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[GDC 2012: The Tattered Notebook attends Brasse's community panel]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/10/the-tattered-notebook-soes-brasse-talks-community-at-gdc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/10/the-tattered-notebook-soes-brasse-talks-community-at-gdc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/10/the-tattered-notebook-soes-brasse-talks-community-at-gdc/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

holy grail
What do dwarves and Monty Python have in common? They both feature prominently in Linda "The Brasse" Carlson's GDC 2012 talk about the front lines of the SOE community relations team. Given the recent roller coaster ride of the ProSiebenSat.1 deal and the turmoil on the forums that followed, I found it interesting to hear what it's like to be a member of the community management folks as they try to handle being in the middle of it all. While her talk was mainly aimed at community managers in other games, there were a few tidbits that players would probably find interesting and maybe even surprising. Read on for the highlights!

Continue reading GDC 2012: The Tattered Notebook attends Brasse's community panel

MassivelyGDC 2012: The Tattered Notebook attends Brasse's community panel originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brassecarlsoncommunity-managementconconferenceconventiondominoemily-domino-tayloremily-tayloreqeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquesteverquest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgame-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-2012gdcgdc-2012karen-bryanlinda-brasse-carlsonlinda-carlsonmonty-pythonopinionprosiebensat.1smedleaksmedleakssoesonysony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookSat, 10 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard tells Diablo III fans to lower their expectations]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/blizzard-tells-diablo-iii-fans-to-lower-their-expectations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/blizzard-tells-diablo-iii-fans-to-lower-their-expectations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/blizzard-tells-diablo-iii-fans-to-lower-their-expectations/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If you expect people with swords and the color brown, your expectations are definitely going to be met.
Are you eagerly awaiting Diablo III's eventual release? Well, perhaps you shouldn't be quite that eager. Community manager Bashiok recently made some comments in a thread on the official forums expressing some concern that players are getting too excited about the potential of the game and that players should instead lower their overall expectations of Diablo III. He closes by saying that fans should at the same time still purchase the game but perhaps lower the threshold of awesome it has to clear.

It's possible to read this as an attempt to control the game's hype before release, and it's possible to read this as a roundabout statement of overall quality. Either way, it's an odd statement coming from Blizzard's public relations team, since very few developers have historically told their fans to be a little less excited for release. Of course, with that having been said, it's unlikely that the level of excitement will go down at all. (Bashiok's full quote is just past the cut.)

Continue reading Blizzard tells Diablo III fans to lower their expectations

MassivelyBlizzard tells Diablo III fans to lower their expectations originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardanticipationblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcommunitycommunity-managementcultured3diablodiablo-3diablo-iiidiiiexpectationsWed, 22 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Reid on Reddit: SWTOR fans ask him anything and everything]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/reid-on-reddit-swtor-fans-ask-him-anything-and-everything/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/reid-on-reddit-swtor-fans-ask-him-anything-and-everything/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/reid-on-reddit-swtor-fans-ask-him-anything-and-everything/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SWTOR
"Ask me anything." That's a dangerous command for anyone to issue, nevermind the community manager of the hottest new MMO on the block. Yet that's just what Stephen Reid said today to the Star Wars: The Old Republic community on Reddit, and the length of questions and answers would make for a mini-novel if packaged as such.

While Reid certainly hedges on issues that BioWare is not quite ready to address, he doesn't shy away from direct answers when applicable. The compiled Reddit thread lists dozens and dozens of Q&As, including the much-asked-for guild housing ("on the list for future development"), the ability delay issue ("we'll talk about it publicly soon"), and an upgraded Galactic Trade Network ("improvements will come to the GTN in time, definitely").

In response to the request for non-mechanical (read: animal) mounts, Reid said, "Maybe -- it's a technical challenge, I've been told." He's most excited about the upcoming legacy system reveals, but he's not allowed to talk on it just yet.

Amidst the probing questions of the newly launched title is a personal query about what it's like for him to be at the helm of SWTOR community management. "What's it like?" Reid responded. "Bewildering and overwhelming and exciting and demanding, all at once, all day long (and often into the night). I had some idea what I was getting into, but it was bigger than expected. I'll stay as long as I'm wanted."

MassivelyReid on Reddit: SWTOR fans ask him anything and everything originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amaask-me-anythingauction-housebiowarecommunity-managementcommunity-q-and-aeaea-biowaregalactic-trade-networkgtnguild-housinghousinglegacy-systemmountspetsq-and-aquestions-and-answersredditstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorWed, 28 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Online 2011: CCP talks community management]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/gdc-austin-2011-ccp-talks-community-management/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/gdc-austin-2011-ccp-talks-community-management/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/gdc-austin-2011-ccp-talks-community-management/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Valerie Massey of CCP
As we all know, every MMO has its share of crises. They can range from an unpopular game nerf to bugged content to full-out server meltdown. Ironically, CCP Community Manager Valerie Massey submitted her plans for a GDC Online talk the day before, as she put it, "all hell broke loose at CCP." From that point on, the devs "were out of the frying pan and into the fire" over and over. In all, Monoclegate and the Incarna problems were two months of one PR disaster after another.

When it comes to crisis management, she stressed that it's not an exact science, that it's hard to pick apart post-analyses, and that one CM's experience is very different from another. She chose to use Tylenol as a key example of correct response to crisis. Back in 1982, a killer inserted cyanide into Tylenol bottles, thus murdering several people. Tylenol wasn't at fault, but the company reacted correctly by pulling all bottles from the shelves, recalling the product, adding tamper-resistant packaging, and discounting prices after the fact. The company's quick action restored the trust of the consumers.

Who did it wrong? BP. That company shirked responsibility, waited two days before making a statement, lied about the extent of the damage, and failed to execute a clear clean-up plan fast enough.

In a crisis, whether it's in game or in real life, the key is to prepare in advance.

Continue reading GDC Online 2011: CCP talks community management

MassivelyGDC Online 2011: CCP talks community management originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bpccpccp-gamescommunity-managementcrisis-managementeveeve-onlinefeaturedgdcgdc-onlinegdc-online-2011monoclegatepaneltylenolvalerie-masseyThu, 13 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EverQuest becomes ever after: A talk with Linda Carlson of SOE]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/14/everquest-becomes-ever-after-a-talk-with-linda-carlson-of-soe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/14/everquest-becomes-ever-after-a-talk-with-linda-carlson-of-soe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/14/everquest-becomes-ever-after-a-talk-with-linda-carlson-of-soe/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

When it comes to getting involved with community, Sony Online Entertainment's Director of Global Community Relations Linda Carlson knows it well. Most often seen tromping around conventions dressed as her beer-craving Dwarven alter-ego Brasse, Carlson was a fixture at SOE's Fan Faire events and author of her own gaming comic long before she ever started working for the studio. As we had the chance to find out recently, this was due at least in part to EverQuest changing her life many, many years prior.

While these days meeting up with someone you've met online is considered fairly commonplace, when you look back to the earliest days of MMO gaming, it generally was not something many people did. Even if you did meet someone from "on the computer," they tended to be folks from one or another BBS -- local connections that were easily made and just as easily dismissed. The idea of not only meeting someone online in a romantic fashion but leaving the country you live in to see him/her was considered completely insane. "What if you don't get along? Or what if he/she is a murderer?" your friends might ask, since this was all really new territory and nobody quite knew what would happen. Still, some early MMO gamers like Carlson gathered up their courage and took that gamble.

In honor of Valentine's Day, we interviewed Carlson about how her EverQuest connection became an "ever after" -- join us after the break!

Continue reading EverQuest becomes ever after: A talk with Linda Carlson of SOE

MassivelyEverQuest becomes ever after: A talk with Linda Carlson of SOE originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acasherons-callbrassecommunity-managementdirector-of-global-community-relationseqeq2eq2xeqiieverquesteverquest-2everquest-2-extendedeverquest-iieverquest-ii-extendedf2pfeaturedfrfree-realmsfree-to-playguild-meetingsinterviewirllinda-carlsonmarriageonline-relationshiponline-relationshipsplanetsidepsreal-liferelationshipsoesony-online-entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesswgvalentines-dayMon, 14 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: An insight into Istaria's indie development]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/free-for-all-an-insight-into-istarias-indie-development/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/free-for-all-an-insight-into-istarias-indie-development/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/free-for-all-an-insight-into-istarias-indie-development/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Last week I was able to hand off some questions to Amarie, the Community Manager for Virtrium and Istaria: Chronicles of the Gifted -- the game formerly known as Horizons. While the game might be getting a little long in the tooth, it's important to note that development is still a priority and that the game is still very enjoyable and playable. It boasts 11 different playable races (including dragons!) and an open character development system that puts some more modern games to shame.

I recently received a copy of a producer's letter and was impressed by its open, frank nature. I quickly contacted the team and its members agreed to answer several questions. There's a lot to read, so grab a coffee and let's take a look into the world of indie development.

Continue reading Free for All: An insight into Istaria's indie development

MassivelyFree for All: An insight into Istaria's indie development originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amariebeau-hindmancommunity-managementcommunity-managerdragonsf2pfeaturedfree-for-allfree-to-playftphorizonshorizons-empire-of-istariainterviewInterviewsistariaistaria-chronicles-of-the-giftedracesvirtriumWed, 24 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NYCC 2010: Our interview with FFXIV's Sage Sundi and Yasu Kurosawa]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/11/nycc-2010-our-interview-with-ffxivs-sage-sundi-and-yasu-kurosa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/11/nycc-2010-our-interview-with-ffxivs-sage-sundi-and-yasu-kurosa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/11/nycc-2010-our-interview-with-ffxivs-sage-sundi-and-yasu-kurosa/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If there were an award for the most controversial game on Massively, that award would probably have to go to Final Fantasy XIV. It's a game with a very different approach to many of the elements that are considered de rigueur for MMOs, which has produced a great deal of affection from some players, a great deal of enmity from others, and a flamewar that burgeons in nearly any thread about even the most innocuous news.

I had a chance to sit down at New York Comic Con with Sage Sundi, FFXIV's global online producer, and Yasu Kurosawa, FFXIV's North American online producer. It was certainly an interesting experience to chat with two of the people responsible in no small part for one of my personal favorite games, but both gentlemen were very polite to discuss the game, its worldwide community, and what lessons had been learned already from launch.

Continue reading NYCC 2010: Our interview with FFXIV's Sage Sundi and Yasu Kurosawa

MassivelyNYCC 2010: Our interview with FFXIV's Sage Sundi and Yasu Kurosawa originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blue-mageclassescommunitycommunity-managementcommunity-teamfeaturedffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivgame-managementinterviewlanguagelanguage-barrierlaunchlaunch-issueslaunch-retrospectivenew-york-comic-connyccnycc-2010regional-teamsroleplayingrpsage-sundisquaresquare-enixsummonertransportyasu-kurosawaMon, 11 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sean Dahlberg moves on to Faxion Online development]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/sean-dahlberg-moves-on-to-faxion-online-development/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/sean-dahlberg-moves-on-to-faxion-online-development/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/06/sean-dahlberg-moves-on-to-faxion-online-development/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

For some of our readers, the idea of managing the community for Star Wars: The Old Republic would be a dream job. (How well this lines up with understanding what community managers actually have to do is debatable.) Sean Dahlberg, however, has apparently decided that he's had quite enough of that scene, so he's packed up and moved on to UTV True Games and Faxion Online. It's a bit of an odd move, and Dahlberg has put up a short entry on his personal blog explaining why he's moved on and what he's moving on to do.

Faxion Online is a free-to-play game focused on the war between Heaven and Hell, with what Dahlberg describes as a sense of humor resembling that of the inimitable Dungeon Keeper franchise. He explains that while he enjoyed working with communities, he wanted to get back into designing fun systems for an actual game, and he felt that he could make a larger contribution by shifting focus to his current occupation of Senior Game Systems Designer for Faxion. For more details and a few more tidbits about what's planned for the free-to-play title, take a look at his full entry.

MassivelySean Dahlberg moves on to Faxion Online development originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communitycommunity-managementfaxionfaxion-onlinegame-system-designindustryindustry-personalitiesmmo-industrynewssean-dahlbergstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorutv-true-gamesWed, 06 Oct 2010 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Making it as an MMO blogger: The community manager interviews part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/05/making-it-as-an-mmo-blogger-the-community-manager-interviews-pa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/05/making-it-as-an-mmo-blogger-the-community-manager-interviews-pa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/05/making-it-as-an-mmo-blogger-the-community-manager-interviews-pa/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

If you enjoyed our community management feature from yesterday, we present you with part 2!

What level of honesty should bloggers have regarding the benefits and flaws of your game in balancing the interests of the readers and the interests of your company?


David Bass: Bloggers should always be honest. But they should also be fair. Yes, game X might have some issues, but is the company consistently working to improve the game? Are you seeing excellent communication from the team? No MMO is perfect, that's for certain, but in addition to learning where our flaws are, we're also interested to learn what we're doing right. Bloggers aren't there to cater to us as a company, and if your blog is heading in that direction, most readers will notice that and may choose to shy away from it. If you stick to being honest on your blog, that's what will get the company to notice you.

Continue reading Making it as an MMO blogger: The community manager interviews part 2

MassivelyMaking it as an MMO blogger: The community manager interviews part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggersbloggingcommunitycommunity-managementcommunity-managerfeaturedFri, 05 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Making it as an MMO blogger: An interview with top community managers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/04/making-it-as-an-mmo-blogger-an-interview-with-top-community-man/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/04/making-it-as-an-mmo-blogger-an-interview-with-top-community-man/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/04/making-it-as-an-mmo-blogger-an-interview-with-top-community-man/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ahh, that eternal debate about what differentiates a gaming blogger from a gaming journalist. We could go on and on about specifics on both sides, but the fact is, we all have the same goals in mind: writing about what we love.

Ravious at Kill Ten Rats approached us with an idea he's been working on for a few months involving MMO bloggers and their relationship with community managers. We thought this was a brilliant idea as a valuable hub of information for MMO bloggers, and offered to help him get it kick-started. So we sent off his questions to nine of the top community managers in the industry to get their take on how bloggers can establish and grow a favorable working relationship with them. With so much information here, we broke it into two parts: one today and the conclusion tomorrow. Follow along for their answers to part one!

Continue reading Making it as an MMO blogger: An interview with top community managers

MassivelyMaking it as an MMO blogger: An interview with top community managers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggersbloggingcommunitycommunity-managementcommunity-managerfeaturedThu, 04 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare CM on community management then and now]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/22/bioware-cm-on-community-management-then-and-now/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/22/bioware-cm-on-community-management-then-and-now/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/22/bioware-cm-on-community-management-then-and-now/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


If the community is on board with your game and/or message, they will help propel your game toward success. That success can be temporary, however, because if they're not on board, they may turn on you quickly and sharply. Word of mouth travels fast, especially on the Internet and the primary job of the community management team is to keep that voice with you, not against you.

How do they do this? BioWare Austin Community Manager, Sean Dahlberg gives us some insight after ten years in the field. The SW:TOR CM explains that in the past, community management mostly entailed administrating game forums and passing developer messages along to the players. Because the job wasn't taken as seriously as it is today, CMs were often the last to know about major game changes or the rationale behind them, which made the job very difficult.

While the job is still difficult today, community managers are now informed of major changes in advance and actually given a voice with upper management. They are essentially the liaison between fans, consumers, developers, and the publisher. They also facilitate communication, help retain customers, and even gain new ones. Sean says the field of community management is still in its infancy and that he's interested to see where it will go from here.

MassivelyBioWare CM on community management then and now originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecommunity-managementignsean-dahlbergstar-wars-the-old-republicSun, 22 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Speaking Podcast Episode 45]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/04/massively-speaking-podcast-episode-45/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/04/massively-speaking-podcast-episode-45/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/04/massively-speaking-podcast-episode-45/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Massively Speaking Episode 45 returns this week as a one-on-one interview with Glen "Famine" Swan, Funcom's Community Manager for Anarchy Online and Age of Conan. Shawn and Glen chat about the newest content patch introduced recently for AoC, as well as community management in general.

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot us an email to podcast AT massively DOT com. Maybe we'll read your letter on the air!

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes.
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Listen here on the page:



Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Continue reading Massively Speaking Podcast Episode 45

MassivelyMassively Speaking Podcast Episode 45 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaoccommunity-managementcommunity-managerfaminefeaturedfuncomglen-swanjoystiqfeaturesmassivelymassively-speakingpodcastpodcastsWed, 04 Mar 2009 10:00:00 ESTMassively Speaking Episode 45Massively.com Staff42:21podcasts<![CDATA[WoW Insider's new writer comes in from the Blizzard]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/wow-insiders-new-writer-comes-in-from-the-blizzard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/wow-insiders-new-writer-comes-in-from-the-blizzard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/11/wow-insiders-new-writer-comes-in-from-the-blizzard/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Our big sister site WoW Insider has always been hella fun to read, but this week they got some serious new assistance in the form of an ex-Blizzard Community Manager. Michael "Belfaire" Sacco (his icon was a Talbuk) has moved on from World of Warcraft CMing, and is now offering up his knowledge and expertise to our favorite WoW-focused website.

He kicks off his time with the team over there by highlighting a great new change coming to World of Warcraft mounts. After Patch 3.0.8 hits the live servers, there will no longer be any racial restrictions for mounts on either the Alliance or Horde factions. That is to say, the Tauren will be able to ride any Horde-faction mount they want, and even the biggest Human will enjoy the experience of riding a Gnomish Mechano-strider. Check out the full PTR 3.0.8 Patch notes over on WoW Insider, and stay tuned over there for more of Mr. Sacco's insights!

MassivelyWoW Insider's new writer comes in from the Blizzard originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardbloggercmcommunity-managementtalbukworld-of-warcraftwowwow-insiderThu, 11 Dec 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Warhammer Online to open official forums in 2009]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/06/rumor-warhammer-online-to-open-official-forums-in-2009/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/06/rumor-warhammer-online-to-open-official-forums-in-2009/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/06/rumor-warhammer-online-to-open-official-forums-in-2009/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Somewhere, somehow, William Shatner and Roseanne Barr are singing a duet. That appears to be the implication of a highly unexpected rumor reported on the Warhammer Alliance forum. Apparently, Warhammer Online will soon be launching company-sanctioned official forums. Back in March of this year, Mythic Entertainment's Mark Jacobs went on a ranting rampage about the very concept of official forums. In that whole discussion, he at one point stated he'd rather hear the two above celebrities slam out a duet together than bear the thought of official forums. His statements came during a period were other companies were making similar announcements, and some companies with official forums were even thinking of shutting theirs down.

So this (at this point) rumor as offered by Warhammer Alliance is something of a surprise. Forum admin Garthilk states this comes from "unofficial people in and out of Mythic, as well as inside EA, all tell[ing us] the same thing." He goes on to say that, if true, this will be a boon for the unofficial fan community. It will take pressure off of their taxed volunteer resources and allow them to better serve the community. We'll watch for an official response from Mythic, as well as further developments on this story.
[Via Broken Toys]

MassivelyRumor: Warhammer Online to open official forums in 2009 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Dec 2008 01:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcmcommunity-managementforumsmythic-entertainmentofficial-forumswarwarhammer-onlineSat, 06 Dec 2008 01:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively goes to Seattle: A wrap-up of ION 2008]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/massively-goes-to-seattle-a-wrap-up-of-ion-2008/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/massively-goes-to-seattle-a-wrap-up-of-ion-2008/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/massively-goes-to-seattle-a-wrap-up-of-ion-2008/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It's been a great week on the west coast, for the second annual MMO-centric Seattle conference. Now called ION, everything we've heard has indicated that this week's event was a tremendous success. Massively was there in force, and below you'll find the ins and outs of the sessions and meetups we attended.
Focusing on the community manager
One of the strengths of MMOs are their communities. The stronger a community around an MMO is the more likely that game is to last into the foreseeable future.
State of online games keynote
Globalization is one of the session tracks here at ION 08, as befitting an industry seeking the holy grail of a truly global marketplace for online games. Tuesday's keynote was delivered by Won II Suh of Neowiz, a Korean online games company with 20 titles currently supported or in development by 1000 employees across 8 regions around the world.
John Smedley keynote shows off Free Realms and The Agency
When you think of Sony Online Entertainment, what comes to mind? I'm sure that Everquest, Everquest 2, Star Wars Galaxies and Planetside are some of the titles which most people think about. From what I've recently seen in John Smedley's keynote at ION 08 that's all going to be changing in the near future.
SOE Seattle studio tour
Our mission: infiltrate SOE's Seattle studio, obtain intel on The Agency, regale the awesomely hyperactive lead designer Hal Milton with questions from left field.
MMOs and the television content model (SGW)
Joseph Ybarra, SVP of strategic operations at Firesky, the publishing subsidiary of Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment, presented a session today at ION 08 about the Stargate Worlds production model that borrows heavily from Hollywood and TV models.

Continue reading Massively goes to Seattle: A wrap-up of ION 2008

MassivelyMassively goes to Seattle: A wrap-up of ION 2008 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 May 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>community-managementfeaturedfree-realmsgrimwellion08joe-ybarrajohn-smedleysgwsoe-seattletelevisionthe-agencyFri, 16 May 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More Tabula Rasa tidbits to string you along]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/14/more-tabula-rasa-tidbits-to-string-you-along/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/14/more-tabula-rasa-tidbits-to-string-you-along/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/14/more-tabula-rasa-tidbits-to-string-you-along/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

You really have to admire the work that MMO community management teams do. Not only are they the front line of defense against player angst and rage in moments of crisis, but they're also the spin-doctors and craftsmen who take tiny tidbits of information and turn them into news. Take the Tabula Rasa community team for instance. It's pretty clear that Destination Games is plunking away at the 1.4 patch, trying to ready it up for public consumption on the PTR sometime in the next two weeks. They've already dropped the big news about Sanctus Grotto on Friday, and we figured that was all we'd get to preview of 1.4 before the patch notes came out. But oh no! On a slow news day, they've revealed two new nuggets of information to keep us coming back.

They've announced that they're changing the way ammo works for Machine Guns, Leech Guns, Polarity Guns, and Propellant Guns so that they can now take lower quality ammunition. This is going to mean big monetary savings for players that have, until now, been largely left to bankruptcy by their boom-sticks. Spies and Guardians, the game's two melee classes, have enjoyed an unfair advantage in this respect, as their weapons don't have prohibitive maintenance costs comparable to ammo. It's nothing as big as an end-game instance, but it's still worth noting.

And in a completely unrelated note, they're also putting in /sit and /laydown emotes. Cool, I guess?

MassivelyMore Tabula Rasa tidbits to string you along originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.4ammocommunitycommunity-managementpatch-1.4ptrtabula-rasatrweekend-wrapupMon, 14 Jan 2008 18:00:00 EST