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 Firing Line: Newsplosion edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/the-firing-line-newsplosion-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/the-firing-line-newsplosion-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/the-firing-line-newsplosion-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Firing Line - zomg it's S.T.A.L.K.E.R. header
Holy carp there was a lot going on in shooter circles this week! Between the news blurbs, videos, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. memories (yes, I said S.T.A.L.K.E.R, and damn that takes a long time to type), there was nearly enough information for two editions of The Firing Line.

Luckily for you (and for my overworked editor), I managed to keep the word count down. Let's not kid ourselves, though; there's plenty of interesting stuff after the cut. Join me for the latest on dueling World War II aviation MMOs, a new free-to-play shooter from Crytek, the requisite PlanetSide 2 lovefest, and some official dev answers to last week's Taikodom question.

Continue reading The Firing Line: Newsplosion edition

MassivelyThe Firing Line: Newsplosion edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crytekf2pfeaturedfiring-linefpsfree-to-playgaijingaijin-entertainmentgamersfirstghost-reconghost-recon-onlinejesse-knappmatt-higbymmo-shootermmofpsmmotpsnews-roundupnewsplosiononline-shooteropinionplanetside-2roundupshootersoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstalkerstalker-onlinetaikodomthe-firing-linethird-person-shootertom-clancys-ghost-reconubisoftwar-thunder-world-of-planeswarfacewargaming.networld-of-planesworld-of-warplanesFri, 27 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Crytek team lead Ury Zhilinsky joins Red 5 Studios]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/crytek-team-leads-joins-star-studded-red-5-studios/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/crytek-team-leads-joins-star-studded-red-5-studios/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/crytek-team-leads-joins-star-studded-red-5-studios/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Firefall logo
Red 5 Studios announced today that former Crytek lead, Ury Zhilinsky, has been hired by the studio as Senior Graphics Programmer. Ury brings over 10 years of industry experience to the Firefall developer and has worked on projects such as Crysis 2 and the ever-impressive CryENGINE3.

Of the addition, Red 5 CEO Mark Kern said, "Ury's skill and experience make him an asset that any team would be happy to have, but it's his development philosophy that makes him a fit for the 'tribe'." Things seem to be looking up for Firefall, but we'll just have to wait and see how it turns out.

MassivelyCrytek team lead Ury Zhilinsky joins Red 5 Studios originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crytekf22firefallfree-to-playindustrymark-kernmmofpsred-5red-5-studiosury-zhilinskyFri, 09 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST<![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[Rumor: Crytek Hiring for MMO Project]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/02/rumor-crytek-hiring-for-mmo-project/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/02/rumor-crytek-hiring-for-mmo-project/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/02/rumor-crytek-hiring-for-mmo-project/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We here at Massively like to keep our ear to the ground when it comes to potential new MMOs, and one of the indications that a company is moving in that direction comes from job wanted ads, believe it or not. Crytek, the makers of Far Cry and the Crysis series, recently put up a job posting for a Senior IT Manager that suggests they are looking into online gaming.

ShackNews reported on this ad, noting that the company is looking for someone who would help in "designing, testing, and implementing as part of the development team, the systems infrastructure for an MMO online game." Ding ding ding, them are the magic words, so start the speculation. Of course, this may just be Crytek testing the waters and not a serious commitment on their behalf, especially considering that the mention of an MMO in this ad is only a small part of the responsibilities mentioned.

ShackNews also noted that Crytek filed for three trademarks over a year ago: Gface, Carvatar, and Kingdoms. Whether or not these have anything to do with a possible MMO project is anyone's guess, but it is a tantalizing possibility. We'll be sure to keep a close eye on Crytek to see if they make any more moves toward an online title. One thing is for sure: if they did create a MMO, you can bet the letters "cry" will be part of the title.

MassivelyRumor: Crytek Hiring for MMO Project originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carvatarcrysiscrytekfarcrygfacejob-postingkingdomsrumorsenior-it-managershacknewsspeculationWed, 02 Jun 2010 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC10: The expo in pictures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/17/gdc10-the-expo-in-pictures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/17/gdc10-the-expo-in-pictures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/17/gdc10-the-expo-in-pictures/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We have a saying around the Massively offices -- "When we go to a show, our readers go to the show." We hope you guys have really enjoyed our crazy coverage of GDC10 as much as we enjoyed running around the show like crazy people grabbing all of that information.

But, while we were running around, we got some great photos from the show for you! Now you too can live the experience of running from booth to booth, passing legions upon legions of companies explaining their newest technologies and how they can improve your gaming experience.

So come along with us for a whirlwind trip through GDC! Trust us, it's exciting.

Gallery: GDC10: Pictures from the floor

The Moscone CenterCrashing into the DIRTCrafting from your iPhone: The Fallen Earth appThe Crysis BoothThe Virtual Hamster

MassivelyGDC10: The expo in pictures originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionar-dronecareer-pavillioncryengine-3crytekexpofrogstergamebreakrgdc-2010intelmoscone-centermoscone-center-photosncsoftneuroskynintendonvidiaphotosplaystation-movesonytamatWed, 17 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: A week with Aion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/the-digital-continuum-a-week-with-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/the-digital-continuum-a-week-with-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/the-digital-continuum-a-week-with-aion/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


After spending a week playing Aion over every other game in my library -- a feat considering I've got Brutal Legend and Uncharted 2 -- I'm feeling ready to discuss the game in a meaningful fashion.

It's hard to gauge what kind of game you're dealing with when an MMO launches, largely because the reality is that, often times, much of what an MMO is designed to be will change over the course of its first half year or so of development. With Aion, we're dealing with a deliberately designed concept that's been mostly well executed on -- more on that later.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: A week with Aion

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: A week with Aion originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aioncrytekcrytek-koreafeaturedgladiatorncsoftopinionpizzapvepvppvpetheme-parkthemeparkMon, 19 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Crytek's CryEngine in UK classrooms]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/cryteks-cryengine-in-uk-classrooms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/cryteks-cryengine-in-uk-classrooms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/cryteks-cryengine-in-uk-classrooms/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


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[Blue Mars beta and launch dates disclosed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/blue-mars-beta-and-launch-dates-disclosed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/blue-mars-beta-and-launch-dates-disclosed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/17/blue-mars-beta-and-launch-dates-disclosed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


When it comes to virtual worlds, Massively's main focus to date has clearly been on Second Life, but we're also interested in some of the other choices that are becoming available to residents in virtual spaces. Blue Mars from Avatar Reality is one that's caught our eye -- it's a sci-fi themed virtual world, set on a terraformed Mars in the year 2177 AD. The potential is there to have some stunning visuals, as Blue Mars is built on CryEngine2, best known for giving Crysis its look.

The official Avatar Reality site lists a beta release for the end of 2008, but they've told Eurogamer that Blue Mars enters beta in January 2009. "The first-time developer expects this to last for around three months, before the full game launches in April," Eurogamer's Rob Purchese reports.

Continue reading Blue Mars beta and launch dates disclosed

MassivelyBlue Mars beta and launch dates disclosed originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avatar-realitybetasblue-marsbusiness-modelscryengine2crysiscrytekeurogamerhawaiilaunchesmarsminigamesrob-purchesesci-fisecond-lifesltateru-ninovirtual-worldsMon, 17 Nov 2008 12:00:00 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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionbetabeta-2cryenginecrytekncsoftTue, 15 Apr 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Action MMO powered by Crysis engine? That'll be The Day]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/action-mmo-powered-by-crysis-engine-thatll-be-the-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/action-mmo-powered-by-crysis-engine-thatll-be-the-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/action-mmo-powered-by-crysis-engine-thatll-be-the-day/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In the parallel world, all this was caused by a butterfly.
Former employees of NCSoft and Phantagram have created a new studio to design a 'third-person massively multiplayer online action game'? And it's powered by CryENGINE 2, the same game engine used in Crysis? Tell me more.

As it says in the press release: Reloaded Studios are a Seoul-based game company that seem to lack neither experience nor funding. Their first project is entitled The Day, and it aims to have a heavy emphasis on PvP combat plus a unique, immersive storyline involving parallel worlds and the destruction of all humanity. I also aim to solo Illidan Stormrage tomorrow.

The Day joins a growing list of MMOs to use the Crysis engine, along with Entropia Universe and Blue Mars. They're both more virtual world than action MMO, though, and there's a lot of untapped potential in the latter. Planetside never made much of an impact, but games in a similar vein are a market waiting to happen -- even if it isn't a Halo MMO.

MassivelyAction MMO powered by Crysis engine? That'll be The Day originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actionblue-marscryengine2crysiscrytekentropia-universehalo-mmoillidan-stormragencsoftphantagramplanetsidereloaded-studiosthe-dayTue, 11 Dec 2007 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blue Mars - blurring the boundary between MMOG and virtual world]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/17/blue-mars-blurring-the-boundary-between-mmog-and-virtual-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/17/blue-mars-blurring-the-boundary-between-mmog-and-virtual-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/17/blue-mars-blurring-the-boundary-between-mmog-and-virtual-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Does the name Kazuyuki Hashimoto ring a bell? He was Chief Technology Officer for Square USA for five years, was Vice President of New Technology and Platforms at Electronic Arts for 4 years, and spent seven years as the Senior Vice President of R&D at Square where he worked on the CG segments and cutscenes in the legendary Final Fantasy VII.

Along with Li-Han Chen - whose background includes Project Manager (Sony Online Entertainment), VP of engineering (AtGames Inc), Senior Programmer (Squaresoft), Senior Programmer (Dreamworks) - Hashimoto heads up the Honolulu-based Avatar Reality Inc, and their new MMOG, Blue Mars.

Continue reading Blue Mars - blurring the boundary between MMOG and virtual world

MassivelyBlue Mars - blurring the boundary between MMOG and virtual world originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Oct 2007 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atgames-incavatar-reality-incblue-marscryengine2crytekdreamworkse-for-allelectronic-artsfinal-fantasykazuyuki-hashimotoli-han-chenMMOsony-online-entertainmentsquaresquare-usathe-spirits-withinvirtual-worldWed, 17 Oct 2007 22:00:00 EST