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Hyperspace Beacon: Roleplayer's rant

Larry Everett — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, New titles, Opinion, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon

I don't like to rant. Really! Usually, ranting is full of emotionally charged rhetoric, and oftentimes it's riddled with inaccurate statements. I especially don't like to rant about something that I like a lot. For instance, Star Wars: The Old Republic has, by far, exceeded my personal expectations for any MMO; however, some missteps in production have tainted its perfection. (No, I'm not going to talk about Ilum again.) Of course, we are all looking for our version of perfection in an MMO, right? Unfortunately, no MMO will live up to that expectation. In fact, if I did find my version of MMO perfection, I would probably be the only one playing it. But I do believe I have ideas that those in my community could latch on to. They are also relatively simple. Yes, yes, I know nothing is ever as simple as it seems, but indulge me for a few moments.

As many of you know, I enjoy roleplaying in my MMOs -- character creation, really. I'm not one of those roleplayers who hang out in a pub all day never experiencing any gameplay. Although there's nothing wrong with that, I find it a be a waste of $15 a month.

I have complied what I believe will make the experience of SWTOR more enjoyable for those who enjoy playing the game like I do, and I think that those of you who don't necessarily like to roleplay per se but do like to create unique characters in the MMO space will agree that these are a must. I did set some personal criteria when compiling the list. For instance, I didn't want to break BioWare's general vision for the game. I also wanted to use existing items in the game so that my expectations were realistic -- no guild capital ships or image design system. And all of these items have been mentioned in print someplace before, so I'm not the only one who believes these should be implemented.

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Hyperspace Beacon: Roleplayer's rant originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ten things to do in Star Wars Galaxies before it's gone

Brianna Royce — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, Roleplaying, Humor, Sandbox

When SOE announced that Star Wars Galaxies would be sunsetted by the end of the year, many players despaired. They gave up. They saw their long years (eight years!) of play turn to dust. But others looked on the impending closure as incentive to do all those things they'd been putting off, all the activities they just hadn't gotten around to. There hadn't been time. The game is too big for anyone to do it all.

And that's precisely why Star Wars Galaxies is a legend among sandbox fans despite the NGE disaster. It's a living museum of great MMO ideas from the past, of player-driven economies, of open-world housing, of high-end, game-supported roleplay, of roaming in a game that lets you dictate the terms of your play. It's a rare relic you should see in the flesh, today, right now, before it's gone. You can pick up a weapon and fight in any MMO (excepting A Tale in the Desert, that is), but there are so many things you can do in Star Wars Galaxies that you can't do anywhere else with the same level of immersion. And I'm going to tell you which 10 you should do first... before it's too late.

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Ten things to do in Star Wars Galaxies before it's gone originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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City of Heroes thinks you deserve a facepalm emote

Brianna Royce — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Contests, News items, Free-to-play, Roleplaying, Giveaways

If you've been enjoying City of Heroes' recent F2P conversion, then you're probably aware of the one great truth of the superhero genre: Customization is everything. You can never have too many costume pieces, auras, capes, and emotes. Perhaps that's why Paragon Studios is giving away 10,000 /facepalm emote codes as part of its ongoing series of Facebook contests. The contest is open to large parts of North American and Europe for the duration of October, and all you have to do is subject yourself to the wilds of Facebook and click a "like" button or two to get your exclusive emote.

What are you waiting for? The plebes of Atlas Park await your well-placed /facepalm.

City of Heroes thinks you deserve a facepalm emote originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyperspace Beacon: Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter

Larry Everett — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, Opinion, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon

It's interesting: When I'm intrenched in the news of Star Wars: The Old Republic, I tend to forget sometimes what people know and don't know. For instance, I love what I've seen of Guild Wars 2, but if you were to ask me, "Who is that tiny race with the big machines?" I would have to look it up. So it shouldn't have surprised me when I received an email a couple of days ago asking about non-combat activities in SWTOR. I know there has been talk of non-combat activities, but it's usually pushed to the side so that combat can take the forefront. I certainly don't blame anyone for that. Most players are interested in combat, and BioWare's marketing is, of course, going to focus on that.

This message I received from Isaiah was concerning his whole guild. He asked the following:

We are primarily interested in the RP aspects of the game. I theorized that the RP elements and player interactions on the RP servers will be community-regulated, meaning the players drive the RP as opposed to BioWare. BioWare briefly touched on crafting months ago, but nothing new has been revealed. What about mounts? Player housing and the ability to name our ships? What about non-armor clothing options and general RP immersion into the universe? I know it's a rather open-ended line of questioning, but do you have any insights or theories about non-combat activities in game?

Beyond the break, I will answer these questions, and since he asked me about my theories, I will do a bit of that, too. See you on the other side.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter

Hyperspace Beacon: Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Shakespeare in Aion

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia

OK, OK, maybe Shakespeare is a bit melodramatic, but the idea of taking on a role and playing it out on a stage is not a foreign idea -- even in Aion. It just so happens that this stage is not under your feet but in virtual space instead. Besides, I happen to love Shakespeare, so props to me for mentioning him in a gaming column!

Now, I am the first to admit that NCsoft doesn't make it easy for a gamer to roleplay in Aion; there are scant few tools to support this style of play. But that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Despite this dearth, there is in fact a whole community comprised of legions both large and small as well as individuals. These players use personal connections and a player-created chat channel in-game as well as external tools such as the Aion Roleplayers website to bind themselves together and support the community as a whole.

So what exactly is roleplay, and how viable is it in the world of Atreia? Exit stage left (past the cut) to define RP, debunk some RP myths, and explore RP in general Aion.

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Wings Over Atreia: Shakespeare in Aion originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: All I want for Solorius is...

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia

While admittedly they don't include two front teeth, there are definitely some things I would be thrilled to see in my virtual stocking this holiday season from the developers of Aion. At this time of year, you almost can't help but look ahead and dream about what things would make it a better world. Don't believe me? Name me one other time when you hear "peace on earth" more -- not counting a beauty pageant! But our desires for a better world need not be confined just to that real one we inhabit when our computers are shut off; in fact, wishing for a better Atreia (though peace among Daevas may be counter-productive) is right in the holiday spirit!

I am not looking for any "I win" or easy button -- just a few things that will make for a better and brighter Atreia, some things that will put more fun into my time in Aion. I'm making my list and checking it twice. After all, 'tis the season of miracles, right?

Sleigh ride past the break to take a peek at part of my Christmas... er, I mean Solorius... wish list!

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: All I want for Solorius is...

Wings Over Atreia: All I want for Solorius is... originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft launch Aion and Guild Wars emote cross promotion

Lesley Smith — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Guild Wars, Events, in-game, Launches, New titles, News items, Giveaways

Everyone loves wings right? That's one of the reasons Aion appeals so much. Well NCsoft has launched a little cross promotion based on that fact. Essentially it boils down to this: if you buy a first edition of Aion (either the steelbook or the shiny Collector's Edition) you'll get a special emote which will be tied to your account. This will then allow you to summon a pair of wings in Guild Wars!

Unfortunately the wings are purely cosmetic, your Guild Wars avatar won't be able to take to the air but the wings will move and look awfully authentic (as seen in the image to your left). The emote itself can be triggered by typing /aion in any Guild Wars title. Before you ask, it's completely free, has unlimited uses and will become active on September 22nd, the day Aion launches in North America. However it is worth stressing that the code can only be gained by getting physical versions of the game, not through digital download. The code emote is also available to gamers both in North America and Europe and will be tied to your account forever.

For more information on how to get and redeem your emote, as well as check out what it will look like, click here.

NCsoft launch Aion and Guild Wars emote cross promotion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Three new refreshingly different Champions Online screens

Kyle Horner — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Screenshots, New titles, News items, Champions Online

We know there's a lot of fighting in Champions Online, or as others might say: a butt-load. More specifically, the screens coming from Cryptic for a while now have emphasized conflict very profoundly. And yet, these latest images are very refreshing to see. Looking through our daily running feature, One Shots, it's easy to see why we feel that way. As much as combat is integral to this beloved genre, so is lush sprawling landscapes and dramatic, if not personal, moments.

Take the image above for example. Something about it makes you pause and study what's going on just a little longer than an image of somebody taking a claw swipe to the jugular. Hm, maybe we could get some sweet emote shots next time.

Check out the three new screens in the gallery below.

Gallery: Champions Online Main Gallery

Three new refreshingly different Champions Online screens originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallen Earth shows its humorous side with dance emote video

Shawn Schuster — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Fallen Earth, Culture, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles

Who would have thought you could have so much fun in a post-apocalyptic wasteland? Apparently the devs at Fallen Earth are having tons of fun with their new MMO, as they've recently released a short video showing off their in-game dance emotes.

This video shows some of the fluid animations and character art from this upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO, currently entering closed beta stage. Some of the dances include the Carlton, the Charleston, the Pee Wee Herman dance, the obligatory Thriller dance and more! We also get a look at the animation team responsible for these character dances and their own characters.

Fallen Earth shows its humorous side with dance emote video originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TR testers get emotional

Amanda Rivera — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:45:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Tabula Rasa

For those of you that participated in the Tabula Rasa beta testing, the game developers want to give you more than the memories of your experiences. Beta testers will be receiving an excluslve emote within the game when it goes live. There's a catch, though (isn't there always?): you had to play the beta between October 25th and October 26th, the last two days of the beta. Of course, if you were in the beta at all, chances are you at least logged on yesterday to enjoy the end-of-beta event. If you did, then you will receive the coveted /throat emote. Taunt your friends! Amuse your enemies! Does this sound a little off to anyone else out there?

TR testers get emotional originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Oct 2007 06:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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