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The Daily Grind: Do you prefer open or closed chat?

Brianna Royce — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Roleplaying, Miscellaneous

Tribes: Ascend has an open chat system that might seem unusual to players more familiar with MMORPGs than MMOFPS titles. Anyone can lay down whatever smack-talk he wants in the traditional open chat... but almost no one does. Instead, players make use of quick macros to audibly announce enemy movements, signal for aid, praise comrades, and taunt opponents. Truth is, time spent trash-talking the other side in chat is time enough for that side to shoot you in the face, so players stick to simple short-cut communication, keeping the game relatively clean of the sort of chatter that makes your eyes bleed.

Roleplayers would never go for such a limited chat system, I realize, and I'm right there with them when it comes to annoyance that factional chats limit communication between, say, the opposing teams of World of Warcraft and Star Wars: The Old Republic. But at the same time, it's refreshing to see a streamlined chat that sticks to gameplay and isn't bogged down with Chuck Norris jokes and clever ways around the profanity filter.

What do you think of closed vs. open chat?

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!

The Daily Grind: Do you prefer open or closed chat? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: How many chat channels do you use?

Jef Reahard — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Free-to-play, The Daily Grind

MMO global chat is a funny thing. I've met friends in it, I've ignored half the server because of it, and I'm amused (and appalled) by it on a daily basis. One thing I normally don't do is turn it off completely, unless I'm gunning for an immersive solo or small-group session that's heavy on roleplay.

My EverQuest II Sage has 19 (19!) channels on his UI, and though I rarely see any activity in the ratonga or evil chat rooms, I keep tabs on them anyway in case a useful nugget happens by.

What about you, dear readers? Does your MMO of choice have multiple global chat channels, and if so, how many do you monitor at once?

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!

The Daily Grind: How many chat channels do you use? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMO Family: Why safe chat isn't so safe (and why that's OK)

Karen Bryan — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, Kids, MMO Family, Family, Miscellaneous

One of the toughest issues that game developers have to treat when it comes to kid-friendly MMOs is chat. I touched on this in a past column, but it's worth further discussion. If you're making a game where lots of players are interacting and doing stuff together, you need to allow them to communicate, otherwise you're pretty much making a single-player game with the other players as background scenery.

On the other hand, when it comes to kids MMOs, having open communication means other players can use it to harass each other. Worse is the scenario of the deranged adult abusing it to exploit young people. As a result, virtually every kid-friendly MMO has some sort of filter in place that restricts what players can say to each other. But are these chat filters really that effective? Are kids better off without them? Let's take a look in today's MMO Family.

Continue reading MMO Family: Why safe chat isn't so safe (and why that's OK)

MMO Family: Why safe chat isn't so safe (and why that's OK) originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMO Family: Four ways to improve kid-friendly MMOs

Karen Bryan — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, Kids, MMO Family, Family, Miscellaneous

Right now, there's a small war going on in our house. It's winter, we're all cooped up inside, and we're interested in different games. What's particularly interesting is that my kids will tolerate most of the games I play and join in, except for one: Star Wars: The Old Republic. They aren't remotely interested in it, and any time I fire it up, they push back by demanding their favorite game, which is Minecraft.

It got me thinking about why kids would prefer a 16-bit, block-shaped world to a glitzy, voiced-over, multi-million dollar title. Adult gamers love to hash out why they love one game over another, but what makes games appealing from a kid's perspective? Furthermore, we often see differences in kid-friendly MMOs and their features compared to games for grown ups, but can those features be improved?

Continue reading MMO Family: Four ways to improve kid-friendly MMOs

MMO Family: Four ways to improve kid-friendly MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyperspace Beacon: Roleplayer's rant

Larry Everett — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, New titles, Opinion, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon

I don't like to rant. Really! Usually, ranting is full of emotionally charged rhetoric, and oftentimes it's riddled with inaccurate statements. I especially don't like to rant about something that I like a lot. For instance, Star Wars: The Old Republic has, by far, exceeded my personal expectations for any MMO; however, some missteps in production have tainted its perfection. (No, I'm not going to talk about Ilum again.) Of course, we are all looking for our version of perfection in an MMO, right? Unfortunately, no MMO will live up to that expectation. In fact, if I did find my version of MMO perfection, I would probably be the only one playing it. But I do believe I have ideas that those in my community could latch on to. They are also relatively simple. Yes, yes, I know nothing is ever as simple as it seems, but indulge me for a few moments.

As many of you know, I enjoy roleplaying in my MMOs -- character creation, really. I'm not one of those roleplayers who hang out in a pub all day never experiencing any gameplay. Although there's nothing wrong with that, I find it a be a waste of $15 a month.

I have complied what I believe will make the experience of SWTOR more enjoyable for those who enjoy playing the game like I do, and I think that those of you who don't necessarily like to roleplay per se but do like to create unique characters in the MMO space will agree that these are a must. I did set some personal criteria when compiling the list. For instance, I didn't want to break BioWare's general vision for the game. I also wanted to use existing items in the game so that my expectations were realistic -- no guild capital ships or image design system. And all of these items have been mentioned in print someplace before, so I'm not the only one who believes these should be implemented.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Roleplayer's rant

Hyperspace Beacon: Roleplayer's rant originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What game terminology gets your goat?

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Humor, Miscellaneous

MMOs, like any hobby, have their own specialized jargon. Someone who's never played an MMO might have no idea what it means if you say the MT pulled adds on your boss pull twice and wiped the group, but an experienced player will understand it without a problem. But that doesn't mean every acronym or term sits comfortably with everyone -- considering the plethora of specialized language that accompanies the genre and the variety of synonyms for given concepts, it's probable that there are some terms you like more than others.

So which part of MMO slang rubs you the wrong way? Does it get your hackles up when someone refers to a character as a toon? Do you hate seeing "mob" used to refer to a single enemy? Will you go out of your way to avoid saying "DPS" as a description of class roles? Is it an abbreviation or term common to a single game, like a class nickname? Or do you feel comfortable fully ensconced within the language, with no particular irritations or pet peeves?

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!

The Daily Grind: What game terminology gets your goat? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 30 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vivox voice chat comes to Star Trek Online

Jef Reahard — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, News items, Star Trek Online

Star Trek Online is the latest MMORPG to receive the integrated Vivox voice chat treatment. While players are still a few years short of tapping their command insignias and barking out orders to their party, it's a step in the right direction.

The system allows team and fleet members to chat directly without the need for third-party servers or software such as TeamSpeak or Ventrilo. Joining a channel is automatic when you group with other players, and the implementation features the usual configuration and customization options (including, of course, a push-to-talk binding and the ability to disable the service entirely).

Read all about it at the official STO website.

Vivox voice chat comes to Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live chat on Ustream with the Gods & Heroes developers

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 23 May 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Historical, Events, real-world, News items, Miscellaneous

One of the big upsides to the communication venues available online is that players of MMOs can connect with developers like never before. Gods & Heroes fans will have a chance to connect with the development team tomorrow via Ustream chat, giving hopeful players a chance to ask almost anything they could want about the decidedly Roman game. Starting at 7:00 p.m. EDT, the chat is open to any players via the development team's regular live streaming channel.

If you can't make the event itself or you just want to try to get a question in early, the team is ready for that as well. Questions may be submitted early via Twitter, Facebook, or the game's official forums; the team is planning to round up the best questions and answer them on the air. If Gods & Heroes is on your radar for future play, you might want to take the time tomorrow night to get involved in the live broadcast.

Live chat on Ustream with the Gods & Heroes developers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 May 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Masthead releases two-month Earthrise roadmap

Jef Reahard — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, Patches, News items, Earthrise

It's been nearly two months since the launch of Earthrise, and Masthead Studios is moving forward with long-term development plans for the sci-fi sandbox MMORPG. In a press release this morning, the Bulgaria-based dev team laid out a list of new features planned for integration in April and May.

Citizens of Enterra will be getting some direction in the form of minimap quest hint indicators, alleviating the confusion that often results when searching for various objectives. Earthrise crafters will be able to produce paint that can be used on armor, weapons, and vehicles, and guild diplomacy mechanics will give leaders the ability to both declare war and cultivate allies.

As a result of the February Choose Your Game Feature voting, resurrection mechanics will be coming to Earthrise, and player parties will also be able to share battle points and karma from defeated enemies. Finally, various technical and performance-related tweaks are in the offing, including customizable chat windows, a friends/ignore list, AI improvements, and shadow enhancements.

Masthead releases two-month Earthrise roadmap originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DC Universe Online developers having a chat with fans tomorrow

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Events, real-world, News items, Consoles, DC Universe Online

Are you enjoying DC Universe Online? Would you be enjoying it even more if you had a chance to speak with the developers about what's on deck for the near future and what issues will be getting addressed soon? If so, you're in luck (and you have some strangely focused sources of happiness, but that's not really germane to anything). The team announced earlier today on the game's Facebook page that this Wednesday will see the first post-launch virtual chat with development.

Jens Anderson, Chris Cao, and Mark Anderson will all be on hand for this chat, starting at 8 p.m. EST (5 p.m. PST) on Facebook. The chief focus of the discussion will be on the game's recent February update, covering what went right, what needs more work, and what the team has learned from the first patch in what's sure to be an ongoing update cycle. So if you're a DC Universe Online fan, with or without the oddly specific criteria, you might want to clear out some time tomorrow evening to catch up with the development team.

DC Universe Online developers having a chat with fans tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First DC Universe Online patch goes live tomorrow!

Larry Everett — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Game mechanics, Patches, DC Universe Online

Players have been anxiously awaiting the promised monthly patch from DC Universe Online, and tomorrow it will be here. Sony Online Entertainment has released DCUO's complete patch notes on the game forums, and boy, do they have a lot to say. At a glance, it appears that every power set and weapon type has been adjusted, but that's not the reason most people want to read through these notes.

The very top of the notes displays the new content we can expect to find when we log in Tuesday morning. The Dark Knight opens the Batcave for an eight-man raid; Catwoman leads heroes and villains on a chase across the rooftops of Gotham; and Aphrodite needs super-powered humans to help her resolve the battle between devotion and scorn. However, the change most anticipated by players has to be in the social and chat systems. Although most of the UI changes are a bit vague -- "Improved the layout of Voice Chat options on the Social UI" -- certain items like "Pressing '/' (forward slash) on the keyboard will now open quick chat mode and automatically add a slash to the text field" may be specific enough to satisfy players. Be sure to log in tomorrow and let us know whether it was enough for you!

First DC Universe Online patch goes live tomorrow! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Community Detective Issue #19: DC Universe Online (PS3 edition)

Jef Reahard — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Bugs, Opinion, Consoles, DC Universe Online, Community Detective

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird... it's a plane! It's a disgruntled PS3 MMO player about to throw himself from the top of the LexCorp tower due to a lack of support options! Never fear -- the Community Detective is here, but unfortunately I can't really save the day. What I can do is give you the low-down on my experiences with DC Universe Online's rather pedestrian PS3 customer service and support apparatus.

If you'll recall from last issue's look at the PC DCUO client, I found that the customer service was actually quite responsive (as it has been in all of the Sony Online Entertainment MMOs profiled over the history of this column). DCUO's PC version fell down when it came to usability, UI, and community/grouping issues, but at least its customer support ducks were in a row.

Read on after the cut to see why the same can't be said for the console version.

Continue reading Community Detective Issue #19: DC Universe Online (PS3 edition)

Community Detective Issue #19: DC Universe Online (PS3 edition) originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global Chat: Behind the scenes edition

Rubi Bayer — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Massively Meta, Global Chat, Miscellaneous

Welcome to this week's Global Chat! We love hearing what you have to say at Massively, and we love it even more when we can share the best comments with all of our readers. Massively staffers will be contributing some of their favorite comments every week, so keep an eye out every Sunday for more Global Chat!

This week much of the community's focus was on what goes on behind the scenes. Our readers chatted about development decisions from launch onward; from the brand-new Earthrise to the reincarnated Gods & Heroes, "how it's done in MMO development" came under scrutiny.

Each discussion of individual games branched into interesting insights regarding MMO development and mechanics in general, so follow along after the jump to see what everyone had to say this week!

Continue reading Global Chat: Behind the scenes edition

Global Chat: Behind the scenes edition originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global Chat: Stop the presses edition

Rubi Bayer — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Massively Meta, Global Chat, Miscellaneous

Welcome to this week's Global Chat! We love hearing what you have to say at Massively, and we love it even more when we can share the best comments with all of our readers. Massively staffers will be contributing some of their favorite comments every week, so keep an eye out every Sunday for more Global Chat!

We had some hot topics on Massively this week! From business models to combat style to the hottest beta events, the Massively staff had plenty to talk about. Thankfully, you, the readers, chimed in too. The great thing about so many of these conversations is that they often extend far beyond the game the original topic was about and turn into a discussion of different MMO mechanics in general.

If you missed out on some of these posts and discussions this week, follow along after the break. We've gathered up the best and most thought-provoking, so we're ready to hear more of what you have to say!

Continue reading Global Chat: Stop the presses edition

Global Chat: Stop the presses edition originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Community Detective Issue #18: DC Universe Online [Updated]

Jef Reahard — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Bugs, Opinion, DC Universe Online, Community Detective

Welcome to another issue of Detective Comics, er... Community Detective, yeah. Between punching and kicking my way past hordes of villains, riding ziplines up the sides of skyscrapers, and listening to Harley Quinn's hysterical Mistah Jay accent, I'm a little out of sorts. This week I'm going to mix up the format a bit, both because it helps my sanity and because the current title I'm discussing demands it. That title is DC Universe Online, and I've spent the past couple of weeks playing SOE's new superhero actioner quite heavily.

First off, let me start by saying I've been a DC Comics fan for eons, so SOE would've had to screw up pretty spectacularly for me to dislike this game. That said, all is certainly not well in Gotham or Metropolis from a community standpoint, though it's not the community's fault. What exactly do I mean by that? Use the travel power of your choice to get past the cut and find out.

Continue reading Community Detective Issue #18: DC Universe Online [Updated]

Community Detective Issue #18: DC Universe Online [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global Chat: Valorie Vamp edition

Rubi Bayer — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Massively Meta, Global Chat, Miscellaneous

Continue reading Global Chat: Valorie Vamp edition

Global Chat: Valorie Vamp edition originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alter-Ego: Working together is hard to do

Krystalle Voecks — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Bugs, PvE, Opinion, DC Universe Online, Alter-Ego

The news earlier this week that DC Universe Online is now Sony Online Entertainment's best-selling game probably won't come as much of a surprise to anyone who has actually played it. There's an enormous amount of fun to be had in running through the game, and the storylines are incredibly well thought-out. However, for all that I personally love the game, there is one thing that I and many other people I've talked to find to be incredibly lacking, and in this case, it's something so integral to the MMOG experience as to essentially make or break parts of the game.

Essentially, what point is there to an MMO in which you can't really reliably interact with the other people you're playing with? It's also rather eye-opening just how much your enjoyment of a game like this can be impacted when you can't effectively talk to other people. As such, this week I'll look at several crucial problems with the DC Universe Online chat interface, as well as things that can be done to improve the overall experience.

Continue reading Alter-Ego: Working together is hard to do

Alter-Ego: Working together is hard to do originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WRUP: War is actually good for a remarkable number of things edition

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Massively Meta, Miscellaneous

War kind of gets a bad rap, what with the whole causing widespread meaningless slaughter. But let's face it, despite what Edwin Starr may have said, war is actually good for a wide variety of things. For example, widespread slaughter? War is totally good at that. And if countless MMOs have proven anything, it's that war is a great way to provide quest objectives, assuming that you get to respawn if you lose. Also, there are snazzy uniforms and big explosions. It's basically good for the same things as Michael Bay's cinematography.

If this has you all excited, I'm sorry to say that this week's WRUP does not feature Massively or any of its staff members going to war, not counting Bree's war on "they" as a gender-neutral singular pronoun. It does, however, feature the staff explaining what we'll be doing over the weekend and what we like in terms of voice chat. So click on past the break to see what we'll be up to, and let us know what you'll be doing in the comments.

Continue reading WRUP: War is actually good for a remarkable number of things edition

WRUP: War is actually good for a remarkable number of things edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: The 10 people you meet in MMO hell

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Humor, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous

"Hell is other people," the jaunty Jean-Paul Sartre wrote in No Exit. In this play, three characters are locked together in a small room, where they gradually realize that they are there to torment each other for all of eternity. Plus, there are no toilets, and that's going to get unpleasant fast.

It's fun for the whole family -- get your tickets today!

We've all met folks in game who leave an unpleasant taste in our mouths for a long time after. With the all of the good of social games comes the seedy underbelly (henceforth referred to as "Camden, New Jersey"), and for every stellar soul you connect with, there is another lying in wait to destroy your day. If MMO heaven is full of supportive guildies and grammatically correct chat channels, then think of MMO hell as a pick-up group gone horribly awry as you run a dungeon that never ends, a dungeon you can never quit.

While we'd never voluntarily go to MMO hell, it was inevitable that some of its denizens have escaped to walk amongst us in our games even today. Who are these nefarious devils? Hit the jump to find out!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: The 10 people you meet in MMO hell

The Perfect Ten: The 10 people you meet in MMO hell originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Are you a chat Luddite?

Jef Reahard — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Culture, New titles, Opinion, The Daily Grind, DC Universe Online

So DC Universe Online's voice chat is broken, according to many of the commenters on this and other MMO-centric websites. Ironically, even if the game had no voice chat at all, it would be less broken than the abject disaster that serves as the superhero title's text chat interface.

While the game is enjoyable enough in most respects, I scratch my head as to how a development firm with SOE's considerable expertise could scrimp on something as vital as in-game text chat. The cynic in me says that it's because the PS3 version takes priority, but whatever the reason, DCUO's social tools (at least on the PC) are in dire need of someone who cares.

That brings up an interesting point regarding voice chat vs. text chat. While third-party programs such as Mumble and Ventrilo have been the norm for "serious" MMO guilds for years now, it's only recently that games have started incorporating voice chat (and players have started expecting it). Sure, voice can be vital for raids, PvP, and challenging endgame content, but is it really necessary (or desirable) for most of the things we do on our way to the level cap? Today's Daily Grind is all about your stance in the voice vs. text chat debate. Are you a chat Luddite? Do you refuse to play a game without voice chat? Inquiring Massively minds want to know.

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!

The Daily Grind: Are you a chat Luddite? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wizard101 has a banner year amidst chat issues

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, News items, Free-to-play, Kids, Wizard101, Family

Wizard101 isn't at the top of everyone's list for free-to-play games, but that seems to be an odd oversight. Sure, the game isn't going to appeal to everyone with its highly stylized and kid-friendly atmosphere, but 2010 has apparently turned out to be a high-water mark for the title. According to an official release from KingsIsle Entertainment, the site's visitors were high enough to rank it at number eight out of the top 250 sites gaining in visitors over December, and the US registrations alone soared to over 15 million players (not counting European registrations). And let's not forget that the game was voted as the best family game of the decade by our readers.

The success isn't without the occasional misstep, however, with the game's recent 18+ chat troubles as a prime example. Several players mature enough to take part in unfiltered chat found themselves locked out of the chat by an unannounced change to the way chat systems work, one that filtered out players who had stopped paying a monthly subscription. A full rundown of the situation has been posted by company representatives, with the announcement that accounts verified as being eligible for chat will be allowed to chat once again. Wizard101 players who've moved to a free-to-play account should be happy -- as should anyone cheering for the game's success moving into 2011.

Wizard101 has a banner year amidst chat issues originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Storyboard: Putting the RP out of the G

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Browser, Roleplaying, Guides, Storyboard, Miscellaneous

Roleplaying happens in the game, that much is a given. For some players, it's a supplement to the other parts of the game; for others, it's the whole point of playing. And there's nothing wrong with leaving your roleplaying as just an in-game thing, something you put down as casually as any other in-game activity. But there's also nothing wrong with working on developing your character and her story when you aren't logged into the game, and this week, I'm going to look at some of the more effective ways to do just that.

The obvious question about taking RP out of the game in part is the question of why. It could be for any number of reasons -- maybe you can't access your main game computer at a given time, maybe you want to fill in the gaps in your character's life, or maybe you just want to make the experience of the character herself more immersive. Whatever your reasons, there are three main ways to keep your character interactive and living even if you haven't logged into the game proper.

Continue reading Storyboard: Putting the RP out of the G

Storyboard: Putting the RP out of the G originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Anvil of Crom: Hives of scum and villainy

Jef Reahard — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Culture, Opinion, The Anvil of Crom

Once, a long time ago, I stood on the summit of a sandy cliff with my MMO mentor. His sage-like eyes took in the desert around us, surveying the burgeoning multiplayer landscape. On one side of us were MMOs; on the other, FPS titles and social networking games.

Surrounding us from all directions I saw a writhing, rioting mass of digital humanity, overlapping chat bubbles floating toward the horizon for miles around. Some of these bubbles were legible, though many featured bizarre butcherings of the king's English as well as certain phrases that I couldn't even begin to decipher. Almost all of them sported excessive punctuation and some variation on LOL.

Squinting his eyes against the glare and covering his ears with both hands, my mentor inclined his head down the slope. "Global chat," he said, a weary sign escaping his chapped lips. "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious."

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Hives of scum and villainy

The Anvil of Crom: Hives of scum and villainy originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Join us for our Final Fantasy XIV launch day Livestream

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Launches, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, Livestream

You've heard the debates. You've seen the screenshots. You've read the beta previews. Now, this Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. EDT, we're bringing the game to you live, thanks to the power of internet streaming.

Come join me, Seraphina Brennan, on Massively TV as I unbox the Final Fantasy XIV collector's edition and jump into the fray of collector's edition launch day! We'll cover the trials and tribulations of creating a character, push into the starting cities amongst a gigantic wave of people, and pray every waking minute that the server doesn't explode in a ball of fire. (Exciting stuff!)

I'll also be taking questions, shout-outs, and comments from our Livestream and IRC chats (irc.quakenet.org, #massively), so please drop by and talk at me while I combat the villainous "Lag" and his partner, "Disconnect." I'll try to answer as much as I can about the game, in addition to offering my opinion on the game's various systems, controls, graphics, and overall gameplay.

Need an emailed event reminder? Drop by our Livestream page and be sure to hit the big "remind me" button next to the event listing at the top of the page, above the video!

Gallery: Final Fantasy XIV

Join us for our Final Fantasy XIV launch day Livestream originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's Community Detective, Issue #2: Darkfall and EVE Online

Jef Reahard — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Darkfall, EVE Online, MMO industry, PvP, Opinion, Community Detective

"We hope you understand that there's nothing we can do at the moment," says the support email we just received from Aventurine, developers of Darkfall. Not exactly what you want to hear from customer service, is it?

Welcome to another issue of Massively's Community Detective, where we're primed and ready to take you into the trenches of MMORPG community and customer service. This week we've got full-blown battlefields complete with land mines, dismemberment, e-peen waving, and all the other things you've come to know and love about PvP. Yes, we're delving into the world of Darkfall, and if that's not enough for you, we'll also be heading for the heavens in a very different (but equally cutthroat) PvP sandbox called EVE Online.

Join us after the cut to see how these two titles fared in terms of community and customer service support.

Continue reading Massively's Community Detective, Issue #2: Darkfall and EVE Online

Massively's Community Detective, Issue #2: Darkfall and EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively talks with Raptr's Dennis Fong

Beau Hindman — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, MMO industry, Hands-on

Raptr is a pretty ambitious project, even if you think about what has been accomplished so far. Essentially, the service is connecting all of your gaming-related services under one profile, one messenger, and one new iPhone app. Think of it as your Trillian messenger for gamers. I have a short history with Raptr but never really warmed up to it until recently. I wanted a service that would allow all of my friends, across all of the different networks that I visit, to see what and how much I am playing.

Now that I have made a newer profile and have really started adding a few friends, I am sort of shocked at it's usefullness. Not only does it let me sign in to most of the major messaging services, game networks and social services like Facebook, but it allows me to see what my friends are doing as well, in some very specific ways.

I was excited to get a chance to talk to Raptr CEO Dennis Fong and was impressed by how such an ambitious idea has now turned into a real, working application.

Continue reading Massively talks with Raptr's Dennis Fong

Massively talks with Raptr's Dennis Fong originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallen Earth companion app released on Blackberry

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fallen Earth, Launches, News items, Mobile, Post-Apocalyptic

Fallen Earth has been pushing its mobile app with quite a bit of vigor ever since it was released on both the iPhone and the Droid a few weeks ago. And it's with good cause -- the app allows for players to take care of a number of more tedious play elements while on the go, freeing up in-game time for more exciting endeavors. While the functionality of the software hasn't been expanded, the user base certainly has, as the mobile companion is now available for Blackberry phones and devices as well.

Available via Blackberry App World for $2.99, the ported release offers all the functionality of the original Fallen Earth application. That means players can browse the auction house, check in on the world map, keep track of crafting, and interact with both friends and clan members. For a full picture of the features, players are encouraged to check out the official release and FAQ for the prior versions, which apply equally for the latest release. Whether you're wandering as much as your favorite clone or just want to browse auctions at work, the expanded potential user base is a good thing for the game's players.

Fallen Earth companion app released on Blackberry originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Talk with DC Universe Online's team this Sunday

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Events, real-world, Interviews, News items, DC Universe Online

If you're a fan of the upcoming DC Universe Online and wish there were ways to be more directly heard by the developers -- or to hear more directly from the developers -- your ship has just come in. This Sunday, the developers are holding a special live chat via Facebook, allowing fans the opportunity to talk with them and get updates on the status of the game straight from the source. Game director Chris Cao, senior producer Wes Yanagi, creative director Jens Andersen, and art director Mark Anderson will all be available for questions or speculation.

The best part? All you have to do is become a fan on the official DC Universe Online fan page (again, on Facebook) to take part in the chat. Running from 6 PM to 9 PM EST (3 PM to 6 PM PST), it should be a great opportunity to chat with developers about the state of the game and how it's coming along. So mark the spot down on your calendars, and keep your eyes on the fan page for more details on connecting as the event arrives.

Talk with DC Universe Online's team this Sunday originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC10: Hands-on with the Fallen Earth iPhone app

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Events, real-world, Interviews, Hands-on, Massively Hands-on, Massively Event Coverage

Ever since hearing last November that Icarus Studios was working on an iPhone app for Fallen Earth, we've been starving for details. Count it as a road warrior's dream fulfilled, then, as Massively sat down with Associate Project Manager Dave Haydysch at GDC for a hands-on demo of this beefy application.

"My goal was to make this mirror the experience in Fallen Earth as closely as possible without moving around in the game," Haydysch said. "Whatever is going on in the game right now, is going on in the background [of this app]." Designed to keep players connected with the MMO no matter where they may be, the app has an astounding array of functionality for Fallen Earth's players.

After logging in through 3G or WiFi, the familiar Fallen Earth UI offers you several options to check out your character, crafting, maps, social, auction house, inventory and help. Hit the jump and we'll give you the skinny on each of these functions!

Continue reading GDC10: Hands-on with the Fallen Earth iPhone app

GDC10: Hands-on with the Fallen Earth iPhone app originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What are you like in voice chat?

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind

Voice chat isn't a part of every facet of games, but it's usually de rigeur for communication in endgame activities. While some of us can type pretty quickly, we can still talk a bit faster, and if you're using the keyboard as anything other than an ornament time spent typing is time spent not pressing other buttons. The popularity and proliferation of Ventrilo is almost entirely based upon this need, and games have increasingly come to include built-in voice clients (including World of Warcraft, although its quality is rather widely debated).

Of course, hand-in-hand with the fact that we can talk faster than we can type, many of us have a clearer personality by voice than we do in text. We're more trained as human beings to react to audio cues anyway, as opposed to subtleties in sentence structure or the occasional "lol." So what do you act like when you get behind the microphone? Are you the one guy that won't stop making off-color jokes, or are you quiet and professional? Do you act the same way you usually do via text, or do you have a totally different side that only comes out over voice chat?

The Daily Grind: What are you like in voice chat? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The sad fate of the PlayOnline Viewer

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Culture, MMO industry, Opinion

Those of you who are currently playing Final Fantasy XI or who have played it in the past will remember the PlayOnline Viewer. Those of you who haven't will have no idea what it is, which might be for the best. Square-Enix originally included the program with the launch of Final Fantasy XI with the expectation that it would serve as a hub for a variety of different online games, so it would serve as a chat program, a launcher, a social network hub, and a support site.

Of course, when you think of all those things, what you probably think of is Steam, which does all of those things quite well. The PlayOnline Viewer, on the other hand, has proved excellent at doing... well, it mostly means more clicks before you get into FFXI. And as Pet Food Alpha has recently noted, it also seems to be hosting wholly unmoderated explicit chat rooms.

Square-Enix has stated that Final Fantasy XIV will not use the viewer, which means they seem to have abandoned it as a poor idea. Steam works, in part, because it sells a variety of both online and offline games, most of which don't come from its parent company. With a clunky interface and strange functional restrictions on it, it's hardly a surprise that the service never took off... but in light of recent events, the company's policy to ignore it completely might not be the best plan.

The sad fate of the PlayOnline Viewer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Five quick tips for Aion

Brooke Pilley — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Game mechanics, Tips and tricks

For those lucky enough to get past Aion's login queue, we're happy to announce five quick tips that will enhance your gaming experience. You can expect more of these kinds of posts in the weeks and months ahead. Let's get right into it, shall we?

1. Change the channel

The initial rush of new players coming in to Aion can really bung up certain areas of the game. While we're all for being social (see #5), this can lead to some long and frustrating waits for shared PvE content. Or maybe you're on a lower end rig and the massive amounts of players on screen is causing you performance issues. There is a remedy and it's called channel surfing.

Click the menu tab near your skill bar > Click 'Support' > Click 'Change Channel' > Pick a channel from the drop down and press 'Okay' -- You will be teleported to the exact same spot in another channel

You may also need to change your channel to meet up with group mates or rendezvous with another player to make a trade (item, gold, etc.).

Continue reading Five quick tips for Aion

Five quick tips for Aion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anti-Aliased: The reason why you hate Second Life and a few ways to fix that pt. 2

Seraphina Brennan — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Tips and tricks, Opinion, Second Life, Free-to-play, Virtual worlds, Anti-Aliased

Tip #1 -- Take the time to learn the UI

The tutorial, while not the best thing in the world, isn't a bad introduction to learning how to navigate the user interface. It shows you the ropes (dryly) and lets you get in some practice before you're dumped onto the main grid. Take your time through it, listen to what it has to say, and then jump on into the world.

For gamers, here's a couple of protips. Right click opens a radial menu, and holding it down does nothing. If you're looking to spin the camera, remember to use alt + click and hold. However, also remember that alt + click centers your camera on whatever you clicked on. If you want to orbit your avatar, alt + click and hold on your avatar, then move the mouse left and right to orbit and forward and back to zoom.

Resetting your camera is the escape key. That's very handy.

Clicking activates many, many things. Try clicking on objects, as you never know what might occur.

If moving is too slow for you, try flying. Hold down E to start flying, then use E to go up and C to go down. Beware that you can't fly everywhere though... look at the top bar to see if flying is amongst the "banned symbols." It looks like a little man flying.

Tip #2 -- Search is your friend

If Second Life is the internet, then the search button is your Google. This little fellow is super handy for finding stuff that you want. Interested in finding a Star Wars group? Just type Star Wars into the group search box after you press the search button, and you're on your way to finding Star Wars fans like yourself. Do you want to buy a lightsaber? Open the "places" tab and type in lightsaber -- you're sure to find a few hits.

You always know where to go when you master the search tool.

Tip #3 -- Be social!

You see the people over there? Talk to them! You like someone's avatar? Tell them! You looking for a specific sim? Ask questions!

One of the most important assets you can have is to speak with the others around you. Find out new things, make new friends, and actually experience SL rather than just watching it on your monitor. If you want a good place to check out that's reliably filled with people, I recommend the city of Nova Albion. If you're new and you want more help with Second Life, then I recommend checking out all of the help options at New Citizens Incorporated.

Tip #4 -- Know what you want

Lastly, set a goal for yourself in Second Life. Don't just go in to wander, go in and search for something you like. Does roleplaying interest you? Search for some roleplaying sims. Games? You'll find a wide variety of independently created games in Second Life. There's even an MMORPG inside of SL! Clubs? Yeah... there's way too many clubs to really count in SL.

If you follow these few tips, your time in Second Life will probably benefit greatly. Of course, if the system isn't your thing, then it isn't your thing. You can't enjoy what you don't enjoy. But if you were always on the fence with Second Life, perhaps now you can give it a "second look" (see what I did there?) with confidence.

Colin Seraphina Brennan is the weekly writer of Anti-Aliased who thinks all games should be given a fighting chance. When she's not writing here for Massively, she's rambling on her personal blog, The Experience Curve. If you want to message her, send her an e-mail at colin.brennan AT weblogsinc DOT com. You can also follow her on Twitter through Massively, or through her personal feed, @sera_brennan.

Anti-Aliased: The reason why you hate Second Life and a few ways to fix that pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anti-Aliased: The reason why you hate Second Life and a few ways to fix that

Seraphina Brennan — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Tips and tricks, Opinion, Second Life, Free-to-play, Virtual worlds, Anti-Aliased

Second Life gets a really bad rap from the MMO community that's largely undeserved. I get to hear all of these slams like it's a usless waste of data, there's nothing to do, it's a bunch of sex sims, and how I should work on my "first life" before my Second Life. Har, har, har.

But, like I said at the opening of this column, Second Life doesn't deserve those punches to the gut. The world of SL is pretty vast and has much to offer any gamer, regardless of what they like. It's important to remember that this system is not a game. It has no objectives and no overt goals, but it does have an unlimited supply of imagination and creative possibilities. It's not a place of "serious business," because something that's fun shouldn't be taken quite that harshly. Sure, you can make money, but you guys want to have fun, right?

So let's talk about Second Life, the reason the masses hate the system, and how you can find something enjoyable inside of "the grid" even if you've tried it before and got some negative first impressions.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: The reason why you hate Second Life and a few ways to fix that

Anti-Aliased: The reason why you hate Second Life and a few ways to fix that originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan offers chat and prizes

Krystalle Voecks — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Contests, Interviews, News items

With the current 7-day free trial going for Age of Conan and DX10 working, eyes are starting to turn back to Funcom's brutal and bloody MMO set in Robert E. Howard's Hyborian Age. If you've been on the fence about popping back in to play again, Funcom and Xfire have sweetened the deal for you with some really cool prizes for logging time in Age of Conan. You can log as little as one hour, or 50+ hours, depending on which package you'd like to take a try at. Some of the goodies up for grabs range from a free lifetime subscription to Age of Conan to cool gaming keyboards, to in-game items for your character.

Added to that, Funcom are holding an upcoming chat with the Xfire community on the 10th at 5pm EDT. As an added bonus for those who are interested in attending, they're offering five lucky winners who attend the chat a copy of Age of Conan, a free one-year subscription, and a pile of in-game goodies. So if you are enjoying the updated Hyborian homelands, head over to Xfire and get registered to win some gaming goodness.

Age of Conan offers chat and prizes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Your funniest chat moment?

Krystalle Voecks — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: The Daily Grind, Humor

There's funny going on in MMOs all the time; from trade chat to party or raid chat, to private whispers. Sometimes it's a question of a group or raid member writing in the wrong channel - the classic mis-tell. At other times, it's just a joke about your favorite MMO that one of your guildies told you.

That said, this morning we'd love to hear some of the funniest chat moments you've experienced. (Bonus points if you screencapped it and happen to have it somewhere out there that the rest of us can read it!) We know we're not the only ones who have seen some things that just made us stop and laugh.

The Daily Grind: Your funniest chat moment? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallen Earth dev chat transcript a glimpse into the game

James Egan — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Game mechanics, PvP

As the post-apocalyptic massively multiplayer online game Fallen Earth has now entered closed beta and gets closer to its launch, Icarus Studios is sharing more info about the title. Tiggs, the Fallen Earth Community Director, has posted the latest Stratics HoC Chat Transcript. Quite a number of the Fallen Earth devs were on hand for the chat, not limited to the game's writer and content designer, lead scripter, lead game designer, and the art director.

They fielded questions from the Fallen Earth community about the game, hitting upon everything from their choice to create an MMO without classes to the goal-oriented PvP style of the game, where territorial control is key. If you missed this as it was happening, have a look at what the devs and players are saying about Fallen Earth.

Fallen Earth dev chat transcript a glimpse into the game originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xfire contest rewards you for playing Lord of the Rings Online

James Egan — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Contests

Xfire and Turbine are teaming up to offer a Lord of the Rings "Play 2 Win" event. Gamers playing either the full game or its demo, and who've joined the Official Xfire Lord of the Rings Online Clan, are eligible to win prizes in the contest. The time you spend logged in determines your prize eligibility, if you're selected:

Gold Level Prizes (50 hours +): Ten winners each get a 6-month subscription, in-game Bree horse mount, and a LotRO t-shirt.

Silver Level Prizes (15-49 hours): Ten winners each get a 3-month subscription, and a LotRO t-shirt.

Bronze Level Prizes (under 15 hours): Ten winners each get a 30-day subscription.

The contest runs from January 28th to February 11th. You can check out the rest of the details of The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria Play 2 Win Event on the official Xfire site.

Xfire contest rewards you for playing Lord of the Rings Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kids try to get around Wizard101 language restrictions

Alexis Kassan — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Kids, Wizard101

Player 1: What can you see out your window?
Player 2: A large fruit. You?
Player 1: Uhh, OK... I can see Russia from my house.
Player 2: What?

Usually the language restrictions in MMOs consist of vulgarities and, less frequently, racial or sexual slurs. But Wizard101, a game targeted to a younger demographic, goes beyond that and disallows revealing location to other players. In fact, players under the age of 13 are not allowed to use the full chat function at all. This is to prevent kids from detailing where they are just in case.

The problem is that kids get curious and ask other players where they live regardless - mind you, it has to be in a roundabout sort of way. Since many cannot answer directly, they have been trying to use features of the state or nicknames to describe their location. They may not get very far in actually depicting their state, but the effort surely must be a learning experience in speaking indirectly. With this type of skill, these players may just have futures in politics.

Kids try to get around Wizard101 language restrictions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Join Fallen Earth creators during their monthly "Day with the Devs"

Shawn Schuster — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles

Today marks yet another "Day with the Devs" for Fallen Earth, where players have an opportunity to interact with the upcoming post-apocalytic MMO's creators. The first one of these was last month during a Stractics House of Commons chat, but today's will double the effort. At 9pm EST tonight, you can head over to the Stratics HoC chat to talk with the devs about Crafting and PvP. All questions will need to be submitted on the Fallen Earth forums ahead of time.

Plus, at 4pm EST this afternoon, all registered Alpha participants will have the chance to fight alongside the devs for control of New Gallows, one of the conflict towns in Sector Two. Not in the Alpha testing program? No problem! The team is currently accepting clans, while individuals will soon be able to sign up through forum membership. You can check out the main website for the individual Alpha sign-up info coming soon. If you're not in Alpha now, you certainly won't make it for this afternoon's event, but the Fallen Earth folks promise to have these "Day with the Devs" on the second Thursday of each month. Check out this post by Community Director Tiggs for more information on today's happenings.

Join Fallen Earth creators during their monthly "Day with the Devs" originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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