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[Dan Stahl takes back the captain's chair in Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/dan-stahl-takes-back-the-captains-chair-in-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/dan-stahl-takes-back-the-captains-chair-in-star-trek-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/dan-stahl-takes-back-the-captains-chair-in-star-trek-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Star Trek
Remember in Star Trek: The Motion Picture how Kirk returns to the Enterprise and shoehorns his way back into the Captain's chair, leaving the previous job-holder to be absorbed by an interstellar entity that was really a relic of NASA's space program? What a hoot that was, and it's in no way relevant to today's story of former Star Trek Online Executive Producer Dan Stahl resuming his duties from Stephen D'Angelo after vacating the position in 2011.

Stahl left Cryptic in September 2011 for a job at Zynga, at which point D'Angelo assumed the producing role. Interestingly enough, Stahl quickly returned to Cryptic last December but was assigned to heading up the Foundry team. The saga has come full-circle as Stahl returns to executive producing and D'Angelo resumes his command as Cryptic's CTO.

Stahl posted a short re-introduction letter to mark his comeback: "After several eventful away team missions and a desk position training cadets in San Francisco, I'm grateful for the opportunity to be back at the helm of this very important title."

MassivelyDan Stahl takes back the captain's chair in Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>captain-kirkcrypticcryptic-studiosctodan-stahldaniel-stahlexecutive-producerf2pfree-to-playkirkperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpwestar-trek-onlinestar-trek-the-motion-picturestephen-dangelostoMon, 13 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EverQuest II producer handing over the reins]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/everquest-ii-producer-handing-over-the-reins/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/everquest-ii-producer-handing-over-the-reins/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/everquest-ii-producer-handing-over-the-reins/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

CHEEEEEEEEEESE
EverQuest II players will probably be familiar with the name Smokejumper, the forum handle of the EverQuest franchise's Executive Producer Dave Georgeson. Georgeson has served as Executive Producer for EverQuest, EverQuest II, and the upcoming EverQuest Next while simultaneously filling the role of Producer for EverQuest II. As you might imagine, that's quite a lot of work for a single person. With that in mind, Georgeson announced on the official EQII website today that Holly "Windstalker" Longdale has rejoined SOE in order to take over the position of EverQuest II's Producer.

Holly also takes the opportunity to introduce herself to the community, remarking that "the opportunity to be a producer on this team is surreal and certainly perfect." She goes on to say that "EverQuest... has had a place in [her] life for well over a decade now," making it clear that she's not just some corporate suit who doesn't care about the game -- she's a player who is passionate about the game and is in-tune with the playerbase. To read the full announcement from Smokejumper as well as the follow-up by Windstalker, just click on through the link below.

MassivelyEverQuest II producer handing over the reins originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dave-georgesoneq-iieq2everquest-2everquest-iiexecutive-producerf2pfree-to-playholly-longdaleproducerproducerssmokejumpersoesony-online-entertainmentwindstalkerThu, 02 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes producer letter details Freedom transition, Fall Player Summit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/city-of-heroes-producer-letter-details-freedom-transition-fall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/city-of-heroes-producer-letter-details-freedom-transition-fall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/city-of-heroes-producer-letter-details-freedom-transition-fall/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Retro Sci-Fi costume set art
City of Heroes Freedom has been going strong for some time now, and Paragon Studios seems understandably pleased with the game's F2P transition. In the latest producer's letter on the official City of Heroes site, executive producer Brian Clayton states that "the Freedom initiative and Issue 21: Convergence have significantly increased our active player base and our revenues, and have invigorated our game with amazing new content including monthly Signature Stories, weekly items in the Paragon Market, Paragon Rewards, a kickin' Halloween event, and plenty more!"

Clayton also speaks about the Fall Player Summit the studio held on November 19th. During the gathering, the team took the time to listen to players about what they liked and disliked about Freedom so far. In addition, artist extraordinaire David Nakayama hosted a Create a Costume Set panel, in which he worked collaboratively with players to create the Retro Sci-Fi costume set, which will be introduced to the game sometime next year. For the full letter, just click on over to the City of Heroes official site.

MassivelyCity of Heroes producer letter details Freedom transition, Fall Player Summit originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brian-claytoncity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxdavid-nakayamaexecutive-producerf2pfree-to-playfreedomparagonparagon-studiosproducerproducers-letterFri, 02 Dec 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Preparing for launch (and farewells)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/22/captains-log-preparing-for-launch-and-farewells/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/22/captains-log-preparing-for-launch-and-farewells/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/22/captains-log-preparing-for-launch-and-farewells/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Star Trek Online screenshot
Hello, computer (and players)! As we are all now aware, the development team at Star Trek Online is busy making its preparations to re-launch the game with a hybrid, free-to-play model. Currently, the Tribble test server has been taken down as a beta build is being prepared for testing. In the meantime, Red Shirt, originally a Closed Beta test sever, has been opened up to current subscribers to continue testing new releases that will occur between now and the F2P launch. While there is still no date set for when this will be happening, many signs point to an October or November launch period.

To add to the craziness that must be going on at Cryptic's headquarters in Northern California, on Tuesday, Dan Stahl, Executive Producer of STO, publicly announced that he would be vacating the Captain's Chair as he moves on to a new endeavor in his career. Effective immediately, Stephen D'Angelo, Cryptic's CTO, will be taking temporary command as the search for a new EP begins. While this came as a shock to many and was completely unexpected even by me, it may not be the "end of the world" as some players are calling it. Let's explore more.

Ensign, warp 10! Set sensors to maximum range as we explore a little bit more about this change...

Continue reading Captain's Log: Preparing for launch (and farewells)

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Preparing for launch (and farewells) originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdan-stahldaniel-stahldevelopment-teamepescortexecutive-producerfeaturedlivestreampatchperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpvppweredshirtst-onlinestar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestephen-dangelostotest-servertrek-onlinetribbleThu, 22 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Alter-Ego: Only doom in the hall]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/21/alter-ego-only-doom-in-the-hall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/21/alter-ego-only-doom-in-the-hall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/21/alter-ego-only-doom-in-the-hall/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Just after my column went live last week, we saw the Sony Online Entertainment servers start to come back online. Those of us who consider DC Universe Online our MMO home were able to once again get our hero or villain on and meet up with friends we'd been relegated to catching up with on Facebook. (Don't get me wrong, Facebook is fine for what it is, but it can't compare with getting to bash virtual superhero or supervillain heads in alongside your league-mates!)

As I mentioned last week, the restoration also came with a nice variety of goodies. With the added outage time tacked onto the 30 days, everyone was awarded 45 days of free play time, which isn't too shabby. I'd also note that the 45 days free applies to all Sony Online Entertainment game accounts you might have -- whether or not they were active at the time of the outage. This offers DC Universe Online players who may have opted to cancel after the first month the perfect chance to log in and check out the content updates that have gone live since launch, without having to spend a dime.

The real question is this: What type of future might we see for DCUO in the aftermath of the outages, especially with so many players screaming that they were leaving? Join me behind the break as I look at our first week back on the mean streets.

Continue reading Alter-Ego: Only doom in the hall

MassivelyAlter-Ego: Only doom in the hall originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 May 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chris-caodc-universe-onlinedcuodcuo-update-3deadmeatexecutive-producerfeaturedfuture-of-the-gamegame-directorgame-outagejohn-blakelylorin-jamesonmark-andersonmark-halashnetwork-outageopinionradar-xsoesony-online-entertainmenttony-jonestunsoupdate-3Sat, 21 May 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Shannon "Poz" Posniewski leaving Champions Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/shannon-poz-posniewski-leaving-champions-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/shannon-poz-posniewski-leaving-champions-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/shannon-poz-posniewski-leaving-champions-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

After stepping into the leadership role for Champions Online and launching the game's conversion into a free-to-play model, Shannon "Poz" Posniewski is waving goodbye to Cryptic Studios, at least for now. In a recent news post, it was announced that Posniewski was heading off to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, and in his own words, possibly face death by exposure. Rob Overmeyer has been announced as the man to fill Posniewski's shoes and continue to lead the game into the future.

Although the absence is termed as a vacation (which certainly implies that it's a temporary affair), all signs point to Posniewski's departure being a permanent one. The rather tongue-in-cheek style of the announcement certainly doesn't help matters. While some fans are clamoring for a clarification, it appears the man behind the past year of development is departing the project, which makes it a sad day for Champions Online players pleased with Posniewski's leadership. We wish Poz the best of luck in his future endeavors.

MassivelyShannon "Poz" Posniewski leaving Champions Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 May 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingchampionschampions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-studiosexecutive-producerf2pfree-to-playhumormanagementmanagement-changesnewspozproducerrob-overmeyershannon-posniewskishannon-poz-posniewskistaffFri, 06 May 2011 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jeff Hickman hops over to Star Wars: The Old Republic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/28/jeff-hickman-hops-over-to-star-wars-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/28/jeff-hickman-hops-over-to-star-wars-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/28/jeff-hickman-hops-over-to-star-wars-the-old-republic/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It might be a case of in-house talent poaching or just a good opportunity for all parties involved, but BioWare has hired Jeff Hickman away from Mythic to be Star Wars: The Old Republic's new Executive Producer of Live Services.

The hire was announced at the recent BioWare's Fan Site Summit, according to Ask a Jedi. Hickman was previously the Studio Executive Producer for all of Mythic's MMOs. He'll step into the role left open by Gordon Walton, who left BioWare earlier this year.

With both BioWare and Mythic under the same parent company -- Electronic Arts -- it stands to reason that the two studios have a strong network and relationships that could lead to such transfers of personnel. We'll look forward to seeing what Jeff Hickman will bring to TOR as it progresses toward launch!

MassivelyJeff Hickman hops over to Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Speaking Episode 132 returns this week with Shawn and Rubi dishing out the usual news and views, but there's an added bonus. In the second half of the show, Champions Online Executive Producer Shannon "Poz" Posniewski joins Shawn and CO columnist Patrick Mackey for an interview about the recent F2P relaunch of the super-hero game.

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

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

Massively Speaking is the official podcast of Massively.com. Hosted by Editor-in-Chief Shawn Schuster and Community Manager Rubi Bayer, Massively Speaking takes on the week's biggest news and dev interviews with plenty of opinion, rants, and laughs thrown in for good measure. Join us every Wednesday afternoon to listen in and see what we'll say next!

Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 132: An interview with Champions Online's Poz

MassivelyMassively Speaking Episode 132: An interview with Champions Online's Poz originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>champions-onlineexecutive-producerinterviewpodcastingpodcastspozshannon-posniewskiWed, 26 Jan 2011 15:00:00 ESTMassively Speaking Episode 132Massively.com Staff01:08:15podcasts<![CDATA[Massively interviews Shannon Posniewski about Champions Online's F2P changes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/massively-interviews-shannon-posniewski-about-champions-onlines/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/massively-interviews-shannon-posniewski-about-champions-onlines/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/massively-interviews-shannon-posniewski-about-champions-onlines/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Champions Online has made quite the big change with the recent decision to go free-to-play. We got together with Shannon Posniewski, Executive Producer for CO, and asked quite a few questions about how the F2P changes will impact new, current, and returning players.

In addition to these questions, the CO devs have compiled a huge FAQ covering many of the common queries regarding F2P, as well as a primer on how archetypes will work. We tried to avoid asking many of the questions that have already been answered somewhere else, so be sure to check those out as well.

Continue reading Massively interviews Shannon Posniewski about Champions Online's F2P changes

MassivelyMassively interviews Shannon Posniewski about Champions Online's F2P changes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-packc-storechampions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-studiosdeveloper-interviewexclusiveexecutive-producerf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreemiuminterviewinterviewsshannon-posniewskiTue, 09 Nov 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively interviews Champions Online's Shannon Posniewski]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/15/massively-interviews-champions-onlines-shannon-posniewski/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/15/massively-interviews-champions-onlines-shannon-posniewski/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/15/massively-interviews-champions-onlines-shannon-posniewski/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Although it has been quite a while since the last big content update for Champions Online, Cryptic is moving forward with the Demonflame adventure pack slated for release next week. We previewed the adventure earlier this week, but we also snagged an interview with Executive Producer Shannon Posniewski, who talked with us about the new adventure pack.

Poz also gave an enlightening view on the state of things to come in CO, as well as the development hurdles the team has to go through designing content that scales for all levels and team sizes. We also talk with him about player housing, voice acting, and the future of some old zones.

Hit the jump to read more!

Continue reading Massively interviews Champions Online's Shannon Posniewski

MassivelyMassively interviews Champions Online's Shannon Posniewski originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-packchampions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-studiosdemonflamedemonflame-updatedeveloper-interviewdifficulty-sliderexecutive-producerfeaturedinterviewinterviewsshannon-posniewskiteam-scalingwestsideFri, 15 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online rethinks microtransactions in the latest State of the Game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/star-trek-online-rethinks-microtransactions-in-the-latest-state/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/star-trek-online-rethinks-microtransactions-in-the-latest-state/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/star-trek-online-rethinks-microtransactions-in-the-latest-state/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Upbeat but still working hard: That is the motto of Star Trek Online's Dan Stahl in the latest state of the game. STO's executive producer strikes a positive note by saying that the game is enjoying a "healthy subscriber base" as well as an increase in the number of lifetime subs. The team is also proud to be releasing more frequent content in the form of weekly episodes.

Stahl then tackled three of STO's biggest complaints: the microtransaction shop (C-Store), ground combat and skimpy Klingon content. For players who are rankled that some of the better ships can only be purchased via the C-Store, Stahl reports that this will be changing: "I'm happy to say that we have been evaluating your feedback and looking at our internal resources and finding ways to ensure that coveted items such as ships can be be obtained in game as well as via micro-transaction."

Improvements to both ground combat and the Klingon faction are on their way, he promised, stating that the team has struggled with the Klingon's "identity crisis" since the first day of the game. While the faction's content will grow to become more robust, Stahl admits that the team doesn't have the resources to beef up the Klingon side to be on par with the Federation, especially since only a fraction of the playerbase fight on that side. You can read the full state of the game on the official STO site.

MassivelyStar Trek Online rethinks microtransactions in the latest State of the Game originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>c-storecrypticcryptic-storecryptic-studiosdaniel-stahldeveloperexecutive-producerfederationground-combatitem-shopklingonmicrotransactionsstar-trek-onlinestate-of-the-gamestosubscriberstrouble-with-tribbles-and-microtransactionsThu, 16 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dan Stahl highlights more of Star Trek Online's future direction]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/dan-stahl-highlights-more-of-star-trek-onlines-future-direction/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/dan-stahl-highlights-more-of-star-trek-onlines-future-direction/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/dan-stahl-highlights-more-of-star-trek-onlines-future-direction/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Star Trek Online's Dan Stahl has been fairly vocal since he took the executive producer post at the beginning of last month. We had our own chance to speak with him recently, where he discussed everything from the then-upcoming Season 2 content to the rumors about the game adopting a free-to-play model. His most recent interview at ZAM covers several of the same pieces of territory, but as one would expect with the time elapsed and the release of Season 2, there are several new pieces of information within.

The weekly episodes are one of the major points of discussion, with the first one premiering in late August. Stahl discusses the episodes focusing around the Deferi, a race with ties to both the Federation and the Klingons, but not explicitly allied with either. He also discusses plans for an overhaul to exploration, likening the current system to "a small box where you fly around and go through random doors," something that the team is planning on changing for Season 3. The full interview is well worth a read for what it contains -- nothing earth-shattering, but more signs that Star Trek Online's direction is getting progressively stronger.

MassivelyDan Stahl highlights more of Star Trek Online's future direction originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>changescrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdan-stahldiplomacyexecutive-producerexplorationexploringpatchesseason-2season-3st-onlinestar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestosto-season-2sto-season-3trek-onlineupcoming-contentupcoming-patchesupdatesweekly-episodesWed, 04 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[July letter available from Warhammer Online's executive producer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/july-letter-available-from-warhammer-onlines-executive-producer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/july-letter-available-from-warhammer-onlines-executive-producer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/july-letter-available-from-warhammer-onlines-executive-producer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Back when she was first placed in the position of Executive Producer for Warhammer Online, Carrie Gouskos promised to try for a letter every month. She's stayed true to that promise, and as the end of July approaches at breakneck speeds, there's a new letter for the fans. After a quick recap of the known news about the game (the testing of patch 1.3.6 and the European migration), there are several other updates, starting with the return of the Wild Hunt to the game with the coming patch.

The letter also contains the promise of a new 6v6 scenario for the Weekend Warfront rotation, citing the matchup as a popular format that needs more representation. We also get a hint of future plans to help encourage RvR whilst leveling, said plans involving new enemies with high XP values being added to the RvR lakes. There's also a promise of a rework to the mechanics of some of the ranged classes, a coda to the most recent letter which should have several points of interest for dedicated Warhammer Online fans.

MassivelyJuly letter available from Warhammer Online's executive producer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6v6carrie-gouskosea-gamesea-mythicea-warhammerea-warhammer-onlineelectronic-artsexecutive-producermatch-formatmythicmythic-eamythic-entertainmentopen-rvrprodcuers-letterpvppvp-mechanicsrotationrvrrvr-lakesscenario-formatscenarioswarwar-eawar-patch-1.3.6warhammerwarhammer-eawarhammer-onlinewarhammer-online-eaweekend-warfrontwild-huntFri, 30 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kate Paiz takes LotRO's Exec Producer reins from Jeffrey Steefel]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/kate-paiz-takes-lotros-exec-producer-reins-from-jeffrey-steefel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/kate-paiz-takes-lotros-exec-producer-reins-from-jeffrey-steefel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/kate-paiz-takes-lotros-exec-producer-reins-from-jeffrey-steefel/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

For Lord of the Rings Online fans and players, this past weekend was undoubtedly one of the busiest news periods for the title since launch. Once official word hit that LotRO was indeed going free-to-play, players had FAQs and charts and numerous interviews to read, digest and figure out what it meant for the future of the game.

It's understandable that a second big announcement would get lost amid the flurry of F2P frenzy, especially since it was packaged in with the F2P announcement itself. However, now that things have settled somewhat, it's important to recognize a significant leadership change at Turbine. Kate Paiz has taken over as Executive Producer for the title, following in Jeffrey Steefel's footsteps, who has moved on to a new project at Turbine.

According to her introduction letter, Paiz worked as a producer for both There.com and DDO, and helped to supervise the latter's transition into its successful hybrid F2P model. This experience will be invaluable for LotRO's new evolution, and she couldn't be happier: "Given my background, it's hardly surprising that I believe very strongly in the power of providing gamers with a choice in how they pay and play our games." Considering that one of her first public acts as Executive Producer was to handle the bombardment of interviews and forum questions about LotRO's upcoming model, one could say that her new position was forged in the fires of Mt. Doom itself.

MassivelyKate Paiz takes LotRO's Exec Producer reins from Jeffrey Steefel originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ddodungeons-and-dragons-onlineexecutive-producerf2pfree-to-playjeffrey-steefelkate-paizlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromt-doomtherethere.comtheres-no-crying-in-lotroturbineMon, 07 Jun 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Our talk with Warhammer Online's Carrie Gouskos]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/12/our-talk-with-warhammer-onlines-carrie-gouskos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/12/our-talk-with-warhammer-onlines-carrie-gouskos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/12/our-talk-with-warhammer-onlines-carrie-gouskos/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's been a tumultuous time for Warhammer Online of late, but the new executive producer Carrie Gouskos seems to be well-suited to weathering the storm. She's been overseeing the development of the game since February, and under her direction it's moved more and more steadily into an RvR focus. We recently were lucky enough to get a chance to talk with Ms. Gouskos about her involvement with the game, her opinion on the game's state, and what she could let us know about its future.

Massively: In the simplest terms possible, what is Warhammer Online's development focus at the moment?

Carrie Gouskos: Now that we've gotten through the 1.3.5 patch -- and this is about to surface for the players, but obviously, for the developers, we're always kind of looking at least a little bit ahead, sometimes very far ahead -- our next big thing is sort of twofold. One, I kind of made a renewed commitment to some of the more major bugs that I really want to address. But really, our major one is open RvR, and addressing some of the issues that our players have brought up to us.

Continue reading Our talk with Warhammer Online's Carrie Gouskos

MassivelyOur talk with Warhammer Online's Carrie Gouskos originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 May 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carrie-gouskosdevelopmentdevelopment-focusea-gamesea-mythicea-warhammerea-warhammer-onlineelectronic-artsexecutive-producerfeaturedinterviewsmythicmythic-eamythic-entertainmentpreviewsrvrwarwar-eawar-patch-1.3.5war-patch-1.3.6war-patch-1.4warhammerwarhammer-eawarhammer-onlinewarhammer-online-eaWed, 12 May 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Champions Online talks about their new executive producer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/22/champions-online-talks-about-their-new-executive-producer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/22/champions-online-talks-about-their-new-executive-producer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/22/champions-online-talks-about-their-new-executive-producer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The change of leadership on Champions Online produced some pretty strong reactions, nearly all of them aimed at Bill Roper. Fair or not, there was a general sense that many of the game's problems were linked to him being in charge, and in the midst of everything it was a bit easy to lose sight of the new executive producer. Shannon Posniewski, known to forum regulars as "Poz" and former Lead Programmer, has inherited the job and all that goes along with it, good and bad. That means it's a fine time to learn a little more about the person in charge of the game's direction.

Posniewski has been with Cryptic for some time, having worked on City of Heroes before the studio left the game behind and moved on to Champions Online. He discusses a fair bit about his experience working on the games, as well as some of his own tips for working in the game industry and what sort of challenges are faced. What he doesn't mention are his plans for the game's near future -- but those facts are fairly public knowledge at this point. Considering how much impressions of the game were based upon Bill Roper's personality, it seems more than fair to give the new guy his own turn at the helm.

MassivelyChampions Online talks about their new executive producer originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bill-roperchampions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-studiosexecutive-producerleadershipproducershannon-posniewskiMon, 22 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CrimeCraft's executive producer talks on the game's strengths]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/crimecrafts-executive-producer-talks-on-the-games-strengths/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/crimecrafts-executive-producer-talks-on-the-games-strengths/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/20/crimecrafts-executive-producer-talks-on-the-games-strengths/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

CrimeCraft may have launched with a bang, but that bang appeared to be less of a gunshot and more of a car backfiring. Vogster Entertainment's MMOFPS was met with somewhat mixed reviews, moved to a free-to-play model, and found itself banned in Australia. But the game persists, and executive producer Matt McEnerney recently sat down with Warcry to discuss issues ranging from the Australia ban to the game's focus.

In a rather refreshing moment, McEnerney flatly states that the game is not for everyone, going on to state that those players who fall under Bartle's classification of Explorer or Socializer will be less likely to enjoy the game. It's a positive mark of candor, and certainly helps strengthen McEnerney's points on what the gae is trying to do and what it's best at. The interview also covers the current endgame option, whiich focus heavily on PvP amidst the game's warring families of gangs.

On the Australia ban, the producer's statement is essentially one that the government can ban the game from shelves but not hard drives -- which strikes us as a little criminal, but when you're talking about a game called CrimeCraft, do you really expect much different? Those interested in the game should take a look at the full interview, which is a bit more honest in places than we've come to expect from the genre.

MassivelyCrimeCraft's executive producer talks on the game's strengths originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banned-in-australiabartle-typescrimecraftendgameexecutive-producerexplorerfpsinterviewmark-mcenerneymmofpspvpsocializervogstervogster-entertainmentWed, 20 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jumpgate Evolution brings on a new Executive Producer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/24/jumpgate-evolution-brings-on-a-new-executive-producer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/24/jumpgate-evolution-brings-on-a-new-executive-producer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/24/jumpgate-evolution-brings-on-a-new-executive-producer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Any of you die hard Dark Age of Camelot fans out there? We hope you're paying attention, because NetDevil just brought Lance Roberston aboard their Jumpgate Evolution team as executive producer. For those not in the know: Lance's career blossomed as he rose through the ranks at Mythic Entertainment while working on Dark Age of Camelot. As such, he possesses extensive experience developing MMOs with both PvP and PvE focuses. He also helped to ship Warhammer Online as a senior producer, before the unfortunate events we're all aware of over at Electronic Arts.

Jumpgate Evolution is a three faction game that deals with PvP and PvE. Sound familiar? It should, as DAoC's tri-factions were one of its selling points back in the day. Lance also benefits from having experience in the "what do do" and "what not to do" areas of PvP/PvE MMO development, so we're certain he'll prove to be an immensely useful member of the JGE team.

MassivelyJumpgate Evolution brings on a new Executive Producer originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daocdark-ageof-cameloteaelectronic-artsexecutive-producergazilliongazillion-entertainmentjgejumpgate-evolutionlance-roberstonmythicmythic-entertainmentnetdevilwarwarhammer-onlineTue, 24 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Looking ahead to WAR's second year]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/21/looking-ahead-to-wars-second-year/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/21/looking-ahead-to-wars-second-year/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/21/looking-ahead-to-wars-second-year/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Although we've seen celebrations for some time now, with the Wild Hunt event and a couple of special scenario weekends, Warhammer Online's actual birthday came and went at the end of last week. Executive Producer Jeff Hickman took the opportunity to sum up some of the things that the development team will be focusing on, moving forward into year two:

"In addition to the four new careers, numerous Live Events, the medallion system, Keep upgrades, city siege improvements, and other new features, we're now turning our focus to improving balance, performance, and the Tier 4 game play experience."

Also on the cards for improvement is the "new-player experience", an area that many MMOs have fine-tuned later in their life with excellent results. The birthday celebrations haven't quite wrapped up yet either, with the "Isha's Sorrow" event taking place over the coming weekend in the Temple of Isha scenario. It may have been a bit of a rocky first year for Warhammer Online, but we'll hold out hope for year two. Happy Birthday WAR!

MassivelyLooking ahead to WAR's second year originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversarybirthdayeaelectronic-artsexecutive-producerfirst-birthdayishas-sorrowjeff-hickmanmythicmythic-entertainmentnew-player-experienceone-year-anniversaryscenariostemple-of-ishawarwarhammer-onlinewild-huntMon, 21 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Global Agenda interview breaks down PvP game mechanics]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/31/global-agenda-interview-breaks-down-pvp-game-mechanics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/31/global-agenda-interview-breaks-down-pvp-game-mechanics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/31/global-agenda-interview-breaks-down-pvp-game-mechanics/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


A game we've had our eyes on from Hi-Rez Studios is Global Agenda, a cross between a class-based shooter and an MMO. Given its first person shooter roots, the game is heavily PvP-oriented. This match-based combat is the focus of an interview by Jon Wood at MMORPG.com with Global Agenda Executive Producer Todd Harris.

Harris relates that PvP in Global Agenda happens both in small squads and "AvA" (agency vs. agency), where players will participate in a "massive meta-game to control land and resources involving hundreds of territory locations and tens of thousands of player agents."

Continue reading Global Agenda interview breaks down PvP game mechanics

MassivelyGlobal Agenda interview breaks down PvP game mechanics originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agency-vs-agencyavacombatexecutive-producerglobal-agendahi-rez-studiosinterviewsjon-woodmmofpsmmorpg.comnew-titlespvpsci-fishooterspy-fitodd-harrisMon, 31 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online's executive producer sits down for a 25 minute podcast interview]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/12/star-trek-onlines-executive-producer-sits-down-for-a-25-minute/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/12/star-trek-onlines-executive-producer-sits-down-for-a-25-minute/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/12/star-trek-onlines-executive-producer-sits-down-for-a-25-minute/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Star Trek Online's Craig Zinkievich, the executive producer, has taken some time away from work in order to sit down with the guys from the Hailing Frequency podcast.

The podcast interview, spanning a nice length of 25 minutes, features questions geared to Zinkievich's background and early days with Cryptic Studios before moving in and discussing the game at large.

Questions regarding the game design span a huge range of things, including sending over away teams during combat, different type of missile salvos and configurations, how healing and protection is handled during away missions, and the biggest question of them all, can you turn off the engine's trail effect. Very serious Star Trek lore in that last question. (And yes, Craig says there will most likely be a toggle to turn it off.)

If you're interested in more Star Trek Online information, listen in on Hailing Frequency's interview podcast or, if you can't listen, check out the written transcripts.

MassivelyStar Trek Online's executive producer sits down for a 25 minute podcast interview originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craig-zinkievichcryptic-studiosengine-trailsexecutive-producerinterviewmissile-configurationsstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestoWed, 12 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Global Agenda video interview gives a closer look at the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/09/global-agenda-video-interview-gives-a-closer-look-at-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/09/global-agenda-video-interview-gives-a-closer-look-at-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/09/global-agenda-video-interview-gives-a-closer-look-at-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Massively has been keeping an eye on Global Agenda, a title on the way from Hi-Rez Studios that's one of the new breed of shooter MMOs. Our own Shawn Schuster recently visited their Atlanta studio for a video tour as the Hi-Rez team prepped for closed beta. We see that BarnGamerz also got an early look at Global Agenda and scored some face time with the developers, who explained a bit about their respective roles in creating the game. They put it all into a video, with Lead Technical Artist Mick Larkins discussing a bit about his work, and an interview with Executive Producer Todd Harris.

If you haven't been following the coverage of Global Agenda across the various MMO sites, this might serve as a good primer on the game. Harris sits down with Jaimie from BarnGamerz to discuss the basic concepts behind the title, including Global Agenda's classes and how they'll be employed, illustrated with some in-game footage. You can see the Global Agenda Studio Tour at BarnGamerz or check out the video embed after the jump.

Continue reading Global Agenda video interview gives a closer look at the game

MassivelyGlobal Agenda video interview gives a closer look at the game originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barngamerzexecutive-producerglobal-agendahi-rez-studioslead-technical-artistmick-larkinsmmofpsnew-titlessci-fishootershootersspy-fistudio-tourtodd-harrisvideoSun, 09 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cryptic's Bill Roper on balancing powers in Champions Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/cryptics-bill-roper-on-balancing-powers-in-champions-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/cryptics-bill-roper-on-balancing-powers-in-champions-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/cryptics-bill-roper-on-balancing-powers-in-champions-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


When news came in of the Champions Online launch being delayed to September, a few of the writers at Massively were despondent. It's always better for a game to launch once it's solid rather than release in a buggy state, though. While we wait for the re-scheduled September 1st launch, we're keeping up with the news and interviews surrounding the upcoming superhero title. In fact, we've just come across an MMOCrunch interview with Bill Roper, executive producer of Champions Online you might be interested in.

Roper gets into how some of the game mechanics in Champions Online will play out, and explains a bit about how travel powers like flight and teleportation can be countered by those without such capabilities. (For example, how does a ground-based melee character engage a kiting opponent in flight?) He also touches upon the game's sidekick system, which will allow newer players to temporarily boost their powers to keep up with higher level friends. Alternately, the sidekick system will give advanced characters the ability to tone their powers down to the level of their appallingly weak lower level buddies.

Continue reading Cryptic's Bill Roper on balancing powers in Champions Online

MassivelyCryptic's Bill Roper on balancing powers in Champions Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bill-roperchampions-onlinecryptic-studiosexecutive-producergame-mechanicsmmocrunchnemesisnemesis-systemproducersidekicksidekickssuper-herosuperherotravel-powersvillainvillainsWed, 08 Jul 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft's open letter to the Aion community targets all players of NCsoft games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/27/ncsofts-open-letter-to-the-aion-community-targets-all-players-o/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/27/ncsofts-open-letter-to-the-aion-community-targets-all-players-o/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/27/ncsofts-open-letter-to-the-aion-community-targets-all-players-o/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's not everyday that we find a letter addressed to an entire company's audience when it's posted on a specific game site, but that's what NCsoft West's executive producer, Lance Stites has done with his recent letter to the Aion community.

To sum up his letter, it's been a busy series of restructuring the company and preparing for their next big release: Aion. While much of the focusing has been on Aion, the company isn't looking away from Lineage, Lineage II or Exteel. Those are still high on the company's priority list, according to Stites.

But things are going along smoothly for Aion, as more voice overs are currently being recorded, the localization is continuing smoothly, and tutorial videos are in production. It sounds like Aion really is the golden game of the studio, but it's also nice to hear about all of the staffing changes going on with the other games.

For the full letter and all of the nitty gritty of what's going on with the studio, head on over to Aion's website and check out Stites's report.

MassivelyNCsoft's open letter to the Aion community targets all players of NCsoft games originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionexecutive-producerexteellance-stitesletterlineagelineage-2ncsoftncsoft-westopen-letterSat, 27 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jeff Hickman open letter highlights Mythic's top 5 priorities for WAR]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/18/jeff-hickman-open-letter-highlights-mythics-top-5-priorities-fo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/18/jeff-hickman-open-letter-highlights-mythics-top-5-priorities-fo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/18/jeff-hickman-open-letter-highlights-mythics-top-5-priorities-fo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Those of you stalwart enough to bore through Jeff Hickman's most recent Executive Producer's letter, which incidentally reads like a list of 1.3 patch notes conjured by the PR department, may have picked up on the mention that Mythic is assembling focus groups to determine the current concerns and issues with Warhammer Online.

I can actually confirm this for you since I'm a card-carrying focus group member. The below list of top priorities is entirely accurate based on what I've been hearing as part of this group and in conversation with many current and ex-WAR fanatics.

  1. Addressing concerns related to Crowd Control and Area of Effect abilities.
  2. Continuing to improve client and server stability and performance.
  3. Strengthening and improving the Tier 4 experience.
  4. Improving server population distribution - both in terms of overall population and realm balance.
  5. Improving itemization and the overall distribution of "carrots" (rewards) throughout the game.
It's easy point out that many members of the WAR community have been vocal about these "Top 5" issues since release. We can only hope that the time and resources freed up by the launch of Land of the Dead will finally erase them from the game. Erasing them from memory may prove slightly more difficult.

MassivelyJeff Hickman open letter highlights Mythic's top 5 priorities for WAR originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communityexecutive-producerfocus-groupjeff-hickmanmythic-entertainmentopen-letterprioritieswarwarhammer-onlineThu, 18 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online executive producer on how ship combat will play out]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/17/star-trek-online-executive-producer-on-how-ship-combat-will-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/17/star-trek-online-executive-producer-on-how-ship-combat-will-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/17/star-trek-online-executive-producer-on-how-ship-combat-will-play/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Star Trek Online is a game being built upon many years of television and films of the sci-fi IP, which has been packed with hundreds of skirmishes and full-on battles. It's not surprising that a number of gamers who are curious about STO want to know about the game mechanics of space combat in the upcoming MMO, and if they'll be able to do the things they've seen play out on their television screens. This was the focus of yesterday's dev chat at Cryptic Studios, where Star Trek Online executive producer Craig Zinkievich fielded questions from the game community.

Starship navigation in Star Trek Online will allow for a range of movement but it won't be possible for ships to dogfight. (And honestly, should these massive ships really be pulling barrel rolls in combat?) But even the smaller vessels with very different attributes will be subject to limitations in movement, so "there's no strafing, no moving backwards and shooting (kiting)" says Zinkievich. He clarifies this by saying that ships can move in reverse, but doing so wouldn't be useful in combat. So apparently the game will not have Jumpgate Evolution-type scenarios where smaller ships move with blazing speed and agility, as STO combat is by design a more tactical experience.

Continue reading Star Trek Online executive producer on how ship combat will play out

MassivelyStar Trek Online executive producer on how ship combat will play out originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>combatcraig-zinkievichcryptic-studiosexecutive-producerforumsinterviewspvepvpsci-fistar-trek-onlinestoWed, 17 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E3 2009: Bill Roper on character themes and customization in Champions Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/05/e3-2009-bill-roper-on-character-themes-and-customization-in-cha/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/05/e3-2009-bill-roper-on-character-themes-and-customization-in-cha/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/05/e3-2009-bill-roper-on-character-themes-and-customization-in-cha/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


The superhero MMO genre has been ruled by one game and one game alone for the past five years: City of Heroes. NCsoft's title being quite literally the only game in town for superhero fans is about to change, with competitors like DC Universe Online and Champions Online on the way. We have a good idea of what to expect with DCUO given the recognizable characters the game incorporates, but what of Champions Online which is based upon the Champions pen and paper RPG?

We've wondered what Cryptic Studios will do to differentiate Champions Online from the competition; Massively had a chance to sit down with Bill Roper, the game's executive producer, to discuss that question at E3 2009.

Gallery: Champions Online Main Gallery

Continue reading E3 2009: Bill Roper on character themes and customization in Champions Online

MassivelyE3 2009: Bill Roper on character themes and customization in Champions Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acrobaticsbill-roperchampions-onlinecryptic-studioscustomizatione3-2009executive-producerfeaturedmassively-event-coveragemassively-interviewspower-replacesuper-heroteleportthemethemesFri, 05 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[FusionFall gets new VP and some Webby love]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/30/fusionfall-gets-new-vice-president-and-webby-nomination/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/30/fusionfall-gets-new-vice-president-and-webby-nomination/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/30/fusionfall-gets-new-vice-president-and-webby-nomination/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Things have been exciting at the Cartoon Network offices. FusionFall, their first-ever outing in the MMO space, got a warm welcome from players and critics alike when it launched in January. Their game hit 4,000,000 accounts earlier this month, showing the power of the Cartoon Network stars combined with really fun gameplay. Now, Chris Waldron, the Executive Producer for FusionFall has been awarded with his own special new (non-bubblehead) hat; he has been named Vice President of Gaming Operations for Cartoon Network!

According to Paul Condolora, Senior Vice President for Turner's Animation, Young Adults & Kids media group; "Chris continues to be one of the great leaders of our digital team, overseeing the successful launch of our largest and most ambitious game to date - FusionFall. His commitment to quality gaming, relationships with game developers and expertise in the industry make him ideally suited to oversee our gaming efforts."

Added to this is the news that not only will FusionFall continue to grow with Chris at the helm as both Exec. Producer and VP of gaming - but they've also been nominated under the games category for a Webby alongside games like Club Penguin, Kongregate, and Facebook's new crack, Mafia Wars. Considering how short a period of time FusionFall has been out before the Webby nominations, that's a pretty tremendous achievement in itself. Congrats to the Cartoon Network games team on their success thus far, and we'll be waiting to see what new surprises they have in store for the fusion-permeated future.

MassivelyFusionFall gets new VP and some Webby love originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cartoon-networkchris-waldronexecutive-producerfusionfallpaul-condolorapresident-of-gaming-operationswebbywebby-awards-2009Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online producer blog explains early choices made in development]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/star-trek-online-producer-blog-explains-early-choices-made-in-de/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/star-trek-online-producer-blog-explains-early-choices-made-in-de/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/star-trek-online-producer-blog-explains-early-choices-made-in-de/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


One of the massively multiplayer online titles eagerly awaited by sci-fi fans is Star Trek Online, currently in development at Cryptic Studios. Star Trek Online's executive producer Craig Zinkievich has written a dev blog for MMORPG.com titled "Focusing the Experience." Zinkievich discusses that initial excitement the Cryptic Studios team had when they obtained the license to create Star Trek Online, and the process of deciding what the IP's MMO universe should encompass.

This was no small task. The Star Trek universe spans decades across multiple television incarnations and film, so the challenge wasn't so much about what to include, but what not to include while making sure that the setting is fleshed out. The developers asked themselves how they could make the MMO universe of Star Trek Online a place where there's more to being part of the setting than energizing transporters all day. And how to incorporate the roles of characters seen in Star Trek television and film into the MMO?

Continue reading Star Trek Online producer blog explains early choices made in development

MassivelyStar Trek Online producer blog explains early choices made in development originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craig-zinkievichcryptic-studiosculturedesign-decisionsdev-blogexecutive-producergame-mechanicsiploremmo-industrymmorpg.comprofessionssci-fisettingstar-trek-onlinestoTue, 17 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Global Agenda Q&A explains Hi-Rez Studios approach to sci-fi MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/global-agenda-qanda-explains-hi-rez-studios-approach-to-sci-fi-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/global-agenda-qanda-explains-hi-rez-studios-approach-to-sci-fi-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/10/global-agenda-qanda-explains-hi-rez-studios-approach-to-sci-fi-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

More opportunities for sci-fi MMO gaming will present themselves in the coming years, and we've been taking a closer look at these in-development titles. One such game that we've written about is Global Agenda, an MMO that uses Unreal Engine 3, which its developer Hi-Rez Studios describes as a futuristic "spy-fi world of advanced technology and player-driven conflict."

MMORPG.com recently ran a Q&A with Todd Harris, Executive Producer for Global Agenda: "Top Three Questions about Global Agenda... Answered!" The developer journal addresses the fact that Global Agenda is more about tactics than twitch. Despite being a (third person) shooter, the game has RPG elements. Harris writes, "... your character actions and contributions affect the outcome of a single mission (like an FPS), your character career (like and RPG), and your agency's long-term Campaign goals (like a strategy game.)"

Continue reading Global Agenda Q&A explains Hi-Rez Studios approach to sci-fi MMO

MassivelyGlobal Agenda Q&A explains Hi-Rez Studios approach to sci-fi MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>executive-producergame-mechanicsglobal-agendahi-rez-studiosinterviewsmmorpg.comnew-titlessci-fisingle-worldtodd-harrisunreal-engine-3Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP Games aims to extend EVE Online to iPhone and mobile phones]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/30/ccp-games-aims-to-extend-eve-online-to-iphone-and-mobile-phones/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/30/ccp-games-aims-to-extend-eve-online-to-iphone-and-mobile-phones/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/30/ccp-games-aims-to-extend-eve-online-to-iphone-and-mobile-phones/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Nathan 'Oveur' Richardsson, Executive Producer for CCP Games, gave a 'state of the game' address last month about EVE Online, and hinted at some of the ways he'd like to see EVE evolve. Namely, how the game might expand by leveraging the EVE API. It looks like CCP is taking the next step in making this happen, from the announcement an EVE player came across -- one that suggests mobile and iPhone applications for EVE Online may be coming.

Reykjavik University and MIT maintain cooperation through the MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP), which is essentially a way to tap the expertise of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for specific projects. An announcement on the ILP site states that CCP Games is interested in seeing what MIT students can come up with in terms of EVE mobile and iPhone applications that make use of EVE Online's API.

Continue reading CCP Games aims to extend EVE Online to iPhone and mobile phones

MassivelyCCP Games aims to extend EVE Online to iPhone and mobile phones originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apicapsuleerccpccp-gameseveeve-apieve-onlineeve-trackerexecutive-producericloneiphonemitmobilemobile-applicationsoveurreykjavikreykjavik-universityroc-wielersci-fiTue, 30 Dec 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jeffrey Steefel on all things Book 11]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/01/jeffrey-steefel-on-all-things-book-11/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/01/jeffrey-steefel-on-all-things-book-11/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/01/jeffrey-steefel-on-all-things-book-11/#commentsFiled under: , ,

What has it got in its pocketses?!Tentonhammer have got a great interview up on their site with the executive producer of Lord of the Rings Online, Jeffrey Steefel, discussing all things Book 11. (LotRO Books are roughly equivalent to major content patches in other MMOs)

A lot of the new content in the update is discussed, ranging from the three-piece, 12-man Balrog raids, to... usable cowbell & bagpipe musical instruments. Blue Öyster Cult would be proud. It also features player characters first encounter with the wonderfully crazy Gollum, with promises that he'll play a major role in the LotRO storyline -- although what kind of role is still being kept under wraps, it's probably not a wild guess to assume he'll be causing a lot of trouble. Nassty hobbitses!

Player housing (covered just a few days ago by us) is discussed too. It's a strange -- risky? -- move incorporating player housing into a patch, rather than an expansion pack or, as in certain popular other MMOs, not at all -- yet Jeff comes across as enthusiastic about the subject, and Turbine appear to have thought it through carefully. He also does everything except say "there will be an expansion!" without ... actually saying it. But we all know it's coming, amiright?

Book 11 also included some love for the Loremaster & Minstrel classes, the latter of which sorely needed some outside of healing.

The interview is three pages long, and definitely worth a read if you're a LotRO fan.

MassivelyJeffrey Steefel on all things Book 11 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balrogbalrog-raidsbook-11executive-producergolluminterviewjeffrey-steefelloremasterLotROminstrelplayer-housingturbineThu, 01 Nov 2007 22:35:00 EST