Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Five things to love about Lion's Arch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/flameseeker-chronicles-five-things-to-love-about-lions-arch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/flameseeker-chronicles-five-things-to-love-about-lions-arch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/flameseeker-chronicles-five-things-to-love-about-lions-arch/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2 concept art
Lion's Arch, the quintessential Tyrian player hub, has undergone quite the extensive renovation for Guild Wars 2. As a special treat for the last beta weekend, the city was made explorable to players for the first time -- and what a treat it was! After the Rise of Orr and the accompanying land shift, Lion's Arch as we knew and loved it in the original Guild Wars was flooded. It has been raised anew, very near the first city, and stands as a monument to piracy, desperation, and inter-species cooperation (not, perhaps, in that order).

So what makes Lion's Arch awesome? It's one of six huge cities that are the thriving populatiion centers of Tyria as we find it in Guild Wars 2, and since it doesn't have one single race to lend it culture and purpose, you can bet it had better be pretty special.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Five things to love about Lion's Arch

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Five things to love about Lion's Arch originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetcitydiving-boardfantasyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw1gw2hublalions-archncsoftnew-lions-archopinionpiratespiratitudequaggantrailertrailersvideovideosTue, 08 May 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC 2012: The Repopulation demonstrates world-building elements]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/10/gdc-2012-the-repopulation-demonstrates-world-building-elements/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/10/gdc-2012-the-repopulation-demonstrates-world-building-elements/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/10/gdc-2012-the-repopulation-demonstrates-world-building-elements/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

The Repopulation screnshot
GDC literally has a little of everything, from indie developers to major studios, from free-to-play games to shooters to arena battles to retro to family... there really is something for everyone. As a massive fan of sandboxes myself, I was pleased to get to spend so much time with Above and Beyond Technologies' lead dev and co-owner Josh Halls and artist Kevin Grove as they demonstrated some of the features in their upcoming title, The Repopulation. (And I would have even spent longer if I could have!)

While I had a monopoly on the team's attention, I had the chance to see some of the customization available to characters, both in appearance and gear, as well as get the lowdown on the world building element. We actually walked through the building of a nation, a feature that will make many a sandbox fan giddy! Although Josh was quick to point out that only a few items were available at this point in development, there was certainly enough to get a feel for the system. And I am looking forward to it!

Continue reading GDC 2012: The Repopulation demonstrates world-building elements

MassivelyGDC 2012: The Repopulation demonstrates world-building elements originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>above-and-beyondabove-and-beyond-technologiescharacter-customizationcitiescitycity-buildingcity-building gameconconferenceconventioncraftingcustomizationdemofeaturedgame-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-2012gdcgdc-2012guildsinterviewinterviewsJosh-HallsJoshua-HallsKevin-Grovenationsplayer-run-economypreviewpreviewsrepopulationrole-playsandboxsandbox-gamesci-fistar-wars-galaxiesswgthe-repopulationSat, 10 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LOCO: Evolution goes live, brings new city and features]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/loco-evolution-goes-live-brings-new-city-and-features/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/loco-evolution-goes-live-brings-new-city-and-features/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/loco-evolution-goes-live-brings-new-city-and-features/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Screenshot -- LOCO: Evolution
Last month, we learned that Alaplaya's free-to-play MOBA, Land of Chaos Online would be rebranding itself with its upcoming LOCO: Evolution content update. The wait is now over, however, as LOCO: Evolution is live, and so are the multitude of features that come with it. Players can now explore the new city hub of Arhonnas, accept and complete quests, track achievements, and much more. For the full details, head on over to the game's official site.

MassivelyLOCO: Evolution goes live, brings new city and features originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alaplayaarhonnascityf2pfree-to-playhubland-of-chaos-onlinelocoloco-evolutionmobamultiplayer-online-battle-arenapatchpatchessocial-hubupdateupdatesMon, 28 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pix or it didn't happen: Calling for your SWG house screenies!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/pix-or-it-didnt-happen-calling-for-your-swg-house-screenies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/pix-or-it-didnt-happen-calling-for-your-swg-house-screenies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/15/pix-or-it-didnt-happen-calling-for-your-swg-house-screenies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies -- Bree's old Bio-Engineer
In exactly one month, the Star Wars Galaxies servers will be shut down forever, but that doesn't mean your creations have to be sunsetted along with them. MJ Guthrie, the co-author of our biweekly sandbox column, Some Assembly Required, is hoping to immortalize the niftiest player-decorated SWG houses, but she needs your help to do it.

If you'd like to pitch in and make sure that SWG's amazing housing mechanics aren't lost to time, just email screenshots of your favorite homes and player-run cities to MJ (mj@massively.com). If you haven't got screenies, a waypoint or coordinates (and the planet and server name) will work just as well, assuming you've unlocked the building(s) for visitors. She's also open to taking a personal tour! The December 9th edition of the column will feature the highlights along with a gallery of all the submissions.

As MJ herself posted: "Don't miss out on being a part of this housing extravaganza! Something so great deserves to be savored for a long, long time to come."

MassivelyPix or it didn't happen: Calling for your SWG house screenies! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>citiescitygalleriesgalleryhousehouseshousingmj-guthriepix-or-it-didnt-happenplayer-run-citiesplayer-run-cityscreenshotscreenshotssoesome-assembly-requiredSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiessunsetswgTue, 15 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's the most iconic MMO city?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/the-daily-grind-whats-the-most-iconic-mmo-city/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/the-daily-grind-whats-the-most-iconic-mmo-city/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/the-daily-grind-whats-the-most-iconic-mmo-city/#commentsFiled under: , ,

WoW's Stormwind
If you've ever tried to draw a map of the Earth from memory, you know that it's a difficult task, and yet I suspect that most of us could easily sketch out a map of the landmasses and cities of our favorite MMOs. While most MMOs scale significantly smaller than our real-world capitals, they're no less memorable. In fact, some cities practically serve as symbols of the game, from City of Heroes' Paragon City to Guild Wars' Lion's Arch to World of Warcraft's Stormwind. Be they hubs of commerce, zones for party-forming, or home to all your phat loots, we could probably navigate them blindfolded.

Today we ask: What's the most iconic MMO city (and could you map it from memory)?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's the most iconic MMO city? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgcartographycitycity-of-heroescohearthguild-warsgwiconic-citylandmasslions-archmapopinionparagon-citystormwindtdgthe-daily-grindtownWorld-of-WarcraftwowMon, 31 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: On to Eorzea]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/choose-my-adventure-on-to-eorzea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/choose-my-adventure-on-to-eorzea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/choose-my-adventure-on-to-eorzea/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

FFXIV
And it's a landslide victory for Final Fantasy XIV! After about a day of neck-and-neck competition with Earthrise, FFXIV pulled ahead for a devastating victory, surely due in no small part to the efforts of the Final Fantasy XIV community, which rallied on the forums to see the game to victory. So well done, FFXIV fans. Hopefully I'll be able to do your game justice.

I would like to take a moment to highlight the disconcerting number of people in the comments who voted for Final Fantasy XIV in hopes of causing me some kind of lasting mental harm (I'm looking at you, Bree). Well, you played right into my hand! After hearing Eliot's emphatic reassurances that the game has improved by leaps and bounds, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the game again. But now, I get to do it for money! Eat that, suckers!

Ahem. Now that that's out of the way, head on past the cut for the moment you've all been waiting for: the opportunity to choose what character I play!

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: On to Eorzea

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: On to Eorzea originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choose-my-adventurecitiescityclassclassescmafeaturedff14ffxivfinal-fantasy-xivpollpollsraceracessquare-enixsquenixWed, 19 Oct 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ten things to do in Star Wars Galaxies before it's gone]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/05/ten-things-to-do-in-star-wars-galaxies-before-its-gone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/05/ten-things-to-do-in-star-wars-galaxies-before-its-gone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/05/ten-things-to-do-in-star-wars-galaxies-before-its-gone/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies - Butterflies included especially for Jef
When SOE announced that Star Wars Galaxies would be sunsetted by the end of the year, many players despaired. They gave up. They saw their long years (eight years!) of play turn to dust. But others looked on the impending closure as incentive to do all those things they'd been putting off, all the activities they just hadn't gotten around to. There hadn't been time. The game is too big for anyone to do it all.

And that's precisely why Star Wars Galaxies is a legend among sandbox fans despite the NGE disaster. It's a living museum of great MMO ideas from the past, of player-driven economies, of open-world housing, of high-end, game-supported roleplay, of roaming in a game that lets you dictate the terms of your play. It's a rare relic you should see in the flesh, today, right now, before it's gone. You can pick up a weapon and fight in any MMO (excepting A Tale in the Desert, that is), but there are so many things you can do in Star Wars Galaxies that you can't do anywhere else with the same level of immersion. And I'm going to tell you which 10 you should do first... before it's too late.

Continue reading Ten things to do in Star Wars Galaxies before it's gone

MassivelyTen things to do in Star Wars Galaxies before it's gone originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-tabappearance-tabarmoratabatmospheric-flightcantinachat-bubbleschronicleschronicles-systemcityclothingcosmetic-outfitcraftingdanceremoteentertainerfeaturedhistoryhousehousingimage-designerinstrumentithorianjtljump-to-lightspeedmayormoodsmusicianngeopen-world-housingpilotplayer-cityplayer-run-cityroleplayroleplayingsandboxsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-warsy-and-iconicstarshipsunsetswgswtorthe-old-republictortradervendorWed, 05 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Moonlight Online reveals concept art for its starting cities]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/moonlight-online-reveals-concept-art-for-its-starting-cities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/moonlight-online-reveals-concept-art-for-its-starting-cities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/moonlight-online-reveals-concept-art-for-its-starting-cities/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Earlier this year, IGG announced they had begun work on an MMO based in the Moonlight universe. Moonlight Online takes place in a dark world where werewolves and vampires war for supremacy. Since the announcement, IGG has been regularly pumping out concept art to give people a feel for the style the game is aiming for. We've been shown some werewolf and vampire characters, a dark armoured horse and a few buildings inspired by medieval and gothic architecture. New art has now been released showing the game's three starting cities: Castle Williams, Fort Traster and Wolfsburg Bastion.

Castle Williams is a dark, gothic castle where all vampires first begin their journey. Home to the humans, Fort Traster is a municipality with a strong focus on teaching magic. As expected, werewolves start their adventures in Wolfsburg Bastion, a wild and untamed stronghold. IGG continue to release concept art on the upcoming title regularly, and updates can be found on the official Moonlight Online forum.

Gallery: Moonlight Online

MassivelyMoonlight Online reveals concept art for its starting cities originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artcitiescityconcept-artgalleriesgallerygothiciggmoonlightmoonlight-onlinevampirewerewolfFri, 12 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Make your travel plans to visit Rift's majestic Meridian city!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/make-your-travel-plans-to-visit-rifts-majestic-meridian-city/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/make-your-travel-plans-to-visit-rifts-majestic-meridian-city/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/07/make-your-travel-plans-to-visit-rifts-majestic-meridian-city/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If your tastes run more to the technological terrors of Rift: Planes of Telera's Defiant, then prepare to get to know Meridian, the faction's capital, quite well. Spitting in the eye of the old gods, Meridian is a cutting-edge metropolis full of harnessed magics, steampunk wonders and rogue water elementals.

Although it is on the front lines of the great world war, Meridian still prides itself on its beauty and elegance, as evidenced by soaring towers and technomagic constructs. The city will offer players a quick travel system via portals, which allows a character to instantly zip to any portal he or she has already discovered. There are secret places to uncover, colorful characters such as Sparky the potion-mixing automaton to meet, and plenty of places to drop your coin in exchange for goods and services.

You can read a guided tour of the city and watch the quick one-minute flyby of Meridian after the jump.

Continue reading Make your travel plans to visit Rift's majestic Meridian city!

MassivelyMake your travel plans to visit Rift's majestic Meridian city! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capitalcitydefiantmeridianmeridian-59riftrift-planes-of-telarasparky-the-potion-mixing-automatontrion-worldsvideoThu, 07 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV releases new Gridania assets]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/final-fantasy-xiv-releases-new-gridania-assets/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/final-fantasy-xiv-releases-new-gridania-assets/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/final-fantasy-xiv-releases-new-gridania-assets/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

With only a few days left until release, Final Fantasy XIV has lifted the shroud surrounding the third of the starting city-states for new characters. Gridania, nestled in the Black Shroud, is a city built into the very structure of the wood around it, filled with reverence for the spirits and creatures that dwell in the environment. The newest pictures have been put together in a gallery showing off the environment of the city -- as well as a hint of the Garlean Empire.

A city of warm earth tones and expansive wooden buildings, Gridania manages to carry its own distinct feel from its sister cities, especially with the stained-glass architecture that dominates the adventurer's guild. While the preview images lack the callbacks that the recent Ul'dah reveal carried, they still show off an environment that is both engaging and alien. Take a look at the full gallery, and keep your eyes open to see if Final Fantasy XIV has any more secrets to reveal prior to next week's launch.

Gallery: Final Fantasy XIV Gridania preview

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV releases new Gridania assets originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-shroundcitiescitycity-statesempireenvironmentffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivforestgalleriesgarlean-empiregridaniaimagesscreenshotssettingsquaresquare-enixstarting-citiesthe-black-shrouduldahThu, 16 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[FFXIV gameplay footage explores cities, chocobos and emotes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/ffxiv-gameplay-footage-explores-cities-chocobos-and-emotes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/ffxiv-gameplay-footage-explores-cities-chocobos-and-emotes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/ffxiv-gameplay-footage-explores-cities-chocobos-and-emotes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A lot of news has been coming out for Final Fantasy XIV lately, and we're quite happy to see it. Today we've got what appears to be (the first episode of what's sure to be recurring) in-game footage of players exploring one of Eorzea's cities on the game's official Japanese YouTube channel. There's a moment in the clip where the Japanese players speaking throughout are amazed to find a Chocobo and well, it's pretty entertaining to watch -- especially when the video gets to the part where it reveals that old Tarutaru emotes are fully intact. Panic!

We're also getting another tiny peek at the user interface for Final Fantasy XIV in the video. From what we can see here, Square Enix is keeping the memorable "Send/Receive" graphic, which blinks with a strange hypnotic rhythm. The mini-map and health/mana bars both look quite useful yet unobtrusive, too. Overall, everything about this game screams, "Final Fantasy XI, but newer and hopefully improved." We hope that proves to be wholly true in the coming months.

MassivelyFFXIV gameplay footage explores cities, chocobos and emotes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chocobocityemoteseorzeaffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivin-game-footagejapanjapanesesquare-enixtarutarutraileruiuser-interfacevideoxbox-360youtubeWed, 31 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Blue Mars to go into open beta on September 2nd?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/rumor-blue-mars-to-go-into-open-beta-on-september-2nd/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/rumor-blue-mars-to-go-into-open-beta-on-september-2nd/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/rumor-blue-mars-to-go-into-open-beta-on-september-2nd/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


According to an anonymous source, the new virtual world game on the block, Blue Mars, might be entering into open beta on September 2nd. What does this mean for you? Well, it means that another CryEngine 2 MMO might be making an appearance soon to do battle with Planet Calypso.

Currently we are unable to confirm the exact time of the opening of the Blue Mars open beta, but we can confirm that the game has been shut down and is being prepared for the "public beta" according to posts on the forums.

Blue Mars is the middle ground between Second Life and Planet Calypso. Where Planet Calypso acts as a game with a real money economy and Second Life allows all users to create content and change the world to their preferences, Blue Mars signs up and approves select developers to create content for their world. Standard users will have the ability to open up small shops and/or purchase living quarters (at the developer's preference) as well as interact with the games and events the ruling developer sets up for their players.

Continue reading Rumor: Blue Mars to go into open beta on September 2nd?

MassivelyRumor: Blue Mars to go into open beta on September 2nd? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avatar-realityblue-marsbreakingcitycryengine-2cryengine2open-betaplanet-calypsopublic-betasecond-lifevirtual-worldFri, 28 Aug 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Runic Games partners with MMO portal Perfect World for their upcoming game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/22/runic-games-partners-with-mmo-portal-perfect-world-for-their-upc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/22/runic-games-partners-with-mmo-portal-perfect-world-for-their-upc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/22/runic-games-partners-with-mmo-portal-perfect-world-for-their-upc/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Perfect World Entertainment, the MMO portal of the self-titled Perfect World International and Ether Saga Online, has announced a partnership between themselves and the phoenix game studio Runic Games for the publishing rights of the upcoming MMO, Torchlight.

This is a large step forward for Runic Games, the previous Mythos game team of the now defunct Flagship Studios. Their agreement with Perfect World is for global publishing rights, meaning Torchlight could be seeing an international release.

Little is currently known about Torchlight, other than the game will be focusing on a single city and centered around the acquisition of a magical ore that imbues equipment with power, but also has a downside to it as well. The game has a bit of a cartoony, playful character to it, as seen in some early concept art shown on the main Runic Games website.

MassivelyRunic Games partners with MMO portal Perfect World for their upcoming game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcityether-saga-onlineflagship-studiosflagshippedmagic-oremythosoreperfect-worldperfect-world-internationalpublishpublishing-rightsrunic-gamestorchlightWed, 22 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC09: Massively previews Huxley: The Dystopia page 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-massively-previews-huxley-the-dystopia-page-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-massively-previews-huxley-the-dystopia-page-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-massively-previews-huxley-the-dystopia-page-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Quests and PvP

You can pick up quests in the city. Those are either story quests or instanced quests where you can either go solo or group up to wipe the map of enemy NPCs. Huxley's cities are large and while a player can navigate on foot, it's much faster to take a hoverbike, or travel by tram or train. The quests themselves often bring a player outside of the city (via train) or beneath the city, where they need to fight against the hybrids in the sewers.

While the game's quests can either be handled solo or in squads, players can also advance in Huxley through PvP. "With PvP you earn experience points as with quests, but you also earn rank points which let you level up your rank, such as private, sergeant, lieutenant, and beyond. The benefit of higher rank is access to the most powerful S-type weapons and bragging rights. People see the symbol next to your name and see what rank you are," like a title system, says Hong.

Continue reading GDC09: Massively previews Huxley: The Dystopia page 2

MassivelyGDC09: Massively previews Huxley: The Dystopia page 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternativeandy-hongcitiescitycombathuxleyijji.commmofpsnhn-usapvpquestssapienssci-fivehiclesvirtual-combatwebzenMon, 30 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online's cities more than just a backdrop]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/02/warhammer-onlines-cities-more-than-just-a-backdrop/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/02/warhammer-onlines-cities-more-than-just-a-backdrop/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/02/warhammer-onlines-cities-more-than-just-a-backdrop/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Game journalist Alec Meer, well-known for his writing at Rock, Paper, Shotgun, recently contributed a Eurogamer piece on the "social and architectural heart" of Warhammer Online -- its cities. Meer looks beyond the RvR game mechanics, the classes, "man-slapping" and the other trappings that make Warhammer Online what it is, and focuses instead on the setting itself, as seen in The Inevitable City and Altdorf. When Meer looks at The Inevitable City, he points out how it's not just your normal MMO hive of activity and commerce, or a place to line up quests. "These are the reasons to visit it, but they're not its real purpose. What it really does is define what the Destruction races are, and what they're trying to turn the Warhammer world into... You only get an inkling of that in the main world," Meer writes.

Contrast this with Altdorf. Meer writes, "Cobbled streets, chunky stone buildings - very European. This is what Order are fighting for. Well, except it's really dirty. Altdorf is not a picture postcard - it's grim and crumbling, full of squalor and fear - as much because of the ongoing war as because of the despotism and aggression of the Empire's rulers," Meer states. Do you agree with Meer that the cities of Warhammer Online are more than just a backdrop for your activities? Do you think the look of WAR's capital cities accurately reflect the conflict between Destruction and Order to reshape the world, each according to their own opposing paradigm?
Warhammer Online Coverage Did you enjoy this? Make sure to check out our Warhammer guides: Massively's Character Creation Guide and our WoW Player's Guide to Warhammer. Plus, don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!

MassivelyWarhammer Online's cities more than just a backdrop originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alec-meeraltdorfcitiescitydesctructionendgamefantasymythic-entertainmentopinionorderracesrockpapershotgunthe-inevitable-citywarwarhammer-onlineTue, 02 Dec 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively explores Age of Conan's guild cities]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/08/age-of-conans-guild-cities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/08/age-of-conans-guild-cities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/08/age-of-conans-guild-cities/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


The construction of guild cities has been one of Age of Conan's main features since release. One such city on the Fury PvP server is Goonrushalem, home to the Thulsa Goons guild. Nestled in the foothills of Stygia's Purple Lotus Swamp, the city of Goonrushalem was once one of the largest player-built cities on the server. Originally intended to be built up into a functional battlekeep for siege warfare, other guilds have since taken the lead and beaten Thulsa Goons to that goal.

Join me as I take a visual tour of the great Goon complex, and discuss the uses of the various buildings it contains.

Gallery: Age of Conan Goonrushalem city gallery

Purple Lotus SwampGoonrushalemThe KeepTrade PostLooking down over the city

Continue reading Massively explores Age of Conan's guild cities

MassivelyMassively explores Age of Conan's guild cities originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbattlekeepcityfeaturedfuncomgoonrushalemgoonsguildhousingjoystiqfeaturespvpsiegeFri, 08 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Huxley video expands on non-combat areas]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/huxley-video-expands-on-non-combat-areas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/huxley-video-expands-on-non-combat-areas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/huxley-video-expands-on-non-combat-areas/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We have to concede, we were not terribly impressed when we got wind of some of Huxley's non-combat areas as long as four months go. Chalk it up to the editing, we suppose, but the ten consecutive minutes of clomping around a barren cityscape left us barely able to keep our heads up. We were much more impressed with the recent cinematic trailer for the game, but it did little in the way of explaining how Huxley was going to change the way we play MMOs.

Well a new video has surfaced with better editing, the removal of that incessant clomping sound of walking on pavement, and some looks at non-static NPCs, shops, and the games' train system. We realize that Huxley's success probably hinges more on whether the FPS action is up to current standards, but for MMO junkies like ourselves, the little things like shops and quest hubs can have a much greater influence on whether we choose to play the game or not. Check out the new video after the jump.

Continue reading Huxley video expands on non-combat areas

MassivelyHuxley video expands on non-combat areas originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cityhuxleynpcsshopstrailertrainvideowebzenWed, 25 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Question WAR devs on in-game cities]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/question-war-devs-on-in-game-cities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/question-war-devs-on-in-game-cities/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/question-war-devs-on-in-game-cities/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Whether it's Orgrimmar or Mos Eisley, some of the more interesting aspects of MMOs have to do with cities. They're usually areas steeped in quests and lore, they're traveling hubs for players moving across the countryside, and they've usually got lots of fun activities to partake in, either with other players or with NPCs. One of the neat things about Warhammer Online is that they're trying to give players a larger stake in the relative safety and security of their capital city by turning it into something that players can lose after a concerted effort by the enemy faction. Unfortunately, unless you're one of the lucky few who have been playing the beta, the specifics of the city gameplay are still a bit unclear.

Fortunately, this is just the thing the Warhammer community team is looking to shore up. Missy Hatch put out a call on the Warhammer Alliance forums (which you should already have bookmarked if you're at all into WAR) this morning, calling for player questions pertaining to cities. They're going to take a select group of questions from that thread and answer them in the March newsletter grab bag. They're only on page 3 in the thread so far, so there's a good chance your well thought out question will make the grade.

MassivelyQuestion WAR devs on in-game cities originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>citiescityea-mythicgrab-bagloremissy-hatchmythicnewsletterwarwarhammer-alliancewarhammer-onlineWed, 27 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST