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Final Fantasy XIV unveils the full scope of patch 1.21

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

The time is now -- Final Fantasy XIV's sweeping patch 1.21 is going live. That means players can experience the new Job system, do battle in two new instanced dungeons, and relax in their new private rooms. The patch notes make it clear that as with most of the game's patches, there's a lot going on even beyond the headlining features for the update, including intra-city teleportation services, new achievement categories to explore, and new ways for players to spend guild marks.

Patch 1.21 also brings along a revision to the food and medicine of the game, with food serving universally as a small long-term buff and medicines working as short effects or buffs with a big impact. The team has also revised accessories, doing away with the previous mechanic of slot costs. And that's not even touching upon new missions for provisioning from the Grand Companies, the introduction of chocobo barding, or any number of other smaller features added with the list. It's a lot of stuff to absorb, and it should keep adventurers happy for quite some time.

Final Fantasy XIV unveils the full scope of patch 1.21 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MechWarrior Online previews BattleMech upgrades and pilot skill trees

Matt Daniel — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, MechWarrior Online

A couple of days ago, Piranha Games -- the studio behind the upcoming MechWarrior Online -- gave us a look at the role-based warfare and character progression we can expect from the robot-fighting title. As we reported last week, players in MWO will fall into of four roles: scout, assault, defense, or command. Today's update on the game's official site gives us a closer look at the various ways that players can earn XP and on what they can spend it. For instance, every 'Mech will have an upgrade tree, which is divided into tiers. Players must spend experience in order to purchase all of the upgrades on a given tier before they are able to access the subsequent tier.

To get a look at the various abilities and skill trees through which players will be progressing when they finally find themselves in the cockpit, just click on through the link below to the official MechWarrior Online site.

MechWarrior Online previews BattleMech upgrades and pilot skill trees originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Massively: Mind tricks are the lazy way of doing things edition

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, Opinion, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous

Recently, I've become enamored of the Bavarian Fire Drill. For those who don't want to click on that link (it's work-safe in the sense that it contains no cursing and not work-safe in the sense that you'll be clicking for hours), it's the art of infiltrating a building by carrying a clipboard and acting like you're supposed to be there. Sure, you could just wave your hand and tell people that these aren't the droids they're looking for, but wouldn't you rather have the chutzpah to just walk around like it wasn't a thing?

That leads very naturally to this week's installment of Ask Massively, in which we discuss whether or not leveling mechanics have worn our their collective welcomes in MMOs. As always, if you've got an urgent question for a future week, feel free to leave it in the comments or mail it along to ask@massively.com. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity.

Continue reading Ask Massively: Mind tricks are the lazy way of doing things edition

Ask Massively: Mind tricks are the lazy way of doing things edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you like to level in parties?

Eliot Lefebvre — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

Back in the old days of MMOs -- and feel free to insert your own jokes about dinosaurs roaming the earth -- leveling was something that was done in groups. Soloing was for farming or running from place to place, but for the most part, you leveled with several other people, meaning that you knew from a very early level what you needed to do when in a group. It also meant, unfortunately, that it was really difficult to just play on your own schedule instead of the times when everyone else was on and available.

To some players who grew up on games like EverQuest, the idea that almost every game can be soloed to max level is a bit jarring. But there are lots of reasons to level in parties anyway, ranging from working with others when you play a group-centric build to just wanting other people around when you level.

So do you like to try and level up in groups? Or do you group up for special events and level on your own for the most part?

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!

The Daily Grind: Do you like to level in parties? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: Patch 1.19

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Lore, Patches, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log

So there was a Final Fantasy XIV patch on Tuesday. Maybe you heard about it. It was only all over the parts of the internet that care about Final Fantasy XIV, and even some that don't. This was not a patch in the traditional sense; it was a huge reworking and revamping of several parts of the game.

It's a big patch, that's what I'm getting at. And I've spent the past several days diving into it with all the time I've had because this is the sort of thing that really changes a lot of core assumptions about the game.

So it's been a time of empirical testing, a time of leveling, a time of dropping a lot of gil on new pieces of equipment and getting ready to tell my readers whether this patch was everything promised or fell flat. And truth be told, there's too much to address even in one column. But I can at least get started.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Patch 1.19

The Mog Log: Patch 1.19 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you complain about games you don't play?

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Humor, Miscellaneous

It seems like everyone has an opinion on big-name MMOs, even if the person with the opinion has never been past the starter areas. Whether you're discussing EverQuest or Star Trek Online, there's someone who has a long list of reasons about why the game is terrible. Of course, said complainers frequently don't play the game, sometimes because of the issues they like to raise -- but sometimes this leads to people complaining about bugs or bad systems that have been patched out months ago and are no longer an issue.

Sometimes, the complaints are simply "I didn't like how it was designed and it's not for me." Other times, the complaints are hate-filled rants that would fit nicely in a breakup letter for an ex-lover. But whether the complaints are valid or not, today we ask you if you complain about a game that you do not play. If so, which game, and how much did you play before you left? And if not, what springs to mind when you see people who do?

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!

The Daily Grind: Do you complain about games you don't play? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: On armchair development

Jef Reahard — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

A couple of weeks ago I penned a Soapbox that, to put it mildly, elicited passionate responses. While a few people sided with me in my belief that MMO combat is silly and sucky, the cries of the masses drowned us out with variations on "you know nothing, Jon Snow" and "go back to consoles, you inexperienced newb!"

Some of the responses got me to thinking about game design in general and about game designers and their cult celebrity status in particular. When you cut through the anonymous insults and keyboard courage, most of my would-be critics were actually right about one thing: I'm not a game "developer." You know what's funny, though? That doesn't make a lick of difference when it comes to the ability to talk intelligently about games and game design.

Continue reading The Soapbox: On armchair development

The Soapbox: On armchair development originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wargaming.net's World of Warplanes to share currency with World of Tanks

Matt Daniel — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Historical, Economy, News items, War, Free-to-play, World of Tanks

Whether you feel more comfortable on the ground or in the skies, Wargaming.net has you covered. The studio announced today some new details on the economic system for its upcoming title World of Warplanes. According to the press release, it will follow the model of its predecessor World of Tanks with gold, credits, and experience as the primary forms of currency.

With the addition of World of Warplanes to its stable, however, Wargaming.net plans to allow "global interaction" between the two titles. This means, in case you couldn't guess, that all of those different forms of currency will be shared between the two games. This, in turn, means that any player that has racked up an obscene amount of gold/credits/experience in World of Tanks can put their excess currencies toward their advancement in World of Warplanes. If you want to get a jump on the competition before World of Warplanes' launch, you can sign up for World of Tanks at the official site.

Wargaming.net's World of Warplanes to share currency with World of Tanks originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIV removing old penalties and adding a couple new ones

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

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

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

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

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Lost Pages of Taborea: Elaborating on XP gain and leveling alts

Jeremy Stratton — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Free-to-play, Runes of Magic, Lost Pages of Taborea

This week I want to elaborate on experience gain, the honor party, and other ways of leveling alts. I received some great feedback from last week's article that suggests to me an interest in a much wider discussion of power-leveling. But before I get to that, let's clear up XP gain in Runes of Magic.

Most MMOs that I know of -- including RoM -- dish out XP based on the character's level and the level of the mob being slain. If your character is the same level as the mob, the game will give you an adequate amount of XP as a reward. If the mob is higher, you'll get even more experience, but you'll get less XP as you out-level a mob. If you've played any MMO, you're probably aware of this. In RoM, you'll stop collecting XP from mobs 10 levels lower than you. Naturally, fighting mobs slightly higher than you can be more efficient. You can continue to fight increasingly higher-level mobs, but at some point, there's just no way you'll be able to survive, which is why you may want to get a higher-level player to take you just about anywhere in RoM to power-level you. When a high-level player starts towing you around, though, the XP you gain will be based directly on the amount of XP that player would get from any mob he kills. Read on to see more about this and alternative ways of power-leveling.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: Elaborating on XP gain and leveling alts

Lost Pages of Taborea: Elaborating on XP gain and leveling alts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Guild Counsel: Raid wipe, now what!

Karen Bryan — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous

Whether you're a guildleader or not, there's always one single moment that everyone dreads in an MMO: the wipe. It's caused sleepless nights, tons of gray hairs, and in some cases, the breakup of a guild. The first few seconds after a raid wipe resemble that scene from Speed:

"Pop quiz, hot shot. There are dozens of players attacking a mob, it's at one percent, your tanks drop, and you wipe. What do you do?"

If you've ever been Keanu Reaves on that out of control bus, read on for a few helpful tips on what to do when everything hits the fan.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Raid wipe, now what!

The Guild Counsel: Raid wipe, now what! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: How long have you been playing MMOs?

Eliot Lefebvre — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

Here on Massively, we've got a staff with a widely varying set of tastes. Some of us prefer open-ended sandboxes, some prefer straightforward themeparks, and some like a mix of both. But if there's one point of commonality that's come up when the question has been asked of late, it's the fact that most of us have been playing in our virtual worlds for a while now. In fact, the most recent game on our "first game played" list was Guild Wars, a game swiftly approaching its six-year anniversary.

As much as we'd like to pretend that age is nothing but a number, we all know that there's a certain added weight to saying that you've been playing since Ultima Online was launched. So today, we'd like to know just how long our readers have been playing MMOs. Have you been around since the launch of Ultima Online? EverQuest? World of Warcraft? Or are you even more recent, having just started in the near-past -- or planning on starting when an upcoming game is released?

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!

The Daily Grind: How long have you been playing MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EverQuest devs talk progression server on new Live Cast

Jef Reahard — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, EverQuest, New titles

Ladies and gentleman, start your time machines! Today marks the launch of EverQuest's Fippy Darkpaw progression server, and SOE has a trio of new Live Cast videos with the dev team available for viewing on its YouTube channel. The discussion is hosted by Eric "Piestro" Cleaver and features lead designer Adam Bell, designer Ed Hardin, and lead programmer Steve Klug.

Topics covered include the hows and whys of a progression server, the world and zone revamps, and the XP curve (which the team says will be slowed down quite a bit relative to the live game). "There are no 'hell levels,' but it will still be slower than it is on a normal server," Hardin says.

The team also talks about how certain races and classes, and even the game's tutorial, won't be available from launch, as they're locked to certain expansions and will only become available as the progression server ages. Speaking of progressing, the devs have implemented a brand new voting system with a dedicated in-game UI in order to afford players the opportunity to choose when the server should move to the next expansion. As far as who gets to vote, Bell says that "you'll need to be on the progression server and at least level 30 in order to vote to unlock the next expansion, and we may raise that level as the expansion unlocks continue."

Head past the cut to view the entire Live Cast in three parts.

Continue reading EverQuest devs talk progression server on new Live Cast

EverQuest devs talk progression server on new Live Cast originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XI launches the February update

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Consoles

It's a lucky day for Final Fantasy XI players all around, as the awaited February version update has gone live. While Square-Enix has been calling it a mini-update due to the lack of a major content push accompanying the patch, it's still packed with some pretty substantial improvements. Experience and skill gains have both been buffed significantly -- experience gains have been substantially improved outside of Abyssea, and skill gains will happen in larger amounts against weaker targets.

Several other improvements to quality of life have also been brought live, including the option to reclaim lost items from the completion of Treasures of Aht Urhgan. Porter moogles are also expanding their lists of retained items, giving players a chance to free up more of their precious inventory spots. Final Fantasy XI might not have added a great deal of new content with this update, but the full list of changes makes it clear that a lot of older content has been vastly improved.

Final Fantasy XI launches the February update originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: Let's talk about EXP, baby

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Game mechanics, Patches, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log

If there was one thing I always hated about Final Fantasy XI, it was the leveling process. Not the grouping for levels, which was fun and often a good distraction from the monotony of camping and grinding. (It was obnoxious trying to level Dragoon, sure, but that was excellent motivation to spend more time as a healer.) No, it was something much simpler -- the actual speed of the level-to-level process, or more accurately, the earth-shattering lag between levels that only increased as you got higher.

Both Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XI are on the horns of an experience change, with the former having happened and the latter still to be seen as of this writing (I'm working fairly far ahead, so watch the patch drop this week). Seeing as how leveling is kind of a big deal until you've reached the level cap in everything, the changes are worth examining for what they add to the game and for whether or not the changes are actually worthwhile and useful.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Let's talk about EXP, baby

The Mog Log: Let's talk about EXP, baby originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Storyboard: Archetype discussion - the Mentor

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous

I keep expecting to run out of ideas for the various archetypes that I've been discussing, but more of them keep coming to me. The past six columns have all highlighted characters who are distinct from one another yet at the same time make compelling centers to their own stories. For roleplaying purposes, they move to the forefront of the ensemble cast when needed and slip to the middle the rest of the time.

But not everyone whose name is in the credits is necessarily going to be The Hero. Today's archetype probably won't be remembered as the one who accomplished any great deeds, unless you look at it by association. But she's still a vital character to any group, someone who provides an emotional and moral center amidst a horde of conflicting personalities -- even if no one might remember it. Today we're taking a look at the Mentor and all of the things that she brings to the table even from a more subtle role.

Continue reading Storyboard: Archetype discussion - the Mentor

Storyboard: Archetype discussion - the Mentor originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XI details big experience and skill gain increases

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Consoles

While we still don't know exactly when February's mini-version update will fall, Final Fantasy XI players are going to have two very big things to look forward to when the change goes live. Previous updates had promised adjustments to skill gains and experience points, but without any hard numbers to back up those statements, some fans were quite reasonably skeptical. But the team has spoken, and now we have some idea of what to expect -- Even Match monsters will give roughly double their current experience, and skill gains are possible on Decent Challenge or higher enemies.

The former could well mean that the amount of experience seen by players will be doubled across the board, or it could simply mean that the scaling will work a bit differently. Similarly, the skill gains will allow players to level up weapons far more easily, especially with the promise of larger numbers for each gain, easing the pain of finally getting a 0.1 increase after half an hour of work. Players will have to wait a little while longer to see the specifics at work, but the two adjustments should give Final Fantasy XI's players a much easier leveling experience, especially for neglected jobs or subjobs.

Final Fantasy XI details big experience and skill gain increases originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another batch of Final Fantasy XI answers for players

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Game mechanics, News items, Consoles

The times in Final Fantasy XI are changing, it seems, with the advent of an early February mini-patch serving as a sign of same. That's hardly the only thing players have questions about, but the most recent dispatch from the development team focuses primarily upon what the mini-patch will bring. Still, the improved communication goes across the board, discussing details of future updates and other system changes as well as some requested features that will have to remain omitted.

New auto-translate phrases, for instance, are something that the team would like to implement but can't due to PS2 hardware limitations. The pattern for version update files, however, is being changed to better accommodate the same hardware limitations, saving the machine from having to download the full update and then apply the files one by one. Perhaps most heartening to veteran players, experience gains will be adjusted outside of Abyssea to try to ease the gap between the add-on scenarios and the rest of the world. Final Fantasy XI players can take a look at the full list of questions and get ready for the version update in early February.

Another batch of Final Fantasy XI answers for players originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: The final ding

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor

It happened far sooner than I'd hoped. I tried to put it off, to ignore the creeping bar, to spend my days in frivolous activities instead of fighting evil -- but to no avail. It was a simple quest turn-in somewhere deep in Mirkwood, and with only two elves to witness the event, a stream of white light erupted from my head.

I was level 65.

For me, it's always been extremely disconcerting to hit endgame in any MMO, which is probably why Lord of the Rings Online marks only the fourth game of my MMO career in which this has happened. I like the feeling of leveling up, gaining experience, going on a mostly solo journey through the lands. But once I ding that final level, the XP gains go away and the questions arise.

What do I do now? Should I become concerned with raiding? I wasn't before! Is there a purpose to keep on questing at this point without XP? Am I going to avoid fighting mobs unless I absolutely have to do so? What is there to do? Will I get bored? Who replaced my wallet with a ketchup packet before I sat down?

Join me after the jump as I take you through these questions and more on my journey to discover a life after the final ding.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: The final ding

The Road to Mordor: The final ding originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do we level too fast?

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

The old timer shifted the toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other before launching a wad of foul blackness into a nearby spittoon. "Leveling?" he cackled. "Is that what you kids today call it? This fancy-pantsy autobahn of progression from zero to infinity in under a week? Why, back in my day, leveling came at a snail's pace -- no, with snails; you could actually see their progress. We strained forward, fighting for every millimeter of experience bar. Of course, if we got ourselves killed, the game'd just kick us on our backs, leer into our losery faces, and take a good chunk of that experience away."

His eyes grew distant and haunted as he dredged up the memories. "Of course..." His voice faltered. "Of course, that was nothing compared to Hell Levels. We lost many good souls during Hell Levels, minds broken by the drudgery. Now take me back inside -- it's time for Jeopardy!"

Hey you! Internet person! What do you think -- do we level too fast in MMOs these days? Is leveling just a joke now, a minor speedbump on the way to the "real" game? Or do you appreciate the faster pace?

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!

The Daily Grind: Do we level too fast? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Going steady with Kromede's Trial

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST

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

Last week, I bared my soul and shared my first date with my favorite mid-level Aion instance, Kromede's Trial. OK, so maybe it is the only mid-level solo instance, but that doesn't diminish the fact that I enjoyed it immensely -- enough to return over and over and over again. Not even the lure of rifting changes could pull me away... although the second I hit level 45 and cannot enter the instance, I am off to Morheim! Until that moment, I am enjoying a combination of full-clears for armor and XP and quick runs just for the weapon.

So what about this instance hooked me enough to manage four different runs in one day during the reactivation celebration (while the lockout timer was reduced to four hours)? A steadily filled experience bar, a consistently filled cube, and the promise of a gold weapon after completing one repeatable quest 20 times, not to mention a growing collection of corrupt judge's armor pieces and a chance at Kaliga's key for a fabled weapon are why I simply can't say no. All this without having to deal with the inconvenience of forming a group, and all my other Aion goals can be met while the instance is on cool-down. What more could a girl want?

Peek past the cut to watch this love affair unfold as I continue to court Kromede's Trial. Enjoy a screenshot gallery as well!

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Going steady with Kromede's Trial

Wings Over Atreia: Going steady with Kromede's Trial originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Storyboard: Archetype discussion - the Scholar

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Lore, Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous

It's time for our third archetype discussion, with the previous two being the Soldier and the Rogue. I've been pleased with the positive response I've seen so far, especially since the archetypes seem to help highlight the difference between a class and the character. There are classes that suggest a more roguelike approach (not a Roguelike approach; that's different), but people play them as soldiers, undertaking missions and killing based on exterior orders rather than any sort of malice or desire.

And that's great -- the power of archetypes is that you can have almost any class or combination of abilities backing them up. Such is the case with today's archetype, one that is often seen as being limited to spellcasters but which can really cover almost any set of skills. James Joyce wrote that when you think about things, you can understand them, and that's the bread and butter of the scholar. Queue up some appropriate music, and let's take a look at someone who just wants to know more.

Continue reading Storyboard: Archetype discussion - the Scholar

Storyboard: Archetype discussion - the Scholar originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Double your pleasure with Aion double XP

Jef Reahard — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Events, in-game, News items

Thinking of dusting off one of your Daevas? If you've got a long-neglected alt, if your main has stalled on the cusp of level 55, or if you've just been away from the world of Atreia altogether, you'll probably want to take advantage of Aion's upcoming double experience weekends.

From December 3rd through December 6th (beginning and ending at 12:00 p.m. PST on both days), you can double your pleasure with double XP on both mobs and quests. If that's not enough, you can also enjoy 99% off soul healing costs from December 4th to December 5th (12:00 a.m. PST - 11:59 p.m. PST) as well as December 11th to December 12th (at the same time slot). Check out the official Aion site for all the details.

Double your pleasure with Aion double XP originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Are you in for the long haul or just for the fun times?

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Expansions, Patches, Opinion, The Daily Grind

Some people are MMO dilettantes. They arrive when something new has been released for the game, play for a while, and then scamper off once they get bored. By their argument, they're getting maximum enjoyment out of the game at no real loss, and all they're losing are interminable endgame events they'd rather avoid to begin with. Why should they stick around if the game isn't satisfying them at that moment?

Other players are dedicated. Sure, there's a slump every so often -- stretches with no new content or content that is new but horrendously boring. But the important thing is to power through and remain stable, so that when the awesome stuff comes out you can enjoy it to the fullest. Unlike the dabblers, they get to see what they consider the best of the game, and they get the full range of accomplishments coming from having been there all the while.

So where do you find yourself? Do you flit from game to game as something new strikes your fancy, with no real commitments beyond what you find fun at the time? Or do you pick a game and stick it out through thick and thin?

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!

The Daily Grind: Are you in for the long haul or just for the fun times? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you turn off XP?

Jef Reahard — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind

Craig Morrison's latest blog post got me to thinking about MMORPG design, progression, and the sweet nectar of the gods known as XP. When you get right down to it, XP is a huge part of why we play these games, whether it be the simple pleasures inherent in watching the bar move, or the fact that we're hell-bent on a particular plateau that will allow us to equip the one-shotting batarang of WtFpwned!!11! +1.

There are some among us that do the unthinkable, though, or would if their game of choice gave them the option. Yes, a few hearty souls turn off XP gain. I know, right? The horror!

What could possibly motivate such a bold and rebellious act? Is it to avoid out-leveling a compatriot? A desire to continue questing in a particularly awesome section of the game world? Even the wisest cannot tell why you'd want to disable the almighty XP, so today's question is a bit simpler (but feel free to expound on it if you wish): Do you turn off your XP?

The Daily Grind: Do you turn off XP? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Storyboard: Brother from another series

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard

Some players and characters are nice enough to point out to you right away that they're not actually from around here. You know the ones -- the elves with long flowing blonde hair and names that imply some variation on legs and the non-presence of same are certainly a long-standing example. Of course, the people in question are rarely roleplaying, but that doesn't change the number of elven marksmen who are all the best in the world at hitting a target, never mind the "miss" result that pops up every so often when they nock their arrows.

In fiction, they're called expys, short for exported characters. They're guest stars from elsewhere, and while most roleplayers have a name that's a bit more original than some variant on Legolas, they're no less common. After all, if you're inspired by a particularly good character and want to try playing him in a given environment, why wouldn't you just pick him up and transplant him? But there are good ways to do it and bad ways, just like there are far more ways to make dull and unlikable characters than interesting ones. So follow on past the break for a look at how to make your expy fall into the "interesting homage" camp rather than the "xx_Legolas_xx" camp.

Continue reading Storyboard: Brother from another series

Storyboard: Brother from another series originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Devil in the details for Final Fantasy XIV's fatigue

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game mechanics, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

When the news broke yesterday regarding the fatigue system in Final Fantasy XIV, it made virtually no one happy. Even the system's defenders generally had an attitude of "it's not all that bad," and most players were up in arms over the very idea. But a day can make a lot of difference, and as it turns out, we didn't quite have the clear picture of the fatigue system that we thought we did. The official translation from Square-Enix covers most of the same ground, but adds several important facts.

The two most salient points are the fact that the limiting factors are not time-based but value-based, and the fact that the "cooldown" on fatigue sets in as soon as a player starts doing something that won't grant skill or experience points. There's no word on whether or not this will be the case during time spent logged off, but it means that the much-loathed figures about how much time would be productive are not altogether correct. Take a look at the official translation, which should provide a much-needed balm for several angry Final Fantasy XIV fans.

[Thanks to John for the tip!]

Devil in the details for Final Fantasy XIV's fatigue originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIV fatigue format fully put forward

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game mechanics, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

Ever since the beginning of the third beta phase, "fatigue" has been a hot topic among Final Fantasy XIV fans. In a move familiar to longtime Square-Enix players, the system was put into place without a great deal of description, with players left to speculate as to how the system worked. But a very uncharacteristic move comes from director Nobuaki Komoto with an open statement on what the system is, how it works, and what it's meant to do. Many answers are given, albeit not the answers that all players would want.

The short version is that for each class and character, you will get normal experience for eight hours, followed by a slow drop-off over the next seven hours that ends at no experience gain. This goes for both class levels and physical levels, which means that after 16 hours of play your character's physical level cannot advance further until a week has passed from the start of leveling. Komoto mentions the reasoning behind the system in the full letter, as well as the several ways that the team is working to adjust it. Although it's nice to have the system spelled out in full, "you can only level so much" won't sit well with a large part of Final Fantasy XIV's expected playerbase.

Final Fantasy XIV fatigue format fully put forward originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Facefirst into Praetoria

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Expansions, Game mechanics, Opinion, A Mild-Mannered Reporter

It's finally here, and I have to admit, it's a little weird to realize it. After I spent the better part of half a year focusing on Going Rogue, the expansion has been released and is totally playable. To have the game sitting in front of me (metaphorically) after it's become such a huge part of my professional life is almost too daunting. I almost didn't even want to fire up the launcher to...

OK, yeah, that part isn't fooling anyone. Getting to play around a bit while it was in beta to see how it would play was nice, but I couldn't get myself into City of Heroes fast enough to start leveling a Loyalist and going to town on the new side of town. At the end of the day, I'm just a player like everyone reading this column, and the game I got to play on Monday evening made me very happy indeed. There's a lot to see and do, and I've tried to recap some of the disconnected thoughts in this week's column. And as a bonus, there's a sad announcement at the end! It's like a bonus, anyway.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Facefirst into Praetoria

A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Facefirst into Praetoria originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: Experiment Rhio

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Classes, Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, Consoles, The Mog Log

A long time ago -- like, when I started this column -- I had an idea. Or more accurately, I had a tiny nub of an idea that seemed as if it would be very relevant later. I was still smarting over the VanaFest announcements and the whole idea that nothing would be done to help the lower levels... and an idea came to me. If I was so certain that there was no population to play these areas, why didn't I try soloing them to see how things worked out?

Of course, at the time, I mostly wanted to point and enjoy the sour grapes of being proven right. But as xkcd so eloquently put it, you don't use science to prove yourself right, you use it to become right. (Alt text is your friend.) And so I logged in and put a hard theory to the test: what could a Final Fantasy XI character do without anything more involved than a subjob? No advanced jobs, no airship passes, no special access. Was leveling possible? Difficult? Easy? This was -- and is -- the Rhio experiment.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Experiment Rhio

The Mog Log: Experiment Rhio originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Earth Zero hosting double experience week

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, News items, Free-to-play

If you're a fan of Fantasy Earth Zero, then odds are good that you've also become a fan of the game on Facebook. (You can't escape from that site any more, really.) But if you do enjoy the game's hybrid of real-time strategy elements and fantasy battles without having become a fan of the game on social networking... you owe the Facebook fans a big "thank you." As a celebration for having reached 5,000 fans, the game is running a week of doubled experience.

Running from August 10th to the 17th, the effects are obvious -- every character will receive doubled experience, presumably from every source. While the game doesn't require high levels to be competitive in PvP, it does offer up more options. In addition, players who logged on between July 1st and August 9th will receive a few special in-game items as an additional thanks for playing. Another celebration is planned for 6,000 fans, so Fantasy Earth Zero players are encouraged to become a fan if you're not already.

Fantasy Earth Zero hosting double experience week originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Party like a rock star in Final Fantasy XIV

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Final Fantasy XIV

There are players out there who might be dreading parties in Final Fantasy XIV. Well, not precisely; they might well be dreading that the mechanics will be similar to the parties from Final Fantasy XI, where some classes could seemingly wait for ages without a trace of a group. Mercifully, the fine bilingual team at FFXIVCore has continued its apparent tradition of translating information to coincide with the new beta testing, with the newest translation being a guide to getting a working group in the game.

Guildleves are the game's core leveling mechanics, but new ones can only be accepted every so often, and they can be hard to complete on higher settings alone. By grouping up, players gain access to more guildleves from other players and more support in tackling the game's bigger challenges. The full translation has information on everything from the interface to form a party to the game's battle regiments, the equivalent of Final Fantasy XI's skillchains. (We're guessing they meant regimens, but that's the challenge of translation.) Final Fantasy XIV fans are advised to take a look at the article to start gearing up for the game's release in two months.

Party like a rock star in Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Living la vida Asmo

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST

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

Now, it is oft heard that "Asmos don't get no lovin'!" Perusing threads, or even listening to faction-hoppers in game, you hear many complaints that Asmodians have it just that much harder than their fair-winged counterparts -- that Asmodae is harder to level in than Elysea, the Elyos have better mobs, easier quests, better loot, more press time, and so on. Basically, that the Elyos race is the "favorite child." In the interest of representing both factions in Aion, I gave readers the chance to choose my class as I ventured into Asmodae as a black-winged beauty (sorry folks, I just can't bring myself to create a male character).

And the votes are in! Your choice for my new persona is --drum roll -- priest! While I was excited to delve into the class, a part of me wondered if there was an ulterior motive to this choice... a cry for more healers among the Asmodians, perhaps? Regardless of the reasoning behind it, yours truly slipped out of Elysea and into Asmodae. While it will take me a while (since I am not a power-grinder), I am going to take you along with me as we journey through life on the dark side, comparing the leveling on each side of the planet. In this installment, we are looking at Asmodian life from creation to ascension.

Follow across the cut to join me in my very first clawed footsteps, as well as a hint to maximize your experience at beginning levels.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Living la vida Asmo

Wings Over Atreia: Living la vida Asmo originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive Aion lead producer interview

Jef Reahard — Fri, 21 May 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Interviews, Patches, News items

Aion fans have been on a roller coaster ride of late, what with the recent announcement of the launch date for the highly anticipated 1.9 patch, as well as teasers regarding 2.0 potentially coming to America in the Fall. Tempering the good news was the announcement of pending server mergers, which are rarely regarded as a good thing in the player community.

In light of all the goings on, we were able to sit down with NCsoft's Chris Hager, Lead Producer for the western version of Aion, for some frank questions about the game, the company behind it, and the future.

Fly past the cut for the full interview.

Continue reading Exclusive Aion lead producer interview

Exclusive Aion lead producer interview originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 May 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An interview with veteran supergroups in City of Heroes

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Events, real-world, Expansions, Game mechanics, Interviews, Patches, Opinion

Today is rather the day of City of Heroes, and with good cause -- six years old, with many changes and exciting new parts in the wings. And the game is still open to new players of all sorts, with plenty to enrapture players who've never once set foot in Paragon City. But there's also a special place for players and groupings that have been around for nearly all of the game's lifespan -- something that's quite an accomplishment for more than half a decade.

We were lucky enough to have a chance to speak with two veteran supergroups as part of the anniversary celebration: ICONS and Fusion Force. To help compare and contrast responses, we asked both groups the same set of questions, and what follows is their responses. Some of them are close to one another (for instance, everyone seems to want to go into space), but others are very different, even with similar amounts of experience. Whether you're a City of Heroes veteran yourself or just curious about the game's history, jump on past the cut for our chat with some of the game's longer-running player groups.

Continue reading An interview with veteran supergroups in City of Heroes

An interview with veteran supergroups in City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What's your longest MMO relationship?

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Humor

If online games like Team Fortress 2 are just flirtations, MMOs are full-on relationships. You might look with vague interest at EVE Online even as you briefly date Star Trek Online. Perhaps you broke up with Final Fantasy XI to get together with Aion. Or maybe you and EverQuest are celebrating another anniversary and wondering why people feel the need to overextend a relationship metaphor.

Joking aside, MMOs require a larger time investment than any single-player romp. While claims of playing since a game's beta are almost a self-parody, there's a lot to be said for dedication to a single game, and it breeds far more resources for a player to make use of. On the flip side, of course, you can only spend time in so many different worlds, and having a breadth of different experiences is more to the tastes of some players.

So what MMO have you been playing the longest? Is it a game where your subscription has never lapsed, or one you've frequently left and come back to? Are you happy to keep playing it, or is it that crazy one that you keep almost breaking up with but never quite go the distance?

The Daily Grind: What's your longest MMO relationship? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Tattered Notebook: Sentinel's Fate aftermath and advice

Seraphina Brennan — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Expansions, Tips and tricks, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook

Hrm. After a brief vacation, darlings, I am back at the reigns of my column. Neriak was lovely this time of year -- I encourage you all to stop by for a visit if you have the time.

But who has the time these days, right? All of your are off exploring Odus as if you haven't seen the place in 500 years. I hear that some adventurers are already tackling some of the most dangerous dungeons on that continent already! My, my, my, how you all tackle your challenges so quickly.

Many of you have had some very interesting things to say about Odus, and I've been silently watching and taking some notes. I've got them all right here, tucked away in my notebook. I've even amassed some answers for a few of your more common problems, just in time for the digital download release today. But, all of you can never say that Seccia Ravenloft was a secretive elf. I'm more than happy to share my findings so come closely, gather around the campfire, and listen here.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Sentinel's Fate aftermath and advice

The Tattered Notebook: Sentinel's Fate aftermath and advice originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively interview with Aion's new community manager

Kyle Horner — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News items, Massively Interviews

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

Massively 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.

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EverQuest II players now receiving bonus experience for the weekend

William Dobson — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Events, in-game, Leveling

A few weeks ago, over the Labor Day weekend, players of EverQuest enjoyed a massive double experience bonus. Some folks wondered why EverQuest II wasn't included in the bonus celebration. Well, this weekend it's their turn, as all players of EverQuest II should be receiving a bonus to adventuring, tradeskill, and alternate advancement xp as of 1:00PM PDT today. It doesn't sound like it's a full 2x bonus like it was in EverQuest, but every little bit helps.

The bonus weekend is a good opportunity for players to get into the brand new game update that was just pushed live this week -- although, the new Chronomagic system is all about going back in levels, not speeding forward. Players have until 10:00AM PDT on Monday to make use of the bonus, so if you've got some leveling to do, get cracking.

EverQuest II players now receiving bonus experience for the weekend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Skill-based MMOs: Passive vs. active gain

Brooke Pilley — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Darkfall, EVE Online, MMO industry, Opinion

There are two main progression models in MMOs: Level-based and skill-based. In level-based MMOs, you kill things and complete tasks to earn experience. This experience leads to new levels and the new levels generally lead to newer and more powerful skills. In skill-based MMOs, it isn't you who "levels up," but your skills. The more you use a particular skill (e.g., swimming, shield-blocking, axe-slashing, etc.) the better that skill becomes. At a basic level, both models are just different interpretations of the "experience point" system.

While traditional, level-based MMOs don't usually allow you to earn XP while logged off, some skill-based systems do. EVE Online, for example, has a passive skill-leveling system, where players choose a queue of various skills that level up in real-time whether they are logged in or out. On the other hand, Darkfall uses an active skill-leveling system. The more you slash with a one-handed sword, the better your skill with one-handed swords becomes. If you switch to a two-handed hammer, you won't be as good until you start using it more.

Syncaine has started an interesting discussion on his blog about the pros and cons of passive versus active skill gain in MMOs. While the original article favours one over the other, the comments really show both sides of the argument.

Skill-based MMOs: Passive vs. active gain originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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