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RIFT developers answer a new round of community questions

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, RIFT, Community Q&A

There are a lot of questions within the RIFT community, questions the development team seeks to answer with a new set of responses to community inquiries. Some of the answers are a bit on the negative side; there are no plans to expand the game's lore into novels, for instance. There are also no plans to add in arena-style combat ~~or the option of visible cloaks~~, with the developers feeling that the former makes the game seem less massive and ~~the latter has a detrimental impact on game performance.~~

That doesn't mean it's all bad news, however. The developers are looking into more ways to allow cross-faction interaction beyond the mercenary PvP system. There's also some talk about the next big raid and player feedback, which according to the answers is largely positive. There are also plans for more Souls in the future, which should provide RIFT players with even more options to custom-build a character.

[Update: Trion contacted us to clarify the cloak question. They say that cloaks aren't completely off-the-table, they're just not focusing on them right now. There was even a hint that cloaks will be a definite future addition to RIFT.]

RIFT developers answer a new round of community questions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vindictus invites players to explore sewers and fight with monsters in newest update

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, Patches, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Vindictus

Nexon Europe is pushing Vindictus forward with the game's newest update, which brings two large content improvements to the game. Players mostly interested in the PvE side of the game can start investigating Rocheste's sewers, braving dangerous beasts in the hopes of obtaining new treasures and three new armor types. Fortunately, the three characters of the game each receive a new skill to go along with all of the dangerous, hopefully making it just a little easier to tear through whatever lies beneath.

If you'd rather go for the PvP route, however, the update is introducing a new combat mode known as M-Match. It's two teams of players pitted against one another, with the added twist that each side has a boss monster under its control. The first team to take out the opposing team's boss is the winner. The new arena also contains a number of chained boss fights for players to pit themselves against, either one at a time or multiple bosses in sequence, just to reward players who decide to hack their way through greater challenges.

[Source: Nexon Europe press release]

Continue reading Vindictus invites players to explore sewers and fight with monsters in newest update

Vindictus invites players to explore sewers and fight with monsters in newest update originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Galactic Overlord Corps wants YOU: Star Supremacy puts it all on the line with new arena

Justin Olivetti — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Patches, PvP, Free-to-play, Browser, MMORTS

Star Supremacy, which is currently in the Open Beta Nebula, is growing bigger by the day -- so big, in fact, that it's opening the doors for self-appointed Overlords to make themselves at home. Barbily Games is prepping an update with a pair of features for the space MMORTS that should please the PvP crowd in particular.

The first feature in the upcoming update is a PvP arena titled Galaxy Overlord. In it, players will compete to rise up in the ranks and earn honor points for glory (and more importantly, rewards). Also arriving with the update is something called Defender's Battle Control, which apparently allows the titular defenders to jump right into defensive skirmishes and attempt to affect the outcome.

According to Barbily's PR Manager Thomas Watson, these features come straight from players' wishlists: "We do a lot of research and players aren't aware how much we put in to make sure we want to provide a game that they want to play. We read feedback about our game and see what players like and don't like. Players within the community and outside the community expect a lot and we want to meet expectations on a high level. The battle system and PvP arena update are just the beginning."

The Galactic Overlord Corps wants YOU: Star Supremacy puts it all on the line with new arena originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively exclusive: WindSlayer 2 PvP dev diary

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, PvP, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries

The fount of information about Ignited Games' WindSlayer 2 continues to gush forth, as the studio continues to release developer diaries about its upcoming title. We've already heard about WindSlayer 2's economy, ranged classes, and melee classes, not to mention an overview of the game proper.

Today it's all about the brutal, cutthroat element of PvP combat. Hit the jump to read our exclusive dev diary on the subject!

Continue reading Massively exclusive: WindSlayer 2 PvP dev diary

Massively exclusive: WindSlayer 2 PvP dev diary originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia's Aion 2.7 sneak-peek: Dev death match

MJ Guthrie — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Video, Aion, Expansions, PvP, Opinion, Hands-on, First Impressions, Wings Over Atreia

You all just better be grateful that NCsoft is working out the kinks by using me as a guinea pig so you can have a smooth launch! Even if by launch I only mean the PTS, which is set to go live today with Aion's newest patch. Yes folks, I -- your intrepid Wings Over Atreia correspondent -- was invited to a media sneak-peek to check out the Crucible 3 arenas coming very soon to a live server near you. Who am I to pass up a few practice runs through the new arenas before the rest of the masses? So I touch-down mid-week for some additional Atreian coverage. And come on, no one could pass up the chance to stealth up behind a dev and unleash a flurry of dagger blows into his/her back!

Unfortunately, logistical and technical difficulties stretching for days plagued this endeavor. Yours truly was especially cursed. However, just when it seemed like the event wouldn't happen, there we were, standing in Kaisinel Academy in spiffy new duds and queued to enter what is arguably the highlight of 2.7: the PvP arenas. At this point, I forgave all previous problems because I got to commence some slaughter on a few NCsoft employees. What?!? You all know you want to! I tested my dagger and sword against Scott Hannus, producer of the game guide; two members of the game guide team, Sean Orlikowski and Ryan Compton; Adam Christensen, Associate Producer; Dom Wai, Brand Manager; and two members of the community management team, Felicia Johnson (Nyx) and Curtis Grooms (Anhtoo).

Oh, and I learned some pretty neat things about the upcoming patch as well.

So how was the experience? And just exactly how tasty are Aion's forthcoming goodies? Whet your appetite past the cut with my impressions of the two instances and the new PvP gear as well as check out a video. Then join in on the PTS server to experience for yourself.

Gallery: Aion 2.7

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia's Aion 2.7 sneak-peek: Dev death match

Wings Over Atreia's Aion 2.7 sneak-peek: Dev death match originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Tattered Notebook: Let's play 'Keep it or nuke it!'

Karen Bryan — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook

As a longtime fan of EverQuest II, I'm often asked by non-EQII-players what the game is like. I usually try to answer by describing the usual game features like combat, crafting, PvP, and the unfortunate inclusion of Gnomes. But the best analogy I can think of for EverQuest II is that it resembles a type of MMO archaeological site. If you play the game long enough, you can begin to see the stratification of the game, as layer upon layer of content and features were heaped onto what was already there. It's something I've admired about the game because the developers have always been willing to try new things and make changes. But the mound of content can be overwhelming to a new player and even confusing to those who have returned after an extended hiatus.

With a new round of content having just arrived on servers and even more due in a few months, it's time to consider whether some of the older stuff might need to go, for clarity's sake. In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll play a little game called, "Keep it or Nuke it." Read on for my recommendations, and then add yours below.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Let's play 'Keep it or nuke it!'

The Tattered Notebook: Let's play 'Keep it or nuke it!' originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We who are about to PvP salute you: Guild Wars 2 to partake in e-sports at Gamescom

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, PvP, Guild Wars 2, Massively Event Coverage

If we aren't warring between guilds, it's not a Guild Wars title, right? Fortunately, ArenaNet thinks so too, and the studio has great plans for the PvP portion of its upcoming Guild Wars 2. Conventioneers heading to this month's Gamescom will not only get to check out the game in its shiny glory, but have the opportunity to participate in bloodthirsty PvP matches for the world to see.

The Electronic Sports League (ESL) will be hosting PvP matches of Guild Wars 2 in its arena during the trade show, and everyone is invited to tune in to watch. Matches will take place between individuals and guilds, with a few developers mixing it up as well. These PvP bouts will then be broadcast on the ESL website, and developer showmatches will be followed by Q&A sessions about the PvP portion of the game.

Guild Wars 2 has a busy schedule at Gamescom, with plenty of developer panels, demos, and prize giveaways planned.

We who are about to PvP salute you: Guild Wars 2 to partake in e-sports at Gamescom originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythos Europe adds PvP features and new levels

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, PvP, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play

"Lamentation" is a word that isn't associated with PvP as often as it ought to be, with the lyric "QQ" generally taking its place. But the latest update for Mythos is bringing back lamentation in style with the new Lamento PvP system in place. Players at level 50 or up can fight in 1v1 or 2v2 matches against other players, with the winner obtaining Lamento points that can be used to purchase new level 51 armor and weapons.

What's that? You're stuck at level 50? Well, not any longer -- level 51 has been added, allowing players access to new pieces of equipment and another notch of power. The full list of patch changes is quite extensive, including new rewards for clearing dungeons quickly, improvements to movement speed, and new stats that can be generated when items drop. Amidst all of the new doses of power, it's for the best that PvP is coming out in force. After all, why settle for crushing computer-controlled enemies when you could be hearing the lamentations of your opponents?

Mythos Europe adds PvP features and new levels originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alter-Ego: Nine tips for PvP in DC Universe Online

Krystalle Voecks — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, New titles, PvP, Opinion, Consoles, Humor, DC Universe Online, Alter-Ego

First things first: I'm going to admit openly that I'm not even close to the world's best PvPer, as anyone who has ever faced off in PvP against me can tell you. Up until recently, I tended to be the ultra-carebear player who generally avoids PvP combat altogether (outside of EVE Online). However, by ignoring PvP in DC Universe Online, one also ignores a decent chunk of the game's content. Between the open-world Green Lantern ring wars, quests to take on heroes or villains of a certain level range, Arena matches, and Legends play, there's a lot to do -- not to mention the challenge of playing on a PvP server. Worse still, PvE players will find their quest logs become cluttered messes full of PvP-related quests that can't be dropped -- an annoying prospect at best.

So with this in mind, I've compiled a handful of general tips for those PvE fans who don't tend to mess with PvP in DC Universe Online as well as players who have only dabbled in it. Are there I-win-button tips behind the break? Not really. However, it's good solid advice that's helped me improve my skills from utterly noobtastic insta-death to holding my own. If that sounds interesting to you, then join me behind the break for the list!

Continue reading Alter-Ego: Nine tips for PvP in DC Universe Online

Alter-Ego: Nine tips for PvP in DC Universe Online originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively interviews the Bloodline Champions crew

Beau Hindman — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sports, Business models, Interviews, New titles, PvP, Free-to-play, Casual

Bloodline Champions is an exciting arena-based PvP game brought to us by Stunlock Studios -- pretty darned impressive stuff for such new developers, if we do say so ourselves! We took a quick look at it a while back, if you want to catch up first. While our abilities were nowhere near up-to-snuff, it was still obvious that many players were already enjoying the heck out of the game. In fact, if you look at the game's Facebook page, it's obvious that many gamers are enjoying it.

But we wanted to know more, so we fired off some questions to the team. Luckily, they decided to answer our questions before hacking us to pieces. Read on!

Continue reading Massively interviews the Bloodline Champions crew

Massively interviews the Bloodline Champions crew originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lost Pages of Taborea: Siege war top 50

Jeremy Stratton — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, PvP, Free-to-play, Runes of Magic, Lost Pages of Taborea

One of the fascinating aspects of an MMO is its ability to spark creativity. With so much to do in these large virtual worlds, it's almost inevitable that players will create wikis, fan sites, addons and anything else they can dream up. Runes of Magic is no different, and its siege war has given way to the creation of Siege War Top 50. The fan-made website aggregates siege war scores from all guilds on North American servers and spits it out in various lists. It has been consistently popular on the RoM forums for many weeks now and is a testament to how popular siege war is.

Let's take a look at this site and see what makes it tick. Along the way, I share commentary about the site and siege war in general, and you'll get to see which guilds are in the top bracket out of all the North American servers.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: Siege war top 50

Lost Pages of Taborea: Siege war top 50 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lost Pages of Taborea: Low-level PvP alt

Jeremy Stratton — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, PvP, Free-to-play, Runes of Magic, Lost Pages of Taborea, Guides

I've been spending some time making a home for myself on Artemis. Yes, I've moved away from the PvP server, and I haven't regretted it. I've never really participated in open PvP, so it's not really a surprise. I've said before that I only started on a PvP server to have that extra option available to me and to have an added dose of excitement. Well, your unofficial ambassador to Taborea may be changing his tune.

After I made the switch to PvE, I wasn't sure what to do. I already had a high-level character. I didn't feel ready to put my main to rest. It's been my dedicated character for over a year, and it does give me the advantage of accessing high-level content. With the limited time I have for Runes of Magic right now, let alone other MMOs, I was tentative about making an alt. I took the plunge, made an alt, and haven't looked back. Oddly enough -- or maybe not -- I'm enjoying PvP more on a PvE server.

I've found that I like alt life, and it has me thinking creatively about what to do with each character. I've spoken about PvP culture; I've mentioned my idea for improving battlefields; and last week I spoke about siege badges that can help you in battlefields. This week, I want to cover building a low-level PvP alt. There's a lot to be done in prepping a low-level PvP alt, so let's get busy.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: Low-level PvP alt

Lost Pages of Taborea: Low-level PvP alt originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Impressions: Bloodline Champions

Beau Hindman — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sports, New titles, Hands-on, Humor, First Impressions

Bloodline Champions, a new arena-based combat game from Stunlock Studios, asks only one thing of the player: to kill. Unfortunately for me, I am better at balancing bicycles on my nose than I am at pwning noobs, so I was a little hesitant in trying the game. I decided to puff out my chest and hit the download button. What I found was about what I expected, but made with care. The game is "tailored for esport," meaning that it is made to allow players to repeatedly knock the crud out of each other while racking up kills and stats. If you ever ran the World of Warcraft arena over and over in the hopes of filling out your wardrobe with "welfare epics," then you have experienced a game much like Bloodline.

There are several "bloodlines" to pick from, each with its own set of unique abilities, spells and looks. Many of the bloodlines compliment each other, and forming an efficient team of killers requires communication and dedication. During my stint within the arena, I found myself (and my team) being murdered over and over again by much more tightly knit gangs of players. After a match or two, the pattern and strategy of the members of the opposing team quickly became apparent: they actually talked to each other and discussed tactics. What a strange concept to me. I tend to come to fights somewhat randomly.

Well -- very randomly.

Continue reading First Impressions: Bloodline Champions

First Impressions: Bloodline Champions originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aika allows players into the gates of the arena

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 14 May 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Aika

In a game focused on PvP, arenas can be a tricky things. If everything is set up nicely then they show off the strengths of the game at their finest; if there are flaws, it's a bit like highlighting them with a magnifying glass. Aika has decided to take the plunge, but not on a small scale -- the Aitan Arena doesn't go halfway. The battles are geared to 100 players on each side, with each team duking it out until only one remains standing.

Divided into four level brackets, the Aitan Arena pits two teams against one another with a maximum capacity of 200 players on a first-come first-served basis. While that might sound a bit limiting -- especially with only two windows open per day -- the wide brackets and rotating schedule should allow everyone a shot at the match. The real limitations will come once the match starts; with the competition heightened by the fact that there are no respawns within the arena. Once you drop, you're out of the match. Take a look at the full announcement on the official site, and get your blades sharpened for the newest PvP venue in Aika.

Aika allows players into the gates of the arena originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Runes of Magic to release new one-on-one arena

Shawn Schuster — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, New titles, PvP, Free-to-play, Runes of Magic

Frogster announced in a press release today that a new 1-on-1 arena system will be introduced at the beginning of March for Runes of Magic, which is currently in open beta. This arena will give players the opportunity to compete for an exclusive mount at the end of each month. Once the free-to-play MMO is launched on March 19th, Frogster plans to expand upon the arena system, offering even more rewards.

The arena will function as a tool to teach players more about character control, equipment PvP skills, dual-class utilization and more. Arena points will be earned through these battles with ranked tournaments rewarding winners at the end of each month. You can read more on this arena system from the press release just after the jump below.

Continue reading Runes of Magic to release new one-on-one arena

Runes of Magic to release new one-on-one arena originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: PvP or PvE?

Seraphina Brennan — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, PvP, PvE, Opinion, The Daily Grind

Are you a ruthless killer or a ruthless killer? Ok, scratch that, bad distinction. A better question is do you prefer to spill the blood of vicious monsters or the blood of players who spill the blood of vicious monsters?

Today's grind question is, if you haven't guessed or read the title by now, would you rather PvP or PvE your way to fame and glory? Are you more of the type to spend lots of time in World of Warcraft's Arenas (when they're not broken) and Warhammer's Realm vs. Realm, or are you the type of person who would fetch that book for old Abercrombie and protect the lands from the invading dark elves?

We're interested in what you have to say on this very divisive issue. Drop us a line in the comment box that's hiding down below this article and tell us if you enjoy your PvE, PvP, or even a combination of both!

The Daily Grind: PvP or PvE? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spellborn updates for 2009 mapped out

William Dobson — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, New titles, Patches, Chronicles of Spellborn

Although the US is still waiting for The Chronicles of Spellborn to finish up its beta phases, the European version of the game has already been released. As is usually the case with an MMO launch, the developers didn't just flip the switch and then wash their hands of the project, and have been pushing out patches and hotfixes to their live servers as needed. Now we've been given an idea of where they hope to take the game over the coming year, via a post on the official forums.

In the short term, a big patch is expected to be ready for the end of January, which will include some new monsters as well as a tutorial that comes in response to feedback from the community and press. A bit later in the year, the plan is to roll out the market, and an arena match-up system that will allow 2v2 and 4v4 PvP games. Longer term development goals include mounts and guild alliances, but when we're looking at this time-frame, it's highly likely that more ideas will come about. So, who is already on board with Spellborn?

Spellborn updates for 2009 mapped out originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Class balance in a post-WotLK World of Warcraft

Kyle Horner — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Classes, News items

Class balance is always a touchy subject, depending on the class a person plays. But WoWRIOT has put together an impressive look a class balance in a post-WotLK World of Warcraft. After looking through much of the post, we're pretty impressed with its accuracy and overall take on current class balance, especially as it pertains to arena and PvP.

Normally, those who actually play the game are much more interested in these kinds of balance overviews. However, the article contains an extensive look at Death Knights and everything about where their place in the game is right now. So for anybody who's been curious as to what's going on with the first new class in World of Warcraft, we'd say the article is definitely worth a look. For everyone who does play the game, it's probably a good idea to at least check out your class (or classes) if only to see why you should or shouldn't be upset with Blizzard.

One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

Class balance in a post-WotLK World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aurora Feint: The Arena Pt2

Mark Turpin — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Screenshots, Interviews, Launches, MMO industry, Reviews, Mobile, Hands-on, Casual, Massively Interviews

Continue reading Aurora Feint: The Arena Pt2

Aurora Feint: The Arena Pt2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Understanding Aurora Feint: The Arena

Mark Turpin — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Screenshots, Interviews, Launches, MMO industry, New titles, Reviews, Mobile, Hands-on, Casual, Massively Interviews

I am no stranger to the iPhone and the addictive game that dominates said iPhone, Aurora Feint. When we had an email come along letting us know that a follow up was being released, I put my iPhone down and picked up a normal phone (it had buttons on it - it freaked me out!) and spoke with Danielle, Peter and Jason, the people behind the smash hit iPhone app Aurora Feint: The Arena, follow up to Aurora Feint: The Beginning, and asked a few questions about this platform defining MMO experience.

They hadn't slept in 36 hours but some how still managed to get through 30 minuets talking with me about their game and still remain incredibly passionate and excited about it's release. Their first title got twenty-four hundred reviews, four and a half stars on the Apple App Store and one million downloads. Their latest title has a lot to live up to.

Aurora Feint: The Arena is the iPhone/iPod Touch's first 'Asynchronous' Massively Multi-Player RPG. It's a bit of a mouthful, so lets break it down (Ed. Drop that beat T!). Being 'Asynchronous means that when dueling another player in Aurora Feint: The Arena they aren't playing you directly. Instead you compete through taking a trip down on to the summoning circle and rustling up yourself a Ghost.

Gallery: Aurora Feint 2 - The Arena

Check out the gallery above for some in-game action from the hit smash and join me below the break where you can read a little more on my thoughts of this new venture for MMOs.

Continue reading Understanding Aurora Feint: The Arena

Understanding Aurora Feint: The Arena originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Warcraft Arena season 5 starts December 16th

Michael Zenke — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, PvP

Our friends at WoW Insider noticed last week that the 'blues' have put out just a few words about the next World of Warcraft Arena Season. Season 4 came to an end last week, with existing arena teams and ratings wiped during the extended maintenance earlier this week. Arena points will persist on a character until he or she hits level 71, allowing them a chance to spend any that remain. Arena Season 5 will begin on December 16th, giving everyone a chance to level to 80 and enjoy all the next content in Wrath of the Lich King.

Until that time, players can still participate in Arena skirmish matches in two new brackets (71-75, 76-80) if they want to hone their skills prior to the new season. After the 16th of December and the new season, normal Arena rules will be restored and players will be able to compete for gear and end-of-season rewards.

One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

World of Warcraft Arena season 5 starts December 16th originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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City of Heroes PvP changes explained at length

Adrian Bott — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Patches, PvP

Floyd 'Castle' Grubb clearly does not know the meaning of fear. He's now unveiled a detailed breakdown of the foreshadowed changes to powers in City of Heroes PvP, and they're so radical it will probably be like playing a different game. Are these changes for the better? Once Issue 13: Power and Responsibility goes to Open Beta, we'll be sure to join in with the testing, because we can't wait to find out.

We already knew about the changes to mez protection (removed in PvP) but the changes go far, far beyond that. For example, simply being the target of an attack is enough to suppress your travel power for two seconds, though suppression won't be as severe as it currently is in PvE.

Buffs are subject to a 'diminishing returns' system, meaning no more stacking buffs for huge increases to ToHit or damage. Even healing is changed, with each successive heal giving you 25% resistance to healing for 15 seconds, so that 4 heals in close succession would make you immune to healing for the duration. Healspamming will no longer be a viable tactic.

Continue reading City of Heroes PvP changes explained at length

City of Heroes PvP changes explained at length originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Season 3 in World of Warcraft grinds to a halt

Matt Warner — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Events, in-game, PvP, News items

Season 4 begins Tuesday, June 24th, leaving World of Warcraft players one last day before the ultimate PvP time-sink resets. What comes with it is a brand new ruleset that makes the grind for gear a lot more competitive and inaccessible to the battleground bots because many of the new battleground items that are purchasable with honor will require an Arena rating also.

As for the soon to be obsolete Season 1 gear, Gladiator's items will be moved to Sun Reach's Harbor on the Isle of Quel'Danas and will no longer be purchasable with honor but with Tier 4 tokens instead, ironically these are acquired by PvE raiding. The idea was recently introduced in the 2.4 patch and you can also turn in Tier 5 tokens for Season 2 gear. Speaking of Season 2, the Merciless-Gladiator's gear will be the new clearance epics purchasable with honor points and have no arena or personal rating requirement.

Continue reading Season 3 in World of Warcraft grinds to a halt

Season 3 in World of Warcraft grinds to a halt originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WoW: The hunt is on as Arena Tournament Phase 2 opens

Matt Warner — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Contests, Events, in-game, PvP

So it begins, phase 2 in the 2008 World of Warcraft Arena qualifier rounds is officially underway! Practice time is over for Arena competitors who have been honing their reflexes and waiting to prove their mettle since phase 1 ended. This is the last qualifying round to battle it out for a spot in the live regional with a chance to compete for over $200,000 in cash and prizes. Vhairi, WoW Armory statistician, tracked the performance of classes in phase 1, and it will be interesting to see whether or not the same team comps come out on top with Warlocks, Druids, and Rogues dominating team makeup's in the last round.

The registration fee is $20 per account; play will last six weeks with matches played out on the Tournament realms. This is a 3v3 only event, but the 2v2 and 5v5 brackets see quite a bit of action as well, proving that there is a demand for this type of competitive player versus player gameplay. Raiding Sunwell is the last thing a die-hard arena junkie has on their mind. Participants can create up to three new level 70s with full sets of PvP gear per realm. Hit the official tournament forum to meet up with others to discuss the best strategies and team compositions.

WoW: The hunt is on as Arena Tournament Phase 2 opens originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are you on the path?

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Game mechanics, PvP, Endgame, PvE, Opinion

One factor that keeps MMORPGs running is the desire for progression. Every player who sets foot in any subscription-based game can eventually see the will of the developers creating systems that will make you dedicated time and energy to their game.

Yet, the one thing that no one seems to take notice of is the way we get sucked into keep playing. Sometimes isn't not about the difficulty of the challenge itself, but the path it takes to get to there. Everyone sees the physical difficulty of doing a raid, and everyone knows that the developers make it difficult to complete a raid so you keep playing longer, but very few can see the will of the developers resonating in the path it takes to get to the challenge.

Rohan at Blessing of Kings, however, locked onto that path in his latest post, entitled "Being on the Path".

Continue reading Are you on the path?

Are you on the path? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CGS announces WoW 3v3 Arena Tournament

Matt Warner — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Contests, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, PvP, News items

The Championship Gaming Series is set to kick off its second annual World of Warcraft Arena championship. The top 1,000 Arena teams from North America and Europe will compete June 9 to 22, on an independent ladder with the fierce competition taking place on the CGS tournament realm sanctioned by Blizzard. The two teams remaining at the top in each region will be flown to Los Angeles, California where the final matches will take place on the CGS League set and broadcast live on thecgs website.

First place nets a cool $25,000, second place walks away with $12,500, and the last two teams will each net $6,250. This blogger can't stand the Rogue, Mage, Priest comps that kill my more casual ~~random pickup~~ team so I'll be watching from the sidelines. Good luck to all the pro qualifiers and hopefully you weren't banned for win trading before qualifying.

CGS announces WoW 3v3 Arena Tournament originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 May 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A tour through the new Tabula Rasa arena

Shawn Schuster — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Contests, Events, in-game, Guilds, PvP, Tabula Rasa, Roleplaying

The newest Tabula Rasa PvP arena, named the C.E.L.L.A.R. (Coalition of Enlistees Likely Looking for Aggressive Retaliation), has been gaining some attention since its introduction in Deployment 8 this week. This arena is set up as a boxing ring, complete with suitable equipment, colored corners and the whole nine yards.

Earlier this week, the members of the TR MOG clan held a tournament in this arena, and we were lucky enough to attend. We figured we would take this opportunity with the tournament in play to snap some screenshots and create a handy guide to the arena for those who aren't familiar with it just yet.

Gallery: Tabula Rasa

A tour through the new Tabula Rasa arena originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 May 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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G4 re-airs MMO show "Portal"

Akela Talamasca — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, News items, Machinima, Virtual worlds

As part of a thank you note to its fans, videogame-themed television brand G4 has announced that it will bring back a host of favorite past shows for the Summer. Among these shows are the classics Arena, Judgement Day, and Portal. For those who missed it the first time around, Portal is the story of a guy named Dave, who was responsible for managing the Hub, an entrance to the various online MMO worlds of the day.

The shows will re-air beginning June 2nd as the G4 Rewind series, and will run until August 29th. Given that there are considerably more MMOs available these days, it's possible that Portal could enjoy a second chance, depending on its reception with the viewing audience. If this happens, we'd bet the show will have to rename itself to avoid confusion with the Valve game of the same name. Sure, the show came first, but walk into any geek gathering and see which property gets the recognition when mentioned.

G4 re-airs MMO show "Portal" originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLG announces new PC Circuit featuring WoW

Brenda Holloway — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Contests, Events, in-game, PvP, News items

The arena battles in World of Warcraft may be challenging and fun to play, but can they also be fun to watch? Blizzard is hoping the answer is yes, and pro-gaming league Major League Gaming is hopping on for the ride. As the headliner for their new PC Circuit, they are betting big that the millions of people who play the game will want to tune in to watch the best of the best battle it out. $22,500 in prize money is set aside for the top competitors at each of the PC Circuit's three stops. One of the 32 competing teams will be walking away with some serious money for upgrades. 31 teams will be shaking their heads and wondering what happened.

GotFrag eSports is giving the event the full coverage that sort of money demands. What nobody knows is how many spectators will tune in to watch what will likely be a competition nearly impossible to follow without a good understanding of PvP in WoW, or some commentators who really know their stuff. PC eSports fans were hoping for CounterStrike 1.6 and seemed disappointed with the selection of World of Warcraft as their initial gaming platform. But hey, we love WoW here. Bring it on! Just, please, be sure to get commentators who know what they're talking about.

MLG announces new PC Circuit featuring WoW originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 May 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Warcraft patch 2.4.2 is live

Michael Zenke — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Patches, PvP

Great news for World of Warcraft gamers today, as the weekly Tuesday maintenance leaves behind a nice present: patch 2.4.2. WoW Insider has the full monty on what you can expect when you log back in. The full patch notes will give you the details you crave. WI always goes that extra step, though, and has additional information from the community about stealth changes. Did you know there's a new Zebra mount being added to the game?

Here's the bullet-point rundown:

Major changes to the PvP Arenas.
The Mage spell Polymorph now works quite differently.
Tweaks to the Jewelcrafting, Enchanting, Engineering, and Leatherworking professions.
The bosses Vexallus and Kael'thas are no longer immune to taunt on Normal difficulty in the Magisters' terrace encounter.
Hunters will have to learn new tactics due to some controversial changes to class and pet abilities.
Weaponsmiths will now be able to enjoy their non-unique one-handed items.

World of Warcraft patch 2.4.2 is live originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 May 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Taking a deeper look at TR's fighting arena

Shawn Schuster — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, PvP, PvE, Opinion, Tabula Rasa

A few weeks ago we reported on a fighting arena that is rumored to be releasing with Tabula Rasa's Patch 1.8. Since then, there has been some speculation about what this area will be used for. We already know it will not be strictly for the Friday Night Fights events, but we ask ourselves if it will be open to anyone at anytime.

Over at Tabula Blogger, the question is presented once again after the more recent news of our six-month veteran rewards; namely the Knuckle Dusters. Will these be a part of this arena? We can only hope, but we think the bigger question is what type of impact will this area serve (in both PvE and PvP) for players who may be finding themselves bored with the game as it stands today?

Taking a deeper look at TR's fighting arena originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Changes to World of Warcraft arena ratings mean no more 'welfare epics'

Michael Zenke — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Patches, PvP

While no more major patches are expected to hit World of Warcraft before Wrath of the Lich King is released, we'll probably see quite a bit of tweaking between now and then. The next patch due for the service, numbered 2.4.2, makes some major changes to the way that Arena battles rewards PvP players. Previously, members of an Arena team were rewarded with Arena points based on the overall rating of their team. IE: if the average of the team members was 1900, and each team member participated in enough fights, everyone on the team was rewarded Arena points as if their rating was 1900. As of the upcoming patch, that's no longer the case.

Individual Arena ratings will now be taken into account. According to Blizzard Community Manager Drysc, "if a character's personal rating is more than 150 points below the team rating, they will earn points based on their personal rating instead of the team rating." Individuals will no longer be able to 'float' their way to large amounts of Arena points. Arena gear previously required just a certain team rating, but with change that rating will also apply to a character's personal Arena rating. If a team's average Arena rating is more than 150 points below the team rating, they'll be queued against appropriate opponents. This will prevent individuals from quickly improving their personal ratings through individual matches. And finally, "If a team does not enter an arena match that is starting they will lose points equal to the amount that would have been deducted if they had played and lost." This will work to prevent teams from abandoning matches until they compete against a group they are specifically looking to fight.

Continue reading Changes to World of Warcraft arena ratings mean no more 'welfare epics'

Changes to World of Warcraft arena ratings mean no more 'welfare epics' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Warcraft patch 2.4.2 notes released

Michael Zenke — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Patches, Professions

WoW Insider is reporting on the notes for the next patch to World of Warcraft. Even with the recent release of the much-awaited Patch 2.4, there are still numerous tweaks that have to be made. It's expected that there will be a number of these smaller patches between now and when the Wrath of the Lich King expansion releases, but no further 'major' patches ala the Sunwell.

Patch 2.4.2 offers up several different changes to the game, including:

A major revamp of the way players are rewarded Arena points.
Being polymorphed by an NPC no longer causes player characters to heal, a potentially major change.
A new tameable pet for Hunters.
Tweaks to the Jewelcrafting, Enchanting, Engineering, and Leatherworking professions.
The bosses Vexallus and Kael'thas are no longer immune to taunt on Normal difficulty in the Magisters' terrace encounter.
A series of minor tweaks to the abilities of almost every class.

The full patch notes are available at WoW Insider.

World of Warcraft patch 2.4.2 notes released originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World War WoW

Andrew Russo — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, PvP, Opinion

World of Warcraft has received its fair share of criticism concerning the necessity of having the best gear. Casual players often find it impossible to acquire. Raiders spend hours getting their sets built. PvPers can't live. Often times, your ability to fight and win is not dictated by your cleverness or strategy. It is determined by just how much your Frost Bolt can crit for.

As a few articles on PvP in World of Warcraft note, PvP is a meaningless struggle that simply makes that poor little level thirty gnome wish he never walked through STV. This form of PvP, commonly known as the gank, occurs mainly in the open world, in between the great cities and towns, where quests are painstakingly completed. Players will leave a neutral city only to be bombarded by hostiles ambushing unlucky travelers right outside the gates. Though Horde and Alliance die in droves in this manner, no one tends to care. The sun still shines upon Stormwind, the plague remains untouched, and the banners of war seem to have been furled up and forgotten. Yet the one defining moment after a kill, be it hard or easy, Arena or BG, is the receipt of the honor point.

By turning in honor points, players can work their way up the ranks to acquire Tier 6 gear. The more honor points, the bigger the sword. With this system in place, Blizzard has managed to make another aspect of the game quite gear dependent. Players with more time wielding the blade have a definite advantage over those who are just starting out in the realm of combat. Fighting in the WoW Arena quite often resembles reaching for a carrot on a stick. You may read Patton when you wake up, you may watch old war movies and study game footage, but you may not own that elite sword of gnome crushing and without that, you're toast.

World War WoW originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizz announces WoW arena tourney with $75,000 grand prize

Eliah Hecht — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Contests, Events, in-game, PvP

Do you have a hot 3v3 team in WoW? Do you want to win some money? If so, this news is for you. Blizzard announced a new global 3v3 arena tournament yesterday, starting in April with two qualifier rounds. The tournament events will run on specialized realms where players can create level 70 characters and choose epic gear from vendors, to level the playing field. The vendors will be stocked with Arena and honor gear as well as "a selection of raid epics with the approximate power level of the Arena gear." Characters will also be given access to gold, gems, enchants, and class-specific items like ammo and soul shards. There will be an entry fee to compete in each qualifier round of $20/€15/local equivalent per competitor.

The qualifiers are broken down by region: Europe, North America, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau, and run for six weeks. After this, the top four teams in each of the two qualifying rounds for each region advance to the regional finals, competing for "more than $27,000 in cash prizes." The regional winners will then compete in the championships, with $120,000 in cash prizes available. And the grand prize? $75,000. Who's going to take a stab at it? For more details, see the tournament FAQ.

[via WoW Insider]

Blizz announces WoW arena tourney with $75,000 grand prize originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WoW 3v3 tournament ended, videos from the finals

Louis McLaughlin — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Video, PvP

The Dreamhack Winter festival in Sweden ended last week, and video footage of the Electronic Sports League World of Warcraft 3v3 arena tournament that took place right there in freezing Northrend Northern Europe is now online. The series went right down to the wire in a best-of-five between MoB-TurtleForce and team Pandemic. The videos are a little blurry (see below), but the grand final is definitely worth watching if you're at all interested in seeing competitive gaming in an MMO, with five extremely close games and amazing teamwork. Check them out!

As we covered previously, the tournament itself arose from the ashes of the deceased WSVG, and whilst the high quality feed of the event was broken, it's nice to see it went off without *too* many hitches. And it gets better -- the commentary was almost passable.

WoW 3v3 tournament ended, videos from the finals originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WoW tournament resurrected at Dreamhack, $75,000 in prizes

Louis McLaughlin — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Events, real-world, PvP, News items

Electronic Sports League have announced a "new" World of Warcraft 3v3 tournament to be held at this year's Dreamhack Computer festival in Sweden, between the 29th and 30th. The tournament will be 8 top-ranked teams, invite only.

Prize money is as follows:

First place: $45,000
Second Place: $22,500
Third Place: $7,500

This seems to be the replacement for the now-deceased WSVG a few months ago, but ESL have picked up the reins, along with the usual sponsors -- Dell, Intel, Blizzard. A new spectator system has also been unveiled, DreamArena, which should mean there'll be decent coverage of the competition for those who want to watch it. Here's hoping this one goes ahead!

[Via Curse.com]

WoW tournament resurrected at Dreamhack, $75,000 in prizes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Nov 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WoW patch 2.3 next week, season 3 a week after

Chris Chester — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Patches, PvP, Server downtime

Word from our good friends and brothers over at WoW Insider is that patch 2.3 will officially drop a week from yesterday, bringing to Azeroth such wondrous changes as guild banks, experience increases across the board for content in the level 1-60 range, and a plethora of other changes too numerous to list here. So do as the hardcore do, and start farming your rep now and you'll already be well on your to achieving the most necessary of new items before the holidays come around and "real life" conspires to get in the way of your most erstwhile achievements.

Also worth noting is the fact that Season 2 in the arena will officially be coming to a close on the 20th when the server goes down for its first post-patch maintenance. As you'd expect, Season 3 will commence as soon as the realms go live again. The new season in the arena will feature all-new phat loots for you PvP types to fawn over, so definitely check it out.

WoW patch 2.3 next week, season 3 a week after originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Nov 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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