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[MechWarrior Online to use the CryEngine]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/17/mechwarrior-online-to-use-the-cryengine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/17/mechwarrior-online-to-use-the-cryengine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/17/mechwarrior-online-to-use-the-cryengine/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Forget the iconic 'Mechs, where are all the bizarre one-off variants, right? Firestarter, anyone? Black Hawk-KU?
A game like MechWarrior Online positively screams for a good graphical engine. You want something that can show you every single scorch mark you leave on your enemy's chassis, after all. So if you're one of the many players looking forward to getting into the cockpit, you'll be happy to know that the game has just such an engine for its graphics. Piranha Games officially announced today that the game will be using the CryEngine 3 by Crytek.

According to the company's president, Russ Bullock, the engine perfectly delivers the functionality that the team was looking for, especially in the realm of physics-based modeling. It's all but an assurance that whatever else might be right or wrong with the game, a salvo of LRMs will still produce an appropriately satisfying fireball and falling debris. Unfortunately, players will still have to wait some time to see the graphics in action -- but with any luck, they'll be worth the wait.

MassivelyMechWarrior Online to use the CryEngine originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cryenginecryengine-3crytekgraphicsgraphics-enginemechwarrior-onlinemwopiranha-gamesruss-bullockvisualsThu, 17 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Undead Labs brings Class3 to (un)life with CryENGINE 3]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/undead-labs-brings-class3-to-un-life-with-cryengine-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/undead-labs-brings-class3-to-un-life-with-cryengine-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/undead-labs-brings-class3-to-un-life-with-cryengine-3/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Following last week's dev diary featuring Undead Labs' art director Doug Williams and his talk on the "heart of horror," the most recent dev diary from the studio shifts in a more technical direction. In particular, executive producer Jeff Strain focuses on the game's engine. Even more particularly, he announces that the tentatively named Class3 will be running on the powerful CryENGINE 3.

Of course, the devs over at Undead Labs are quite familiar with the traditions of the internet and anticipate shouts of "pics or it didn't happen" with a lovely screenshot from an early version of the game. But wait, there's more! Call now and you'll receive not just a single screenshot, but an entire video! Just click past the break and check out an early version of Undead Labs' Class3 in action, then skip on over to the dev blog to read the full entry.

Continue reading Undead Labs brings Class3 to (un)life with CryENGINE 3

MassivelyUndead Labs brings Class3 to (un)life with CryENGINE 3 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>class3consolecryenginecryengine-3cryengine3engineenginesjeff-strainundead-labsvideovideosxbox-360xbox-live-arcadezombiezombiesFri, 19 Aug 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC 2011: Joymax weighs Karma]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/gdc-2011-joymax-weighs-karma/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/gdc-2011-joymax-weighs-karma/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/06/gdc-2011-joymax-weighs-karma/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Imagine a world where World War II -- also known as "That War With All Them Movies" -- never ended. Imagine that while the conflict raged, weapons development continued to advance well into the 1950s. Now imagine that this war-ravaged landscape is your new virtual playground.

Joymax, the studio behind Silkroad Online, revealed at GDC that its next MMO will take place in such a world. Code-named Karma Online, this massively multiplayer online first-person shooter will attempt to provide the ultimate PvP battleground for players sick of bows and arrows and futuristic plasma rifles.

Karma Online seeks to meld the best of both RPGs and FPSs by introducing a skill tree system that allows soldiers to specialize in preferred weapons and tactics. Although we're not quite sure what Joymax means by this, the studio promises more immersion by requiring the use of both hands for combat instead of just the mouse. The game will also come with the popular Call of Duty-style zombie mode if you want to switch up player-killing for undead slaughter.

The shooter is scheduled to go into closed beta this May. Hit the jump to see Karma Online in action and get the skinny on Joymax and WeMade Entertainment's other projects-in-progress!

Gallery: Karma Online

Continue reading GDC 2011: Joymax weighs Karma

MassivelyGDC 2011: Joymax weighs Karma originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>call-of-dutychangchun-onlinechangchun2cryenginedigimondigimon-masters-onlinefeaturedgalleriesgallerygame-developers-conferencegdcgdc-2011iosjoymaxkarmakarma-onlinemaster-of-defensemmofpsnedned-the-new-era-of-fantasypetzproject-goblinsilkroad-onlinetrailervideowemadewemade-entertainmentworld-war-iiwwiizombieSun, 06 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArcheAge beta video highlights naval battles]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/22/archeage-beta-video-highlights-naval-battles/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/22/archeage-beta-video-highlights-naval-battles/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/22/archeage-beta-video-highlights-naval-battles/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

ArcheAge is something of a mysterious title here in the west. We know it's being developed by XL Games, and is the brainchild of NCSoft veteran Jake Song (who also created Lineage). We've also heard tell of destructible architecture in the gameworld as well as the fact that the developers are powering the game with the CryENGINE 2 (a more advanced variant of the graphics powerplant behind Aion).

Beyond that, we didn't know much else about ArcheAge before we stumbled on a new beta video recently posted to YouTube. The brief clip features some rather jaw-dropping footage of player ships and an in-game naval battle. While player ships have been done before (notably in Vanguard and Darkfall), you've never seen them like this. Aside from the impressive visuals, the video shows player characters in different crew positions (including the crow's nest) as well as recoiling cannons and a host of other interesting details.

Stay with Massively for the latest ArcheAge news as it develops, and check out the footage after the jump.

Continue reading ArcheAge beta video highlights naval battles

MassivelyArcheAge beta video highlights naval battles originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionarche-agearcheageclosed-betacryenginecryengine-2graphicsjake-songnaval-battleplayer-shipsxl-gamesFri, 22 Oct 2010 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[The robots are rising on Planet Calypso]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/the-robots-are-rising-on-planet-calypso/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/the-robots-are-rising-on-planet-calypso/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/26/the-robots-are-rising-on-planet-calypso/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's not one of the largest games out there, so most people might not know what you're talking about if you mention Planet Calypso. Those who do might well only think of the highly publicized auctions and trades, in which players have spent large amounts of real-world money to purchase land and facilities (which bring in plenty of real-world money themselves, for the record). But beyond that there is an actual game world, complete with an ongoing storyline. As spotlighted in the newest game newsletter, that storyline is being turned up by a new event -- an ominous approach by robots.

The last major assault by the robots left the previous capital city a smoking ruin, and not coincidentally coincided with the game's graphical update to CryEngine 2. This time, the colonists have begun decoding messages sent by the robots, and defenses are gathering to ensure that a repeat of the last event doesn't take place -- even as the robots field a new technology known as "Hydra." Several helpful links for information may be found within the newsletter, which promises plenty of enjoyment for the players in Planet Calypso.

MassivelyThe robots are rising on Planet Calypso originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>calypsocryenginecryengine-2entropiaentropia-universef2pfirst-planet-companyfree-to-playhydrain-game-eventsinvasionplanet-calypsoproject-entropiarobot-uprisingrobotsvirtual-worldsThu, 26 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Planet Calypso debuts their new mission system with a bang]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/planet-calypso-debuts-their-new-mission-system-with-a-bang/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/planet-calypso-debuts-their-new-mission-system-with-a-bang/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/planet-calypso-debuts-their-new-mission-system-with-a-bang/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A literal bang, actually. Not only has Planet Calypso updated to version 2010|01 (their new system uses the year and update number, rather than version number) but they've also had a small volcanic eruption that's changed part of the map. Blizzard, eat your cataclysmic heart out.

While the newly re-terraformed area of Cyclops has been visually improved by the team and patched in under the 'guise of a volcanic explosion, the version update also brings the anticipated mission system to Calypso.

The mission system, which is in a public beta, more or less, is only currently offering 5 tutorial missions to newbies landing on Calypso for the first time. Once you complete those five missions, be sure to offer your feedback in the survey that pops up at the end. That information will be used to make more missions for higher level players, so don't be stingy!

Also, there's fish. Remember those fish we showed last time? Yeah, those fish. If you value your ankles, you'll watch where you swim.

MassivelyPlanet Calypso debuts their new mission system with a bang originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cryenginecyclopsfirst-planet-companyfishfishingmission-systemmissionsperformanceplanet-calypsopublic-betare-designterraformingtutorialversion2010-01Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion gets a post-launch discussion in Game Developer magazine]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/10/aion-gets-a-post-launch-discussion-in-game-developer-magazine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/10/aion-gets-a-post-launch-discussion-in-game-developer-magazine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/10/aion-gets-a-post-launch-discussion-in-game-developer-magazine/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With a couple months under its belt and a more stable playerbase, Aion is no longer in the state of just-launched new hotness any longer. You might be one of the game's still-numerous fans, or maybe you stepped away from the game because of the grind. Either way, there were a number of innovative and interesting features in the game, which was designed from the ground up to appeal to gamers on both sides of the pond.

The latest issue of Game Developer magazine has a lengthy feature on what went right and what went wrong from the Aion team's point of view. The CryEngine and the game's overall level of polish are both cited as decisive positives for the game, helping the game feel more vital and engaging. The limited amount of flight early in the game is also pointed out as helping to simplify the learning curve, as navigating combat in three-dimensional space can get overwhelming for first-time players.

On the flip side, the developers also talk about the amount of pressure on the frequently-changing team, as well as the technical and conceptual troubles with working on the Abyss. If you're interested in reading the full article, you should pick up a copy of the magazine, which is only around $4 for a digital copy.

MassivelyAion gets a post-launch discussion in Game Developer magazine originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Students of video game design in the United Kingdom should be doing back flips after hearing that Crytek is donating their CryEngine free of charge to all universities in the country. CryEngine is most famously known as the graphics engine behind visually stunning titles such as Crysis and Aion.

This is really big news because only the priciest universities tend to license high quality software for their students to learn on. They're the only ones that can afford it. It's also great for students to dream up pie in the sky concepts for games, but knowing what's practical in the real world is essential. "Universities are looking to foster creativity and send people out into the industry who have lots of ideas, but it's also about that practical hands-on training so that they know what the limitations are," says Managing Director of Crytek UK Karl Hilton. "It's very easy for students to come out of the academic world and not have a grasp on the realities of making a video game."

We hope more MMOs are released with CryEngine due to its stellar performance and scalability and it would be great if other graphics engine companies followed suit to increase the options in our genre.

MassivelyCrytek's CryEngine in UK classrooms originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aioncryenginecryengine-3crysiscrytekgame-designkarl-hiltonncsoftuniversitySat, 12 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Planet Calypso, formerly Entropia Universe, converts to CryEngine 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/15/planet-calypso-formerly-entropia-universe-converts-to-cryengin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/15/planet-calypso-formerly-entropia-universe-converts-to-cryengin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/15/planet-calypso-formerly-entropia-universe-converts-to-cryengin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,


In just two days, Planet Calypso, formerly Project Entropia and Entropia Universe, will be shutting down for a major patch of epic proportions. The game will be undergoing a graphical refit, moving from their old graphics engine to the new CryEngine 2 -- the same engine that powers Crysis and upcoming virtual world Blue Mars. Old and busted, meet the new hotness.

The new version of the client, version 10, is now available for download before this whole conversion process takes place. The servers will be shut down on Sunday night/Monday morning at midnight UTC as version 10 is deployed to the servers. The servers will be unavailable for a few days, as the First Planet Company does a full diagnostic on the servers to make sure everything is good to go.

Continue reading Planet Calypso, formerly Entropia Universe, converts to CryEngine 2

MassivelyPlanet Calypso, formerly Entropia Universe, converts to CryEngine 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcryenginecryengine-2crysiscrytekentropia-universeeventfirst-planet-companypatchplanet-calypsoproject-entropiaserver-downtimeupdateversion-10Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion zone video for Verteron set to the tune of majestic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/aion-zone-video-for-verteron-set-to-the-tune-of-majestic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/aion-zone-video-for-verteron-set-to-the-tune-of-majestic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/aion-zone-video-for-verteron-set-to-the-tune-of-majestic/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's time lose ourselves on a magical journey through- whoa, whoa! Is that a lady with big, feathery wings? Oh good, it's a new zone video tour of Aion. For a second there we thought Hawkgirl was finally assaulting us for making fun of her helmet.

NCsoft has really outdone itself with the world design in Aion. The architecture alone makes us wonder if we'll ever stop exploring long enough to level up. Also, we didn't once see a zone covered in mushrooms and slathered with purple. Huzzah

Our standards aren't actually that low, we promise. In fact, considering that Aion is running on a beefed up CryEngine (the one from Far Cry) there was actually quite a bit of presupposition on our part.

Since Aion is proving to be pulling some visual heft, we're feeling decidedly excited for the North American launch, which is still unknown to anyone but NCsoft. Hopefully with videos like this showing off the game's serious visual oomph, we'll get a concrete launch date soon. Check out the full video after the break.

Continue reading Aion zone video for Verteron set to the tune of majestic

MassivelyAion zone video for Verteron set to the tune of majestic originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-tower-of-eternitycryenginefar-cryhawkgirlncsoftverteronvideoTue, 10 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Aion screens reveal a diversity of beauty]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/09/new-aion-screens-reveal-a-diversity-of-beauty/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/09/new-aion-screens-reveal-a-diversity-of-beauty/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/09/new-aion-screens-reveal-a-diversity-of-beauty/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We've long since felt assured in our notion that Aion is a pretty game, but these newest screens on Strategy Informer only further confirm things. And while we're on the subject of pretty screens, it should be mentioned that Aion is a game that's running on a heavily tweaked version of CryEngine -- the same one used for Far Cry. So while the game does look absolutely stunning, we do wonder how well it scales to lower-end machines. And for that matter, how good the game looks on those lower settings.

One thing we can be sure of is that the environment team went all out on design. Greens, purples, blues, reds and more really help diversify things. As for those tech related queries, more should be revealed when the game nears its release sometime this year, at least we hope it releases this year.

MassivelyNew Aion screens reveal a diversity of beauty originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aioncryenginefar-cryncsoftscreensFri, 09 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pages and pages of Aion "Beta 2" screenshots available for viewing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/15/pages-and-pages-of-aion-beta-2-screenshots-available-for-viewi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/15/pages-and-pages-of-aion-beta-2-screenshots-available-for-viewi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/15/pages-and-pages-of-aion-beta-2-screenshots-available-for-viewi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The Korean closed beta of Aion has silently moved along to its second stage, and AionSource has been able to share a great wealth of new screenshots with those of us on the outside. The game has always managed to impress with its visual style, and the new screens show off various locations in the sci-fi/fantasy MMO (which runs on Crytek's CryEngine 1, the game engine from the Far Cry series, for those that are interested in that sort of thing).

Looking at the pictures, we can't help but be reminded of the previously discussed aerial aspect of the game, with player characters frequently shown well above ground level thanks to their trusty wings -- well, we hope that they're trusty, as we don't want to live in fear of deadly plummeting carcasses. Even still, we're anxious to find out when the rest of the world will get to give Aion a try.

MassivelyPages and pages of Aion "Beta 2" screenshots available for viewing originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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