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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Nexus Telegraph: It's all right if people don't like WildStar]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/17/the-nexus-telegraph-its-all-right-if-people-dont-like-wildsta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/17/the-nexus-telegraph-its-all-right-if-people-dont-like-wildsta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/17/the-nexus-telegraph-its-all-right-if-people-dont-like-wildsta/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

My girl wants to party all the time. I favor a more nuanced partying portfolio.
I like WildStar a lot. You knew from an early time that I liked the game's aesthetic and sense of humor, and as time went on it became clear that I also liked the mechanics and the approaches it has toward an endgame. When I finally got my first hands-on playtime with the game, I liked that, too. What I'm getting at here is that WildStar is currently fighting with Final Fantasy XIV for the title of my absolute favorite MMO, and they both coexist in a space of I want to play you both all the time.

But some people aren't in that boat. Some people aren't that wild about the game, even some people whom I work alongside. And that is totally fine.

Last week's events made me decide to do one of my periodic column-topic-switches to discuss the fact that there is going to be bad press about WildStar out there, sometimes even bad press that complains about things that you don't think are relevant. And the best thing you can do is be cool.

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: It's all right if people don't like WildStar

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: It's all right if people don't like WildStar originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WildStar
Massively returned to the WildStar demos at E3 on Thursday to chat one last time with the team from Carbine. As we noted in yesterday's Q&A article, Carbine had already declared it wasn't making any big announcements at E3. It always intended a low-key presence, sharing a booth hosted by Alienware and offering the same demo gamers are at PAX East, just brought to the west coast.

Why Alienware? WildStar runs really great on a laptop.

Good news, though: Carbine plans to have a big WildStar presence at Gamescom and PAX, and the team is working on demos that will show new content, new races, and new classes.

Continue reading E3 2013: Chatting with Team WildStar

MassivelyE3 2013: Chatting with Team WildStar originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosconconventionconvention-coveragee3e3-2013electronic-entertainment-expoevent-coverageexpofeaturedinterviewinterviewsmassively-event-coveragencsoftpreviewpreviewssandparksci-fantasysci-fiWildStarwsFri, 14 Jun 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[E3 2013: WildStar press briefing and Q&A with Jeremy Gaffney]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/e3-2013-wildstar-press-briefing-and-qanda-with-jeremy-gaffney/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/e3-2013-wildstar-press-briefing-and-qanda-with-jeremy-gaffney/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/13/e3-2013-wildstar-press-briefing-and-qanda-with-jeremy-gaffney/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WildStar
When I was told I'd get to attend a media briefing with Jeremy Gaffney, I ran to my closet and busted out my old "STFU University" shirt! Good old South Tenkarrdum Foundry University! For those who don't know (or have forgotten), Gaffney was a founder of Turbine and worked on both Asheron's Call and Asheron's Call 2, my first two MMOs. Oh, and there's that WildStar game he was talking about. That sounds pretty cool too.

Sadly, about a week before E3, I was told that Carbine wouldn't be making any big announcement at the con. This would be a catch-up conference, and from what I saw, it was mainly aimed at Korean gamers who might not already be familar in the game. I love E3 because of its international setting, and truthfully, even from "old" news you can usually find some new information if you're careful... or a selfish reporter can snag the question-asking mic two times in one briefing. Don't worry; the second time was in a big batch of "raise your hand if you have a question" end-of-the-Q&A type deals. I'm not that selfish.

Continue reading E3 2013: WildStar press briefing and Q&A with Jeremy Gaffney

MassivelyE3 2013: WildStar press briefing and Q&A with Jeremy Gaffney originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosconconventionconvention-coveragee3e3-2013electronic-entertainment-expoevent-coverageexpofeaturedinterviewinterviewsjeremy gaffneyjeremy-gaffneyJeremyGaffneymassively-event-coveragencsoftpreviewpreviewssandparksci-fantasysci-fiWildStarwsThu, 13 Jun 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar gets the band together for a game jam]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/wildstar-gets-the-band-together-for-a-game-jam/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/wildstar-gets-the-band-together-for-a-game-jam/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/wildstar-gets-the-band-together-for-a-game-jam/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A game jelly, meanwhile, is crushed and candied game discs. It's kind of horrible.
You don't get into a video game career to make huge stacks of money, you do it because you love games. That means that the idea of Game Jams can actually make sense. What's a Game Jam? Well, it's the event on display in the latest WildStar Wednesday, and it's also a way for the Carbine Studios team to relax from the stress of a work week by coming in and working for another eight hours on something crazy.

No, that's really the idea. As explained in the article, Game Jams consist of people coming into the office, deciding on a task, and splitting off into small teams to make a playable build of something within eight hours. It's a chance for designers, programmers, and artists to all stretch their legs a bit more, possibly exploring aspects of the game that they're not normally involved in on a day-to-day basis. And a chance for people to relax from work by doing more work, that's also a thing.

MassivelyWildStar gets the band together for a game jam originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosdesignexperimentsgame-designgame-jamgame-mechanicsncsoftsandparksci-fantasysci-fiwildstarwildstar-wednesdaywsWed, 12 Jun 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E3 2013: Not so wild about WildStar]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/e3-2013-not-so-wild-about-wildstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/e3-2013-not-so-wild-about-wildstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/12/e3-2013-not-so-wild-about-wildstar/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

WildStar's promising players the moon, but are gamers just star-struck? I know I personally wasn't paying too much attention to the game until the recent video about paths. I'm not against the graphics, I think themeparks can be fun, and I've put up with PvE vs. PvP stats for about a decade and a half, so what's another year? But... well, I just keep getting the feeling that there's a lot of hype and no substance. The path video and the scientist path hands-on preview got me excited though. No longer were these empty promises! Someone had seen some of them first-hand! But maybe this was my downfall.

For those who don't know, E3 isn't about playing any game you want any way you want. Sometimes devs just bring the live game and let you have at it, but I find that often these games don't have a lot of announcements to make and are mainly there to let... ah, "less informed" gaming journalists see the game. No, instead, you often have a developer leading you on a very strict path, if you're even allowed to play the game. Maybe they release you with a premade character into a specific dungeon that "ends" when the boss dies. Or, as with my hands on with Wildstar, you might be restricted to a few class/paths and have to do the newbie experience.

Continue reading E3 2013: Not so wild about WildStar

MassivelyE3 2013: Not so wild about WildStar originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raid as a double entendre.
When WildStar comes out, it is going to have raiding. It's going to have the sort of raiding and group content that is meant to be challenging. No facerolls intended here; you'd better bring your A-game on raid night, or you will be facedown in the dirt so often that people will think you're doing a performance piece on the Kennedy family tree.

I am not a lover of raiding. This is not difficult to find evidence of on this site because I've talked about the issues with group-only endgame antics on more than one occasion. Heck, I wrote about how raiding turns you into a horrible person. So you would think I'd look at what we know about WildStar's endgame and start facepalming, possibly whilst shaking my head and muttering obscenities.

But I'm not. I'm totally cool with what we've been told so far about the endgame because there's much more than just the raiding aspect in the game, and I'm intrigued by how it's working out.

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: Raiding in WildStar is its own creature

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: Raiding in WildStar is its own creature originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WildStar will pull in the exWoW crowd, says dev
Finding the sweet spot in an MMO that applies to both casual and hardcore players might be the holy grail of the industry, but Carbine is convinced that it can deliver with WildStar -- and do so in a way that World of Warcraft no longer can.

Game Design Producer Stephan Frost was bold in his statements to MCV, saying that WildStar will be a true success story. "We're making something that's different," he said. "We're coming out at a time when WoW is losing subscribers, and we can fill the void for people who want an MMO that's deep, hardcore but also accessible to people. We've found through betas and trade shows that MMO players understand our game. They can see the improvements we've made and notice that this game is something pretty cool."

MassivelyWildStar will pull in the ex-WoW crowd, says dev originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WildStar
If you participated in WildStar's first stress test, aka The Stressening, or hope to jump in with its sequel, The Stress Continues, then this week's WildStar Wednesday is for you. Carbine Studios community director Troy Hewitt, live producer Craig Turner, and senior community manager David Bass penned the latest blog entry to discuss how the stress tests are going and what, exactly, the team managed to break this go-round, starting with instances capping improperly and names being distorted. (This last bit is probably a blessing for those testers running around named Legolas and Tyrion Lannister. You know I'm right.)

Bass specifically addresses the challenges of herding gamers who are "used to the usual 'STRESS TEST WEEKEND WOOOOOO!' hype," which is, you know, pretty much all of us. "The problem," he wrote, "was that we needed to do an actual stress test... one where we kept adding more and more players until something broke so that we could see where our weaknesses were." Like Bass, we're sure the "promise of a future beta invite" soothed any grumpiness.

MassivelyWildStar's devs break all the things in the latest stress test originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosCraig-Turnerdavid-bassdev-blogncsoftsandparksci-fantasysci-fistress-testtroy-hewittwildstarwildstar-wednesdaywsThu, 06 Jun 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Nexus Telegraph: Playing a WildStar mind game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/the-nexus-telegraph-playing-a-wildstar-mind-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/the-nexus-telegraph-playing-a-wildstar-mind-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/06/03/the-nexus-telegraph-playing-a-wildstar-mind-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Look those trailing titles are hard sometimes.
We still don't know exactly what the last two WildStar classes will look like, unless my speculation turns out to be true (and you'd better believe that I believe it). But as it happens, we don't know quite as much about one of the four we are aware of. Espers are a known quantity, but they've been... not hidden, precisely. But they're also not as visible as Spellslingers, Warriors, and Stalkers. Ironic, since they were one of the first classes we knew about.

Last week I was focused on unpacking paths from the recent preview event. This time, I want to talk about Espers. I also want to talk about leveling your character and dissecting some of the other information we've been getting about the title, while leaving out one crucial bit of WildStar discussion in anticipation of next week. Yes, I have plans. You'll figure it out or see it in the "next week" blurb. Either way.

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: Playing a WildStar mind game

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: Playing a WildStar mind game originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Jun 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WildStar economy post talks item decay, Raph Koster, and more
What do hyperinflation and Raph Koster's A Theory of Fun for Game Design have to do with WildStar? Well, they're both mentioned in the game's latest dev blog. As you may have guessed, it's all about the title's economy, and Senior Systems Designer Charles "Bull" Durham expends quite a bit of virtual ink talking about things like resource sinks, resource fonts, and Carbine's interpretation of "fun" as it relates to resource reallocation.

Durham also mentions item decay in passing, though it's not clear whether or not the game will make use of the mechanic in some form or fashion. "We also want to make sure that when you have to make a choice, it is based on what you, the player, feels is most important. Therefore, the choices cannot be too obvious or too enmeshed in critical needs," he writes. "Item repair, for example, doesn't offer much in the way of choice, so it shouldn't be an impactful, painful thing. We will get into this particular money sink later, but it is a very handy and fair money sink to have."

MassivelyWildStar economy post talks item decay, Raph Koster, and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 31 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wildstar Wednesday
WildStar is set in a dangerous and unpredictable universe where anything goes, but that doesn't mean some of the game's inhabitants aren't just dripping with class and old-money tradition. This week's WildStar Wednesday outlines the history of the Luminai, an Eldan-human hybrid race that currently walks the halls of power in the Dominion -- and has its eyes set on the conquest of Nexus.

The story of the Luminai is deep and intriguing and hinges on some familiar themes. There's a lauded leader who reigned over 300 years of peace, an elite tier of people who named themselves as gods, a caste system forged by an emperor's decree, and an ongoing tussle for power between competing houses that often results in bloodshed and betrayal. Heck, there's even a forced coup and a "dark reign."

Click the jump to get a closer look at Myrcalus the Vindicator, the current emperor of the Dominion and the man-Eldan who swears to bring Nexus under its rule. And keep a lookout for the Luminai while you're in WildStar. They are, after all, your gods.

Continue reading Wildstar Wednesday: Caste, ritual and the ascension of an emperor god

MassivelyWildstar Wednesday: Caste, ritual and the ascension of an emperor god originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betacarbinecarbine-studiosdominionlorencsoftnexussandparksci-fantasysci-fiwildstarwildstar-wednesdaywsWed, 29 May 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Nexus Telegraph: WildStar forges a path]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/27/the-nexus-telegraph-wildstar-forges-a-path/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/27/the-nexus-telegraph-wildstar-forges-a-path/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/27/the-nexus-telegraph-wildstar-forges-a-path/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Field science is a risky proposition at the best of times. This is not the best of times.
The latest news out of WildStar's new previews isn't going to quiet people who dislike the concept of the game's path system, nor will it stanch the flow of complaints about the game's art style. Those of us simply waiting at attention, however, found ourselves rewarded this week with a wealth of new information, not to mention the best look we've yet seen at how the paths will work together in action instead of concept.

And that's only the tip of the iceberg; Jeremy Gaffney has said so many things that merit unpacking that it's almost impossible to swallow some of the implications. There is, in fact, far too much to unpack in a single week. So I'm going to look at paths and start figuring out everything else next week.

I may also gush about the Mechari at some point. It's like GLaDOS, Hal, and Starscream had a kid.

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: WildStar forges a path

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: WildStar forges a path originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WildStar -- hells yeah
So who wants to hear some cool stuff about WildStar? Thought so!

Massively's Gavin Townsley recently attended a WildStar media event in San Francisco, at which he was treated to a hands-on look at the upcoming sci-fantasy MMORPG's Scientist path and Esper class. He also chatted with Carbine Studios executive producer Jeremy Gaffney, who pulls a Gaffney (I'm coining that) and can't resist leaking a bit of new info about tradeskills while filling Gavin in on how endgame will work, why we should play the Settler path, and whether talent trees are passé. If you think making 10 pairs of cotton space pants sounds boring, then yeah -- you're going to like what he's got to say.

Enjoy all three articles plus the brand-new path videos we've embedded past the cut!
Hands-on with WildStar's Scientist path and Esper class
There is something exciting about taking your first steps into the mysteries of a new planet. I was anxious to mingle with the locals, analyze artifacts, and even pick a few plants -- that is, until I saw a flower burst from the ground as a giant vine-like beast.
WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney on the Settler path
WildStar's Settlers don't just build bonfires for sappy Explorers to sing around; these titans of construction will save you time in dungeons, establish bigger outposts, and open up new realms of quests for everyone.
WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney on progression, tradeskills, and endgame
Jeremy Gaffney divulges the beautiful details on essential parts of the game: character progression, tradeskills that don't suck, and life in the elder game.

Continue reading Massively surveys WildStar's Scientist and Settler paths, the Esper class, and the crazy things Jeremy Gaffney says

MassivelyMassively surveys WildStar's Scientist and Settler paths, the Esper class, and the crazy things Jeremy Gaffney says originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview Wildstar's Jeremy Gaffney on Progression, Tradeskills, and Endgame
In the first part of our interview with Carbine Studios executive producer Jeremy Gaffney, we discussed everything we could about the Settler path. In this followup interview, he divulges the beautiful details on essential parts of the game: progression, tradeskills, and the elder game.

WildStar has been setting a fun tone with each new video that's released. As it turns out, that same philosophy extends to nearly every corner of the game.

Continue reading WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney on progression, tradeskills, and endgame

MassivelyWildStar's Jeremy Gaffney on progression, tradeskills, and endgame originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studioscraftingelder-gameendgamefeaturedinterviewinterviewsjeremy-gaffneyncsoftpreviewpreviewsraidingsandparksci-fantasysci-fitradeskillswildstarwsWed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney on the Settler path]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/wildstars-jeremy-gaffney-on-the-settler-path/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/wildstars-jeremy-gaffney-on-the-settler-path/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/wildstars-jeremy-gaffney-on-the-settler-path/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Wildstar's Settler Class An interview with Jeremy Gaffney
In a world full of potential and chaos, WildStar's factions will succeed on the planet Nexus on the backs of the Settlers. The Settlers don't just build bonfires for sappy Explorers to sing around; these titans of construction will save you time in dungeons, establish bigger outposts, and open up new realms of quests for everyone.

At a recent media event, Carbine Studios executive producer Jeremy Gaffney was only too happy to explain how the Settler path opens up the world, intersects with housing, and even plays a part in PvP.

Continue reading WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney on the Settler path

MassivelyWildStar's Jeremy Gaffney on the Settler path originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosfabkitfeaturedhousinginterviewinterviewsJeremy-Gaffneyncsoftphasingplayer-housingpreviewpreviewssandparksci-fantasysci-fisettlersettlerssocializerswar-plotwar-plotswildstarwsWed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on with WildStar's Scientist path and Esper class]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/hands-on-with-wildstars-scientist-path-and-esper-class/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/hands-on-with-wildstars-scientist-path-and-esper-class/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/22/hands-on-with-wildstars-scientist-path-and-esper-class/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Handson with Wildstar's Scientist Path, Esper class, and more
There is something exciting about taking your first steps into the mysteries of a new planet. I was anxious to mingle with the locals, analyze artifacts, and even pick a few plants -- that is, until I saw a flower burst from the ground as a giant vine-like beast. As it chewed up the slinky Aurin next to me, I decided to leave the flowers for the next Scientist.

So began my hands-on experience with WildStar, the exciting and often comical new MMO from NCsoft and Carbine Studios. The half-day event gave me time to play the Esper class, build some structures on the Settler path, and hurtle myself through the air in the name of science. There is so much to talk about!

Except plants. 'Cause allergies. *ahem*

Continue reading Hands-on with WildStar's Scientist path and Esper class

MassivelyHands-on with WildStar's Scientist path and Esper class originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosEsperfeaturedhands-onjeremy-gaffneymedia-eventncsoftpathpress-eventpreviewpreviewssandparksci-fantasysci-fiscientistwildstarwsWed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jukebox Heroes: Character select music]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/jukebox-heroes-character-select-music/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/jukebox-heroes-character-select-music/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/jukebox-heroes-character-select-music/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Jukebox Heroes Character select music
Character select and creation music has always fascinated me. OK, maybe not fascinated; it's interested me. I've always viewed such themes as the overture of the game, the interlude between the title theme and the game proper to come.

These themes don't tend to be rip-roaring in their presentation because that's not their purpose. They have to be pleasant enough without being annoying when looped endlessly. After all, sometimes players spend a loooong time making their characters or sitting there at the select screen, and the last thing you want is for their ears to become fatigued by the experience.

So here are six MMO character select and character creation themes that I've enjoyed over the years. And if you saw the title graphic up there and immediately started hearing this song in your head, then you and I probably grew up in the same era.

Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: Character select music

MassivelyJukebox Heroes: Character select music originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studioscity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcomposercomposerscovcoxeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedffff11ffxifinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-xifree-to-playfreedomgame-musicjasper-kydjesper-kydjukeboxjukebox-heroesjustin-olivettimmo-jukeboxmmo-musicmusicncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiossandboxsandparksci-fantasysci-fisoesonysony-online-entertainmentsoundtracksoundtrackssquaresquare-enixsuperherosuperheroestelonthe-chronicles-of-spellbornvanguardvanguard-saga-of-heroesvgwildstarwsTue, 21 May 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Nexus Telegraph: Still moving in WildStar]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/the-nexus-telegraph-still-moving-in-wildstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/the-nexus-telegraph-still-moving-in-wildstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/20/the-nexus-telegraph-still-moving-in-wildstar/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Or just stand there and let it reach you, that's cool too.
The downside to writing about WildStar in this stage of the game's lifecycle is that because of the very nature of beta tests, I'm going to be spending a lot of time speculating instead of talking about certainties. Last week, I speculated. I was wrong on some points, as I found out when I got a letter from Carbine clarifying some things that had previously been ambiguous enough for speculation.

The upside to writing about WildStar in this stage of the game's lifecycle is that sometimes I get letters from development staff letting me in on valuable inside information.

Aside from being able to clarify my previous incorrect speculation, I also have for you a number of other important bits of information regarding the game this week, including a brief discussion of whether or not the game will allow for flight on a regular basis. So since that's well worth discussing, let's go ahead and just make this column another dialogue about movement.

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: Still moving in WildStar

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: Still moving in WildStar originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>areascarbinecarbine-studiosclimatecolumnfeaturedflightflyingflying-mountsloremovementncsoftnexusnexus-telegraphopinionregionssandparksci-fantasysci-fithe-nexus-telegraphtransportwildstarzonesMon, 20 May 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Unicorn poop, beer cans, and housing dungeons: WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney preps us for closed beta 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/unicorn-poop-beer-cans-and-housing-dungeons-wildstars-jeremy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/unicorn-poop-beer-cans-and-housing-dungeons-wildstars-jeremy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/unicorn-poop-beer-cans-and-housing-dungeons-wildstars-jeremy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Unicorn poop, beer cans, and housing dungeons WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney preps us for closed beta 2
"This is going to be the best game most of us have built in our lives," Carbine Studios Executive Producer Jeremy Gaffney said bluntly.

The game in question, of course, is WildStar, and it represents Gaffney's 10th or so trip through the beta development chute on the way to release. There's an undeniable note of pride and calm confidence in his voice as he talks about the baby that's growing inside Carbine's womb right now, and he was definitely not shy in opening up about all of the decisions and work the team's made as WildStar heads into its second trimester... er, closed beta test.

Before that, however, Gaffney provided a recap of the first closed beta test. He said that it was pretty limited, with only 2,000 players testing out the lowbie Exile zones. The team moved some of the elder game content down in level so that people could test it out, and developers spent some time doing impromptu Q&A sessions with players in the field. As a result, Carbine is ready to shift over to the Dominion side and greatly expand the beta in size and content. Read on for the full scoop on what the next step will entail.

Continue reading Unicorn poop, beer cans, and housing dungeons: WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney preps us for closed beta 2

MassivelyUnicorn poop, beer cans, and housing dungeons: WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney preps us for closed beta 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addonsbetabeta-testbeta-testingcarbinecarbine-studioscb2closed-betaclosed-beta-2dominiondungeonfeaturedhousinghoustoninterviewinterviewsjeremy-gaffneymodsncsoftplayer-housingpreviewpreviewssandparksci-fantasysci-fitestingwildstarwsWed, 15 May 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Nexus Telegraph: Getting from place to place in WildStar]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/the-nexus-telegraph-getting-from-place-to-place-in-wildstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/the-nexus-telegraph-getting-from-place-to-place-in-wildstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/the-nexus-telegraph-getting-from-place-to-place-in-wildstar/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

There are so many things wrong with that space blimp that I'm not sure where to start.
Nexus is a big place. We saw last week what it's going to be like getting from spot to spot in a smaller sense with last week's overview of movement, but there's more to movement in WildStar. After all, there are a lot of zones stretched out over big chunks of land, and even if you're sprinting as much as you can you'll eventually find that you can't traverse an entire continent by foot, much less the ocean.

No, for this sort of transport you need something more robust. You'll need vehicles, both personal and otherwise. You'll need boats, you'll need ships, you'll need something that can move faster than you can move even if you can jump out of a dodge. But a lot of what you need will depend upon what the game's layout looks like, so it's time to fire up the speculation machine and ask some questions, starting with those of location.

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: Getting from place to place in WildStar

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: Getting from place to place in WildStar originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studioscolumnfeaturedmobilityncsoftnexusnexus-telegraphopinionsandparksci-fantasysci-fispeculationthe-nexus-telegraphtransporttransportationwildstarzonesMon, 13 May 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Exclusive: How WildStar has the power to move you]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/massively-exclusive-how-wildstar-has-the-power-to-move-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/massively-exclusive-how-wildstar-has-the-power-to-move-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/massively-exclusive-how-wildstar-has-the-power-to-move-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I fly through the air with the greatest of ease, then land with a cracking sound from both my knees.
Movement does not normally seem like a complicated topic in MMOs. You press forward; your character goes forward. Backward? Same deal. You can turn, and you can strafe, and you can turn and strafe and run forward if you're some kind of rebel or you want to give yourself motion sickness. But WildStar makes movement a bigger deal than normal because with a greater emphasis on action comes a greater emphasis on moving out of the path of danger.

The latest official video covers all the basics of movement, from dashing to sprinting to pining for the presumably nonexistent quadruple jump. But we had a chance to sit down with lead combat systems designer Chris Lynch and lead class designer Hugh Shelton to talk about more of the specifics, starting with the obvious question: What beast must we slay to unlock the all-powerful quadruple jump?

Wait, that wasn't it. It was about chaining movement tricks together in an endless cycle of airborne dashes.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: How WildStar has the power to move you

MassivelyMassively Exclusive: How WildStar has the power to move you originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-combatcarbinecarbine-studiosdashingdodgingfeaturedinterviewinterviewsjumpingmomentummovementncsoftphysicsplacementsandparksci-fantasysci-fiwildstarwsFri, 10 May 2013 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New WildStar video is all about smooth moves]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/new-wildstar-video-is-all-about-smooth-moves/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/new-wildstar-video-is-all-about-smooth-moves/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/new-wildstar-video-is-all-about-smooth-moves/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

He's either angry or getting up after a nap. I give even odds either way.
Movement is always important in MMOs; you can't get into arguments about who's standing in the fire if everyone is rooted in place, after all. Since WildStar is promising active combat, it needs to have even more movement than normal so that you can find new and exciting ways not to stand in new and exciting sorts of fire. And the newest DevSpeak video is all about that.

"That" being movement. Not new and exciting sorts of fire. It's still pretty much normal fire.

Some elements will be immediately familiar to anyone who has played a video game on a computer within the past decade. Some elements are a bit more uncommon, like double-jumping or giving every class access to a quick dashing roll. And some elements, like switching positions with a target by tearing a hole in space itself, are pretty well unique. Take a look at all of them just past the break.

[Source: NCsoft press release]

Continue reading New WildStar video is all about smooth moves

MassivelyNew WildStar video is all about smooth moves originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosdodgingdont-stand-in-the-fireexplorationjumping-puzzlesmovementncsoftnewsobstaclessandparksci-fantasysci-fivideovideoswildstarwsThu, 09 May 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Nexus Telegraph: What the Luminai mean for WildStar]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/the-nexus-telegraph-what-the-luminai-mean-for-wildstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/the-nexus-telegraph-what-the-luminai-mean-for-wildstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/the-nexus-telegraph-what-the-luminai-mean-for-wildstar/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Looking closer sometimes means the light just becomes more blinding.
I spend a lot of time playing around with theories about lore. I can't do a whole lot more in regard to playing with WildStar at the moment, so that works out well anyway, but I do enjoy throwing out theories and seeing what sticks. Sometimes that invalidates earlier theories I had in the process, but that's the business.

This week I don't want to invalidate something I already speculated upon but build upon a previous column. People seemed to like my musings on what the deal is with Nexus, but even as I was writing that column, I noticed one screaming problem: The Luminai don't fit.

Obviously the Luminai are kind of a big deal, what with their addition marking the creation of the Dominion and all that. These guys are important, and their creation was obviously intentional. But they still prompt some questions because they don't serve an obvious purpose in the larger scheme of things.

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: What the Luminai mean for WildStar

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: What the Luminai mean for WildStar originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backgroundbackstorycarbinecarbine-studioscolumnfeaturedlorencsoftnexusnexus-telegraphopinionsandparksci-fantasysci-fispeculationthe-nexus-telegraphwildstarMon, 06 May 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar sneaks a peak at Stormtalon's Lair]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/wildstar-sneaks-a-peak-at-stormtalons-lair/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/wildstar-sneaks-a-peak-at-stormtalons-lair/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/wildstar-sneaks-a-peak-at-stormtalons-lair/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Maybe he just has allergies.
Making a new discovery on Nexus is always sort of a double-edged sword. The good news is that the Exile Academy of Science has discovered all sorts of fascinating details about the Thundercall Pell race living in the south of Galeras. The bad news is that some of this has come about as a result of discovering strange energy readings emanating from the caverns known as Stormtalon's Lair and the loss of a science team investigating the region, meaning that WildStar players will have to go in and deal with whatever ate the team that went in the first time.

The latest WildStar Wednesday sheds some light on this early dungeon, explaining the motivations behind the inhabitants of the Lair and some of the mysteries still surrounding them. Players will be tasked with fighting their way into the depths, stopping the Thundercall High Priest from awakening the eponymous Stormtalon. Which means you'll probably arrive just in time to fight Stormtalon before it gets free, because really, how else could this end?

MassivelyWildStar sneaks a peak at Stormtalon's Lair originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabetascarbinecarbine-studiosdungeondungeonsncsoftnewspreviewpreviewssandparksci-fantasysci-fiwildstarwildstar-wednesdaywsWed, 01 May 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Nexus Telegraph: Respecting the NDA on WildStar's beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/the-nexus-telegraph-respecting-the-nda-on-wildstars-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/the-nexus-telegraph-respecting-the-nda-on-wildstars-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/the-nexus-telegraph-respecting-the-nda-on-wildstars-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

There are probably some dark secrets in there, and you know what? I don't need to know them! I'm all right with those staying secret.
Carbine Studios is holding all of the cards for WildStar and those of us not in the beta just have to wait. Which is beyond frustrating. We have to sit back and let things slowly come out of the official PR machine, and no matter how fast we get new revelations, they're never fast enough. The temptation to look for someone willing to peel back the veil is immense because it beats pressing against the glass and waiting to find out more.

But the NDA is there for a reason.

Speaking as someone who isn't in the beta but is still talking about the game on a weekly basis, I will be the first to point out that waiting for official information is often like waiting for a solar eclipse before doing even the most basic tasks. It's frustrating, slow, and irritating. The problem is that the alternative -- wherein we just jump on every new piece of leaked information -- isn't good, and it comes out worse in the end.

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: Respecting the NDA on WildStar's beta

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: Respecting the NDA on WildStar's beta originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabetascarbinecarbine-studioscolumncontextfeaturedinformationncsoftndanexusnexus-telegraphopinionrevealsrevelationssandparksci-fantasysci-fithe-nexus-telegraphwildstarMon, 29 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar's Crimson Isle detailed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/wildstars-crimson-isle-detailed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/wildstars-crimson-isle-detailed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/wildstars-crimson-isle-detailed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

WildStar's Crimson Isle detailed
Carbine has released a few info nuggets on Crimson Isle, one of the locales players will visit in its upcoming WildStar sci-fantasy MMO.

The Isle is far off the beaten path and boasts rocky terrain as well as deadly wildlife. In other words, it's shaping up to be an adventurer's paradise. The news blurb gives us a general overview of the location as well as intel on enemies (unidentified humans, designation Species CI36) and allies (the Crimson Isle Strike Team).

Read all about it at the WildStar website.

MassivelyWildStar's Crimson Isle detailed originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studioscrimson-islencsoftsandparksci-fantasysci-fiwildstarwildstar-crimson-islewsFri, 26 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar's lead PvP designer on differentiation and dynamics]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/wildstars-lead-pvp-designer-on-differentiation-and-dynamics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/wildstars-lead-pvp-designer-on-differentiation-and-dynamics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/24/wildstars-lead-pvp-designer-on-differentiation-and-dynamics/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Draken are just suited to PvP. And any sort of combat, really.
Wildstar features a huge world, a variety of wildlife, an in-depth housing system, a variety of questing mechanics... but for some players that's just not the interesting part. No, the interesting thing is finding out how you can take up arms against a fellow player. A new interview with lead PvP designer Jen Gordy sheds some light on the game's PvP mechanics and how the designers are using this side of the game to continue encouraging players to play the game how they want.

There will be two PvP-centric stats on the game, one to improve damage to other players and one to decrease it. The development team is also including features like the ability to minimize the duration of a stun once you've been hit to avoid having PvP matches boil down to a race to incapacitate the other side. But both PvP and PvE are meant to still work toward the same whole -- things that you get on one side will be useful on the other, freeing you to explore the game aspects you find the most rewarding. Read the full interview for more details on how you can cut down your fellow players for glory and (presumably) profit.

MassivelyWildStar's lead PvP designer on differentiation and dynamics originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosinterviewinterviewsjen-gordyncsoftplayer-vs-playerprogressionpvppvp-statssandparksci-fantasysci-fiwildstarwsWed, 24 Apr 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Nexus Telegraph: Dissecting WildStar's surprise patch notes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/the-nexus-telegraph-dissecting-wildstars-surprise-patch-notes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/the-nexus-telegraph-dissecting-wildstars-surprise-patch-notes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/the-nexus-telegraph-dissecting-wildstars-surprise-patch-notes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Broadcasting high-fidelity surprises straight into your brain.
After I penned my last installment of The Nexus Telegraph, two things happened in very quick succession. The first is that a set of beta patch notes for WildStar were leaked to the internet by some unscrupulous individual, which prompted me and many other players to immediately shout that we wouldn't have leaked the notes if we had been selected. And there's an entire article to be written about why such an action isn't cool, how it harms the game, and why the persion responsible is a particularly toxic form of "fan."

But then the second thing happened. The powers that be over at Carbine Studios, being infinitely cool themselves, decided to save people the trouble of deciding whether or not to look at the leaks. They posted the notes themselves, which means that I can now read the notes and actually write a column about them.

Of course, as with any patch notes, we've been given an incomplete picture and can make only a few haphazard guesses about how the game will look. We also know that this is not even close to the final state of the game. But there's still interesting stuff here worth analyzing and speculating about.

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: Dissecting WildStar's surprise patch notes

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: Dissecting WildStar's surprise patch notes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-patchbeta-patch-notesbetascarbinecarbine-studioscolumnfeaturedncsoftnexusnexus-telegraphopinionpatch-notespatchessandparksci-fantasysci-fithe-nexus-telegraphwildstarMon, 22 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar chronicles closed beta metrics and milestones]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/wildstar-chronicles-closed-beta-metrics-and-milestones/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/wildstar-chronicles-closed-beta-metrics-and-milestones/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/18/wildstar-chronicles-closed-beta-metrics-and-milestones/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

wildstar dev blog
Last night, WildStar's Jeremy Gaffney posted up a dev blog recapping the first days of the game's closed beta, which you are likely not in. We feel for you; we're not in either. Who is in? An Aurin by the name of Poptart, who became the first closed beta tester to make her way through character creation and set foot on Nexus. The first player-created UI mod, a friend-finding tool, was also whipped up within 24 hours. (Massively broke the news on how WildStar's modding system will work back in February.) And apparently, the Algoroc zone is a nasty place; it boasts four of the nine mobs most responsible for player death.

Gaffney offers up these metrics for humor, but he's actually serious business about data parsing and player feedback even as he wants the early invitees to enjoy themselves:
We're tracking almost everything that goes on in the game. Combat timings, level timings, movement, you name it. The players' actions matter to us. Betas aren't always fun per se (there's often a big difference between "playing" and "testing"), so we've tried hard to make sure the game is actually fun even in this, our very first round of external testing.
Tester feedback, he says, is funneled to straight to a rapid response team to deal with on a daily and weekly basis. And if testers don't submit that feedback? "One player actually found that some taxi drivers in a fit of generosity would give you money for flying to your destination instead of taking it and spent four hours riding back and forth," Gaffney admits. "We left him with 50 copper of the 14 gold he farmed as thanks for making us laugh."

MassivelyWildStar chronicles closed beta metrics and milestones originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-testingcarbinecarbine-studiosclosed-betadev-blogJeremy-Gaffneymetricsncsoftpoptartsandparksci-fantasysci-fitestingwildstarwsThu, 18 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar composer releases several new music tracks]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/wildstar-composer-releases-several-new-music-tracks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/wildstar-composer-releases-several-new-music-tracks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/wildstar-composer-releases-several-new-music-tracks/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

WildStar composer releases several new music tracks
If you're bummed because you haven't gotten one of the golden tickets to WildStar's beta yet, at least you can get an earful of what testers are experiencing. Composer Jeff Kurtenacker has posted 12 tunes from the upcoming MMO on SoundCloud for everyone to enjoy.

While some of the tracks have already been heard, quite a few are new. Among these are the Dominion theme, a couple of combat loops, and the Deradune zone theme.

Give the tracks a listen and let us know how you like the sound of WildStar is shaping up! While you're at it, check out Massively's interview with Kurtenacker regarding the creation and recording of this score.

MassivelyWildStar composer releases several new music tracks originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studioscombat-musicdominionJeff-kurtenackermusicncsoftsandparksci-fantasysci-fiscoresoundtrackthemetrackswildstarwsTue, 16 Apr 2013 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Wildstar releases beta patch notes after NDA leak]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/wildstar-releases-beta-patch-notes-after-nda-leak/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/wildstar-releases-beta-patch-notes-after-nda-leak/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/16/wildstar-releases-beta-patch-notes-after-nda-leak/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Wildstar M30 patch notes
Since the Non-Disclosure Agreement means pretty much nothing these days, when players (or gaming media...) violate that NDA, they usually get a slap on the wrist and a stern look from across the internet. Or in the case of Wildstar's recent beta NDA leak, everyone wins!

And by win, I mean everyone gets to see the newest beta patch notes. As community manager Troy "Aether" Hewitt explains, "So with a mind towards fairness to those people who have maintained that trust, we're taking the leak public in an official capacity. No, we won't be doing this every time. Yes, we want to remove the person/s who leaked this information from beta. Yes, we want to avoid future leaks."

You can read the complete M30 patch notes (in an official capacity) on Wildstar's site.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in.]

MassivelyWildstar releases beta patch notes after NDA leak originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betacarbinecarbine-studiosm30ncsoftpatch-notessandparksci-fantasysci-fiwildstarwsTue, 16 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Nexus Telegraph: WildStar's puppetmasters]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/15/the-nexus-telegraph-wildstars-puppetmasters/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/15/the-nexus-telegraph-wildstars-puppetmasters/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/15/the-nexus-telegraph-wildstars-puppetmasters/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

You thought we had done all of this for your benefit. You were half right.
What do the Eldan want?

It's a reasonable question. In the backstory of WildStar, the Eldan are the progenitors and the ultimate source of all the conflict that's out there. They hold all the secrets to the planet Nexus, they are the source of the technology our characters will use, and they are the ultimate starting point. The Dominion may maintain its galactic stranglehold, but the Eldan gave them that imperative.

And they are not answering their calls.

WildStar players have been keeping a careful eye on bits of lore, and intrepid fan InnocentCivilian took the opportunity to write up a great compilation on what we know about the Eldan so far. It's enough to get you thinking about what the Eldan are all about, and it led me to ask a few questions, ones that have obvious answers that make me wonder just what we'll find on Planet Nexus.

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: WildStar's puppetmasters

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: WildStar's puppetmasters originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backgroundcarbinecarbine-studioscolumnfeaturedlorencsoftnexusnexus-telegraphopinionsandparksci-fantasysci-fispeculationthe-nexus-telegraphwildstarMon, 15 Apr 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar explains how MMO servers work]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/wildstar-explains-how-mmo-servers-work/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/wildstar-explains-how-mmo-servers-work/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/wildstar-explains-how-mmo-servers-work/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

WildStar explains how MMO servers work
Welcome, class, to MMO Servers 101! Your professor today is Carbine Studios Lead Network & Database Engineer David Ray, and he's here to give a technical overview of how MMOs set up and run their servers. Please take notes. While Ray won't reveal all of Carbine's secrets, his explanation should be sufficient if you're curious as to how an average MMO sets up its backend.

If you're expecting an article that reveals WildStar's server rulesets, specific regions, or other practical player concerns, then this is not for you. However, it is a frank and fascinating look at the guts of the ship that runs MMOs, and considering that Ray has worked on both the space shuttle and other MMOs, we suspect that there's a good chance he knows what he's talking about.

MassivelyWildStar explains how MMO servers work originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betacarbinecarbine-studiosdaemondavid-rayncsoftrealmsandparksci-fantasysci-fiserverserver-architectureserversshardshardswildstarwsFri, 12 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Some Assembly Required: Your guide to MMO sandboxes in 2013 and beyond]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/some-assembly-required-your-guide-to-mmo-sandboxes-in-2013-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/some-assembly-required-your-guide-to-mmo-sandboxes-in-2013-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/some-assembly-required-your-guide-to-mmo-sandboxes-in-2013-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Some Assembly Required - Massively's guide to sandboxes
Welcome to Massively's guide to MMO sandboxes in 2013 and beyond. I've collected the essential details on all the major sandbox titles releasing this year and in the near future in one easy-to-reference article. If you're wondering whether ArcheAge forces you to PvP, or if you can't tell The Repopulation from Origins of Malu, this is your post.

I'll be updating it as game features are added, removed, or revealed, so be sure to use the comments to let me know if I've overlooked a particularly noteworthy item. Finally, I want to point out that this isn't an exhaustive list because of the sheer number of sandbox projects ongoing. For now, I'm choosing to focus on the ones that will be playable in 2013/2014 as well as the projects that have a big-name developer attached.

Continue reading Some Assembly Required: Your guide to MMO sandboxes in 2013 and beyond

MassivelySome Assembly Required: Your guide to MMO sandboxes in 2013 and beyond originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013-sandbox-guide2013-sandboxesaaabove-and-beyondabove-and-beyond-technologiesaction-mmoage-of-wulinage-of-wushuagonarche-agearcheageasiaavataraventurinecarbinecarbine-studioschinachinesechinese-mmochris-robertscloud-imperiumcloud-imperium-gamescrowdfundingcrypticcryptic-studiosdangerousdarkfalldavid-brabendfdndeliteelite-dangerouseqeq-nexteqneverquesteverquest-nextf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrontierfrontier-developmentsgame-mechanicsgpotatogvginternet-spaceshipinternet-spaceshipskickstarterkidnappinglord-britishmartial-artsmassivelys-sandbox-guideming-dynastyncsoftneverwinteropen-pvpopinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpgcplayer-contentplayer-generated-contentpvppwerepopulationrichard-garriottsandboxsandbox-guidesandparksarsci-fantasysci-fishroudshroud-of-the-avatarsnail-gamessnail-games-usasoesome-assembly-requiredsony-online-entertainmentSOTAspacespaceshipspaceshipsstar-citizenthe-repopulationwildstarwswushuwuxiaxl-gamesxlgamesFri, 12 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar begins beta testing [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/10/wildstar-begins-beta-testing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/10/wildstar-begins-beta-testing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/10/wildstar-begins-beta-testing/#commentsFiled under: , ,

WildStar begins beta testing
Saying that "a picture is worth a thousand words," the WildStar team has posted a picture of the team with the caption of "IT HAS BEGUN" in obvious reference to beta testing.

Yesterday, the team foreshadowed the onset of testing by tweeting, "We had Chinese food for lunch today, and our fortune cookie read: The person that keeps an eye on their spam filter will surely be rewarded."

Players interested in participating in WildStar's beta can sign up on the official site.

Update: A representative of Carbine Studios emailed us saying, "We have already seen a phenomenal response from our fans and are looking to continually add thousands of players throughout closed beta test 1 to come check out the great content we've been talking about for months. Our closed beta testing process is not a typical weekend event, but instead it will last for several weeks, giving players ample time to come in and check out the factions, races and classes they may choose to play when WildStar launches later this year."

MassivelyWildStar begins beta testing [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-has-begunbeta-testingcarbinecarbine-studiosclosed-betait-has-begunncsoftndasandparksci-fantasysci-fiwildstarwildstar-wednesdaywsWed, 10 Apr 2013 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[The Nexus Telegraph: A speculative look at WildStar crafting]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/the-nexus-telegraph-a-speculative-look-at-the-crafts-of-wildsta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/the-nexus-telegraph-a-speculative-look-at-the-crafts-of-wildsta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/the-nexus-telegraph-a-speculative-look-at-the-crafts-of-wildsta/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

So it's like the turbo version of SWTOR's item modification? I'm down with that.
Sometimes my plans coincide perfectly with real-world events. Last time I wrote this column, I planned to talk about crafting, and then on Friday WildStar gave us a look at some of what we can expect in the system. Admittedly, we don't yet know how the whole circuit board system plays into crafting or what "one of two systems" means, but we can speculate, can't we?

Before anyone asks, let me say that no, I had no forewarning or advance preview. I'm just pleased that everything came together by coincidence.

So right now we know that the circuit board interface is the basis of one of the crafting systems in the game, and we know how the circuit boards in general work. That's enough to make some reasonable guesses. Let's start by guessing at a system in which you sidestep the entire process of finding the best stats on the best items by just making it from scratch.

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: A speculative look at WildStar crafting

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: A speculative look at WildStar crafting originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studioscolumncraftingcrafting-mechanicscrafting-systemfeaturedgame-mechanicsitem-modificationmodificationncsoftnexusnexus-telegraphopinionsandparksci-fantasysci-fispeculationthe-nexus-telegraphwild-speculationwildstarMon, 08 Apr 2013 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar explains gear modding]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/wildstar-explains-gear-modding/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/wildstar-explains-gear-modding/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/wildstar-explains-gear-modding/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

WildStar goes gear modding in new dev diary
For those who love cracking open a good piece of gear to fiddle and fine-tune the insides, then WildStar is proud to present the so-called Circuit Board Crafting System. A new dev blog over at Carbine Studios explains how gear modding (and later, crafting) will take place on a special CBC interface that breaks down the item into connected components.

Each piece of gear has several slots for microchips and a power budget that is used to limit what can be put into the item. These microchips come in different varieties, from power amplifiers to attribute boosters to special ability chips.

Many, but not all, microchips can be extracted from the gear to put somewhere else or to mod directly. However, the team is preparing a number of random stat and locked microchips that will make creating the perfect item a challenging proposition. The team wants players to have to make "really interesting decisions" in their gear modding, promising more information later on as to how CBC will work with crafting.

MassivelyWildStar explains gear modding originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studioscraftingdev-blogdev-diarygeargear-moddingitem-moddingmodmoddingncsoftprimussandparksci-fantasysci-fiwildstarwsFri, 05 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar dev diary dishes on arena PvP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/wildstar-dev-diary-dishes-on-arena-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/wildstar-dev-diary-dishes-on-arena-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/03/wildstar-dev-diary-dishes-on-arena-pvp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

This is a WildStar PvP arena
Did you know that WildStar has PvP? I didn't, but then again I only started paying attention after the PAX East housing reveal.

As it turns out, one of WildStar's "elder games" is arena PvP. The game's latest dev diary outlines 2v2, 3v3, and 5v5 matches, and it also mentions a unique wrinkle or two. For instance, WildStar arenas aren't single-elimination but rather a series of slugfests wherein each team tries to get the opponent to use up its allotment of respawns.

There's more, of course, but you'll need to head to the WildStar website to read it.

MassivelyWildStar dev diary dishes on arena PvP originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena-pvpcarbinecarbine-studiosi-play-elder-games-in-a-smoking-jacketncsoftsandparksci-fantasysci-fiwildstarwildstar-arenawildstar-pvpwsWed, 03 Apr 2013 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Nexus Telegraph: Walking the WildStar path]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/01/the-nexus-telegraph-walking-the-wildstar-path/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/01/the-nexus-telegraph-walking-the-wildstar-path/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/01/the-nexus-telegraph-walking-the-wildstar-path/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's not pathfinding if you're making a totally new route.
If you look at the path system in WildStar the right way, it's a pretty limiting system. After all, if path content makes up 25% of your content in any given zone, it stands to reason that there are three paths worth of content you'll never see on any given character. Any zone in the game is made up of 43% stuff you don't get to explore.

For those of us who are fond of alts, this is not exactly a drawback. The idea that a zone I've done three times before can still hold new secrets on the fourth playthrough is endlessly appealing. But it can also feel very limiting from the right perspective simply because it does build in some hard limitations. You will never be able to completely clear an area out on one character. If you only want to play one character, you're just out of luck.

At the same time, I think this system will grow to be one of WildStar's strengths. So even if you want to just play one character and you wind up playing a single path, there are reasons to be happy about the way that paths work.

Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: Walking the WildStar path

MassivelyThe Nexus Telegraph: Walking the WildStar path originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studioscolumncontentcontent-distributionexplorerfeaturedncsoftnexusnexus-telegraphopinionpath-mechanicspath-systempathssandparksci-fantasysci-fiscientistsettlersoldierthe-nexus-telegraphwildstarMon, 01 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2013: A second hands-on with WildStar's Draken Stalker]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/pax-2013-a-second-hands-on-with-wildstars-draken-stalker/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/pax-2013-a-second-hands-on-with-wildstars-draken-stalker/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/30/pax-2013-a-second-hands-on-with-wildstars-draken-stalker/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- WildStar
Everyone at the completely fictional Massively office seems to have some kind of schoolgirl crush on Carbine Studios' quirky upcoming sci-fi title WildStar, and I can understand why. The setting is fresh, melding some aspects of our favorite sci-fi properties (cough Firefly cough) with a a healthy dose of fantasy and a not insignificant amount of witty comedy, and the list of features the game boasts is rather extensive. I mean, did you even see that housing trailer? Holy wow, guys.

In spite of all of that, though, I was still a little cautious about giving in to the hype. After all, I'm sure there's not an MMO fan in existence who hasn't gotten super excited about a game and become a devoted fanboy only to have his hopes and expectations shattered when the game didn't live up to the hype. So I let myself be excited, but reservedly so, until I could get my hands on the game for myself to complement Eliot's earlier PAX hands-on with the game. As it so happens, on the last day of PAX East, I got to do just that. Though it was only a short 25-minute demo (thank goodness -- otherwise the lines would have circled the convention center), I think I was able to get a pretty solid idea of what we can expect from WildStar, and let me tell you right now, we can expect some great things.

Continue reading PAX East 2013: A second hands-on with WildStar's Draken Stalker

MassivelyPAX East 2013: A second hands-on with WildStar's Draken Stalker originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carbinecarbine-studiosconconventioneventevent-coverageeventsexpofeaturedhands-onmassively-event-coveragencsoftpaxpax-2013pax-eastpax-east-2013penny-arcade-expopreviewpreviewssandparksci-fantasysci-fiwildstarwsSat, 30 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST