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[Celebrate five years of Rappelz starting today]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/21/celebrate-five-years-of-rappelz-starting-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/21/celebrate-five-years-of-rappelz-starting-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/21/celebrate-five-years-of-rappelz-starting-today/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Five years is a long time to spend riding a dragon.
For better or worse, free-to-play games are often seen as having a rather disposable lifespan, with the expectation that they'll be here today and gone tomorrow. And that's certainly true in some cases, but in the case of Rappelz, it's entirely wrong. Not only is the game still running strong, but it's been running for five years, quite a milestone for any game. Fans of the game are likely unsurprised that the game is celebrating in a big way, and that celebration starts today with a video contest and a 55% boost to experience.

The experience boost will last until October 5th and is just the tip of the iceberg for a series of events that lead up to the game's true anniversary of November 2nd. Players can also take part in a video contest to show off their in-game pets, with the winners receiving gaming headsets and one grand prize winner getting a free bundle of cash in the game's shop. Rappelz players are going to have a couple of months to enjoy all of the celebrations, so if you've been itching to log back in of late, now is the time.

Gallery: Rappelz gallery

MassivelyCelebrate five years of Rappelz starting today originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryanniversary-celebrationanniversary-eventscelebration-eventscontestexperience-boostf2pfree-to-playgala-netgpotatoin-game-eventsrappelzspecial-eventsvideo-contestWed, 21 Sep 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Champions Online gains profits and players as a free-to-play [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/champions-online-gains-profits-and-players-as-a-free-to-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/champions-online-gains-profits-and-players-as-a-free-to-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/champions-online-gains-profits-and-players-as-a-free-to-play/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Since Champions Online's relaunch as a free-to-play title a little less than a month ago, any player who has logged into the game has undoubtedly noticed the sheer number of folks running around Millennium City and environs. There are spandex-clad super-people everywhere you look, and groups are significantly easier to get. These are all good things for MMO players! Today we're also treated to the first official word on the success of the relaunch from Cryptic Studios and Atari, which both declare that the move to free-to-play has been -- as we suspected -- a huge success. To celebrate, they're offering all players, both subscribed and free-to-play, a thank-you gift for helping to make the game's reboot so great!

The present offered is a free experience-boosting item that can be picked up from the Champions Online C-Store for at least the next little while. While the companies have not released any specific subscriber or traffic numbers, they have noted that unique logins, concurrent users, and revenue totals have increased by "over 1,000 percent" since Champions Online went free-to-play. As John Needham, CEO of Cryptic Studios, stated in the release: "We're extremely proud of what the Champions team has accomplished with the Free for All launch. It's a pleasure to thank our fans and welcome new ones with this gift." As for how long the gift will be around and whether it is one per account or one per character is currently anyone's guess as the item does not appear to be in the C-Store as of this writing. The gift appears to be a one-hour, 20% experience boost that you can acquire once per account. They also appear to be tradable!

[Update: We've updated this post as the gift is now available in the C-Store, and we've also added the most recent trailer behind the cut. Enjoy! And guys... remember to keep the comments clean and on track with our CoC!]

Continue reading Champions Online gains profits and players as a free-to-play [Updated]

MassivelyChampions Online gains profits and players as a free-to-play [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1000-percent-increaseataric-storechampions-onlinecoconcurrent-usersconversioncrypticcryptic-studiosexperience-boostexperience-boosterf2pfreefree-for-allfree-to-playfreebieJohn-needhamnumbersrebootrelaunchrestartrewardTrailerVideoThu, 17 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Exploring Eberron: My shopping cart]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/20/exploring-eberron-my-shopping-cart/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/20/exploring-eberron-my-shopping-cart/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/20/exploring-eberron-my-shopping-cart/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Today I was hoping to open up my full purchase history at the Dungeons and Dragons Online store and do an analysis of everything I've bought since the store was put into the game. Unfortunately, I've since discovered that -- short of saving each and every confirmation email that Turbine sends me -- there's no accessible store history, either in the game or outside of it. Clicking "View Purchase History" in the store simply showed me a couple Turbine point buys, but that's it.

That makes me a sad panda barbarian.

So pushing aside the issue of why Turbine doesn't want me to see my order history ("Perhaps so you don't question future purchases," the quiet cynic inside me whispers), I'll have to do this via questionable memory. I've been a subscriber since the DDO F2P switch, which nets me a portion of "free" TP per month, but I've also dropped additional money -- perhaps three times -- to beef up my TP reservoir so that I could get a couple big ticket items. So seeing as how I don't have to worry about purchasing adventure packs, on what have I been spending my allowance? Hit the jump to find out!

Continue reading Exploring Eberron: My shopping cart

MassivelyExploring Eberron: My shopping cart originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>32-pointadventure-packcash-shopcosmeticddoddo-storeDungeons-and-Dragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlineexperience-boostexploring-eberronf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpHairdohirelingsitem-shoponedawesomerubi-red-hair-dyetomestptp-is-an-unfortuante-acronymturbineturbine-pointsFri, 20 Aug 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Celebrate the spring with Atlantica's May Weekends]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/03/celebrate-the-spring-with-atlanticas-may-weekends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/03/celebrate-the-spring-with-atlanticas-may-weekends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/03/celebrate-the-spring-with-atlanticas-may-weekends/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With the gorgeous spring weather coming to many of us, the enticing pull of the outdoors may prove irresistible -- unless a proper distraction arises, of course. The folks over at Atlantica Online are hoping that players will trade meadow romps for hardcore gaming with the advent of May Weekends.

For starters, there's a sweet 150% experience boost each Saturday and Sunday through the month, which is cause for celebration in and of itself. On top of that, players get to experience special themed events:

  • Big Boss Bonanza (May 8-9) -- Special bosses will roam the land, offering additional challenges and rewards.
  • Item Giveaway (May 15-16) -- Log in with your level 20+ character at certain times to receive free prizes.
  • Pop Quiz (May 22-23) -- Answer a GM's pop quiz correctly and net yourself a nice piece of loot.
  • Monster Invasions (May 29-30) -- Monsters are laying siege to major cities, and must be fought off!
With something different going on each weekend, players have a great reason to dally in Atlantica. Read the official article for the full scoop!

MassivelyCelebrate the spring with Atlantica's May Weekends originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 May 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atlantica-onlinebonanzaeventsexperience-boostmay-weekendsmeadow-rompsndoors-interactivepop-quizMon, 03 May 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online giving everyone a butcher's blessing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/20/warhammer-online-giving-everyone-a-butchers-blessing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/20/warhammer-online-giving-everyone-a-butchers-blessing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/20/warhammer-online-giving-everyone-a-butchers-blessing/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

While the Night of Murder event has been pretty well received by the Warhammer Online crowd, there have been certain persistent issues with the event's mechanics. The staff extended the event slightly in order to try and ameliorate the problem, but it kept sticking around for some reason; one of those relentless bugs that avoids squishing no matter how resolutely you aim for it.

The major sticking point? Butcher's Blessing, a substantial buff to both experience and renown accumulated. While not a game-breaking issue if unresolved, it was certainly obnoxious for anyone looking forward to the improved growth rates. As a result, the staff has apparently been all but swimming in tickets about the buff not applying or functioning correctly. So the development staff decided to go with the straightforward solution.

For today and tomorrow, there will be a 30% buff to experience and renown gained for all characters, regardless of the blessing functioning or not functioning. That's a pretty substantial leap in gains, and it's high incentive for Warhammer Online players to hit the ground running. So go ahead, log in, and start enjoying the blessing of butchery on all of your characters.

MassivelyWarhammer Online giving everyone a butcher's blessing originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking-newsbutchers-blessingea-gamesea-mythicea-warhammerea-warhammer-onlineelectronic-artsevent-extensionexperience-boostleveling-boostmythicmythic-eamythic-entertainmentnight-of-murderwarwar-eawarhammerwarhammer-eawarhammer-onlinewarhammer-online-eaSat, 20 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion introduces XP bonus weekends to smooth the curve]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/15/aion-introduces-xp-bonus-weekends-to-smooth-the-curve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/15/aion-introduces-xp-bonus-weekends-to-smooth-the-curve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/15/aion-introduces-xp-bonus-weekends-to-smooth-the-curve/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Some will say it's unnecessary. Some will say it's coming too late. And others? Others will jump up and down in joy. What could possibly be so divisive?

Oh, well, that's Aion's new bonus experience weekends! According to community manager Tamat, Aion is introducing these brand new experience gaining opportunities to help smooth the leveling curve between levels one and 35. As long as you log on during one of these weekends and are between those levels, everything you do will garner you double experience. Crafting? Yep. Gathering? Yep. Killing? Yep, it's all there.

Now Tamat does go on to say that this is a temporary measure before they do something more permanent about the leveling curve, but it's a good start to address what is an issue to many people. Especially when, as we've said before, only 2% of the entire population is between the levels of 46-50 and Aion's endgame doesn't function well without people. Hard to PvP with no one there.

MassivelyAion introduces XP bonus weekends to smooth the curve originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aion-onlinebreakingdouble-expdouble-exp-weekendendgameexperience-boostexperience-curvegrindncsoftpvptamatTue, 15 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively interview with Aion's new community manager]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/28/massively-interview-with-aions-new-community-manager/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Aion is easily one of the biggest MMOs of the year, so when a new North American community manager took over recently we decided it was the perfect time for an interview with the new team member, Andrew Beegle -- known as Tamat to community members.

We asked Tamat about new methods of community interaction, the hotly anticipated experience boost patch and even some personal questions about our new community manager. You can never really know enough about the person serving as the conduit to your main MMO -- at least that's what we tell them!

Continue reading Massively interview with Aion's new community manager

MassivelyMassively interview with Aion's new community manager originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aioncommunityexperienceexperience-boostexperience-patchfeaturedinterviewkoreakoreanmassively-interviewsnc-westncsoftnorth-americanorth-americanpatchservertamattranslationWed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft extends a thank you to Aion players for their patience]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/16/ncsoft-extends-a-thank-you-to-aion-players-for-their-patience/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/16/ncsoft-extends-a-thank-you-to-aion-players-for-their-patience/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/16/ncsoft-extends-a-thank-you-to-aion-players-for-their-patience/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Remember those server queues? Yeah you do. How could you forget the glorious two-hour-plus waits to get in to play NCsoft's Aion?

Well, those times are in the past now. The Aion servers have settled down, leading to most people being able to log in immediately, even during peak hours. Queues have all but vanished, and the game is settling in for its long haul.

However, NCsoft did want to give the Aion devoted a little gift for putting up with all of the hassle. While it may not entirely make up for the time spent waiting in line, it will certainly help speed your progression -- Lodas Amulets.

These amulets, when used, will provide 20% bonus experience from monster kills for one hour. Every character has been given five of these unique items, meaning that pre-order customers will now have 10 of them, as they have already received five from their pre-order. Enjoy the weekend of adventuring!

MassivelyNCsoft extends a thank you to Aion players for their patience originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-the-tower-of-eternitybreakingexperience-boostlodas-amuletncsoftserver-queuesserver-stabilitythank-you-giftFri, 16 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST