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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Looking at the wildlife of WildStar's Galeras region]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/10/looking-at-the-wildlife-of-wildstars-galeras-region/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/10/looking-at-the-wildlife-of-wildstars-galeras-region/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/10/looking-at-the-wildlife-of-wildstars-galeras-region/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It sounds like the finest party I can imagine getting paid to go to.
If the pirates, bandits, ancient machines, and military forces in WildStar weren't bad enough, players are going to be contending with a lot of the native wildlife. Last week's WildStar Wednesday focused on the top-level overview of the Galeras region, but this week is focused on the local flora and fauna, which are just as dangerous as the invading armies with gunships. More so, in some ways, as a stemdragon doesn't care why you're on its land, just that you are.

Stemdragons have been seen by fans before, having starred as the antagonist in the game's first trailer. Buzzbings and Scrabs are new, however -- the former is an insect the size of a small car that traps its enemies with honey, the latter is a cross between a beetle and a crab with thick armor and a propensity for burrowing. Read more on the tactics of these monsters and the lore surrounding them in the full article.

MassivelyLooking at the wildlife of WildStar's Galeras region originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalsareaareasbestiarycarbinecarbine-studioscreaturesenemiesgalerasmonstersncsoftpreviewregionregionssandparksci-fantasysci-fiwildstarwildstar-wednesdaywszonezonesWed, 10 Oct 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's your favorite in-game wildlife?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/23/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-in-game-wildlife/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/23/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-in-game-wildlife/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/23/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-in-game-wildlife/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The general rule of MMOs is pretty simple to understand -- if it moves, either get a quest from it or kill it. Natural critters other than enemy soldiers exist mostly so that you can occasionally kill ten rats rather than killing ten beastmen. But from the chocobos of Final Fantasy XI to the elementally affected critters of RIFT, there are a plethora of different creatures that roam the land that you aren't necessarily meant to kill -- or at least those that serve a purpose in the world's ecology.

In some games, such as the deep space setting of EVE Online, you're not going to find much in the way of wildlife. But in the games that do feature animals meandering about, which ones are your favorites? What local fauna catches your eye, either because it reminds you that the game takes place in a living world or just because it's so alien and bizarre?

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

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's your favorite in-game wildlife? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalsbirdscreaturescrittersenvironmentfaunaopinionratssettingtdgthe-daily-grindwildlifeSat, 23 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Has this ever happened to you?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/01/the-daily-grind-has-this-ever-happened-to-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/01/the-daily-grind-has-this-ever-happened-to-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/01/the-daily-grind-has-this-ever-happened-to-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

You know how it goes. You log in to [MMO] expecting to [verb] a [noun] or two, when out of nowhere an enormous [noun] shows up. Next thing you know you've been playing for [number] hours, you can't feel your feet, and you're pretty sure that you smell worse than [game developer] after [verb ending in -ing] for the better part of a week. Not to mention that you're pretty certain you've completely destroyed your [noun] in the excitement, and that's going to set you back at least $[number].

So what do you do when you have to deal with [noun]? Is that your sign that it's time to [verb] your [noun] with your favorite [weapon type], or do you just think that you'd be better off with [adjective] NPCs to help you [verb]? Are you [emotion] when it happens, or just left to wonder what in the holy [animal] went wrong?

Games Journalism sure is hard work, so we've decided to take a break today and let you write your own news! Too many stories about RIFT on Massively lately? Not enough about the game of your choice? No problem! Much in the style of Mad Libs, today is your day to create the news you want to read, all day on the :30s. Simply fill in the blanks and it's yours. Have fun!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Has this ever happened to you? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalsculturegamingholy-animalshumormad-libs-april-fools-day-2011opiniontdgthe-daily-grindFri, 01 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Faunasphere goes Facebook]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/faunasphere-goes-facebook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/faunasphere-goes-facebook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/faunasphere-goes-facebook/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

We've received word today from the team over at Faunasphere that they're taking their game over to the land of Facebook, to show the "social gamers" what a MMO really is.

Faunsphere Facebook and Faunsphere.com will be linked together into one large world, letting users from both realms interact with one another. The game will continue to run on the same microtransaction system, where users can buy additional items for their fauna and commission scientific tests to know more about the hidden skills that lie in their favorite animals.

All we can do now is pray that this style of game catches on in Facebook, so when we ask our friends if they play any MMOs, they don't respond with, "Oh, yeah, Farmville!" Then, we won't feel the need to throttle people.

MassivelyFaunasphere goes Facebook originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalsbig-fish-gamesfacebookfacebook-appsfacebook-gamesfaunafaunasphereflash-based-mmoflash-mmosocial-gamessocial-gamingThu, 18 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sparkplay Media secures more funding, may introduce new projects outside Earth Eternal]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/17/sparkplay-media-secures-more-funding-may-introduce-new-projects/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/17/sparkplay-media-secures-more-funding-may-introduce-new-projects/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/17/sparkplay-media-secures-more-funding-may-introduce-new-projects/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Sparkplay Media, the team behind the browser/client hybrid free-to-play title Earth Eternal, has just wrangled up an additional 2.8 million dollars in investments, according to a filing within the SEC.

The team is certainly showing growth, as noted in a recent interview with the new lead designer on Earth Eternal when he asks for more members on his team, but VentureBeat believes that Sparkplay is experimenting on more projects outside of Earth Eternal.

Currently their job page speaks otherwise, as Sparkplay is looking for more developers to be placed onto the Earth Eternal team. But, even if the company isn't working on new projects, more investments are only good news as it means more ambitious updates will likely be coming to Earth Eternal in the coming year, thanks to more people working on the project.

[Thanks for the tip, Ripper!]

MassivelySparkplay Media secures more funding, may introduce new projects outside Earth Eternal originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalsearth-eternalfree-to-playinvestmentlead-designersparkplaysparkplay-mediaventurebeatWed, 17 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fight smog with dogs in Faunasphere]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/14/fight-smog-with-dogs-in-faunasphere/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/14/fight-smog-with-dogs-in-faunasphere/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/14/fight-smog-with-dogs-in-faunasphere/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Pollution is bad, mmmmkay? That's the general theme of Faunasphere, another flash-based MMO that takes a very different look at MMO gameplay.

Faunasphere is all about protecting the environment and destroying pollution while evolving your fauna -- animals with specific skills that will aid you in completing quests in this scientifically advanced world. Some fauna can dig, others can swim, and others can track scents and more. Fauna can also be bred as well, letting you create new species of animals while increasing their stats.

The flash based MMO also includes the ability to create your own world for your fauna to live in, awarding you items as you complete quests and level up. It's easy to pick up and play, and the animations are pretty cute as well. It's also free... did we mention that? Well, we did now. Give it a whirl, as it's a great MMO for when you're on the go and can't be bothered to install a big game.

MassivelyFight smog with dogs in Faunasphere originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalsbig-fish-gamesfaunafaunasphereflash-based-mmoflash-mmofree-to-playkidsplayer-housingSun, 14 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Earth Eternal hits open beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/13/earth-eternal-hits-open-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/13/earth-eternal-hits-open-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/13/earth-eternal-hits-open-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


You ever want to play an MMO in your browser? Well now you can! Sparkplay Media's Earth Eternal has finally made the leap into open beta, and joining is as easy as a few button clicks.

All you have to do to check out the free-to-play MMO with 22 races is go to their website and sign up for an account. That's it. It's really, really just that easy. After your account is made, you can play Earth Eternal in your browser, or you can grab the actual client and run it separate from your browser.

If you like the game and want to throw some money its way, you might want to consider doing it during the open beta. For the month of October, any game credit purchases will have an extra 20% credits thrown in for your purchase. So if you grab 1,000 credits, you'll get 1,200 instead.

So, what are you waiting for? Jump on over to the EE website and sign up. It's easy!

MassivelyEarth Eternal hits open beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalsbreakingcash-shopcreditsearth-eternalfablelaunchopen-betasalesparkplay-mediaTue, 13 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Is it okay to kill animals for money and experience?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/04/is-it-okay-to-kill-animals-for-money-and-experience/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/04/is-it-okay-to-kill-animals-for-money-and-experience/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/04/is-it-okay-to-kill-animals-for-money-and-experience/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The time-honored tradition of starting out as a noob fighter, taking down the local wildlife to level up, has probably not been the subject of too much consideration. After all, you gotta kill something, right? Well, actually, that's another discussion completely. Now, I'm not one to trot out the 'Won't someone think of the children?' complaint, but this is a topic that's been on my mind ever since Pokémon arrived on our shores.

Sure, we can all tell the difference between reality and a videogame. And the average game wolf critter is no substitute for the real thing, of course. But it's a casual element that's easily rectifiable, and at some level, the message is clear: it's okay to kill animals for fun. At least with humanoids, there's provable intent to cause harm. With animals, you're just treading on their territory, and you should leave. I'm under no illusions about where my meat comes from, but this isn't about survival. Gaming or not, this is poaching.

Now, I can appreciate that this is a silly argument to some extent, but as game designers (and I include myself in that category, having worked in the industry previously), we ought to be able to develop ways to level up that don't involve predation. It sets a bad example, at this stage of MMO development history it's lazy, and there's no real excuse to use animals in place of people. A warrior should practice his combat skills on opponents who behave like he does, not on creatures with their own innocent agendas.

MassivelyIs it okay to kill animals for money and experience? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalsleveling-uppoachingpokemonFri, 04 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[In Development: Earth Eternal]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/in-development-earth-eternal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/in-development-earth-eternal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/in-development-earth-eternal/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Earth Eternal is an upcoming MMO by developer Sparkplay Media, and it's definitely something different. In EE, you'll be able to play as one of 16 races, each one an anthropomorphized animal form, known collectively and colloquially as 'Furries'. It should be noted that Sparkplay apparently didn't even consider the Furry lifestyle when they created EE; they're more fans of the talking animal genre of fantasy films, as put forth by Disney, et al.

Gamebunny recently caught up with CEO and Creative Director Matt Mihaly for a second interview concerning the game and everything that's happened since their first conversation. There's no hard release date so far, but it will be a free-to-play MMO, so if you're at all interested, give these interviews a look and start thinking about what sort of animal you most identify with; chances are it's in the game! Personally, I'm dying to be a plant creature, as shown above, running around in my own little pot and everything!

[Thanks, David!]

MassivelyIn Development: Earth Eternal originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalsanthropomorphizeddisneyearth-eternalfree-to-playfurriesgamebunnymassivelymatt-mihalysparkplay-mediaFri, 30 Nov 2007 13:30:00 EST