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[Why I Play: Global Agenda]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/why-i-play-global-agenda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/why-i-play-global-agenda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/why-i-play-global-agenda/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Global Agenda screenshot
Among the Massively staff, I'm known as the obsessive competitor who plays every game in a hardcore fashion. It's no surprise that I gravitate toward high-skill, difficult games that test skill instead of the typical MMO grinds. But it should be a bit of a surprise that I don't really like competitive shooters. Shooters take a lot of the elements I really love about competition such as mindgames and positioning and marginalize them in favor of raw aiming and twitch reflexes. I'm fond of saying "You must be this tall to ride this ride" when it comes to shooters that are very twitch-based.

Global Agenda is a different beast than other shooters, though. The competitive shooter market is saturated with class-based shooters whose emphasis is more on teamwork than on aiming, and Global Agenda really takes it to eleven. Aiming is still important, but it's hardly the most important skill in the game, and every class has a way of minimizing the need for aiming skill. In fact, most of the more effective builds in GA don't require aiming. The emphasis in GA is on teamwork, mobility, and good decision-making. Even though it's a shooter, I find it really easy to spend far too much of my time playing it. It's just great fun.

Continue reading Why I Play: Global Agenda

MassivelyWhy I Play: Global Agenda originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>competitioncompetitive-gamingcompetitive-shootereditorialf2pfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgaglobal agendahi-rezhi-rez-studiosjetpacksjetpacks-are-awesomemassively-metametammofpsnostalgiaop-edopinionsci-fishooterspy-fithird-person-shootertpswho-doesnt-like-flyingwhy-i-playWed, 09 May 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: The importance of those first moments in a game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/free-for-all-the-importance-of-those-first-moments-in-a-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/free-for-all-the-importance-of-those-first-moments-in-a-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/free-for-all-the-importance-of-those-first-moments-in-a-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Forum post screenshot
This week, I decided to download and install Aion. I haven't played it since beta. Although I was not impressed with it at the time, my favorite Aion columnist has been covering the game in such a way that I knew some good things had happened to the game. And after all, it's free now. Right?

I was nervous from the moment I installed the game. NCsoft hosts a notoriously odd account management system. Sure, once you break the code and understand how to make an account for your master account that signs into your game account (or something like that), it might seem elementary. Until that moment, though, the system makes you feel like an idiot. It makes you feel as though the publisher literally doesn't want you to play the game.

I had a week filled with such moments. The frustration I felt led me to today's topic.

Continue reading Free for All: The importance of those first moments in a game

MassivelyFree for All: The importance of those first moments in a game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-3.0beau-hindmancity-of-heroescompetitionf2pfirst-momentsfree-for-allfree-to-playftpgemstone-ivgripingncsoftnewbienewbiesragewhiningWed, 18 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Seven Souls Online gets competitive with its closed beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/seven-souls-online-gets-competitive-with-its-closed-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/seven-souls-online-gets-competitive-with-its-closed-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/seven-souls-online-gets-competitive-with-its-closed-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Screenshot -- Seven Souls Online
Last week, we gave you folks the opportunity to grab a beta key for NEOWIZ GAMES' upcoming F2P title Seven Souls Online. Well, the time has come to put those keys to good use. The game's developers announced in a press release today that Seven Souls Online has entered closed beta testing, but this isn't an ordinary beta test. No, this is a beta contest. You see, NEOWIZ GAMES wants to make sure that players report all the bugs they come across, so the studio is offering some extra incentives.

Throughout the course of the beta test, players can take part in The Great Bug Hunt, in which players are asked to submit bugs with screenshots and directions for replication. The seven players who submit the most useful bug reports will be rewarded with an iPad 2. If you're not up for all that bug-reporting work, though, don't worry. The studio is also asking beta testers to submit their most iconic screenshots that they think "represents Seven Souls Online." Players will vote on the forums for the best entry, and the top five contestants will receive an "ultra-rare" mount known as the Burning Ghost Mount, which sounds pretty awesome if a bit surreal. To get in on the beta testing action, just click on over to the game's official site.

[Source: NEOWIZ GAMES press release]

MassivelySeven Souls Online gets competitive with its closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-souls7-souls-onlinebetacbtclosed-betaclosed-beta-testingcompetitioncompetitionscontestcontestsf2pfree-to-playneowiz-gamesseven-soulsseven-souls-onlineWed, 15 Feb 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Earn prizes in Allods Online's 14-day giveaway event]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/05/earn-prizes-in-allods-onlines-14-day-giveaway-event/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/05/earn-prizes-in-allods-onlines-14-day-giveaway-event/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/05/earn-prizes-in-allods-onlines-14-day-giveaway-event/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Allods Online title image
To celebrate the upcoming release of Allods Online's patch 3.0, gPotato is giving away prizes to players who log in on the days leading up to and following the patch. The event starts on February 7th and will run until February 21st, with the patch arriving in the middle on February 14th. Players who log in for a full hour each day during the event will receive progressively valuable rewards, with the best reward saved for those who log in for an hour during all 14 days.

Prizes start with special coins for the first day and rapidly ramp up to consumables and costumes, with a Sinister Lion mount for players who log in during all 14 days. To qualify each day, one hour must be spent playing the game before midnight by your server's clock; the time can be split across multiple characters on your account and the prizes are limited to one set per account. gPotato requests that all players entering the contest log out before midnight each day as staying logged in may make you ineligible for that day. As this is a tiered event, players who miss even a single day will never be able to get the top prize of a Sinister Lion mount. For a full list of prizes and contest terms, head over to the official contest announcement.

MassivelyEarn prizes in Allods Online's 14-day giveaway event originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allodsallods-onlineastrum-nivalcompetitioncontestcostumeseventf2pfantasyfree-to-playgala-netgpotatomountnewsplay-for-rewardsprizessinister-lionSun, 05 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Free Steam games and promotional gifts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/not-so-massively-free-steam-games-and-promotional-gifts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/not-so-massively-free-steam-games-and-promotional-gifts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/not-so-massively-free-steam-games-and-promotional-gifts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
It's Christmas time, and what better way is there to celebrate than to smash some internet people to bits in your favourite MOBA? League of Legends leads the charge with a gift of 450 RP delivered to every nice player who hasn't been banned in the past two months, and it shows off upcoming champion Victor the Machine Herald. Heroes of Newerth gives all players two free Christmas alt avatars and has a limited-time offer to buy a pack containing every previously released hero for just $10.

Rise of Immortals takes part in Steam's Great Gift Pile promotion that gives you the chance to win discount coupons or free Steam games, and it releases an immortal spotlight on Kavashiir. CrimeCraft: Gang Wars also offers players a Steam prize for playing its festive Snow Brawl game mode. Firefall clarifies the beta process and reminds fans that the game will be "done when it's done," and Torchlight developer Runic Games announces a new armour design contest. Finally, of all the intellectual properties to be made into an online game, did you ever think Doctor Who would make the list? BBC Worldwide has released an open preview of Doctor Who: Worlds in Time, a team-based puzzle game by the makers of Puzzle Pirates and Spiral Knights.

Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other big online games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Free Steam games and promotional gifts

MassivelyNot So Massively: Free Steam games and promotional gifts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assistsbbcbbc-worldwidebrowsercompetitioncompetitive-gamingcontestcrimecrimecraftcrimecraft-gangwarsdotadr-whodr-who-worlds-in-timedungeon-crawlere-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfreefree-to-playheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolmobanewsnot-so-massivelynsmpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvpred-5-studiosriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprunic-gamess2s2-gamessteamthree-ringsthree-rings-designtorchlighttorchlight-iivideoviktorMon, 26 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Supremacy puts players' artistic ability to the test with new contest]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/star-supremacy-puts-players-artistic-ability-to-the-test-with-n/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/star-supremacy-puts-players-artistic-ability-to-the-test-with-n/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/star-supremacy-puts-players-artistic-ability-to-the-test-with-n/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Example contest entry
Star Supremacy entered open beta earlier this month, and the game's developer, Barbily Games, wants to give one lucky player an opportunity to have his or her artwork turned into an in-game ship. That's right, Star Supremacy wants your ship designs, and the winning entry will be used to create a new spacecraft within the game. There's only one week left in the competition, so if you want to put your artistic skills to the test, just head on over to the game's official site.

[Source: Barbily Games press release]

MassivelyStar Supremacy puts players' artistic ability to the test with new contest originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artbarbily-gamescompetitioncontestf2pfree-to-playshipship-designspaceshipspaceship-designstar-supremacyWed, 23 Nov 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online reveals Amarr tier 3 battlecruiser, the Oracle]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/eve-online-reveals-amarr-tier-3-battlecruiser-the-oracle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/eve-online-reveals-amarr-tier-3-battlecruiser-the-oracle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/eve-online-reveals-amarr-tier-3-battlecruiser-the-oracle/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Oracle image
Last year graphic designers and EVE Online fans from across the world competed in CCP Games' huge Design-a-Starship contest. The ultimate contest winner was the incredibly impressive Minmatar Tornado, which was meant to be implemented in the game shortly after winning. The ship's implementation was delayed until earlier this month, when CCP announced that the Tornado would be one of four new battlecruisers hitting EVE with the winter expansion. The new tier three battlecruisers are designed to use battleship-sized weapons and are specialised for mid range to long range combat.

In a new devblog today, CCP Guard revealed the Amarr tier three battlecruiser: the Oracle. Originally named the Mentor by its creator Alexey M, the Oracle appears to quite literally be a stripped down forward section of the popular Armageddon. The ship joins the Minmatar Tornado and Gallente Talos as yet another entry from last year's design competition to be implemented in the game. The Caldari battlecruiser is still to be revealed, but we got a first glimpse of the ship from yesterday's In Development video devblog and can confirm that it is also a player-submitted design.

MassivelyEVE Online reveals Amarr tier 3 battlecruiser, the Oracle originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlecruiserccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitiondesigneveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinenewsoracleshipstarshiptier-3Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Global Chat: Choosing your path edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/global-chat-choosing-your-path-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/global-chat-choosing-your-path-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/28/global-chat-choosing-your-path-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

This looked far creepier in real life. I promise.
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's comments have proved to be all about decisions. Where do you want to go in a game that you purchased when you often have a broad variety of choices available? What game should you support in the hopes that it will succeed? Should you hope for another game to die so that your favorite one might live? Will you go down the creepy forest path or run back to the car?

OK, maybe that last one wasn't in the comments this week, but the rest of them were. Jump on past the break to see some of the choice comments from the past week's articles.

Continue reading Global Chat: Choosing your path edition

MassivelyGlobal Chat: Choosing your path edition originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbiowareblizzardblizzard-activisioncolumncompetitionculturedirectionea-biowarefeaturedglobal-chatmmo-industryopinionstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortriontrion-worldsworld-of-warcraftwowSun, 28 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Tanks mirrors history with Battle for the Dnieper special event]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/24/world-of-tanks-mirrors-history-with-battle-for-the-dnieper-speci/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/24/world-of-tanks-mirrors-history-with-battle-for-the-dnieper-speci/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/24/world-of-tanks-mirrors-history-with-battle-for-the-dnieper-speci/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Screenshot -- World of Tanks
Wargaming.net has long touted World of Tanks' historical accuracy when it comes to its tanks' designs and specs. The studio very clearly knows its history, as evidenced by the forthcoming Battle for the Dnieper event.

The event, which commemorates a massive World War II battle involving nearly four million people, brings players a couple of opportunities. For starters, from August 25th to 26th, all profit gained by players using the Hummel, SU-8, and M41 SPGs will be doubled. Players will also be able to rename tanks and purchase new ones at highly discounted prices. Topping off the event is the Call of Heroes contest, which challenges players to see who can acquire the highest number of achievements before the end of the contest on August 29th. So what are you waiting for, soldier? Get out there and show everyone else who the real hero is.

MassivelyWorld of Tanks mirrors history with Battle for the Dnieper special event originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battle-for-dnieperbattle-for-the-dniepercompetitioncontesteventf2pfree-to-playhistoricalhistoryin-game-eventsalewargamingwargaming.networld-of-tankswotWed, 24 Aug 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Catch The Raid's world premiere for free]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/08/catch-the-raids-world-premiere-for-free/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/08/catch-the-raids-world-premiere-for-free/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/08/catch-the-raids-world-premiere-for-free/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Raid movie
Hot on the heels of 2009's Second Skin, MMO players are once again the subject of an in-depth documentary about their lives and playing styles as Gamebreaker.TV is hosting the world premiere of The Raid for all to enjoy.

Directed by gamer Kevin Johnson, The Raid follows a guild of World of Warcraft players who tackle some of the toughest challenges of the game and open up about what being a raider means to them. The 20-minute runtime examines what drives players to the raiding scene and introduces outsiders to the collaboration and competition that goes on during these events. The primary focus, however, is on the social aspect of raiding and how it binds a group of people together for a single purpose.

You can catch the documentary after the jump until Wednesday evening at 10 p.m. EDT. Please note that the film starts around the 26-minute mark if you don't want to sit through the pre-show interviews. Give it a watch and let us know what you think -- did The Raid hit the spot or miss its target?

Continue reading Catch The Raid's world premiere for free

MassivelyCatch The Raid's world premiere for free originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>competitiondocumentaryendgameendgame-raidinggamebreaker-tvGamebreaker.tvkevin-johnsonmovieobsessionraidraidersraidingraiding-guildsecond-skinthe-raidthis-is-why-i-dont-raidMon, 08 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Tanks becomes an e-sport]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/world-of-tanks-becomes-an-e-sport/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/world-of-tanks-becomes-an-e-sport/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/world-of-tanks-becomes-an-e-sport/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The phrase "serious business" is often used to poke fun at gamers who take their MMORPGs, well... too seriously. World of Tanks players are having the last laugh, though, as their game is now officially an e-sport with the potential to repay their time investment with a bit of real-world cash.

Wargaming.net's latest press release has the details, which include the fact that WoT is now a part of the Electronic Sports League Major Series -- also known as the largest gaming league in Europe. ESL boasts over 3 million registered members and upwards of 740,000 registered teams, making it a good fit for the hardcore World of Tanks community which holds the single-server player concurrency world record.

Head on over to the ESL World of Tanks portal to sign up for the first official event.

MassivelyWorld of Tanks becomes an e-sport originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>competitione-sporte-sportselectronic-sports-leagueeslesl-europef2pfree-to-playhistoricalmmo-industrypress-releaseserious-businesstournamentswarwargaming.networld-of-tankswotTue, 02 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Is Real website presents visual record of EVE, hosts launch contests]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/20/eve-is-real-website-presents-visual-record-of-eve-hosts-launch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/20/eve-is-real-website-presents-visual-record-of-eve-hosts-launch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/20/eve-is-real-website-presents-visual-record-of-eve-hosts-launch/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Two weeks ago, EVE Online developer CCP Games announced a new advertising campaign with a twist. An external marketing company was hired to create a unique virtual museum of EVE artwork, screenshots and videos that would function as a growing visual record of what EVE means to its players. People interested in seeing what EVE is all about could then skim through the site and hopefully get a better impression of what it's like to be part of the EVE community. Players got a head-start in uploading content to the EVE Is Real website last week and we've been eagerly awaiting the website officially going live. Although no official announcement has been made, it appears that the EVE Is Real website has launched.

To encourage players to upload their work, the site's creators are running launch contests with some huge prizes. The top 20 images uploaded to the site will win their owners a brand new EVGA GeForce GTX 460 SE graphics card, and the video that gets the most votes will secure its creator an expensive Alienware gaming desktop machine. Submissions end on August the 18th, and the voting phase then takes place between August the 18th and September the 1st. If you've created some nice screenshots, an epic EVE video or even an awesome My Little Pony version of the latest EVE trailer, submit it before August the 18th for your chance to win.

In an interesting move, CCP will be rewarding every single EVE player with several thousand of its new microtransaction currency Aurum if the website takes off. A running total is maintained of the number of times images and videos on the site have been shared via Facebook and Twitter, and at certain share levels every single EVE player will be gifted a lump sum of Aurum.

MassivelyEVE Is Real website presents visual record of EVE, hosts launch contests originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alienwareaurumccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontesteveeve-ccpeve-is-realeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefacebookgeforcelaunchscreenshotsocial-mediasocial-networkingtrailertwittervideoWed, 20 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: E-sports are serious business]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/25/not-so-massively-e-sports-are-serious-business/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/25/not-so-massively-e-sports-are-serious-business/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/25/not-so-massively-e-sports-are-serious-business/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Saturday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Defense of the Ancients, Bloodline Champions, and more.

E-sports are becoming increasingly popular in the West, with top teams receiving corporate sponsorship deals and tournament organisers fielding prize funds worth thousands of dollars. Last week saw the start of Dreamhack 2011 in Sweden, featuring competitive tournaments for MOBAs like LoL, HoN, Bloodline Champions and more. Last week we also checked out Aida Arenas' Arena Hustle mode and got the first information on new online World War II RTS Operation Gamma 41.

In this week's Not So Massively, the Dreamhack tournaments come to a close as their winners carry giant sacks with dollar signs on them to the nearest bank. For those of you who have always wanted to know what high-end competitive play looks like in League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth or Bloodline Champions, videos of the tournament action are now available. This week we also check out League of Legends' new champion spotlight on Yorick to gravedigger and Realm of the Titans' hero spotlight on HaZ'zard. Finally, we get a look at a new dev interview with Rise of Immortals' lead designer Amanda Flock and more server troubles for Heroes of Newerth.

Continue reading Not So Massively: E-sports are serious business

MassivelyNot So Massively: E-sports are serious business originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amanda-flockcompetitioncompetitivecompetitive-gamingDreamhackdreamhack-2011e-sportsesportsfeaturedheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolnewsown3d.tvPetroglyphrealm-of-the-titansriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsrois2S2-gamesstunlock-studiosvideoYorickSat, 25 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Trion Worlds teams up with DeviantArt for colossal contest]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/trion-worlds-teams-up-with-deviantart-for-colossal-cont/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/trion-worlds-teams-up-with-deviantart-for-colossal-cont/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/trion-worlds-teams-up-with-deviantart-for-colossal-cont/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

"You're traveling through Telara as a bright light appears. A massive rift opens up and monsters start invading. Your team fights to protect their land. As they continuously battle the invading monsters, a massive, 10-story colossus appears." This is Trion Worlds' introduction to its newest contest, which challenges artistically inclined RIFT players to create a colossal creature that would look right at home stepping forth from the planar rifts of Telara.

The rules for the contest itself, which is being run in partnership with the ever-popular art gallery website DeviantArt, are fairly simple: Choose a planar theme (from Earth, Fire, Water, Air, Death, and Life), whip up some concept art for a gargantuan creature that fits with the theme, and submit it to DeviantArt. Semi-finalists will be chosen by the DeviantArt staff, and from those, the top three will be chosen by none other than members of Trion Worlds' creative team. Prizes -- including rather sizable cash prizes, Wacom tablets, DeviantArt Premium Memberships, and of course, copies of RIFT -- will be awarded to the finalists. So if you wield a brush or pen with the same aplomb as your Telaran counterpart does a sword or staff, you can go to the contest page on DeviantArt's official site and join the competition.

MassivelyTrion Worlds teams up with DeviantArt for colossal contest originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>competitioncontestcreate-a-colossusdadeviantartriftrift-planes-of-telaratriontrion-worldsTue, 31 May 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Frogster announces Runes of Magic Boss Rush video contest]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/frogster-announces-runes-of-magic-boss-rush-video-contest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/frogster-announces-runes-of-magic-boss-rush-video-contest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/frogster-announces-runes-of-magic-boss-rush-video-contest/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Fantasy MMO Runes of Magic has been in the news a lot lately, and it hasn't all been positive. Last month, self-proclaimed hacker Cpt.Z3r0 claimed to be in possession of the login details to 3.5 million Runes of Magic game accounts. It's not all bad news, though, as today Frogster announced a great new video contest for RoM players. In honour of San Francisco's upcoming Game Developers Conference at the end of the month, Frogster is giving players the chance to have their video creations featured on the massive widescreen TV in the Frogster booth.

To enter the Boss Rush video contest, all you have to do is make a video of you and your friends taking down one of RoM's many instance or world bosses. Upload your video to YouTube and then send a link to the video to the email address provided to be entered into the contest. The best videos will be put to a general vote by the RoM community, who will pick their single favourite entry to win a huge additional prize. The guild members featured in the video that receives the most votes will be given a Grand Golden Repair Hammer in-game, and the guild leader will get a real-life golden hammer signed by Frogster's US GM team.

Although any video can be entered, there are a few things you can do to massively improve your chances of success. Uploading your video in a resolution of at least 720p, using a 16:9 aspect ratio and keeping a constant frame-rate of 25 will make your video look more professional. It's also advised that you pick a boss with interesting mechanics, as only the most entertaining videos to watch will be selected. Lastly, Frogster insist that you don't add any extra audio or music that you don't own the rights to. Entries must be in by February 28th for a chance to win.

MassivelyFrogster announces Runes of Magic Boss Rush video contest originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bossboss-rushcompetitioncontestfilmfrogstergdcgdc-2011instancepveromrunes-of-magicrunewalkervideoThu, 03 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively revisits Bloodline Champions and gets pwned]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/massively-revisits-bloodline-champions-and-gets-pwned/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/massively-revisits-bloodline-champions-and-gets-pwned/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/massively-revisits-bloodline-champions-and-gets-pwned/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The last time I visited Stunlock Studios' Bloodline Champions, I was impressed but not very turned on. Sure, it worked well, and despite its only semi-original art design, it looked good enough. It just wasn't really my game. I'm not a PvPer, and I'm certainly not an arena-combat type of guy. Yes, I enjoy a good romp in the pits once in a while, but arena-type games just seem repetitive.

Well, that was back in the early release or beta of the game. Now that I have returned, I have found a much improved, smooth, and more full-featured game. I can even say that I had (gasp!) quite a bit of fun. Granted, I was not able to play many games, simply because during the day it seemed that only the European players had any games available -- and even those were generally locked out -- but I played a few that made me feel, well, kind of tough. Click past the cut and let me explain.

Continue reading Massively revisits Bloodline Champions and gets pwned

MassivelyMassively revisits Bloodline Champions and gets pwned originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Arena-Combatbeau-hindmanbloodline-championsCapture-the-flagcash-shopcompetitionctfe-sporte-sportsesportsf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreemiumftpfuncomplayer-versus-playerpvpstunlock-studiosThu, 03 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fortune League brings EverQuest II into the Facebook realm]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/07/fortune-league-brings-everquest-ii-into-the-facebook-realm/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/07/fortune-league-brings-everquest-ii-into-the-facebook-realm/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/07/fortune-league-brings-everquest-ii-into-the-facebook-realm/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Facebook applications for MMOs are becoming more and more ubiquitous as time goes by -- while the earliest examples were simply character-status updates, more recent additions have been fully featured applications in their own right. EverQuest II has just announced the introduction of Fortune League, a game in the earliest stage of testing that will let players adventure in Norrath even when they can't log in to the game proper. And if that weren't enough motivation, players can earn exclusive rewards in-game by taking part in the Facebook competition.

It is indeed a competition, one in which players assemble their preferred set of adventurers and pit them against obstacles on a per-week basis. While there's no direct player conflict, the highest-scoring players are the ones who will receive some nice rewards to be used in EverQuest II, including a pair of special wings. If you're interested in giving another Facebook game a go, the game is available now for players.

MassivelyFortune League brings EverQuest II into the Facebook realm originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alpha-testingcompetitioncompetitive-appeq2eqiievequest-iieverquest-2facebookfacebook-appin-game-rewardsnew-appnew-featuresoesony-online-entertainmenttestingFri, 07 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Is Star Wars: The Old Republic four years out of date?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/06/is-star-wars-the-old-republic-four-years-out-of-date/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/06/is-star-wars-the-old-republic-four-years-out-of-date/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/06/is-star-wars-the-old-republic-four-years-out-of-date/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

We know that Star Wars: The Old Republic is the most anticipated game of 2011 according to our readers and writers, even if one of the reasons is that we want to "see what kind of MMO you get for that kind of money." However, if you were to ask one of the writers at 1Up.com, EA is not spending the money in the right places. In the article, there are claims that EA is looking to topple the World of Warcraft giant given similarities between SWTOR and the Blizzard MMO. The writer uses words like "generic" and "conventional" to describe the leveling system for the Star Wars game and says that BioWare is simply playing follow-the-leader by playing it safe. "Given Blizzard's enormous headstart though, a developer has to do more than play it safe to reach the heights that World of Warcraft has scaled," the article asserts.

The developers at BioWare claim they are not attempting to copy WoW. However, the similarities exist. Even our own writers have said they feel "right at home" with the controls because they're like World of Warcraft's. Other writers say that it is different enough. Who will be right in the end? Maybe our curiosity for the game alone is enough to make SWTOR a success.

For the whole article stop by 1Up.com, and for more information about Star Wars: The Old Republic, visit its official website.


MassivelyIs Star Wars: The Old Republic four years out of date? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1up.comBioWareBlizzardBlizzard-EntertainmentcompetitionEAElectronic-ArtsLucasArtsStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorWorld-of-WarcraftWoWWoW-killerThu, 06 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Voting opens on EVE t-shirt design competition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/voting-opens-on-eve-t-shirt-design-competition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/voting-opens-on-eve-t-shirt-design-competition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/voting-opens-on-eve-t-shirt-design-competition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

In mid December, geeky t-shirt manufacturer J!NX announced an exciting art competition for fans of EVE Online. Following on from the popularity of CCP's earlier DeviantArt ship design contest, J!NX and CCP Games gave people the opportunity to design their very own EVE t-shirt. The deadline for submission has now passed and public voting is now open on the 85 submitted entries. The creators of the three best shirt designs will each receive $750 US dollars in cash, $250 dollars worth of J!NX store credit, a full year's subscription to EVE Online and a whole pile of items from the EVE store.

Perhaps more exciting is the fact that the best designs will be also be turned into t-shirts for sale. The choice of which shirts make the cut will be based on both the public vote and input from CCP and J!NX. If you're looking to expand your wardrobe with some internet-spaceship-themed clothing, now's your chance to pick your favourite designs from the hoard of entries. Voting will be open for all J!NX account holders until January 10th, with the winners announced one week later on January 17th.

MassivelyVoting opens on EVE t-shirt design competition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontestdesigneveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinejinxjnxprizest-shirttshirtvotevotingThu, 30 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The wish list]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/29/a-mild-mannered-reporter-the-wish-list/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/29/a-mild-mannered-reporter-the-wish-list/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/29/a-mild-mannered-reporter-the-wish-list/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

In just a few weeks, it will be the most wonderful time of the year, a time for giving presents to the most important person you can think of. Yes, that's right, my birthday is quickly approaching, and that puts me in a mind to ask for things that I want. Also there was some other gift-related holiday recently. I can't keep track of every little thing; I've got bigger issues to focus on. You don't even know.

Now, while I could probably write a thousand words about what I want for presents overall, this is a column about City of Heroes rather than my greed-filled demands. But there are things that I'm hoping we can see in the game over the next year, and so I'm putting together my wish list for 2011 in the city. And who knows -- with City of Heroes set to face some stiff competition in the coming year, we might have a fighting chance at some of these...

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The wish list

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: The wish list originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011a-mild-mannered-reportercity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcolumncompetitioncovcoxend-of-the-year-2010featuredissue-20ncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiosprognosticatingWed, 29 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Show your artistic talent to win prizes with EVE Online's design contests]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/15/show-your-artistic-talent-to-win-prizes-with-eve-onlines-design/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/15/show-your-artistic-talent-to-win-prizes-with-eve-onlines-design/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/15/show-your-artistic-talent-to-win-prizes-with-eve-onlines-design/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Back in September, EVE Online developer CCP Games teamed up with the folks at deviantArt to bring us a fantastic starship design competition. Dozens of artists from around the world worked tirelessly to create the ultimate starship designs, producing some incredible entries that wouldn't look out of place in New Eden. When the winners were announced, CCP revealed that there would be a second starship design contest to give players another chance to win prizes.

There's just under a week left to submit your entries for the final round of the starship design contest. With a grand prize of $900 cash, a year's subscription to EVE and a whole host of items from the EVE store, it's definitely a contest worth entering. Four additional runner-up prizes of $600 and some items from the EVE store will also be given out. Entries will be voted on by players, and the top 20 will be passed to the EVE art team to select the winners. The deadline for submission is December 21st, with voting beginning the following day.

As if that weren't enough, t-shirt producer J!NX is also running its own EVE art contest with similarly huge prizes to be won. To enter, all you have to do is design a new EVE t-shirt, the best of which will eventually be sold on J!NX. Three prizes are available, each with $750 cash, a further $250 in J!NX vouchers, 12 months of EVE game time and several items from the EVE store. Public voting opens on December 27th, so get your entry in before Christmas to have a good chance of getting it in on time.

MassivelyShow your artistic talent to win prizes with EVE Online's design contests originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontestdesigneveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinejinxjnxprizesstarshipt-shirtWed, 15 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Massively Mob Mission Mash]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/05/eve-evolved-massively-mob-mission-mash/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/05/eve-evolved-massively-mob-mission-mash/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/05/eve-evolved-massively-mob-mission-mash/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

In last week's EVE Evolved, I released details of the brand-new Massively Mob corporation in EVE Online. Although the Massively Mob corp is a great place for readers to congregate, chat and play together, its primary purpose is to provide a financial safety net for new players. Anyone can join the corp and gain access to a stockpile of modules, skillbooks, implants and pre-insured ships that can be used to explore everything the game has to offer. The idea is to take the harsh fear of death and learning curve out of EVE for new players and so encourage them to try new things. To help with that, the Mob will be running regular themed event nights during which we explore different aspects of EVE's gameplay.

Over the coming months, we plan to run events on mission-running, skirmish PvP, exploration and more. Once January hits and the Incursion expansion's final feature is released, we'll begin actively taking part in battling the Sansha menace. Each event will be geared toward showing newer players what they can expect from the game if they continue to play, and having a bit of a laugh while doing it. There will be prizes, medals and special mentions on Massively for older players who help organise these events or younger players who perform well in them. To take part, you don't even need to be a part of the Massively Mob corporation!

With just over a hundred pilots signed up to the corp and more sure to come, there's no time like the present to kick off the first big event night. Skip past the cut to find out how you can get involved in the Massively Mission Mash, and leave us a comment if you have an idea for a future event.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Massively Mob Mission Mash

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Massively Mob Mission Mash originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontesteveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineeventeventsfeaturedmassively-metamassively-mobmassively-mob-corpmassively-mob-eventmissionmission-runningnyphurpveSun, 05 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Winners announced for EVE's starship design contest]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/winners-announced-for-eves-starship-design-contest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/winners-announced-for-eves-starship-design-contest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/winners-announced-for-eves-starship-design-contest/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online's starship design contest has had EVE players and deviantART users excited for this past month. Hundreds of entries were submitted in a bid to win some massive prizes. Last week, the deviantART team picked 15 semi-finalists from all the submitted entries. Those 15 were then sent on to CCP's own art department for appraisal to select the first, second and third place winners. There was some controversy over the quality of the selected semi-finalists, with many popular entries being left out and others that might not fit with EVE's graphic style being put in their place.

Yesterday, the final three winners were selected and announced on the competition page. First place went to deviantART user dreamwa1ker for his impressive Minmatar battleship Tornado, drawn in a truly dark and cinematic style that perfectly fits in with EVE. Second place went to Baranha with the sleek Gallente design Naru-Kami Final, with third place going to machinefire for his Minmatar cruiser Tsunami. The three finalists win an impressive array of prizes, and the first place ship will be forever emblazoned in EVE as an actual in-game ship to be released in a future expansion. As an added bonus to the competition, CCP has announced that they'll be running a second contest in the near future in which EVE players will vote on their favourite entries. This comes as good news for those disappointed by the semi-finalist selection first time around.

MassivelyWinners announced for EVE's starship design contest originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontestcreate-a-starship-contestdesigndeviantarteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinewinnerwinnersFri, 29 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively interviews the Bloodline Champions crew]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/massively-interviews-the-bloodline-champions-crew/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/massively-interviews-the-bloodline-champions-crew/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/massively-interviews-the-bloodline-champions-crew/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Bloodline Champions is an exciting arena-based PvP game brought to us by Stunlock Studios -- pretty darned impressive stuff for such new developers, if we do say so ourselves! We took a quick look at it a while back, if you want to catch up first. While our abilities were nowhere near up-to-snuff, it was still obvious that many players were already enjoying the heck out of the game. In fact, if you look at the game's Facebook page, it's obvious that many gamers are enjoying it.

But we wanted to know more, so we fired off some questions to the team. Luckily, they decided to answer our questions before hacking us to pieces. Read on!

Continue reading Massively interviews the Bloodline Champions crew

MassivelyMassively interviews the Bloodline Champions crew originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenabeau-hindmanbloodline-championscompetitione-sportsf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftppvpstunlock-studiosMon, 25 Oct 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Semi-finalists announced in EVE Online's starship design contest]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/semi-finalists-announced-in-eve-onlines-starship-design-contest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/semi-finalists-announced-in-eve-onlines-starship-design-contest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/21/semi-finalists-announced-in-eve-onlines-starship-design-contest/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Last month, EVE Online developers CCP Games teamed up with the folks at deviantART to run an exciting competition. Artists from across the globe were given the opportunity to design their very own starship. For artists, the opportunity to show off their skills to a professional game development studio proved to be a strong motivator. To sweeten the deal, a prize fund worth several thousand dollars was included for the winning entrants. Yesterday, the deviantART team picked 15 semi-finalists from an uncountable number of submitted entries. Congratulations go out to the semi-finalists, who each take home a $50 iTunes gift card.

While the contest has produced some incredible artwork, it seems that not everyone is happy with how the 15 semi-finalists were selected. Some players have complained that the deviantART team removed some excellent entries from the running in favour of submissions that don't really fit with EVE's art style. The 15 winning entries will now be passed on to CCP's very own art department, where deliberations will take place to select the best three entries. The second and third place winners will receive $750 and $500 respectively, while the first place winner walks away with $900. Perhaps more importantly, the first place entry will be transformed into an actual ship in EVE Online, allowing the winner to make a permanant mark on the game.

MassivelySemi-finalists announced in EVE Online's starship design contest originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontestdesignDeviantArteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinewinnersThu, 21 Oct 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively goes a little crazy with LOCO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/09/massively-goes-a-little-crazy-with-loco/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/09/massively-goes-a-little-crazy-with-loco/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/09/massively-goes-a-little-crazy-with-loco/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

As I ran up to the disgusting-looking tower, several floating squid monsters attacked me. No worries -- I hit a number key corresponding to one of my special abilities and filled the monsters with hot lead from my twin six-shooters. They were dead in seconds, and I took the opportunity to help out my teammate as he attacked the tower with a pair of swords. I punched my uber-ability into action and riddled the fleshy tower with beans of death until it exploded.

We moved on to the inner areas of the enemy territory, destroying defenders as they appeared. Soon, we were pressing down on the main building -- the headquarters of the opposite side. Our foes attempted to stop us, but we were rolling downhill, straight at 'em -- our inertia was too great. We destroyed the building and the giant that defended it. We had won, but not without facing a challenge.

This is what a game of LOCO feels like to me. It's fast, strategic and fun. It looks amazing and is free-to-play -- that's a winning combination right there.

Continue reading Massively goes a little crazy with LOCO

MassivelyMassively goes a little crazy with LOCO originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alaplayabeau-hindmancash-shopcompetitione-sportseasy-to-play-hard-to-masteresportsf2pfeaturedfpsfree-to-playftphorrorland-of-chaos-onlinelocommofpsraidingThu, 09 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First Impressions: Bloodline Champions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/03/first-impressions-bloodline-champions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/03/first-impressions-bloodline-champions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/03/first-impressions-bloodline-champions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Bloodline Champions, a new arena-based combat game from Stunlock Studios, asks only one thing of the player: to kill. Unfortunately for me, I am better at balancing bicycles on my nose than I am at pwning noobs, so I was a little hesitant in trying the game. I decided to puff out my chest and hit the download button. What I found was about what I expected, but made with care. The game is "tailored for esport," meaning that it is made to allow players to repeatedly knock the crud out of each other while racking up kills and stats. If you ever ran the World of Warcraft arena over and over in the hopes of filling out your wardrobe with "welfare epics," then you have experienced a game much like Bloodline.

There are several "bloodlines" to pick from, each with its own set of unique abilities, spells and looks. Many of the bloodlines compliment each other, and forming an efficient team of killers requires communication and dedication. During my stint within the arena, I found myself (and my team) being murdered over and over again by much more tightly knit gangs of players. After a match or two, the pattern and strategy of the members of the opposing team quickly became apparent: they actually talked to each other and discussed tactics. What a strange concept to me. I tend to come to fights somewhat randomly.

Well -- very randomly.

Continue reading First Impressions: Bloodline Champions

MassivelyFirst Impressions: Bloodline Champions originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenabeau-hindmanbloodline-championscompetitioncompetitive gamingCompetitiveGaminge-sporte-sportsesportsfeaturedstunlock-studioswelfare-epicsWorld-of-WarcraftTue, 03 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV's Hiromichi Tanaka on the goals of the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/21/final-fantasy-xivs-hiromichi-tanaka-on-the-goals-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/21/final-fantasy-xivs-hiromichi-tanaka-on-the-goals-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/21/final-fantasy-xivs-hiromichi-tanaka-on-the-goals-of-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Hiromichi Tanaka has been making the rounds of late -- while we had our own chance to interview him during E3, he's been giving several different interviews on a multitude of topics as Final Fantasy XIV nears its launch date. The most recent translated interview from JeuxVideo has Tanaka talking in brief about the upcoming game, but also about his own play experiences. Among the more quotable parts of the interview is a simple statement: Square-Enix isn't trying to compete with World of Warcraft, but to draw in players who might not have looked at the genre before.

As Tanaka puts it, the game is designed to be accessible to fans of the long-running franchise who may never have considered playing something multiplayer. He also stresses the emphasis on allowing players to use their time in the game as effectively as possible, citing the Guildleves and the Armory system as two examples wherein players can maximize the useful time spent in-game. Lastly, when asked about other games he's enjoyed, he somewhat happily admits that he's been too focused on developing Final Fantasy XIV to enjoy much since Final Fantasy XI. The full translation is transcribed here, with the embedded video in French (if you happen to be fluent).

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV's Hiromichi Tanaka on the goals of the game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessarmory-systemcompetitionffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivguildleveshiromichi-tanakainterviewsmmosnew-playerssquaresquare-enixtranslationsWed, 21 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Win EVE game time with the Planet Risk podcast]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/24/win-eve-game-time-with-the-planet-risk-podcast/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/24/win-eve-game-time-with-the-planet-risk-podcast/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/24/win-eve-game-time-with-the-planet-risk-podcast/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As EVE Online's Tyrannis expansion draws closer, CCP has been avidly supporting community competitions surrounding its launch. In addition to our own three massive contests centred on planetary interaction with a huge prize total of 50 PLEX, there have been numerous smaller contests on other popular websites and community blogs. Unfortunately, while any EVE player is sure to get excited over the chance to win some free game time, not everyone's contests have been successful.

The Planet Risk show, one of EVE's popular podcasts, launched a contest where listeners were encouraged to record themselves mimicking the show's presenters. Despite thousands of hits to the contest page and vocal support in the community, bizarrely not a single entry was received. In response, the show's presenters have extended the contest until the end of the month and relaunched it with more accessible entry requirements. Players can now enter either by writing something about planetary interaction or recording themselves talking about it. Pop over to the Planet Risk contest page for details on how to enter the contest.

MassivelyWin EVE game time with the Planet Risk podcast originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 May 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontesteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineplanet-riskplexpodcastMon, 24 May 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 3: Fiction-writing contest]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/15/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-3-fiction-writing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/15/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-3-fiction-writing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/15/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-3-fiction-writing/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Over the past two weeks we've been running some awesome weekly contests for readers to win EVE Online game time courtesy of CCP Games. In celebration of the upcoming launch of EVE's Tyrannis expansion, we gave away 10 PLEX in our planet screenshot contest two weeks ago. Last week, we ran a caption competition with a 15 PLEX prize total and received a flood of entries. So many in fact that we're still debating which captions should win a prize. The winners of that contest will be posted as an update to the second contest post within the next few days and the winners will all be notified via email.

This week marks the last week of our Tyrannis contest trilogy and to end on a high-note we're giving away a whopping 25 PLEX. Ten top prizes of two PLEX are available and a further five runner-up entrants will get one PLEX each. To enter, all you have to do is write a short piece of fiction based on the planets and moons of New Eden and submit it to the comments on this post. Entries are limited to 200 words or less as we're sure to get a huge number of entries and we want to give each one the full attention it deserves. Your entry can take the form of a short story, a poem or any other type of written fiction. Prizes will be awarded based on creativity, writing style and presentation. As with the previous two competitions, this contest is open to readers from any country.

UPDATE: Entry is now closed. We are now reading through the submissions and picking winners!
UPDATE 2: Winners have been selected! The list of winners has been added to the end of this post. Each winner will be contacted via email to arrange delivery of their prizes.

Skip past the cut for the contest rules and full submission guidelines.

Continue reading Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 3: Fiction-writing contest

MassivelyMassively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 3: Fiction-writing contest originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 May 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontesteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineeve-tyranniseve-tyrannis-contestfeaturedfictiongiveawaysgraphicsloreplanetplexprizeprizesstorystorytellingtyranniswritingSat, 15 May 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 2: Caption competition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/08/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-2-caption-competi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/08/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-2-caption-competi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/08/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-2-caption-competi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Last week we launched the first of three awesome EVE Online contests in association with CCP Games. To celebrate the upcoming launch of EVE's Tyrannis expansion with its impressive planetary interaction feature, we asked players to submit their best screenshots featuring planets. We expected around 25 entries but with the contest being open to international readers, we received an absolute flood of responses. A total of 114 screenshots were sent in before the deadline last night and we began the difficult process of choosing our favourite shots.

Thanks to the generosity of the fellows at CCP, we were able to increase the number of winners from 5 to 10. Congratulations go to EVE players Agara Mnemion, Aurum Pax, Banana Ninja, driv4r, Garnoo, Ice Monster, Lamthara Lachesis, paritybit, SpiroTris and Vladmir Skef. Each of you will soon have a 30 day pilot's license delivered in-game by CCP. For those interested in seeing the winning screenshots, they're the first ten images in the colossal 114 entry gallery below.

Gallery: Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 1: The planets of EVE

Winner!Winner!Winner!Winner!Winner!

Skip past the cut for this week's second part of our amazing Tyrannis contest trilogy. Think up a funny caption for our screenshot and you could win two months of EVE game time!

UPDATE: Winners announced at the end of the post! All winners will be emailed to arrange delivery of their prizes.

Continue reading Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 2: Caption competition

MassivelyMassively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 2: Caption competition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 May 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>captioncaption-competitioncaption-contestccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontesteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineeve-tyranniseve-tyrannis-contestfeaturedgraphicsplanetplexprizeprizesscreenshottaglinetyrannisSat, 08 May 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 1: The planets of EVE]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/01/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-1-the-planets-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/01/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-1-the-planets-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/01/massivelys-eve-online-tyrannis-contest-part-1-the-planets-of/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The planets and moons of EVE Online received a major graphical overhaul in the Dominion expansion, with some impressive results. Those previously boring brown-gray blobs in space were transformed into lush paradise worlds, frozen wastelands, hellish volcanic planets and more. When the Tyrannis expansion launches on May 18th, EVE players will finally get to interact with the new and improved planets, exploiting them for their natural resources. With the launch of Tyrannis just around the corner, Massively have teamed up with CCP Games to bring you a series of three exciting contests. Each Saturday from now until May 15th, we'll be running a new competition where readers can win some in-game pilot's licenses. The licenses can be redeemed to add 30 days of game time to your EVE account or sold on the market for a quick 300 million ISK.

For details of how to enter the contest and full submission guidelines, read after the break.

UPDATE: Due to the popularity of this contest and CCP's generosity, we're expanding the prize total to ten pilot's licenses. Instead of five winners, we'll have ten!
UPDATE#2: Entry to the contest is now closed!

Continue reading Massively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 1: The planets of EVE

MassivelyMassively's EVE Online Tyrannis contest, part 1: The planets of EVE originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 May 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontesteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineeve-tyranniseve-tyrannis-contestfeaturedgraphicsplanetplexprizeprizesscreenshotscreenshotstyrannisSat, 01 May 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online contest asks how CCP could make the game more appealing to female gamers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/23/eve-online-contest-asks-how-ccp-could-make-the-game-more-appeali/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/23/eve-online-contest-asks-how-ccp-could-make-the-game-more-appeali/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/23/eve-online-contest-asks-how-ccp-could-make-the-game-more-appeali/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In co-operation with CCP Games, our friends at CrazyKinux's Musing are running an interesting contest. In the latest edition of CrazyKinux's monthly EVE Blog Banter, he's asking players to write blog posts on ideas to make EVE Online more appealing to female gamers. The best ideas will win EVE store credit, with a total of $200 up for grabs. First place will receive $75 worth of store credit to spend on EVE merchandise and second place wins $50 of credit. The next three runner-up entries will win $25 of credit each, giving everyone a total of five chances to win. Entrants have until Monday April 26th to make their thoughts on the issue known.

EVE Online is something of an oddity in the MMO scene, with an almost entirely male playerbase. While some MMOs have a roughly 40% female playerbase and others are closer to 16%, less than 5% of EVE Online players are female. With Incarna set to introduce more avenues for social gaming, now might be a good time to start finding out what barriers prevent girls from signing up to EVE. Whatever the reason for EVE's 95% male-dominated playerbase, CCP seem interested in balancing that figure by drawing in more female gamers. If you have an idea that you think would help, enter it in the EVE Blog Banter for a chance to win some EVE swag.

MassivelyEVE Online contest asks how CCP could make the game more appealing to female gamers originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontestcrazykinuxcrazykinuxs-musingdemographicseveeve-blog-bantereve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineeve-storefemalefemale-gamersprizeprizesFri, 23 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Two year anniversary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/18/eve-evolved-two-year-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/18/eve-evolved-two-year-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/18/eve-evolved-two-year-anniversary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

On April 27th 2008, the EVE Evolved column kicked off with an in-depth look at the controversy surrounding the removal of NPC supply of shuttles in EVE Online. That first crude article began a continually improving weekly dose of EVE spanning the last two years. In that time, I've written around 100 articles on topics ranging from faction warfare and piracy to mining and economics. It sometimes seems to me that I've covered practically everything of note but in a game as complex as EVE, there's always something to write about. The rapidly evolving universe of New Eden seems to continually produce something new and interesting to discuss.

To celebrate the second anniversary of the column in just over a week's time, I'm giving away an expensive faction battleship worth around 500 million ISK. One lucky reader will win and take his pick from the list of navy or fleet issue battleships. To enter, just drop a comment and suggest a topic you'd like to see covered in a future edition of EVE Evolved. Every suggested topic may be written up as a future article in the column with credit to the reader that came up with the idea. This is your chance to say what types of article you'd like to read from Massively's weekly EVE column. The winner will be the reader that suggests my favourite topic by the evening of Friday 23rd April. In addition to winning an expensive navy issue battleship, the winner's suggestion will be written up as next week's anniversary column topic.

Skip past the cut for full entry guidelines and a look back at this past year of the EVE Evolved column.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Two year anniversary

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Two year anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontesteveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturednyphurtwo-year-anniversarytwo-yearsSun, 18 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Win a year of EVE Online game time with the PODDED podcast]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/18/win-a-year-of-eve-online-game-time-with-the-podded-podcast/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/18/win-a-year-of-eve-online-game-time-with-the-podded-podcast/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/18/win-a-year-of-eve-online-game-time-with-the-podded-podcast/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We all love to keep up with what's been going on in our favourite MMOs, whether the news is delivered by dedicated news sites and blogs or live radio shows and pre-recorded podcasts. There's certainly no shortage of fan-run podcasts and blogs in the EVE Online community but occasionally one will stand out from the crowd. Originally started up in 2007, the "PODDED" podcast had limited success with a run of only 11 episodes. After a relaunch in 2009, hosts Dillon Arklight and War Childe seemed to find their feet and have since seen their listener base grow. Posted on an irregular schedule, the PODDED podcast explores everything that's happened in the world of EVE since the last episode, from news and devblogs to coverage of major nullsec wars.

To celebrate the one year anniversary of their relaunch, Dillon Arklight and War Childe are giving away one year's worth of EVE game time! To enter, you'll need to record an original piece of EVE-related audio comedy. It must be no longer than 3 minutes and can be any form of comedy. Some suggested ideas include an EVE parody song, reading an original EVE short story, creating a fake EVE advert or just doing some general comedic gags. If you think you've got what it takes to produce a funny EVE-related audio clip of three minutes or less, get your submission in by April 28th for a chance to win. Full submission guidelines are available at the PODDED podcast homepage.

MassivelyWin a year of EVE Online game time with the PODDED podcast originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audioccpccp-eveccp-gamescomedycompetitioncontestdillon-arklighteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinepodcastpodcastingPodcastspoddedwar-childeThu, 18 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fan-run EVE competition offers prizes for best wallpaper]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/15/fan-run-eve-competition-offers-prizes-for-best-wallpaper/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/15/fan-run-eve-competition-offers-prizes-for-best-wallpaper/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/15/fan-run-eve-competition-offers-prizes-for-best-wallpaper/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

EVE Online player Xiphos83 has teamed up with our friends over at Crazykinux's Musing to make an EVE competition that's definitely worth entering. Always on the look-out for a new desktop background, for this competition he wants to see your best attempt at a visually stunning EVE wallpaper. With all the graphical upgrades EVE has received over the years, it's always kept its spot as one of the most visually stunning MMOs out there. It lends itself spectacularly to taking awesome screenshots and making dramatic videos. Entries must be at a minimum resolution of 1280 x 1024 and should fit into either an "Action" or "Scenic" theme. Anything from well-posed snaps of your favourite EVE planet to full-on PvP shots are in with a chance to win.

Entry costs 10 million ISK and the winners will split the entire pot between them, with an additional 175 million ISK contributed by donors. Judging by the number of comments the competition has received so far, there could be a lot of ISK in that prize pot up for grabs. To enter, simply email your screenshot to crazykinux [AT] gmail [DOT] com along with your EVE character's name and wire your entry fee to character "CrazyKinux" in-game. Entries must be in by March 26th and to be in with a chance to win, make sure you read the contest rules.

MassivelyFan-run EVE competition offers prizes for best wallpaper originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backgroundccpccp-eveccp-gamesckcompetitioncontestcontestscrazykinuxdesktopeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinescreenshotscreenshotswallpaperwallpapersMon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE player runs fiction writing contest with billions in prizes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/11/eve-player-runs-fiction-writing-contest-with-billions-in-prizes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/11/eve-player-runs-fiction-writing-contest-with-billions-in-prizes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/11/eve-player-runs-fiction-writing-contest-with-billions-in-prizes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EVE Online is a game known for its tight-knit community and emergent professions. We've seen players take on the roles of thieves, graphics artists, spies, video editors, drug runners and much more in an effort to make themselves a little ISK. Perhaps most interesting is that good writers can use their talents to make ISK through publications like EON magazine and EVE Tribune. While EON is a glossy printed magazine and EVE Tribune enjoys a purely online format, both pay volunteer writers with ISK for their articles and stories. EON in particular has always had a regular fiction segment that showcases some of EVE's best fiction writers.

In the first of what he hopes to be an annual event, an EVE player by the name of Silver Night has decided to give back to the community with an EVE fiction-writing contest. The first place prize of a rare faction battleship plus 300 million ISK's worth of fittings will go to the best piece of fiction submitted. Two second place prizes of unfitted navy issue battleships are available for the second and third best pieces. With an additional four navy issue cruiser prizes for the next best four pieces, that's seven chances to win something. The competition runs until March 21st and players can submit their entries via the competition thread on the official EVE events forum.

MassivelyEVE player runs fiction writing contest with billions in prizes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamescompetitioncontesteoneveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineeve-tribunefictionprizeswritingThu, 11 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Take aim at big prizes in MAG tournament]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/03/take-aim-at-big-prizes-in-mag-tournament/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/03/take-aim-at-big-prizes-in-mag-tournament/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/03/take-aim-at-big-prizes-in-mag-tournament/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Amidst all the debate about whether or not MAG qualifies as an MMO, not to mention the recent Playstation Network brouhaha, it might be easy to lose sight of the actual game underneath everything. And it'd be a shame if you did, because you'd be missing out on a tournament centering around MAG run by Major League Gaming's Gamebattles site. The prizes? Straight-up cash money. Well, straight-up Sony Style gift cards and Playstation Home items, which is just about as good. (Although you can't rifle through a $1500 gift card like a pack of twenties.)

Here are the details: the tournament will have three phases, with each lasting one full month. Each phase is a contest to earn the highest score in a different area -- MAG XP for March, headshots for April, and total kills for May. There will be leaderboards available on the site, as well, to help track how well you're doing compared to all the entrants. If you think you've got what it takes to make the top of the charts, head on over and take a look at the official entry rules. And no matter what, it couldn't hurt to give it a shot.

MassivelyTake aim at big prizes in MAG tournament originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>competitioncontestgamebattlesgift-cardsheadshotskillsmagmajor-league-gamingmmofpsplaystationplaystation-3playstation-homeplaystation-networkps3sony-stylezipperzipper-interactiveWed, 03 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA["Where Am I?" screenshot contest]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/01/where-am-i-screenshot-contest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/01/where-am-i-screenshot-contest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/01/where-am-i-screenshot-contest/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Welcome to our newest contest here at Massively entitled "Where Am I?". It's a weekly competition that will give the readers a chance to win valuable in-game and real world prizes, by simply naming the location of a particular screenshot in a particular MMO.

For this edition, we're happy to announce a new prize that we'll probably be using for the next few "Where Am I?" contests. It's a brand new black Massively t-shirt, previously only available at our real world meet-ups! So if you think you have what it takes to identify the exact location of an in-game screenshot, and you would fancy a Massively t-shirt, keep reading below for the screenshot and complete rules!

Gallery: Where Am I?

Continue reading "Where Am I?" screenshot contest

Massively"Where Am I?" screenshot contest originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>competitioncontestfeaturedmassively-metascreenshotswhere-am-iThu, 01 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Redefining MMOs: Have your say]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/01/redefining-mmos-have-your-say/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/01/redefining-mmos-have-your-say/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/01/redefining-mmos-have-your-say/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Back in July, we started our Redefining MMOs series of articles to explore how the MMO genre has been redefined during the current generation of games and where it's headed in the next. Each of us here at Massively contributed our own unique perspectives on various topics, from those first articles on the terminology we use to refer to MMOs and the importance of lore to the latest article where developers weighed in with their opinions. Developers from several major MMO development studios discussed the term "MMO", what they think it means now and whether it's time for a new word. It's been an exciting series of articles for us to write and we hope you've enjoyed reading it.

Many of you have already been inspired to comment on the articles and discuss your views on each topic. Your comments have given us a great deal of cause for thought and before we wrap up this popular series, we'd love to hear more of your thoughts. If you've ever wanted to get your opinions on the MMO genre in the spotlight, this is your chance. Simply write your own Redefining MMOs article on your own blog or website and drop the link in the comments. We'll announce our favourite reader submission next week and give them pride of place in next week's final wrap-up article.

Skip past the cut for our full submission guidelines.

Continue reading Redefining MMOs: Have your say

MassivelyRedefining MMOs: Have your say originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogcompetitioncontestfeaturedmassivelyopinionredefining-mmosThu, 01 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST