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[The Game Archaeologist seals up 2011]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/the-game-archaeologist-seals-up-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/the-game-archaeologist-seals-up-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/the-game-archaeologist-seals-up-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2
You know what I love about the end of each year? The lists. Man, but I'm a sucker for lists, especially when they come in "best of" varieties. In the lull between Christmas and New Year's, there typically isn't a lot happening in the world of entertainment, so it's a good time to look back before we head forward.

And so it is for The Game Archaeologist. 2011 marks the second year I've been doing this column, and it's been one of my personal favorite series to write. Every week I'm learning more and more about the history of the MMO genre, and I'm encouraged to see just how much passion and interest there are for the titles that started it all and got us to where we are today.

So before we head into 2012, let's take one last glimpse back at the road we've traveled. If you've missed out on any of these columns or want to revisit your favorite classic MMO, I've compiled a huge list of everything I talked about this year, from histories to interviews to player stories. There's also a special request for you (yes, you) at the end of this column, so do me a favor and hit that jump!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist seals up 2011

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist seals up 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011a-tale-in-the-desertac2Andrew-Tepperasherons-callasherons-call-2Ben-Chamberlainbrian-greenclimaxdark-age-of-cameloteaearth-and-beyondeqEric-Heimburgeverquestfeaturedimperator-onlineJosef-HalllineagelistlistsMeridian-59Middle-earth-Onlinemudmulti-user-dungeonmxomythicaplanetsidepsychochildRade-StojsavljevicrarebitRichard-Bartleround-uproundupshadow-of-yserbiusshadowbaneStuart-Zissuteppytgathe-game-archaeologistthe-matrix-onlinethe-shadow-of-yserbiusThom-TerrazasTodd-ColemanTrue-Fantasy-Live-OnlineUltima-Worlds-Online-OriginUltima-X-OdysseyWarhammer-Onlineworld-of-warcraftyear-in-reviewTue, 03 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Your memories]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/24/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-your-memori/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/24/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-your-memori/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/24/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-your-memori/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

What can you trust when your memories are merely the by-product of intelligent machines tinkering with your brain? When you come right down to it, who's to say that our alleged recollections of The Matrix Online weren't just computer viruses uploaded into our cerebral cortexes -- and that the game never existed at all?

Real or not, The Matrix Online is in no danger of being forgotten. Whether it's because of the meta setting, the too-hip-to-stay-on-cows fashion, or the interactive stories, MxO never fails to evoke passionate testimonies. After speaking with developer Ben Chamberlain last week, today we're going to turn the tables on the players themselves to see what they have to say.

Was The Matrix Online really all that and a bag of computer chips? Was it merely a good-looking graphical chat room or something more? And how will it be remembered many years from now when we sit our grandchildren on our laps and tell them about how we took the blue pill? Or was it red... I can never remember!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Your memories

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Your memories originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agentben-chamberlainbluepillcommunityeye-socketsfeaturedfurious-angelshostile-servermachinesmachinistsmatrixMerovingiansmorpheusmxoNiobeplayer-storiespvprarebitredpillroleplayroleplayersrpseraphtestimoniesthe-game-archaeologistthe-matrixthe-matrix-onlinezionTue, 24 May 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Jamming with Ben 'Rarebit' Chamberlain]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-jamming-wit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-jamming-wit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-jamming-wit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

When we started into The Matrix Online month last week on The Game Archaeologist, one of the comments caught my eye. Massively reader stealthrider wrote:
Please, please do a tribute to Rarebit. MxO was his baby, and no one took its death worse than he.

He did everything for that game, much of it single-handedly. Everything from playing the canon characters and co-writing the story to fixing hundreds of bugs and even creating a new zone from scratch. Not to mention developing and implementing the story missions, new items, the RP item vendors, and pretty much everything else in MxO's final couple of years. He even implemented and moderated a player-created minigame as part of the official story.

He retired from game development in the months before MxO's shutdown. He was that dedicated to this game that he couldn't work on anything else afterward.

He's a god among developers, and he is as sorely missed as the game itself.
I think this sums up how many Matrix Online vets feel about Ben "Rarebit" Chamberlain. So instead of a mere tribute, we drove the MassivelyMobile over to Chamberlain's house (read: send a polite email request), and he graciously said he'd be glad to reminisce with us. So hit that jump to find out the last word on MxO from the dev who held it together!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Jamming with Ben 'Rarebit' Chamberlain

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Jamming with Ben 'Rarebit' Chamberlain originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-versus-predator-2architectassassinben-chamberlainben-rarebit-chamberlainbluepillcinematicscommander-lockdevdeveloperfeaturedgrandmasterin-game-eventsinterviewkung-fulittle-nemolive-eventslive-events-teammatrixmatrix-onlinemissionsmonolithMonolith-ProductionsmorpheusmxooraclePaul-Chadwickrarebitredpillsoesony-online-entertainmentspystorystorylinethe-matrixthe-matrix-onlineWachowskiWinsor-McCayzionTue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: So long, and thanks for all the woah]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/29/anti-aliased-so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-woah/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/29/anti-aliased-so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-woah/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/29/anti-aliased-so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-woah/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


It's a depressing news day for me today. As we've reported earlier, Sony Online Entertainment has finally made the decision to pull the plug on The Matrix Online, a decision that makes absolutely perfect sense given the dire straights the game has been in for the past few years.

MxO was always "the little game that could" in regards to the community outlook. Even with horribly broken systems, a grind worthy of an Asian MMO, and periods where I literally sat around doing nothing, there was some odd charm about the game. Perhaps it was the setting, or maybe it was the really cool combat system (yes, it too was broken, but those animations were sweet), but I think it was the storyline.

Let's have a look back the history of Matrix Online and some of the stories no one ever heard about.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: So long, and thanks for all the woah

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: So long, and thanks for all the woah originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 May 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-aliasedben-chamberlainclosedclosurefeaturedjoystiqfeatureslive-event-characterslive-eventsmorpheusmovie-charactersmxoneurophyteniobenovalis-iiplotlinerarebitsunsetthe-matrix-onlineFri, 29 May 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Friday the 13th too cursed for Matrix Online update 66]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/13/friday-the-13th-too-cursed-for-matrix-online-update-66/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/13/friday-the-13th-too-cursed-for-matrix-online-update-66/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/13/friday-the-13th-too-cursed-for-matrix-online-update-66/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


We reported earlier in the week that The Matrix Online update 66 was due to hit servers yesterday, however community relations representative Virrago has informed the MxO players that the update will be pushed back to next week.

The patch notes on this update are still in the dark, and no one is quite sure what will be included with this update past the fixes for Windows Vista and the removal of storyline progression. It looks like the MxO team will be releasing the notes the day of the patch, keeping everything a surprise until the last moment.

Also up in the air is Ben "Rarebit" Chamberlain's leaving date, as his original intent was to leave after update 66 was pushed to the live servers. It would appear that he's staying with the team until the update is pushed, but that is unclear as of this posting. In any case, we wish him the best of luck with his future endeavors and thank him for all of his hard work putting together the innovative story of The Matrix Online.

MassivelyFriday the 13th too cursed for Matrix Online update 66 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ben-chamberlainmxopatchpatch-notesrarebitsoesony-online-entertainmentthe-matrix-onlineupdate-66windows-vistaFri, 13 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST