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[Final Fantasy XIV covers the basics of healing and fighting]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/15/final-fantasy-xiv-covers-the-basics-of-healing-and-fighting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/15/final-fantasy-xiv-covers-the-basics-of-healing-and-fighting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/15/final-fantasy-xiv-covers-the-basics-of-healing-and-fighting/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The toothy fellow heading the page might seem rather unfriendly, or he might just seem in need of a good joke or two. But rest assured that if you see him in Final Fantasy XIV, any jokes you tell will feature him consuming your flesh as a punchline. The newest dispatch covering game basics has just gone live on the official player site, this time discussing combat, engaging targets, and the difference between active and passive modes.

Along with a discussion of just what advantages active mode offers when you're not in combat (slower TP decay), the dispatch also includes a small visual guide to some of the game's aggressive inhabitants. Some of them wouldn't be immediately recognizable as aggressive at first glance, making it useful to any players who haven't ventured too far from their starting city of choice. If you're still unclear about some of the basics of Final Fantasy XIV, take a look at the guide... and if you're quite clear on all of them, you can simply cross your fingers that tonight's maintenance might include a patch going live.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV covers the basics of healing and fighting originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hot on the stiletto heels of their assassin and vampire spotlights, Perfect World Entertainment brings us a brand new Forsaken World class preview focusing on the protector. According to the game's official blog, protectors are "nine feet tall, carry hammers the size of people, and are regularly seen carrying dwarves on their shoulders."

Dwarf-tossing references and subtlety-related snarkiness aside, the protectors serve as Forsaken World's tanking class, complete with the usual amenities such as aggro-building taunts and very large pieces of armor. Protectors also make use of a special ability called fury, which gradually charges up over the course of a fight. Theoretically, protectors grow stronger and more dangerous the longer the fight continues.

To learn more about the protector class, head over to the class preview at the official Forsaken World blog.

MassivelyForsaken World details protector class originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aggroarmorclass-previewclassesforsaken-worldfuryheavy-armormechanicsperfect-world-entertainmentperfect-world-internationalprotectorpwistonemantanktauntWed, 13 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Have you gotten spouse aggro?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/the-daily-grind-have-you-gotten-spouse-aggro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/the-daily-grind-have-you-gotten-spouse-aggro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/the-daily-grind-have-you-gotten-spouse-aggro/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The couple that plays together may very well stay together, but sometimes only half of the couple is interested in playing in the first place. There's nothing wrong with that, of course -- until the issues start up about how much time you spend on your favorite game. That's where the dreaded spouse aggro comes from, when the biggest threat you'll encounter in Guild Wars comes not from parties of healers and anti-caster NPCs, but from your significant other yanking the power cord mid-pull.

Sometimes the non-playing half of the couple has a legitimate point and you really are spending more time on the game than with your partner. Other times it's just a case of your partner not being interested and expecting you to give up the hobby obligingly. Have you ever gotten a bad case of spouse aggro? Was it from your spouse, or was it a girlfriend or boyfriend? Did you work matters out, or was that the signal for better or worse that it was time to move on?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Have you gotten spouse aggro? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aggrodealing-with-playtimeguild-warsgwopinionplaytimerelationship-issuesrelationshipsspouse-aggrotdgthe-daily-grindyou-never-bring-me-flowers-any-moreFri, 03 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Threatening]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/11/the-daily-grind-threatening/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/11/the-daily-grind-threatening/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/11/the-daily-grind-threatening/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

While not every MMO features aggro mechanics (Second Life is remarkably free of them, for example), nine times out of ten endgame content will at least peripherally involve someone tanking something big and nasty. Usually with claws. And in almost every case, tanking involves a series of mechanics about threat. There has to be some reason why the big nasty is targeting the character in four-inch-thick armor with a shield instead of the robed priest that has a coughing fit when she walks too quickly, after all.

For the upcoming expansion, World of Warcraft's team is considering making some changes to threat mechanics, something that Spinks summarizes and rails against quite eloquently. It does raise the question, however, of how responsible a tank ought to be for managing threat. How big a part of gameplay should tanking actually be? Do you prefer games where you never have to worry about threat, or games where tanking is a very near thing? Which game do you think featured the most engaging methods for holding enemy attention that you'd like to see more of?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Threatening originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aggrobig-nasty-clawed-thingendgameenmitygame-mechanicssecond-lifesltankingtankstdgthe-daily-grindthreatworld-of-warcraftwowSun, 11 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic impresses fans with combat AI]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/star-wars-the-old-republic-impresses-fans-with-combat-ai/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/star-wars-the-old-republic-impresses-fans-with-combat-ai/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/star-wars-the-old-republic-impresses-fans-with-combat-ai/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The staff at Bioware gave many players the chance to run through Star Wars: The Old Republic while the game was still in its Alpha stage. Even Massively detailed our hands-on session as with the smuggler class, although at E3 all classes, save for Jedi classes, were available for people to try out. Darth Hater's staff was lucky enough to play each class and gave an in-depth review of quest functions, grouping, dialogue, AI, and combat.

Although Darth Hater's reporters say that most of the functions are quite impressive, they seemed most astounded by the versatility and awareness of the artificial intelligence of mobs. Sado, a reporter for Darth Hater, comments about the aggro system in the article, "[NPCs] watched you, but as long as you passed by and did not get too close to them or their buddies there was no issue. On the other hand, the roaming Separatist sentry droids would aggro from quite the distance and give chase." Presumably, if you do actually cross the attack threshold, there are a variety of reactions depending on the type of mob. Sado continues a bit later in the article, "The [NPC] Separatist's actions varied once engaged in battle. It seemed as if it often depended on what cover was around them at the time to get behind. If there was no cover and I was near them, one of them would often run away to go get more of their friends." In contrast he says the creature mobs have a larger attack radius and do not take cover.

Much more was discussed in the full article which is available on DarthHater.com, but where do you stand? Does the relative power of the artificial intelligence system influence your choice in MMOs?

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic impresses fans with combat AI originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hola mi amigos! Hoy es la dia de Vana'diel! *clears throat* Ahem, sorry about that. Hello adventurers, and welcome to another edition of Starting out in Vana'diel! Today's topic is actually one that I find quite cool about Final Fantasy XI, especially when you compare it to other MMOs. It's the mechanic that puts the fear of Promathia into every adventurer's step.

Today's column is all about the different monster aggro types -- yes, there are different types. You want to find out more? Come, follow me, and let's find out more!

Continue reading Starting out in Vana'diel: See no evil, hear no evil, smell... no evil?

MassivelyStarting out in Vana'diel: See no evil, hear no evil, smell... no evil? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aggressiveaggrodamagefeaturedffxifinal-fantasy-xiguidehatehealershealsjoystiqfeatureskupomagicscentsightsoundspellssquare-enixstarting-out-in-vanadieltankthreatwhite-mageTue, 31 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE provides further clarification on EQ2's Fighter revamp]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/28/soe-provides-further-clarification-on-eq2s-fighter-revamp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/28/soe-provides-further-clarification-on-eq2s-fighter-revamp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/28/soe-provides-further-clarification-on-eq2s-fighter-revamp/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Whether you're fully behind them or not, the changes to EverQuest II's hate system are quite significant and will have an impact on gameplay for all classes, not just the Fighters. Testament to the enormity of the overhaul is the fact that SOE has put out yet another summary of the changes, available on the EQ2Players community site. This latest clarification does not get quite as specific as Aeralik's take last week, but it does include an explanation and pictures of the new hate meter, which will form part of the standard UI when the patch goes live.

If you have aggro on a mob, your meter will show the figure '100'. For everyone else, the closer their number is to 100, the closer they are to pulling a party foul and stealing aggro. This makes it much easier for DPS and healers to see when they are in danger of drawing an NPC's attention, and they can either remove themselves from the fight for a while, or hit a de-taunt ability (which has an instant effect on the hate meter number). The EQ2Players write-up also includes a list of the changes to fighter's abilities, but for a more detailed analysis and community feedback, Aeralik's thread is where you should head.

MassivelySOE provides further clarification on EQ2's Fighter revamp originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There's a fairly hefty set of changes to EverQuest II's hate/aggro system currently being ironed out on Test, and they aren't to everyone's liking. Due to the the complexity of the changes, developer Chris "Aeralik" Kozak has offered up a summary for players to wrap their heads around. We'll attempt to boil it down even more for you, at the cost of including some of the finer details.

The problem with the aggro system begins with the fact that hate has scaled linearly as the game has progressed, and damage has scaled exponentially with gear and new skills, making it hard for designated aggro-holders to keep control of mobs. One of the changes on Test has given taunts the chance to hit critically, just like damage spells, and there will be a base and normalized amount of threat from taunt abilities.

Continue reading Significant aggro changes on the way for EQII

MassivelySignificant aggro changes on the way for EQII originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aeralikaggroberserkerbruiserchris-kozakeq2eqiieverquesteverquest-2everquest-iifightersguardianhatemonkpaladinshadowknightsoesony-online-entertainmenttankingtankstesttest-serverthe-shadow-odysseythreatWed, 21 Jan 2009 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[TR's Tom Potter knows what it will take]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/trs-tom-potter-knows-what-it-will-take/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/trs-tom-potter-knows-what-it-will-take/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/trs-tom-potter-knows-what-it-will-take/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


There's been a fairly substantial amount of buzz surrounding Tabula Rasa over the past couple weeks. Ever since long-time designer Paul Sage was announced to be leaving the game to be replaced by designer Tom Potter, fans and observers alike have been left to speculation about the state of flux surrounding Destination Game's sci-fi MMO. To their credit, they've really stepped up to the bat, both with the recent War College meetings at their Austin studio, and with other interviews around and about the gaming media.

Adding to this steady trend is this week's Feedback Friday, penned by none other than Tom Potter himself. Potter really goes all out and addresses many of our complaints, including the hyper-active enemy aggro, buffs to Logos users, a link loot system, and a true, blue repeatable end-game. Perhaps best of all, at least in this bloggers' opinion, is his acknowledgment that the crafting system needs a near-complete overhaul.

Now, we have to emphasize that there is a serious difference between knowing what needs to be done with a game and actually accomplishing these changes in a reasonable amount of time. Now that we know Potter is wise to what's wrong with the game, we're expecting him to push the changes through, and soon!

MassivelyTR's Tom Potter knows what it will take originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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