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 challenges of storytelling in EVE Online's player-driven setting]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/13/the-challenges-of-storytelling-in-eve-onlines-player-driven-set/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/13/the-challenges-of-storytelling-in-eve-onlines-player-driven-set/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/13/the-challenges-of-storytelling-in-eve-onlines-player-driven-set/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


MMO storylines finding their way into books is becoming increasingly common, but typically it's the fantasy titles we see in print. Guild Wars, Warhammer Online, and of course World of Warcraft all have their lore fleshed out in paperback form. But sci-fi lends itself well to novelization as well, and in the MMO scene as it exists today, EVE Online is a prime example. The game's far-future setting of New Eden is known for its sweeping warfare between vast empires, republics, and federations, but the game's lore has also shown there's a lot happening on a much smaller level.

That sweeping warfare was the focus of the first EVE Online novel, The Empyrean Age written by Tony Gonzales, and this was tied in with the storyline events leading up to all-out war between the game's races. However, EVE's creators CCP Games will be showing a different side to the game with the second novel, The Burning Life, written by Hjalti Danielsson.

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MassivelyThe challenges of storytelling in EVE Online's player-driven setting originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've got bad news for all the LEGO maniacs out there, who've been looking forward to LEGO Universe in 2009. They're going to have to wait a bit longer for NetDevil's take on massively multiplayer LEGO play, according to Kotaku's Brian Crecente, who reports that LEGO Universe may not even see a 2010 release date.

Despite the economic troubles many MMO developers are coping with these days, this news about LEGO Universe is not necessarily a bad thing. Kotaku spoke with the director of business development for the LEGO group, Mark Hansen, who said, "Within the company we have made a strategic decision within LEGO to make a delay of LEGO Universe. It will not be coming out in 2009. The reason is, we have a luxury right now, the business is going good. We have products that are not digital, the physical products, with them going so well we don't want to take focus away from them."

Continue reading LEGO Universe not clicking together in 2009

MassivelyLEGO Universe not clicking together in 2009 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian-crecentecasualdelayskidskotakulaunch-delaylauncheslegolego-universemark-hansenmmo-industrynetdevilTue, 17 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Take-Two Interactive considering subs and microtransactions for top titles]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/16/take-two-interactive-considering-subs-and-microtransactions-for/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/16/take-two-interactive-considering-subs-and-microtransactions-for/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/16/take-two-interactive-considering-subs-and-microtransactions-for/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Subscriptions have been the bread and butter of MMOs since the days of Ultima Online, but subs may be coming to some popular standalone PC titles from Take-Two Interactive, presumably the Grand Theft Auto franchise and BioShock. Brian Crecente of Kotaku reports that "at the BMO Capital Markets conference, Take-Two head honcho Strauss Zelnick seemed very up on the idea of downloadable content, micro-transactions and even... subscriptions."

This falls in line with their business model of periodically offering downloadable content to either extend the storyline of a game, or to simply offer varied gameplay experiences. Downloadable content and microtransactions could solve some of the issues game publishers have with their titles being re-sold, allowing them to have a continuous revenue stream, and perhaps dissuading many consumers from reselling that game in the first place. Regular content refreshes could ensure that these games don't go stale and end up relegated to a dusty bookshelf. Zelnick implied that this business model, should it come to be, would likely only affect Take-Two's biggest titles. This implies changes to the business models for Grand Theft Auto and BioShock, although the words "Midnight Club Online" also seem apt.

But do you feel that adding the trappings of the MMO business model, namely subs and microtransactions, would enhance your experience with a standalone title, both as a gamer and as a consumer? Are more MMO-like PC games a good thing, or are you more of an MMO purist?

MassivelyTake-Two Interactive considering subs and microtransactions for top titles originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bioshockbmo-capital-marketbrian-crecentebusiness-modelsdownloadable-contentgrand-theft-autogtakotakumicrotransactionsmidnight-clubmmo-industrystrauss-zelnicksubssubscriptionstake-two-interactiveultima-onlineSun, 16 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST