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 Soapbox: On MMO negativity]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/the-soapbox-on-mmo-negativity/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/the-soapbox-on-mmo-negativity/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/the-soapbox-on-mmo-negativity/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Unhappy cat
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Last week I was given a link to an op-ed piece at Thade's place, and in lieu of posting a comment there, I figured I'd do it on the Soapbox and hopefully generate some discussion (and traffic) for all concerned.

In a nutshell, Thade questions whether MMO pundits actually like MMOs, and he comments on a perceived rise in negativity amongst what are assumed to be fans of the genre.

I don't know if the blogosphere has taken a turn toward the negative, but if so, there's a pretty simple explanation for it. The games have changed, and the old guard who grew up with MMOs (and are willing/able to devote time to blogging about them) have to try a little bit harder to enjoy themselves as each new title gets further and further from what they like. That's OK, though, and it's also OK -- and even essential -- for the disaffected to speak up.

Continue reading The Soapbox: On MMO negativity

MassivelyThe Soapbox: On MMO negativity originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggingblogospherechangecriticismcriticsdo-you-even-like-mmosdo-you-even-like-video-gamesfeaturedindiana-jonesmmo-bloggingmmo-industrymmo-negativitynegativitynuking-the-fridgeopinionpositivitypunditrypunditsrose-colored-glassessoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorthe-old-republicthe-soapboxthis-suckstorTue, 17 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RIFT world event fizzles, Trion reevaluates approach [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/16/rift-world-event-fizzles-trion-reevaluates-approach/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/16/rift-world-event-fizzles-trion-reevaluates-approach/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/16/rift-world-event-fizzles-trion-reevaluates-approach/#commentsFiled under: , ,

What could have gone out with a bang turned out to be a mild whimper. RIFT's first world event, River of Souls, moved into its final phases today but experienced several difficulties. Players in both Europe and North America reported lengthy queue times to access the game. These queues were possibly exacerbated by the additional trial players joining for the weekend, although Trion Worlds claimed that subscribers had priority access. On top of that, some servers saw the second and third phases pass by so quickly that many players simply were not there to see it, while other servers experienced unexpected intermittent outages.

As you may expect, player discussion about RIFT's world event has heated up in the forums, blogosphere (NSFW), and elsewhere. In the middle of the event rollout, Scott Hartsman wrote a forum post in which he addressed some of these issues. Hartsman promises that those who missed out on the final portion of the event would be compensated: "Since we are very likely to end up in a situation where we have people queued who could not participate, and people who could not make the finale at all, we're already making sure we have a way to reward people appropriately after the fact."

Trion assured players that it is using the lessons from this world event to shape upcoming ones. "We're already taking what we've learned over the last week and today into account as we work on the next set of world events, and will be designing them such that full-server-population flashmobs aren't quite as likely to occur -- both for fun factor and performance," Hartsman said. "Equally importantly for the future, we'll be ensuring there are more phases that each last longer, and a more clear progression, to maximize everyone's chance of participating."

Let us know your own experience with this event in the comments below!

[Update: Scott Hartsman posted a follow-up to the event as well as a list of compensation rewards for those unable to participate.]

MassivelyRIFT world event fizzles, Trion reevaluates approach [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 16 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alsbethalsbeth-the-discordantblogosphereforumsqueuequeuesriftrift-planes-of-telarariver-of-soulsscott-hartsmantriontrion-worldsSat, 16 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What MMO would you like to see covered more?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/27/the-daily-grind-what-mmo-would-you-like-to-see-covered-more/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/27/the-daily-grind-what-mmo-would-you-like-to-see-covered-more/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/27/the-daily-grind-what-mmo-would-you-like-to-see-covered-more/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Let's face it: Life isn't fair, and as a result, every MMO in existence doesn't get the same amount of coverage by the press, blogosphere, and fans. Some MMOs are just more popular; some have much better PR reps; and some are simply newer than the rest.

Although we at Massively do try to make the rounds to cover as many MMOs as possible, there are always a few titles that seem to get noticed less than others. It's not uncommon for us to hear from fans of a niche title, "Why haven't you talked about GAME X for two years?" It's also not uncommon for many MMOs to simply be so quiet as to negate any news at all.

So if wishes granted more coverage -- not just by us, but by everyone -- what MMOs would you love to see get the spotlight more often? Perhaps it's an older title that's limping along with a skeleton dev team or a game that's a little more unconventional than the rest. Sound off: Be the voice that stands up for these MMOs!

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 MMO would you like to see covered more? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogosphereblogscoverageniche-mmosopinionryzomtdgthe-daily-grindSun, 27 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Near-Death Adventures (NDA) lifted!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/the-road-to-mordor-near-death-adventures-nda-lifted/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/the-road-to-mordor-near-death-adventures-nda-lifted/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/06/the-road-to-mordor-near-death-adventures-nda-lifted/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

In case you were wondering, I'm part of the crowd that doesn't really believe in non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). Oh, if I agree to one I'll stick to it and keep my word, don't get me wrong. What I mean is that I don't believe in the usefulness of NDAs, particularly in a day and age when all the information is available anyway -- this is, after all, the omniscient internet. Not to mention that by trying to keep a lid on testers and prevent them from sharing their experiences, companies tend to suppress the positive accolades (those are the people who want to keep playing, after all) while letting the badmouthers escape to tell their tale (they don't care if they break the NDA, because they're not going to play anyway).

But my personal feelings aside, the brief NDA lockdown on the upcoming LotRO F2P edition (hey Turbine, can we get a name for this yet? LotRO Unlimited? Free-Range LotRO?) has lifted and testers have swarmed out from under its veil to share their stories and thoughts. I'd be remiss if we didn't spend some time this week looking at what people have to say about all of the changes, additions and updates to the game -- not to mention the looming specter of the LotRO store.

Let us see what is to be seen as we scout the forums and blogosphere: LotRO exposed, uncovered, dissected and digested for the good of all. I've pulled salient quotes to help give you an idea how the beta is progressing thus far -- and remember, it is still in beta. Everything here is quite subject to change by the time LotRO II: Hobbit Boogaloo launches.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Near-Death Adventures (NDA) lifted!

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Near-Death Adventures (NDA) lifted! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aggro-reductionarmor-setbankbetablogospherecash-shopdirectx-11enedwaithf2pfall-festivalfeaturedforumsfree-range-lotrofree-to-playftpgreat-barrowshaunted-cellarhobbit-boogalooi-am-for-sale-for-500-tpinstance-scalingitem-shoplord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-iilotro-storelotro-unlimitedlualua-scriptmountsndapvptemporary-mountsthe-road-to-mordorturbineturbine-pointsturbine-storewardrobeFri, 06 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Free Frodo for life!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/11/the-road-to-mordor-free-frodo-for-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/11/the-road-to-mordor-free-frodo-for-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/11/the-road-to-mordor-free-frodo-for-life/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Turbine? We need to talk. When you're going to drop one of the biggest game-changing announcements since launch, doing so an hour before I'm posting an article talking about how LotRO's been so quiet -- when I have no time to rewrite it -- is a good way to see if you can get my head to explode. Do you know what it's like to have to wait an entire week to talk about something this huge? I literally crawled up a wall, that's what it's like.

Whew! Has there ever been a week this crazy in Lord of the Rings Online's history? If there has been, I wasn't there to see it. I've been reading and digesting a mountain's worth of forum posts on the subject, not to mention all of the chatter in the blogosphere: Sneaky Hobbits, LOTRO Weekly, The Green Dragon Inn, Harperella, Overly Positive, Screaming Monkeys, FlexYourGeek, Game By Night, Simple-n-Complex, Multiplaying, Stargrace, Casual is as Casual Does, Spouse Aggro, The Stone Kingdom, Doc Holiday, Mordor or Bust, Player Versus Developer, Nomnom.info, A Ding World, LOTRO Reporter, A Casual Stroll to Mordor, Spinksville, Kill Ten Rats, Tobold, No Prisoners No Mercy, Mordiceius, Yeebo Fernbottom, Ardwulf, Tish Tosh Tesh, Of Course I'll Play It!, Broken Toys, The Ancient Gaming Noob, NecroRogIcon, Psychochild, Keen, Blue Kae, MMO Gamer Chick, LevelCapped, Bio Break, Games and Geekery, Rainbow MMO and The Pix'led Life all had an opinion, for and against, and weren't shy about sharing.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Free Frodo for life!

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Free Frodo for life! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barrens-chatblogospherecash-shopcommunityddof2pfeaturedfree-to-playfrodo-livesitem-shoplifetime-subscriptionlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroserasparkling-eagle-mountthe-road-to-mordortom-bombadilturbineFri, 11 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Map of WoW online communities]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/map-of-wow-online-communities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/map-of-wow-online-communities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/map-of-wow-online-communities/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Keeping in line with a recent hypothetical map created by our very own Michael Zenke, which depicts a geographical equivalent to the MMO blogosphere's most popular sites, Tim Howgego decided it was about time he created one for the World of Warcraft community. This map shows an interesting assortment of sites, including a humorous take on gold farmers and an itty bitty island in the middle of the sea called GM Island.

There is a thorough explanation accompanying the map on Howgego's website, including his reasoning behind the placement of each landmass versus the outlying islands. Even the directional arrangement has a purpose. Curiously enough, we find our sister site WoW Insider occupying a lone island in the murky southwestern corner of the map, although Howgego explains that placement as well. The best part about this map? Everything is linked!

MassivelyMap of WoW online communities originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblogospherecommunitygeographymapworld-of-warcraftwowwow-insiderWed, 25 Jun 2008 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What is your favorite MMO blog?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/18/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-want-from-everquest-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/18/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-want-from-everquest-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/18/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-want-from-everquest-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We promise we're not fishing here. Nope, we definitely don't want you to proclaim your love for a certain website you might be reading right now. Not at all. Instead, we're interested: what MMO blogs do you read on a regular basis? Are you a fan of Raph Koster's view of the world? Maybe you're an aficionado of Van Hemlock's Tuesday Noob Club or the Ramblings of Ole' Bald Angus the Monk?

Whatever your preference, let us know. We're always looking for new folks to read and inspire new features, articles, and (of course) posts of our own. What's your favorite MMO-related blog?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What is your favorite MMO blog? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogosphereblogsmmo-blogmmogstdgthe-daily-grindWed, 18 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: The Blogosphere is everywhere]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/29/one-shots-the-blogosphere-is-everywhere/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/29/one-shots-the-blogosphere-is-everywhere/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/29/one-shots-the-blogosphere-is-everywhere/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Just when you think you're safe to go wandering around in your favorite game, the Blogosphere pops up to offer you tips, tricks, or just a giggle, as today's screenshot shows! This image comes to us from Bradley, who happened to spot this curious sight while traveling through Tranquillien in World of Warcraft. Here's what he had to say:

Just saw this Tauren jumping around and his name gave me a chuckle. The Blogosphere is in mah gamez! Someone needs to change the Wikipedia entry for Blogosphere.

Have you seen something that made you stop and giggle in your favorite game? If so, why not snap a screenshot of it and send it in to us! It takes only a few minutes to pop it into the mail to oneshots@massively.com, where your screenshot will live on in our gallery! You can't beat that.

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: The Blogosphere is everywhere originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardblogosphereone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotstaurentranquillienworld-of-warcraftwowwow-insiderSat, 29 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EST