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[The Soapbox: Credible currency]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/the-soapbox-credible-currency/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/the-soapbox-credible-currency/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/the-soapbox-credible-currency/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Sometimes the bird flies away, and sometimes you unchain it and smack it in the head and then complain that it left.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

With all of the other crises hitting the gaming world, it's easy to have missed the fact that Lord of the Rings Online has started selling statted gear in the cash shop. It's not endgame gear, of course, and it's mostly there for low-level players to get a minor boost. Really, as has been said by others, it's not something all that unusual, nor is it game-breaking in the slightest. It's just a convenience thing.

It's also something that Turbine promised would never be done.

I don't have an issue with the sale of low-level armor with stats on it, in Lord of the Rings Online or in other games. What I do have an issue with is the matter of credibility, the one currency that every company starts with and loses over time. Credibility is something you have to spend carefully, and every so often, a company spends it wrong. And the results, in the long term, are never pretty.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Credible currency

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Credible currency originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bad-ideasbears-bears-bearsbroken-promisescash-shopscontroversiescontroversycostscredibilitydesigndevelopersdevelopmentfeaturedlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroopinionpay-to-winplayer-faithpromisessoapboxstat-gearthe-soapboxturbineTurbine-EntertainmentTue, 24 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Massively: A public service announcement regarding acronyms edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/28/ask-massively-a-public-service-announcement-regarding-acronyms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/28/ask-massively-a-public-service-announcement-regarding-acronyms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/28/ask-massively-a-public-service-announcement-regarding-acronyms/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ladies and gentlemen, I come to you with an earnest and heartfelt plea: Know what acronyms stand for if you insist upon using them. ATM is an acronym that includes the word "machine," ditto for PIN and the word "number." If you ask someone to enter his PIN number, you sound like an idiot. The whole reason that people started using these acronyms was to save time, and now you're ruining it. Get a clue. Love, everyone in the world who knows what these acronyms actually mean. (P.S., we don't really love you.)

Now that we've gotten the public service announcement out of the way, it's time for this week's Ask Massively, which we'll try to keep as free of acronyms as humanly possible. This week's questions are all about the Benjamins -- why we're getting charged full price for boxed games and how subscription-optional prices shake down over the long term, specifically. As always, you can send questions for next week in to ask@massively.com or leave them in the comments below.

Continue reading Ask Massively: A public service announcement regarding acronyms edition

MassivelyAsk Massively: A public service announcement regarding acronyms edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-massivelybusiness-modelscostsf2pfeaturedfree-to-playopinionpricepricingsubscription-optionalThu, 28 Apr 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online adds more C-Store options and controversy [Update]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/18/star-trek-online-adds-more-c-store-options-and-controversy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/18/star-trek-online-adds-more-c-store-options-and-controversy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/18/star-trek-online-adds-more-c-store-options-and-controversy/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

There's a pattern that seems to repeat itself every time Cryptic adds new items to Star Trek Online's C-Store -- or at least, a sequence of events wherein players are at first excited, then angry or annoyed when the prices are revealed. A bunch of new items have been added to the store: two additional costume slots (not on the website at the moment), two additional ship slots, and two additional bridge officer spots. The trouble arises with the handling of the upgrades, particularly with the new costume slots, as they're counted on a per-character basis.

A similar upgrade is available in the store for Champions Online, for the exact same price -- but it increases the number of costumes available on every character rather than just the character it's purchased on. The per-character upgrades, coupled with a reduced importance for costumes in Star Trek Online, all help make many players feel a bit shorted by the price tag. Others are arguing that the add-on is only $2.50, an argument that's gone on at length on the official forums. Controversy is nothing new to the game, but this much debate over a fairly minor item leads one to be a bit curious about what reception future items might find.

[Update: Cryptic has contacted us with news on upcoming changes to this system, "We're going to change the way the costume slot purchases work so they become account-wide rather than per-character. And, of course, our customer service department will be able to assist anyone who purchased the upgrade multiple times to cover multiple characters."]

[Thanks to Cap for the tip!]

MassivelyStar Trek Online adds more C-Store options and controversy [Update] originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataric-storechampions-onlinecocontroversycostscostumescrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosforumsin-game-storemicrotransactionspriceprice-concernspricesst-onlinestar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestotrek-onlineSun, 18 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mythic lets slip the dogs of WAR: Warhammer Online launches Sept. 18th]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/mythic-lets-slip-the-dogs-of-war-warhammer-online-launches-sept/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/mythic-lets-slip-the-dogs-of-war-warhammer-online-launches-sept/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/06/mythic-lets-slip-the-dogs-of-war-warhammer-online-launches-sept/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Electronic Arts and Mythic Entertainment have announced the official launch date for Warhammer Online: September 18th! That goes for the regions of North America, Europe, and Oceania.

Additionally, game time pricing has been revealed. In North America, a month-to-month subscription will go for the standard $14.99 per month. Three month and six month plans will be available at $41.97 and $77.94, respectively. For Europe, it'll be one month for 12.99€ (£10.31), three months for 35.97€ (£28.55), and six months for 65.94€ (£52.34).

Earlier today, the EA store was updated with an August 23rd date, but that apparently was an error. September 18th is it folks! Get ready for some Realm on Realm action! Check out the full press release behind the jump.

Continue reading Mythic lets slip the dogs of WAR: Warhammer Online launches Sept. 18th

MassivelyMythic lets slip the dogs of WAR: Warhammer Online launches Sept. 18th originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcostcostseaea-mythicelectronic-artslaunchlaunch-datemythicmythic-entertainmentplanspricesrelease-dateseptember-18september-18thsubscriptionsubscriptionswarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineWed, 06 Aug 2008 09:40:00 EST