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[DC Universe Online explains how the Earth powerset rocks out]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/09/dc-universe-online-explains-how-the-earth-powerset-rocks-out/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/09/dc-universe-online-explains-how-the-earth-powerset-rocks-out/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/09/dc-universe-online-explains-how-the-earth-powerset-rocks-out/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The important thing is to not take these powers for granite.
DC Universe Online players have known that the next major powerset has been set in stone for some time now. The Earth powerset is rolling along, and in the latest developer blog the team explains just how the set works for all sorts of players. At its foundation, the powerset is split into the Geokinesis and Seismic trees, with the former allowing players to shape weapons of stone and the latter projecting earthquakes and similar eruptions.

Mastery of Geokinesis allows players to summon earth golems to fight alongside them, solidifying a defensive strategy with transferred damage and special stone totems. On the other hand, mastery of the Seismic tree lets you summon localized epicenters and yank pillars of stone from the ground, flinging enemies around and knocking them off their feet. While it doesn't seem like the new set will be kind to property values, players will probably have more than a few new tricks to use like a stone-cold killer.

MassivelyDC Universe Online explains how the Earth powerset rocks out originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This week on Behind the Mask, we're going to take an in-depth look at Champions Online's new Earth powerset. It took me quite a while to review Wind, and Earth is relatively new. Why the time disparity?

The real answer is that I looked at Wind long before last week, but I didn't really find anything fun or exciting at a first look. Earth is a lot different. Earth has a lot of potential for combining powers between the set; it can Stagger enemies and then exploit that Stagger for damage or bonus effects. Because a lot of the Earth tricks eat your Stagger stacks, you have to choose between keeping Stagger on your targets for the debuff or eating it for the bonus power effects. On top of that, it has the first viable Brick archetype heal, making the Mountain the second reliable Archetype tank. Earth is a lot of fun.

Continue reading Behind the Mask: Throwing stones at their glass houses

MassivelyBehind the Mask: Throwing stones at their glass houses originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>by-your-powers-combinedchampions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-studiosearthearth-powersearth-powersetf2pfeaturedfree-to-playhealingperfect-world-entertainmentpwesupporttankingThu, 26 Jan 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's the most iconic MMO city?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/the-daily-grind-whats-the-most-iconic-mmo-city/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/the-daily-grind-whats-the-most-iconic-mmo-city/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/the-daily-grind-whats-the-most-iconic-mmo-city/#commentsFiled under: , ,

WoW's Stormwind
If you've ever tried to draw a map of the Earth from memory, you know that it's a difficult task, and yet I suspect that most of us could easily sketch out a map of the landmasses and cities of our favorite MMOs. While most MMOs scale significantly smaller than our real-world capitals, they're no less memorable. In fact, some cities practically serve as symbols of the game, from City of Heroes' Paragon City to Guild Wars' Lion's Arch to World of Warcraft's Stormwind. Be they hubs of commerce, zones for party-forming, or home to all your phat loots, we could probably navigate them blindfolded.

Today we ask: What's the most iconic MMO city (and could you map it from memory)?

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: What's the most iconic MMO city? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgcartographycitycity-of-heroescohearthguild-warsgwiconic-citylandmasslions-archmapopinionparagon-citystormwindtdgthe-daily-grindtownWorld-of-WarcraftwowMon, 31 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PvP touched on for DC Universe Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/30/pvp-touched-on-for-dc-universe-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/30/pvp-touched-on-for-dc-universe-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/30/pvp-touched-on-for-dc-universe-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Studio creative director Chris Cao (aka The Biggest Designer in the Building) has tossed up some initial details on PvP in SOE's upcoming DC Universe Online. It sounds like plans are being drawn up to create a varied and worthwhile system for heroes and villains to duke it out within. We're going to be getting some open world PvP, arena-based PvP and even a system allowing heroes and villains to battle over control of the world itself.

Basic PvP will be over stuff like protecting cops, or trying to beat them down in the case of baddies. Arenas are going ot be instanced content where both sides struggle over things like downed alien spacecraft --- mmm, alien technology. Finally, control over the world wasn't delved into very much. All we know is that strategic points in the world play a role in who controls how much of what.

Chris ends it with a few notes, stressing things like the availability of PvP servers, opt-in PvP and designated zone. He also touches on SOE wanting to make the experience more skill-based in lieu of purely stat-based. So the better fighter should usually win in DC Unvirse Online.

MassivelyPvP touched on for DC Universe Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alienalienschris-caodc-comicsdc-universe-onlinedcuoearthheroespvpsoesony-online-entertainmentspacecraftvillainsThu, 30 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott returns safely from space]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/richard-garriott-returns-safely-from-space/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/richard-garriott-returns-safely-from-space/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/richard-garriott-returns-safely-from-space/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Richard Garriott's space flight has certainly caught the attention of more than just the fans of his MMO development career. He's been all over the mainstream networks for several months as preparations were made and he was eventually launched into orbit earlier this month. Now Garriott has returned safely to Earth in what was said to be a highly-successful mission with Russian Cosmonauts.

Not only has the father of the modern MMO concluded the Tabula Rasa: Operation Immortality project with his trip to the International Space Station, but he has also become the second person to ever follow in their father's footsteps into space. Garriott's father Owen Garriott is a retired NASA astronaut who flew on the U.S. space station Skylap in 1973. Ironically, Garriott's return to Earth perfectly coincides with Tabula Rasa's own news of the game making a return to the home planet.

You can see more information, videos and interviews with Garriott upon his return at his website richardinspace.com.

MassivelyRichard Garriott returns safely from space originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cosmonautsdestination-gamesearthinternationalspace-stationnc-westncsoftoperation-immortalityowen-garriottrichard-garriotttabula-rasatrFri, 24 Oct 2008 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa announces a return to Earth]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/tabula-rasa-announces-a-return-to-earth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/tabula-rasa-announces-a-return-to-earth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/tabula-rasa-announces-a-return-to-earth/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


After an alien attack led the Logos-receptive humans to find safety in other planets, the fate of the home planet was grim. It was rumored that Earth had been completely destroyed by the Bane, and that's what they came to accept after all this time. Yet, new research has discovered that those rumors were wrong. Not only is Earth still alive, but there are humans there left to save.

The return to Earth is a prospect in Tabula Rasa that probably every single player -- past and present -- have longed to see. With the upcoming Deployment 15, those dreams will come true. This exciting new content will include:

  • Epic instanced control point gameplay for level 48 to 50 players
  • All new setting and art design
  • New monsters, including new Epic creatures and mini-bosses. These new Epic creatures are designed to be a greater challenge, requiring the efforts of coordinated squads with excellent weapons and gear to be defeated.
  • PvE Mech gameplay opportunities
  • New armor sets available only on Earth

MassivelyTabula Rasa announces a return to Earth originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>destination-gamesearthnc-westncsoftrichard-garriotttabula-rasatrtr-deployment-15Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott's Logos message to Tabula Rasa players deciphered]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/richard-garriotts-logos-message-to-tabula-rasa-players-decipher/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/richard-garriotts-logos-message-to-tabula-rasa-players-decipher/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/richard-garriotts-logos-message-to-tabula-rasa-players-decipher/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


A couple of minutes after Richard Garriott's flight to the International Space Station blasted off, he held up a sign for the camera, consisting of two strings of heiroglyphs. Tabula Rasa players will have recognised these instantly as Logos, the pictographs of the Eloh, and key to unlocking the various Logos abilities. The message's cryptic quality was further enhanced by the obscurity of some of the symbols, which were completely new.

As of last night, community member Lady Valashar has provided the translation: 'Earth is the cradle of humanity but mankind will not be in the cradle forever', first spoken by Soviet rocket scientist Konstantin E. Tsiolkovsky. What's even more thrilling for those of us who follow Tabula Rasa news closely is a hint dropped by NCsoft staff member Leilo, who stated 'Several of the symbols are new. Though one will have significance in-game in the near future...'

Among the new symbols is the very first one, interpreted as 'Earth', and it's third-rock-from-the-sun appearance can surely mean nothing else. There have been many rumors recently that a return to Earth is on the cards in Tabula Rasa, including the exhortation to 'kick those Bane bastards off our own planet' from new Lead Designer Susan Kath. If this is really the news that's waiting to drop, it's going to be huge for the game.

MassivelyRichard Garriott's Logos message to Tabula Rasa players deciphered originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earthlogoslogos-tabletncsoftrichard-garriotttabula-rasatrTue, 14 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: Can a space colonization MMO work? (part two)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/27/the-digital-continuum-can-a-space-colonization-mmo-work-part/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/27/the-digital-continuum-can-a-space-colonization-mmo-work-part/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/27/the-digital-continuum-can-a-space-colonization-mmo-work-part/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: Can a space colonization MMO work? (part two)

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: Can a space colonization MMO work? (part two) originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The colonization of space isn't a brand new idea for the realm of MMOs. 2006's Seed was all about the subject, but it unfortunately failed due to a lack of publisher interest. There's no denying that such a game wouldn't be anywhere near a hugely popular title. Still, I'd like to think that with the right design philosophy, platform and business model a game focused on the challenges of discovering another planet and making it a new home would be incredibly worthwhile.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: Can a space colonization MMO work?

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: Can a space colonization MMO work? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Take a look at the preeminent Fantasy MMOs available: World of Warcraft takes place in Azeroth. Age of Conan's setting is Hyborea. Guild Wars boasts Tyria as its location. Lord of the Rings Online has Middle-Earth, which Tolkien refers to as much as an age as a location, hinting that it could in fact be Earth's past, but the landscape as described doesn't really match anything in our reality.

And what does Earth have? Hellgate: London, The Agency, The Day, and possibly The Secret World. While there may be supernatural elements in a couple of these titles, for the most part they belong firmly in a science-grounded reality, and couldn't be considered true Fantasy settings. So what gives? With the unlimited imagination on display for all these other titles, why does Earth get short shrift? Is there any good reason for our fair Terra to be left out of the Fantasy loop?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Why can't Earth have a fantasy MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 May 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanearthfantasyguild-warshellgate-londonlord-of-the-rings-onlinetdgterrathe-agencythe-daily-grindthe-daythe-secret-worldworld-of-warcraftFri, 30 May 2008 08:00:00 EST