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[Making the 'jump' from Guild Wars to Guild Wars 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/26/making-the-jump-from-guild-wars-to-guild-wars-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/26/making-the-jump-from-guild-wars-to-guild-wars-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/26/making-the-jump-from-guild-wars-to-guild-wars-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Black Citadel Forest, Guild Wars 2
The second Guild Wars 2 press beta weekend has come and gone, and Massively was there every step of the way. Stay tuned throughout the day today for even more guides, impressions, videos, and Q&As to get you ready for the highly anticipated sequel to Guild Wars.

Guild Wars 2 is on the way (when it's ready), and classic Guild Wars players probably understand that soon they'll be competing with a younger sibling -- a smarter, more attractive one who's sure to get more of mom's attention. And while we're sure that some of the more stalwart Guild Wars 2 fans are also Guild Wars players, not all veterans of the first edition are dedicated to licking up every drop of sequel info squeezed out of blogs, conventions, and betas. Those veterans might just be wondering, what exactly can Guild Wars 2 offer them, other than Hall of Monuments tie-ins? What's changed? What's the same? What will they love, what will they hate, and what could possibly make them jump ship to the new hotness?

The first and most important thing you must know is that yes, you can jump in Guild Wars 2! Seriously, though, jumping is more than just a thing you do with your spacebar when you're bored; it's a symbol of boundlessness. Guild Wars 2 itself is trying to jump a lot higher than its elder brother, and probably the essential difference between the games is that feeling that the walls have come down and gravity is letting loose. That alone should urge classic players to take a peek, but if that's not enough for you, fire up your Jeremy Soule soundtracks (yes, he's onboard for an encore!) and read on...

Continue reading Making the 'jump' from Guild Wars to Guild Wars 2

MassivelyMaking the 'jump' from Guild Wars to Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetauction-hallbetacash-shopcharacter-creationclosed-betaclosed-beta-3comparisondeathdeath-penaltydungeonsdynamic-contenteconomyendgameeye-of-the-northfantasyfeaturedgeargemsgroupgroupingguideguidesguild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-betaguild-wars-2-guideguild-wars-2-previewguildsgvggwgw2hall-of-monumentshands-onhominterfacejumpjumpingloremap-travelncsoftpreviewpreviewspropheciespvpquestsrenown-heartrmtsidekickingskill-pointtrading-posttyriauiuser-interfaceworld-vs-worldworld-vs-world-vs-worldwvwwvwvwMon, 26 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pathfinder Online takes a look at death]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/pathfinder-online-takes-a-look-at-death/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/pathfinder-online-takes-a-look-at-death/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/pathfinder-online-takes-a-look-at-death/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Death is frequently preceded by sneering disdain at the concept of dying to lizardmen.
No matter what happens, sooner or later you're going to die in an MMO. It's pretty much a given. So it's probably for the best that the fourth developer blog on Pathfinder Online is all about death -- what happens when you die, what happens when another player kills you, and what you can do about it.

The death system is reminiscent in some ways of what would happen on death in EverQuest. You respawn at a predetermined location, and while you keep any equipment you were wearing, the rest of your inventory is on your soulless husk of a body. Retrieve it first and you get everything back. If someone else loots your body first, though, he or she gest a random assortment of items from your inventory and the rest are destroyed.

The blog entry also covers the issue of bounties, player-killing, and attempting to dissuade others from killing players in lawful regions. Players can set bounties on their killers, potentially refreshing the bounty each time said killer is successfully killed in retaliation, making a bounty hunter or group of same very rich indeed. Those interested in Pathfinder Online should check out all the details and keep watching as the game moves through development.

MassivelyPathfinder Online takes a look at death originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deathdeath-penaltydeath-systemdevelopmentdyinggame-mechanicsgoblinworkspaizopaizo-publishingpathfinderpathfinder-onlineWed, 18 Jan 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you play in self-enforced hardcore mode?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/the-daily-grind-do-you-play-in-self-enforced-hardcore-mode/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/the-daily-grind-do-you-play-in-self-enforced-hardcore-mode/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/the-daily-grind-do-you-play-in-self-enforced-hardcore-mode/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Salem
The permadeath-in-MMOs issue has been debated to death. Most of us have probably either played in a Diablo-esque hardcore mode or gaped at the stones required to publish a true MMORPG with permadeath (hi, Salem). But who says you need game mechanics to make permadeath a reality?

I've gamed with roleplayers who took their characters deadly seriously and would delete their characters if they were killed off within the context of the game. (So much for the idea that roleplayers are casuals, eh?) Their web of self-inflicted rules is so complex (maiming? dice rolls? emote-combat?) that playing with such RPers can actually become stressful, especially if you don't want to be responsible for their having to delete and reroll.

What about you folks? Do you play or roleplay in a self-enforced hardcore mode? Do you do it because it's fun, because it makes gameplay more intense, or because you like a good challenge?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you play in self-enforced hardcore mode? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardbrianna-royce-tdgcharacterdeathdeleteddiablohardcorehardcore-modeopinionParadox-Interactivepermadeathroleplayersroleplayingrpsalemtdgthe-daily-grindMon, 09 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Undead Labs Q&A touches on health bars, death mechanics]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/22/undead-labs-qanda-touches-on-health-bars-death-mechanics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/22/undead-labs-qanda-touches-on-health-bars-death-mechanics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/22/undead-labs-qanda-touches-on-health-bars-death-mechanics/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Class 3 - ugly zombie dudes
Undead Labs has posted another question-and-answer session with fans of its upcoming Class 3 zombie MMO. The firm fielded a bunch of queries relating to healing, death, health bars, and assorted other topics.

"You'll have a health bar so you won't have to guess how much health you have, but zombies won't. While we could have opted to have no health bar for you too, we wanted to emphasize the survival aspect of the game by having the damage you take stick with you until you can heal up," the dev team says.

The Q&A also features some interesting tidbits about weight, fatigue and stamina, and the fact that zombies will respond to the noise generated by building survival structures (translation: Bring your duct tape). Read all about it at the official Undead Labs blog.

MassivelyUndead Labs Q&A touches on health bars, death mechanics originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>class-3class3console-mmoconsolesdeathgame-mechanicshealth-barshorrorundead-labszombiesSat, 22 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online adding implants to killmails]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/eve-online-adding-implants-to-killmails/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/eve-online-adding-implants-to-killmails/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/eve-online-adding-implants-to-killmails/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EVE Online title image
When a ship is destroyed in EVE Online, half of its fitted modules are destroyed and half are dropped as loot. When EVE was young, the list of modules destroyed and dropped in a kill was sent in an in-game mail to both the victim and the player who got the killing blow. Today the killmail is stored in a players' character sheet rather than clogging up his inbox, providing a record of all the ships he's killed and those he's lost in combat. When you destroy a player's escape capsule, however, all you're left with is a blank killmail and a tasty corpse floating in space.

In a new devblog, CCP Masterplan describes the introduction of one of EVE's most requested features: implants on pod killmails. When an escape pod is destroyed, a list of all the expensive implants installed in the corpse's head will be added to the currently blank killmail, letting players put a much more accurate value on successful kills. This comes as good news to corporations and alliances judging their war performance using killboard valuations.

MassivelyEVE Online adding implants to killmails originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesdeathdev-diarydevblogeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinekillmailkillmailspatchpodshipwarThu, 20 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost Pages of Taborea: Runes of Magic's potential for EVE combat]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/22/lost-pages-of-taborea-runes-of-magics-potential-for-eve-combat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/22/lost-pages-of-taborea-runes-of-magics-potential-for-eve-combat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/22/lost-pages-of-taborea-runes-of-magics-potential-for-eve-combat/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Runes of Magic screenshot
I've been thinking a lot lately on other ways that Runes of Magic reminds me of EVE Online. Not that any systems are exactly the same, but they have certain similarities. Wurm Online and Minecraft are arguably different in how they function, but they both scratch the same creative itch.

RoM's gear-modification system lends itself to EVE-esque combat. Keep in mind we're not talking about how the mechanics or guts of the games are similar or different; we're talking about how the same itch is being scratched. In the case of RoM's PvP being like EVE, it's more like tickling the itch with a feather, which makes you want to scratch it even more. I want to scratch that itch with a Brillo pad by exploring how RoM's open-world PvP could function more like EVE's, thanks to the arcane transmutor. Let's start with how I think battlefields differ from open-world PvP.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: Runes of Magic's potential for EVE combat

MassivelyLost Pages of Taborea: Runes of Magic's potential for EVE combat originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefieldscombatdeatheveeve-onlinefeaturedffa-pvpffapvpfrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactiveincentivesjeremy-strattonlootinglost-pages-of-taboreapenaltiespk-protectionplayer-lootingplayer-vs-playerpvprewardsromrunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmentMon, 22 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Learning to let go]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/17/eve-evolved-learning-to-let-go/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/17/eve-evolved-learning-to-let-go/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/17/eve-evolved-learning-to-let-go/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Bombarded by the epic stories emerging from EVE Online's colossal social sandbox, thousands of MMO addicts per month give in to temptation and pick up a free trial. Most drop the trial for one reason or another, but those who continue on to a full game subscription often fall into a common trap. Some enjoy the concept of the game enough to subscribe for a month, and a portion of those get invested enough in skill plans and the mission grind to stick about for two or three months. It's rare for a new or trial player to actually get into PvP or start creating the same epic sandbox stories that drew them to the game in the first place, but this is exactly what they should be doing right from day one.

New players often spend their entire trial or first month of gameplay attempting to grapple with the enormity of EVE, absorbing as much information as they can in order to make informed decisions for themselves. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking months of training skills and learning the basics of the game through reading or PvE will be required before you can PvP competitively or begin crafting your own epic story. I firmly believe that the real learning curve of EVE is in learning to let go of these ideas and to accept the loss of ships or items as part of the game. I believe new players need to discard their pre-conceived notions of death penalty, what skill points represent, and the idea of preparing for endgame.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at how EVE is actually very forgiving for new players getting into PvP immediately, I challenge the learning curve myth, and I encourage new pilots to drop themselves into EVE at the deep end.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Learning to let go

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Learning to let go originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advicealliancealliancesccpccp-eveccp-gamesdeathdeath-penaltyendgameeveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedheistlearning-clifflearning-curvenyphuropinionpoliticspvpsandboxscamskillskill-trainingskillstheftveteranSun, 17 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV removing old penalties and adding a couple new ones]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/14/final-fantasy-xiv-removing-old-penalties-and-adding-a-couple-new/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/14/final-fantasy-xiv-removing-old-penalties-and-adding-a-couple-new/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/14/final-fantasy-xiv-removing-old-penalties-and-adding-a-couple-new/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Fatigue system was one of the most hated features of Final Fantasy XIV before the game had even hit release. Even though it was almost impossible to hit the mythical point where you started getting less experience, nobody liked the idea of having your gains cut when you were having fun. So there will be few tears shed when the entire system is removed in patch 1.18, which has already promised a number of sweeping changes to the game's functionality.

Of course, it's not all about making life easier for players, as both the death penalty and Return option are seeing their functionality tweaked. Previously, players would sometimes die and use Return to avoid an anima cost while still making a fast trip somewhere. As of the newest patch, using Return to revive will incur a small durability penalty, offset slightly by the improvement of the Raise spell. Final Fantasy XIV players can check the official release for details on the slight rearrangement of penalties, aimed at keeping gameplay more dynamic and active.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV removing old penalties and adding a couple new ones originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deathdeath-penaltyexperiencefatigueffff14ffxivffxiv-patch-1.18final-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivlevelingnewspenaltiessquaresquare-enixupdatesThu, 14 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Which character death did you find the most memorable?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/the-daily-grind-which-character-death-did-you-find-the-most-mem/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/the-daily-grind-which-character-death-did-you-find-the-most-mem/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/30/the-daily-grind-which-character-death-did-you-find-the-most-mem/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Your character will die. You know this going in. Death penalties in some games are harsher than others, but every single MMO assumes that your character will at some point drop to zero hit points. By the time you hit max level, you'll usually have several deaths under your belt. Some of them fall into the category of doing something you knew was stupid at the time, some of them were just mistakes, and some of them... well, they were the sort of deaths that you remember.

Maybe you died because you were raising a teammate in City of Heroes and didn't think about where you were standing. Maybe you died from a knockback effect in Warhammer Online that threw you right off a ledge. Whatever the case, today we want to hear about your legendary death stories, the times when your character met his or her end in the most spectacular fashion possible. Which of the many deaths you've experienced still sticks in your head?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Which character death did you find the most memorable? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>always-look-on-the-bright-side-of-deathanecdotescharacter-deathdeathdramatic-deathsdyingfunny-deathsopiniontdgthe-daily-grindThu, 30 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E3 2011: Hands on with RIFT's 1.3 update]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/09/e3-2011-hands-on-with-rifts-1-3-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/09/e3-2011-hands-on-with-rifts-1-3-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/09/e3-2011-hands-on-with-rifts-1-3-update/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

With patch 1.2 fading in the rearview mirror, RIFT players have turned their attention to the incoming patch 1.3 due on June 22nd. Titled Waves of Madness, the update will kick off a new world event and add an additional tier of endgame content in the form of an additional raid.

We got the opportunity to dive into 1.3 early at E3, all while a petite seven-foot-tall dev perched on our shoulder and gave us running commentary. Patch 1.3's crown jewel is a 20-person raid in the ancient fortress of Hammerknell, which was built by folks who thought it'd be a smashing idea to cram evil spirits into runes and then use that as the foundation. Sounds to us a lot like building a summer camp on top of a desecrated native burial ground, but we're sure these architects had good intentions.

Surprise, surprise, the spirits started to ooze out into Hammerknell and tore up the place. To make matters worse, Hammerknell is the prison of a water dragon -- and the water plane started to come to its rescue. So the Dwarves decided to treat it like an illegal toxic dump by sealing up the fortress, whistling innocently, and conveniently forgetting it until another raid area was needed.

But it's not as simple as just unlocking the front door and marching in to claim some loot! Hit the jump as we walk you through the process of down-and-dirty archaeology!

Continue reading E3 2011: Hands on with RIFT's 1.3 update

MassivelyE3 2011: Hands on with RIFT's 1.3 update originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.310-man-raid10-person-raid20-man-raid20-person-raidcharacter-transfersdeathdwarfdwarvese3e3-2011featuredguild-bankshammerknellJornarupatch-1.2patch-1.3previewpreviewsraidregulosriftrift-planes-of-telarascottytelaratriontrion-worldswaterworld-eventThu, 09 Jun 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Wasteland Diaries: Don't fear the reaper]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/wasteland-diaries-dont-fear-the-reaper/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/wasteland-diaries-dont-fear-the-reaper/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/wasteland-diaries-dont-fear-the-reaper/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Dying in Fallen Earth is not much different than it is in most other games. It's usually just a temporary setback or a very minor inconvenience. But for some, it seems to be more than that. In this week's Wasteland Diaries, I would like to ponder what might go through the mind of a gamer when he takes a dirt-nap in-game. In the past few decades I've spent playing PC games, I've seen some pretty over-the-top reactions to dying. I've tried to infer what might be going through some of these extremely emotional people's minds when they buy the farm. Various death penalties evoke wildly different emotions in general, so I'll start there.

When you die in Fallen Earth, you lose all of your current non-stance buffs. Most buffs can be easily re-applied, except for your food, drinks and other consumables. It's still not a major loss, especially now that food and drink components are ultra-cheap. If there's nobody around to rez you, you must respawn at the cloner and take a 5% durability hit on your equipped gear. It's still not a big deal. And you'll get cumulative cloning sickness, which can get pretty nasty, but you have to die a lot in a short period of time to warrant tier five. And the sickness only lasts five minutes. After the cut, I'll delve deeper into the plight of the struck-down avatar and try to determine what it all means.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Don't fear the reaper

MassivelyWasteland Diaries: Don't fear the reaper originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buffscloner-sicknessconsumablesdeathdeath-penaltyfallen-earthfallen-earth-llcfeaturedfpsicarusicarus-studioslifenetmmorpgplayer-lootingpvprespawnshooterFri, 22 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom hints at Secret World death penalty, sabotage missions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/funcom-hints-at-secret-world-death-penalty-sabotage-missions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/funcom-hints-at-secret-world-death-penalty-sabotage-missions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/funcom-hints-at-secret-world-death-penalty-sabotage-missions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

All is very hush hush around Funcom's The Secret World. While a good bit of new info surfaced at last month's GDC, there are still more questions than answers regarding the firm's followup to Age of Conan.

That said, occasionally the devs will dangle a tasty morsel, and in a new interview at Game Snafu, Funcom designer Martin Bruusgaard does just that with regard to TSW's death penalty mechanics. "We will not implement a death system that can be exploited as a fast travel system, because dying in The Secret World should be a sign of failure, and not optimization in any way. We don't want to punish the players in a form where they can lose stuff, neither items nor experience, but rather penalize on time," he explains.

Designer Joel Bylos also chimes in with some interesting bits about the game's questing mechanics, chief among them a hint about new sabotage missions. "These missions share a similar gameplay style to the original Deus Ex game -- avoiding security cameras, disabling traps and hacking computers, etc. Generally the traps are dynamic only in the sense that players can disable/enable them in the world. This becomes interesting when other players can accidentally trigger an alarm in the camp you are sneaking through," Bylos says. Check out the full interview at Game Snafu.

MassivelyFuncom hints at Secret World death penalty, sabotage missions originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conspiraciesdeathdeath-penaltyfuncominterviewjoel-bylosmartin-bruusgaardmissionssabotagesabotage-missionsskill-basedthe-secret-worldtswTue, 05 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RIFT updates River of Souls world event]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/02/rift-updates-river-of-souls-world-event/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/02/rift-updates-river-of-souls-world-event/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/02/rift-updates-river-of-souls-world-event/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

RIFT's worldwide River of Souls event, starring the charismatic Alsbeth the Discordant, has been trucking in game for a few days now, but Trion Worlds didn't want to rest on its laurels even so. After evaluating how the event was progressing, the team added a patch yesterday to make a number of improvements and adjustments.

The biggest change is that the game is now spawning event-related rifts at a much-increased rate, to the relief of frustrated players looking for a good death rift and finding none. The update also encourages players to stay in level-appropriate zones by not counting closed rifts for the player if the player is far above that zone's level.

Trion added several new items to the event merchant, including additional pets and death-themed accessories. It's now easier to purchase these items, as the game is handing out Otherworldly Sourcestone -- the currency for the event -- in increased amounts.

The notes also indicate that players will have better chances at big rewards as the River of Souls event progresses, which gives us something to look forward to in the next few weeks! You can read the full patch notes over on the RIFT forums.

MassivelyRIFT updates River of Souls world event originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alsbethalsbeth-the-discordantdeathdeath-riftsotherworldly-sourcestonepatchpetsrewardsriftrift-planes-of-telarariftsriver-of-soulstriontrion-worldsupdateSat, 02 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Death penalties]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/the-perfect-ten-death-penalties/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/the-perfect-ten-death-penalties/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/the-perfect-ten-death-penalties/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Death penalties belong in that tier of MMO discussion topics that is reserved for the most controversial subjects, along with skimpy armor and the New Game Enhancements. Death, as we know well, comes for us all with big, nasty, pointy teeth. But for some reason, we are not fans of it, neither in real life nor in online games.

One of the reasons death penalties continue to be a divisive subject is that they used to be brutal beyond belief in MMOs back in the olden days of yore. As the MMO genre progressed, the penalties were lightened and experimented with in an effort to avoid driving players barking mad because of them. So we've ended up with two camps: one group of gamers who campaign for harsh death penalties to make the world seem exciting and dangerous, and another group that campaigns for lenient penalties in the interests of sanity.

So today we're going to go through 10 of the most-used types of death penalties in MMOs, starting with the most brutal and ending with the most lenient. Stay for the after-column party as well, as you'll get a taste for this debate in the comments section!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Death penalties

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Death penalties originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaoccity-of-heroescohdarkfallde-levelingdeathdeath-penaltiesdeath-penaltydelevelingdiablo-2diablo-iidofuseveeve-onlineeverquestfeaturedfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-xigrim-reaperguild-warsgwhot-pocketitem-repairjedinew-game-enhancementsngeparagon-studiosperfect-10perfect-tenpermadeathpermanent-deathporchepre-trammelresurrection-sicknessrez-sicknessskimpy-armorstar-wars-galaxiesthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tentrammelultima-onlinexp-debtThu, 24 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Damion Schubert philosophizes about SWTOR's death penalty]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/26/damion-schubert-philosophizes-about-swtors-death-penalty/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/26/damion-schubert-philosophizes-about-swtors-death-penalty/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/26/damion-schubert-philosophizes-about-swtors-death-penalty/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Nothing in the world is certain, except death and taxes. The same is true for video games. If there is a game in which you don't fail completing a mission at least once, then it is probably too easy. We know "death" is going to happen, so how a game designer handles this death penalty can make or break a player's fun -- and ultimately the success of the game. Damion Schubert, Lead Combat Designer for Star Wars: The Old Republic, jumped on the SWTOR official forums today to discuss his philosophies behind the game's death penalty.

He believes that the penalty for failure has to be balanced. If it's too harsh or too light, it is no longer fun for the player. There should be a separation between challenge and punishment, according to him. "I would rather our challenges be gated by whether or not you have the skill, the gear, and the teamwork to succeed than whether or not you have the credits and/or time to wait out the forced downtime in between, you know, the fun part," Schubert explains in the post.

Catch the whole discussion on the official forums and let us know what you think.

MassivelyDamion Schubert philosophizes about SWTOR's death penalty originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWaredamion-schubertdeathdeath-penaltyEAElectronic-ArtsI-want-to-liveLucasArtsStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorWed, 26 Jan 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ten levels of RIFT: A guide to your first day in Telara]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/ten-levels-of-rift-a-guide-to-your-first-day-in-telara/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/ten-levels-of-rift-a-guide-to-your-first-day-in-telara/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/ten-levels-of-rift-a-guide-to-your-first-day-in-telara/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

With two RIFT beta events under my belt, I was given the supreme honor of creating a guide to the first 10 levels of the game. Naturally, I fell apart under the stress, assumed the fetal position for a couple days while whimpering about "frame rates," and then was prodded into action by our editors. That's quite literally "prodded," mind you -- Massively purchased a pair of cattle prods last year at a police auction. It's going to be years until the scorch marks fade from my spine.

The purpose of this guide is two-fold. First, we want to give anyone who's interested in RIFT but couldn't get into the beta a chance to vicariously experience RIFT's newbie path. Second, while RIFT is careful to hold your hand during your first steps into Telara, there are always a lot of things that can be easily missed while one is partaking in the wonders of a new virtual world. So this guide is here to share a few tips and pointers that beta testers may have missed.

What are you waiting for? Roll up a new character by hitting the jump!

Continue reading Ten levels of RIFT: A guide to your first day in Telara

MassivelyTen levels of RIFT: A guide to your first day in Telara originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievement-systemachievementsarchetypeArchetypesbeginner-zonebeginner-zonesbeginners-guidebetabeta-eventcattle-prodcautiouscharacter-creationcharacter-creatorclassclericclosed-betacritter-tearsdeathdeath-penaltydefianteq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iifirst-ten-levelsguardianguideleveling-guidemagenewbie-experiencenewbie-guidenewbie-zonesporticulum-masterracial-abilitiesracial-bonusesracial-traitsriftrift-planes-of-telararoguesoulsoul-attunementsoul-systemsoul-travelsoul-vitalitysoulstelaratriontrion-worldsuiwarriorWed, 22 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you rage quit?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/the-daily-grind-do-you-rage-quit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/the-daily-grind-do-you-rage-quit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/the-daily-grind-do-you-rage-quit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Our favorite games provoke a range of emotions, and whether it's love, hate, fear, amusement, or simple relaxation, we usually keep coming back for more. Anger is an emotional response that is pretty common for some folks, so common in fact that the catch phrase "rage quit" is circulated several times daily on many message boards and in-game chat channels. While most emotions make us want to play more, anger often leads to a quick disconnect, and depending on your personality, either a string of expletives or a weary sigh.

Whether it's due to failure in the team-based combat scenarios common to Global Agenda, losing your loot (and everything else) in FFA corpse-defiling contests like Lineage II and Darkfall, or dying at the hands of AI in one of the thousands of PvE-focused titles littering the landscape, we're constantly confronted with digital mortality and its emotional effects. The question of the day, Massively folk, is have you, do you, or did you used to rage quit? Why and in what game(s)?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you rage quit? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>darkfalldeathdyinggame-discussiongamer-discussionglobal-agendalineage-2lineage-iimmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicspvepvpragerage-quitTue, 16 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wasteland Diaries: Flag up]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/wasteland-diaries-flag-up/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/wasteland-diaries-flag-up/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/wasteland-diaries-flag-up/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Since the addition of the open world PvP flag to Fallen Earth, I haven't seen it being used often enough. There are only a handful of players, including me, who stay flagged for PvP 24/7. For a post-apocalyptic wasteland, Fallen Earth is a pretty safe and cozy place for most. The majority of the game takes place in relatively civilized areas where clones can't harm one another. PvP zones are optional, and many players simply avoid them. With the well-guarded towns, sporadic and weak mobs that are always right where you left them, and the resilience of player characters, there isn't a huge element of danger out there.

I know a lot of these issues are being addressed with the combat changes, but today's wasteland isn't too frightening. I drive into PvP zones and almost breathe a sigh of relief, because everyone around me is on an even keel. When I roll into a crowded town, that is when I'm really on my guard. I appear to go about my business normally, but I'm looking over both shoulders. You never know who in the crowd might have it in for you or might just attack you on a whim. Truth be told, it's not so bad. Most people won't pay you any mind. After the cut, I'll take a look at the past month I've spent PvP-flagged and try to explain why I think it's the only way to play.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Flag up

MassivelyWasteland Diaries: Flag up originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conflict-townsdeathfallen-earthfallen-earth-llcfeaturedicarusicarus-studiospvppvp-flaggingpvp-zoneroleplayworld-pvpFri, 05 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: The unshuffled mortal coil]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/storyboard-the-unshuffled-mortal-coil/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/storyboard-the-unshuffled-mortal-coil/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/storyboard-the-unshuffled-mortal-coil/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Welcome to this week's Storyboard, which originally was going to be very different than normal until I started writing my first idea. I discovered an important fact halfway through the writing -- the idea was really stupid. So I killed it, and that segues nicely into what I want to talk about: Death. Sooner or later every group of roleplayers in an MMO has to deal with it, and considering how many worlds have certain monsters roaming about whose only purpose is delivering untold harm to player characters, it's probably going to be sooner.

Of course, death poses all sorts of problems in game design anyway -- what are the penalties, what are the lingering effects, is it a major inconvenience or a small hiccup, et cetera. But it poses a unique problem for roleplaying, because as it stands, you don't stay dead for long no matter what. So how do you deal with the implications of a world where death is less of a great beyond and, at most, a lost potential character title?

Continue reading Storyboard: The unshuffled mortal coil

MassivelyStoryboard: The unshuffled mortal coil originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backstorycashing-inchecking-outcolumndeathdyingend-of-lifefeaturedgetting-snuffedjoining-the-choir-invisiblelorelosing-lifeopinionpining-for-the-fjordsroleplayingrpsettingstorystoryboardFri, 29 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Second verse, same as the first]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/29/choose-my-adventure-second-verse-same-as-the-first/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/29/choose-my-adventure-second-verse-same-as-the-first/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/29/choose-my-adventure-second-verse-same-as-the-first/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's been another interesting week in Vanguard, to say the least. Remember that thing I said last week about crafting and diplomacy being deep? I can now say with absolute certainty that they are so double-rainbow intensely deep that I've spent the last several days primarily working on those two skills as opposed to moving on to the next village. Indeed, attempting to finish all the quests in Sun Village has sent me back to Tentrees Farmstead (the first starter town) to pick up even more crafting and diplomacy work! Will I ever escape, or will I be sucked into an ever-swirling loop of crafting, diplomacy, harvesting, or whatever odd side-skill lurks just ahead, ready to whomp me over the head and make off with my magical cookies? Well, this week you'll get to decide, as I put the future of my fuzzy little Raki to a vote!

But first, join me after the break as I recap the last week's adventure in Telon.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Second verse, same as the first

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Second verse, same as the first originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apsethchoose-my-adventurecmacraftingdeathdisciplefeaturefeaturedharvestingomg-tons-of-questsopinionpollquestsrakireader-pollssigilsigil-gamessoeSony-Online-EntertainmentvanguardVanguard-Saga-of-HeroesvoteWed, 29 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What was your worst death ever?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/18/the-daily-grind-what-was-your-worst-death-ever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/18/the-daily-grind-what-was-your-worst-death-ever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/18/the-daily-grind-what-was-your-worst-death-ever/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Seasons don't fear the Reaper, we've heard. Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain. Nor, apparently, do MMO players. After all, death is just a part of life to us, a daily occurrence in the hazardous occupation of adventuring. Happily, dying is but a hiccup between one existence and the next, and our resurrected bodies are more than ready to head back into the fray.

However, sometimes a particular in-game death hits harder than the rest. It could be that you died in a terribly inconvenient spot and had to re-run a large swath of content just to get back to where you were. You might have kicked the bucket in a game in which death holds serious consequences, perhaps in the form of a severe death penalty or PvP item loss. A single death on your behalf could have been the linchpin between a sweet group victory and a horrible, horrible wipe.

So what was your worst in-game death ever? What MMO death was so stupid, so disastrous, so laced with negative effects that you wince even to think about it today? Share, and fear the Reaper no more!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What was your worst death ever? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bill-and-tedbill-and-teds-bogus-journeyblue-oyster-cultdeathdont-fear-the-reapergrim-reaperopinionpvpreapertdgthe-daily-grindSat, 18 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What do you do when things turn south?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/06/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-when-things-turn-south/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/06/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-when-things-turn-south/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/06/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-when-things-turn-south/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

There's a crucial tipping point in any sort of party scenario when it becomes obvious that the situation is going badly. More to the point, there's a moment when you realize that every single person in the party is likely to die in short order. In some games such as Final Fantasy XI, death is a fairly major penalty; in other games, such as World of Warcraft, death is not much more than a slight inconvenience.

But even if death results in nothing more than respawning a few seconds later in Star Trek Online, when the group is together, people can act differently. So what do you do? Do you try to take enemy attention so that your fellow party members can get away? Do you make a run for it, figuring that whatever's coming for you will eat someone else first? Or do you try to go down with guns blazing and make as much of a dent as you can?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What do you do when things turn south? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deathdeath-penaltydyingff11ffxifinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-xigroupingopinionpartyparty-mechanicspenaltiesrespawnsstar-trek-onlinestotdgthe-daily-grindworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 06 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: Exit, pursued by a bear]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/27/storyboard-exit-pursued-by-a-bear/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/27/storyboard-exit-pursued-by-a-bear/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/27/storyboard-exit-pursued-by-a-bear/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Roleplaying is not a universal activity, sadly. What happens among a group of characters winds up being canon in a very limited sense for that group of characters. Sure, you know the relationships between your fellow adventurers intimately, but you can still admit that anyone outside of your circle of roleplaying may have no idea who these people are. It's essentially a shared illusion, one that is easily broken when someone lets out the dread incantation of "sorry, guys, I'm quitting."

It's bad enough when you're suddenly asked to accept the vagaries of television, trying to convince us that two clearly different actors are the same person, or that a character we've enjoyed is just "on a trip" that's lasted for the better part of two years. It's even worse than the entire illusion of events that requires you to accept that someone has gone missing from a major storyline. How do you accommodate a player leaving without too much damage to the shared illusion?

Continue reading Storyboard: Exit, pursued by a bear

MassivelyStoryboard: Exit, pursued by a bear originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advicedeathdeparturefeaturedleavingleaving-playersopinionplayer-departureroleplayingrpstand-insstoryboardstorylinessubstitutesFri, 27 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More questions answered on death and healing in Guild Wars 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/more-questions-answered-on-death-and-healing-in-guild-wars-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/more-questions-answered-on-death-and-healing-in-guild-wars-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/more-questions-answered-on-death-and-healing-in-guild-wars-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Guild Wars 2 designer Jon Peters answered several of the community's questions on death and healing earlier this week, and promised more to come.

The rest of those questions were released last night on ArenaNet's blog, thanks once again to Jon. The questions had a wide range, giving more details on the mechanics of downed and defeated states, possible exploits, and even a bit of information on the philosophy behind Guild Wars 2's design.

There is plenty of new information here, and Jon even managed to sneak in another Guild Wars 2 skill mention -- the elementalists's Vapor Form skill.

The entire list of questions and answers can be seen on the ArenaNet blog.

MassivelyMore questions answered on death and healing in Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetarenanet-blogdeathdefeateddownedguild-wars-2gw2healingjon-petersncsoftq-and-aFri, 16 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Death and healing: Guild Wars 2 community questions answered]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/death-and-healing-guild-wars-2-community-questions-answered/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/death-and-healing-guild-wars-2-community-questions-answered/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/death-and-healing-guild-wars-2-community-questions-answered/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


What happens if you have no money and aren't revived? Do we wait to be killed, and respawn at a waypoint? Do we have to lie on the ground, begging people passing by to come and revive us? It seems like this could suck.

It's a valid question, and one that Jon Peters was more than willing to answer. ArenaNet released information on death and healing to eager Guild Wars 2 fans last Thursday. The community had a long list of followup questions, so the Guild Wars 2 team rounded them up and set out to answer them.

According to Community Manager Regina Buenaobra, there were so many good questions to answer that the team decided to split them into two blog posts. The first of those two was posted last night, and addresses a handful of player concerns as well as some interesting details of how the system will work.

Check out the first batch of questions on the ArenaNet blog, and keep an eye on Massively -- we'll bring you round two just as soon as it's made available!

MassivelyDeath and healing: Guild Wars 2 community questions answered originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetarenanet-blogdeathguild-wars-2gw2healingjon-petersncsoftq-and-aregina-buenaobraWed, 14 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[To live and die in Tyria -- death, healing, and combat in Guild Wars 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/to-live-and-die-in-tyria-death-healing-and-combat-in-guild/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/to-live-and-die-in-tyria-death-healing-and-combat-in-guild/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/to-live-and-die-in-tyria-death-healing-and-combat-in-guild/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As the Guild Wars 2 news continues to roll in, one of the main topics of conversation has been the lack of a dedicated healer class. No monks in Guild Wars 2? What will we do?

The question of death mechanics is a natural one to follow that line of thought, and it's something else we've been anxious to find out. Well, "everyone take a deep breath. It's going to be OK." That's straight from the designer's mouth. Game Designer Jon Peters finally lifted the veil on this information, so to speak, with the newest update to the GW2 site. Follow along after the jump as we take a look at "A New Way of Looking at Healing and Death."

Continue reading To live and die in Tyria -- death, healing, and combat in Guild Wars 2

MassivelyTo live and die in Tyria -- death, healing, and combat in Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetarenanet-blogdeathfeaturedguild-wars-2gw2healingjon-petersThu, 08 Jul 2010 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively exclusive interview: Dawntide's Martin "Wiz" Anward]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/massively-exclusive-interview-dawntides-martin-wiz-anward/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/massively-exclusive-interview-dawntides-martin-wiz-anward/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/massively-exclusive-interview-dawntides-martin-wiz-anward/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The hype-machine for Working as Intended's incoming MMO, Dawntide, resumed at the end of May with the announcement of the start of open beta. Dawntide promises to be a skill-based, open-PvP sandbox a la Shadowbane or Darkfall, with territory to claim, castles to build, sieges to undertake, and boats to navigate waterways usually neglected in other games. And though the game isn't quite finished structurally, we have to agree that what's done is beautiful, and what's planned is ambitious. Might this be the ultra-realistic, survival-of-the-fittest sandbox you're looking for?

We were fortunate to score an interview with Working as Intended's CEO, Martin Anward, who gave us an inside look at Dawntide's development and his team's plans for the future. Join us past the break as we ask him about boats, crafting, boats, death penalties, boats, ganking, boats, FOTM builds, boats, and boats!

Continue reading Massively exclusive interview: Dawntide's Martin "Wiz" Anward

MassivelyMassively exclusive interview: Dawntide's Martin "Wiz" Anward originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boatcraftingdawntidedeathdiplomacyeconomyexclusiveinterviewlifetime-subscriptionmartin-anwardopen-betaopen-pvppvpsailingsandboxskill-basedwaiworking-as-intendedMon, 28 Jun 2010 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online ship insurance changes to come with Tyrannis]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/30/eve-online-ship-insurance-changes-to-come-with-tyrannis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/30/eve-online-ship-insurance-changes-to-come-with-tyrannis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/30/eve-online-ship-insurance-changes-to-come-with-tyrannis/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online's insurance system has been a hot topic of debate over the years. Under the current system, ships have a fixed base value calculated according to the minerals used in their production. Platinum insurance costs 30% of this base value for three months worth of coverage and if the ship is destroyed in that time, 100% of the base value in ISK is deposited into your wallet. It's a safety net designed to lower the cost of losing ships and promote PvP. The main drawback of the system is that the values it uses for minerals are fixed and haven't changed since EVE came out in 2003. The prices of the various minerals that go into a ship have changed drastically over the years but insurance costs and payouts have remained constant.

Skip past the cut for a breakdown of the problems with the current insurance system and details of CCP's new plans.

Continue reading EVE Online ship insurance changes to come with Tyrannis

MassivelyEVE Online ship insurance changes to come with Tyrannis originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesdeathdeath-penaltydev-blogdevblogeconomyeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionfeaturedgame-mechanicsgankinsurancemarketmineralmineralspvpsuicidetyrannisTue, 30 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How many deaths before you call it?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/28/the-daily-grind-how-many-deaths-before-you-call-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/28/the-daily-grind-how-many-deaths-before-you-call-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/28/the-daily-grind-how-many-deaths-before-you-call-it/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The first time, okay, it happens. The second time is a bit worse, but again, these things happen to the best of us. Then comes the third death, and the fourth, and you start to wonder if you're actually playing the game or participating in some sort of bizarre computer-controlled death match where the server just wants you to go down in flames time and again. And almost everyone, in the right circumstances, will decide that it's one death too many and leave for greener pastures. In the case of games with a harsh enough death penalty such as EVE Online, even the threat of death can deter people.

We all have guidelines we use for determining when something is a lost cause, be it a group activity with friends or just a quest that doesn't want to play nice. What are yours? Do you have a set number of deaths, or something more game-specific such as losing a certain fraction of experience in Final Fantasy XI? If you're in a group, do you talk about it when you join, do you just quit when the limit is reached, or do you warn people and make excuses?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How many deaths before you call it? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deathdeath-penaltyeveeve-onlineffxifinal-fantasy-xiopinionparty-wipequittingtdgthe-daily-grindtotal-wipewipeSun, 28 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: To die, to sleep no more...]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/13/the-daily-grind-to-die-to-sleep-no-more/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/13/the-daily-grind-to-die-to-sleep-no-more/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/13/the-daily-grind-to-die-to-sleep-no-more/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There's one way in which MMOs universally mirror life -- in the words of William Shatner, you are going to die. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but sooner or later your character is going to expire. Unwanted aggro, environmental damage, unmatched PvP, misuse of skills, healer AFK... there are a lot of ways you can bite the dust time and again.

Of course, death in real life is a lot more permanent than that of an MMO -- but dying still carries consequences, ranging from losing your hard-won equipment to a slightly longer delay before your next level. On the one hand, harsher penalties make cheating death that much more satisfying, and they help encourage teamwork and community in hopes of avoiding that fate. On the other hand, you are going to get hit by those harsh penalties sooner or later, and it makes experimentation much less feasible when you're constantly on guard for death.

Where do you prefer a game's death penalty? Do you want to cautiously avoid falling, or would you rather get hit with a slap on the wrist so you can get back in the game quickly?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: To die, to sleep no more... originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deathdeath-penaltydyingequipment-damageequipment-lossexperience-lossopinionpenaltytdgthe-daily-grindSat, 13 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Diagram shows real-world cost of losing ships in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/diagram-shows-real-world-cost-of-losing-ships-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/diagram-shows-real-world-cost-of-losing-ships-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/diagram-shows-real-world-cost-of-losing-ships-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Whether you play EVE Online or not, the chances are you've read a lot about the harsh, cut-throat universe of New Eden. Alliances routinely clash over territorial disputes, spies work to destroy organisations from the inside and death is an inevitability. While dying in most MMOs means respawning at some far-away camp and having to repair your gear, death in EVE is a somewhat more vicious affair. When your ship is destroyed, whether it's by NPCs in a particularly tough mission or pirates hunting in a low security system, it's gone for good. While insurance will provide a sum of ISK to help with the loss, you'll need to re-buy a new ship and all the equipment that went on it. This would be like having to buy a new set of armour every time you die in World of Warcraft; a scary notion.

For the denizens of New Eden, losing a ship is a strictly in-game financial loss but for those that don't play EVE the scale of those losses can be hard to grasp. Jump On Contact tackled this issue head-on recently with a handy chart showing the rough value of EVE ships in both ISK (the in-game currency) and US Dollars. The prices show the sheer scale of the losses incurred in large battles and are based on a player buying game time codes for cash to be sold in-game for ISK. A fully geared battleship, one of the most common types of ship for players to own in the game, comes out as being worth approximately $10 US Dollars. Most ships fall somewhere between $1 and $13 but perhaps most shocking is the price of a fleet-ready titan, which is estimated at $7600. The next time you hear about a titan being killed or a fleet of capital ships being wiped out, perhaps this chart can help show the sheer scale of that loss.

MassivelyDiagram shows real-world cost of losing ships in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesdeathdeath-penaltydiagrameconomyeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinejump-on-contactshipstitanMon, 08 Feb 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What death do you usually not talk about?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/25/the-daily-grind-what-death-do-you-usually-not-talk-about/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/25/the-daily-grind-what-death-do-you-usually-not-talk-about/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/25/the-daily-grind-what-death-do-you-usually-not-talk-about/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Characters die. It's not usually a permanent thing, but MMOs are kind of built on the premise that your character is going to die at some point, since something hitting you until you hit zero hit points and then wandering off out of boredom removes the flavor of the game. More often than not, when you die, there's no real shame involved. It's just a muttered curse word at worst and then whatever you have to do to get back into the game again, ranging from running back to your corpse to trying to get your level back to apologizing to that megacorporation.

However, there are certain deaths -- getting eaten by a goobbue, for instance -- which you privately agree to just not talk about.

What death do you remember that's so embarassing, silly, or unnecessary that you normally don't mention it? Maybe you really should have known better beforehand, maybe you just find the circumstances too humiliating, or maybe it still makes you annoyed to even think about it. Whatever the case, today is the day to share your death stories -- and we've all got them. What's the story you wouldn't tell on any other day?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What death do you usually not talk about? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accidentsanecdotesculturedeathdeath-penaltyhumoropiniontdgthe-daily-grindSun, 25 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you have a MMO will and testament?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/the-daily-grind-do-you-have-a-mmo-will-and-testament/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/the-daily-grind-do-you-have-a-mmo-will-and-testament/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/the-daily-grind-do-you-have-a-mmo-will-and-testament/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Okay, so perhaps this topic is a little morbid, but it will generate some interesting discussion nonetheless. Maybe you don't want to think about this kind of thing, but you probably should. We're curious, what will happen to your MMO characters, accounts, and online friends if you unexpectedly and unfortunately pass away?

Most people don't consider writing a personal will and testament until they have children. Most people don't consider writing a digital will and testament until, well... ever. If you were to die, would you want your guild to sit around in the dark for days or weeks until they happen to start doing their own research? What about your characters and accounts? Would you want to pass anything along to longtime friends? MMO subscriptions and related gaming expenses (e.g., vent accounts, guild hosting, etc.) don't terminate when you do, so someone will need to cancel them unless you want a few extra charges to pass along to your next of kin. Do you wish to go gently into the night or have a server-wide gathering to pay their respects?

There's really a lot to consider when you think about it, even if it is a little uncomfortable.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you have a MMO will and testament? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deathdigital-footprinttestamentthe-daily-grindwillwill-and-testamentSat, 12 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How can you tell your online friends that you've passed away?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/how-can-you-tell-your-online-friends-that-youve-passed-away/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/how-can-you-tell-your-online-friends-that-youve-passed-away/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/how-can-you-tell-your-online-friends-that-youve-passed-away/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Gamers know that online friends are important. We spend untold hours raiding together, questing together, leveling together, and laughing together. Part of the reason we even play MMOs is because we want to play a game with thousands of other players and meet new people while we do something we all can enjoy together.

But what if the unthinkable should happen? What if you should die unexpectedly?

The Associated Press recently ran the story of Jerald Spangenberg, a man who passed away while playing World of Warcraft, and his daughter's quest to inform his guild of his passing. Unfortunately, she didn't have his password, leaving her to ask around on the forums to speak with members of his guild.

Methods are being set up to deal with this sort of thing -- including everything from websites sending out e-mails from beyond the grave to just giving a really trusted friend access to your e-mail account so he can tell your contacts that you've passed away. Whatever the method though, it seems like this problem will only be increasing as more people begin spending their time online and finding relationships where they never could before.

MassivelyHow can you tell your online friends that you've passed away? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-entertainmentdeathdyingfriendsguildsjerald-spangenbergpost-deathrelationshipsworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 17 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Game revenue taxation begins spread to Sweden and South Korea]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/game-revenue-taxation-begins-spread/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/game-revenue-taxation-begins-spread/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/12/game-revenue-taxation-begins-spread/#commentsFiled under: , ,

They always say the two things you can't avoid in life are death and taxes. Yet, being an MMO player, death always just seems to be a part of life. And now, governments around the world are beginning to become interested in putting in the other unavoidable part of life in our gaming experience -- as if we had enough of death.

As in-game transactions and RMT are beginning to become major boons to business the government is getting interested. And, of course, like any good government, they want their share. China was only the first, now Sweden and South Korea are interested in getting their tax laws straight as well.

Taxing game transactions, however, isn't as easy as making laws that tax a physical currency. There's the issues of relative value, constantly diminishing returns as more money flows into virtual economies without enough monetary sinks in the game, and the whole issue if the game goes out of business.

We tend to believe that worlds like this should avoid colliding, but it seems that as we begin to mesh our virtual currencies and begin to value them as much as our real world ones, paths like these seem inevitable.

MassivelyGame revenue taxation begins spread to Sweden and South Korea originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinadeatheconomicseconomygovernmentkorealawsreal-money-tradereal-money-tradingrmtsouth-koreaswedentaxesFri, 12 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Is EVE Online's death penalty really that harsh?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/07/eve-evolved-is-eve-onlines-death-penalty-really-that-harsh/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/07/eve-evolved-is-eve-onlines-death-penalty-really-that-harsh/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/07/eve-evolved-is-eve-onlines-death-penalty-really-that-harsh/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Everyone knows that the death penalty in EVE Online is harsh but is it really as bad as we make it out to be? Is losing a ship really a devastating blow or does the emotional factor of losing something we've put care and attention into make us exaggerate the loss? Since EVE's gameplay is focused entirely on piloting ships rather than walking around with your character, we can get very attached to our ships and feel a great sense of loss at their destruction. It can be hard to keep in mind that our ships in EVE are just tools, which can make their loss feel a lot harsher than it should be. Is this the fault of the player for getting attached to their ship or of the game design for not encouraging us to form attachments with our characters instead?

In this brief article, I discuss some of the golden rules of EVE used to minimise the death penalty and ask whether our perceptions of EVE Online's death penalty are really that accurate.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Is EVE Online's death penalty really that harsh?

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Is EVE Online's death penalty really that harsh? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ambulationccpccp-gamesclonedeathdeath penaltyDeathPenaltyeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedjoystiqfeaturespodtipswalking-in-stationsSun, 07 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Are the stakes too low in modern PvP?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/the-daily-grind-are-the-stakes-too-low-in-modern-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/the-daily-grind-are-the-stakes-too-low-in-modern-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/the-daily-grind-are-the-stakes-too-low-in-modern-pvp/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Player vs. Player gameplay has undergone a drastic change in recent years. Games like Meridian 59 and Ultima Online didn't pull any punches. Anyone could kill anyone anywhere, and the penalties could be quite severe. When you died In Meridian or UO, you dropped all of your gear. The person who killed you could steal whatever he or she pleased.

Of course, in games like that, gear wasn't quite such a big deal. In Meridian a sword would wear out after a few of hours of use anyway. But combined with stat and skill losses, death in the games of the 90s was comparatively harsh. Now, in World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, and Warhammer Online, the stakes are lower. You have absolutely nothing to lose by dying in PvP in WoW, and AoC and WAR's designs aren't much more aggressive.

But here's a question from a veteran of the oldschool: with stakes this low, does PvP really matter? Will it really get you sweating? Will you really care that much about winning or losing? Some oldschool folks will argue that PvP is boring and meaningless now that death has been de-clawed. Maybe we should go back to the barbarism of the old days. What do you think?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Are the stakes too low in modern PvP? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Sep 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>90sage-of-conanblizzarddeathdiscussionfuncomm59meridianmeridian-59murdermythicndsnear-death-studiosoldschoolopinionoriginplayer-vs-playerpvptdgthe-daily-grindultima-onlineuowarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftSun, 07 Sep 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Earthrise newsletter introduces dev team and their influences]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/earthrise-newsletter-introduces-dev-team-and-their-influences/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/earthrise-newsletter-introduces-dev-team-and-their-influences/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/earthrise-newsletter-introduces-dev-team-and-their-influences/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Masthead Studios has released the second newsletter for their upcoming sci-fi MMO Earthrise. As with their first newsletter, it's full of hyperlinks to images and audio related to the game, however there are a few new additions this time around. We've read about the game itself in recent months, but until now little has been known about the people behind the scenes who are working to make Earthrise a reality. The newsletter features an introduction to the members of the Earthrise development team at Masthead Studios in the form of a short Q&A for each developer.

Each of the devs discusses what brought them to work on the project, their influences, and what they do at Masthead Studios to further the creation of Earthrise. There's also screenshots of a new area on Enterra called The Nest and a hyperlinked recap of Earthrise's media coverage in the last month. But the real focus of the Earthrise newsletters is on the community, and a number of issues are showcased in the latest iteration.

Continue reading Earthrise newsletter introduces dev team and their influences

MassivelyEarthrise newsletter introduces dev team and their influences originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atanas-atanasovbetabeta-testbulgariacommunitycommunity-managerdeathdevearthriseeastern-europeenterraenterra-islandeuropemasthead-studiosnewsletterpost-apocalypticroleplayroleplayerroleplayingsci-fisofiaThu, 12 Jun 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's your funniest death]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/the-daily-grind-whats-your-funniest-death/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/the-daily-grind-whats-your-funniest-death/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/09/the-daily-grind-whats-your-funniest-death/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The other day, we were kicking around some of the funniest deaths we'd experienced in different MMOGs. There were those who had accidentally typed "a" back in the day in EverQuest while trying to /hail an NPC -- thereby attacking them, since "a" was auto-attack. Others had some great stories to tell from World of Warcraft, such as one tale of a poor unwitting group that went into Scarlet Monastery and weren't aware you needed to clear the entire cathedral before you pulled the boss at the end. (He calls all mobs still alive in the cathedral to come beat you to a pulp otherwise. Oops.)

One of our favorites had to have come from our own blogger, Adrian Bott. Adrian's own silly character death came while playing Age of Conan. He said that while merrily smacking chickens to watch them explode in game, he was unexpectedly attacked and beaten to death by an angry chicken seller NPC. That has to be one of the strangest (but funniest) deaths we've heard of as yet. What would be some of your funniest deaths in an MMO?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's your funniest death originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conandeatheverquestfunnysillytdgthe-daily-grindworld-of-warcraftMon, 09 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: EVE Online PvP vs Age of Conan PvP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/08/eve-evolved-eve-online-pvp-vs-age-of-conan-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/08/eve-evolved-eve-online-pvp-vs-age-of-conan-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/08/eve-evolved-eve-online-pvp-vs-age-of-conan-pvp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Before I started playing Age of Conan, I had a very strict mindset on how a PvP MMO should and shouldn't work. From my experiences in EVE Online, I was convinced that good open world PvP was not possible with a level system or exotic gear. I was pleasantly surprised to find that although these games are worlds apart, their PvP styles both work and are both fun. In this article, I compare and contrast my PvP experiences so far in Age of Conan with those in EVE Online.

Open world PvP:
One of the main features of both EVE and Age of Conan is an open world PvP scheme that allows players to attack each other anywhere within reason. Age of Conan achieves this scheme by designating certain zones as PvP areas. These areas contain the monsters and quest targets required to level up, making players to put themselves at risk to reap the rewards of levelling up quickly. Towns and the areas around them are designated safe areas where PvP is physically impossible.

Read on as I discuss important PvP issues ranging from death penalty and group gameplay to equipment types and game server model.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: EVE Online PvP vs Age of Conan PvP

MassivelyEVE Evolved: EVE Online PvP vs Age of Conan PvP originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanccpdeathdeath-penaltyevefeaturedfuncomgeargroupjoystiqfeatureslootpvprisk-vs-rewardserverSun, 08 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST