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[The Daily Grind: Are virtual worlds still important?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/the-daily-grind-are-virtual-worlds-still-important/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/the-daily-grind-are-virtual-worlds-still-important/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/the-daily-grind-are-virtual-worlds-still-important/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Sims Online
As part of the recent Massively Speaking bicentennial, we were reminiscing about the fact that Massively used to have a much heavier focus on virtual worlds. While we still touch on those from time to time, these types of "games" don't seem to be as hot as they once were. Or maybe they are and we're just not seeing it!

From Habitat to The Sims Online to Second Life, there have been many attempts at constructing vibrant, community-driven virtual worlds that would draw in players looking to create dual lives that were flashier and more fantastic than their real lives. These games once were heralded as the wave of the future, but it seems as if that wave has since moved on to bashing things with their +4 Clubs of Exquisite Suffering.

So what say you: Are virtual worlds still important? Are we trying to return to the concept by embracing sandbox principles? Are they best left to wither and die in the annals of history?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Are virtual worlds still important? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daily-grindhabitatopinionsandboxsecond-lifetdgthe-daily-grindthe-sims-onlinevirtual-worldsWed, 09 May 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Otherland alpha sign-ups begin]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/otherland-alpha-sign-ups-begin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/otherland-alpha-sign-ups-begin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/otherland-alpha-sign-ups-begin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Otherland - demon dude
Fancy getting an early peek at the MMO version of Tad Williams' Otherland? Head to gamigo's official forum, then, because the company is seeking a few good alpha testers.

This isn't your typical marketing beta, at least according to the sign-up verbiage. "As an alpha tester, you will be asked to focus-test specific game elements, document your user experience, and fill out in-depth surveys each week. Alpha testing is hard work," gamigo says. It's also unpaid work, so only die-hard Otherland fans need apply.

If you're not a die-hard but are still interested in the game, check out our GDC impressions as well as this handy post that collects all of the publicly known information in one place.

MassivelyOtherland alpha sign-ups begin originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betacyberpunkf2pfree-to-playgamigootherlandotherland-alphaotherland-alpha-signupsotherland-alpha-testingrealusci-fitad-williamsvirtual-worldvirtual-worldsThu, 19 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Second Life used to teach relaxation techniques]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/second-life-used-to-teach-relaxation-techniques/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/second-life-used-to-teach-relaxation-techniques/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/second-life-used-to-teach-relaxation-techniques/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Second Life - happy avatars
Who says Second Life's best days are behind it? Not Medical News Today, which reports that the long-running virtual world from Linden Lab has been successfully used to teach relaxation techniques. Massachusetts General Hospital researchers recently conducted a study that concluded that online worlds like Second Life can be useful in "teaching a mind/body approach that includes the relaxation response."

The study found that by doing away with the limitations of face-to-face meetings (and easing the minds of participants who are uncomfortable in real-world group settings), virtual worlds can foster more relaxing and healthy experiences. The study featured 24 individuals who were divided into three groups and subjected to eight weeks of online sessions in Second Life.

Researchers found that participants "showed reductions in depression- and anxiety-related symptoms," though it's also important to note that participants had prior experiences with virtual worlds.

MassivelySecond Life used to teach relaxation techniques originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2llindenlinden-labmassachusetts-general-hospitalmedical-news-todayreal-lifesandboxsecond-lifesecond-life-relaxation-researchsecond-life-researchsecond-life-studyslvirtual-worldvirtual-worldsWed, 04 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Check and mate: A look at Otherland's EightSquared simulation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/check-and-mate-a-look-at-otherlands-eightsquared-simulation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/check-and-mate-a-look-at-otherlands-eightsquared-simulation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/check-and-mate-a-look-at-otherlands-eightsquared-simulation/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Knight from B1 to -- aw, s**t.
Fans of Tad Williams' deliciously cyberpunk book series Otherland are almost certainly waiting with bated breath for gamigo and RealU's upcoming MMO adaptation of the universe. In hopes of making the wait just a tad easier, gamigo has released a new developer diary video focusing on the EightSquared universe of Otherland.

EightSquared, as you may have surmised from the name, is a simulation in which an entire medieval countryside has sprung forth from a gargantuan chess board on which the Red and White armies are locked in an eternal war/game. But something has gone wrong with the simulation: The armies are no longer following the rules of warfare (i.e., rules of chess), and it's up to players to find out where the problem lies before things get too far out of hand and cause the destruction of the simulation itself. The full dev diary also provides a look at the game's Lifecycle AI, which breathes life into the world by providing NPCs who follow their own day-to-day schedules.

So what are you waiting for? Log in to the Net and go take a look for yourself.

[Source: gamigo press release]

Continue reading Check and mate: A look at Otherland's EightSquared simulation

MassivelyCheck and mate: A look at Otherland's EightSquared simulation originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chesscyberpunkdev-diariesdev-diarydeveloper-diariesdeveloper-diaryeightsquaredf2pfree-to-playgamigootherlandrealusci-fitad-williamsvideovideosvirtual-worldvirtual-worldszonezonesFri, 30 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Linden Lab's Second Life 'extremely profitable,' company looking to expand]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/linden-labs-second-life-extremely-profitable-company-looking/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/linden-labs-second-life-extremely-profitable-company-looking/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/linden-labs-second-life-extremely-profitable-company-looking/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Second Life - hot air balloon at sunset
Second Life has dropped out of the limelight in recent years, but if a new piece at GamesIndustry.biz is on the mark, the long-running virtual world may be primed for something of a renaissance.

Former Linden Lab CEO Mark Kingdon vacated the throne in June 2010, and veteran developer Rod Humble took over at the beginning of 2011. Since then, the EverQuest and The Sims veteran has been working hard to bring a bit of structure to Second Life's virtual sprawl, and in the process, reinvigorate what was one of the first MMORPG media darlings.

"I was taken aback by just how big Second Life was," Humble says. "To be honest, it had fallen off my radar until I got the call offering me the position. And I looked at their numbers; this is a world that has got 1 million people logging in every month, generating well in excess of $75 million a year -- it's extremely profitable."

Humble spent much of 2011 refining the product, and everything from the sign-up process to the UI to world transportation received some attention. The result was a 40 percent uptick in new users, and now Humble is bent on expanding Linden Lab's offerings beyond Second Life. "Linden Lab has been very successful with one innovative product, but I want to stretch the company out again, to make it a really exciting place where people can't wait to find out about the next unusual title we're going to release," he said.

MassivelyLinden Lab's Second Life 'extremely profitable,' company looking to expand originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2llindenlinden-labreal-liferod-humblesandboxsecond-lifeslvirtual-worldvirtual-worldsThu, 15 Mar 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Otherland info collected in a single post]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/otherland-info-collected-in-a-single-post/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/otherland-info-collected-in-a-single-post/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/otherland-info-collected-in-a-single-post/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Otherland - coming Q3 2012?
We got our first real glimpse of Otherland at last week's GDC, and if you're hungry for more info on the upcoming MMORPG from gamigo, a fansite called Otherland Net Feed has you covered. The Tad Williams-inspired title might be available as early as the third quarter of 2012, according to the site, and to whet your appetite, the admin has collected just about every known game factoid in a single sprawling post.

There is plenty of verbiage relating to the title's simulations (that's Otherland-speak for zones) as well as a ton of images from the game's different locales. There are several trailer embeds too, along with concise reviews of combat, crafting, questing, and travel.

[Thanks to Travis for the tip!]

MassivelyOtherland info collected in a single post originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cyberpunkf2pfantasyfree-to-playgamigootherlandrealusci-fitad-williamsvirtual-worldvirtual-worldsMon, 12 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC 2012: A look at Otherland and Grimlands with Gamigo]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/gdc-2012-a-look-at-otherland-and-grimlands-with-gamigo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/gdc-2012-a-look-at-otherland-and-grimlands-with-gamigo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/gdc-2012-a-look-at-otherland-and-grimlands-with-gamigo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Otherland
Do you prefer a post-apocalyptic world or Tad Williams' vision of the internet of the future? Luckily, you can have them both by the end of the year because Gamigo is working busy at work preparing to launch two new titles. Massively had a chance to talk with Anthony Guzzardo, Gamigo's North American Publicity Manager, as well as PR Manager Dennis Hartmann as they showed off Otherland, based on the works of Tad Williams, and Grimlands, a post-apocalyptic vision in the desert.

Continue reading GDC 2012: A look at Otherland and Grimlands with Gamigo

MassivelyGDC 2012: A look at Otherland and Grimlands with Gamigo originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anthony-guzzardoconconferenceconventioncyberpunkdemodennis-hartmannf2pfeaturedfree-to-playgame-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-2012gamigogdcgdc-2012grimlandskaren-bryanotherlandrealusci-fitad-williamsvirtual-worldvirtual-worldsWed, 07 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: Old Second Life documentary still highlights truths]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/free-for-all-older-second-life-documentary-still-highlights-tru/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/free-for-all-older-second-life-documentary-still-highlights-tru/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/free-for-all-older-second-life-documentary-still-highlights-tru/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Second Life documentary screenshot
So I was working on this week's Free for All last night when a buddy of mine asked me if I had seen a certain older Second Life documentary. I didn't think I had before, but it turns out that my usual record of consuming everything MMO still stands, and it was fun to re-watch the older documentary again for several reasons.

One of the most important things I noticed about the film was just how universal to MMO gaming the documentary was. The issues it brought up are still issues, the problems with virtual worlds are still problems, and the fact that any technology older than six months looks laughable on film is still true. It was also encouraging to see how well Second Life has aged since 2007, but it's slightly depressing to see just how horrible MMO documentaries can be at showing the entire picture.

Continue reading Free for All: Old Second Life documentary still highlights truths

MassivelyFree for All: Old Second Life documentary still highlights truths originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2Lbeau-hindmanBlizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentdocumentariesdocumentaryf2pfeaturedfour-cornersfree-for-allfree-to-playftplinden-labphilip-rosedalesandboxsecond-lifeSLvideovideosvirtual-sexvirtual-worldsWorld-of-Warcraftwowyou-only-live-twiceWed, 01 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/the-game-archaeologist-moves-into-lucasfilms-habitat-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/the-game-archaeologist-moves-into-lucasfilms-habitat-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/the-game-archaeologist-moves-into-lucasfilms-habitat-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Habitat
Last week on the exciting cosmic adventures of the Game Archaeologist, we uncovered the ancient civilization of Lucasfilm's Habitat, one of the early predecessors to graphical MMOs. While we talked about how it came to be and pondered just how much money we'd waste if game companies were still charging by the minute, we didn't have the time or space to cover the community and events that formed around this experimental project.

That day has come. Prepare your bladder for imminent release!

Giving a bunch of players tools to do every which thing in the game and turning them loose without strict regulation might seem like a recipe for an instant sewage pit of a game today, but our cultured, classy behaviors weren't quite trained into us in 1986. When players first set eyes on Habitat, they weren't thinking of min-maxing, kill-stealing, or raid progression; they were trying to make sense of a virtual world using the only frame of reference they had to date: their own lives. Out of a melting pot of ideas and objects came fascinating stories from one of the earliest MMO proto-ancestors of the modern era. Get your '80s on as we head back... to the future!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 2

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-dutycootiecootiesdivorcedungeon-of-deathfeaturedgm-eventsgriefersgriefinghabitatharry-potterin-game-divorcein-game-weddingjk-rowlinglive-eventlive-eventslucasartslucasfilmslucasfilms-habitatmarriagepvppvp-zonessysopssystem-operatorsthe-game-archaeologistultima-onlineuovirtual-worldvirtual-worldsweddingworld-of-warcraftTue, 17 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Raph Koster: Immersion is not a core game virtue]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/raph-koster-immersion-is-not-a-core-game-virtue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/raph-koster-immersion-is-not-a-core-game-virtue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/raph-koster-immersion-is-not-a-core-game-virtue/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies - Cantina gambling
Yeah, you read that right, virtual world fans. One of the more celebrated sandbox MMORPG developers is apparently throwing in the towel when it comes to immersion. Raph Koster wrote what can only be termed a lament on his personal blog today, saying that "immersion does not make a lot of sense in a mobile, interruptable world."

Koster characterizes immersion as a style whose time has come and gone, and he concludes that games are no longer for dreamers due to their far-reaching popularity. "I mourn the gradual loss of deep immersion and the trappings of geekery that I love," Koster writes. "I see the ways in which the worlds I once dove into headlong have become incredibly expensive endeavors, movies-with-button-presses far more invested in telling me their story, rather than letting me tell my own."

Whether you agree with him or not, it's a sobering read coming from one of the chief creative forces behind Star Wars Galaxies and Ultima Online.

MassivelyRaph Koster: Immersion is not a core game virtue originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>at-least-it-has-a-karateka-screenshotcasualdepressingdesignhardcoreimmersionkosterMiscellaneousopinionraph-kosterroleplaysandboxstar-wars-galaxiesswgultima-onlinevirtual-worldsFri, 13 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portions of Twinity virtual world taken offline]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/portions-of-twinity-virtual-world-taken-offline/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/portions-of-twinity-virtual-world-taken-offline/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/portions-of-twinity-virtual-world-taken-offline/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Twinity - Avatars partying
Twinity users are experiencing a bit of lawyerly inconvenience according to virtual world blogger Tateru Nino. Portions of the Metaversum GmbH sim have been taken offline for unspecified reasons, and Nino speculates that "someone's team of undead zombie lawyers woke up and started asserting intellectual property rights and licensing restrictions."

The Twinity project makes use of both Google Maps and 3-D data to recreate cities like Singapore, London, Miami, and New York, but patrons will need to put their online party plans on hold for the time being.

Twinity's dev team posted a cryptic explanation, along with its intent to "try to reactivate the cities in the future."

MassivelyPortions of Twinity virtual world taken offline originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>intellectual-propertyIntellectual-Property-Rightslawyerslegalmetaversummetaversum-gmbhmmo-industryTateru-Ninotwinityvirtual-worldsWed, 11 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Second Life rolls out Linden Realms publicly on December 1st]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/second-life-rolling-out-linden-realms-publicly-on-december-1st/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/second-life-rolling-out-linden-realms-publicly-on-december-1st/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/second-life-rolling-out-linden-realms-publicly-on-december-1st/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Next month, raid content.
Something very unusual is coming to Second Life on December 1st: a game. All right, that in and of itself isn't all that unusual, since the virtual world has long empowered users to create their own systems and their own games. But this is still something different because it's not a user-created game. Linden Realms has been developed specifically by Linden Lab, and as of December 1st all users will be able to experience what a first-party game for the virtual environment feels like.

Second Life content creators will, rather unfortunately, be facing off against an in-house project. Luckily, the tools used in the development of Linden Realms will also be made available to the community, giving everyone a chance to play with the new tools and improve upon gameplay experiences. Whether or not this is a good thing or not for the game's overall health remains to be seen, but it may well provide an interesting boost to the community's user-created content.

MassivelySecond Life rolls out Linden Realms publicly on December 1st originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>community-contentdevelopmentgameplaygameslinden-lablinden-labslinden-realmssandboxessecond-lifesluser-created-contentvirtual-worldsWed, 30 Nov 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE dev video talks customer relations and server nodes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/16/eve-dev-video-talks-customer-relations-and-server-nodes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/16/eve-dev-video-talks-customer-relations-and-server-nodes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/16/eve-dev-video-talks-customer-relations-and-server-nodes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

CCP Guard image
As part of a refocusing on developing EVE Online, CCP Games has recently taken us on a video tour of its art, features and core technology departments. This week it's the turn of the customer relations and Virtual Worlds departments as CCP Guard finds out what makes EVE tick. In his visit to the den of GMs, he finds that important stuck queue petitions are answered on average in 15 minutes, a response time much improved compared to a few years ago.

Guard chats to several people from CCP's Virtual Worlds department, which is responsible for keeping all the EVE server clusters online and improving performance. CCP Hunter discusses what goes on during EVE's daily downtime and reveals that the once hour-long period has been reduced to only nine minutes per day. We also find out about recent hardware upgrades and the infamous "supernode" deployed for large-scale nullsec wars.

Skip past the cut to watch the full video in HD.

Continue reading EVE dev video talks customer relations and server nodes

MassivelyEVE dev video talks customer relations and server nodes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-guardccp-huntercustomer-relationscustomer-servicedev-diaryeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinegmhardwarein-developmentnewsnodeserversuperclustersupernodevideovirtual-worldsWed, 16 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Surviving the craftpocalypse]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/02/the-anvil-of-crom-surviving-the-craftpocalypse/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/02/the-anvil-of-crom-surviving-the-craftpocalypse/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/02/the-anvil-of-crom-surviving-the-craftpocalypse/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom header - big angry man with a battleaxe
So last week we started talking a bit about Age of Conan's 2012 crafting revamp. I laid out a few things that foul up the current system -- from a tradeskiller's point of view, naturally -- but I didn't quite get around to talking about solutions.

Though that's on the to-do list, I may not get around to it this week either, since a few mails and some forum discussions brought up a couple of interesting tangential points that I hadn't considered.

Surprisingly, I got email from folks who aren't really looking forward to the big tradeskill upheaval that Funcom game director Craig Morrison hinted at in the August development update. Even more mind-boggling was the fact that these folks aren't even crafters.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Surviving the craftpocalypse

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Surviving the craftpocalypse originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-craftingage-of-conan-unchainedanvil-of-cromaocaoc-craftingaoc-ngeaoc-unchainedchill-pillschillaxcraftingcrafting-revampcraftpocalypseeconomyf2pfantasyfeaturedfeedbackfree-to-playfuncomin-game-economyngeopinionreader-feedbacksurviving-the-craftpocalypsethe-anvil-of-cromtradeskill-revamptradeskillingtradeskillsvirtual-worldsSun, 02 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Neal Stephenson talks MMORPGs and virtual economies]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/21/neal-stephenson-talks-mmorpgs-and-virtual-economies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/21/neal-stephenson-talks-mmorpgs-and-virtual-economies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/21/neal-stephenson-talks-mmorpgs-and-virtual-economies/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Neal Stephenson
"The virtual reality that we all talked about and that we all imagined 20 years ago didn't happen in the way that we predicted. It happened instead in the form of video games," says Neal Stephenson, nerd icon and noted author of Snow Crash and The Diamond Age.

In a new interview at Forbes, Stephenson talks up his latest sci-fi opus, Reamde, and also offers his opinion on everything from the Metaverse to gamer stereotypes to players converting their in-game labor into real money. "It's undoubtedly happening right now on an informal level all over the place. A huge amount of money is changing hands, and the thing that prevents it from coming out into the open and working the way it's depicted in the novel is a number of legal and regulatory hang ups," Stephenson says.

He also mentions his own gaming experiences as well as his new novel's tendency towards adventure in place of the brainiac speculative fiction he's famous for. Head to Forbes for the full report.

MassivelyNeal Stephenson talks MMORPGs and virtual economies originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avatarsculturecyberpunkepic-beardinterviewsmetaverseneal-stephensonreamdesci-fisnow-crashvirtual-economyvirtual-worldsWed, 21 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New interview highlights the development of Otherland]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/new-interview-highlights-the-development-of-otherland/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/new-interview-highlights-the-development-of-otherland/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/new-interview-highlights-the-development-of-otherland/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

And now I am clean.
Otherland was an ambitious project that had fallen off the radar for quite some time, but it looks like the project is back on track. Based on the novel series of the same name, the game is set to place players in the eponymous multi-world simulation, a surreal network of virtual worlds filled with inhabitants that believe themselves to be people. Players will not only interact with the otherworldly environments, they'll be tasked with trying to uncover the powers attempting to manipulate the simulation behind the scenes. A new interview sheds some light on what developer RealU is hoping to achieve within the universe.

As fits the setting of the book, Otherland is a game with a great deal of player customization, ranging from customizing the appearance of a player's individual simuloid to customizing one's own space on the virtual web. Fans of the books will also be happy to learn that the game continues the storyline of its predecessors, with the offspring of the Grail Brotherhood working behind the scenes to regain control of the unearthly fantasy worlds. The game is currently aimed for a 2012 release, but it looks as if the foundations are being laid solid to start.

MassivelyNew interview highlights the development of Otherland originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dtpgamigointerviewnewsotherlandpreviewrealuupcoming-gamesvirtual-worldsMon, 15 Aug 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Exclusive: The sweet and sour of ArcheAge's third closed beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/massively-exclusive-the-sweet-and-sour-of-archeages-third-clos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/massively-exclusive-the-sweet-and-sour-of-archeages-third-clos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/massively-exclusive-the-sweet-and-sour-of-archeages-third-clos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Forgive me for getting this out of the way up front: I frickin' hate betas. Loathe them. Avoid them like the plague, usually. Why then, did I find myself foregoing sleep for the better part of last week to log into XL Games' third closed beta test for ArcheAge?

Curiosity, for sure, and maybe just a hint of desperation. As the MMORPG genre moves farther and farther away from the types of games worlds that drew me in a decade ago, the chance to get a preview of what some fans are hoping is the next great AAA sandbox was enough to overwhelm my betaphobia.

It's been quite some time since I've glanced out my window to see the sun rise while playing an MMORPG through the night, and ArcheAge definitely has its claws in me at this point. Is it the next great sandbox, though? Is it even a sandbox at all? Can XL successfully meld two design philosophies (sandbox and themepark) that are, in many ways, polar opposites? Those questions are difficult to answer, but join me after the cut and I'll give it a shot.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: The sweet and sour of ArcheAge's third closed beta

MassivelyMassively Exclusive: The sweet and sour of ArcheAge's third closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arche-agearcheagebeta-impressionscbt3closed-betacraftingexclusivefantasyfeaturedharvestingimpressionsjake-songkorean-betakorean-closed-betanon-combatnon-combat-gameplayopinionplayer-economysandboxsandparkthemeparkvirtual-worldvirtual-worldsxlxl-gameszomg-archeageTue, 31 May 2011 12:00:00 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[Habbo Hotel touts 200 million registrations]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/habbo-hotel-touts-200-million-registrations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/habbo-hotel-touts-200-million-registrations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/habbo-hotel-touts-200-million-registrations/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If you haven't heard of Habbo Hotel, you might just be in the minority. Sulake, the Finnish maker of the teen-focused virtual community and social game, has just announced that the title has surpassed 200 million registrations as of January 2011. If you're curious, one registration equals one character in the long-running virtual world, but the total number of unique registered users is unclear.

Habbo Hotel celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, and since its founding in 2000, it has expanded to more than 150 countries across the globe. The year 2010 represented the virtual world's most successful to date, with 42 million new registrations and over 400 million play hours logged. "The fast, continuous development of Habbo Hotel has enabled us to make quick changes and create new features according to our users' needs," said Sulake CEO Timo Soininen via press release.

MassivelyHabbo Hotel touts 200 million registrations originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>200-million200-million-accountsf2pfree-to-playhabbohabbo-hotelkidspress-releaseregistrationregistrationssulakeTimo-Soininenvirtual-worldsThu, 03 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: Feeding trolls]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/24/wings-over-atreia-feeding-trolls/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/24/wings-over-atreia-feeding-trolls/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/24/wings-over-atreia-feeding-trolls/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

"WoW was the first MMO."
"WTF you --------- [bless the filter]."
"Your mom just left here."

Channel /3 will be the death of me. Or perhaps just my sanity. If not, then it may be the cause of some random homicides soon.

Although I had another topic all planned out (and already mostly penned), I had an about-face for this week's article. This subject is something that is always on the edge of my mind, and as of late, it has been more front and center. In fact, this week has seen discussions on the matter with friends, colleagues, legion-mates, and even my munchkins. The hot topic? Trolls.

Aion players know that /3 is the LFG (looking for group) channel, and occasionally you can actually find people looking for groups there! However, because it is the only server-wide channel, people mostly use it for any type of random chatter. And by chatter, I mean a range of sexual comments, preening, raging, and flat-out trolling. Granted, sometimes following along with /3 chatter is simply amusing, but oftentimes it becomes annoying or even outright offensive. In any case, it's hard to pick out anything of value through the fast-paced spam.

Now don't get me wrong; I am all for quips and banter and building a community, but it seems that the folks with any amount of consideration and class stay quiet for the most part. If we were to judge society off of universal chat channels, I think I would be all for large-scale nuclear annihilation; people treat others in virtual worlds like they wouldn't dream of vis-à-vis. Why is that? And what can we do to increase civility, decrease trolling, and improve gaming experiences overall?

Cross the bridge (don't stop to feed the trolls!) to explore these points with me and share some amusing trolling moments from your server! (Please keep it clean folks!)

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Feeding trolls

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Feeding trolls originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-gameblock-listdramafeaturedglobal-chatlfglfg-channellfgchannellooking-for-groupnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aiontrolltrollsvirtual-worldsWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 24 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Family: A parent's look at Club Penguin]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/mmo-family-a-parents-look-at-club-penguin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/mmo-family-a-parents-look-at-club-penguin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/mmo-family-a-parents-look-at-club-penguin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family, from tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate online games for everyone in the family.

Perhaps the leading name in virtual worlds aimed at the younger set, Club Penguin has taken its place as the starter game of choice for many a young online gamer. Ask around any elementary school, and you're bound to find kids who're playing this Flash-based browser game.

We'd heard of the game too, of course -- but we'd never played. So let's take a look at how this virtual world of waddling friendlies stacks up against the rest of the kids' games we've reviewed in our Parent's Guide to Kids & Family Gaming.

Continue reading MMO Family: A parent's look at Club Penguin

MassivelyMMO Family: A parent's look at Club Penguin originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browserbrowser-basedchild-friendlychildrenclub-penguinf2pfamilyfamily-friendlyfamily-gamingfree-to-playfreemiumkid-friendlykidsmmo-familyparents-guideparents-guide-to-kids-and-family-gamingvirtual-worldvirtual-worldsTue, 21 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: What happened to building worlds]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/22/anti-aliased-what-happened-to-building-worlds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/22/anti-aliased-what-happened-to-building-worlds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/22/anti-aliased-what-happened-to-building-worlds/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

I hope you guys have taken the time to check out our GDCO coverage, specifically our interview with Richard Bartle. If there's anything that has really been on my mind for these past weeks, it's been that. Dr. Bartle's approach to MMOs is very similar to my own personal approach to MMOs: these are games, but they are also worlds.

And it's been that line of thinking that has lead me to today's column. What happened to creating worlds in our games?

Now, I'm not saying that our games don't include vast settings for us to explore. All of our MMOs include some great settings, but they seem to fall flat anymore. Instead of focusing on how players can interact with the world and each other, many developers are focused on creating the coveted "theme park" environment. We have worlds filled with pre-planned obstacles and challenges that rarely change and evolve over time, instead of allowing players to interact with the world and vice-versa.

So, with all of our new knowledge on how games work, what's stopping us from tackling the challenges we used to tackle regularly? How can we make world building and sandbox practices approachable? How can we re-ignite the creative fire?

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: What happened to building worlds

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: What happened to building worlds originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-aliasedbuilding-worldsfeaturedgame-designimaginationonline-worldsopen-world-designpvepvpsandboxtheme-parkvirtual-worldsworldworld-creationFri, 22 Oct 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you miss virtual worlds?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/the-daily-grind-do-you-miss-virtual-worlds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/the-daily-grind-do-you-miss-virtual-worlds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/the-daily-grind-do-you-miss-virtual-worlds/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There's no doubt that MMORPGs have become more game-like and less world-like as the genre has gone mainstream. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing depends largely on what attracted you to MMORPGs in the first place. For some, combat, killing, and an endless avalanche of gear, achievements, and character stats are the main draw. For others, crafting and world-building are the raison d'etre, with small helpings of escapism and immersion on the side.

With the exception of Second Life, you'd be hard pressed to find a well-known MMO that isn't an exercise in tightly controlled carrot-chasing in one form or another, and the days of highly evolved non-combat gameplay systems seem to have gone the way of the dodo bird.

Today's Daily Grind question is three-fold: Do you miss the days of MMO virtual worlds, and what current-generation title do you do think best does the term justice? Finally, how do you personally define "virtual world?"
Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of our readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's The Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you miss virtual worlds? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game-discussiongamer-discussionmmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicssandboxsecond-lifestar-wars-galaxiestdgthe-daily-grindthemeparkultima-onlinevirtual-worldsworld-of-warcraftMon, 04 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Michael Jackson virtual world planned for 2011 launch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/21/michael-jackson-virtual-world-planned-for-2011-launch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/21/michael-jackson-virtual-world-planned-for-2011-launch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/21/michael-jackson-virtual-world-planned-for-2011-launch/#commentsFiled under: , ,

"The Ultimate Michael Jackson Online Game" may not be a virtual world you expected, but it's a very real project coming to us late next year, via Entropia Universe.

SEE Virtual Worlds approached Michael Jackson's estate about producing Planet Michael, and the company is planning to focus on the King of Pop's positive impact on our culture: "Planet Michael will offer fans around the globe an innovative, first-of-its-kind interactive gaming and social experience that truly celebrates Michael Jackson's extraordinary life as an artist and humanitarian."

Planet Michael will be a free-to-play themed planet created specifically for Entropia Universe with "gameplay monetization" that allows players to take on different occupations and sometimes contribute to real-world charities at the same time. The site is currently live and taking signups.

MassivelyMichael Jackson virtual world planned for 2011 launch originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfree-to-playftpmichael-jacksonplanet-michaelsee-virtual-worldsvirtual-worldsTue, 21 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: Behind enemy lines]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/13/the-tattered-notebook-behind-enemy-lines/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/13/the-tattered-notebook-behind-enemy-lines/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/13/the-tattered-notebook-behind-enemy-lines/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


"My boy, we're pilgrims in an unholy land," said Professor Henry Jones to his son Indiana as the duo warily watched a parade of goose-stepping Nazi soldiers (and throngs of their fervent admirers) in the 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I spent many a summer day watching the classic action flick as a kid, and the line inadvertently sprang to mind as I logged into SOE's free-to-play EverQuest II server this past week.

Now, I know what some of the politically correct types are thinking at this point: did he really just compare F2P to the Nazi party?

The answer is no, not directly, but I do feel an increasing sense of isolation as seemingly everyone around me drinks the Kool-Aid, and it conjures that empty/hopeless feeling of being stuck behind enemy lines.

Turn the page for more.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Behind enemy lines

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Behind enemy lines originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EQ2eq2xEQIIEverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreeportmainstream-gamingopinionsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentthe-tattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebook-jef-reahardvirtual-worldsMon, 13 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The robots are rising on Planet Calypso]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/the-robots-are-rising-on-planet-calypso/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/the-robots-are-rising-on-planet-calypso/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/the-robots-are-rising-on-planet-calypso/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's not one of the largest games out there, so most people might not know what you're talking about if you mention Planet Calypso. Those who do might well only think of the highly publicized auctions and trades, in which players have spent large amounts of real-world money to purchase land and facilities (which bring in plenty of real-world money themselves, for the record). But beyond that there is an actual game world, complete with an ongoing storyline. As spotlighted in the newest game newsletter, that storyline is being turned up by a new event -- an ominous approach by robots.

The last major assault by the robots left the previous capital city a smoking ruin, and not coincidentally coincided with the game's graphical update to CryEngine 2. This time, the colonists have begun decoding messages sent by the robots, and defenses are gathering to ensure that a repeat of the last event doesn't take place -- even as the robots field a new technology known as "Hydra." Several helpful links for information may be found within the newsletter, which promises plenty of enjoyment for the players in Planet Calypso.

MassivelyThe robots are rising on Planet Calypso originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>calypsocryenginecryengine-2entropiaentropia-universef2pfirst-planet-companyfree-to-playhydrain-game-eventsinvasionplanet-calypsoproject-entropiarobot-uprisingrobotsvirtual-worldsThu, 26 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Second Life's Emerald client facing obsolescence]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/second-lifes-emerald-client-facing-obsolescence/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/second-lifes-emerald-client-facing-obsolescence/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/second-lifes-emerald-client-facing-obsolescence/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Recent months have not been wholly kind to Second Life, and those circumstances don't seem finished just yet. The Emerald client, one of the most popular third-party viewers -- estimated to be used by as many as half of all players -- has fallen out of favor with Linden Labs and is no longer an officially endorsed option. Scott Jennings has posted a full rundown of the client's history, charting its progress from the earliest inception of the project to its current status of having fallen from grace.

The short version (or as short a version as you can get for drama four years in the making) is that Emerald's coders included some rather... hack-tacular backdoors in the client's coding. This is a downside for reasons that should not need to be specified, but does add up to some major problems for the large playerbase still using Emerald. Second Life has had a hard time getting its users to switch to the 2.0 viewer, and about the only upside may be that the removal of Emerald will change that... but the overall drama isn't going to be kind for either the Emerald project or Linden Labs itself.

MassivelySecond Life's Emerald client facing obsolescence originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-hat-hackingcontroversydramaemeraldemerald-viewerhackingliden-labs-second-lifelinden-labspopular-viewersprojectssecond-lifesecond-life-2.0second-life-dramasecond-life-linden-labssecond-life-viewerslsl-liden-labsthird-party-viewersvirtual-worldvirtual-worldsTue, 24 Aug 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The cities and world of Final Fantasy XIV]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/the-cities-and-world-of-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/the-cities-and-world-of-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/the-cities-and-world-of-final-fantasy-xiv/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

If you're all about living the life of a pirate, then odds are good you don't mind being restricted to Limsa Lominsa in the Final Fantasy XIV beta. But if you've done the sea serpent tango more than once, Ul'dah and Gridania are no doubt sounding pretty good. So it's a good thing that MMOSite is reporting that the next phase of beta will start in September and will include the two heretofore unseen cities as playable areas. Considering the recent hands-on experience with the starter cities, we think it's well within the realm of possibility.

Of course, one of the major components to making each of the starting cities and subsequent areas stand out is the worldbuilding efforts of the development team. The most recent Making of Eorzea documentary covers precisely this, and not coincidentally, it can be viewed past the cut. With a discussion of the scenery and the visual culture of the game's landscape, the video is something every Final Fantasy XIV player can enjoy, and it shows that the vibrancy of the world has been a big priority during development.

Continue reading The cities and world of Final Fantasy XIV

MassivelyThe cities and world of Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-testingffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivgridanialandscapelimsa-lominsamaking-of-eorzeasquaresquare-enixstarter-areasuldahvirtual-worldsvisual-designThu, 19 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Virtual Whirl: Linden Lab goes back to basics]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/31/the-virtual-whirl-linden-lab-goes-back-to-basics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/31/the-virtual-whirl-linden-lab-goes-back-to-basics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/31/the-virtual-whirl-linden-lab-goes-back-to-basics/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Yesterday, Linden Lab's interim CEO Philip Rosedale and CFO/COO Bob Komin did a talk and Q&A session in Second Life focused on where things were at, and where things were going. This week, on The Virtual Whirl, we're going to take a look at that session and see if some sense can't be made of it all.

Continue reading The Virtual Whirl: Linden Lab goes back to basics

MassivelyThe Virtual Whirl: Linden Lab goes back to basics originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bk-lindenbob-kominbusiness-modelsfeaturedgrace-mcdunnoughlinden-labmark-kingdonopinionphilip-lindenphilip-rosedalesecond-lifesecond-life-enterprisesecond-life-viewerthe-virtual-whirltreet.tvuser-generated-contentviewer-2.0virtual-worldsSat, 31 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Virtual Whirl: User interfacing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/24/the-virtual-whirl-user-interfacing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/24/the-virtual-whirl-user-interfacing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/24/the-virtual-whirl-user-interfacing/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The user interfaces for general-purpose virtual environments get a pretty bad rap. It's not surprising, actually. They've generally been pretty awful. Not that they are actually hard to learn, but they've been far from comfortable to use.

That's not really very surprising. Those virtual environments don't really fit any of the accreted body of knowledge of user-interaction models, and building comfortable user-interfaces is no easy task.

Continue reading The Virtual Whirl: User interfacing

MassivelyThe Virtual Whirl: User interfacing originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelsfeaturedfrankensteinopinionstephen-hawkingthe-virtual-whirltrading-spacesusabilityusability-engineeringusability-testinguser-interfacevirtual-worldsSat, 24 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Virtual Whirl: Ill-repute]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/17/the-virtual-whirl-ill-repute/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/17/the-virtual-whirl-ill-repute/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/17/the-virtual-whirl-ill-repute/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Virtual environments have a generally poor reputation in many quarters, particularly in the mass-media. Much of that reputation is ill-deserved, and some of it is entirely fabricated (eg: by the mass-media).

I have to ask, what's the big deal?

Continue reading The Virtual Whirl: Ill-repute

MassivelyThe Virtual Whirl: Ill-repute originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>celestial-steedcelestial-steed-mountcultureeconomyfashionfeaturedopinionsecond-lifesexsparkle-ponythe-virtual-whirlvirtual-worldsworld-of-warcraftSat, 17 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life, 2008-2010 and beyond]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/the-virtual-whirl-a-brief-history-of-second-life-2008-2010-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/the-virtual-whirl-a-brief-history-of-second-life-2008-2010-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/10/the-virtual-whirl-a-brief-history-of-second-life-2008-2010-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

This week, we cover the final installment of our summarized history of Second Life and Linden Lab (check out the first installment or the second, if you missed them). It's only possible to cover a tiny fraction of the events that took place in the space we have here, but the highlights paint an interesting picture.

We'll be working our way from 2008 to June 2010, and looking at what future directions we expect from there.

Continue reading The Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life, 2008-2010 and beyond

MassivelyThe Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life, 2008-2010 and beyond originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amsterdambusiness-modelscongresscultureeconomyfeaturedfrank-herberthistoryhypergridietfintellectual-propertyirsjohn-zdanowskikathleen-craiglayoffslegallinden-labmark-kingdonmillions-of-usmitch-kaporOnRezopinionorangephilip-rosedalereutersrezzable-productionsrobin-harpersecond-lifesecond-life-enterprisesecond-life-viewersingaporesl-policystep-uptaser-international-inctelstraterms-of-servicethe-daily-mailthe-virtual-whirlTrademarkVATviewer-2virtual-worldsworld-stock-exchangewsexstreetxstreet-slyoko-onoSat, 10 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Linden Lab guns for service-based Second Life viewers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/linden-lab-guns-for-service-based-second-life-viewers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/linden-lab-guns-for-service-based-second-life-viewers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/06/linden-lab-guns-for-service-based-second-life-viewers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Service-based viewers for Second Life are a little different to the standard kind of viewer software that users might be used to. Standard viewers are downloaded to your PC, run on them and talk directly to the servers. Service-based viewers (also sometimes referred to as 'cloud-based') are either running on a remote server through a web interface, or running on a cloud (or other remote system) and sending data and graphics to a thin client that you run locally. The ill-fated Vollee client was one such example, and Comverse is another.

Most Some of the (relatively few) extant viewers for mobile devices (iPhones, iPads, et al), and web-based Second Life viewers like AJAX Life are service-based viewers (as are a number in development), and Linden Lab seems bent on closing them down.

Continue reading Linden Lab guns for service-based Second Life viewers

MassivelyLinden Lab guns for service-based Second Life viewers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ajaxlifebusiness-modelscloud-computingcomversekatharine-berrylegallinden-labmobileopinionsecond-lifesecond-life-viewerthin-clientvirtual-worldsvolleeTue, 06 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life, the middle years]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/03/the-virtual-whirl-a-brief-history-of-second-life-the-middle-ye/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/03/the-virtual-whirl-a-brief-history-of-second-life-the-middle-ye/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/03/the-virtual-whirl-a-brief-history-of-second-life-the-middle-ye/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

This week, we cover the second installment of our summarized history of Second Life and Linden Lab (or check out part one, if you missed it). From 2005, there's an impossible amount of material to cover, but there are some interesting stories lurking among it all.

Join us as we work our way through some of the interesting highlights from 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Continue reading The Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life, the middle years

MassivelyThe Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life, the middle years originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ailin-graefanshe-chungblack-septemberbrazilbugsbusiness-modelsbusiness-weekcultureeconomyFBIfeaturedgamblingginko-financialgomgriefersgriefinghistorylegallinden-dollarslinden-labmmo-industrynipplegateopinionquicktimesao-paulosecond-lifesllaterrorismthe-virtual-whirltrademarkuigeavirtual-worldsworld-stock-exchangeSat, 03 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Online operators avoid balls-up with football trademarks]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/29/online-operators-avoid-balls-up-with-football-trademarks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/29/online-operators-avoid-balls-up-with-football-trademarks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/29/online-operators-avoid-balls-up-with-football-trademarks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The last time we saw any statistical data on overall awareness of intellectual property issues, it seemed that awareness of copyright and trademarks was quite appallingly low - and actual accurate knowledge about them was a very rare thing indeed.

Surprisingly few people seem to know their way around the don't-do basics, and with record numbers of trademarks being registered in recent years, it is actually nice to see that some online operators have got a firm grip on things this year.

Honestly, if you tossed a press release on our collective desk touting your virtual environment or MMOG having items or outfits available in support of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa[TM] ... well, it'd probably cause an avalanche of pizza boxes ... but after we got the mess cleared, we'd probably assume that your promotional stuff was littered with unlicensed FIFA trademarks. It's happened before.

Continue reading Online operators avoid balls-up with football trademarks

MassivelyOnline operators avoid balls-up with football trademarks originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>copyrightculturefiesta-onlinefifaFIFA-World-Cupfree-to-playgamigogo4goalintellectual-propertylegallinden-labmmo-industryopinionsecond-lifetrademarkuser-generated-contentvirtual-worldsTue, 29 Jun 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/26/the-virtual-whirl-a-brief-history-of-second-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/26/the-virtual-whirl-a-brief-history-of-second-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/26/the-virtual-whirl-a-brief-history-of-second-life/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Second Life has just seen its seventh anniversary (called its seventh birthday, only it technically isn't -- the original birthday is in March, but the anniversary is in June. There's history there). It's also traditionally a time when Linden Lab and Second Life users most often treat each other as enemies and obstacles; and it is a time for retrospectives and for considering the future.

With the departure of Linden Lab CEO Mark Kingdon (the press release release says "stepping down," but the day prior to the release many Linden staffers were saying that Kingdon was fired) Linden Lab has hit a turning point -- or the end of another era.

Accordingly, over the next couple of weeks, we're going to look at the history of Second Life, starting back in 1999 and continuing to the present day. Or at least as much as we can cover the ten-year history of something so rich and diverse in the available space.

Second Life is quite legitimately a phenomenon (and even won an Emmy award). It was also something of an accident, since it wasn't what Linden Lab started out to make.

Continue reading The Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life

MassivelyThe Virtual Whirl: A brief history of Second Life originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>americanabill-wattersonbugsbusiness-modelscory-ondrejkacultureeconomyemmy-awardfeaturedhapticshistoryhunter-walkkermitt-quirklinden-lablinden-worldmark-kingdonmitch-kaporMUCKMUSHnathan-keirpatchesphilip-rosedaleprimitarsecond-lifesteller-sunshineteleoperationthe-virtual-whirltringovirtual-worldswaldoesxml-rpcSat, 26 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Linden Lab CEO steps down]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/24/linden-lab-ceo-steps-down/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/24/linden-lab-ceo-steps-down/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/24/linden-lab-ceo-steps-down/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


TechCrunch has announced more changes in the works for Linden Lab's troubled Second Life virtual world. On the heels of a move that laid off 30 percent of its workforce, the company has announced that CEO Mark Kingdon will be stepping down and giving way to Linden founder Philip Rosedale in an interim capacity. Additionally, CFO Bob Komin has taken on the role of COO.

Linden has yet to announce a definitive reason for the upper-management restructuring, but many are speculating that the company will be looking to add a CEO with experience in the burgeoning social networking scene.

Rosedale, posting on the Linden blog, had the following to say regarding the moves: "Our thinking as a team is that my returning to the CEO job now can bring a product and technology focus that will help rapidly improve Second Life. We need to simplify and focus our product priorities - concentrating all our capabilities on making Second Life easier to use and better for the core experiences that it is delivering today. I think that I can be a great help and a strong leader in that process."


Are you a part of the most widely-known collaborative virtual environment or keeping a close eye on it? Massively's Second Life coverage keeps you in the loop.

MassivelyLinden Lab CEO steps down originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bob-kominlindenlinden-labmark-kingdonphilip-rosedalesecond-lifesocial-gamingvirtual-worldsThu, 24 Jun 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Virtual Whirl: A crisis of confidence]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/19/the-virtual-whirl-a-crisis-of-confidence/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/19/the-virtual-whirl-a-crisis-of-confidence/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/19/the-virtual-whirl-a-crisis-of-confidence/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Most things in the world operate on faith. Governments, currencies, intellectual property, human rights and brands all require certain minimum levels of belief and confidence in order to function.

When it comes to virtual environments, as I've maintained in the past, faith is critical.

Continue reading The Virtual Whirl: A crisis of confidence

MassivelyThe Virtual Whirl: A crisis of confidence originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelsculturefeaturedlinden-labmmo-industryopinionsecond-lifethe-virtual-whirlvirtual-worldsSat, 19 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Virtual Whirl: The bottom line]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/12/the-virtual-whirl-the-bottom-line/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/12/the-virtual-whirl-the-bottom-line/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/12/the-virtual-whirl-the-bottom-line/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Hot topic of the week would be the Linden Lab layoffs. 30% of the staff (roughly 110 or so individuals) were laid off this week in a round of layoffs that we spotted ahead of the official announcements. Additional staff have been shed since the beginning of the year.

Staff have been dropped from market-development, business development, engineering, quality assurance, human resources, community and executive management. Hardest hit this week are community and customer-advocacy roles and quality-assurance/testing.

What isn't hard to see is why these cuts were made, and in fact, why they are vital to Linden Lab as a going concern. At least it isn't hard to see when you're looking in the right place.

Continue reading The Virtual Whirl: The bottom line

MassivelyThe Virtual Whirl: The bottom line originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelsdaryl-chineconomyfeaturedlayoffslinden-dollarslinden-labopinionsecond-lifesupply-lindenthe-straits-timesthe-virtual-whirltyche-shepherdvirtual-worldsSat, 12 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Linden Lab laying off staff, closing Singapore office]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/linden-lab-laying-off-staff-closing-singapore-office/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/linden-lab-laying-off-staff-closing-singapore-office/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/linden-lab-laying-off-staff-closing-singapore-office/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Linden LabBack in April, we observed the departure of what we estimate to be approximately 5% or so of Linden Lab's total headcount. Some churn is to be expected, of course, especially in a tech company. It seemed a little odd that the positions didn't appear to have been advertised or refilled, but sometimes that happens out of sight. Last week, a Lab spokesperson confirmed for us that the Lab still had in excess of 300 staff.

This week, however, we're actually becoming quite concerned as there are signs of what seems to be a significant series of layoffs in progress at Linden Lab.

Continue reading Linden Lab laying off staff, closing Singapore office

MassivelyLinden Lab laying off staff, closing Singapore office originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakinglayoffslinden-labmmo-industryopinionsecond-lifesecond-life-enterprisesingaporevirtual-worldsMon, 07 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST