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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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[MMObility: Fifteen fun free MMORPGs for your tablet or smartphone]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/22/mmobility-fifteen-fun-free-mmorpgs-for-your-tablet-or-smartphon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/22/mmobility-fifteen-fun-free-mmorpgs-for-your-tablet-or-smartphon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/22/mmobility-fifteen-fun-free-mmorpgs-for-your-tablet-or-smartphon/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Mobile, Casual, MMObility, Sandbox

Avabel screenshot

Mobile MMORPGs are still hard to come by. Sure, there are a ton of pseudo-MMOs and developers who claim to have created an MMO, but the fact is that persistence -- a key to defining what an MMO is -- is often gone from many of these games. I want to be able to log out of the game while the rest of the digital world goes on without me. Or better yet, and in the case of most MMORTS titles, I want to log out of the game and continue to have an effect on the world through trades, wars, or the fallout of diplomacy.

Even though the market is often bare, there are still quite a few MMOs out there. Many of them are fun as well! I know, I know, I am making it seem as though the smartphone or tablet MMO market is empty of all content, but the truth is that for its age, it's doing very well. There are more and more coming out all of the time, and hopefully I'll be there to cover them. In the meanwhile, enjoy a list of the specific titles that rest on my Nexus 7 3G tablet, just waiting to be played anywhere and any time!

Continue reading MMObility: Fifteen fun free MMORPGs for your tablet or smartphone

MMObility: Fifteen fun free MMORPGs for your tablet or smartphone originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arcane-legendsavabelbeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-baseddark-legendsfeaturedgoogleingresskabamlife-is-magiclocation-basedmidgard-risingmmobilitymobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmonexus-7opinionorder-and-chaos-onlineparallel-kingdomparallel-mafiaparallel-zombiesperbluephonepocket-legendsRed-Robot-Labssmartphonespacetime-studiosstar-legendstabletthe-hobbit-kingdoms-of-middle-earthtibiaMEwarspear-onlineFri, 22 Mar 2013 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: Arcane Legends is more than Pocket Legends 2.0]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/14/free-for-all-arcane-legends-is-more-than-pocket-legends-2-0/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/14/free-for-all-arcane-legends-is-more-than-pocket-legends-2-0/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/14/free-for-all-arcane-legends-is-more-than-pocket-legends-2-0/#commentsFiled under: Betas, Fantasy, Screenshots, Game Mechanics, New Titles, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, Humor, Free for All, Dungeons

Arcane Legends screenshot

Spacetime Studios' newest title, Arcane Legends, which just launched officially yesterday, didn't quite excite me at first. This was before I had played the game or really caught a glimpse of any in-game artwork, but after three titles, I'd been wondering whether Spacetime could change its tune a bit. The last three titles have been basically the same game, albeit set in different genres and universes. First we were given Pocket Legends, a fantasy dungeon-crawler that surprised us with how much content and fun was to be had inside. Then we got Star Legends, a sci-fi version with a few tweaks. Next up came Dark Legends, a vampire-themed modern adventure that introduced us to action-based combat with a more "adult" tone.

It's not that all of the previous titles were no fun to play. Instead, each one offers a smooth experience that's easy to jump into and sometimes hard to put down. But each one felt a bit more like a variant on a previous model, a build-up to something more finalized and slick.

Is Arcane Legends that better product? Did it take three tries to finally get things right in the Legends line?

Gallery: Arcane Legends screenshots

Continue reading Free for All: Arcane Legends is more than Pocket Legends 2.0

Free for All: Arcane Legends is more than Pocket Legends 2.0 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-based-combatarcane-legendsbeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-baseddark-legendsf2pfeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiumhands-onlaunchlaunch-daylaunchesmicrotransactionmicrotransactionsmobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmoopinionphonepocket-legendspremiumsmartphonespacetime-studiosstar-legendsvelvet-ropeWed, 14 Nov 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: Fourteen MMOs that you can play anywhere]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/13/mmobility-fourteen-mmos-that-you-can-play-anywhere/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/13/mmobility-fourteen-mmos-that-you-can-play-anywhere/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/13/mmobility-fourteen-mmos-that-you-can-play-anywhere/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Business Models, Culture, Previews, Opinion, War, Free-to-Play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, MMORTS, MMObility, Sandbox

Remanum screenshot

I thought it'd be fun to make a list of go-anywhere MMOs this week. It's not really hard to find portable MMOs that run on laptops or netbooks. The real issue is locating MMOs that can be played on your desktop while you're at work (while the boss isn't looking, of course!), then on your phone at lunch, and then on your laptop while you sit in bed later that night.

The technology to make constantly accessible MMOs is there, namely in the form of HTML5. Adobe recently announced that not only is it moving away from Flash for mobile devices, but it is also specifically targeting Android Jelly Bean. There is a new wave of web technologies coming that will hopefully, once and for all, put an end to the need for special lists like this one. Not all of my choices are HTML5-based, but I tried to keep all of them open for all devices. If you notice any oddities while playing them on a certain device, let me know in the comments section so I can note it. I get a lot of requests for lists like this, so I want to keep things tight.

In the meanwhile, enjoy the list. There are others out there, but I wanted to pick out some that give pretty much the same result across whichever device you use.

Continue reading MMObility: Fourteen MMOs that you can play anywhere

MMObility: Fourteen MMOs that you can play anywhere originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achaeabeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedbrowserquestdark-legendsdomain-of-heroesfeaturedfleckgrepolisillyriadillyriad-gamesmight-and-magic-heroes-kingdommmobilitymobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmomudo-gamesogameopinionparallel-kingdomparallel-mafiaperbluephonepocket-legendsremanumsmartphonespacetime-studiosstar-legendstraviantravian-gamesFri, 13 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: Google's Nexus tablet and Dark Legends' update]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/29/mmobility-googles-nexus-tablet-and-dark-legends-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/29/mmobility-googles-nexus-tablet-and-dark-legends-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/29/mmobility-googles-nexus-tablet-and-dark-legends-update/#commentsFiled under: Horror, Game Mechanics, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, Miscellaneous, MMObility

Google Nexus tab picture

Some weeks, mobile news just comes right up to my doorstep and invites itself in. This was one of those weeks. The mobile MMO market is still only a fraction the size of the standard one, but thanks in large part to browser-based games and smart studios like Spacetime Studios and Gameloft, we mobile fans still have a lot to choose from. In my opinion, mobile MMO gaming will slowly rise to the popularity of the standard mobile game market, especially given new tech like the new Google Nexus 7 tablet that we're going to talk about today.

Still, mobile MMO fans have got to be diligent and need to know what to look for. They also need to be a bit flexible in their game choices, sometimes playing around with different styles of MMO like MUDs, browser-based strategy games, and games that are a bit more primitive in the graphics department. Luckily, Spacetime's Dark Legends just released a pretty game-changing patch, so I'll give you the skinny on that as well.

Continue reading MMObility: Google's Nexus tablet and Dark Legends' update

MMObility: Google's Nexus tablet and Dark Legends' update originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedcinco-barnesdark-legendsfeaturedgooglegoogle-nexusgoogle-playmmobilitymobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmonexus-7nexus-tabletopinionphonesmartphoneSpaceTimespacetime-studiostabletFri, 29 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dark Legends levels up its vamps, grants them allies]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/26/dark-legends-levels-up-its-vamps-grants-them-allies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/26/dark-legends-levels-up-its-vamps-grants-them-allies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/26/dark-legends-levels-up-its-vamps-grants-them-allies/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Patches, Free-to-Play, Mobile

Dark Legends levels up its vamps, grants them allies

A vampire's life isn't just about torrid teen romance and counting from one to 10; it's a full-time career to battle back the other forces of the night and keep all of the goodies to yourself. Fortunately, Spacetime Studios is helping out the fanged population by increasing the level cap in Dark Legends to 26 and removing the energy requirement for 3-D missions.

Dark Legends' most recent update doesn't just stop there. The game now has two additional campaigns, a cool flame aura for level 23-plus characters, and nightly rewards for regular players.

Spacetime's added an allies system to the game as well. Allies are computer companions that are unlocked during the campaign. These characters can then be ordered to do one of three different jobs, each of which has a time requirement and a reward attached. Jobs do need to be collected by players within a certain window, otherwise some of the reward will be taken away.

Dark Legends levels up its vamps, grants them allies originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alliesallies-systemdark-legendsf2pfree-to-playlevel-cappatchspacetimespacetime-studiostime-managementupdatevampirevampiresTue, 26 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E3 2012: Spacetime Studios demos another smash Legends hit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/06/e3-2012-spacetime-studios-demos-another-smash-legends-hit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/06/e3-2012-spacetime-studios-demos-another-smash-legends-hit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/06/e3-2012-spacetime-studios-demos-another-smash-legends-hit/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Events (Real-World), Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, Free-to-Play, Interviews (Massively's), Events (Massively's Coverage), Miscellaneous

E3 2012 Spacetime Studios demos another smash Legends hit

If you're a fan of Spacetime Studios' mobile MMO Pocket Legends or any of its brethren, you're in for a treat. The studio's next installment in the series, Arcane Legends, promises to deliver more of what all gamers crave: a standard hack-'n'-slash dungeon crawler feel, with more weapons, more environments, more lore, and more of just plain ol' fun. For free.

Players who haven't experienced any of the Legends series will find it familiar yet entertaining. Spacetime is entirely dedicated to gaming software on all platforms. Pocket Legends was its first foray into the market, and thus was born Star Legends and Dark Legends, each with its own style and flair. Arcane Legends delivers more of what the previous titles offer.

I was able to sit down with Fernando Blanco, Director of Marketing, at E3 to see a demo for the game, which the studio showcased on two tablets -- including a Kindle Fire. It was quite impressive.

Continue reading E3 2012: Spacetime Studios demos another smash Legends hit

E3 2012: Spacetime Studios demos another smash Legends hit originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arcane-legendsconconventionconvention-coveragedark-legendse3e3-2012electronic-entertainment-expoexpoFernando-Blancopocket-legendsspacetime-studiosstar-legendsWed, 06 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Spacetime Studios' Cinco Barnes talks Dark Legends design]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/25/spacetime-studios-cinco-barnes-talks-dark-legends-design/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/25/spacetime-studios-cinco-barnes-talks-dark-legends-design/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/25/spacetime-studios-cinco-barnes-talks-dark-legends-design/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Horror, Video, Interviews, Previews, Free-to-Play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, Interviews (Massively's), Community Q&A, Livestream, Miscellaneous

Google Plus hangout screenshot

If you have wondered about what was going on in Spacetime Studios' Cinco Barnes' head while designing Dark Legends, wonder no more. I was asked to sit in on a Google + hangout, essentially a public video conference call, with Cinco, Carter Dotson from 148apps and Heidi Duran from GirlGamer. The event was moderated by Ashley Esqueda from G4TV. Cinco fielded some questions from us and fans of the game.

Want to see some cool concept art? Need to know if the energy mechanic in Dark Legends was created just to make fast cash? Have you heard about Spacetime's newly announced title Arcane Legends, but have no idea what might be involved with the game? Have you wondered about the images in the opening video, the appearance of top hats, and the possibility of obtaining all of those great costumes through in-game means? You can find out the answers to these and other important questions in the video, embedded just after the cut.

Continue reading Spacetime Studios' Cinco Barnes talks Dark Legends design

Spacetime Studios' Cinco Barnes talks Dark Legends design originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>148appsarcane-legendsashley-esquedabeau-hindmancarter-dotsoncinco-barnesdark-legendsG4TVGirlGamergooglegoogle-plusheidi-duranmobilepocket-legendsspacetime-studiosstar-legendsFri, 25 May 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Spacetime Studios teases Arcane Legends]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/spacetime-studios-teases-arcane-legends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/spacetime-studios-teases-arcane-legends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/21/spacetime-studios-teases-arcane-legends/#commentsFiled under: New Titles, Free-to-Play, Mobile

Spacetime Studios

Pocket Legends. Star Legends. Dark Legends. And now... Arcane Legends?

Yes, it appears to be true! Spacetime Studios is working on a fourth title for its popular mobile MMO library, filing a trademark that has since been approved. The application for a U.S. federal trademark was submitted on April 5th and was given the thumbs up May 10th. As one of its categories is "electronic game software for cellular telephones," we can reasonably deduce that Arcane Legends will launch on mobile devices in the same manner of its older siblings.

Spacetime Studios told us that it will release an official announcement of the title later this week. The studio recently released the vampire-themed MMO Dark Legends on iOS and Android devices.

Spacetime Studios teases Arcane Legends originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidannouncementarcanearcane-legendsdark-legendsf2pfree-to-playiosnew-titlepocket-legendsspacetimespacetime-studiosstar-legendstrademarkMon, 21 May 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rise and Shiny: Dark Legends]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/13/rise-and-shiny-dark-legends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/13/rise-and-shiny-dark-legends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/13/rise-and-shiny-dark-legends/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi, Screenshots, Video, Game Mechanics, Launches, New Titles, Previews, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, Crime, Humor, Post-Apocalyptic, Rise and Shiny, Livestream, Miscellaneous

Dark Legends screenshot

Dark Legends, the new title from mobile MMO king Spacetime Studios, is already creating a buzz with its liberal use of an energy pool that is sapped as players go through standard gameplay. If this mechanic were packaged any differently and inside a sandbox, it's possible that people would call it "realistic" or "hardcore." Unfortunately, problems set in as soon as players realized that playing the game for hours on end would require some infusion of real-life funds or the ability to kill pretty large chunks of time in non-combat areas.

I would argue that the gameplay does not have to be designed for marathon gaming sessions. It's very possible that the "casual" part of the game's description actually means "casual." I still had issues with the mechanic; don't get me wrong. But if I was bothered by anything it would be Dark Legends' lack of borrowing features from Pocket Legends, Spacetime's flagship mobile MMO, which offers actual persistent areas and other MMO staples.

Of course, it's possible that Spacetime is simply trying something new. Heaven forbid it should attempt a new design!

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Dark Legends

Rise and Shiny: Dark Legends originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BatMUDbeau-hindmanBioWareccpdark-legendseve-onlinef2pfeaturedfree-to-playhands-onlivestreammassively-tvmudrise-and-shinyspacetimespacetime-studiosstar-wars-the-old-republicstreamswtortwitchtwitch-tvvideoSun, 13 May 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dark Legends launches on Apple devices, hits 500K players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/dark-legends-launches-on-apple-devices-hits-500k-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/dark-legends-launches-on-apple-devices-hits-500k-players/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/dark-legends-launches-on-apple-devices-hits-500k-players/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Horror, Launches, Free-to-Play, Mobile

Dark Legends

The tortured souls of the underworld Apple users have twiddled their thumbs and sharpened their canines for over a month now, a month that Android and Chrome users have played Dark Legends to their hearts' content. After that long wait, iOS owners can stop penning brooding poetry on Livejournal and start playing the game proper: Spacetime Studios has released Dark Legends on the App Store.

Apple users can now joining the 500,000-plus Dark Legends community by simply downloading the game from the store and getting their vamp on. Edward-wannabes have a daunting task in front of them, however, as all of the darker fantasy forces are out to be a serious pain in their neck.

Dark Legends follows in the wake of Spacetime's enormously popular Pocket Legends and Star Legends. It's available as a free download with optional in-app purchases and can be played over wifi, edge, 3G, and 4G networks.

Our own Beau is livestreaming Dark Legends today on Massively TV, so be sure to see what he thinks of the game!

[Source: Spacetime Studios press release]

Dark Legends launches on Apple devices, hits 500K players originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidapp-storeappleapple-app-storechromedark-legendsdraculaedwardf2pfree-to-playiosipadiphoneipod-touchitouchlaunchmobilemobile-mmoobscure-livejournal-referencepocket-legendsspacetimespacetime-studiosstar-legendsvampireMon, 07 May 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rise and Shiny: Gemstone IV]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/29/rise-and-shiny-gemstone-iv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/29/rise-and-shiny-gemstone-iv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/29/rise-and-shiny-gemstone-iv/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Video, Culture, Game Mechanics, Previews, Opinion, Hands-On, Casual, Rise and Shiny, Livestream, Miscellaneous, Sandbox

Gemstone IV screenshot with map

This article was a long time coming. Not only have I avoided taking a look at any sort of pure MUD for many years, but I meant to write this up last week but real life interrupted my plans. I just didn't think it was fair to write up a first impressions based on only a few hours of play. I was quite hesitant to take a deeper look at Gemstone IV mainly because I knew that the non-stop reading would surely create more migraines that might derail my work again. I was very worried, actually.

Luckily, the Gemstone IV client is customizable enough to allow me to create a "book-style" experience: black text on a white background. I don't think I'm alone in my inability to view bright, colored text on a dark background comfortably. If I were, popular websites would still look like they were from 1996. We've moved past ugly fonts and horrible color combinations.

Unfortunately it took me most of the time with Gemstone IV just to learn how to play, make the text comfortable to read, and understand what my character was supposed to be doing. Once I got comfortable, though, I honestly had one of the most enchanting times in a game yet.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Gemstone IV

Rise and Shiny: Gemstone IV originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetArena-Netarenanetbeau-hindmandark-legendsf2pfeaturedfree-to-playgemstone-ivGuild-Wars-2hands-onLiveStreammassively-tvmudmulti-user-dungeonriftrise-and-shinyspacetime-studiosstreamstreamingtext-based-adventurestwitchtwitch-tvtwitchtvvideoWorld-of-WarcraftSun, 29 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Speaking Episode 197: The audio plague]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/massively-speaking-episode-197-the-audio-plague/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/massively-speaking-episode-197-the-audio-plague/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/massively-speaking-episode-197-the-audio-plague/#commentsFiled under: Podcasts, Aion, Launches, MMO Industry, News Items, Champions Online, Massively Speaking, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Miscellaneous

SWTOR

Massively Speaking Episode 197 reviews a big week for MMOs, with several launches, updates, and live events going off all over the place. We had to hit the big red Massively Alarm three times during this time, prompting the MassivelyBusters to jump out of their beds, slide down the pole, and take the NERF-1 out to the scene of the action. Then we farmed spores, molds, and fungi with Elisabeth Cardy.

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes.
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[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.
Listen here on the page:

Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 197: The audio plague

Massively Speaking Episode 197: The audio plague originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionanetarenanetascendascensionbiowarebrantbrianna-roycechampionschampions-onlinechampscoconconventioncrypticcryptic-studiosdark-legendse-sporteaelectronic-artselisabeth-cardyesportexpof2pfantasyfeaturedfirst-person-shooterfpsfree-to-playguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw2hi-rezhi-rez-studioshumorjustin-olivettilucasartsmassively-speakingncsoftopinionpaxpax-2012pax-eastpax-east-2012penny-arcade-expoperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpodcastpodcastingpodcastspvppwesci-fishooterspacetime-studiosstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feesuperherosuperheroesswtorthe-old-republictortribestribes-ascendtribes-mmotribes-universetruly-freeTue, 17 Apr 2012 16:00:00 ESTMassively Speaking Episode 197Massively.com Staff01:02:31podcasts<![CDATA[MMObility: Dark Legends' cash shop, Thinix, and Parallel Mafia's launch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/mmobility-dark-legends-cash-shop-thinix-and-parallel-mafias/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/mmobility-dark-legends-cash-shop-thinix-and-parallel-mafias/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/mmobility-dark-legends-cash-shop-thinix-and-parallel-mafias/#commentsFiled under: Betas, Fantasy, Horror, Video, Game Mechanics, Launches, New Titles, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, Crime, Humor, Miscellaneous, MMObility

Dark Legends screenshot

I know this is not what you want to hear if you are a fan of Spacetime Studios and were really excited about it new title, Dark Legends, but here goes: The energy mechanic that seems to have so many players upset is really not that bad at all. See, at some point many games decided to use a limited amount of energy to fuel character actions, and once it runs out, it seems like game over. It has always been the case (ever since Farmville first made the mechanic so popular that misguided gamers thought Zynga had somehow invented it) that energy in these sorts of games refills naturally, over time, for free.

I played through Dark Legends on launch night and was able to complete an entire campaign with some energy left over. Sure, I had to pause once to refill a couple of bars (they take five minutes each to refill), but other than that, I had no issues with it. If the energy becomes an issue at later levels, I do not know.

Let's not confuse things here: The energy mechanic in Dark Legends is nothing new, it's not a scam, and it does not force players to do anything. Allow me to explain, then we're moving on to other mobile MMO news.

Continue reading MMObility: Dark Legends' cash shop, Thinix, and Parallel Mafia's launch

MMObility: Dark Legends' cash shop, Thinix, and Parallel Mafia's launch originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbeau-hindmandark-legendsfeaturedinspiron-duoIOSiphoneMMObilitymobileparallel-mafiaperbluespacetime-studiosthinixvideoFri, 13 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dark Legends aims to make your vampire sparkle with a weapon giveaway]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/dark-legends-aims-to-make-your-vampire-sparkle-with-a-pair-of-ma/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/dark-legends-aims-to-make-your-vampire-sparkle-with-a-pair-of-ma/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/dark-legends-aims-to-make-your-vampire-sparkle-with-a-pair-of-ma/#commentsFiled under: Horror, Contests, New Titles, Free-to-Play, Browser, Mobile, Giveaways, Promotions

Dark Legends

We posted yesterday that Dark Legends, the latest in a line of F2P mobile and browser-friendly MMOs from Spacetime Studios, is now officially up and running on Android systems and Chrome browsers. Today, Spacetime has a present for all you would-be vampires out there: a pair of rockin' weapons called Devastation Maces.

To grab yours, start up the game and either log into your existing account or create a new one. Make sure you're playing the character whom you want to receive the weapons because you can only grab these once per account! Zip through the tutorial missions and then head to the Spacetime Nexus from the main lobby screen. There, on the bottom right of your screen, you'll see a button for enterting a promo code. Enter the code massively20120410 and find your maces waiting for you in your character's inventory.

The code has unlimited uses, so everyone who wants one can use it, but do note that it will expire eventually, so snag that gift sooner rather than later. Many thanks to Spacetime Studios -- have fun!

Dark Legends aims to make your vampire sparkle with a weapon giveaway originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidchromecontestcontestsdark-legendsgiveawaygiveawayshorrormobile-mmospacetimespacetime-studiosvampiresThu, 12 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dark Legends goes live for Android and Chrome]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/dark-legends-goes-live-for-mobile-devices-and-chrome/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/dark-legends-goes-live-for-mobile-devices-and-chrome/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/dark-legends-goes-live-for-mobile-devices-and-chrome/#commentsFiled under: Horror, Launches, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser, Mobile

He bit her right in her main catsup artery.

So you like vampires? It's kind of a thing these days. Maybe you like vampires so much that you really want to play around with some vampiric content on your mobile device. That's for the best, as Spacetime Studios has released Dark Legends today. Building off the success of the studio's previous mobile/browser titles (Pocket Legends and Star Legends), the newest game allows players to take on the role of a bloodsucking monster of the night.

The game is currently available in the the Google Play Store and the Chrome app store; it won't be available in the iOS app store for a few more weeks. Like previous offerings, it's free-to-play, and you can log in from separate devices to play both on the road and at home. Unlike previous games, this one is definitely not aiming for the family market, being a fair bit more overtly violent and bloody. Still, if you feel the urge to rampage through dark alleys while you are walking through said alleys in real life, Dark Legends has you covered.

[Update: We've clarified that the game is not yet available for Apple users. Sorry for the confusion!]

Dark Legends goes live for Android and Chrome originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browserbrowser-mmodark-legendsf2pfree-to-playmobilenew-gamesnew-titlespocket-legendsspacetimespacetime-studiosstar-legendsvampiresWed, 11 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Speaking Episode 190: GDC Wednesday]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/08/massively-speaking-episode-190-gdc-wednesday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/08/massively-speaking-episode-190-gdc-wednesday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/08/massively-speaking-episode-190-gdc-wednesday/#commentsFiled under: Podcasts, Events (Real-World), Events (Massively's Coverage), Massively Speaking, DUST 514, World of Tanks, Miscellaneous, World of Warplanes, World of Warships, MechWarrior Online

Massively Speaking

Massively Speaking Episode 190 brings us another installment of the wild and wacky adventures of Massively's GDC crew. Today the entire ensemble has assembled, with Shawn, Jef, Karen, and MJ hogging the mike and sharing their impressions and experiences from the convention. Also, Karen rules from the Iron Throne, so do not mess with her or she'll send you to the Wall.

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

Get the podcast:
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Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 190: GDC Wednesday

Massively Speaking Episode 190: GDC Wednesday originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-game-of-thronesbattleshipbattleshipsbigpointbiowarebrantbrianna-royceccpccp-gamesconsoledark-legendsdustdust-514eveeve-onlinef2pfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgame-of-throneshistoricalhumorjustin-olivettimassively-speakingmechmechsmechwarriormechwarrior-mmomechwarrior-onlinemmofpsmwoopinionpiranhapiranha-gamesplaneplanesplaystationplaystation-3podcastpodcastingpodcastsps3pvpsci-fishooterspacetime-studiostanktanksthe9triontrion-worldswarwargaming-netwargaming.netwarplanewarplaneswobworld-of-battleshipsworld-of-tanksworld-of-warplaneswotwowpThu, 08 Mar 2012 15:00:00 ESTMassively Speaking Episode 190Massively.com Staff00:28:20podcasts<![CDATA[GDC 2012: A look at Dark Legends with Spacetime Studios]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/gdc-2012-a-look-at-dark-legends-with-spacetime-studios/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/gdc-2012-a-look-at-dark-legends-with-spacetime-studios/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/07/gdc-2012-a-look-at-dark-legends-with-spacetime-studios/#commentsFiled under: Betas, Horror, Game Mechanics, Interviews, MMO Industry, Previews, Free-to-Play, Mobile, Hands-On, Casual, Interviews (Massively's), Events (Massively's Coverage), Miscellaneous

Dark Legends

Life, death, and a return from the grave: That sums up the life of a vampire, but it also sums up the journey of Spacetime Studios. What do the two have in common? The studio's upcoming title called Dark Legends. At GDC 2012 this week, Massively had a chance to talk with Gary Gattis, CEO of Spacetime Studios, and we got a first-hand look at how the company successfully created a game in which people can play together on laptops, tablets, phones, and virtually any mobile device available.

Continue reading GDC 2012: A look at Dark Legends with Spacetime Studios

GDC 2012: A look at Dark Legends with Spacetime Studios originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conconferenceconventiondark-legendsfeaturedgame-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-2012gary-gattisgdcgdc-2012interviewinterviewskaren-bryanmobilemobile-mmospocket-legendsspacetimespacetime-studiosstar-legendsWed, 07 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: The 16 MMOs in my pocket]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/02/mmobility-the-16-mmos-in-my-pocket/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/02/mmobility-the-16-mmos-in-my-pocket/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/02/mmobility-the-16-mmos-in-my-pocket/#commentsFiled under: Opinion, Free-to-Play, Browser, Mobile, Hands-On, Casual, MMORTS, Miscellaneous, MMObility

HTC Inspire picture

I have a smartphone that is pretty much filled to the brim with actual, functional, persistent MMORPGs. Some of them are three-dimensional romps through massive worlds filled with dungeons and dragons; others are representational browser-based games that work through the phone's native browser; and the rest are hardly nothing more than a few dots on the screen and impressionistic gameplay.

Still, they are MMOs. I love having access to them, and over the last year I have actually grown to love simple, clever design and basic artwork over almost anything else. Forget Guild Wars 2; we'll hear enough about that to make us choke. Sure, it might be a fun game, but I'm a tech guy from the Bizarro universe. I prefer to see how little tech I need to game with. I want to push the limits even lower.

Anyway, it's springtime here in Texas, so it's time to clean out all sorts of crap from my life. I organize all of my hundreds of songs, films, movies and art pieces and get my digital life in order as well. This process includes tweaking my current line-up of basic technology and downloading any updates for the games that exist on those devices. It's time to cull the weak and glorify the wonderful.

Continue reading MMObility: The 16 MMOs in my pocket

MMObility: The 16 MMOs in my pocket originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidapplebeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-baseddark-legendsdie2niteelemental-knights-online-the-worldempire-onlinefeaturedglitchHTC-inspireillyriadillyriad-gamesIOSiphoneMMObilitymobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmoOnLiveopinionorder-and-chaos-onlineparallel-kingdomperbluephonepocket-legendssmartphonespacetime-studiosstar-legendsstewart-butterfieldthe-infinite-blacktibiaMEtiny-specktraviantraviansVendetta-Onlinewarspear-onlineworld-of-midgardFri, 02 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dark Legends' teaser trailer is to die for]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/dark-legends-teaser-trailer-is-to-die-for/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/dark-legends-teaser-trailer-is-to-die-for/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/dark-legends-teaser-trailer-is-to-die-for/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Horror, Trailers, Video, Free-to-Play

Dark Legends

We've gotten our first glimpse at the world of Spacetime Studios' Dark Legends, and it certainly sets a different tone than the mobiile MMO developer's past efforts. In this teaser trailer, a haunting rendition of House of the Rising Sun plays as blood flows back up and into the mouth of a delighted vampire.

Slated for release in the first quarter of this year on iOS, Android, and Chrome, Dark Legends is all about the supernatural underbelly of society. Players will choose a society of vampires to join and go forth to battle nasties like werewolves and zombies.

You can watch the trailer after the jump!

Continue reading Dark Legends' teaser trailer is to die for

Dark Legends' teaser trailer is to die for originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bosoms-galoredark-legendsf2pfree-to-playhouse-of-the-rising-sunspacetime-studiosteaser-trailertrailervampirevampiresvideovideoswerewolveszombiesWed, 15 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Spacetime's Dark Legends mobile vampire MMO available Q1 2012]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/spacetimes-dark-legends-mobile-vampire-mmo-available-q1-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/spacetimes-dark-legends-mobile-vampire-mmo-available-q1-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/spacetimes-dark-legends-mobile-vampire-mmo-available-q1-2012/#commentsFiled under: Fantasy, Horror, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Mobile, Casual

We've reported previously on Spacetime Studios' new Dark Legends vampire MMO, but today we've got a launch window for you. The game will be available in the first quarter of 2012, and it represents the latest entry in the company's mobile Legends series which includes Pocket Legends and Star Legends.

Dark Legends features new gameplay tweaks, including more action via charge attacks and the ability to drain foes. There's also more of a focus on narrative thanks to something Spacetime calls an "interactive storybook" made from both missions and cutscenes. More info will be released at this year's Game Developer's Conference in early March.

[Source: Spacetime Studios press release]

Spacetime's Dark Legends mobile vampire MMO available Q1 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualcharge-mechanicsdark-legendsdrain-mechanicsf2pfantasyfree-to-playhorrorlegends-seriesmobilespacetimespacetime-studiosThu, 26 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Spacetime Studios working on new mobile MMO Dark Legends]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/spacetime-studios-working-on-new-mobile-mmo-dark-legends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/spacetime-studios-working-on-new-mobile-mmo-dark-legends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/03/spacetime-studios-working-on-new-mobile-mmo-dark-legends/#commentsFiled under: New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Mobile

Spacetime Studios, the developer of popular mobile MMO titles Pocket Legends and Star Legends, has announced that it has begun work on a new mobile game following the Legends format. The new title, about which we know virtually nothing aside from the fact that it exists, is called Dark Legends. Ominous, right? DroidGamers reports that Spacetime Studios CEO Gary Gattis has stated that "Dark Legends will be a bit of a departure from the formula that Pocket Legends established as we innovate on lessons learned." So there's clearly a new twist to the studio's standard gameplay, but we'll just have to wait and see what that twist may be.

Spacetime Studios working on new mobile MMO Dark Legends originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dark-legendsdroidf2pfree-to-playgary-gattismobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmospocket-legendsspacetime-studiosstar-legendsTue, 03 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E3 2011: Spacetime Studios on the Legends franchise]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/e3-2011-spacetime-studios-on-the-legends-franchise/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/e3-2011-spacetime-studios-on-the-legends-franchise/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/e3-2011-spacetime-studios-on-the-legends-franchise/#commentsFiled under: Sci-Fi, Classes, Interviews, Previews, Free-to-Play, Events (Massively's Coverage)

Blackstar has a new name to capitalize on the Legends brand -- it's now known as Star Legends: The Blackstar Chronicles. At this year's E3, we caught up with Spacetime Studios' Fernando Blanco to see how the revived project (as well as the company's hit Pocket Legends) is coming along.

Star Legends is only a month away from launch, and Spacetime hopes that the Pocket Legends fever will spread to its sci-fi brother. The name's been changed to communicate the studio's intent to provide an ongoing story rather than a one-shot experience. The game will launch with the first 20 levels of content, but Spacetime has grand plans to expand this much further.

Blanco gave us some of the backstory to the game: In the far future, humans are exploring the cosmos and have stumbled upon a resource-rich area. Corporations, as they are wont to do, have swooped in to exert their dominance but have come across hostile aliens in the process. War breaks out, invasions start popping up all over the place, and you're called in to clean up the mess -- and make a quick buck in the process.

Hit the jump to hear more about Star Legends' classes and gameplay!

Continue reading E3 2011: Spacetime Studios on the Legends franchise

E3 2011: Spacetime Studios on the Legends franchise originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidarcherbetablackstarblackstar-mmocommandodark-legendsdroide3e3-2011engineerf2pfeaturedFernando-Blancoflash-mobfree-to-playhorrormagemobile-mmooperativepocket-legendspreviewpreviewspromotionspacetimespacetime-studiosstar-legendsverizonwarriorwesternFri, 10 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST