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 Daily Grind: Do you judge all MMOs by the same standard?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-daily-grind-do-you-judge-all-mmos-by-the-same-standard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-daily-grind-do-you-judge-all-mmos-by-the-same-standard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-daily-grind-do-you-judge-all-mmos-by-the-same-standard/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Xsyon - player-created temple
One of the challenges facing sandbox developers is the fact that recent themepark MMORPGs have raised the bar in terms of smooth launches and relatively bug-free experiences. Aside from EVE Online, most of the current sandboxes on offer are small indie affairs known as much for their rough-around-the-edges implementation as for their feature innovations.

And yet, many so-called sandbox fans seem to expect games like Xsyon, Darkfall, and others to be as polished as World of Warcraft, RIFT, and other themeparks with fewer features and several times the budget.

For today's Daily Grind, we'd like to know how much (if any) slack you cut developers of sandbox and/or indie MMOs. Do you hold these games to the same standard that you hold a triple-A themepark?

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: Do you judge all MMOs by the same standard? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugsdaily-grindfeaturedopinionpolishsandboxsandbox-fanstdgthe-daily-grindthemeparkxsyonThu, 17 May 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR shuts down servers for most of the day for emergency maintenance [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/swtor-shuts-down-servers-for-most-of-the-day-for-emergency-maint/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/swtor-shuts-down-servers-for-most-of-the-day-for-emergency-maint/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/swtor-shuts-down-servers-for-most-of-the-day-for-emergency-maint/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR: Bounty Hunter
According to the official Star Wars: The Old Republic Twitter feed, all servers will be offline until about 7 p.m. EDT following an emergency maintenance.

Yesterday, Update 1.2: Legacy dropped to live servers with next to no hiccups. But this morning, BioWare brought down the servers for a very minor patch. In fact, the patch notes contain only two lines. However, several players began claiming that they were unable to access their characters when the servers were restored at about 9 a.m. EDT. Other players reported quest givers and even the new guild bank were missing. At approximately 10:30 a.m. EDT, BioWare shut down the servers for emergency maintenance, explaining the situation on the forums as follows:
During last night's maintenance, some areas of the game were reverted to pre-Game Update 1.2 status. Some areas were 'missing' and characters that were in those areas would be unavailable. We took the live servers offline at approx 9:30AM CDT (Austin time).

Our server and deployment teams are now working to rebuild assets for the live servers, but this is unfortunately not a quick process. We currently estimate that our downtime could be up to eight hours, but that time may be extended.
Look for updates on this article if the maintenance time happens to be extended or if more information surfaces.

[Update: BioWare has informed us that it will compensate everyone with a day of game time because of these issues.]

MassivelySWTOR shuts down servers for most of the day for emergency maintenance [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebugseaelectronic-artsemergency-maintenancelucasartsofflinepatchsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorupdate-1.2Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Call the exterminator]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/hyperspace-beacon-call-the-exterminator/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/hyperspace-beacon-call-the-exterminator/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/hyperspace-beacon-call-the-exterminator/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: Call the exterminator
When deciding what I want to talk about on the Hyperspace Beacon every week, I check over the buzz from various news outlets, personal experiences, and columns from the community. An internet community will inevitably steer toward the negative -- that's just the nature of the internet. And one of the most common themes out there is bugs. I am not talking about Killiks; I mean parts of the game that are not working as intended.

When we -- the press and other fansites -- gave our impressions of Star Wars: The Old Republic, we were at conventions or at lower levels in the game. Level 28 was the highest I ever reached in any beta, and conventions set us on a predetermined path. At that time, I was completely impressed with the level of polish the game had received. I still believe that this game has fewer bugs than a good chunk of MMOs; however, there are certainly more bugs in this game than I'd expect from a single-player release.

I could probably spend a whole article just listing unintended issues with the game, but I do like to be the voice of reason as well. On top of that, I want to see SWTOR succeed. Therefore, beyond just talking about bugs, let's deal with the overall issue of why these critters pop up in the first place.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Call the exterminator

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Call the exterminator originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebugsdc-universe-onlinedcuoeaelectronic-artsendgamefeaturedhyperspace-beaconlucasartsopinionptspublic-test-serversci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortestingthe-old-republictorTue, 21 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WAR producer's letter talks bug fixing, patch schedules]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/war-producers-letter-talks-bug-fixing-patch-schedules/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/war-producers-letter-talks-bug-fixing-patch-schedules/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/war-producers-letter-talks-bug-fixing-patch-schedules/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Warhammer Online - Knight of the Blazing Sun
Hey kids, it's time for another Warhammer Online producer's letter (no, it's still not dead, doomsayers). The dev team is currently hard at work on the 1.4.5a patch, and in case you were wondering, that little "a" basically indicates additions to the previous 1.4.5 update. Said additions will take the form of "functionality, messaging, and tweaks to the fortresses and relics," all of which are still being discussed on the official WAR forums.

Next up is the 1.4.6 patch, and Mythic has switched gears to focus on bug fixing instead of the previously planned open RvR tweaks. There are also some additional items of interest on the horizon, including a new live event and some changes to crafting. Head to the WAR Herald to read up on all the details.

[Thanks to Benjamin for the tip!]

MassivelyWAR producer's letter talks bug fixing, patch schedules originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.4.5-patch1.4.6-patchbioware-mythicbug-fixingbugscraftingfantasylive-eventsmythicMythic-Entertainmentopen-rvrproducers-letterrvrwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineTue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare: All our devs play SWTOR]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/bioware-all-our-devs-play-swtor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/bioware-all-our-devs-play-swtor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/bioware-all-our-devs-play-swtor/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Star Wars: The Old Republic - some smuggler who looks like John Marsden
Ever wonder if MMO devs play the MMO they're developing? Apparently the answer is yes in the case of Star Wars: The Old Republic. A new dev blog by BioWare executive producer Rich Vogel minces few words on that particular subject. "Every single one of us on the development team plays the game, and we see the same issues you do and where we need to expand," Vogel writes.

The rest of the wall o' text isn't quite as illuminating. Vogel starts by defining bugs and exploits, and he offers a few generalities in regards to BioWare's ability to quickly respond to both types of issues.

It's worth a read if you're heavily invested in Star Wars: The Old Republic, and you'll find it on the game's official site.

MassivelyBioWare: All our devs play SWTOR originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugsdev-blogeaea-biowareElectronic-Artsexploitsrich-vogelsci-fistar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 31 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR to get ability delay fixes but no Valor rollback [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/input-delay-fixes-coming-to-star-wars-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/input-delay-fixes-coming-to-star-wars-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/input-delay-fixes-coming-to-star-wars-the-old-republic/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Screenshot -- Star Wars: The Old Republic
Oh, happy day! BioWare's Georg Zoeller has posted a new entry on the Star Wars: The Old Republic official site addressing the incredibly frustrating ability delay that has had players up in arms. Zoeller states that the team has found a number of issues, including abilities on cooldown being displayed as usable, unreliable instant abilities, and significant input delay in "certain game situations, most notably (but not limited to) fast-paced PvP."

The team has worked out the two former bugs and is scheduled to get the respective fixes onto the public test server in the next update. Work on the latter issue is in "the later stage of testing," and the team hopes to be able to roll it out onto the live servers "very soon." Here's to hoping that when Zoeller says soon, he means "soon" and not "soon[TM]."

[Update: A second dev blog, this one by BioWare's Jeff Hickman, explains the situation with Ilum PvP and why the team decided not to rollback Valor points in the wake of recent exploits. He does promise that the team will use game metrics to take action against the worst offenders if merited.]

MassivelySWTOR to get ability delay fixes but no Valor rollback [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ability-delayability-delaysbiowarebugbug-fixbug-fixesbugsdelayeaelectronic-artsfixfixesinputinput-delayskill-delayskill-delaysstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorFri, 20 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR's new patch makes a mess, BioWare looking into it [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/swtors-new-patch-makes-a-mess-bioware-looking-into-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/swtors-new-patch-makes-a-mess-bioware-looking-into-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/swtors-new-patch-makes-a-mess-bioware-looking-into-it/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Star Wars: The Old Republic - Ilum PvP
Welp, Star Wars: The Old Republic's 1.1 patch has arrived, and it's brought a bit of baggage with it. Imperial PvPers have been taking advantage of faction imbalances to farm hapless Republic players on the level 50 world of Ilum, and BioWare has responded to the resulting outcry with a discussion thread and a plea for sanity.

"We're currently investigating potential issues related to the Ilum open world PvP area post-1.1. We understand that this is a topic of much discussion and we ask that you please direct all discussions to this thread," writes Joveth Gonzalez on the official SWTOR forums.

The devs adjusted both daily and weekly missions to require the killing of factional enemies, and they also increased the PvP currency rewards for doing so. As of right now, it's anyone's guess what the fix will entail, and we'll keep our eyes on it as the situation develops.

[Update: BioWare has issued a formal statement, which we've posted in its entirety after the break.]

Continue reading SWTOR's new patch makes a mess, BioWare looking into it [Updated]

MassivelySWTOR's new patch makes a mess, BioWare looking into it [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.1-patchbiowarebugsea-biowareElectronic-Artsilumjoveth-gonzalezpvpstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortorWed, 18 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR Senior Community Manager responds to high-res texture concerns]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/swtor-senior-community-manager-responds-to-high-res-texture-conc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/swtor-senior-community-manager-responds-to-high-res-texture-conc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/swtor-senior-community-manager-responds-to-high-res-texture-conc/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Screenshot -- Star Wars: The Old Republic
Many keen-eyed Star Wars: The Old Republic players noticed that, while there were "low," "medium," and "high" options for the game's texture quality settings, there seemed to be only two different sets of textures, and neither of them includes the high-resolution textures seen in the game's cutscenes and conversations. As it tends to go with the MMO community, the forums were soon filled with cries of "WTFM8?"

And thus did BioWare's own Senior Community Manager Stephen Reid appear on the scene to clarify what exactly was happening. The low-medium-high texture quality scale is, he says, a bug, and the medium choice was never supposed to exist. So yes, the game has only two sets of textures, low- and high-resolution, but even the high-resolution textures don't look as shiny as the ones featured in SWTOR's cutscenes. And so the chorus repeated, "WTFM8?"

Reid drops a ton of technical information to explain why players can't run around with conversation-quality textures 24/7, but the fact of the matter is that an MMO could potentially have anywhere from one to who-knows-how-many people on-screen at any given time, and BioWare "discovered that using [...] 'maximum resolution' textures on in-game characters during normal gameplay could cause severe performance issues, even on powerful PCs."

That's the short of it, but if you'd like the full, unadulterated technical breakdown, just head on over to the official forum post for more info and screaming.

MassivelySWTOR Senior Community Manager responds to high-res texture concerns originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebugbugsconversationscutscenecutsceneseaelectronic-artshigh-reshigh-res-textureslow-resresolutionstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicstephen-reidswtortexturetexturesthe-old-republictorWed, 11 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare responds to The Old Republic performance issues]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/bioware-responds-to-the-old-republic-performance-issues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/bioware-responds-to-the-old-republic-performance-issues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/bioware-responds-to-the-old-republic-performance-issues/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Screenshot -- Star Wars: The Old Republic
Many Star Wars: The Old Republic players have raised complaints on the official forums about the game's technical performance. A disconcertingly large number of users report poor framerates despite lowering the game's graphic settings or running the game on a high-end PC. BioWare, however, is not convinced that there's anything wrong with the game, and instead the company asserts that users' lame rigs must be to blame.

OK, not really. But game director James Ohlen told Eurogamer that "most players aren't really having performance concerns" and chalks the reported performance issues up to low-end hardware. He goes on to add that "[the team] knows that it's important that there is a smaller group of people usually with lower end machines that are having problems in some areas. And one of the most important things for [the team is] to grow [its] service is to continue to bring in more players, including those players who only have low-end machines." In light of this, the studio has a team of developers who are devoted to fixing performance-inhibiting bugs, so if all goes well, we poor low-end-rig-users will be able to play the game comfortably soon enough.

MassivelyBioWare responds to The Old Republic performance issues originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebugbugseaelectronic-artsframerateframerate-issuesjames-ohlenperformanceperformance-issuesstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 10 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Cheating vs. poor design]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/hyperspace-beacon-cheating-or-poor-design/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/hyperspace-beacon-cheating-or-poor-design/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/hyperspace-beacon-cheating-or-poor-design/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: Cheating or poor design?
Recently, Ilum took center stage in an argument about exploits, and I honestly cannot say which side of the fence I'm on. When do the intentions of the designers take precedent over the players taking advantage of poor design? Well before Star Wars: The Old Republic even crossed the mind of BioWare's creative brain-trust, exploiters have been taking advantage of unintentional game design. Even more interesting about the situation with Ilum was that the design was not exactly flawed; instead, players did not respond to the designs the way the developers intended. The game was "working as intended," but the players weren't.

At what point do we blame the designers? In a game as large as SWTOR, we know that if someone is allowed to do something, he will. At the same time, players are lazy efficient when playing the game: They will find the fastest and easiest way to level or gear up despite the intended path. Designers should know this. I remember in Ultima Online when players would raise skills by poking each other with low-level swords for hours on end. I am sure the designers intended that players would earn skills by actually battling each other, but the simplest solution was to prod one another with a dull stick. I honestly don't know if that was ever fixed, but I certainly don't remember a GM tossing out a ban hammer for it.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Cheating vs. poor design

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Cheating vs. poor design originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWarebugsdarth-haterdesign-flawsEAElectronic-ArtsexploitsfeaturedIlumLucasArtsrules-of-conductStar-Warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicSWTORthe-old-republicTORworking-as-intendedTue, 10 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR's 1.1 patch adds anti-aliasing, level 50 Flashpoint]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/swtors-1-1-patch-adds-anti-aliasing-level-50-flashpoint/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/swtors-1-1-patch-adds-anti-aliasing-level-50-flashpoint/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/swtors-1-1-patch-adds-anti-aliasing-level-50-flashpoint/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Star Wars: The Old Republic - Smuggler freighter, which has little to do with this article other than being cool
Star Wars: The Old Republic's next big update is live on the game's public test shard. BioWare says that the 1.1 patch is chock full of bug fixes and is "the first of many content updates" for the sci-fi MMO.

New stuff includes a level 50 Flashpoint (Kaon Under Siege) and four new bosses for Operation: Karagga's Palace. Also of note is an anti-aliasing option in the preferences menu and a correction for the problems plaguing Kira Carsen's affection conversations. The full patch notes are viewable on the official SWTOR website.

MassivelySWTOR's 1.1 patch adds anti-aliasing, level 50 Flashpoint originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.1-patchbiowarebug-fixesbugsea-biowareElectronic-Artsflashpointkaonkaon-under-siegekaraggas-palacekira-carsenoperation-karaggas-palacesci-fistar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorFri, 06 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[This Week In MMO: Interrupting dance edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/this-week-in-mmo-interrupting-dance-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/this-week-in-mmo-interrupting-dance-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/this-week-in-mmo-interrupting-dance-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

TWIMMO screencap
It's time for yet another episode of This Week In MMO, and you'll never guess what the topic du jour is. Well, unless you guessed Star Wars: The Old Republic (again), in which case you would be correct. Much discussion is had about the hilarity that was SWTOR's /getdown exploit, which allowed players to interrupt enemy mobs by... dancing at them.

Meanwhile, Final Fantasy XIV will resume charging subscription fees tomorrow, January 6th, so if you're still subscribed and don't want to pay, you'd better cancel now. And lastly, on a note of complete and utter excess, the gang reports that one gamer (who we imagine spends most of his time swimming in his money like Scrooge McDuck) has spent $16,000 US on an in-game sword for Snail Games' F2P (irony!) title, Age of Wulin. The kicker? The game isn't even out yet. For the full video, just click on past the cut and have a look.

MassivelyThis Week In MMO: Interrupting dance edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-wulinbugbugsdanceexploitexploitsff14ffxivfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivgetdowninterruptpodcastpodcastsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republicthis-week-in-mmotortwimmovideovideoswho-spends-that-much-on-a-f2p-mmo-ffsThu, 05 Jan 2012 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The MMO Report: Cool balloon bro edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/the-mmo-report-cool-balloon-bro-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/the-mmo-report-cool-balloon-bro-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/the-mmo-report-cool-balloon-bro-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The MMO Report
This week on The MMO Report -- where everyone prefers "a blaster over hokey religions and ancient weapons" -- Casey tries to make the most of a slow MMO news week. He reports that the fallout over Fallout Online has settled, Multiverse (the Buffy/Firefly MMO platform) is dead in the water, CCP is launching EVE Online character avatars into orbit via balloon, and Star Wars: The Old Republic is boasting 350,000 concurrent users.

There's no mailbag this week, he relates, because everyone's too busy playing lightsabers with their friends, which is probably true.

He also thanks BioWare for teaching him how to /getdown... and I think you should tune in at the five-minute mark to see his moves for yourself. The video's tucked behind the break for your amusement!

Continue reading The MMO Report: Cool balloon bro edition

MassivelyThe MMO Report: Cool balloon bro edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bethesda-Softworksbiowarebuffybuffy-mmobugscasey-schreinerccpccp-gamescool-balloon-broeaElectronic-Artseveeve-onlinefalloutfallout-onlinefireflyfirefly-mmogetdowninternet-lightsabersinterplaylightsabersmmo-reportmultiversestar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-mmo-reporttorvideovideosThu, 05 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR goes bug hunting with 1.0.2 and prognosticates PvP improvements]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/swtor-goes-bug-hunting-with-1-0-2-and-prognosticates-pvp-improve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/swtor-goes-bug-hunting-with-1-0-2-and-prognosticates-pvp-improve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/swtor-goes-bug-hunting-with-1-0-2-and-prognosticates-pvp-improve/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SWTOR
With the abundance of bugs and glitches in Star Wars: The Old Republic, fans are looking to James Ohlen's promise of weekly patches to shore up the faults. Yesterday we saw patch 1.0.2 go live with some -- but certainly not all -- of these fixes, as well as an increase in the PvP lockbox rewards and allowing players to emote while mounted.

In addition to yesterday's patch, today BioWare plans to roll out an emergency fix to address a few important issues: players crashing to desktop at character select, a problem with the chat channels in which they would stop functioning for some people, and the now-infamous /getdown bug.

PvP Lead Gabe Amatangelo also emerged from the BioWare fortress to chat about plans for the future of the game's PvP combat. According to Amatangelo, the team is working on level 50 brackets for warzones, vastly improving open world PvP on Ilum, a new same-faction vs. same-faction warzone, team vs. team queuing, ranked warzone matches, and more. He says that to date, over a million warzone matches have been played, with 39% of those matches played being Huttball and the Empire winning 53% of every match fought.

MassivelySWTOR goes bug hunting with 1.0.2 and prognosticates PvP improvements originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebugbug-fixbug-fixesbugsea-biowareemergency-hotfixgabe-amatangelogetdowngetdown-bughotfixhuttballjames-ohlenopen-world-pvppatchpatch-1.0.2pvpstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorwarzonewarzonesThu, 05 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare's James Ohlen: Bug fixes coming weekly]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/biowares-james-ohlen-bug-fixes-coming-weekly/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/biowares-james-ohlen-bug-fixes-coming-weekly/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/biowares-james-ohlen-bug-fixes-coming-weekly/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Screenshot -- Star Wars: The Old Republic
Any new MMO, even big-budget behemoths like BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic, is often fraught with bugs and exploits that can keep the game from living up to its full potential. The Old Republic's game director, James Ohlen, recognizes this and has stopped by the official forums to let players know how the company will be handling the game's bugs, glitches, and exploits.

Ohlen states that "almost every week [BioWare] will be releasing a new patch." These pseudo-weekly patches will be focused almost entirely on fixing bugs, exploits, and glaring balance issues within the game. Ohlen does remind players, however, that bug-fixing is not always a simple task. "There are issues that we will fix immediately," he says, with the caveat that "these are rare and not every issue can be fixed in this manner. We usually reserve these 'emergency fixes' for bugs that are stopping players from playing the game or to exploits that could unbalance the entire game if not corrected." I'm sure players have a few things in mind to which an emergency fix could be applied, but we'll just have to wait for the next patch to see what the devs have cooked up.

MassivelyBioWare's James Ohlen: Bug fixes coming weekly originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balancebiowarebug-fixesbugseaelectronic-artsexploitexploitsfixesglitchglitchesjames-ohlenpatchpatchesstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorWed, 04 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth's December State of the Game talks F2P transition, new features]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/fallen-earths-december-state-of-the-game-talks-f2p-transition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/fallen-earths-december-state-of-the-game-talks-f2p-transition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/fallen-earths-december-state-of-the-game-talks-f2p-transition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Fallen Earth
It's finally December, which means that I can go into a store and not fly into a rage when I discover that it's already playing Christmas music. It also means that it's time for Fallen Earth's December State of the Game letter. This is the first State of the Game since the title's change to F2P last month, so can you bet your hide there's a lot to cover. Marie Croall begins by talking about some of the "less sexy but ultimately critical things" that the team has been working on since the transition. Lots of bug-fixing has taken place as the Fallen Earth team works to iron out some of the kinks that arose during the F2P transition.

Meanwhile, the town of Embry got a bit of a makeover. The art team went into the city and "replaced high-poly, high-batch buildings with newer ones that will improve performance and the overall aesthetic appeal of the town." The team is also working hard at developing new content and features, such as world events, farms, and the upcoming augmentation system. Croall closes out the post with some dates: Territory control, the revamped map, new world events, and New Embry will be added to the game in mid-December, while everything else will have to wait until next year. For the full details, head on to the game's official blog.

MassivelyFallen Earth's December State of the Game talks F2P transition, new features originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>augmentationbugbug-fixesbugsf2pfallen-earthfefree-to-playgamersfirstsotgstate-of-the-gameterritory-controlThu, 01 Dec 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New Darkfall blog post addresses reactivation weekend, upcoming patch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/11/new-darkfall-blog-post-addresses-reactivation-weekend-upcoming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/11/new-darkfall-blog-post-addresses-reactivation-weekend-upcoming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/11/new-darkfall-blog-post-addresses-reactivation-weekend-upcoming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Darkfall
Last week, we reported that Darkfall would be hosting a reactivation weekend with increased skill-up rates and loot drops. Head-honcho Tasos Flambouras stopped by the official site today to announce that the festivities will be beginning on Friday, November 18th, and that they will last through the weekend until the 21st. He warns, however, that the team is also busy preparing a patch, which -- understandably -- takes priority over the reactivation weekend. As such, it's possible that the event will be postponed.

The patch itself includes a number of bug fixes and other adjustments, "more specifically addressing emotes cutting off animations and sounds." The team is also working to combat some of the game's exploits such as using the trading system to bypass over-encumberance. For the full details, head on over to the Darkfall official site.

MassivelyNew Darkfall blog post addresses reactivation weekend, upcoming patch originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aventurineaventurine-sabugsdarkfallexploitsincreased-skill-upsincreased-skillingpatchreactivation-weekendtasostasos-flambourasFri, 11 Nov 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online dev blog talks test server rewards]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/star-trek-online-dev-blog-talks-test-server-rewards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/star-trek-online-dev-blog-talks-test-server-rewards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/star-trek-online-dev-blog-talks-test-server-rewards/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Star Trek Online - Scotty with tribbles
Star Trek Online's latest dev blog is live, and executive producer Stephen D'Angelo spends a bit of time talking about tribbles. Rest easy, they're not taking over the Cryptic offices, and D'Angelo spends this week's Path to F2P installment outlining the benefits of participating on the game's Tribble test server.

The dev team has increased the character transfer limit, and players may now copy up to three of their avatars from the main server. D'Angelo outlines the various rewards available for players willing to roll up their sleeves and get down and dirty with the bug squashing. The goodies range from tribble pets (naturally) to XP boosts and Dilithium chunks. Exclusive titles, starship slots, and duty officers are also available, so head over to the test shard and do your part!

MassivelyStar Trek Online dev blog talks test server rewards originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bug-squashingbugscharacter-copycrypticcryptic-studiosdev-blogdev-diaryf2pfree-to-playperfect-world-entertainmentpwerewardsscif-istar-trek-onlinestephen-dangelostotest-servertestingtribbletribblesFri, 04 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Perpetuum dev blog talks MMO complexity, implementation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/perpetuum-dev-blog-talks-mmo-complexity-implementation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/perpetuum-dev-blog-talks-mmo-complexity-implementation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/perpetuum-dev-blog-talks-mmo-complexity-implementation/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Perpetuum - fitting screen
Why don't those silly devs just fix it? It's a single line of code! It would take a few seconds! If you've played MMOs for a while, chances are you've uttered (or at least thought about) a variation on those lines at some point.

We suggest a read-through of the latest Perpetuum dev blog, as it's a real eye-opener when it comes to the complexity that goes into seemingly simple fixes. Avatar Creations walks us through an example of the ricochet effect that can result from changing a single integer value, and while it's not light reading or intended for those of us whose eyes glaze over at the thought of anything technical, it's nonetheless an interesting peek behind the curtain.

The dev blog also illustrates the Perpetuum team's allow-anyone-to-fix-anything-they-can mantra, and you can read the full text at the game's official website.

MassivelyPerpetuum dev blog talks MMO complexity, implementation originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avataravatar-creationsbugsdev-blogdev-diarydevelopmentfix-itmmo-industryperpetuumsandboxsci-fiTue, 01 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Turbine explains recent LotRO forum security issue]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/turbine-explains-recent-lotro-forum-security-issue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/turbine-explains-recent-lotro-forum-security-issue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/turbine-explains-recent-lotro-forum-security-issue/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

LOTRO
While Lord of the Rings Online's forums have returned following Turbine's decision to take them down due to a security issue, many players were left in the dark about what had happened. To clear the air with this, the studio posted a brief security FAQ that addresses the specifics of what went down this past week.

According to the FAQ, Turbine became aware of a compromise in the forum database that would allow unauthorized access from outsiders. The company took the forums offline, brought in security experts, and fixed the bug that caused this issue. Turbine also claims it has strengthened its web security and that no payment details, including credit card information, were in danger of being stolen.

As part of an effort to make sure all players were secure, Turbine sent out notices to a few customers with particularly vulnerable passwords. In the email, the players were informed that their passwords were reset for their own safety.

The FAQ ends with a few Dos and Don'ts about password creation which all MMO players would be wise to adopt.

MassivelyTurbine explains recent LotRO forum security issue originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugbugsfaqforumhacklord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropasswordpasswordssecuritysecurity-compromisesecurity-faqturbineTurbine-EntertainmentWed, 19 Oct 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP readying new EVE bug reporting tool]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/ccp-readying-new-eve-bug-reporting-tool/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/ccp-readying-new-eve-bug-reporting-tool/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/ccp-readying-new-eve-bug-reporting-tool/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EVE Online - Gallente cruiser in hangar
Bug reporting is rarely sexy, but it's one of those necessary evils that comes with the territory when we're talking about complex pieces of software like EVE Online. Bug reporting has also been something of a pain for CCP customers prior to this week, and hopefully that will change with tomorrow's update.

CCP Redundancy has the details via the latest EVE dev blog, and the long and short of it is that there's a new crash-reporting tool scheduled to go live on October 18th. The tool has been tested internally and is just now ready for prime time, and Redundancy hums a few bars relating to the whys, the hows, and the privacy concerns. You can read all about it at the official EVE website.

MassivelyCCP readying new EVE bug reporting tool originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bug-reportingbug-reportsbug-squashingbugsccpccp-gamesccp-redundancydev-blogdev-diaryeveeve-onlinein-space-no-one-can-hear-you-report-bugsinternet-spaceshipsnew-edensandboxsci-fiscifiMon, 17 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Community, contests, and minion apocalypse]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/flameseeker-chronicles-community-contests-and-minion-apocalyp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/flameseeker-chronicles-community-contests-and-minion-apocalyp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/10/flameseeker-chronicles-community-contests-and-minion-apocalyp/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ahhh, taking a breather
This week's Flameseeker Chronicles is a bit of a departure. Rather than compiling a guide or a wrap-up of the latest news or content, we're going to sit back, relax, and have a little bit of fun. The timing couldn't be better: We're in a post-convention lull for Guild Wars 2, Winds of Change part two has arrived and been played through, and Halloween events aren't here quite yet.

It's a chance to take a bit of a breather, so this week I'm focusing on some community events and a little extra. Jump past the cut and let's get started!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Community, contests, and minion apocalypse

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Community, contests, and minion apocalypse originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbugscommunitycommunity-eventsfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-onlinegwhalloweenminion-apocalypsemvopncsoftpink-day-in-laMon, 10 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: A week in Dunland]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/the-road-to-mordor-a-week-in-dunland/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/the-road-to-mordor-a-week-in-dunland/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/the-road-to-mordor-a-week-in-dunland/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Road to Mordor
Dunland: savage land of strife, tradition, and body paint. As I stood at its borders, my heel slightly sinking into the soft mud of the river shore, I could hardly believe I was there. The grass blew gently in the breeze, and for a moment it was easy to fool myself into thinking that all was right with Middle-earth, that my journey could be over. The moment passed, and I hefted my staff and walked resolutely toward the first village I saw.

It's been almost a year since we first heard that, yes, we were going to take the Hobbits to Isengard (and Dwarves, Men and Elves, for that matter). It's been a long time coming, and now that it's here, it's a lot to absorb. I purposefully didn't spend a lot of time in the beta so as to not be spoiled; I wanted to savor Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard from start to finish. I wasn't going to be concerned with racing to the new level cap or attempting to devour all of the content in a couple of days.

With that mindset in place, I've been vastly enjoying Rise of Isengard these past few days -- more than I thought I would, to be honest -- and I wanted to document this first week in Dunland in today's Road to Mordor.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: A week in Dunland

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: A week in Dunland originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugsdunlandexpansionfeaturedglffglitchesisengardlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-storeoutfitoutfitsrise-of-isengardstag-clanthe-road-to-mordortravel-diaryturbineturbine-enterainmentvolume-3-book-4wardrobewere-taking-the-hobbits-to-isengardFri, 30 Sep 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mortal Online looking for a few good testers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/13/mortal-online-looking-for-a-few-good-testers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/13/mortal-online-looking-for-a-few-good-testers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/13/mortal-online-looking-for-a-few-good-testers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Mortal Online - cheering dude
File this one under better late than never. Mortal Online is looking for a few good testers, and even though the game officially released more than a year ago, Star Vault is opening its doors to 20 individuals willing to roll up their sleeves and get down and dirty with the fantasy sandbox MMO's collection of bugs.

"Because Star Vault is a small, independent developer, we do not have a very large QA department which often means that bugs will slip through the net resulting in many issues on the live server," writes GM Discord on the official forums.

Qualified testers will be 18 years old, be well-versed in Mortal Online, and have a game account that is in good standing. There will also be an NDA involved, and breaching it will not only result in the removal of your testing privileges but also a ban on your in-game characters. Full details are available on the official boards.

MassivelyMortal Online looking for a few good testers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>better-late-than-neverbugsfantasygame-mechanicsmortalmortal-onlinesandboxstar-vaultstarvaulttesterstestingTue, 13 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Look at my horse, my horse is amazing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/one-shots-look-at-my-horse-my-horse-is-amazing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/one-shots-look-at-my-horse-my-horse-is-amazing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/one-shots-look-at-my-horse-my-horse-is-amazing/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Age of Conan glitch
Massively reader Will sent us a great addition for One Shots' bug week today. While there's no denying that Age of Conan's quality has improved by leaps and bounds over the past few years, a few highly entertaining bugs still lurk here and there:
I wanted you to see this one because it's a bug that I find hilarious in Age of Conan. When you zone, your mount is there, but it's invisible. Enjoy this one; it's been around since the game first came out.
We're revisiting an old favorite of One Shots this week: bug week. Whether it's unwanted guests in cutscenes, funny graphic glitches, or a prank you played on a buddy, we want to see. Send your screenshots in to oneshots@massively.com and we'll feature them in next week's One Shots!

Gallery: One Shots: 2011

MassivelyOne Shots: Look at my horse, my horse is amazing originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbugsfuncomgalleriesgalleryone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsTue, 30 Aug 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Vanguard goes on a bug bash with a new update]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/vanguard-goes-on-a-bug-bash-with-a-new-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/vanguard-goes-on-a-bug-bash-with-a-new-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/vanguard-goes-on-a-bug-bash-with-a-new-update/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Vanguard
If you're rubbing your eyes in disbelief, fret not, you're hardly alone. After a sea of silence from the Vanguard team, the struggling MMO is getting its first update in a very long time -- since January 2010, as a matter of fact.

This "bug bash" update is precisely what it says: a patch dedicated to fixing a number of troublesome errors in the game. These changes will impact the UI, repeatable events, items, abilities, and quests.

While the patch itself would be seen as a routine update in any other game, the fact that Vanguard players are seeing something after all this time is cause to celebrate. A month ago Sony Online Entertainment promised the community that it hadn't forgotten about Vanguard, so hopefully this patch is an indicator that the company plans to make good on its promise to support and expand the game.

MassivelyVanguard goes on a bug bash with a new update originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugbug-bashbug-fixesbugsfan-faire-2011game-updatepatchsoesony-online-entertainmentupdatevanguardWed, 10 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Massively: Go outdoors edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/ask-massively-go-outdoors-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/ask-massively-go-outdoors-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/ask-massively-go-outdoors-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Here is the salient piece of advice from this week's Ask Massively, right up front and in the intro paragraph -- go outdoors. Right now. Shut down your computer and go for a walk. Take a hike somewhere you've never been. Explore. Take some time to just walk around out in fresh air and sunlight, or heck, enjoy being rained on. But take the time to break from a routine in which you read a whole lot of words on the Internet and just go see what's outside for a few minutes at least.

Really, this column will still be here after you're done. It'll wait.

I'm hoping that the two or three of you that actually listened to that advice enjoyed your walk. For you (and slightly earlier for everyone who just skipped over that paragraph) we've got questions this week about gold farming and the consistent scourge of site bugs. If you've got a question you'd like to see answered in a future installment, just mail it along to ask@massively.com or leave your question in the comments.

Continue reading Ask Massively: Go outdoors edition

MassivelyAsk Massively: Go outdoors edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-massivelybugsethical-behaviorethicsgold-farminggold-sellingmassively-metaopinionrmtThu, 04 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: The reverse slingshot effect]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/captains-log-the-reverse-slingshot-effect/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/captains-log-the-reverse-slingshot-effect/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/captains-log-the-reverse-slingshot-effect/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Captain's Log, Stardate 65056.3...

Hello, computer (and players)! The slingshot effect is a maneuver, shown throughout the Star Trek franchise, which allowed starships to move back through the time continuum. By traveling at a high warp factor towards a star with a large gravitational pull, the ship would whip around it and time travel. While this seemed to only exist within the realms of the IP, it looks as though Star Trek Online's Executive Producer Dan Stahl took us on a reverse slingshot course, giving us a glimpse into the future of the game. Before we returned to the original timeline, he made sure to write up everything we saw along the way for those who couldn't make the trip.

In layman's terms, for those of you who missed the news earlier this week, July's Engineering Report has been released. While this is a monthly publication that contains the development pipeline for STO, including some items that have been featured in past issues, there are always a few bullet points added that seem to spark a healthy amount of debate -- one of these includes the ability to auction off your in-game Emblems, a form of currency, for C-Store points that have been paid for with real money. For information on this, including a response from Cryptic's PR department, and more, read ahead past the jump for this week's Captain's Log entry.

Ensign, warp 10! Let's pull a slingshot maneuver of our own...

Continue reading Captain's Log: The reverse slingshot effect

MassivelyCaptain's Log: The reverse slingshot effect originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academyauctionbugsc-storecaptains-logcaptainslogcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studioscstore pointsCstorePointsdan stahldan-stahldaniel stahlDanielStahlDanStahldevelopmentdine with the devsdine-with-the-devsDineWithTheDevsemblemsengineering reportengineering-reportEngineeringReportexplorationfeaturedfleet starbasefleetsFleetStarbasefoundryklingonlivestreammicrotransactionpatchesplutoQAseason-fiveseason-fourshipsslingshotsolsol planetsSolPlanetsspeciesst-onlinestar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestarbasesstarfleetstfstoterritory controlTerritoryControltime travelTimeTraveltrek-onlinetribblewarpThu, 21 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online posts the latest Engineering Report]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/19/star-trek-online-posts-the-latest-engineering-report/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/19/star-trek-online-posts-the-latest-engineering-report/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/19/star-trek-online-posts-the-latest-engineering-report/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With the launch of Season Four now behind the developers at Star Trek Online, the team is now focusing on what lies ahead for its Captains. The latest Engineering Report, a monthly forum post that is released and written by Executive Producer Dan Stahl, foreshadows some upcoming content that we will see soon[TM] and commits to the eradicating of bugs that recently came to life. There are even some new additions that are sure to bring some "healthy" discussions to the Cryptic forums.

Between now and Season Five, we will see the introduction of the Duty Officer system, STF revamps, new gear sets, more Klingon updates, and the advancement of the Borg into Federation space. While it has been said that Season Five will most likely not be released until 2012, players can look forward to seeing major updates for fleets, a rework of how exploration works, more in-game species, and the introduction of fleet starbases. Make sure to take a look at the full report, as well as this week's upcoming Captain's Log entry, to read about these and other updates coming to a starship near you.

MassivelyStar Trek Online posts the latest Engineering Report originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugscaptains-logcaptainslogcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdan stahlDanStahldevelopmentengineering-reportexplorationfleet starbasefleetsFleetStarbasepatchesseason-fiveseason-fourshipsspeciesst-onlinestar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestarbasesstotrek-onlineupcoming-patchesTue, 19 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DC Universe Online updates fans on console freezes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/15/dc-universe-online-updates-fans-on-console-freezes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/15/dc-universe-online-updates-fans-on-console-freezes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/15/dc-universe-online-updates-fans-on-console-freezes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

If you've been playing DC Universe Online on the PlayStation 3, you've probably either experienced or heard of the freezing problems experienced on the platform. Executive producer DeadMeat has posted an update on the situation to the game's official Facebook page, and while it's not a fix, it does help explain what the issue seems to be from the development side. In short, the issue is less a matter of not being able to fix it and more of an issue of nailing down the precise problem.

According to the update, the common out-of-memory error that's causing console freezes requires a very specific set of conditions to be met, and while the team is doing its best to replicate the conditions for freezing, the live environment is very different from the in-house testing environment. DC Universe Online players who are trying to enjoy the game on the console might not be mollified by this update, but it's a clear sign that the developers are trying to keep an open line of communication.

MassivelyDC Universe Online updates fans on console freezes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugsconsole-errorsconsolesdc-comicsdc-universedc-universe-onlinedcuodeadmeatfreezinggame-errorsnewsplaystation-3ps3soesony-online-entertainmentWed, 15 Jun 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Secret World reveals new Accursed Woods location]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/09/the-secret-world-reveals-new-accursed-woods-location/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/09/the-secret-world-reveals-new-accursed-woods-location/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/09/the-secret-world-reveals-new-accursed-woods-location/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Secret World's third location reveal of the week is here, and we're once again back in New England for a look at the Accursed Woods. The new blurb on the game's official website kicks things off with a rather unsettling quote from H.P. Lovecraft, an author whose works have inspired both the story and the visuals of Funcom's forthcoming opus.

The Accursed Woods play host to some sort of gnarly, nameless terror, but Funcom's prose makes it clear that players will know the true nature of the evil that lurks beneath the forest floor soon enough. "Soon, very soon, these horrors beyond horrors will leave the woods, and quaint Kingsmouth will fall to their chittering chorus," the site says. Bring your bug spray and head to the official Secret World web destination for more.

MassivelyThe Secret World reveals new Accursed Woods location originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accursed-woodsbugsconspiracyfantasyfuncomhorrorhp-lovecraftkingsmouthlorelovecraftnew-englandnew-titlessecret-worldthe-accursed-woodsthe-secret-worldThu, 09 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Bald is... beautiful?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/07/one-shots-bald-is-beautiful/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/07/one-shots-bald-is-beautiful/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/07/one-shots-bald-is-beautiful/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

One thing that Guild Wars is known for among its fans is the ability to create porcelain-doll-perfect female characters. They don't always stay that way, unfortunately, and reader Devilsei has proof of that:
At a recent beach bum event held in Guild Wars, there was sun, sand, and a blatant disregard of clothing policies, apparently. I managed to snap a shot of an odd little graphical bug that suddenly made even this poor lass quite the un-looker when she was sitting underwater! I know the heat can do some weird things to people, but this was just ridiculous!
Tomorrow's our last day for bug week, then it's onward to endgame! Send your best screenshot of endgame gameplay to oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here for everyone to enjoy and then give you the thanks!

Gallery: One Shots: 2011

MassivelyOne Shots: Bald is... beautiful? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 May 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbug-weekbugsgalleriesgalleryguild-warsgwncsoftone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsSat, 07 May 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Earthrise patch coming soon, roadmap features delayed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/earthrise-rise-patch-coming-soon-roadmap-features-delayed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/earthrise-rise-patch-coming-soon-roadmap-features-delayed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/earthrise-rise-patch-coming-soon-roadmap-features-delayed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Fans of Masthead Studios' Earthrise MMORPG have waited a long time between patches. According to producer Atanas Atanasov, the wait is almost over. A new post on the official Earthrise boards details what players can expect when the new version goes live toward "the end of this week, or early next week at the latest."

The patch will include fixes for the inventory stacking bug and the problems with party experience gain. The game's shadow renders are also being tweaked, and AI attacks through walls and other solid objects are being addressed. Atanasov also tells us that the previously reported development roadmap has undergone a few revisions, and most of the items on that particular list are being delayed in favor of improving Earthrise's graphical performance.

"Due to changes in our priority list you can expect [a] delay of some roadmap features such as vehicles, inverse kinematics, quest hints on the minimap, and item painting," Atanasov explains. "Our expectations are that you will see them in game in June/July 2011."

MassivelyEarthrise patch coming soon, roadmap features delayed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Atanas-Atanasovatanas-atansovbugsdevelopment-roadmapearthrisegraphical-performanceitem-paintingmastheadmasthead-studiospatchpatchesperformanceroadmapsandboxsci-fivehiclesWed, 04 May 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: That's not really how you're supposed to ride those]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/one-shots-thats-not-really-how-youre-supposed-to-ride-those/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/one-shots-thats-not-really-how-youre-supposed-to-ride-those/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/one-shots-thats-not-really-how-youre-supposed-to-ride-those/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Bug week continues on One Shots, and today Paula treated us to an amusing World of Warcraft glitch:
The holiday transformations are quite fun, but beware riding in Choppers while transformed! I hopped into the sidecar and got my poor gnome head bounced around upside down all over Dalaran!
Thanks for the laugh, Paula! We've got room for more bugs, so send a screenshot of the funniest bug, glitch, or blooper you've come across to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here for everyone to enjoy and then give you the thanks!

Gallery: One Shots: 2011

MassivelyOne Shots: That's not really how you're supposed to ride those originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 May 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardbug-weekbugsgalleriesgalleryone-shotspaulascreenshotscreenshotsworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 03 May 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Bam! Star to the face!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/one-shots-bam-star-to-the-face/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/one-shots-bam-star-to-the-face/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/one-shots-bam-star-to-the-face/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Welcome to One Shots bug week! Our readers are sharing their favorite bugs, glitches, and bloopers in game this week, and we're kicking off with a World of Warcraft bug from Lisa:
I have so many screenshots of funny bugs in World of Warcraft that it was difficult to pick just one. I think this one is my favorite though. This is from the previous expansion, shortly after Ulduar was released. Somewhere over the course of the raid, my character Ankatra's head got lopped off and replaced with a star, so I got to run around being my own little supernova. It was pretty epic. !
We've got room for more bugs, so send a screenshot of the funniest bug, glitch, or blooper you've come across to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here for everyone to enjoy and then give you the thanks!

Gallery: One Shots: 2011

MassivelyOne Shots: Bam! Star to the face! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 May 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentbug-weekbugsgalleriesgalleryglitchlisaone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 02 May 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New APB Reloaded blog dishes on beta version 1.5.0]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/new-apb-reloaded-blog-talks-beta-version-1-5-0/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/new-apb-reloaded-blog-talks-beta-version-1-5-0/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/18/new-apb-reloaded-blog-talks-beta-version-1-5-0/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The newest APB Reloaded dev blog is up, and this week finds GamersFirst in the midst of an "insane crunch" to get the 1.5.0 version of the beta client ready for prime time. Bjorn Book-Larsson gives us the details in his latest dev diary, and he also takes the time to answer many of the questions that fans are likely to have as the week wears on.

Most of the pre-emptive Q&A pertains to beta invites, and there's also a blurb relating to possible future character wipes (aside from the one that we know is coming with 1.5.0). In addition to participating in the question-and-answer session, Book-Larsson lists a few of the core changes that the GamersFirst team has already completed. These include a new spawning system, the witnessing mechanic, modifier tweaks, and fixes for memory usage (as well as a reduced client size).

Despite all the progress, there's quite a bit of work left to do as APB Reloaded's beta rolls on, and you can read all about it on the game's official dev blog.

MassivelyNew APB Reloaded blog dishes on beta version 1.5.0 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.5.0all-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-reloadedapbapb-reloadedbetaBjorn-Book-Larssonbug-fixingbugsclosed-betacrimedev-blogdev-diaryf2pfree-to-playgamersfirsttestingMon, 18 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Somebody should do something about all the problems!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/the-soapbox-somebody-should-do-something-about-all-the-problems/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/the-soapbox-somebody-should-do-something-about-all-the-problems/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/the-soapbox-somebody-should-do-something-about-all-the-problems/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

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.

Bugs. They are the scourge of gaming, crawling and chittering their way through lines of code, turning what would have been a sure win into failure, making otherwise useful abilities worthless, crippling quests and destroying playtime. And so the clarion call goes out every time a new bug emerges that the developers should fix it -- a reasonable request, given that we are paying these people every month. (Or, on several occasions, we would be paying if the game weren't such a mess of bugs that they should be paying us.)

Yet months roll by, and despite countless lovingly assembled bug reports, these issues do not get fixed. And it's not just bugs, either -- balance issues go untweaked, content goes unfinished, features get rolled back or sometimes removed altogether. What the heck are we paying for? Why in the world doesn't the development team just fix these problems?

Continue reading The Soapbox: Somebody should do something about all the problems!

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Somebody should do something about all the problems! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balancebalanced-environmentbrokenbug-fixesbugschallengedevelopersdevelopmentdevelopment-teamsdifficultyfeaturedfunctionalitykeeping-things-workingopinionsoapboxthe-soapboxworking-as-intendedTue, 05 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost Pages of Taborea: What just happened?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/21/lost-pages-of-taborea-what-just-happened/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/21/lost-pages-of-taborea-what-just-happened/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/21/lost-pages-of-taborea-what-just-happened/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

There are always plenty of memories to make and share with others, as MMOs tend to be never-ending playgrounds for us to romp around in. And after recalling major events for Runes of Magic's second birthday, I've been stuck in fond-memory mode. Two years of playing RoM is a lot of time to build up memories, too. I've gone through many a server, guild and character since I started, and I've both made memories with friends and remembered events the game itself created.

Sometimes a developer forgets to turn off a light switch, a new bug appears, or a new patch brings unintended changes. I remember a handful of times some pretty interesting things have happened. Mysterious statues popping up, bosses appearing in houses, and other anomalies await after the break.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: What just happened?

MassivelyLost Pages of Taborea: What just happened? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bossboss-in-housebugsfeaturedfrog-kingfrog-statuefrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactivefunnyglitchglitcheshousehumorjeremy-strattonlost-pages-of-taboreamemoriesmemorymysteriousnostalgiaromrunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmentstrangeweirdMon, 21 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Masthead adds exploration rewards to Earthrise, hints at player-crafted vehicles]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/masthead-adds-exploration-rewards-to-earthrise-hints-at-player/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/masthead-adds-exploration-rewards-to-earthrise-hints-at-player/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/masthead-adds-exploration-rewards-to-earthrise-hints-at-player/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It's patch time for Earthrise, and the sci-fi sandbox from indie developer Masthead Studios is looking to put the hurt on a few of its early-release gremlins. The patch notes for version 17045 indicate that players should notice a substantial reduction in lag and an overall increase in server and client performance. The patch has also added keybinding functionality to the world of Enterra as well as animation tweaks for strafing and walking.

Exploration rewards have also arrived in Earthrise, and players "will now be able to salvage materials and use them for either crafting or personal advantage." The dev team isn't stopping there, though, and producer Atanas Atanasov drops a couple of tasty hints regarding upcoming updates. "We are actively taking player feedback and requests into consideration for future releases, and have extensive developments planned for completion in the next few months, including the addition of territorial conquests and player crafted vehicles," he said via press release.

Gallery: Earthrise

MassivelyMasthead adds exploration rewards to Earthrise, hints at player-crafted vehicles originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Atanas-Atanasovbugsdesyncearthriseexplorationexploration-rewardsgallerieslagmastheadmasthead-studiospatchperformanceperformance-fixesplayer-vehiclessandboxsci-fiscreenshotsserver-lagstabilityterritory-controlupdateMon, 14 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[APB Reloaded keeps us up to date on development]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/11/apb-reloaded-keeps-us-up-to-date-on-development/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/11/apb-reloaded-keeps-us-up-to-date-on-development/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/11/apb-reloaded-keeps-us-up-to-date-on-development/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It's always good to see a games company keep the lines of communication open in regard to an upcoming title. It's especially nice to see those frequent morsels of communication presented in an open and downright amusing fashion! The team behind All Points Bulletin: Reloaded is certainly managing to do just that, as we can see in its most recent update.

According to none other than the COO/CTO for GamersFirst, Bjorn "TechMech" Book-Larsson, the team currently working on ABP: Reloaded has made a huge find in terms of server bugs. Apparently, the way the current in-game death camera is coded, the entire sector hits a lag spike -- or as he puts it, "take[s] a brief 100ms moment of silence" when a player is killed. This, in turn, causes a lot of the rubberbanding that players see on their end. Finding this bug means that the team is now hard at work on a fix, and Book-Larsson is hopeful that we may even see it released to closed beta players within a matter of days.

If you're curious about the progress GamersFirst is making on APB: Reloaded, then be sure to head over and check out the newest blog post or go get signed up for closed beta!

[Thanks, Connor!]

MassivelyAPB Reloaded keeps us up to date on development originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-reloadedapbapb-reloadedapbrbetaBjorn-Book-Larssonbugbugsclosed-betacooctodevelopment-updatef2pfree-to-playg1gamersfirstmmofpsrubberbandingFri, 11 Mar 2011 20:00:00 EST