turn on these new features yet. The QA team is working diligently as they continue to sort through some specific bugs with previously existing missions. Once those bugs are sorted through, we will then open up the editor - as of today, we have turned on the ability to play existing, republished missions.
Stahl finishes with a quick mention of the dreaded lock boxes, the Star Trek convention in August, and plans for Season Seven. Check out the entire state-of-the-game letter at the official site.

MassivelyStar Trek Online's Foundry is back online, sort of originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crypticcryptic-studiosdan-stahldaniel-stahlf2pfoundryfree-to-playperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpgcpwesci-fisotgstar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlineState-of-the-gamestothe-foundryFri, 27 Jul 2012 20:30:00 EST