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[Fallen Earth's March state of the game gets territorial]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/09/fallen-earths-march-state-of-the-game-gets-territorial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/09/fallen-earths-march-state-of-the-game-gets-territorial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/09/fallen-earths-march-state-of-the-game-gets-territorial/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Fallen Earth
Another month is upon us, and Fallen Earth is bringing some changes to its Global Territory Control system. While players wait with bated breath for the new features to hit the PTS at the end of the month, GamersFirst has put out a new blog post outlining what players can expect from the next round of updates. We've covered the basics of Global Territory Control previously, so if you want to get up to speed, go on and have a read. Don't worry; we'll wait.

Caught up? Good. So what's new this month? The buffs granted by controlling territories have been changed. Now, each town and keep is worth a given number of points. The faction that has the most points will receive a buff that "improves crafting and harvesting speed as well as Random AP, Death Toll, Faction, and Experience gains." Meanwhile, the faction system is getting a revamp that "will see the elimination of shoulder factions." Completing tasks for your faction of choice "will only affect the specific faction you completed it for and its opposite on the faction wheel." This really only scratches the surface of the myriad changes coming to Fallen Earth, so to get the full details just head on over to the game's official site.

MassivelyFallen Earth's March state of the game gets territorial originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfactionfactionsfallen-earthfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstglobal-territory-controlgtcmarch-state-of-the-gameplayer-vs-playerpost-apocpost-apocalypticpvpsandboxsci-fistate-of-the-gameterritory-controlwastelandsFri, 09 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA['Just getting started': Scott Hartsman rallies the RIFT faithful for 2012]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/just-getting-started-scott-hartsman-rallies-the-rift-faithful/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/just-getting-started-scott-hartsman-rallies-the-rift-faithful/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/just-getting-started-scott-hartsman-rallies-the-rift-faithful/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

RIFT
"What an amazing year it has been," begins Scott Hartsman in his one-year state of the game report for RIFT. Citing Trion Worlds' ability to "think about MMOs a little bit differently than everyone else," Hartsman recalls the mountain of accomplishments of the previous year, including the seven major content updates leading up to the recent Update 1.7 and the RIFT Lite service.

The best part? "We're just getting started," he exults.

Hartsman identifies the "key themes" of the team's 2012 focus, including playing with other people, improving the soul system, leaping forward in PvP, coming up with new ways to interact with the game world, and expanding RIFT's endgame. The interactions theme is intriguing, especially considering his phrasing: "When we say interact, we mean both interacting with the game in non-combat ways, and interacting from out of game entirely."

The letter dives into more specifics with each of these themes before culminating in a promise of even more surprises to come later this year.

Massively'Just getting started': Scott Hartsman rallies the RIFT faithful for 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.7dev-diaryproducers-letterpvpriftrift-litescott-hartsmansoul-systemstate-of-the-gametriontrion-worldsupdate-1.7Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Mask: The real state of the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/behind-the-mask-the-real-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/behind-the-mask-the-real-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/behind-the-mask-the-real-state-of-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Although Champions Online's most recent State of the Game has been out for a while, I sort of avoided talking about it in previous editions of Behind the Mask. The main reason was because I really wanted to cover the new powersets. However, that doesn't mean I don't have any comments on it.

If you look at the history of the State of the Game and Ask Cryptic entries, they fluctuate quite a bit between good information and annoying PR. The January SOTG was full of annoying PR, and it bothered me greatly. It felt dishonest. I saw a lot of hype on little things that no one wanted and very little on what people really wanted.

This week, I'm going to talk about the real state of the game: where CO is and where it needs to go. I'll also talk about some of the future stuff that Robobo mentioned in the SOTG. Is it good or bad? We'll see!

Continue reading Behind the Mask: The real state of the game

MassivelyBehind the Mask: The real state of the game originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screenshot -- Champions Online
It's a new year, and many game studios are stating their revolutions for the coming months. Cryptic Studios is joining that club with Champions Online's first State of the Game post for 2012. Rob Overmeyer, the game's Executive Producer, takes some time to reminisce on CO's progress throughout 2011, which included the title's jump to a F2P business model as well as a number of content updates. After that little stroll down memory lane, Overmeyer gives players a glimpse of the future as he addresses the features of the game's next major update. These include an entirely overhauled itemization system, a new enhancement system, alerts, and more. For the complete details, click through the link below to Champions Online's January 2012 State of the Game.

MassivelyChampions Online looks back to look forward in January State of the Game originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>championschampions-onlinecocontent-updatescrypticcryptic-studiosf2pfree-to-playjanuary-state-of-the-gameperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpwerob-overmeyersotgstate-of-the-gameupdatesMon, 23 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth lays the foundation for 2012 in its January state of the game address]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/fallen-earth-lays-the-foundation-for-2012-in-its-january-state-o/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/fallen-earth-lays-the-foundation-for-2012-in-its-january-state-o/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/fallen-earth-lays-the-foundation-for-2012-in-its-january-state-o/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Fallen Earth
Senior Game Designer Marie Croall sounded the klaxons and ran up the flag for the wastelanders of Fallen Earth in the latest state of the game address. For her and the team, it's time to shake off the ravages of holidays and get to work on laying the foundation for the game in 2012.

Croall says that this month players should expect to get the ability to use bombs in Territory Control, which should change things up somewhat. The Territory Control PvP feature will be significantly expanded in the months afterward as well.

Also on tap for the near future are additional mid-level quests, the augmentation system for customizing gear, improving the flow of starter areas, and better rare drops across the board. The art team is excited to move on to giving Haven a facelift much like the work the team did on the recent Embry Crossroads revamp.

Perhaps the most intriguing is that Croall hints at a major top-secret project in the works: "This month we're also breaking ground on one of the biggest systems we've ever done. It's still too early to really get into details on but we'll make sure this one was worth waiting for."

MassivelyFallen Earth lays the foundation for 2012 in its January state of the game address originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screenshot -- Fallen Earth
It's finally December, which means that I can go into a store and not fly into a rage when I discover that it's already playing Christmas music. It also means that it's time for Fallen Earth's December State of the Game letter. This is the first State of the Game since the title's change to F2P last month, so can you bet your hide there's a lot to cover. Marie Croall begins by talking about some of the "less sexy but ultimately critical things" that the team has been working on since the transition. Lots of bug-fixing has taken place as the Fallen Earth team works to iron out some of the kinks that arose during the F2P transition.

Meanwhile, the town of Embry got a bit of a makeover. The art team went into the city and "replaced high-poly, high-batch buildings with newer ones that will improve performance and the overall aesthetic appeal of the town." The team is also working hard at developing new content and features, such as world events, farms, and the upcoming augmentation system. Croall closes out the post with some dates: Territory control, the revamped map, new world events, and New Embry will be added to the game in mid-December, while everything else will have to wait until next year. For the full details, head on to the game's official blog.

MassivelyFallen Earth's December State of the Game talks F2P transition, new features originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>augmentationbugbug-fixesbugsf2pfallen-earthfefree-to-playgamersfirstsotgstate-of-the-gameterritory-controlThu, 01 Dec 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Cryptic posts Champions Online's November state of the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/cryptic-posts-champions-onlines-november-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/cryptic-posts-champions-onlines-november-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/cryptic-posts-champions-onlines-november-state-of-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Champions Online
Cryptic Studios has just uploaded its most recent state of the game letter for Champions Online, and the post begins by reinventing itself. Rather than focusing on "answering all the questions about future development plans and the status of top issues and player concerns," the Champs team aims to use the SOTG to reveal what the team is working on right now. Long-term plans and feedback will be addressed instead on the forums as part of the UNTIL Field Report.

The SOTG covers the pair of new archetypes, the Halloween event, new costume sets, and the archetype roation promotion before briefing players on the upcoming comic series 2, called Whiteout, which will "take your Hero on an adventure that is unique and exciting." The (apparently still growing) team is also working on the Alert system, the Winter event, two new frameworks (Earth and Wind), and tweaks to the Infernal framework and the Nemesis. And as promised, this month's UNTIL Field Report fills in the details of these development nuggets and more.

MassivelyCryptic posts Champions Online's November state of the game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archetypechampions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-studiosf2pfree-to-playnewsperfect-world-entertainmentpwesotgState-of-the-gamesuperheroUNTIL-field-reportUNTIL-field-reportsTue, 01 Nov 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth dev diary talks economic changes, world events, and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/20/fallen-earth-dev-diary-talks-economic-changes-world-events-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/20/fallen-earth-dev-diary-talks-economic-changes-world-events-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/20/fallen-earth-dev-diary-talks-economic-changes-world-events-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth - cooking
Earlier today we told you about the Fallen Earth devs answering a few of your free-to-play questions. Now it's time to dive a bit further down the rabbit hole courtesy of this month's state of the game update.

Producer Marie Croall checks in with us to talk about the game's two-year anniversary celebration, which includes "PvP, PvE, and RP components." She also says that the event will be run at EU- and US-friendly times (though said times aren't specified as of yet).

In terms of game updates, the major portion of the September recap concerns the ongoing economic changes. Inconsistencies dealing with recipe and component rarity have been dealt with, and the dev team has "redone the placement of most of the nodes in the game" to make the rarer nodes more of an incentive to enter PvP-enabled areas. Finally, Croall says that the release of the new world event system has been bumped back to coincide with the free-to-play conversion on October 12th. Grab your favorite wasteland beverage and read all the details at the official Fallen Earth dev blog.

MassivelyFallen Earth dev diary talks economic changes, world events, and more originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingdev-blogdev-diaryeconomic-changeseconomic-tweakseconomyfallen-earthgamersfirsticarusicarus-studiosmarie-croallpatchespost-apocalypticrare-recipesrarityrecipessci-fiState-of-the-gameupdatewastelandworld-event-systemworld-eventsTue, 20 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Champions Online releases September State of the Game letter]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/champions-online-releases-september-state-of-the-game-letter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/champions-online-releases-september-state-of-the-game-letter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/champions-online-releases-september-state-of-the-game-letter/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Champions Online - Foxbat art
Champions Online is two years old this month (yep, really), and Cryptic executive producer Rob Overmeyer has taken to the intarwebs to pen a lengthy State of the Game manifesto. The first half of the piece is basically a recap of the game's last few months, and touches on everything from Aftershock to player hideouts.

The second portion of the letter focuses on upcoming content patches and also mentions the anniversary event (which is basically a social gathering featuring dev appearances). Upcoming content includes Comic Series 2: Whiteout, a new mini arc, and team missions called alerts that will scale to your level. Overmeyer has more to say, of course, and you can read all about it at the official Champions website.

MassivelyChampions Online releases September State of the Game letter originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alertschampionschampions-onlineChampions-Online-Free-For-Allcomic-series-2-whiteoutcrypticcryptic-studiosf2pfree-for-allfree-to-playgame-mechanicsperfect-world-entertainmentproducers-letterpwerob-overmeyerstate-of-the-gamesuperheroupdateswhiteoutFri, 02 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Happy half-birthday, RIFT!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/enter-at-your-own-rift-happy-half-birthday-rift/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/enter-at-your-own-rift-happy-half-birthday-rift/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/enter-at-your-own-rift-happy-half-birthday-rift/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

RIFT header
It's hard to believe -- but amazing nevertheless -- that RIFT is almost a half-year old. Six months ago, hundreds of thousands of gamers rushed through the gates to become the first to explore Telara, included me, and we were introduced to what's become one of the most dominating MMOs of the year.

Following this smooth release (and it was smooth), Trion Worlds set a remarkable standard for itself by pumping out meaty content updates at a steady, rapid pace and marketing RIFT out the wazoo. We've already witnessed two live events, numerous subscription specials, the addition of a ginormous raid, and my not having hit 50 yet -- to my eternal embarrassment. Of course, there have been bumps in the road as well: a lackluster initial world event, a segment of disgruntled players and opponents, and the looming specter of several heavy-hitting MMOs waiting in the wings.

But for right here and right now, this is Trion's time, and the company is taking advantage of this half-year milestone to light the fireworks and lay out the good china in celebration. We got on the phone with Scott Hartsman and his Justice League to talk about what the studio has up its sleeves for this event -- and what's next for this rapidly expanding title.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Happy half-birthday, RIFT!

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Happy half-birthday, RIFT! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>birthdaybirthday-cakebonus-xpbuffcelebrationchronicles-of-telaracontestcustomersdiscountsfeaturedfree-gametimefree-weekgencongencon-2011gencon-indygiftgrassrootsgrassroots-movementhalf-birthdayhalf-birthday-cakehalf-birthday-celebrationinstant-adventureinterviewplanar-attunementriftstate-of-the-gamesubscriberssubscriptiontriontrion-worldsWed, 17 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: One-point-four]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/enter-at-your-own-rift-one-point-four/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/enter-at-your-own-rift-one-point-four/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/enter-at-your-own-rift-one-point-four/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Last week, Karen provided an excellent analysis on Trion Worlds' broad, eight-page State of the Game address as the company outlined its plans for the game's long-term future. This week, we're still going to cast our eyes to the present. As we wrap up the final phase of RIFT's Waves of Madness (how much fun is water bladder throwing, huh?) and raid guilds bang their way through Hammerknell, it's the time to revel in a brand-new content update: patch 1.4.

Yes, another patch. I think people are still in disbelief that Trion is able to pump out updates as rapidly as it has, and the current naysayer theory is that the company is merely polishing up content it wanted to get for launch but had to hold back for whatever reason. There's probably a kernel of truth to that, but it doesn't hold up from what we know. We know that Trion has parallel teams -- up to six of them -- working on live development, which includes world events and content updates. We know that some of the features we've seen in previous patches were a direct result of post-launch player feedback, so it can't all be capping off unfinished projects.

Say what you will, but from where I'm standing, Trion's putting its actions where its mouth is by continuing a hot-and-heavy updating streak without showing any signs of slowing down. It's smart, too; by providing faster updates than most MMOs on the market and giving players incentive to stay, return, and try the game for the first time, Trion's firming up its position as an MMO that's here to stay -- not one that's going to fold up shop when future titles hit.

So let's take a peek through the highlights of patch 1.4 as I offer my award-winning commentary on each of the points!

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: One-point-four

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: One-point-four originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.4chronicles-of-telaracommentarycrocnard-mountcross-server-lfgdrowned-hallsdungeon-runepic-quest-lineepic-storylinefeaturedintroductory-raidlegacy-of-the-fallenlfglooking-for-grouppatchpatch-1.4pugpvppvp-riftpvp-riftsraidriftstate-of-the-gamethe-drowned-hallsthe-water-sagatriontrion-worldsupdateupdate-schedulewarfrontwarfrontswater-sagawaves-of-madnessworld-pvpWed, 03 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[RIFT's first State of the Game address floods players with news of the future [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/14/rifts-first-state-of-the-game-address-floods-players-with-news/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/14/rifts-first-state-of-the-game-address-floods-players-with-news/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/14/rifts-first-state-of-the-game-address-floods-players-with-news/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Trion Worlds has never been shy in talking about RIFT's upcoming content, especially considering how fast and furious said content's been flying down the pipe. However, the studio may have topped itself today as it gave its first State of the Game address, opening up about the title's history to date and both the near and far future of the team's plans.

It's difficult to try to summarize all of this news in a brief paragraph -- so we're not even going to try! Instead, Massively joined a number of other news outlets for a conference call with the RIFT team and Scott Hartsman to clarify all of the exciting content, fixes and features mentioned in this address.

So join us after the jump as we look at quality-of-life improvements, new types of rifts, vastly improved PvP experiences, solo dungeons, and something intriguing called "Instant Adventure."

Continue reading RIFT's first State of the Game address floods players with news of the future [Updated]

MassivelyRIFT's first State of the Game address floods players with news of the future [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternate-advancementchronicles-of-telaraescalationhigh-adventureinstant-adventurelfglfg-systemlfg-toolpatch-1.4planar-attunementplanar-attunement-treesplanesport-scionpreviewpvppvp-riftpvp-riftsriftriftsscarwood-reachscott-hartsmansolo-dungeonsstate-of-the-gamethe-chronicles-of-telaratriontrion-worldsupdateworld-pvpxpThu, 14 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Champions Online issues state of the game letter, launches Aftershock Issue 5]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/champions-online-issues-state-of-the-game-letter-launches-after/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/champions-online-issues-state-of-the-game-letter-launches-after/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/champions-online-issues-state-of-the-game-letter-launches-after/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We've got double the Champions Online treats for you folks today, as Cryptic has released the June state of the game letter as well as the next issue in the ongoing Aftershock weekly comic series.

We'll start with a quick run-down of the state of the game letter. Hideouts will soon be added to the game, giving heroes a place to call their own. The Telekinesis power set review is almost finished, and players should be on the lookout for a mid-July release. A good deal of new items have been added to the C-Store, and Cryptic has also announced that July's additions to the store will follow a fantasy theme, while August's will focus on sci-fi and technology. There's much more to the letter that we simply don't have room for, so head on over to the official site for the full state of the game announcement.

Next we come to Aftershock's Issue 5, titled Dark Tower. In this issue, CO players must infiltrate a tower belonging to the nefarious Kings of Edom in order to save Luther Black and the last remaining UNTIL soldiers from a diabolical fate. It's a battle against time, as our heroes must succeed before the arrival of the Kings of Edom themselves, lest the very fabric of the Qliphothic Realm unravel with them trapped inside. Will our heroes survive? Find out in Aftershock, Issue 5.

MassivelyChampions Online issues state of the game letter, launches Aftershock Issue 5 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's the beginning of another month in the wasteland, and that means that in addition to scavenging for scrap metal and dodging ginormous prairie chickens, denizens of Fallen Earth are heading to the game's official website to check out the latest state of the game address.

Much of producer Marie "Aro Sei" Croall's letter concerns progress towns, Alpha County, and combat tweaks. While we've previewed progress towns before, there is an interesting nugget in this month's letter that details a new form of related currency. Croall calls it "a PvE form of death toll" and explains that it is intended to reward players for capturing and building one of the three progress towns.

She also takes the time explain the changes to minimum skill levels, which is an important consideration when it comes to players spending their hard-earned stat points. Finally, there's a bit of discussion about post-Alpha County development plans including an objective system and potential world events. Check out all the details at the Fallen Earth website.

MassivelyFallen Earth state of the game talks combat tweaks, progress towns, and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 May 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alpha-countyaro-seifallen-earthgame-mechanicsicarusicarus-studiosmarie-croallminimum-skillsobjective-systempost-apocalypticproducers-letterprogress-townssci-fistat-pointsstate-of-the-gameworld-eventsMon, 02 May 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dungeons and Dragons Online's state of the game letter talks crafting, Update 9]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/dungeons-and-dragons-onlines-state-of-the-game-letter-talks-cra/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/dungeons-and-dragons-onlines-state-of-the-game-letter-talks-cra/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/21/dungeons-and-dragons-onlines-state-of-the-game-letter-talks-cra/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's time for the April version of Dungeons and Dragons Online's State of the Game address, and striding toward the teleprompter is Turbine executive producer Fernando Paiz. First up is a shout out to the newly assimilated French and German DDO communities. Paiz also says that all DDO clients and servers will support multiple languages via a launcher toggle.

There's also some discussion about Update 9, in particular the "major balance pass" that all the game's spells have undergone. Epic content is getting some attention, as are DDO's animations. The new crafting system gets some virtual ink as well, and Paiz says that Turbine will be "incrementally releasing more crafting levels and recipes through Update 9 and Update 10" as well as soliciting feedback over time.

Finally, there's talk of challenge quests and how the new content will play out over the next few months. Overall, there's a lot going on, and you've got a fair bit of reading to do, so head to the official DDO website to get started.

MassivelyDungeons and Dragons Online's state of the game letter talks crafting, Update 9 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>challenge-questscraftingddodev-diarydungeons-and-dragons-onlineeberronf2pfantasyfernando-paizfree-to-playproducers-letterspellsstate-of-the-gamestormreachturbineTurbine-Entertainmentupdate-9Thu, 21 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth shows off Alpha County in the newest State of the Game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/fallen-earth-shows-off-alpha-county-in-the-newest-state-of-the-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/fallen-earth-shows-off-alpha-county-in-the-newest-state-of-the-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/fallen-earth-shows-off-alpha-county-in-the-newest-state-of-the-g/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If you were hoping to find out that Alpha County in Fallen Earth was a last bastion of uncorrupted civilization... well, we have some bad news for you. But in all likelihood you expected nothing of the sort, and thus the previews of the new region included in April's State of the Game letter will come as no surprise. Since the release seems to be just around the corner, this month's update is all about the surreal landscape and wasted environment players will be exploring in this newest region.

Accompanied by a surfeit of screenshots, the letter talks once more about the technical challenge involved with bringing this newest region into the game. A new style of terrain means checking extensively to make sure that critters are behaving correctly when engaged by players, and the variety of new weapons and items available means that there's a lot of testing to make sure that nothing breaks the game's structure. Fallen Earth players will want to take a look at the full preview for all the details and several pictures of the latest part of the wasteland.

MassivelyFallen Earth shows off Alpha County in the newest State of the Game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developmentenvironmentsfallen-earthfallen-earth-llcfeicarusicarus-studioslorenewspatchespending-updatespreviewsstate-of-the-gameupdate-previewsupdatesTue, 12 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Through the woods to Alpha County: Fallen Earth issues the March state of the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/through-the-woods-to-alpha-county-fallen-earth-issues-the-march/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/through-the-woods-to-alpha-county-fallen-earth-issues-the-march/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/through-the-woods-to-alpha-county-fallen-earth-issues-the-march/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

February is a quick month for everyone, but it seems to have been even busier than normal for the Fallen Earth team. There are some major content updates in the wings for the game, several of which are being discussed in the most recent State of the Game address. Obviously, the biggest issue on the minds of players is the promised Sector Four and Alpha County, both of which are going to be rolled out in a staggered fashion starting with the Terminal Woods (which Edward Marshall toured just last week). That will include a surfeit of new missions, achievements, PvP objectives, and special new Scavenger bosses.

Alpha County itself, meanwhile, will be getting rolled out sometime in the following months, an update that will see a level cap increase to 55 and new expansions to crafting among other improvements. The letter also states that the team is moving forward on player-crafted housing, as it's long been on the agenda for the team to handle with detail. Fallen Earth players are encouraged to read the full letter on the future of the game, sure to make any clone happy about the content just around the corner.

MassivelyThrough the woods to Alpha County: Fallen Earth issues the March state of the game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alpha-countydevelopmentfallen-earthfallen-earth-llcfeicarusicarus-studiospatch-previewpatchespending-patchessector-4sector-fourstate-of-the-gameupcoming-contentupcoming-patchesupdateswastelandsWed, 02 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Champions Online discusses the future of the game, adding voice chat]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/champions-online-discusses-the-future-of-the-game-adding-voice/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/champions-online-discusses-the-future-of-the-game-adding-voice/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/champions-online-discusses-the-future-of-the-game-adding-voice/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The free-to-play conversion has certainly wrought some far-reaching changes for Champions Online, but as producer Rob Overmeyer puts forth in the latest State of the Game letter, there's still more to come. Aside from numerous C-Store additions for players, a new power framework and a new adventure pack are both in the works for the next couple of months. In addition, the development team is looking to add "Comic Series" missions on a regular basis, akin to the featured episodes implemented in Star Trek Online.

This letter comes hot on the heels of the announcement that Cryptic Studios will be partnering with Vivox to bring built-in voice chat to both of its current games. That benefits both Champions Online and Star Trek Online, although no details are currently available for the precise implementation of the feature or the integration timetable. Still, fans of the game should be happy to see that the change in models hasn't hurt any of the game's long-term plans for content or functionality.

MassivelyChampions Online discusses the future of the game, adding voice chat originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementschampions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosf2pfree-to-playnew-featuresnewspatchespending-patchesst-onlinestar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestate-of-the-gamestotrek-onlineupcoming-patchesvivoxvoice-chatTue, 01 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wasteland Diaries: New skills]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/wasteland-diaries-new-skills/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/wasteland-diaries-new-skills/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/11/wasteland-diaries-new-skills/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Clones of the wasteland: We are heading toward uncertain times. The February State of the Game was announced last week, and there are some massive changes to Fallen Earth coming our way. The 1.4 patch changed the way we fought, and so did the 1.7 patch. This next patch, which will likely be 1.8 (if not 2.0), will probably be the biggest change to the game mechanics since launch (and 1.4 was no slouch). The uncertainty will not be allayed until we see the new system on the PTS. It's slated to hit the test server in "the middle of the month," so we may see it soon.

In this post, I would like to analyze the SoTG and try to infer what kind of implications this new system will bring forth. There will be some pretty obvious changes but also some subtle changes that nobody will foresee. Although the new skills and mutations system isn't the only thing coming with the next installment, it will be the focus of this post. There is also a new area called Ruination on the way plus major economy changes and scavenger bosses, but I am more interested in the skill revamp. Fallen Earth will be a different (hopefully in a good way) game by the end of the month.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: New skills

MassivelyWasteland Diaries: New skills originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>combatcombat-changescombat-systemfallen-earthfallen-earth-llcfeaturedicarusicarus-studiosnew-skillspatchptsskill-changesskillsState-of-the-gameFri, 11 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth state of the game letter details upcoming content]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/04/fallen-earth-state-of-the-game-letter-details-upcoming-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/04/fallen-earth-state-of-the-game-letter-details-upcoming-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/04/fallen-earth-state-of-the-game-letter-details-upcoming-content/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It's a new month, and that means it's time for a new State of the Game letter direct from the wasteland. Fallen Earth producer Marie "Aro Sei" Croall checks in on the official forums to let us know about the next patch coming our way from the folks at Icarus. All things considered, it looks to be a pretty substantial update, and nowhere are the changes more noticeable than in the game's skill and mutation lines. We're particularly excited to see how the Dirty Tricks and Escape Artist lines work out, since the descriptions dovetail perfectly with the cutthroat atmosphere of a post-apocalyptic world on the brink.

The patch will also bring a new Scavenger Boss Area that serves as a preview for the new tech going into the upcoming Alpha County release. The area, called Ruination, includes several camps and encounters that showcase new creature behaviors and destructible barrels. You'll find it on the way to The Wall that serves as the Sector 4 border.

Economic tweaks are also under way, as are a number of February events. Finally, Aro Sei concludes this month's letter with the answers to a few pressing community-generated questions. Check out all the juicy info on the Fallen Earth forums.

MassivelyFallen Earth state of the game letter details upcoming content originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another year dawns fresh on the wasteland, and Icarus senior game designer Marie Croall checks in on the official forums for Fallen Earth's latest State of the Game update. 2011 looks to be an exciting year for fans of new stuff, as the game will see a combat revamp, new high-level group content, and of course the new Sector 4 portions of the map.

Icarus plans to release Sector 4 across four counties with the first one, Alpha, raising the level cap by five and bringing new gear, mutations, recipes, and abilities to the game. Look for it to debut on the live server in the second quarter of 2011. Why the delay? Croall explains that the team needed to address balance issues prior to rolling out new content. "There were several areas of combat that we needed to adjust before we could properly design encounters and instances as we moved forward. Additionally, our art team has been taking these past few months to make huge improvements that are necessary for the gameplay, story and setting. As important as it is to us to get the new content out, it's more important to get it out right," she says.

Croall's letter also clues us in to the next patch, currently scheduled for February. In addition to skill and mutation balancing, the update will feature the new scavenger boss system (with new bosses and encounter areas) as well as the team's first crack at a round of economic fixes. Icarus is taking some of the concerns raised about Fallen Earth's economy to heart and is going to be addressing everything from supply and demand to drop rates, trading concerns, and general crafting fixes. "A thriving player driven economy should be a central part of our game and we're working very hard on getting it there," Croall writes.

MassivelyFallen Earth state of the game letter previews economic fixes, new content originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The state of the game announcement for Fallen Earth was a bit vague, but it did contain some good news. It seems the game, now under new management, is headed in a new direction. Does new mean good? All outward indications say yes. I have never been accused of being overly optimistic, but I like where Fallen Earth is headed. Most of the big news is still over the horizon, and the combat changes are the first order of business.

With new management comes new direction. It's nice to know what that direction might be. Of the three who were let go, I have nothing negative to say about any of them. Marie Croall has taken the reins at Fallen Earth, LLC and seems to have a clear plan. That's not to say there wasn't a clear plan before, but we are finally getting definitive answers on huge questions that we have been demanding responses on for quite a while. More details await you after the cut.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: New direction

MassivelyWasteland Diaries: New direction originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ap-capcharacter-slotscombat-changesdodgefallen-earthfallen-earth-llcfeaturedicarus-studiosmarie-croallomni-clanspatchprogress-townsState-of-the-gameFri, 26 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Icarus publishes latest Fallen Earth State of the Game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/icarus-publishes-latest-fallen-earth-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/icarus-publishes-latest-fallen-earth-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/icarus-publishes-latest-fallen-earth-state-of-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Fallen Earth fans have had a rough couple of weeks (to say nothing of the staff at Icarus Studios). The post-apocalyptic sci-fi MMORPG was recently hit with a round of layoffs that impacted several key people and likely left subscribers wondering as to the future of everyone's favorite digital wasteland.

Happily, Icarus senior game designer Marie Croall is here with a lengthy State of the Game letter that puts a few of our fears to rest and outlines a path forward. Though Croall doesn't directly address the recent layoffs, preferring instead to focus on the upcoming development schedule, it's clear that there are a lot of improvements incoming, which bodes well for Fallen Earth's fans and future.

Croall talks about Sector 4, a level cap increase, and new gear, consumables, and recipes that will soon see the light of day. Graphical upgrades and physical combat changes are also on the way, with the latter being pushed to the test server before the end of the month. The Fallen Earth team will also be improving high-end group content, tweaking the serendipity system, and continuing to balance Progress Towns throughout December. Finally, look for long-awaited additional character slots to be available in the Fallen Earth store as early as next week.

Check out the full letter on the official forums, and also look for the Fallen Earth devs on next week's Massively Speaking podcast with Shawn and Rubi.

MassivelyIcarus publishes latest Fallen Earth State of the Game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fallen-earthfallen-earth-llcgearhigh-end-group-contenticarusicarus-studiositemsmarie-croallphysical-combat-changesprogress-townsrecipesState-of-the-gametest-serverworld-bossesTue, 16 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Champions Online going F2P]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/champions-online-going-f2p/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/champions-online-going-f2p/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/champions-online-going-f2p/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's a pretty wild day for fans of Champions Online. In a surprising move, executive producer Shannon Posniewski announced in his most recent State of the Game that Champions will be adopting a free-to-play model.

This announcement isn't the only shocker for fans of the superhero MMO. New heroes in CO will be able to choose an "Archetype," a class-like build that streamlines the character creation process and makes the elaborate power selection mechanics a little easier to use. Existing superheroes and new fully-customized Champions will require a paid subscription, but the majority of the game's content, including the costume editor, the zones and expansion packs will be completely free.

Cryptic has included a full list of all the various features that Silver (free accounts) and Gold (subscriber accounts) will be able to access. This is definitely a bold move by the game's producers, and only time will tell if it pans out for them. What can be sure is that it will get a lot of new users to take the plunge and try the game out.

MassivelyChampions Online going F2P originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingBreakingNewschampions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-studiosf2pshannon-posniewskiState-of-the-gameTue, 26 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Is the state of the game good, bad or ugly?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/23/captains-log-is-the-state-of-the-game-good-bad-or-ugly/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/23/captains-log-is-the-state-of-the-game-good-bad-or-ugly/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/23/captains-log-is-the-state-of-the-game-good-bad-or-ugly/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Newsflash! This just in: Star Trek Online has endured a turbulent life so far. You had no idea, right? Except for the part where Captain's Log has discussed that very topic for the past two weeks -- and who here doesn't hang on my every word? (Don't answer that.)

STO's rocky road also features prominently in the latest state of the game letter from Cryptic Studios. Executive Producer Daniel Stahl offers some visions for the future of the game and drops some hints of what to expect in coming updates. He also comes this close to sharing frank information about STO's performance. So what does Stahl's vaguenesses imply, and what does Cryptic have in store for STO?

Continue reading Captain's Log: Is the state of the game good, bad or ugly?

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Is the state of the game good, bad or ugly? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-storecryptic-studiosdaniel-stahlfeaturedjumping-to-conclusions-for-fun-and-profitklingonklingonsper-characterst-onlineStar-TrekStar-Trek-MMOstar-trek-onlinestar-trek-state-of-the-gameState-of-the-gamestosto-business-modelsto-c-storesto-c-store-troublesto-futuresto-future-featuressto-improvementssto-lifetime-subssto-microtransactionssto-new-shipssto-state-of-the-gamesto-subscriberssto-subscriptionstrek-onlineunbridled-speculationThu, 23 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online rethinks microtransactions in the latest State of the Game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/star-trek-online-rethinks-microtransactions-in-the-latest-state/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/star-trek-online-rethinks-microtransactions-in-the-latest-state/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/star-trek-online-rethinks-microtransactions-in-the-latest-state/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Upbeat but still working hard: That is the motto of Star Trek Online's Dan Stahl in the latest state of the game. STO's executive producer strikes a positive note by saying that the game is enjoying a "healthy subscriber base" as well as an increase in the number of lifetime subs. The team is also proud to be releasing more frequent content in the form of weekly episodes.

Stahl then tackled three of STO's biggest complaints: the microtransaction shop (C-Store), ground combat and skimpy Klingon content. For players who are rankled that some of the better ships can only be purchased via the C-Store, Stahl reports that this will be changing: "I'm happy to say that we have been evaluating your feedback and looking at our internal resources and finding ways to ensure that coveted items such as ships can be be obtained in game as well as via micro-transaction."

Improvements to both ground combat and the Klingon faction are on their way, he promised, stating that the team has struggled with the Klingon's "identity crisis" since the first day of the game. While the faction's content will grow to become more robust, Stahl admits that the team doesn't have the resources to beef up the Klingon side to be on par with the Federation, especially since only a fraction of the playerbase fight on that side. You can read the full state of the game on the official STO site.

MassivelyStar Trek Online rethinks microtransactions in the latest State of the Game originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>c-storecrypticcryptic-storecryptic-studiosdaniel-stahldeveloperexecutive-producerfederationground-combatitem-shopklingonmicrotransactionsstar-trek-onlinestate-of-the-gamestosubscriberstrouble-with-tribbles-and-microtransactionsThu, 16 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth's producer details upcoming patch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/fallen-earths-producer-details-upcoming-patch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/fallen-earths-producer-details-upcoming-patch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/fallen-earths-producer-details-upcoming-patch/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Fallen Earth producer Dave "Archangel" Haydysch popped up on the game's official forums yesterday to share his latest State of the Game post. In addition to touching on the Icarus team's experience at the recently concluded Pax Prime event in Seattle, Haydysch drops a few nuggets of exciting news regarding the 1.7 patch.

Faction control points will add another PvP option to the wasteland, and will feature flags that players may capture throughout the world. Once in the player's possession, members of the conquering faction will have access to guards, buffs, and new harvesting nodes for as long as they maintain control and fight off would-be challengers. Speaking of fighting, combat is being rebalanced, and 1.7 will kick things off with mitigation and damage adjustments (as well as a free respec to help players cope with the changes). New encounter areas are also coming, and will be found near Old Kingman, Blaine, Gaia, and Deadfall. Following on from vehicle color customization in an earlier patch, social clothing updates are also included in 1.7, in the form of paint and dye kits that can be applied to jackets, pants, hats, and shirts.

As if all that wasn't enough, Icarus is also phasing in a customer rewards program that will accrue Veteran Reward Points with each subscribed month. Points may be spent at in-game vendors for unique items and will also be retroactively added to current subscriber accounts.

MassivelyFallen Earth's producer details upcoming patch originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.7-patcharchangeldave-haydyschfaction-control-pointsfallen-earthfallen-earth-llcicarusicarus-studiosnew-encountersprogress-townssocial-clothingState-of-the-gameveteran-rewardsveteran-rewards-programWed, 15 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wasteland Diaries: Loyalty]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/10/wasteland-diaries-loyalty/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/10/wasteland-diaries-loyalty/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/10/wasteland-diaries-loyalty/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

In Fallen Earth you start out as a confused clone. You don't have any idea who you are or what to do. The answers are there if you choose to seek them out. But you may also choose to ignore your greater purpose and carve out your own little niche in the wastes. You may form bonds with other players during your journeys, and you might join a clan at some point. But there is another factor that might divert your moral compass from that of your colleagues: Fallen Earth's six factions.

The factions add a bit of flavor to the game, but they also complicate matters for players who have formed friendships in Sector 1, before the factions had any sway. Sure, you may learn a little bit about the various factions during your adventures in the Plateau Province, but you won't choose sides until you get to Sector 2. You can always remain neutral, but that would be akin to playing the game blindfolded. You would be severely gimping yourself for no good reason. After the cut I will take an in-depth look at loyalties in Fallen Earth and how they might be torn between three different entities: factions, friends, and clans.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Loyalty

MassivelyWasteland Diaries: Loyalty originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Things have been pretty quiet on the Fallen Earth news-front lately. Aside from this week's patch and the announcement of an upcoming customer rewards program, the team at Icarus Studios has been rather scarce for much of the summer. Happily, a new State of the Game letter from producer Dave "Archangel" Haydysch outlines everything the dev team has been toiling away on behind the scenes.

Haydysch kicks things off by mentioning Fallen Earth's fall update schedule, currently slated to begin with a major patch in late September. "This will be the beginning of several major patches in which we will roll out combat and faction improvements as well as many other new features," he says. What sort of features, you're probably wondering?

For starters, the team will be adjusting combat formulas with the goal of creating a faster, more visceral overall experience. Significant tweaks will occur with regard to high-level mitigation, random damage spread, and statistical requirements on armor. Faction skills, mutations, and regular skills will also receive additional balancing after the major combat changes are in place. In addition to combat, Icarus will be adding content in the form of Progress Towns, as well as Faction Control Points, clothing color customization, camp improvements, and more. Check out all of the details in the State of the Game letter on the official forums.

MassivelyFallen Earth producer talks major combat changes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archangelcombat-changesdave-archangel-haydyschdave-haydyschfaction-control-pointsfallen-earthicarusicarus-studiospatchesprogress-townsState-of-the-gameupdatesThu, 26 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Champions Online looks to its one-year anniversary and beyond]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/21/champions-online-looks-to-its-one-year-anniversary-and-beyond/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/21/champions-online-looks-to-its-one-year-anniversary-and-beyond/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/21/champions-online-looks-to-its-one-year-anniversary-and-beyond/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It might be hard to believe at times, but it's true: on September 1st, Champions Online will hit the one-year mark. The development team has been fairly quiet of late, but judging by the latest State of the Game address, it's just been focusing on several updates and improvements. The Summer Update, with several new costume pieces, bug fixes, and visual treats, is scheduled to go live on Monday, but there are even better things coming around the bend, including the game's second adventure pack.

Dubbed the Demonflame and aimed at a late September release, the newest adventure is meant to incorporate several pieces of feedback from the Serpent Lantern adventure. The goal is to make the adventure less repetitive and easier to follow from point to point for all players. Beyond that, the team has a long list of issues they're looking into and planning to work on, starting with pet improvements and stretching to scaling instances and better difficulty slider integration. Champions Online fans should take a look at the full update, and while the first year has had ups and downs, the future seems to be on the upswing. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for our one one-year retrospective of the game around the anniversary, which should be coming right around the first of the month.

[Thanks Clinton and Faryon for the tip!]

MassivelyChampions Online looks to its one-year anniversary and beyond originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-packanniversaryatarichampions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-studiosdemonflamedifficulty-sliderfuturefuture-changesfuture-updatesimprovementslooking-forwardone-year-anniversaryserpent-lanterstate-of-the-gamesummer-updatethe-demonflameSat, 21 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[STO celebrates six months of interstellar conflict in the latest State of the Game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/27/sto-celebrates-six-months-of-interstellar-conflict-in-the-latest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/27/sto-celebrates-six-months-of-interstellar-conflict-in-the-latest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/27/sto-celebrates-six-months-of-interstellar-conflict-in-the-latest/#commentsFiled under: , ,

While Captain Kirk and the original crew of the Enterprise had an initial five-year mission to explore the cosmos, Star Trek Online players have had a mere six months to do the same. In this span of time, a lot has happened for STO -- some good, some bad, some controversial, and some radically different. As the game heads into its second six-month tour of duty, executive producer Dan Stahl threw open the doors for STO's Season 2.0 update, entitled "Ancient Enemies."

In the latest State of the Game report, Stahl looks back at the additions, changes and accomplishments of the STO team since launch. The bullet point list he lays out is impressive indeed, listing 32 big ticket items that have been implemented into the game. He then looks at the immediate present with the launch of Season 2.0, which Stahl sees as a direct response to player requests and demands. "Season Two is filled with additional features and updates that you asked for, and in some cases even helped us design, specifically minigames," Stahl writes.

Finally, the State of the Game looks at the future of the title and the many improvements that are slated for delivery, including an upgrade to ground combat, more ship options for both factions and rethinking exploration. You can read Dan Stahl's full State of the Game report over at Star Trek Online's site.

MassivelySTO celebrates six months of interstellar conflict in the latest State of the Game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ancient-enemiescrypticcryptic-studiosdan-stahldstahlexplorationfive-year-missionground-combatlive-long-and-perspireminigamesseason-2season-2.0star-trek-onlinestate-of-the-gamestoTue, 27 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wasteland Diaries: The end]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/23/wasteland-diaries-the-end/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/23/wasteland-diaries-the-end/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/23/wasteland-diaries-the-end/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

When I first heard about Fallen Earth, the first thing that piqued my interest was the post-apocalyptic setting. The second thing was the FPS-style gameplay and the third thing was the factional PvP. I was delivered the setting in spades; I got a good, healthy dose of FPS action. I will admit, I got a good deal of PvP as well, but not much of it was factionally driven. The understanding I had of what to expect when I hit max level was enforcers and CHOTA squaring off for control of a town, slugging it out for hours on end. But in reality I got sporadic random battles or clan warfare. PvP was supposed to be the endgame material. At least that was the impression that I got.

In this post I will look at the current state of Fallen Earth's endgame, and what we might expect to change from the information garnered from the recent State of the Game. Many people aren't sure what to do in the game once they hit the level cap. After the cut I will take a look at the state of Fallen Earth's endgame and where I expect it to go given the recent announcements.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: The end

MassivelyWasteland Diaries: The end originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auction-housecustom-colorsend-gameendgamefallen-earthfallen-earth-llcfeaturedhousingicarus-studioslive-eventsplayer-housingpvepvprespecroleplayingsector-4State-of-the-gameFri, 23 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Champions' State of the Game: Demons, high heels and super supergroups for all!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/21/champions-state-of-the-game-demons-high-heels-and-super-super/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/21/champions-state-of-the-game-demons-high-heels-and-super-super/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/21/champions-state-of-the-game-demons-high-heels-and-super-super/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

While the summer days are hot and those hammocks in the shade are inviting, Cryptic Studios is choosing to spend the season gearing up for hefty content releases. In the latest State of the Game report, Champions Online's Executive Producer Shannon "Poz" Posniewski outlines a number of features, fixes and fluff that's going into the next patch and beyond.

For August, Champions Online plans to implement a number of quality-of-life improvements to the game. These include more supergroup features (such as a better UI and supergroup advertisements), overhauling pet powers, an improved C-Store, and giving Millennium City's Ren Center a much-needed visual update. They're also slipping in a few new costume options, so if you've been waiting for the latest in Champions high heel shoe fashion, then wait no longer!

Moving on to the fall, Posniewski is excited to announce a new adventure pack entitled "The Demonflame." The pack is based on a Champions pen-and-paper module, and involves bad people opening portals to places better left alone. Check out the full point-by-point Poz poetry at Champions Online's site!

MassivelyChampions' State of the Game: Demons, high heels and super supergroups for all! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-packc-storechampionschampions-onlinecrypticcryptic-studiosfluffhammock-huthigh-heelsmillennium-citypoint-by-point-poz-poetrypozren-centershannon-posniewskiState-of-the-gamesupergroupsthe-demonflameWed, 21 Jul 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth state of the game: silent does not mean distant]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/15/fallen-earth-state-of-the-game-silent-does-not-mean-distant/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/15/fallen-earth-state-of-the-game-silent-does-not-mean-distant/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/15/fallen-earth-state-of-the-game-silent-does-not-mean-distant/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Fallen Earth developers have released the latest state of the game, and they may have been quiet lately, but they've been hard at work behind the scenes.

Upcoming changes run the gamut from cosmetic items such as color customization on vehicles to gameplay-affecting additions like respec availability. Many of the additions and changes will start small and be upgraded and expanded over time. The respec injectors, for example, will begin as a merchant item, and eventually players will be able to craft their own.

They didn't stop with colors and respecs, though. We got an update on the long-awaited addition of Sector Four as well. Rather than a huge expansion, sector four will be introduced as a series of counties over the next year. PvP is going to get a bit scarier in the future -- rather than having designated PvP zones, a player can flag for PvP anywhere he or she chooses.

These few things are only the beginning. Housing, an improved auction house and a better leveling curve are just a few examples of the new content coming to Fallen Earth in the near future. Check out the full state of the game for all the details.

MassivelyFallen Earth state of the game: silent does not mean distant originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auction-housecustomizationfallen-earthfehousingicarusicarus-studiospvprespecsector-fourstate-of-the-gameThu, 15 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Shannon Posniewski talks about CO's plans for the summer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/18/shannon-posniewski-talks-about-cos-plans-for-the-summer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/18/shannon-posniewski-talks-about-cos-plans-for-the-summer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/18/shannon-posniewski-talks-about-cos-plans-for-the-summer/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Not to be outdone by the recent launch of the Serpent Lantern adventure pack, Shannon "poz" Posniewski released a new State of the Game, outlining the final tweaks to the Serpent Lantern launch and what is in store for Champions Online over the summer months.

The first thing on the discussion list is some big tweaks to supergroup functions, including a place to put news, a roster, and an interactive guild calendar that officers can post events on and players can leave feedback for. It's the first announcement for this new feature, and players are already excited. Poz also announced plans for redesigning the look and feel of Renaissance Center, giving the central player hub a needed facelift. Pet powers, also a major issue for many heroes, will be getting a look in the coming months as well.

All in all, it looks to be a very exciting summer for heroes protecting the streets of Millenium City!

MassivelyShannon Posniewski talks about CO's plans for the summer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>champions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-studiosplay-with-the-devsrenaissance-centershannon-posniewskiState-of-the-gamesupergroupFri, 18 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Speaking Episode 101: The state of Fallen Earth with Wes Platt]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/massively-speaking-episode-101-the-state-of-fallen-earth-with-w/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/massively-speaking-episode-101-the-state-of-fallen-earth-with-w/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/massively-speaking-episode-101-the-state-of-fallen-earth-with-w/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Massively Speaking Episode 101 returns this week to focus on the Fallen Earth State of the Game announced last Thursday. Director of Content Development Wes Platt joins Shawn and Rubi to answer two dozen questions written by the Fallen Earth community on their forums.

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to shawn AT massively DOT com. Maybe we'll read your letter on the air!

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes.
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[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.
Listen here on the page:



Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 101: The state of Fallen Earth with Wes Platt

MassivelyMassively Speaking Episode 101: The state of Fallen Earth with Wes Platt originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 May 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fallen-earthicarus-studiosinterviewmassively-speakingopinionpodcastingpodcastsstate-of-the-gamewes-plattWed, 26 May 2010 15:00:00 ESTMassively Speaking Episode 101Massively.com Staff43:45podcasts<![CDATA[Star Trek Online warps to the next frontier in the latest State of the Game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/22/star-trek-online-warps-to-the-next-frontier-in-the-latest-state/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/22/star-trek-online-warps-to-the-next-frontier-in-the-latest-state/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/22/star-trek-online-warps-to-the-next-frontier-in-the-latest-state/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Like dogged engineers in Jefferies tubes, Cryptic's crew have been working feverishly to tune up Star Trek Online to optimal performance. They haven't been quiet about communicating their accomplishments and intentions, either. As part of their ongoing efforts to keep players in the loop regarding STO improvements, a new State of the Game announcement was released yesterday to look at the past, present and future of the title.

After listing their accomplishments so far, Executive Producer Craig Zinkievich runs down a bullet point list of imminent additions to the game. Season 2 is almost here, and with it new minigames (such as Dabo), the Federation Diplomatic Corps (non-combat missions), weekly episodes, a level cap increase to Vice Admiral 1 and ship interiors. Many other features that are "coming soon" include the Accolade feature and the Squad system -- the latter giving players of different levels the ability to temporarily adjust levels to facilitate grouping.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of this already-packed State of the Game is a look at the not-so-distant future of STO, as Zinkievich teases a new faction (although no decisions have been made) and "user-generated content" of an unspecified nature. Read the full report and let Starfleet know how they're doing!

MassivelyStar Trek Online warps to the next frontier in the latest State of the Game originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 May 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accoladecraig-Zinkievichcrypticcryptic-studiosdabofactionfederation-diplomatic-corpsim-giving-it-all-ive-got-captainjefferies-tubelevel-cappatchseason-2ship-interiorssquad-systemstar-trek-onlineState-of-the-gamestouser-generated-contentvice-admiral-1Sat, 22 May 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Forecast for Fallen Earth calls for fast travel, rare spawns and harsh weather]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/20/forecast-for-fallen-earth-calls-for-fast-travel-rare-spawns-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/20/forecast-for-fallen-earth-calls-for-fast-travel-rare-spawns-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/20/forecast-for-fallen-earth-calls-for-fast-travel-rare-spawns-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It may be the end of the world, but that's no excuse to stop striving for perfection in a Fallen Earth. Using the recent, successful Blood Sports patch as a springboard, Icarus have their eyes fixed on the horizon as they share up-and-coming content in a new State of the Game address.

Dev "Archangel" highlights the three big improvements headed to Fallen Earth in the near future: rare spawns, a limited travel system, and weather. Once in place, the Serendipity system will spawn rare mobs with unique loot for the fortunate traveler who travels off the beaten path. The fast travel system, a much-demanded feature, will become available to players level 20 and higher after completing a quest chain. You can hop between major towns using bus stops at specific locations. Finally, atmospheric lighting and the addition of weather to the game -- in the form of rain, thunder, and lightning -- may not be banner features, but they've always been warmly welcomed in other MMOs, and there's no reason to think that'll be different in Fallen Earth.

There's a lot more to this State of the Game, including crafting improvements and the formation of T.E.M.P.S. (we won't spoil the surprise), so head on over to the site for the full report -- but not before you hit the jump for an awesome new Fallen Earth trailer from IGN.

Continue reading Forecast for Fallen Earth calls for fast travel, rare spawns and harsh weather

MassivelyForecast for Fallen Earth calls for fast travel, rare spawns and harsh weather originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 May 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blood-sportscraftingfallen-earthfast-travelfeicarusicarus-studiosprairie-chicken-pwns-youserendipitystate-of-the-gamet.e.m.p.s.trailerweatherThu, 20 May 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Champions Online powers up with patch notes, state of the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/champions-online-powers-up-with-patch-notes-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/champions-online-powers-up-with-patch-notes-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/champions-online-powers-up-with-patch-notes-state-of-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , ,

A superhero's work is never done. To fight on the side of good means that you must be as diligent as evil is persistent, else the dark forces will gain sway and demand that you kneel before Zod. Fortunately, a shining beacon has appeared in the sky, signaling good news for the heroes of Champions Online -- a new patch, an upbeat State of the Game report, and a spiffy referral program.

The new "Super Powers Patch," as it's being called (or patch FC.11.201000419.5, if you like to be formal) sports a host of additions and changes to the game. For starters, all characters will be granted a free retcon due to the enormous array of powers tweaks. The melee and supernatural powersets, in particular, have been overhauled to bring them more in line with the strength and flexibility of other types of powers. The patch also brings Unity 2 missions, weapons at the tailor, and teaming improvements. You can read the full patch notes here.

Continue reading Champions Online powers up with patch notes, state of the game

MassivelyChampions Online powers up with patch notes, state of the game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 May 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>champions-onlinecryptickneel-before-zodpatchpatch-notespowersetsreferral-programrekhanretconState-of-the-gamesuper-powerssuper-powers-patchunity-2Tue, 04 May 2010 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Three months of Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/captains-log-three-months-of-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/captains-log-three-months-of-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/captains-log-three-months-of-star-trek-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Welcome, one and all, to another edition of Captain's Log, our weekly column on everyone's favorite Star Trek MMO, Star Trek Online. I'm afraid I must renege once again on my promise to tackle the Klingon beginner experience. But I forgot that Cryptic Studios' latest MMO will be 3 months old this Sunday!

That's right! STO launched a whopping three months ago, on Feb. 2, 2010. Why, it feels like just yesterday that my newly created Bajoran Science Officer took his first laggy footsteps on Earth Starbase in search of Commander Sulu. As we are wont to do with our favorite games here at Massively, let's look back at STO's first few months and take stock of its past, present and future.

Continue reading Captain's Log: Three months of Star Trek Online

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Three months of Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Atariborgchampions-onlinecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscraig-Zinkievichcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosfeaturedFederationguideklingonsspecial-task-forcespecial-task-force-missionsst-onlineStar-TrekStar-Trek-MMOstar-trek-onlinestar-trek-online-checkupstar-trek-online-contentstar-trek-online-launchstar-trek-online-season-onestar-trek-online-three-monthsState-of-the-gamestosto-atari-dealsto-checkupsto-contentsto-launchsto-season-onesto-season-one-common-groundsto-state-of-the-gamesto-subscriberssto-three-monthstrek-onlinezinkievichThu, 29 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST