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[Storyboard: Archetype discussion -- the Soldier]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/storyboard-archetype-discussion-the-soldier/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/storyboard-archetype-discussion-the-soldier/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/storyboard-archetype-discussion-the-soldier/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Welcome to this week's installment of Storyboard, in which I'm starting off what I am tentatively hoping to keep as a semi-regular series. For all the previous discussion of characters that don't work, we haven't touched upon any that do work. And considering we've all sat there trying to think of any sort of hook for our characters, it's useful to have some stock types to draw from. I'm going to take a look at some of the more common stock types, how and why they work in a variety of settings, and what sort of touches you can add to make a character stand out.

Of course, the first archetype we're looking at doesn't stand out. In fact, he excels at being a part of something larger, a cog in a machine whose only purpose is death. He's fighting for Stormwind, he's fighting for Bastok, he's fighting for the UFP -- he's the universal soldier, and he really is to blame. So why not cue up some appropriate background music, and take a look at the soldier as an archetype.

Continue reading Storyboard: Archetype discussion -- the Soldier

MassivelyStoryboard: Archetype discussion -- the Soldier originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armiesarmycharacter-archetypescharacter-creationcharacter-rolesconflictdutyfeaturedideasmilitariesmilitaryopinionroleplayingrolesrpsoldiersoldiersstoryboardwarFri, 12 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's hands-on with End of Nations' PvE and PvP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/18/massivelys-hands-on-with-end-of-nations-pve-and-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/18/massivelys-hands-on-with-end-of-nations-pve-and-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/18/massivelys-hands-on-with-end-of-nations-pve-and-pvp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

You know that scene in Contact in which Jodie Foster is looking out at the cosmos, telling the folks at mission control that they should have sent a poet? All the while I was playing End of Nations at Trion World's Gamer's Day event, I kept thinking, "Massively should have sent a StarCraft guru!" I initially felt very much out of my element. MMOs and RPGs are my shtick; I only rarely dive into turn-based strategy games. And RTS games? Forget it. They don't agree with me. If it doesn't have a pause button, I probably don't have time for it. I'm too easily distractible, too impatient, and too exhausted after a work-day of multi-tasking to spend my playtime multi-tasking even more. There's just no time for cooking meals, browsing lolcats, and chatting with the spouse when you're neck-deep in an RTS. RTS games are serious business; they require my undivided attention and concentration, and I don't like doing things halfway.

And yet maybe that makes me just the right person to try out an MMORTS hybrid like Trion's EoN. Most people who give it a spin when it hits the market will probably have a lot in common with me -- they'll be loyalists to one side or the other, not to both. Maybe an RTS novice is just the sort of person who can test out the game, present it to MMO gamers, and explain just what the heck this game thinks it's doing playing around in our end of the pool.

Or maybe I'll end up sobbing amidst the charred remains of my tank minions. You'll never know if you don't hit the break!

Gallery: End of Nations Gamer's Day

Continue reading Massively's hands-on with End of Nations' PvE and PvP

MassivelyMassively's hands-on with End of Nations' PvE and PvP originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armycandy-apple-red-is-too-a-good-tank-colorCommandercommander-rolecustomizationend-of-nationseonfeaturedgallerygamers-dayHeadquartersmagadanmapmapsmmortsmovieomanorder-of-nationspetroglyphpetroglyph-studiospreviewpvepvpreally-big-nukeRTSscreenshotsstrategytanktankingtankstrailertrailerstriontrion-worldswarWed, 18 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Serve in the military and get a discount on Fallen Earth]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/09/serve-in-the-military-and-get-a-discount-on-fallen-earth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/09/serve-in-the-military-and-get-a-discount-on-fallen-earth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/09/serve-in-the-military-and-get-a-discount-on-fallen-earth/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's a hard time to be serving in the military, even if you're not stationed overseas at the moment. After all, the armed forces don't always get the luxury of having Christmas off. So it's nice to know that the gamers among the armed forces get a little bit extra if they're inspired to pick up Fallen Earth. The company has just announced that the military will receive a 20% discount on the price of the game, plus a free t-shirt with their purchase. And not one of the in-game items the game has been fond of giving out lately -- a real one.

The offer is open to members in any one of the US armed branches -- the Coast Guard, Marines, Army, Air Force, or Navy are all eligible. All that's required is a .mil e-mail address to verify that the person ordering is in the military. The one catch is that it's only applied to orders through the official Fallen Earth store, so Steam and similar venues aren't available. But it's an excellent way of compensating the men and women serving their country, so if you are eligible and haven't grabbed the game yet, head on over to pick yourself up a copy.

MassivelyServe in the military and get a discount on Fallen Earth originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>air-forcearmycoast-guarddiscountfallen-earthfallen-earth-llcfemarinesmilitarynavynews-itemsspecial-offerst-shirtWed, 09 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WAR's must-have expansion races: Skaven]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/13/wars-must-have-expansion-races-skaven/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/13/wars-must-have-expansion-races-skaven/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/13/wars-must-have-expansion-races-skaven/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

We're still months away from the release of Mythic's Warhammer Online, but already the robust fan community has spent a considerable amount of time debating which of the other Warhammer Fantasy races would be best suited to make the jump from the tabletop to the desktop. Whle the choices are quite plentiful, in my mind, there's no question which race is on the doorstep of gaming greatness; it's those lovably infectious rat-men, the Skaven. Today we take a look at the Skaven army, and lay out an illustrated blueprint for which of their many colorful units would fit into the MMO mold.

Gallery: Warhammer Online: Concept Art

MassivelyWAR's must-have expansion races: Skaven originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armyeaea-mythicexpansionfeaturedgrey-seermythicplague-monkratsskavenstormverminWARwarhammerwarhammer-fantasywarhammer-onlinewarlock-engineerThu, 13 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST