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[ZeniMax Online Studios builds new MMO customer support facility]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/zenimax-online-studios-builds-new-mmo-customer-support-facility/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/zenimax-online-studios-builds-new-mmo-customer-support-facility/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/16/zenimax-online-studios-builds-new-mmo-customer-support-facility/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The folks at ZeniMax Online Studios have founded a new support facility in Galway, Ireland with the intent to provide customer service for "players of future massively multiplayer online games." While some of you are probably wondering just who in the heck ZeniMax is, others have no doubt seen the parent company name scrolling by on the startup screens for Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

ZeniMax Media owns not only ZeniMax Online but also Bethesda Softworks and id Software (the brains behind the Doom franchise). ZeniMax Online is headed by Mythic co-founder Matt Firor, and ex-World of Warcraft dev Rich Barham is serving as the director of customer support. Though the studio has yet to make an official game-related announcement, it's clearly laying the foundation for something big.

MassivelyZeniMax Online Studios builds new MMO customer support facility originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdaBethesda-Softworkscustomer-servicedoomelder-scrollsfallout-3fallout-new-vegasmatt-firorMiscellaneousmmo-industryoblivionrich-barhamthe-elder-scrollszenimaxzenimax-onlinezenimax-online-studiosWed, 16 Mar 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Homage to we hope this never makes it into SWTOR, but knowing our luck, it probably will]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/30/hyperspace-beacon-homage-to-we-hope-this-never-makes-it-into-sw/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/30/hyperspace-beacon-homage-to-we-hope-this-never-makes-it-into-sw/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/30/hyperspace-beacon-homage-to-we-hope-this-never-makes-it-into-sw/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

One of the best compliments you can give a creator is to make an homage to his work. The title of one of the Hyperspace Beacons was an homage to TOROCast articles. It's a way to tell the creator, "You're doing a good job. Keep up the good work." Not to mention, homages are a lot of fun. In fact, my first published work was an homage to the work of Charles Dickens. I wrote a story about what happened to the Cratchit children. But what happens when an homage goes too far?

Every once in a while, the Hyperspace Beacon takes a side track and asks about ideas that should end up on the cutting room floor. We all know games have concepts that just don't work. Star Wars: The Old Republic will be no exception. This little humorous segment is called We hope this never makes it into SWTOR, but knowing our luck, it probably will -- or WHTNMIISWTORBKOLIPW, for short.

Follow me after the break to see what "homageneous" ideas should never make it into the release of SWTOR, but knowing our luck, they will anyway.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Homage to we hope this never makes it into SWTOR, but knowing our luck, it probably will

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Homage to we hope this never makes it into SWTOR, but knowing our luck, it probably will originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-christmas-carolaperture-scienceBioWareCastlevaniacastlevania-lords-of-shadowCharles-DickensDavid-BowieeaElectronic-Artsfallout-new-vegasfeaturedGLaDOShoward-the-duckhyperspace-beaconILMIndiana-JonesIndustrial-light-and-magicJennifer-Connellyjim-hensonLabyrinthLucasFilmportalraiders-of-the-lost-arkron-howardStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republicthe-orange-boxtorTOROcastvalvevalve-softwareWHTNMIISWTORBKOLIPWWorld-of-WarcraftWoWYoung-Indiana-Jones-ChroniclesTue, 30 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Fallout Online newsletter sighted in the wild]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/20/new-fallout-online-newsletter-sighted-in-the-wild/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/20/new-fallout-online-newsletter-sighted-in-the-wild/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/20/new-fallout-online-newsletter-sighted-in-the-wild/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Several of us here at Massively are avid fans of the Fallout franchise and have even been cheating on our MMOs with a bit of New Vegas action over the last few weeks. It should come as no surprise, then, that we keep a keen eye out for news of Interplay's upcoming Fallout Online MMO. The latest tidbit arrived in our inboxes today in the form of the third issue of The Armageddon Rag, a faux in-character newsletter that purports to inform the reader of various happenings from around the wasteland. Unlike previous issues, this one comes "electronically" in the form of a Pip Pad.

The latest issue of Rag doesn't pay tribute to George R.R. Martin (as you might expect from the title) but instead features three news blurbs designed to give you a little post-apocalyptic flavor and perhaps drop a few hints to those in the know. It's also worth mentioning that you can sign up for the Fallout Online beta by registering for the newsletter on the official site.

[Thanks Alex!]

MassivelyNew Fallout Online newsletter sighted in the wild originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-sign-upfalloutfallout-mmofallout-new-vegasfallout-onlineinterplayinterplay-entertainmentnewsletterpost-apocalypticsci-fithe-armageddon-ragSat, 20 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Music to kill by: The making of Rift's score]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/08/music-to-kill-by-the-making-of-rifts-score/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/08/music-to-kill-by-the-making-of-rifts-score/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/08/music-to-kill-by-the-making-of-rifts-score/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The musical score is often one of the little-appreciated aspects of MMOs, providing mood, tone and emotion for the player while hopefully refraining from being annoying or too repetitive.

In a new dev diary, Trion Worlds showcases the audio talent behind Rift: Planes of Telara's score. Audio Director Yannis Brown and Composer Inon Zur (Dragon Age: Origins, Fallout: New Vegas) talk about how the music lends itself to character identity and the environment's atmosphere, while giving us an aural sneak peek of Rift's tunes. One of the cool concepts the audio team is the creation of multi-layered music tracks that provide the same theme in different degrees of intensity based on how big the rifts have grown.

Hit the jump to watch the diary and hear for yourself whether this will be a game in which the default score stays on -- or gets quickly turned off in favor of personal playlists.

Continue reading Music to kill by: The making of Rift's score

MassivelyMusic to kill by: The making of Rift's score originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>composerdev-diarydragondragon-ageDragon-Age-Originsfallout-new-vegasinon-zurmusicriftrift-planes-of-telarasoundtracktriontrion-worldsvideoyannis-brownMon, 08 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: My Fallout MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/01/the-digital-continuum-my-fallout-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/01/the-digital-continuum-my-fallout-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/01/the-digital-continuum-my-fallout-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There are times when I feel like being completely indulgent, and this week's The Digital Continuum is one of them.

The Fallout MMO has been a long while coming and probably will continue to be "on the horizon" well into the foreseeable future. So, it's with this knowledge that I've put together a grocery list of ideas that would be in my version of the game -- things that would make me decidedly excited to play as soon as possible. Honestly, I'm kind of surprised it took me so long to write these things down.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: My Fallout MMO

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: My Fallout MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdabethesda-softworkscall-of-dutycodfalloutfallout-2fallout-3fallout-game-mmofallout-mmofallout-new-vegasfeaturedinterplaymagmassive-action-gamenew-vegasopinionthe-digital-continuumMon, 01 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST