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CES 2008: What the heck is Free Realms?

Michael Zenke — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, Business models, New titles, Free-to-play, Casual, Free Realms, Massively Interviews, Massively Hands-on, Massively Event Coverage

The popularity of titles like Club Penguin and Webkinz is undeniable. This past Christmas saw the Webkinz servers just crushed under the new load of happy plush owners. It shouldn't come as a surprise that traditional game-makers are looking to this niche as a new area for profit. Earlier this month we brought you the news from CES that Sony Online Entertainment would be rolling out a new 'pay-it-forward' style community outreach program with the title Free Realms.

But ... what exactly is Free Realms? Today we've got some impressions of that title for you, gleaned from watching pre-recorded video of gameplay at the Consumer Electronics Show. We also spoke with Laura Naviaux, Director of Global Marketing for SOE and SOE CEO John Smedley about the project, to get a feel for their enthusiasm about the game. While generally here at Massively you're far more likely to see us discussing a game like Lord of the Rings Online or World of Warcraft, this is a title well worth looking into. Free Realms is essentially an attempting to combine the look and feel of a traditional MMO title with the conversation and mini-game focus of a kiddie game. With very little exposure to the public in a 'hands-on' format as of yet, it's hard to gauge how successfully the title actually achieves that goal.

Gallery: Free Realms

The ideas they're introducing with the game are intriguing just the same. The developers have obviously looked to other casual titles for inspiration, and have taken notes from the successes and failures of these other online projects. What results is a mélange of the familiar and the original that almost begs for further clarification. Read on for descriptions of their loose 'class' system (which will be familiar to fans of The Agency), the idea behind their instant play system, and what exactly you're going to be able to buy with microtransactions.

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CES 2008: What the heck is Free Realms? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2008: A covert intel briefing on The Agency

Michael Zenke — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Interviews, The Agency, Consoles, MMOFPS, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage

Earlier this month, Sony Online Entertainment finally gave the gaming world a full-on look at The Agency. The unique title, a brand-new blend of the shooter and MMO genres, was featured in a hands-on talk over pre-recorded video; a compromise in the face of demoing an online title in the unfamiliar surroundings of Las Vegas. That talk, given by the mile-a-minute lead designer Hal Milton, has been covered endlessly at other sites. You can view the complete discussion in video format, or read a great writeup of the event over at GamersInfo.

Some of the most interesting tidbits the developers were willing to discuss that day weren't on the guided tour. Lead Designer Hal Milton and Design Director Matt Wilson were willing and able to discuss several aspects of the project still in the development stages with us and our friends at Joystiq; we were able to pick their brains on the game's business model, the fantastic world they're creating, character advancement, future content additions, and the numerous challenges of creating a game that straddles two platforms.

Easily one of the most refreshing things about The Agency is the humor that the developers are aiming to introduce to the world, as Hal Milton explains: One of the things I love about the spy genre is that everyone automatically gets it. I love fantasy, I love sci-fi, I love writing those stories, but whenever I try to describe the game concept I have to go in and back-fill for like ten minutes. "And then Sir Clamdar of Thobordoxy grabbed the Handbag of Doom." Or, "the year was 2753, and the Federation ..." Most people don't care. They just want to jump into the world and know where they stand, as opposed to being dropped into a world completely clueless. That's what's great about the Agency, there's a lot of similarities but our world is so different from the real world that they start to experience the humor and flavor.

Read on for more 'covert intel' you may not have seen discussed elsewhere on this blockbuster in-development title.

Gallery: The Agency

Continue reading CES 2008: A covert intel briefing on The Agency

CES 2008: A covert intel briefing on The Agency originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jan 2008 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on with Age of Conan's Barbarian class

Dan O'Halloran — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Age of Conan, Classes, New titles, Previews, Hands-on, Massively Hands-on

Last week at CES, I was able to do a hands on with Age of Conan's Dark Templar class. I also spent a good couple of hours ignoring the dirty looks of conventioneers as I hogged the Barbarian class demo machine as well. I was able to take a couple of shaky videos of gameplay (I blame the excitement) and write down some of the abilities of the class currently in beta.

Before you dive in after the jump, you might also want to check out Michael Zenke's hands-on impression of the game, his interview with with Conan Designer Jason Stone about the graphic upgrades recently introduced to the closed beta and Age of Conan's newly announced Collector's Edition information, And if that's not enough information, you can also check the extensive tour and interview Akela Talamesca had of the game in December with more video coverage than you can shake a DV cam at.

Now, on to the details of my test drive with AoC's Barbarian class.

Gallery: Age of Conan CES 2008 Gallery

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Hands-on with Age of Conan's Barbarian class originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on with Age of Conan's Dark Templar class

Dan O'Halloran — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:03:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Screenshots, Video, Age of Conan, Classes, New titles, Previews, Hands-on, Massively Hands-on

The Consumer Electronics Show has hit Las Vegas in full force. The Massively team is here to roam the corridors of shiny, shiny, shiny gadgetry and ignore it all to to focus entirely on the content that is important to you. And that would be the shininess of Age of Conan.

Funcom is on hand with live connections to their AoC beta servers and two classes available for demo play. Before diving in, you should check out Michael Zenke's hands-on post he wrote for our mother site, Joystiq. It explains how combat works. Then come back here to read about my experiences with the Dark Templar. And a little later, I'll have another post detailing my Barbarian play.

Video of Dark Templar gameplay and Talent descriptions after the jump!

Gallery: Age of Conan CES 2008 Gallery

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Hands-on with Age of Conan's Dark Templar class originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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38 Studios reveals: Copernicus

Eli Shayotovich — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Real life, Interviews, New titles, News items

w00t Studios is reporting that Curt Schilling of 38 Studios has released the title for their upcoming MMO. In an interview with Gametap at the Consumer Electronics Show going on in Vegas, Schilling said that Copernicus is a "working title" but revealed no other information regarding the game.

Given what very little we've seen from a previous news clip - possibly a knight atop a running horse - shown late last year, we can surmise that the game is going to be set in some ancient medieval era. 38 Studios' game Copernicus may or may not be associated with the Nicolaus Copernicus who lived from 1473 to 1543. Copernicus was the first astronomer to postulate that the sun was the center of the solar system and not the Earth, which had been the belief for centuries. His book, On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres, is regarded as the work that started modern astronomy and was pivotal to the beginning of the Scientific Revolution.

Or it might have absolutely nothing to do with the famous scientist at all. It's common knowledge that Schilling is a huge Everquest and WoW player, and during the Gametap interview the famed Red Sox pitcher admitted that he's been playing a lot of my current favorite, Tabula Rasa. So... what do you all think?

38 Studios reveals: Copernicus originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Jan 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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