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Why I play Star Wars: The Old Republic

Larry Everett — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Lore, MMO industry, Opinion, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Why I Play

I believe I'm like most people when I say that I cling to nostalgia. I love it when parts of my adolescence are made into movies or video games. Yes, despite it being an explode-y Michael Bay movie, I loved Transformers, and I can't tell you how many times I watched Lord of the Rings when Peter Jackson adapted J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece into a blockbuster. But despite Ghostbusters' status as my favorite single movie of all time, the original Star Wars trilogy had more impact on my childhood than anything else in my life. I still get childhood chills when I think about it.

From the music to the action figures, I loved them all. I still have a picture of me at six years old riding an AT-AT. Yes, even at six, I knew exactly what an AT-AT was. And although I called a lightsaber a light-saver, I grew up with Star Wars entrenched in my psyche. It was only natural that when the video games revolving around the series came out, I would take up that cause. You guys remember the crazy wireframe Death Star trench arcade? You'd better believe I was there playing that.

When Star Wars entered the MMO space, I was there with bells on. But it's not just this longing to recapture my childhood that propels me to that galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: The Old Republic. The spice addiction runs quite a bit deeper.

Continue reading Why I play Star Wars: The Old Republic

Why I play Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Asheron's Call, Dark Age of Camelot, EVE Online, Final Fantasy XI, PlanetSide, Warhammer Online, Ultima Online, Free-to-play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, Final Fantasy XIV, Perfect Ten

In the increasingly diminishing field of subscription-only MMOs, two distinct camps have formed. There is the Old Guard that has its established playerbase and is simply not interested in jumping on board the F2P train, and then there are the New Kids on the Block (which would make an excellent band name, by the way), who argue that their premium features and AAA content warrant a subscription in the F2P age.

A few years ago, doing a list of the final few F2P holdouts would have been a ridiculous proposition, but now it's actually difficult to get to 10 of these. Each company has a different reason that it hasn't given these games more flexible payment options (FPO should replace F2P; pass it on!), and while some have addressed this publicly, others say nothing and leave us to speculate on it.

For today's Perfect Ten, we're going to look at the 10 biggest current F2P holdouts in the industry and muse about what's going on behind the scenes. Will this list be impossible to do in a few years or will subscription-only titles come back in a big way? Hey, I don't predict things; I just make lists.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts

The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure: Ultimate road trip edition

MJ Guthrie — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Polls, Hands-on, Choose My Adventure, Miscellaneous

Let's go for another spin!

Just like Mikey of Life cereal fame, I ventured into the realm of Choose My Adventure once before, and I liked it! Grand adventures, camaraderie with readers, exploring the unknown... what more could I ask for? More time, obviously!

It ended all too soon. I was totally revved up and ready to jump right back in, but unfortunately neither pleading nor bribery worked to continue my stint as your plucky puppet (and locking the other staff members in a dark closet didn't pan out either -- they escaped), so I had to park it and wait my turn. It took much too long, but finally my time has come again. *happy dance*

Now the boss may have handed me the keys, but you will be the ones driving. The top is down, and I've got snacks and shades; all that is left to begin our adventure for the next six weeks is to pick which direction to head and floor it. Although a lot of good places have already been visited, there are plenty more to choose from. In the mood for fantasy? Capes? Nebulas? Heavy artillery? Cast your votes by Sunday, April 22nd, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. EDT for your chance to steer me to the world of your choice. Our possible destinations (in no particular order) are...

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Choose My Adventure: Ultimate road trip edition originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: When do you consider a game to be 'dying'?

Brianna Royce — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Humor, Miscellaneous

If you listen to internet negativity, every game is dying. World of Warcraft is dying, some folks say, because it's lost a fraction of its population after seven years. RIFT is "obviously" pushing out tons of content only because it's desperate and dying. Two million players and queues in Star Wars: The Old Republic also mean the game is dying. A game goes free-to-play? Dying. Keeps a subscription? Dying. Box on sale? Dying. Moves to Steam? Dying. Merges servers? Dying. Doesn't merge servers? Dying!

It's true that some games have gone under, but many more are hanging in there after a decade, even if they aren't blockbusters that impress people used to seeing populations in the millions. If World of Warcraft dwindled to as few players as, say, Asheron's Call, I still wouldn't call that dying. It might be small, but it's still alive and still getting updates, and that's more than I can say for some games.

What about you -- when, exactly, in a game's timeline do you consider that game to be dying?

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!

The Daily Grind: When do you consider a game to be 'dying'? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leaderboard: Ultima Online vs. EverQuest vs. Asheron's Call

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Polls, Asheron's Call, EverQuest, Culture, Opinion, Ultima Online, Miscellaneous, Leaderboard

Back at the turn of the century, you didn't have the equivalent of cable's infinite choices when it came to MMOs. No, you pretty much had the standard Big Three of network programming: Ultima Online, EverQuest, and Asheron's Call. With the subscription model firmly in place, most players had to choose their loyalty and choose it well.

For today's Leaderboard, we're going to pretend that no other MMOs exist other than those three and see how the 2012 crowd divides up between them. Would you fly your banner for Ultima Online and its enormous sandboxy world? Would you cast your lots with EverQuest, the once great and powerful king of the genre? Or would you throw in with Asheron's Call and its monthly stories?

Call it a popularity contest, a trip down memory lane, or an all-out brawl between MMO senior citizens. It's a three-way title fight on this week's Leaderboard, and only one game will live to see next week!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Ultima Online vs. EverQuest vs. Asheron's Call

Leaderboard: Ultima Online vs. EverQuest vs. Asheron's Call originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What makes you stay with a bad game?

Brianna Royce — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

I freely admit that I've played games that I hate, but the incredible thing is that I've kept playing them, sometimes for several years. I remember actively hating EverQuest in its early days, but MMO alternatives were slim, and getting my friends off the evercrack and into something interesting like Asheron's Call was darn near impossible. The truth was that I was willing to do almost anything to hang out with my guild, including spend $10 a month to camp-check and corpse-run.

So I wonder how many of you have played or are playing a game you dislike, and why? Do you do it out of a sense of loyalty to friends and guildies, like I did? Do you suffer from the completionist's compulsion to finish everything he starts? Do you just want to make sure you've gotten your money's worth? Do you hold out hope that the game (or your tastes) will suddenly change? Or is there some other reason?

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!

The Daily Grind: What makes you stay with a bad game? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: PlaneShift

Beau Hindman — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Video, Bugs, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-play, Hands-on, Humor, Rise and Shiny, Livestream, Crafting

As with many of the games I choose for this column, I am a bit lost as to how long the game has been in existence, what sort of time has passed since the game first began to allow players into its world, and what the exact state of the game currently is. With PlaneShift, a game that seems to have existed since I was 12 years old and has remained in some sort of testing or beta phase since then, I am even more unclear. Really, it shouldn't matter, but I can see the importance of knowing whether the game you are about to play is in testing or has even been released yet.

Without those key words, a player can become confused. Is this quest broken, missing parts, or just poorly designed? Is the game world empty because it's midnight or because the testing crowd is on at different times? I've heard from developers who keep their games in a beta state for years and years, and it usually means that they simply want a sort of explanation as to why the game feels incomplete. I say release it already and perhaps you'd attract more players anyway.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: PlaneShift

Rise and Shiny recap: PlaneShift originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: Best MMO theme songs (part two)

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Asheron's Call, EverQuest, EverQuest II, Guild Wars, Sword of the New World, Star Trek Online, Ultima Online, Guild Wars 2, Humor, Runes of Magic, Allods Online, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous

The last time on the Perfect Ten, disaster struck the good ship Poseidon and the surviving readers were running out of air as they tried to escape the flipped-over vessel. Also, we were counting down the top 20 MMO themes, but that's of small consolation to the soon-to-be bereaved friends and families, don't you think?

Because we play these games extensively, it's not uncommon for MMO music -- and themes -- to become vilified by the sheer number of times we've heard them. That's a little unfair to a three-minute piece of soundtrack that slaves every day to feed his wife and kids, doing the best he can in a trying situation. So perhaps we can put aside melodic oversaturation to look at these tracks anew, shall we?

With half of them out of the way, it's time to look into the elite of the elite: the 10 best MMO themes of all time. According to me. A guy you don't know. You've got goosebumps, don't you?

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Best MMO theme songs (part two)

The Perfect Ten: Best MMO theme songs (part two) originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out 2012

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, Interviews, Previews, Free-to-play

In the words of Frank Sinatra, 2011 "was a very good year" for Lord of the Rings Online. Executive Producer Kate Paiz and Director of Communications Adam Mersky sat down with us to talk about the future of the game, but before they got to the juicy details, they wanted to give a quick recap of the previous year for the game and the studio.

The big emphasis for LotRO in 2011 was the unifying of the global community and the release of the game's third (and best-selling) expansion, Rise of Isengard. While the aforementioned unification of the NA and EU sides of the game presented many challenges for the team including localization, it paid off in spades. Turbine plans to continue to add more payment options for those used to methods other than the ones currently available. The team was most proud of unveiling Saruman "in all of his glory" and the inclusion of free players into the sphere of Monster Play.

"The game definitely grew last year," Mersky said in response to a question about the current number of players. He noted that the playerbase has changed somewhat in the past two years, becoming more casual in some respects.

But it's time to move forward! Turbine is prepared to take LotRO players on a dizzying chase around the wilds of Middle-earth with a few significant changes and additions to the game -- and the release of the brand-new expansion later this year, Riders of Rohan. Mounted combat, ho!

Continue reading Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out 2012

Riding into Rohan: LotRO maps out 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist salutes Asheron's Call's 12th anniversary

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Events, real-world, Expansions, The Game Archaeologist

Turning 12 is a wake-up call for most people because they realize that next year they will officially be teenagers. We just hope that Turbine's ready for that when Asheron's Call breaks curfew, sasses back, and starts developing a romantic interest in other MMOs.

One of the privileges of writing The Game Archaeologist column here on Massively is that I get to watch over these classic MMOs as they marinate in maturity. Despite new titles being announced or released literally every day, these long-running games are the established old guard that have nothing to prove at this point. It's hard not to be a little in awe of that and gush at it.

So congratulations to Asheron's Call, one of the first batch of 3-D MMOs that hit the scene back in the late '90s, for reaching its 12th anniversary! How bizarre is it to think that Asheron's Call came out the same year that we were freaking out about Y2K, seeing how far George Lucas could fall with The Phantom Menace, and paying about $1.22 a gallon for gas in the U.S.? AC almost seems legendary when you realize how far back it stretches.

Join us as we sing the praises of Dereth and its citizens after the jump!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist salutes Asheron's Call's 12th anniversary

The Game Archaeologist salutes Asheron's Call's 12th anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The former dev

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Expansions, MMO industry, The Game Archaeologist

I've been a long-time follower of Eric Heimburg on his blog, Elder Game, where he and a friend have spent years delivering insightful commentary about MMOs and supermodels (well, mostly MMOs). Because I'm not that observant a fellow and I assume that most fellow bloggers are mere players like I am, I didn't realize until a little while ago that he and his co-writer were former Turbine developers who had worked on Asheron's Call and Asheron's Call 2.

You can see where this is going.

Once I learned that, I knew I had to get him to contribute to this series. I began a multi-year wooing campaign that involved skywriting, cupcakes, celebrity kiss-o-grams, envelopes stuffed with unmarked bills, and all the tea in China. Of course, this was well after he'd already said "yes" to it, but I like to keep up appearances.

So hit the jump as I talk to a guy who was on the flipside of Asheron's Call 2 as a producer and generally swell fella!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The former dev

The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The former dev originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Are MMO sequels doomed to fail?

Brianna Royce — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

Massively's Justin Olivetti has been covering the late great Asheron's Call 2 in this month's Game Archaeologist series. In it, he and his interview subjects suggest that the early closure of the game was due in part to the fact that AC2 was a sequel -- and worse, it was a sequel to a game that was still running alongside of it.

It isn't as though all sequels are failures; EverQuest and EverQuest II are both still around, after all, though EQII has never quite risen to the relative prominence of its predecessor. And Guild Wars 2 is right around the corner ("when it's ready"). But we can certainly point to other sequels that never even made it to launch, like Ultima Online 2 and Ultima X: Odyssey, which were canned specifically because the developer believed they would hurt their big brother, classic Ultima Online. What do you think? Are sequels generally a bad idea, too risky, doomed to fail? Are GW2 and EQII among the few exceptions that prove the rule? Or should we embrace a modern, graphically enhanced "re-envisioning" (as PlanetSide 2 is putting it) of old and beloved games?

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!

The Daily Grind: Are MMO sequels doomed to fail? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The fansite managers

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Interviews, The Game Archaeologist, Post-Apocalyptic

Back when I covered Asheron's Call for The Game Archaeologist, I got an impassioned email from a former fansite operator who made me promise that I'd drop her a line when the time came to talk about Asheron's Call 2, as she was not only a huge fan of the title but still in contact with many former players who carry a torch for Turbine's long-departed MMO. One thing led to another, and I ended up talking to both her and a fellow AC2 fansite manager about the ups and downs of covering the second coming of Dereth...

The Game Archaeologist: Please introduce yourself, your current job position, and how you got involved with Asheron's Call 2 back in the day?

Kiersten Samwell: I'm Kiersten Samwell, Community Relations and Social Media Manager for KingsIsle Entertainment, the creator of Wizard101. I used to be the Site Manager for Warcry's Crossroads of Dereth/Asheron's Call site as Ellen Ripley, so it was natural to work with the site manager of their Asheron's Call 2 fansite as well. His name is Roberto, and he was just an incredible site manager. Of course, being an avid AC1 player, I enjoyed AC2 for both its similarities to and its differences from AC1.

Robert Hackett: Hi, I'm Robert Hackett, the Managing MMO Editor of GamersInfo.net. I actually got invited to one of the betas along with a friend of mine. The lag was so bad (the day I logged in may have been a stress test; I can't remember) that I told my friend that there was no way my rig could handle that. Fast forward to the month after release and Ophelea from the old AC Crossroads site begged me to come over to AC2 and be an editor for the database she was trying to build. Logged in and the game was a million percent better. I stayed to work on the database and eventually fell in love with it beyond "work!"

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The fansite managers

The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The fansite managers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The highlights

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Classes, Expansions, The Game Archaeologist

MMO sequels are funny animals. Sequels (along with prequels and "reimaginings") are ingrained into the entertainment industry so deep that it makes sense that MMO studios would follow suit. And yet these types of games -- with their ever-growing nature and heavy involvement with loyal playerbases -- are not always conducive to such projects. More often than not, a sequel to an online game becomes its ancestor's main competition, which is not a desirable outcome for the studio.

Perhaps back in the early 2000s, studios simply didn't know better. There's good evidence that the typical "hit video games need a sequel" mindset ran rampant across the industry, from the multiple attempts at Ultima Online 2 to the release of the don't-call-it-a-sequel sequel of EverQuest II. Perhaps developers didn't realize that MMO players didn't necessarily want to be uprooted and moved to a new game every few years.

While sequels, spin-offs and remakes are still present, the genre learned a hard lesson with Asheron's Call 2 in the first half of the decade. Asheron's Call was a success on Microsoft and Turbine's behalf, and a sequel -- with vastly improved graphics and deeper gameplay -- seemed like a logical next step. Unfortunately, it was a Greek tragedy in the making, destined for a short but memorable life in our world.

This month we're going to look at the brief shining star of Asheron's Call 2 and get all sorts of misty-eyed romantic over it!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The highlights

The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Directing the devs for a day in Asheron's Call

Brianna Royce — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, MMO industry, Patches, Sandbox

Turbine may be best-known to modern MMO gamers for its F2P games Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons and Dragons Online, but veteran gamers know that the company has a tiny little subscription sandbox game operating a bit outside of the limelight: Asheron's Call. Yes, AC is still chugging along, thanks in part to the devs' interaction with their small but faithful community. In fact, to reward that community, the development team has in the past asked its players for ideas on how to enhance the game. The catch is that said enhancement has to be something the devs can do in a single day.

Today, Turbine has posted up the best of the best ideas from the recent round of submissions from the playerbase, and apparently, AC players want their team working on everything from casino tweaks to tailorable undergarments (really!). Check out the whole list of itty-bitty incoming enhancements on the official forums.

Directing the devs for a day in Asheron's Call originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: Non-vanilla server rulesets

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Age of Conan, Asheron's Call, City of Heroes, Dark Age of Camelot, Darkfall, Dofus, EVE Online, EverQuest, EverQuest II, Fallen Earth, Lord of the Rings Online, Ultima Online, Vanguard, Shadowbane, Humor, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous

I've always thought that rulesets are a golden opportunity for MMO developers to get creative with their products and try something fresh and exciting. Unfortunately, most every MMO these days, new and old, adheres to the four "vanilla" rulesets that have been in place since Pong. You have your default PvE, your same-as-PvE-except-we-have-a-naming-policy PvE-RP, and the two player vs. player variants: PvP and PvP-RP.

Those are all well and good, but... y'know... couldn't rulesets be used to create fascinating variations on these games? It turns out that yes, yes they can.

While the vanilla rulesets are the vast majority, there does exist a group of fringe rulesets that dared to walk the different patch, er, path and made versions of MMOs that are a bold and refreshing flavor. Like blue! Sometimes these new rulesets were whipped up to inject new life into an aging title, giving players a valid reason to come back and see the game from a different perspective.

In this week's Perfect Ten, we're going to check out just how wild 'n' wacky server rulesets can get!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Non-vanilla server rulesets

The Perfect Ten: Non-vanilla server rulesets originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMObility: More new games and news from mobile MMOs

Beau Hindman — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: New titles, Patches, Previews, Free-to-play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, MMObility

Finding mobile MMOs for smartphones, slates, and browsers is not easy. I will often lump games that can run on a basic laptop into this column, but the specific games for those wonderful mobile devices are still rare. Yes, there are quite a few games in the Mafia Wars-style, but I have been scouring the internet to find games that actually resemble "real" MMOs -- you know, the ones that have persistent worlds and interaction with large numbers of players.

They're out there, but the faucet is at a slow drip. It must be hard to make mobile games, especially MMOs, especially in a market that is not only new but such a niche. Granted, titles like Order and Chaos Online and Pocket Legends have shown that great success is possible, but in this columns, I like to highlight the little guys and the hidden gems.

So click past the cut and I'll share with you a few updates on some of my favorite lesser-known mobile MMOs.

Continue reading MMObility: More new games and news from mobile MMOs

MMObility: More new games and news from mobile MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyperspace Beacon: Nuna bites

Larry Everett — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, real-world, New titles, Opinion, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon

If you happened to be in San Diego this weekend then you may have noticed a large gathering of geekery known as Comic-Con. Usually, this mecca of nerdom focuses on comic book related publications. Although Star Wars: The Old Republic isn't exactly comic book gold, Dark Horse comics rose through the ranks of pulp royalty because of its vast library of Star Wars-related publications. It only seems right that TOR presents itself to this audience.

Besides the panel in Comic-Con proper, BioWare developers hosted three separate question and answer sessions focusing on Star Wars: The Old Republic. As with most Q&As, the majority of questions asked have been answered already in the past. If you were hanging out in Darth Hater's Ventrilo server like I was during the live broadcasts, then you heard a lot of "We knew that already." That being said, there were some pieces of juicy meat tossed to the crowd that we had not heard before. I will call them nuna bites, and you can find your slice after the break.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Nuna bites

Hyperspace Beacon: Nuna bites originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Ultima Worlds Online: Origin

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Ultima Online, Humor, The Game Archaeologist

Two months ago, we heard a rumor (which has since gone quiet) that a new Ultima Online sequel might be in the oven in Electronic Art's kitchen. As with any rumor, it was important to take it with a grain of disbelief, although a pinch of hope seems appropriate in this case as well. After all, Ultima Online's been begging for a sequel ever since the hit MMO started facing stiff competition in the form of 3-D worlds like EverQuest and Asheron's Call.

For some of us gamers, word of a UO sequel feels like deja vu, and rightly so. This wouldn't be the first time that EA embarked on a project to make a more modern Ultima Online, nor would it be the second time. Indeed, the saga of Ultima Online's canceled sequels is as torrid as it is steamy and lusty. Ignore the words in the previous sentence, as those are just to up the hits on search engines.

In our continuing series on the "what ifs?" of axed MMOs, we're going to head into a two-parter full of savage truth, dangerous decisions, and full-frontal nerdery. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the saga of Ultima Online 2.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Ultima Worlds Online: Origin

The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Ultima Worlds Online: Origin originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Asheron's Call teases May event

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 05 May 2011 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Events, in-game, Patches

While Asheron's Call players have a while yet to wait to get their hands on new playable races, Turbine has a bright shiny ray of good news to share: The May event is tentatively set to hit the servers on May 17th.

According to the site, this event includes a new hunting area, a pair of additional dungeons, more quests, and "a couple of surprises." The Asheron's Call team boldly states that this will be "one of the most exciting updates" that players will see this year.

The May event announcement ends with a sneak preview of sorts: two pictures showing off new sand textures surrounding a desert town. We've known for a while now that Turbine's been working on updating the game's graphics, so this is a welcome sight indeed. You can read the full article over at Asheron's Call.

Asheron's Call teases May event originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 May 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: Four more years, four more years!

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, Interviews, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor

While four years is not a nice round number -- or even a halfway number like five -- it's a substantial milestone for any MMORPG. Debuting in early 2007, Lord of the Rings Online introduced something we'd never seen before: a fully realized 3-D virtual Middle-earth where we could not only enjoy a deep MMO but explore the lands and meet the people we'd only read about before.

It might not be a universal truth that all LotRO players are big Tolkien fans, but I'm sure enough that it's a sizable chunk of the playerbase. There's something special about the IP that gives a weight and richness to the game, especially when a long-time reader of the books is given leave to actually go on adventures through Eriador, Moria and Mirkwood. It's a giant sight-seeing tour of lore, a thrill with every brush one has with the source material.

It's heady to consider that four years ago we were but starting on this journey, feeling out the mechanics of combat, crafting and pie-running. Four years later, LotRO has emerged to be one of the most significant MMOs of the past decade, growing strong with no signs of slowing down.

Hit the jump as we reminisce about the ups, the downs, and the off-the-beaten-path hikes of our beloved game as it celebrates its fourth anniversary.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Four more years, four more years!

The Road to Mordor: Four more years, four more years! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EverQuest becomes ever after: A talk with Linda Carlson of SOE

Krystalle Voecks — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: EverQuest, Culture, Interviews, Opinion, Humor, Miscellaneous

When it comes to getting involved with community, Sony Online Entertainment's Director of Global Community Relations Linda Carlson knows it well. Most often seen tromping around conventions dressed as her beer-craving Dwarven alter-ego Brasse, Carlson was a fixture at SOE's Fan Faire events and author of her own gaming comic long before she ever started working for the studio. As we had the chance to find out recently, this was due at least in part to EverQuest changing her life many, many years prior.

While these days meeting up with someone you've met online is considered fairly commonplace, when you look back to the earliest days of MMO gaming, it generally was not something many people did. Even if you did meet someone from "on the computer," they tended to be folks from one or another BBS -- local connections that were easily made and just as easily dismissed. The idea of not only meeting someone online in a romantic fashion but leaving the country you live in to see him/her was considered completely insane. "What if you don't get along? Or what if he/she is a murderer?" your friends might ask, since this was all really new territory and nobody quite knew what would happen. Still, some early MMO gamers like Carlson gathered up their courage and took that gamble.

In honor of Valentine's Day, we interviewed Carlson about how her EverQuest connection became an "ever after" -- join us after the break!

Continue reading EverQuest becomes ever after: A talk with Linda Carlson of SOE

EverQuest becomes ever after: A talk with Linda Carlson of SOE originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: Asheron's Call

Beau Hindman — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, PvE, Opinion, Hands-on, Rise and Shiny, Livestream

This is going to sound like I'm whining, but here goes: Sometimes I get tired of playing games. Yes, yes, I know -- this is a wonderful job, and anyone who enjoys playing games and talking to developers would love it. But once in a while, when I am feeling particulary tired, have a headache, or am just plain not feeling it, the last thing I want to do is log into a game that is either too challenging or too grindy. Normally I just skip it for a few hours and come back to it later. This last week was busy for me, though, so when I had time to play, I really needed to play.

So I would load up Turbine's Asheron's Call, sigh, and log in. Even though I was having a great time from the start of my trial, I was having a blah week. Almost as soon as I saw the famous teleportation tunnel graphic, though, I just felt better. There was, in fact, not a moment of drudgery during my time with the game. It helped that I was hanging out with some of the top players in the game, but the easy-to-learn hard-to-master systems worked like modelling clay: Almost anyone can make something out of it, but if you take your time, you can make something truly unique.

Click past the cut and I'll let you in on some of my experiences. They weren't perfect, but they were fun.

Gallery: Rise and Shiny recap: Asheron's Call

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Asheron's Call

Rise and Shiny recap: Asheron's Call originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: Best non-traditional MMO fantasy races

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Dark Age of Camelot, Dungeons and Dragons Online, EverQuest II, Lord of the Rings Online, Ultima Online, Guild Wars 2, Humor, Allods Online, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous

Elves. Dwarves. Humans. Halflings. Gnomes. Hobbits. Dark elves. High elves. Half-elves. Wood elves. Keebler elves. Elvish impersonators.

Are you as tired as I am of the endless regurgitation of stock fantasy races in our MMOs? It seems inconceivable (I do not think that means what you think it means) for a new fantasy title to come out without most of the above races infesting the character creation screen with moldy unoriginality, putrescent stank, and dusty boredom.

That's why today I'm standing up to praise 10 MMOs that dare to go above and beyond the stale by offering mostly unique and different races than the rest of the market. Hopefully future games will learn from their example and throw off the yokes of generic oppression to give us something bold and refreshing!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Best non-traditional MMO fantasy races

The Perfect Ten: Best non-traditional MMO fantasy races originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist and the NeverEnding Quest: The highlights

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest, Culture, The Game Archaeologist

To many veteran MMO players, the opening horns of EverQuest's score are enough to trigger vivid memories, violent hallucinations, and an unstoppable desire to leap through the computer screen to return to Norrath. It all depends, of course, on which MMO you first cut your teeth, and while many gamers would claim titles like World of Warcraft as their first, there is a large contingent who will confess that EQ was their first MMO lover.

In fact, before WoW came on the scene in 2004, EverQuest was the gold standard of MMOs for a half-decade -- it was insanely popular, perfectly addictive, and absolutely revolutionary. It was a giant that roamed the virtual lands of those days, a giant that continues to forge new grounds well over a decade from its inception.

It was 1995 when John Smedley realized the potential for online gaming and roped in Brad McQuaid and Steve Clover to start putting together an online RPG for SOE. What began as a small project ballooned into a crazy endeavor as the growing team created a monster RPG the likes the world had never seen before -- a game that would forever shape the MMO genre.

This month, the Game Archaeologist is going after one of the biggest treasures of recorded history as we unearth the secrets to EverQuest's popularity, legacy, and longevity. The first step on our journey is to look at some of the highlights that made EQ what it is today.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the NeverEnding Quest: The highlights

The Game Archaeologist and the NeverEnding Quest: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: Fond memories

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Asheron's Call, The Game Archaeologist

Has October blown by already in a rush of leaves, wind and high-fructose corn syrup candies? Are we already staring down the grim specter of November, AKA "The Middle Child of Holidays"? I suppose so -- and because of that, it must mean that we are in the final week of our Asheron's Call retrospective.

I know I say this every month, but I've really gained a whole new level of respect for Asheron's Call. It may have not been a massive blockbuster, but it persevered, it built up a solid playerbase, and it helped Turbine become one of the best-known MMO development houses in the world. Plus, I totally love the fact that the devs placed such a priority on developing an ongoing and ever-changing story, which is something that more MMOs could certainly use these days.

So after counting down the top eight highlights of the game, talking to a couple AC vets, and interviewing Turbine's Andy Cataldo, all that's left is to open the floor to the rest of the AC crowd. We asked readers to pipe up and share their favorite experiences, as well as some of their best screenshots that have been lurking on the dustier parts of hard drives. Let's finish this month in style, as AC rides once more!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: Fond memories

The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: Fond memories originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist's chat with Andy Cataldo

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Interviews, The Game Archaeologist

There are only a handful of people in the world who can boast that they're working on an MMO that dates back to the '90s. As community lead for Asheron's Call, Turbine's Andy Cataldo is a member of that exclusive club, going from an avid player of the game to part of the AC crew. Don't tell him that his game is old in the joints and unstable going down stairs; to Andy, Asheron's Call is still one of the most exciting MMOs on the market, and he is not shy in sharing his passion for it.

In our third week of looking back at the esteemed history of Asheron's Call, the Game Archaeologist got in touch with Mr. Cataldo to ask him why AC has yet to go the free-to-play route, what the team is planning for AC's 11th anniversary, how the graphics update is coming along, and whether it's still possible to party like it's 1999. Let us clasp our hands together attentively and read!

The Game Archaeologist: Please introduce yourself, your role on the team, and how long you've been working on Asheron's Call.

Andy Cataldo: My name is Andy Cataldo. I am currently the Community Lead for the Asheron's Call franchise. My focus is helping communicate between the players and various teams here in Turbine, and vice versa. I also do most of the website and launcher updates, as well as any community events. I have been working on Asheron's Call now for over six years.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist's chat with Andy Cataldo

The Game Archaeologist's chat with Andy Cataldo originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: Player sagas

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Interviews, The Game Archaeologist

It's an odd thing to realize how far MMOs have come right in front of our eyes in a relatively short span of time. After all, 1999 wasn't that long ago, despite what Prince and Y2K would have you believe. One day we'll be telling our children -- if we aren't already -- about the primitive MMOs that didn't feature RealGore[TM], motion sensor-linked emotes, and mostly nude elves dancing for tips on mailboxes. They may gasp and sputter in disbelief, but you'll assert that it is true: You experienced an era when polygons were blockier than LEGO pieces, people logged in over dial-up connections, and the community was small enough for GMs to host personal live events.

There's been a lot of love flowing into my email inbox and Twitter since posting the first Game Archaeologist on Asheron's Call, enough to tell me that this title is a dear old friend to many a seasoned gamer out there (including a few on the Massively staff who won't stop writing epic haikus about AC in its honor this month). As a result, I got in touch with two die-hard fans of the game, and they agreed to scribe their memories of this MMO for future generations to discover, generations who will undoubtedly marvel at the hardship and perserverence that such scrappy gamers showed in being part of the first wave of MMO players.

Without further ado, please give a warm round of applause to Amanda and Jon. No, nobody can hear you clap over the internet, but it's the thought that counts.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: Player sagas

The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: Player sagas originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: The highlights

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, MMO industry, The Game Archaeologist

It's hard being the youngest child -- you get the hand-me-downs, suffer through swirlies by older siblings, and eventually develop such a neurosis that it requires seven different brands of horse tranquilizers to make it through the day. Not that I would actually know, being an oldest child and all. But I suppose it would be a hard-knock life.

In a couple ways, Asheron's Call was the youngest of the three MMO siblings that comprised the first major MMO generation. Ultima Online, the big brother, had prestige and legacy behind it, and middle child EverQuest quickly became the most popular at school. And then there was Asheron's Call, poking its head on the scene in late 1999 as a cooperative project between developer Turbine and publisher Microsoft. AC never got the recognition of Ultima Online nor the numbers of EverQuest, but this scrappy title became a fan favorite and endured even to this day -- beyond its own sequel, believe it or not.

Instead of plowing through a stale history report of Asheron's Call today, I thought it'd be fun to come up with a list of the eight most unique aspects of this fairly innovative 11-year-old MMO. Ah lists, how I adore thee -- let me count the ways. Eight ways, to be precise!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: The highlights

The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Asheron's Call shifts gears in latest update

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Patches, News items, Races

It might show its age a little, but Asheron's Call is one of the oldest MMOs still running, and it continues receiving regular content updates from the fine team at Turbine. June has brought with it another huge influx of new content, starting with the inclusion of an entirely new race known as Gear Knights. These clockwork entities interact with gear in unique ways, requiring them to integrate their armor directly into their being. The addition of a new race carries with it a free extra character slot, as well as some introductory fiction explaining these new arrivals.

Not content to simply add a new race for free, however, Turbine has also put the Town Portal Network into play, updated the landscape textures, and added several other improved touches to the game. The full hub for June updates is located here, and the full patch notes can be read here. Amidst everything else going on at the studio, it's good to see that Asheron's Call is still high enough on the priority list for some impressive upgrades.

[Thanks to Greg for the tip!]

Asheron's Call shifts gears in latest update originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: The Dead Pool

Justin Olivetti — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind

Now it's widely known that MMORPG players are a cheerful, optimistic bunch [citation needed]. It also goes without saying that no Massively reader would ever be caught wishing the downfall of a particular MMO or company [citation needed]. After all, the more titles that survive and thrive, the more the genre as a whole grows. With games like EverQuest, Ultima Online and Asheron's Call pushing well over a decade of run-time at this point, MMOs have proven that -- given a chance and enough initial steam -- they can go the distance.

However, realism is a nasty mistress, and we can't ignore the fact that sooner or later MMOs will shut down. We've seen some flare up and burn out quickly (Tabula Rasa, Auto Assault), some struggle for years before capitulating (The Matrix Online, Asheron's Call 2), and some quietly put to pasture after all attempts at prolonging life failed (Shadowbane). The dark truth is that even the games we currently play have a finite lifespan, and one day will see their light extinguished.

Cheery, right? So today, let's engage in a bit of macabre speculation and wager on a MMO dead pool. Without using this as a platform to rail against a MMO you hate and were personally wronged by on one midsummer's eve, what MMO do you think will be the next to close its doors? Will it be one of the newer titles, or one published by a company that has the tendency to shutter struggling games, or an aging beauty? Enter into today's dead pool, and earn the right to say "I told you so!" when the sad day happens. Because that will totally make you look tactful, don't you know.

The Daily Grind: The Dead Pool originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warner Bros. appoints Turbine's new boss

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 27 May 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO industry

Ever since hearing the news of Turbine's acquisition by Warner Bros. last month, players have been anxiously awaiting a sign of how this might affect Asheron's Call, Dungeons & Dragons Online and Lord of the Rings Online. While answers are still in short supply, now we know who Turbine answers to: Jeff Junge.

Junge was named Senior Vice President of Online Games and Digital Games Platforms by Warner Bros., a new position for the company. He was a key player in the purchase of Turbine, and will now be Turbine's direct boss. Junge has had a lot of influence within Warner Bros. as they moved into the games industry -- he convinced them to invest in OnLive, and led the initiative to purchase other game studios, such as Rocksteady Games and Midway Games.

As one of the largest independent MMO studios is folded into the WB umbrella, we will continue to keep a close eye on the direction Junge and WB will take Turbine in the future. You can read the full press release here.

Warner Bros. appoints Turbine's new boss originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 May 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You are cordially invited to the Asheron's Call wedding

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 08 May 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Culture, Events, in-game, Patches, News items

Asheron's Call is getting up in years. That's not an insult, just a statement of fact: at eleven years old, the game has been around for an astonishingly long time. But the fine folks at Turbine haven't forgotten about the game; and they've put together a very special event for May: a wedding. Not a wedding of death and destruction, not a wedding rife with some sort of horrible beasts attacking. It's a wedding between two of the game's longstanding NPCs, and everyone in the game is invited to attend.

Of course, there's more in the latest update besides just the wedding... but the wedding really is the centerpiece, and lo and behold, they've put together an entire developer diary explaining how the event went from the concept to execution, and how everything fits together. And how unusual it is, even from the developer perspective, to have the centerpiece of an event be just a wedding. Take a look at the release notes, the developer diary, and the screenshots of the celebrated event -- and if you're an Asheron's Call player, you can take a look at the wedding in person.

You are cordially invited to the Asheron's Call wedding originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 May 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When crafting community, little goes a long way

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Forums, Grouping, Opinion

Yes, that looks like a typo in the subject line and it ought to be "a little goes a long way." It isn't. Little itself goes a long way in making a community, as discussed in this recent post by Eric Heimburg. Speaking from his experiences both on Asheron's Call 2 as a producer and Aion as a player, his core contention is that smaller communities decrease anonymity and make politeness far more common for interactions among strangers.

One of the core reasons behind this is the question of reliance. The community of group-based games tends to be stonger than that of games where you can be almost wholly independent, since you rely upon others to work with you. By way of contrast, examine some of the behavior found in World of Warcraft's random dungeon tool, where you find yourself working with people whom you're statistically unlikely to ever see again.

One of the laments about solo-friendly games is the death of community, and while that's not altogether true, Heimburg's post certainly makes a number of compelling points. Well worth examining if you're interested in building a community or just in the ways groups develop.

When crafting community, little goes a long way originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Asheron's Call celebrates its 10th anniversary

Kyle Horner — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Asheron's Call, Events, in-game, News items

Whenever an MMO hits the big ten-zero, we tend to get a little misty in the ocular slots on our heads. Asheron's Call holds a special place in many a person's heart -- because everyone has a first -- and so this post is for all of you players both past and present who cherish and adore your little personal slice of gaming love.

Turbine has plans to run live events throughout the day as part of their celebration, which includes bringing back some of the most loved (and feared) characters and villains. We hope the event is fun for all, and if any players happen to attend why not take some awesome screens and send them into our One Shots feature? You can do so by emailing oneshots AT massively DOT com.

Asheron's Call celebrates its 10th anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Asheron's Call gets a slew of new enhancements for the 10th anniversary

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Culture, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Patches, News items

When November rolls around, it's time for Asheron's Call to celebrate 10 years of being online. That's a pretty epic anniversary, so it makes sense that Turbine's preparing a pretty epic set of patches. This anniversary isn't being overlooked in the slightest.

While details are still coming in as to what will be offered, already we know that magic users will be jumping for joy with the new magic infusing abilities in the new augmentations area. Mastering a school of magic will infuse you with its energy, letting you cast spells without holding the Foci or components to cast spells, although you will still need scarabs and tapers. Weapons will work relatively the same way, with new augmentations increasing effective skill with certain types of weapons.

Continue reading Asheron's Call gets a slew of new enhancements for the 10th anniversary

Asheron's Call gets a slew of new enhancements for the 10th anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Heeding the call

Krystalle Voecks — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Asheron's Call, One Shots

The other day we asked which game you'd like to give a graphics overhaul to, and among the many answers we got was Asheron's Call, the subject of today's One Shots. While admittedly it doesn't have nearly the visual details of it's brethren, Dungeons & Dragons Online and Lord of the Rings Online, this bit of living Turbine history still has quite a bit of style. Here's regular Massively commenter Bam! to set up today's One Shots scene:

This Asheron's Call shot was taken in the Darkened Halls, which is a normally very low level dungeon. It has a quest that introduces us to one of the most disturbing creatures in Asheron's Call, the Hollow Minion. Originally created because one of the nemesis races in Lore thought scarecrows were the coolest thing ever, the funny particles about their hands indicate that all the damage they do ignores magical protections both on items and natural armor. Fortunately for me my character has a very good dodge skill!

If you're playing a game we don't see here often - or perhaps have never seen here - we definitely want to hear from you. There are tons of great MMOs out there that don't get nearly enough love, but we need you to send your screens in for them. Just email them to oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description. Yours could very well be the next one we feature!

Gallery: One Shots

One Shots: Heeding the call originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turbine appoints new chief financial officer

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 EST

Filed under: Asheron's Call, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO industry, News items

Let's take a break from all of the E3 crazy for a moment and bring it back down to Earth, as Turbine has announced today that they're putting a new man into the chief financial officer's seat.

Their choice for the position has been M. Beau Paradowski, an experienced 17 year financial veteran who has previously held the CFO chair for Optasite Inc. and Clearwire Technologies.

Paradowski is excited to step into his new position at Turbine, which will oversee all of the company's global financial operations and everything related to Turbine's three big IPs -- Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons and Dragons Online, and Asheron's Call.

Turbine appoints new chief financial officer originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Don't pay in gold, barter instead!

Seraphina Brennan — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Culture, Economy, Game mechanics, Endgame, Opinion

Of the many things that developers have to balance in MMOs, the economy is perhaps the least understood. Where damage over time and powers can be easily tweaked to bring them in line with the rest of the game, virtual economies can bounce around more than a hyperactive kid with a super ball. Even if you think you can find a "fix" or a "tweak" to bring your virtual economy to where you think it should be, the economy can throw you a curve ball and react completely differently.

Over at the Warcry Network, Jonathan "Ithelsa" Steinhauer has pitched the concept of going back to a barter economy, similar to the one that Asheron's Call accidentally stumbled upon. Instead of relying on money sinks and economic controls, the barter economy places the value onto items and craftable materials -- thus providing wealth that can easily increase or decrease over time and naturally sink out of the system as they are incorporated into other items.

The full article is worth a read, especially if you're interested in the tricky issue of virtual economies, or just general game design of virtual worlds.

Don't pay in gold, barter instead! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turbine hiring for Microtransaction Manager

Krystalle Voecks — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Asheron's Call, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online, Business models, Economy, MMO industry, News items

We've seen a steady growth in the arena of microtransactions over the last several years, with more and more Western companies noticing the lucrative practices Eastern MMO companies have; offering item malls to their players. After all, you really can't ignore the growth of companies like Nexon who are raking in more and more money each year with their free-to-play microtransaction model games. Recently, we've seen Sony Online Entertainment testing the waters in EverQuest and EverQuest II by including a small number of items available for players in their pilot in-game item malls, with promises to add more in the future.

Now, it appears that we're starting 2009 with another Western company heading in the direction of adding microtransactions to their in-game landscape. Turbine, despite recent job cuts, has added several job postings in other departments. The one that caught our eye, however, was a recent posting for a "microtransaction/e-commerce manager" who will be in charge of "delivering and maximizing the revenue derived from Turbine's micro-transaction-based in-game store." They've kicked around the idea of adding microtransactions in interviews before, but this posting seems to support a definitive move in that direction.

Continue reading Turbine hiring for Microtransaction Manager

Turbine hiring for Microtransaction Manager originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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