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[Flameseeker Chronicles: Memory lane and the delights of anticipation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/21/flameseeker-chronicles-memory-lane-and-the-delights-of-anticipa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/21/flameseeker-chronicles-memory-lane-and-the-delights-of-anticipa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/21/flameseeker-chronicles-memory-lane-and-the-delights-of-anticipa/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

GW pre-searing
The clock is ticking -- 2011 is winding down (less than six weeks left!) and Guild Wars 2 fans everywhere have closed beta on the brain. This news has been out there for a very long time, but just to eliminate any confusion, I'll go straight to a recent quote from Martin Kerstein: "We will enter CBT before the end of the year, and depending on the results we get from it, we will decide on Open Beta and Launch." The phrase "small closed beta" has also been tossed around, so I seriously doubt ArenaNet plans to go all BioWare on us and start slinging hundreds of thousands of keys in every direction. (Of course, Star Wars: The Old Republic is exactly one month out from launch at this point, and Guild Wars 2 is definitely not.)

That doesn't stop us, the fans, from having a pile of questions. When will the beta start? How many people will get in? How long will it last? Will it be ongoing or weekends only? What is the development team hoping to focus on? Only time will tell, but it doesn't stop us from waiting, wondering, and anticipating. (Aside to the developers: I'm out of town this Wednesday through Sunday. Please don't do anything then.)

There's a lot to look forward to, but at the moment we're in the lull that comes after new information has been revealed, dissected, and discussed to pieces. We're waiting for whatever comes next, so I'm going to take the opportunity to look in the other direction: back. Follow along after the jump to join me on memory lane.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Memory lane and the delights of anticipation

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Memory lane and the delights of anticipation originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbetafeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2guildcastgwgw2memory-lanencsoftpropheciessimsthe-simsthe-sims-2Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: Travians and socializing on any device]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/mmobility-travians-and-socializing-on-any-device/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/mmobility-travians-and-socializing-on-any-device/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/mmobility-travians-and-socializing-on-any-device/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Last week I told you a little bit about Travians, a neat little mobile- and browser-based game brought to us by the same good people who brought us Travian. (Notice the singular title of Travian, the island-based MMORTS.) I was intrigued as soon as I saw it mainly because it looked like it was doing something different: creating a mostly non-combat experience that is so very rare in today's market. I had also a lot of experience with Travian before, and despite not enjoying some of the aspects of the game, I enjoyed playing with friends. I hoped that Travians would allow a player to insert a single avatar into the greater world of Travian islands, and that's sort of what you do.

If you have played The Sims before, you'll have a basic idea about the what you have to do in Travians. You must point your little person to the bathroom, aim him toward a food source, and even tuck him into bed. Your character won't die or wet the floor if you don't perform successfully, but he will lose some ability to gain experience and other points. If you have enjoyed a conversation while in an online game, found yourself crafting away an evening, or spent a great deal of time decorating your virtual home, you'll have a basic idea about the optional activities in Travians.

Click past the cut and I'll tell you more!

Gallery: Travians screenshots

Continue reading MMObility: Travians and socializing on any device

MassivelyMMObility: Travians and socializing on any device originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanbrowser-basedf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpgalleriesgalleryMMObilityscreenshotscreenshotssimssocial-mmoThe-Simstraviantravian-gamestraviangamestraviansTue, 31 May 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: A case for player housing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-case-for-player-housing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-case-for-player-housing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-case-for-player-housing/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Earlier this week we were treated to the news that Trion Worlds is going to offer free character transfers between "select servers" once Update 1.3 hits. Now, how useful this will be is anyone's guess -- as some have noted, this may just be a clever ploy to redistribute the population from high-pop servers to low-pop ones -- but generally it's been met with applause from the community. I remain impressed as a consumer with how fast and aggressive Trion is pumping out content, and the fact that this is a free transfer once per week is really cool considering how most other subscription MMOs charge for a similar "premium" service.

Whatever Trion's motive and however it'll play out, I do know this: The company needs to continue to bring the heat to the competition. It's vital that RIFT distinguishes itself from the rest of the pack in some way, whether it be polish, originality, speed, customer service, or innovation.

Today I'd like to make a case for what I think should be high up on Trion's development schedule: player housing. We know it's something the devs have discussed, with some very much for and some very much against, but I'm hoping it's gone past the brainstorming phase. Why should we care about what might seem like fluff? How could housing work in RIFT? Tune in after the jump, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel to find out!

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: A case for player housing

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: A case for player housing originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 May 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artifactartifactsblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcharacter-transferscity-of-heroescohcollectionsdynamic-contentendless-courtenter-at-your-own-rifteq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iifeaturedguild-housinghousinginvasionsjeflord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrominecraftmythicpatch-1.3phplayer-housingriftrift-planes-of-telarariftssandboxsupergroupthe-simstriontrion-worldsvanity-petswarwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 25 May 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Second Life's Rod Humble on accessibility, new tech, and the future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/second-lifes-rod-humble-on-accessibility-new-tech-and-the-fut/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/second-lifes-rod-humble-on-accessibility-new-tech-and-the-fut/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/10/second-lifes-rod-humble-on-accessibility-new-tech-and-the-fut/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Second Life doesn't get a ton of press anymore, partly because of its age and party because -- even after nearly eight years -- people still don't know what to make of it. Is it a game? Is it a virtual world? Is it a melting pot for anyone who has ever thought to themselves: "I know! Let's code, model, and distribute some giant free-standing genitalia!"

Luckily, Rock, Paper Shotgun has stepped up to interview new Linden Lab boss Rod Humble and shed some light on the matter. Humble recently left EA after six years overseeing the second and third entries in the long running Sims franchise, and speaks about trading the relatively insulated world of virtual suburbia for the wild and incredibly untamed frontiers of Second Life.

"What makes Second Life so intriguing to me is its hard to define nature. I have heard people call it a virtual world, a game, the 3D internet, a social media platform, the list goes on. I like that kind of unresolved ambiguity, I think it shows something that is not yet fully evolved and has exciting new roads to discover," Humble says. He goes on to outline plans to revamp Second Life's performance, ease-of-use, and service aspects in order to counter the recent decline in user hours.

MassivelySecond Life's Rod Humble on accessibility, new tech, and the future originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eainterviewlindenlinden-labmmo-industryrock-paper-shotgunrod-humblerpssecond-lifethe-simsuser-contentvirtual-worldsThu, 10 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist and the NeverEnding Quest: My expedition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-neverending-quest-my-expedition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-neverending-quest-my-expedition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-neverending-quest-my-expedition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Today I feel a little like Jake from The Blues Brothers, the Jake who, while on the defensive when confronted with his failings, comes up with a laundry list of excuses including earthquakes, flat tires, a lost tuxedo, a stolen car, floods and locusts: "It wasn't my fault, I swear to God!" Yup, Jake, I empathize.

After going through an excellent month of EverQuest on The Game Archaeologist here, I had every intention to marinate in old-fashioned EQ goodness for the very first time in my life. I set several evenings aside, put on my chainmail bikini and Viking hat, and told the computer to, I quote, "Bring it on."

Then the floods and locusts happened, in the form of a number of personal crises compounded by an unexpectedly difficult time just getting into the EverQuest Escape to Norrath unlimited trial. I don't know what's going on over at SOE, but the signup for this trial simply doesn't work. I followed the directions and downloaded the client, but the next screen (which contained the activation key) never appeared. It appears that I'm not alone dealing with this frustrating experience, but long story short, I eventually created a second account to just get the 14-day trial (instead of the unlimited one) to get in the game. By then I was down to just a mere two evenings of EverQuest trompings, which I knew would not be enough to satisfy the fans looking for an in-depth impressions of their favorite game.

So I have to throw myself on your mercy and tell you that I played it, but not nearly as much as I should've. That said, it definitely was an intriguing expedition from which I took away quite a few notes and during which I at least had the opportunity to get my feet wet. What is EverQuest like to an experienced MMO player who's coming to the game for the first time over a decade after it released? Hit the jump and let's see how far down this rabbit hole goes!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the NeverEnding Quest: My expedition

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the NeverEnding Quest: My expedition originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anarchy-onlinebarbarianbeastlordbeastmasterbeginner-zoneblues-brotherscity-of-heroesddodungeons-and-dragons-onlineeqeq2eqiiescape-to-norratheverquestEverQuest-2everquest-iifirst-impressionsframeratehailjakekill-ten-ratsnorrathplanetsidesoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesswgthe-blues-brothersthe-game-archaeologistthe-simstutorialuiWorld-of-WarcraftwowTue, 01 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist and the year that was 2010]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/28/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-year-that-was-2010/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/28/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-year-that-was-2010/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/28/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-year-that-was-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Earlier in the year when I started this column, I realized two things. First, I'd be giving myself as much as any of you a crash-course education in older MMOs, particularly with some of the more fringe titles that I'd never really explored up to this point. And second, it would be a challenge to find the right mix of elements to do these MMOs justice.

So before we look back at all the games this column covered in 2010, I'd like to ask each and every one of you to take a minute and drop a comment about what you'd like to see The Game Archaeologist do next. What titles would you love to see honored in 2011? What features are the most interesting to you -- dev interviews, player interviews, history overviews, photo galleries, first impression playthroughs, or links to community fansites and blogs? What could I add to make The Game Archaeologist even better?

I also want to take a minute to thank the readers, players and developers who have contributed to this column so far. While there are MMOs that get a lion's share of the press these days, we at Massively are committed to spotlighting as many of these games as possible, particularly if there's a passionate community and dev team behind them. I've loved hearing your stories and hope that in passing them along, perhaps we've opened a door or two to games that you might've never considered before.

So let's hop in our hot air balloon and soar over the year that was 2010!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the year that was 2010

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the year that was 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Anarchy-Onlineaoaolbbsbulletin-board-systemdaocdark-age-of-camelotdnddoor-gamesdungeons-and-dragonseaea-mythicend-of-the-year-2010featuredfuncomgary-gygaxjagexjickkingdom-of-loathingmark-jacobsmr-skullheadmythicMythic-Entertainmentneverwinter-nightsnew-game-enhancementsngepvprichard-garriottrunescapesoestar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgthe-game-archaeologistthe-simsthe-sims-onlinetsoturbineultima-onlineuowinter-holiday-2010wookiee-loveTue, 28 Dec 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Linden Lab names new CEO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/23/linden-lab-names-new-ceo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/23/linden-lab-names-new-ceo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/23/linden-lab-names-new-ceo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

For some time now there's been a question as to who would eventually be stepping into the shoes of CEO over at Linden Lab. In June, Mark Kingdon (aka M Linden) stepped down with very little warning after a series of layoffs, and Philip Rosedale (aka Philip Linden) stepped in as interim CEO while the company was reevaluating its direction and future technology potential. Now, news comes today that Rod Humble will be stepping into the CEO spot at Linden Lab in January.

Humble has been in the games industry since 1990, during which time he's racked up involvement in over 200 different games. Prior to making the jump to CEO at Linden Labs, Humble was the President of Product Development on EverQuest, and worked on other SOE titles such as EverQuest Online Adventures and Star Wars Galaxies. Most recently, Humble worked as label lead on The Sims at EA, later attaining Executive Vice President for that division. His expertise in large online games and connection to a crazy hot title like The Sims may prove to be the combination needed to lead Second Life into an even more promising future.

[Via Tateru Nino]

MassivelyLinden Lab names new CEO originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ceoeaelectronic-artslinden-labPhilip Rosedalephilip-rosedalePhilipRosedalerod-humblesecond-lifethe-simsThu, 23 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Waging WAR: Finding the sandbox]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/waging-war-finding-the-sandbox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/waging-war-finding-the-sandbox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/04/waging-war-finding-the-sandbox/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In this installment of Waging WAR, Greg takes a look at Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning from a few different angles and goes in search of the proverbial "sandbox" in a game that contains neither sand nor boxes.

Somewhere along the line during my childhood, I developed a habit for playing games with nearly every game I've ever played. I can even remember a time in my early teens when I sat down with a few friends and collaborated on making our own version of battlechess. Pages of chicken-scratched rules and several dice results-tables later, and we were off and running for a solid week of the most entertaining chess matches I've ever played. Or there was that time with The Sims when I started creating experimental families and then leaving my computer on overnight and not interacting with them, just to see how successful they could be without my help. I could bore you for hours on end with examples of how I twisted the rules and made my own games from the games I've played.

I suppose I can blame my penchant for metagaming on my early introduction to pen-and-paper roleplaying (i.e., D&D 1st Ed., to be specific). All I had was a sheet of paper, a handful of dice, a description of the world around me, and my imagination. By its very nature, PnP gaming is sandbox gaming. The reason I'm bringing this up now is that, until WAR, I had pretty much been able to "find the sandbox" in any MMO I was able to get my hands on. Whether it was building hardcore Dungeons & Dragons Online characters, roleplaying in City of Heroes, or achievement-chasing in World of Warcraft, I've never really been troubled with finding something to do when the grind started to wear me down. But now, with WAR, I'm finding most of my old tricks for MMO metagaming just aren't working.

To read about what I've tried, and why it didn't work in WAR, follow along after the break.

Continue reading Waging WAR: Finding the sandbox

MassivelyWaging WAR: Finding the sandbox originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWarebioware-eaBioware-MMObioware-mythicchampions-onlinecity-of-heroesCity-of-Villainsddoddo-unlimitedDiabloDungeons-and-Dragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlineEAea-mythicfeaturefeaturedfeaturesgunbadhardcorehunters-valekeepersmass-effect-2mass-effect-2-pcmass-effect-dlcmythicmythic-eaMythic-EntertainmentMythicEntertainmentpermadeathPNPpvpRedEyerole-playrole-playingroleplayRolePlayingrvrSandboxThe-Simstometome-of-knowledgetome-unlockswaging-warwarWarhammer-OnlineWorld-of-WarcraftWorldOfWarcraftwowSat, 04 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist and the Legend of the Sims: Our memories]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/13/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-legend-of-the-sims-our-memories/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/13/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-legend-of-the-sims-our-memories/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/13/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-legend-of-the-sims-our-memories/#commentsFiled under: ,


Last week marked the beginning of a brief foray into the world of The Sims Online -- "brief" because the title is defunct (meaning no hands-on experiences to share these days) and I doubt that any of the game's creators are itching to reminisce about this lackluster entry into The Sims franchise. So chances are that today marks the end of our expedition, but we'll put our chins up and try to do it justice.

Recently in the Massively office, a few of us spent a bit of time chewing the fat about The Sims Online. It's hard to imagine, but when the beta came out for this title, it was actually pretty hot stuff. The Sims had that crack-like addictive quality to it, and a lot of people -- myself included -- thought that the online version would make it exponentially better. Instead of every copy of The Sims being a little island unto itself, now we could connect and build in ways that were limited only by our imaginations.

Oh, and also questionable developer decisions.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Legend of the Sims: Our memories

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the Legend of the Sims: Our memories originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>april-lovebetabordellochubbys-crab-shackdjeafeaturedgreen-upradio-stationsecond-lifesimsskill-upstargracestephanie-morrowthe-simsthe-sims-onlinetsoTue, 13 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist and the Legend of the Sims: The history]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-legend-of-the-sims-the-history/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-legend-of-the-sims-the-history/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-legend-of-the-sims-the-history/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Sims Online was one of the odder entrants into the MMO genre this past decade, an online iteration of an immensely popular game franchise that promised deeper social interaction. With EA at its back and the Will Wright name affixed to the front, TSO (not to be confused with Cryptic's STO) had a solid shot at cracking the big time.

It did not. It went over as well as a fish flopping out of water to make a go for it on dry land, eventually realizing that it was both going nowhere and dying slowly. The end result? It stunk.

And yet it was an interesting failed experiment in MMO gaming, especially considering that the concept wasn't as off-base as we once thought. With social "dress up" games booming -- Second Life, Habbo Hotel, Club Penguin, Hello Kitty Online, even elements of LEGO Universe -- The Sims Online could be seen as a prophet of the future, mistreated in its own time. Return with us to the days of pixelated 2-D isometric glory, as the Game Archaeologist interprets the Simlish of ancient tomes for your benefit.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Legend of the Sims: The history

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the Legend of the Sims: The history originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>club-penguineaea-landelectronic-artseverquestfeaturedhabbo-hotelhello-kitty-onlinelego-universemeat-marketpenny-arcadered-light-districtsecond-lifesimlishsimlish-is-just-nonstop-swearingsimsstar-trek-onlinestothe-game-archaeologistthe-simsthe-sims-onlinetsoTue, 06 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Should your characters age?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/the-daily-grind-should-your-characters-age/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/the-daily-grind-should-your-characters-age/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/17/the-daily-grind-should-your-characters-age/#commentsFiled under: , ,

For a genre that prides itself on creating a virtual life for imaginary characters, many elements of real life are conspicuously absent. Like bathrooms. Why don't your characters ever need to go? What would be so wrong about having a third bar under "health" and "mana" titled "bladder?" Okay, bad example, but you get the gist.

Seeing as how MMOs attempt to convey the journey of life and accumulation of knowledge and experience through leveling, it isn't hard to imagine a game in which your characters age as you progress. In strategy games like The Sims and some RPGs like Fable, aging is built in to the system, adding a layer of immersion as you see your characters grow older as time goes by. When you contrast this with the stuck-in-amber preservation of MMO characters, forever beautiful and flawless, a possible missed opportunity beckons.

When developing Warhammer Online, Mythic got players excited about a "character growth system" where your avatar would gain size, facial hair and scars with age. While this got the axe, it also got players thinking and talking about the subject. So should characters age in MMOs? Would the immersion be worth the difficulty and debate over how such a system would function?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Should your characters age? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agebladder-barcharacter-growthfablemythictdgthe-daily-grindthe-simswarwarhammer-onlineThu, 17 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Academic: games and virtual worlds teach better than teachers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/academic-games-and-virtual-worlds-teach-better-than-teachers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/academic-games-and-virtual-worlds-teach-better-than-teachers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/academic-games-and-virtual-worlds-teach-better-than-teachers/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

An academic named James Gee told lecture attendees at the Games, Learning, and Society Conference in Wisconsin that game and virtual world developers have a better handle on how to foster "passionate communities for learning" than most teachers do. He used World of Warcraft as an example of excellent game design that creates communities that share information and solve problems together.

He also referenced Second Life, telling the story of a girl who started using Photoshop to make clothes for her Sims in The Sims. She went on to start a business selling her fashions in Linden Labs' virtual economy. "Education isn't about telling people stuff," said Gee. "It's about giving them tools that enable them to see the world in a new and useful way." Gee argued that game developers know how to do that, and that educators should learn from their example.

Gamasutra has some more quotes and analysis, but the sum of it all is that Gee believes that since delivering raw information to students' brains isn't going to work in a rapidly changing, postmodern world, they should be trained to come up with their own unique ideas in response to all the data that makes up the complex system that is our society. So, think emergent gameplay, but real!

MassivelyAcademic: games and virtual worlds teach better than teachers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academicsblizzardeaeducationgames-learning-and-society-conferencejames-geelearninglecturelinden-labmaxisschoolssecond-lifeteachersthe-simsworld-of-warcraftTue, 15 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Realism in MMOs ... good or bad?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/the-daily-grind-realism-in-mmos-good-or-bad/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/the-daily-grind-realism-in-mmos-good-or-bad/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/the-daily-grind-realism-in-mmos-good-or-bad/#commentsFiled under: , ,


When you hear the word "realistic" as it's applied to graphics and/or gameplay, do you cheer or wince? World of Warcraft, Mabinogi, Hello Kitty Online -- these are all titles that make a fantastical graphics aesthetic work well for them. At the same time, Age of Conan, Guild Wars, Tabula Rasa -- these games make a good showing of a more "realistic" style, and people seem to like it.

Then again, there's "realistic" taken to an extreme; we're thinking of the way The Sims makes you exercise, eat, sleep, excrete, etc. Now, while The Sims is of course not an MMO, do we want that sort of thing in our fantasy worlds? Does realism attract more people than surrealism? Could you take currently realistic/cartoony games and switch the aesthetic around and make it all better?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Realism in MMOs ... good or bad? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conancartoonyguild-warshello-kitty-onlinemabinogirealismrealistictabula-rasatdgthe-daily-grindthe-simsworld-of-warcraftFri, 13 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA "thinking about" online features for The Sims, even as EA-Land dies]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/ea-thinking-about-online-features-for-the-sims-even-as-ea-lan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/ea-thinking-about-online-features-for-the-sims-even-as-ea-lan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/ea-thinking-about-online-features-for-the-sims-even-as-ea-lan/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

A recent article in The Times Online offers a few choice phrases from Nancy Smith, the executive in charge of the Sims Division at Electronic Arts, regarding a possible future direction the franchise could take. It begins with Smith saying that the Sims " ... may soon become a multi-player game." Apparently the popularity of virtual worlds and MMOs like Second Life and World of Warcraft is something EA wants a part of, so their idea is to provide " ... more and more robust community features."

Aside from the ability to interact with one another, what are these community features? The article doesn't reveal anything concrete, and Smith is very careful not to commit to specifics. In fact, the entirety of Smith's comments seem to indicate both an ambivalence toward the power of online gaming and a desire to be seen as being focused on moving the franchise forward by incorporating aspects of that same power. Add to this the strange lack of understanding of how the online space works for many MMOs, and you've got a conflicted EA on your hands -- the same company that canceled EA-Land, which might have been the perfect test bed for any online distribution/content model EA wanted to experiment with.

What's going on here? We'll take a shot at understanding this after the jump.

Continue reading EA "thinking about" online features for The Sims, even as EA-Land dies

MassivelyEA "thinking about" online features for The Sims, even as EA-Land dies originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ea-landelectronic-artsfeaturedh-and-mikeajoystiqfeaturesnancy-smithsecond-lifethe-simsthe-sims-onlineworld-of-warcraftWed, 04 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TV shows that could be MMOs: Battlestar Galactica]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/16/tv-shows-that-could-be-mmos-battlestar-galactica/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/16/tv-shows-that-could-be-mmos-battlestar-galactica/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/16/tv-shows-that-could-be-mmos-battlestar-galactica/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Watching the final season of the new Battlestar Galactica the other night, and getting only a taste of the amazing, chaotic, shaky-cam ship-to-ship action left us wanting more. But even better than a full episode devoted to space combat would be an MMO based in that world. How would that work, you ask? We're glad you did! Keep in mind that this article assumes basic knowledge of the show universe and its characters. If you haven't seen it, get thee to a torrent, or a rental store immediately!

First, consider some of the great two-sided rivalries in MMOs: Horde vs. Alliance; AFS vs. the Bane; Humanity vs. Hell -- Mankind vs. the Cylons fits right in. In fact, since the show itself manages to portray both sides as sympathetic, there isn't too much storyline massaging to be done; the universe of Galactica is nicely morally ambiguous. All that really matters is survival.

Continue reading TV shows that could be MMOs: Battlestar Galactica

MassivelyTV shows that could be MMOs: Battlestar Galactica originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Think of it as a mix between The Sims and Facebook, with a bit of EVE Online thrown in for good measure. That's our impression of Erepublik so far. Following a recent trend where the target demographic seems to be the casual, browser-based audience, Erepublik enters this niche as an actual strategic alternative to the normal social networking site.

Not only will Erepublik attract a variety of players, but it offers quite a few unique features not found in any one place currently. You can choose among 4 career paths within your country, and most of the environment is created by the users themselves. At the moment, the game is in the invite-only beta stage, but they boast 10,000 users from 43 different countries involved in the beta process now.

MassivelyBridging the gap between MMO and social networking originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browser-basedcasualerepublikeve-onlinefacebookfree-to-playsocial-networkingthe-simsMon, 14 Apr 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: MMO-unfriendly games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/12/the-digital-continuum-mmo-unfriendly-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/12/the-digital-continuum-mmo-unfriendly-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/12/the-digital-continuum-mmo-unfriendly-games/#commentsFiled under: , ,


It's a subject that's been touched on here at Massively not once or twice, but three times. Still, I feel like there's more to be said on the subject of making some non-MMO games into actual MMOs.

Being a constant contributor to Massively means I obviously love MMOs, but that doesn't mean they're all I play. In fact I find myself constantly playing genres of all sorts on various platforms. Still, I do love to end the day (or sometimes spend most of the day) in a great massively multiplayer online game. There have been several occasions where I find myself playing a particular offline game and wonder, "Could this be developed as an MMO?" I eventually come to the conclusion that -- no, it probably can't.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: MMO-unfriendly games

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: MMO-unfriendly games originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamesindustry.biz has posted an article that features comments from outspoken game designer Peter Molyneux, and his thoughts on the current state of PC gaming -- and he's not awfully happy. The primary causes for his concern are the two enormous PC successes, World of Warcraft and The Sims. While the remarkable sales for these games should mean that new people are brought to PC gaming, he felt that they may be taking too much of the pie: "You've got The Sims and World of Warcraft sucking all the air out of the PC market. It's just incredible."

Molyneux also called to question the casual gaming market on the PC. He admitted that some of the earlier successful casual games such as Peggle were all fine and dandy, but as of late the trend for casual-game developers has been to look at what's already doing well and simply re-brand it with a total lack of innovation. Rock star game designer "CliffyB" of Epic Games also recently voiced his opinions on PC gaming, saying that it is in "disarray" and that his studio will focus on console games for the time being.

MassivelyMolyneux laments the state of PC gaming, blames WoW and The Sims originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cliff-bleszinskicliffybepicepic-gameslionheadlionhead-studiosmolyneuxpc-gamingpeter-molyneuxthe-simswowWed, 20 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST