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[Online gaming on Google's Lively to take on "corporate mentality"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/29/online-gaming-on-googles-lively-to-take-on-corporate-mentality/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/29/online-gaming-on-googles-lively-to-take-on-corporate-mentality/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/29/online-gaming-on-googles-lively-to-take-on-corporate-mentality/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Kevin Hanna, creative director of Google's Lively, said at AGDC that he hopes that Lively will become an online gaming platform that will challenge the status quo in a game industry he says is currently dominated by a "corporate mentality" that is "sucking the life out of what should be the most creative and innovative medium out there."

He said that game developers and publishers seem eager to be "first to be second." That is, they have no interest in creating anything genuinely new. They just want to capitalize on ideas that have already been proven. His hope is that Lively will lower the barrier to entry so would-be developers ("passionate startups and kids in college") can experiment with new ideas with less risk.

So far, the aspects of Google's vision for Lively as a game development platform that we've seen have looked like a greatly scaled back, poor man's version of MetaPlace; just the tools for creating simple arcade-like games, without any of the loftier purpose. But Hanna's comments suggest that at least some folks on the Lively team have grander ambitions after all.

MassivelyOnline gaming on Google's Lively to take on "corporate mentality" originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agdcagdc-08agdc-2008agdc08agdc2008austin-gdcbrowser-basedcreativitydevelopmentgoogleindieindustryinnovationinterviewkevin-hannalivelymetaplaceweb-basedMon, 29 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AGDC08: Devs on why MMOs have a web-based future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/agdc08-devs-on-why-mmos-have-a-web-based-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/agdc08-devs-on-why-mmos-have-a-web-based-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/agdc08-devs-on-why-mmos-have-a-web-based-future/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

A write-up at Gamasutra of an AGDC panel featuring MMO developers who have begun working on web-based projects gives us an opportunity to explore the new (some would say it's actually the old) frontier of massively multiplayer gaming.

There are many MMOs that are experienced via a web interface (such as Sherwood), but traditional gamers have largely shunned the trend. Why, then, did some of the most hardcore MMO developers (including Dan Ogles, Raph Koster, and Scott Hartsman) abandon the traditional MMO in favor of this new frontier? Some of their work, like Ogles' Loudcrowd, is barely recognizable to traditional gamers.

They offered some answers on the panel. For example, Koster (originally of Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies fame, now working on the creative platform MetaPlace) said that game devs have more to learn from web devs than vice versa. Ogles talked about using Adobe Flash so anyone can embed elements of the game anywhere on the web they like. It's worth a read if you're able to work through some pretty technical development speech.

MassivelyAGDC08: Devs on why MMOs have a web-based future originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agdcagdc-2008agdc08areaebrowsercasualconduit-labsdan-oglesdevelopmentflashindustryloudcrowdmetaplacepanelraph-kosterscott-hartsmansherwoodstar-wars-galaxiesswgultima-onlineuowebThu, 25 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AGDC 08: The Secret to Storytelling in MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/23/agdc-08-the-secret-to-storytelling-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/23/agdc-08-the-secret-to-storytelling-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/23/agdc-08-the-secret-to-storytelling-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


At the Austin Game Developers Conference, we sat down to a one-man panel held by James Portnow, of Divide by Zero Games. His topic was "The Secret to Storytelling in a Massively Multiplayer Environment", and it was well worth our time.

James' main point was to collect the various servers, or shards, into one continuous world, and how that would affect the idea of composing an overarching storyline. We've compiled a breakdown of James' panel here, condensing his hour-long talk into what we think are his most salient points. Remember, most of these statements are not actual quotes unless specifically pulled out as such. Read on to learn more about "The Secret to Storytelling in a Massively Multiplayer Environment".

Continue reading AGDC 08: The Secret to Storytelling in MMOs

MassivelyAGDC 08: The Secret to Storytelling in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agdc08austin-game-developers-conferencebattletech-3025eve-onlinefeaturedjames-portnowjoystiqfeatureskart-riderpanelunshardedworld-of-warcraftTue, 23 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Icarus Studios demos iPhone MMO software this week]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/16/icarus-studios-to-demo-iphone-mmo-software-this-week/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/16/icarus-studios-to-demo-iphone-mmo-software-this-week/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/16/icarus-studios-to-demo-iphone-mmo-software-this-week/#commentsFiled under: ,

Icarus Studios -- developer of Fallen Earth and the associated Icarus Platform virtual world development tools --announced via press release that this week it is demonstrating its 3D MMO platform running on Apple's iPhone at the Austin Game Developers Conference.

The demo is modest -- a "360-degree panoramic tour of a sample virtual world location." Users control the camera with the phone's accelerometer. Apple recently threw down the gauntlet, saying that the iPhone and the iPod Touch platforms are "the best portable device for playing games." No reason that future can't include MMOs, right?

The iPhone client is scheduled to launch in Q1 of 2009. Does this mean that within months everyone on the New York subway, the Chicago El, and the London Underground will be immersed in a never-ending, time-sinking quest for teh phat lewtz?

MassivelyIcarus Studios demos iPhone MMO software this week originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you're a talented game professional and you're planning to attend the Austin Game Developers Conference this coming week, you may want to head on over to booth 100 and speak with ZeniMax Online Studios (which has a brand-new official site). As they've just announced, ZeniMax will be looking for potential employees with experience in Art, Programming, Design, Server Technology, Customer Support, QA and Marketing. Despite the fact that ZeniMax is located in Hunt Valley, Maryland, this may be a great opportunity for those developers in the Austin area who have suffered through the area's recent set-backs.

ZeniMax Online is the sister company of Bethesda Softworks, most famously known for their development and publishing of the Elder Scrolls Series and the upcoming Fallout 3. However, don't mistake their association with Bethesda to any connection with the Fallout MMO, which is currently in development by Interplay.

MassivelyZeniMax Online is hiring at Austin Game Developers Conference originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agdcagdc08austin-game-developers-conferencebethesdahiringrecruitingzenimax-online-studiosFri, 12 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Austin Game Developers Conference previews the evolving face of MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/12/austin-game-conference-previews-talks-on-rmt-evolving-face-of-m/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/12/austin-game-conference-previews-talks-on-rmt-evolving-face-of-m/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/12/austin-game-conference-previews-talks-on-rmt-evolving-face-of-m/#commentsFiled under: ,

Worlds in Motion has continued to announce some of the highlights of the upcoming Austin Game Developer's Conference. We've previously talked about featured speakers like Nexon's Min Kim, and interesting events showcasing the collaboration between casual gaming and MMOs. These newest events continue to explore some topics we've returned to several times before here at Massively. The business side of massive gaming, for example, will be explored in a panel entitled Evolving Business for MMOs. Speakers will include Turbine Business Development VP Robert Ferrari, CCP CEO Himlar Veigar Pertursson, Funcom Business Development VP Nicolay Nickelsen, Nexon America director Min Kim, and ImaginVenture SA COO Jessica Mulligan.

Other talks will include tips for the changing face of MMO business models, focusing on free-to-play and RMT models. Another will discuss some of the challenges of running a Beta test, with hands-on knowledge from Keneva's Jonathan Hanna. Check out the full listing of MMO-related talks and panels over at the official AGDC website today.

MassivelyAustin Game Developers Conference previews the evolving face of MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agdcagdc08austin-game-developers-conferencejessica-mulliganjonathan-hannamin-kimSat, 12 Jul 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AGDC announces first keynote address]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/agdc-announces-first-keynote-address/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/agdc-announces-first-keynote-address/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/agdc-announces-first-keynote-address/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Worlds in Motion site notes that the first keynote address has been announced for this year's Austin Game Developer's Conference. Last last month the first speakers, such as Damion Schubert and Min Kim, were announced for the MMO-focused event. This week the event's first keynote has been announced, and it's very different from your average early-morning droner. Fans of The Office rejoice! The folks behind the Dunder Mifflin social networking game will be offering up ways of "driving user behavior and increasing engagement".

Other events announced include a technical discussion on Tabula Rasa's shading technology; that's an in-depth session aimed at MMO developers looking for cost/benefit tradeoffs. Probably the most exciting announced talk this week is Nick Fortugno's talk entitled What Your Mother and Your Ten-Year Old Can Teach You About MMOs. He gave a similar lecture at this year's IMGDC event, previously discussed here on the site. Interested parties will get early bird status through August 27th.

MassivelyAGDC announces first keynote address originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This year's Austin Game Developer's Conference, slated for early September, sounds like it will be a good one. Though the ION 2008 event was a fantastic MMO-focused design and development thinktank, AGDC traditionally fills that roll. CMP (the event's organizer) has announced some of the speakers that will be participating in the event. The list includes industry heavyweights like Nexon America's Min Kim, BioWare's Damion Schubert, and Cryptic's Gordon Wei.

We're particularly interested in Mr. Schubert's talk. Last year his Zen of Online Game Design discussion was one of the highlights of the conference, and his discussion for this year sounds equally engaging. Entitled "Endgame: How to Build High-End Gameplay for Your Most Devoted Players", it would seem to be tackling one of the issues that a lot of MMO players find very pressing. Make sure to check out the descriptions of the events, and if you're thinking of going make sure to register soon. Early registration is only open through the end of July. And, of course, you can look forward to extensive coverage from Massively.com; we'll be at the event in force!

MassivelyAustin Game Developer's Conference announces speakers originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 May 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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