Massively

New DDO trailer goes behind the scenes on Underdark expansion

Jef Reahard — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play

Can't get enough of Turbine's new Dungeons and Dragons Online expansion, eh? We can't either, and fortunately the firm has released a new trailer that takes us behind the scenes on the making of the Menace of the Underdark content.

The clip features producer Fernando Paiz, who calls the expansion the largest content push in the game's six-year history. Since the expansion is delving into a new IP (the Forgotten Realms, as opposed to DDO's original Eberron setting), the devs have had to adjust their thinking in terms of both content and art direction. Turbine's Jeff De Puy says that "almost all the monsters [the devs are] creating for Forgotten Realms are epically large and big."

How epically large and big? You'll have to click past the cut and view the video to find out.

Continue reading New DDO trailer goes behind the scenes on Underdark expansion

New DDO trailer goes behind the scenes on Underdark expansion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Go behind the scenes with EVE's art department in new video diary

Jef Reahard — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, EVE Online, MMO industry, News items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox

CCP's latest dev blog spills the beans on EVE Online's upcoming rookie ship revamp. CCP Guard reports that the redesign is "part of our ongoing effort to continuously update the art assets in EVE Online and [make] sure it remains the most beautiful MMO out there."

The blog entry features a video clip that takes us behind the scenes at CCP's art department, and there are plenty of talking-head interviews as well as a few glimpses of sexy internet spaceship concept art. The five-minute clip is basically a crash course in the lengthy process of adding new art assets to EVE, and you'll find it after the jump.

Continue reading Go behind the scenes with EVE's art department in new video diary

Go behind the scenes with EVE's art department in new video diary originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Former Lineage II artist returns to NCsoft for new MMO project

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Lineage, Lineage 2, MMO industry

NCsoft's prodigal son has returned, and with him the hopes and dreams of the future of gaming. Well that might be a smidge melodramatic, but fans of the company's games certainly have a good reason to celebrate today as former Lineage II artist Juno Jeong has come back to the fold.

Jeong signed back on with NCsoft as of yesterday to be the art director of an unknown MMO project. This is a marked step up from his previous role in the company as a member of the character production team, and those who know Jeong's art style are already expressing excitement with his current role. Following his stint on Lineage II, Jeong worked for several other game companies including Gravity, NHN, and Npluto.

While speculation is swirling over the exact nature of the project to which he's been assigned, the most common assumptions are either that he's working on another Lineage or Aion title.

Former Lineage II artist returns to NCsoft for new MMO project originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

SOE gearing up for PlanetSide 2 dev chats

Jef Reahard — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, PlanetSide, MMO industry, New titles, News items, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2

PlanetSide 2 is in the news again this week, but to be honest we don't know all the details as of yet. Sony Online Entertainment has sent out a press blurb stating that it will be "brief[ing] the troops on anything and everything related to the art of PlanetSide 2." This includes a chat with senior art director Tramell Isaac (whom die-hard fans will recognize as the art director on the original PlanetSide) scheduled for Tuesday, September 27th.

Tramell will be discussing "the original PlanetSide's legacy and influence on PlanetSide 2's art style, and how SOE's powerful ForgeLight engine will carry this vision forward."

Thursday brings a PlanetSide 2 webcast (also with a focus on art direction). After that, fans can look forward to a Twitter chat on Friday, and the dev team will be fielding multiple questions relating to the upcoming sci-fi MMOFPS.

SOE gearing up for PlanetSide 2 dev chats originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Undead Labs art director talks about the heart of horror

Jef Reahard — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Culture, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Consoles, Post-Apocalyptic, Miscellaneous

So what is art direction and why is it important to video games in general and MMORPGs in particular? That's a good question, and sadly one that can't be answered in a brief news post. What we can do, though, is point you to some worthwhile reading on the subject. Today's lesson comes courtesy of Undead Labs and Doug Williams.

Williams serves as the art director on the firm's upcoming zombie apocalype Xbox Live Arcade MMO (currently codenamed Class3), and while you might expect him to spend time talking about gory effects or the best way to render blood and brains in a dark environment, Williams actually spends a good portion of the latest Undead Labs blog post talking about something called "Faded Americana."

"Faded Americana really resonates with me because there are many analogies between the style and a zombie apocalypse. In both cases, you see society hanging onto the ghosts of its past," Williams explains. The concept goes a long way towards explaining Undead Labs' decision to set the game primarily in a small town environment, and Williams has quite a few interesting anecdotes relating to influential games as well as the challenges inherent in separating the new game from the stack of zombie-themed entertainment products that have swarmed over the popular consciousness in recent years.

Undead Labs art director talks about the heart of horror originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: What aesthetic should we see more often?

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 20 May 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

Possibly showing our skewed priorities, most of the Massively staff launched into paroxysms of cooing at the unveiling of City of Heroes' Steampunk Pack. It's an aesthetic that's sadly underused within the MMO space -- we have a few hundred games that feature a vaguely European fantasy world but a decided lack of games with thick smoke, oil, and clockwork machinery. But steampunk isn't the only design aesthetic and general setting getting short shrift within the games we adore.

The modern "art deco" aesthetic of the 1950s. The lush jungle setting of South America during the reign of the Aztec and Mayan peoples. The bleak iron and hard edges of Soviet Russia. We've all got settings that we think would be a bit more interesting than yet another game with French castles and full-plate knights, so today we ask -- what would you like to see more frequently?

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!

The Daily Grind: What aesthetic should we see more often? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 May 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Guild Wars 2 art director talks racial redesigns and making it as a game artist

Jef Reahard — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, New titles, News items, Guild Wars 2

Tap Repeatedly has posted the third part of its interview with Guild Wars 2 and ArenaNet art director Daniel Dociu. Unlike yesterday's segment, which focused on game art in general as well as Guild Wars 2's unique aesthetic, today's entry deals with everything from concept artists and breaking into the business to why ANet chose to revisit some of the game's racial designs (specifically the Sylvari).

"For some races the early design didn't stand the test of time. You build and implement things, some grow on you and some tend to age poorly and beg for redesign," Dociu explains.

He also touches on his relationship with the characters and creatures art team, noting that his contributions are more along the lines of managing creative energy and overseeing the big picture as opposed to creating assets, designs, and concept art.

Guild Wars 2 art director talks racial redesigns and making it as a game artist originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Daniel Dociu talks Guild Wars 2 art direction

Jef Reahard — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Guild Wars 2

If you're looking for the latest art-centric news for ArenaNet's long-awaited Guild Wars sequel, look no further than Tap Repeatedly. Guild Wars 2 art director Daniel Dociu recently sat down for the second part of an interview that shines the spotlight on the forthcoming fantasy MMORPG's visual palette as well as the man responsible for overseeing it.

The piece covers a lot of ground, including everything from GW2's painterly user interface to the company culture at ArenaNet (which was founded by a group of engineers but also boasts one of the MMO industry's premier artistic rosters). This is no accident, Dociu explains, and one of his goals as ArenaNet's art director is to ensure that game art is given the respect it deserves. "Too often in this industry art is an afterthought. More often than not the expectations are set too low. It isn't always regarded as an equally important component next to game design or technology," he explains.

So what's up with the hand-crafted aesthetic that permeates everything from Guild Wars 2's client interface to its marketing materials? It's very deliberate, Dociu says, and it resulted in a marriage between talented artists and the realities of a finite budget. "We've unified stylistically the cinematics, user interface, and all visual branding... It all started because it was something we wanted to do, but we had to wait for the right moment and approach it from the resources angle."

Daniel Dociu talks Guild Wars 2 art direction originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The art director speaks in the latest video for Final Fantasy XIV

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Previews, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

One of the defining elements of Final Fantasy XI was the attention to detail, with every area of the world carefully crafted for maximum verisimilitude. It's a tradition that has been carried on to Final Fantasy XIV, with the game's art direction as one of its primary selling points. Akihiko Yoshida, the art director for the game, shares his thoughts on the design of the game and his hopes for the player experience in the newest Making of Eorzea video, embedded after the cut.

Yoshida discusses the added challenges experienced with the game's dynamic format, as well as the many ways that the team has tried to expand upon the lessons learned from Final Fantasy XI. Players of the open beta have no doubt noticed the amount of detail going into each environment, and it helps make even mundane tasks more enjoyable. See what Yoshida has to say about designing Final Fantasy XIV's visuals after the cut, and keep your eyes open as the open beta continues (Square-Enix has been rolling out a new patch nearly every day).

Continue reading The art director speaks in the latest video for Final Fantasy XIV

The art director speaks in the latest video for Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The aesthetics of Black Prophecy's Genide faction

James Egan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, Black Prophecy

We had some good news about Black Prophecy the other day and how things are looking up for the game's developer Reakktor Media. We're hoping more info will be revealed about the game in the coming months, and now they've released a dev blog on the art direction of the game's Genide faction. Whereas the Tyi faction is a cybernetic offshoot of humanity the Genides embrace biogenetic manipulation in their pursuit of perfection. The aesthetics of what the Genides have become is the focus of Black Prophecy Art Director Nick Ebenhoch's dev diary.

Nick kicks it off by explaining the significance of the Genide faction logo and what the symbol was designed to represent. Unlike the more utilitarian Tyi faction which favors a modular complexity, the Genide's cleaner, minimalist aesthetic sense permeates everything they create. This is seen in the smooth and tall look of their various space ships, which have vertical wing orientation rather than the standard horizontal orientation typically seen on such vessels, explains Nick.

Continue reading The aesthetics of Black Prophecy's Genide faction

The aesthetics of Black Prophecy's Genide faction originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

An insight into the art of Torchlight

Seraphina Brennan — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, Free-to-play

While many eyes are glued to the revitalization of the Mythos IP, many other eyes are looking in the direction of Runic Games's Torchlight. For those not in the know, Torchlight is being made by the original Mythos team -- the ones who were on staff at the time of Flagship Studios's untimely closing -- while Mythos is now in the hands of HanbitSoft, the publisher who had a massive stake in Flagship.

While Torchlight won't be ready for the MMO scene anytime soon, the developers are still coming up with the single-player game that will be the base component for the MMO edition. With that in mind, we'd thought you'd like to check out this Gamasutra article that focuses on the art style and history of Torchlight and how exactly Mythos has impacted that style. It's a great read (although it's a little long at six pages of narrative) and a must see for all fans of the upcoming action RPG.

An insight into the art of Torchlight originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Black Prophecy's unique art style blends realism with the unreal

James Egan — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, Black Prophecy

The Black Prophecy creators at Reakktor Media have begun a series of developer diaries, showcasing the game and their individual contributions to making this sci-fi MMO a reality. The first Black Prophecy developer diary is written by Nick Ebenhoch, the game's Art Director, and gives us a peek into the game environment. Nick explains how they wanted to create an environment that has elements of realism in an unreal environment. Nick says, "This was realized by the use of strong colors that you usually don't see in a space environment."

The colors used in a given setting are used to create a mood. "Sectors with ice elements are kept bluish, while 'Pan's Junkyard', a huge space cemetery, is kept a brownish color tone to let the sector appear dirty and rusty," Nick says. "Our goal was to create a distinctive atmosphere for each sector, from nearly romantic right up to dark and threatening."

Continue reading Black Prophecy's unique art style blends realism with the unreal

Black Prophecy's unique art style blends realism with the unreal originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Massively visits Stargate Worlds: The interview, part 4

Samuel Axon — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Interviews, New titles, Stargate Worlds

In part four of our interview with Cheyenne Mountain's studio head Dan Elggren, creative director Chris Klug, art director Howard Lyon, VP of technology Demetrius Comes, and senior marketing manager Kevin Balentine, Lyon describes the philosophy behind the game's artistic style, and we learn more about the company's plan for launch and post-live content.

Continue reading Massively visits Stargate Worlds: The interview, part 4

Massively visits Stargate Worlds: The interview, part 4 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

In Development: APB

Akela Talamasca — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, New titles, All Points Bulletin, Crime

It seems I spoke too soon regarding the lack of a Crackdown MMO! APB is Realtime Worlds' action MMO, and judging from the awesome character concept artwork, it's going to have a lot in common with Crackdown. And I'm interested because in at least one way it's going to feature something I wrote about: criminals vs. law enforcement.

More to get interested in: 'The game itself centers on player vs player combat and will be the first massively multiplayer online title where player skill determines character progression as opposed to the traditional model of time investment." That's a tall order, and one I'm keenly interested in seeing how it's going to be implemented. That aside, the art direction on this game is gorgeous -- I'm happy to see that the 'good guys' (law enforcement) are just as visually interesting as the 'bad guys' (criminals). Check it: the photo there? That's a cop. Uh huh. The Artwork section of the site has a bunch of great pics; go check 'em out now. It's not gameplay, but it's enough, by gar.

APB is coming out in 2008, according the site, and let's hope this is the hit the Crackdown could've been.

[Thanks, Chris!]

In Development: APB originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments