Massively

Sony Online Entertainment offers an updated ProSiebenSat.1 FAQ

Eliot Lefebvre — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous

If you're in Europe and playing EverQuest II, DC Universe Online, or many other Sony Online Entertainment games, you're probably aware that a major change is on the horizon. The company has signed an agreement with ProSiebenSat.1, giving that company a great deal of control over the publication and operation of SOE's games in the region. There was some backlash over the change, as players were in particular concerned about being forced to play on specific servers.

While some of the details have already been addressed, SOE seeks to remedy a variety of player concerns with an updated FAQ detailing exactly what will take place when the service changes hands. Worth noting is that Station Cash will be converted into a similar but proprietary currency and all customer service issues will be handled by ProSiebenSat.1. Players will also need to make a new account with ProSiebenSat.1, although their old SOE accounts will still be used for certain games, such as the original EverQuest. If you're one of the many players affected by the change, there's no time like the present to take a look at what you can expect.

Sony Online Entertainment offers an updated ProSiebenSat.1 FAQ originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion lays out the details for the upcoming server changes

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News items, Free-to-play

Before a storm, you secure your home. Before a job interview, you clean yourself up nicely. Before a conversion to free-to-play, you make sure your servers are ready to go. That last one is on the agenda for NCsoft, which is making some server changes and merges prior to Aion's transition to free-to-play starting on April 11th. Players affected by this can take a look at a new official FAQ to clarify any and all questions about what's going down on March 28th.

The short version is that most individual character data will remain untouched, but players with conflicting names will be given a random string of letters and numbers and a free name-change ticket. Players who wind up with Asmodeans and Elyseans on the same server will also be given the option to change to an appropriate race or transfer the offending characters to another server to adhere to the one-faction-per-server rule. If you've got more detailed questions, of course, the FAQ has more detailed answers.

Aion lays out the details for the upcoming server changes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wurm Online answers your Epic questions

Matt Daniel — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:00:00 EST

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

Are you a Wurm Online player looking for a sense of purpose? Well, look no further than the game's Epic servers, which went live today. Not sure what Wurm Epic is? Well, you're in luck once more because over at the game's official site, Code Club CEO Rolf Jansson has posted an FAQ that covers everything you need to know about the new game type.

The basic concept is this: Players both new and old can take a portal from the main game world to the Epic servers. From there, they will be stripped of all their items and skills, though they will retain all gold in their banks. After that, it's the duty of the players to build and defend kingdoms, which in turn further the goals of their gods on the moon of Valrei. Gods, in turn, have the ability to "reshape the world or spawn creature invasions as a result of how well they achieve their goals." For the full, detailed FAQ, head on over to the game's official site.

Wurm Online answers your Epic questions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turbine explains recent LotRO forum security issue

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Bugs, Free-to-play

While Lord of the Rings Online's forums have returned following Turbine's decision to take them down due to a security issue, many players were left in the dark about what had happened. To clear the air with this, the studio posted a brief security FAQ that addresses the specifics of what went down this past week.

According to the FAQ, Turbine became aware of a compromise in the forum database that would allow unauthorized access from outsiders. The company took the forums offline, brought in security experts, and fixed the bug that caused this issue. Turbine also claims it has strengthened its web security and that no payment details, including credit card information, were in danger of being stolen.

As part of an effort to make sure all players were secure, Turbine sent out notices to a few customers with particularly vulnerable passwords. In the email, the players were informed that their passwords were reset for their own safety.

The FAQ ends with a few Dos and Don'ts about password creation which all MMO players would be wise to adopt.

Turbine explains recent LotRO forum security issue originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stay on target: SWTOR's guilds begin to align with phase 2

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Guilds, Star Wars: The Old Republic

Star Wars: The Old Republic's release may feel like it's always going to be in a "galaxy far, far away," but at least BioWare is giving guilds something substantial to do in preparation for launch. Following up the first phase of guild formation, today the studio announced that guilds can now progress into the second phase: alignment.

During this phase, guild leaders can establish up to three guilds as their Allies or Adversaries (depending on the target guild's faction). Not only will this help to cement friendships and rivalries, but BioWare says that these connections "will have the highest chance of being placed in the game together, allowing these guilds to coexist on the same server." This won't happen if the guilds have chosen different server rulesets, however.

Another new feature that's come with this phase is the ability for leaders and officers to begin inviting people to the guild by email. The SWTOR website has a helpful FAQ for all three phases of guild preparations. The third phase, deployment, is scheduled to occur shortly before launch and will begin placing guilds on servers if these guilds have met certain criteria.

Stay on target: SWTOR's guilds begin to align with phase 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Answer your beta-related questions, Star Wars: The Old Republic does

Matt Daniel — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

In light of the Star Wars: The Old Republic's beta testing weekends' recent inception, Stephen Reid stopped by the SWTOR official forums to drop a couple of FAQs on the masses. The first deals with the ongoing beta testing, beta weekends, and early access for pre-order customers. The second hones in on the first beta test weekend, which took place last weekend.

The beta FAQ begins by outlining the differences between early game access, beta weekends, guild testing, and the normal beta testing. Early game access, of course, is access to the launch version of the game prior to the official launch date; this privilege is given to those who pre-order the game. Beta testing weekends are exactly what they sound like, and Reid notes that the team is aiming for one more test weekend this month, which will host more players than the last test. Game and guild testing are both the normal, ongoing beta test, with the latter differentiated only by the invitation process for guilds rather than individuals.

The post goes on to remind players that, even with the advent of the beta testing weekends, the NDA is still in effect, and that a player's participation in one beta test weekend does not guarantee her selection for subsequent weekends.

And lastly, we'd be remiss to omit this small detail for our European players: Game testing for European players is "imminent," says the post, and these tests will include localized French and German versions of the game. Beta weekends for European players will begin around the same time.

Now then, the beta weekend FAQ. The post declares the intent of the first beta weekend to have been a "small-scale simulation of a launch scenario." The post also discusses the successes and failures of the test and notes that almost every goal set by the team was met or exceeded. However, there were a few hitches with the invite process, which the team has since fixed.

For the full details, hop on your speeder bike and head on over to the official forum posts.

Answer your beta-related questions, Star Wars: The Old Republic does originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Transition details for Champions Online, Star Trek Online

Brianna Royce — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Super-hero, Business models, Events, real-world, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Champions Online

Last week, we reported that F2P giant Perfect World Entertainment completed its acquisition of Cryptic Studios, having spent just under $50 million to seal the deal. Today, entries on the Champions Online and Star Trek Online websites announce that Cryptic is "now a wholly owned subsidiary of Perfect World Entertainment," and they outline certain changes coming to both games as a result. The posted transition FAQs include additional details on the status of Cryptic Points, the C-Store, account and support services, and privacy issues. Cryptic and PWE also reiterate that lifetime subscriptions will continue to be honored for the full duration of both games.

Of particular note to current players is the response to the question about dev team size:

There are no plans to change the development team on any of our titles. If anything, we plan on increasing the number of team members to serve you better.

Finally, the FAQ notes that work on Neverwinter continues as planned.

Transition details for Champions Online, Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Moving day: LotRO EU players begin transfer to Turbine's global service

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 31 May 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO industry, Free-to-play

It's the end of one world... and the beginning of another. Or at least that's how it feels for many Lord of the Rings Online players in Europe this week as Codemasters hands the operational baton over to Turbine. Codemasters devs and GMs gave their best wishes to the LotRO players they watched over these past few years with a huge "thank you" notice on the site.

Once the transfer is complete, all LotRO players will fall under Turbine's global service umbrella. As part of the move, Turbine is offering EU players a limited-time chance to sign up for a year's worth of VIP status (which includes 500 Turbine Points a month) for £79.99 (or approximately $131.94).

Currently the game is down for European players until the process is complete, which Turbine estimates will take between two to three days. Details about the account transfers can be read in the LotRO EU Account Migration FAQ.

Moving day: LotRO EU players begin transfer to Turbine's global service originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ArenaNet dispels the controversy regarding the Guild Wars 2 Engineer

Larry Everett — Thu, 26 May 2011 19:45:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, New titles, Professions, Guild Wars 2, Races

An abundance of controversy erupted over the Engineer class from Guild Wars 2 when it was announced last week. Some fans of the game even went so far as to question whether the class even belongs in a fantasy game. Thanks to ArenaNet's Community Manager Regina Buenaobra, we now have answers to some of the burning questions the fans have had about this explosive class.

Guild Wars 2 is set 250 years after the events in the original Guild Wars. "Technology has advanced a great deal, and we wanted the engineer to personify this progress. And frankly, we didn't want to feel constrained by typical conventions as to what is or is not acceptable in a fantasy story," Buenaobra explains in the Engineer FAQ on the official website.

Now we know that the class fits with the timeline, but this does not explain the other issue fans have with this class. Why would the nature-loving Sylvari be interested in this type of technology? Buenaobra notes, "Players in general are exceptional and unusual figures, heroes who stand out among their people. Just as there are asura warriors and norn necromancers, it's not unheard of for an inquisitive, mechanically-inclined sylvari to become an engineer."

Check out the full FAQ on the Guild Wars 2 official site for answers to other important Engineer questions.

ArenaNet dispels the controversy regarding the Guild Wars 2 Engineer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 May 2011 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EverQuest launches second progression server due to popular demand

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest, Events, in-game, Launches, Promotions

Everyone's talking about the new progression server that launched yesterday in EverQuest -- and it seems that so many people are trying to play on it that they've outstripped its capacity. Players have reported that Fippy Darkpaw, a special server that's rolling out EQ's expansions at a measured pace, has been crushed by the crowds trying to log in.

As a result, Sony Online Entertainment decided to create a second time-locked progression server named after the game's infamous dragon Vulak'Aerr. According to the company, the server went online today. This should help relieve the stress on poor ol' Fippy. If you're curious about what a progression server entails, SOE's set up a helpful FAQ to clarify the details.

Players on EverQuest's other servers shouldn't feel left out of the celebrations, as they'll be enjoying a double XP weekend from February 18th through the 21st. It is important to note that this XP bonus will not apply to the new progression servers. During the same weekend, SOE is marking down a number of items in the Marketplace for a President's Day sale. You can read more on this special weekend over at EverQuest Players.

EverQuest launches second progression server due to popular demand originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Trek Online and Champions Online both unveil a surfeit of new information

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Super-hero, Business models, Patches, Previews, News items, Star Trek Online, Champions Online

Revealing the date for Champions Online's free-to-play conversion was apparently just the tip of the iceberg for the two MMOs run by Cryptic Studios. Champions Online has been graced with an updated FAQ regarding the business model transition, explaining in more detail exactly what options will be locked to non-paying players (all costume options are open, for example). The game has also unveiled a fansite kit for players looking to spread their love of the game to others, no doubt to help get more people interested in the free version.

Star Trek Online, on the other hand, doesn't have a change in model in the cards at the moment. What it does have is a newly updated list of feature episodes, giving players a look at the content that will be emerging on the live servers around the end of the month. The development team has also published a new Engineering Report, complete with the usual detailed breakdown of what's in the works, including a small look to the one-year anniversary of Star Trek Online.

Star Trek Online and Champions Online both unveil a surfeit of new information originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More information on crafting in Final Fantasy XIV

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:30:00 EST

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

Final Fantasy XIV's crafting system is rich with detail, requiring a fair bit of knowledge from players in order to successfully craft items. Not everything is explained in the game from the start, however, giving players the chance to experiment and learn what works best for themselves. There was a prior developer dispatch regarding the crafting system, but the team at Square-Enix has just released a new FAQ detailing some of the more subtle variants of crafting. While it's not full of formulae to let players make the optimal crafting build, it certainly does shed a great deal of light on the previous unknowns for the system.

Most players had noticed sparks produced from their synthesis on more than one occasion, but up until now it wasn't clear what the sparks represented. Apparently, the aetherial sparks (as they are referred to in the dispatch) come from straining the materials, either by trying to work too fast or attempting to craft something outside of your skill range. The FAQ also covers elemental destabilization and the effects of various craft-related attributes, such as Control helping to avoid both destabilization and sparking. Final Fantasy XIV's burgeoning crafter population should take a look at the news, as it might mean the difference between a fresh suit of armor and a fresh set of botched crafts.

More information on crafting in Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Give me my Rift beta FAQ, beta FAQ, beta FAQ -- Trion's beta FAQ ribs!

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, RIFT

There have been a lot of antsy players bouncing on their toes outside of Trion Worlds HQ as they await word of any new Rift: Planes of Telara beta news. While all is quiet on the beta front for the time being, Trion CM Abigale posted a pretty useful beta FAQ on the Rift forums to handle the bombardment of commonly asked questions.

While some of the information covers the multiple tiers of potential beta testers that we reported a couple weeks ago, Abigale painstakingly covers all the angles. One of the interesting aspects of Rift's beta process is that it will take the form of self-contained "events," and not all beta applicants will be invited to all of the events. In fact, once a non-VIP tester takes part in a beta event, their name goes back in the pool of potential testers and may or may not be redrawn for the next round.

Of course all of these queries are overshadowed by a single dominant question: When will beta begin? While alpha has been underway for quite some time, Abigale refuses to place any time frame on this question and simply states, "Beta dates have not been announced yet." You can read the full FAQ over on the Rift forums.

Give me my Rift beta FAQ, beta FAQ, beta FAQ -- Trion's beta FAQ ribs! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultima Online's high seas move into open beta

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Expansions, Game mechanics, News items, Ultima Online

It's difficult for an MMO to be any longer in the tooth than the venerable Ultima Online, a game whose presence and launch has defined much of the genre for years. But the game hasn't stopped updating or running through its long history -- in fact, the game is expanding yet again in the near future. The High Seas booster pack, a mini-expansion for the game, has just gone into open beta, complete with a new dedicated forum and FAQ for players looking forward to an array of nautical adventures.

When the booster goes live, every Ultima Online player will benefit from enhanced boat movement. Players who purchase the $15 expansion, however, will also receive a plethora of oceanic improvements, including improved ship combat, paintable boats, fish markets, and NPC ship combat allowing you to attack both pirates and merchant vessels. Add in new ship types, and players will be well-served on their nautical ventures by the expansion. You can take part in the open beta now, or just keep your eye on the main forums for discussion of the experience.

Ultima Online's high seas move into open beta originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flameseeker Chronicles: Back to (the other) basics

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles

I had originally planned this week's Flameseeker Chronicles to be a detailed overview of Gamescom and the necromancer. By Friday afternoon, I decided that the subject had been done to death and that more words on it would just be repetitive clutter. There's enough of that on the net already, thanks.

Instead, I took my thoughts in another direction: the extreme hype of Guild Wars 2. Guild Wars 2-interest is at an all-time high, thanks in large part to Gamescom and PAX, and more people are beginning to take notice every day. The majority of those people are unfamiliar with Guild Wars and ArenaNet, and they've got a lot of questions.

Most of them are the same questions that veteran fans feel like they've answered a hundred times, and since I covered the basics of Guild Wars a few weeks ago, it seemed only fair to give the same kind of attention to Guild Wars 2. I love my fellow crazed-fans, and I promise that next week's column will contain all sorts of treats from PAX, but this week is for the newbies.

If you are new to ArenaNet's world and wondering what the deal is with Guild Wars 2, welcome -- I'm so glad you're checking this game out. If you've been around for a while, pass this on the next time you see someone asking what the deal is. There are several good -- and very detailed -- informational sites for the game in existence, and I'll wrap up with a bit of info on those. This one is intended as a starting point to cover the basics, complete with links for proof where needed, because the really extensive ones can get a bit overwhelming.

Follow along after the jump and let's get you started.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Back to (the other) basics

Flameseeker Chronicles: Back to (the other) basics originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Passing the torch: WAR's GOA-to-Mythic transfer explained

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Warhammer Online

Despite what your grade school friends told you, there are take backs in life. Last week we brought you the breaking news that GOA was transferring Europe's Warhammer Online operations to Mythic Entertainment, a significant event considering that GOA's been handling WAR on the continent since 2006. Today Mythic posted a rather extensive "WAR EU Takeback FAQ" which is as informative as it is rhymey.

Fortunately, it does not appear as though the transfer will be too disruptive to current players. Characters, levels, gear, servers and friends lists will remain intact, and no new client download is required. Mythic will also be hosting German and French-specific servers for any wishing to play in a particular language environment. However, all players are asked to register for a new Mythic account, and will need to make sure that their payment plans and options are set up accordingly in it.

Mythic's also stated that they have long-term plans to allow players to transfer to and from North American servers, although no decision's been made regarding transferring to non-English speaking serves. The transfer begins tomorrow, June 29th, and will continue through July 7th. For the rest of the details, or just to settle your mind, read through the Takeback FAQ over at Warhammer Online's site.

Passing the torch: WAR's GOA-to-Mythic transfer explained originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallout Online offers up a large FAQ

Krystalle Voecks — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: New titles, News items, Post-Apocalyptic, Fallout Online

If tons of tasty information about the upcoming post-apocalyptic playground, Fallout Online, is something you're hungry for, then you're in luck! A fan has compiled Interplay forum responses into a rather lengthy FAQ that's full of all manner of information every vault dweller could possibly want. Well, OK -- not everything. There's still no release date, nor are there tons of beta keys available for the grabbing. However, it's still a nice bundle of information to look over.

Among the morsels on the Fallout Online FAQ are notes on PvP (yes, it will be there), death penalties (definitely worth reading for yourself), and more. It looks like the hotly debated "Project V13" has been moving along more solidly than many might have realized. Head on over to the Interplay forums to read all about it!

[Thanks, Nickelpat!]
[Edited to correct posting source]

Fallout Online offers up a large FAQ originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wasteland Diaries: Try not to be such a noob

Edward Marshall — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Guides, Crafting, Leveling, Making money, Tips and tricks, Quests, Wasteland Diaries

Fallen Earth has a steep learning curve. It's not hard to die a horrible death in Fallen Earth because you simply didn't have even the slightest clue what you were doing. But life doesn't have to be short and brutal in the wasteland. In fact, you can eke out a decent living and make quite a name for yourself. There are a few things you can do to minimize the bewilderment you will face once you emerge from the LifeNet pod for the first time into the unforgiving desolation of the apocalypse. After reading this guide, you are likely to be heard saying things like: "Y'know what? The apocalypse isn't all that bad." and "I wish this place were just a little more dangerous."

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Try not to be such a noob

Wasteland Diaries: Try not to be such a noob originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Trek Online Advisory Board gets its own FAQ

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Forums, News items, Opinion, Star Trek Online

When Star Trek Online announced the formation of their Advisory Council for fan input, the response was fairly unhappy, in the same way that the sun's surface is fairly warm. No one, especially the vocal forumgoers, liked the idea of certain fans getting extra input in the game's direction. Cryptic is aware of the negative reaction, and they're doing their best to ameliorate concerns by clarifying the intended purpose of the board. A list of frequently asked questions has just recently gone live on the official site, no doubt hoping to clear the air and mollify those who felt silenced.

As the FAQ takes pains to reinforce, the intent was not to replace other forms of player feedback, but to use a different angle to get in touch with fans not active on the forums. The council itself will have methods for removing members seen as advancing a personal agenda over the wishes of others, and there will be methods to add new members based on a variety of factors. Star Trek Online's team does seem to have their heart in the right place, but unpopular decisions can be hard to bounce back from. It remains to be seen how the coommunity will react to Cryptic's explanatory olive branch.

Star Trek Online Advisory Board gets its own FAQ originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FAQ That: All about Global Agenda's Conquest mode

Seraphina Brennan — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, Guides, Tips and tricks, Hands-on, MMOFPS, MMORTS, Global Agenda, FAQ That

So what exactly makes Global Agenda cross the border from persistent FPS to full on MMO? Conquest, my friends! Conquest. And now that the NDA has been lifted, we're free to tell you all about this agency only mode.

Global Agenda: Conquest mode is the game's take on a real-time strategy game versus an FPS. Your alliance of agencies can take ownership of the Global Agenda world and lay claim to valuable resources to build agent modifications, weapons of mass destruction, and even more fun little tools. But you must guard your territory carefully, as other alliances will have the option to siege your land, forcing you into battles for domination of the map.

But how does Conquest mode work? What do you need to do to take advantage of this feature of the spy-fi shooter? Glad you asked! It's time for you to FAQ That!

Continue reading FAQ That: All about Global Agenda's Conquest mode

FAQ That: All about Global Agenda's Conquest mode originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FAQ That: Common answers to your basic Fallen Earth questions

Krystalle Voecks — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fallen Earth, Guides, Launches, New titles, FAQ That

We know. Life in Fallen Earth takes some getting used to. The virus has wiped out most of humanity, and there were nukes dropped in Asia because everyone was relatively sure someone over there designed the killer flu. What's left of humanity seems to be crowded into the Grand Canyon. We're all living in the shadow of a madman's legacy, and the world has - pardon the phrase - gone to hell in a hand-basket. It's not easy figuring out what to do with yourself in the post-apocalyptic world, but thankfully we here at Massively have been working on compiling a list of questions that should help make your first steps in this strange new version of Earth a bit easier.

Need a hand finding your way around? Join us behind the break for the first official installment of FAQ That - our irreverent take on those first, painful days of Noob Chat in your favorite new MMOs.

Continue reading FAQ That: Common answers to your basic Fallen Earth questions

FAQ That: Common answers to your basic Fallen Earth questions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeff Hickman, FAQ, and Grab Bag are all about Land of the Dead

Brooke Pilley — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Warhammer Online, News items

The Land of the Dead must be coming soon because Mythic has gone into marketing overdrive these past few days. Jeff Hickman just addressed the WAR community in an open Executive Producer's letter and we've seen the new RvR mega-zone featured in both an official FAQ and community Grab Bag.

It's a bit strange seeing Jeff Hickman in print since he's usually on the front-lines doing live interviews. Also, WAR fans have gotten used to seeing Mythic GM, Mark Jacobs, deliver these kinds of letters in the past. Actually, Mark has been remarkably silent since March when he delivered his 6-month State of the Game and 1.21 patch highlight announcements.

At any rate, you can find out pretty much everything there is to know about The Land of the Dead in these three recent articles. Want to know the ward requirements for the PQs, lairs, and dungeons? Curious about lockout timers? Wondering what the heck a "Vessel" is? Head on over and check these resources out!

Jeff Hickman, FAQ, and Grab Bag are all about Land of the Dead originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's Unofficial Station Cash FAQ

Michael Zenke — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Free-to-play

We mentioned yesterday that our chat with SOE CEO John Smedley went very well, and he offers up a number of insights into the 'why' behind the decision to roll out Station Cash to EverQuest and EverQuest II. Sometimes, though, you don't really care about the why, you just want to know the what. The official Station Cash FAQ touches on a number of issues, but we uncovered some helpful pieces of information we wanted to present front and center for your edification.

As we reported on Thursday, Station Cash will not be coming to Vanguard, Star Wars Galaxies, The Matrix Online, or Planetside.
It will be playing a prominent role in Free Realms, but there will also be a subscription option for that game if players want to make that choice. Large portions of it, of course, will also be free-to-play.
SOE will soon have Station Cash 'cards' in retail stores, much as companies like Nexon already offer.
Many of the services SOE wants to offer with Station Cash include off-line products. Purchasing a guild photo, a t-shirt with your character on it, or even a full-sized character poster are all things SOE wants to offer. (See the interview for full details on those plans.)
The Agency is likely to be the only game where the company sells 'gamplay altering' items. IE: we may see them selling special guns that offer a slight benefit to the player's skill. This is consistent with the FPS microtransactional model popular in South Korea, and seen in Nexon's Combat Arms here in the states.
Any future EverQuest titles, if there are any, will not be solely microtransaction-based.
The company views the sale of XP potions as a big combatant to the paid leveling services. One of their direct goals is to supplant the third-party goldselling and leveling services.
The extra money brought in by microtransactions will, to some extent, be pushed right back to the team to fund extra content they might not have otherwise been able to offer.

Be sure to check out our full interview with John Smedley for details on all of this information. If you have strong opinions on this topic, this morning we offered up a discussion thread focused entirely on microtransactions that you might want to check out as well.

Gallery: Station Cash Announcement

Massively's Unofficial Station Cash FAQ originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WAR's latest Grab Bag explores Zone Control

Shawn Schuster — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, PvP, Tips and tricks, Warhammer Online, Academic

Aside from answering a variety of user questions and reporting on the latest tidbits of Warhammer Online news in the usual Grab Bag style, this week's regular feature focuses on the basics of Zone Control.

If you've ever made the mistake of assuming that your realm has captured a zone by controlling all Battlefield objectives and Keeps, you'd be wrong. That's exactly what this Grab Bag feature aims to do: help the players understand what exactly is involved in controlling your Zone. Check out the entire article for more on Zone control and the answers to a few important player questions.

WAR's latest Grab Bag explores Zone Control originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE's new Weapon Grouping feature explained

James Egan — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, PvP

Weapon Grouping is one of the new features coming to EVE Online, via the multi-staged release of the Quantum Rise expansion. Players spotted and have been giving updates on what they've seen on the Singularity test server, but now EVE dev CCP Ytterbium has posted a dev blog that explains this new feature in great detail, right down to screengrabs of Weapon Grouping in action.

If you've been waiting to hear more about this, you'll want to check out CCP Ytterbium's dev blog, 'Weapon Grouping', for his visual explanation of how you'll soon be able to consolidate your weapons into a single icon, and reload all of them at once. He also lays out the scenarios when you wouldn't want to take advantage of this feature, like when attacking multiple targets (although there's a solution to that built into the feature). Additionally, he's written a lengthy FAQ that should help dispel some of the confusion surrounding Weapon Grouping.

EVE's new Weapon Grouping feature explained originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Death Knight character creation FAQ preps players for Wrath

Samuel Axon — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Classes, Expansions

Planning on creating a Death Knight when Wrath of the Lich King comes out next month? Blizzard posted a Death Knight creation FAQ at the EU World of Warcraft forums in an effort to reduce the number of question and answer threads popping up. It's short but sweet.

It's so short, in fact, that we can give you most of the info right here. You'll be able to create a Death Knight on any realm on which you already have an level 55 or higher character. Eventually, you'll be able to create one on a different server, but for now the only way to get a Death Knight to a totally new realm is to create it on your current realm and then do a paid transfer.

Don't worry -- there's good news too! If your level 55 is Horde, you'll be able to start up an Alliance Death Knight and vice versa, so long as you're not playing on a PvP realm. You're only allowed one Death Knight per realm though.

[Via WoW Insider]

Death Knight character creation FAQ preps players for Wrath originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Trek Online FAQ describes PvP rules

Samuel Axon — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, News items, PvE, Star Trek Online

Even more Star Trek Online information has beamed in. This time, it's in the FAQ page just published by Cryptic Studios. The FAQ is a good place to catch up on the highlights from the recent revelations, but there's new stuff too.

The most substantial revelation is that there won't be PvP, PvE, or RP server types as in World of Warcraft and other games. There will only be one server type. There will be far-flung regions of space in which open PvP will be possible. In the nuetral zone (the border between factions), consensual PvP engagements will occur. It's implied that PvP will not be possible deep within Federation or Klingon space.

Oh, and the FAQ includes some grim news for certain would-be players. It turns out that you'll actually need an internet connection to play Star Trek Online! Oh man! Say it ain't so! That's unacceptable, right? Maybe we should start a petition.

Star Trek Online FAQ describes PvP rules originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythic publishes Warhammer Online pre-order FAQ

Samuel Axon — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, Warhammer Online

Mythic has created the beginnings of a FAQ intended to help would-be-customers sort out all the details about pre-ordering Warhammer Online. Info included in the FAQ: how to pre-order in Canada, who to poke to get pre-order codes when you place your order through an online store, and details and definitions on the beta testing phases, among other things.

Mythic promises that the FAQ will be updated with new information in the future, but doesn't say what kind of information it'll be.

The FAQ has some helpful information if you have those specific questions, of course. If you want a more in-depth and badass guide to pre-ordering WAR, though, check out our WAR collector's edition pre-order guide. Which retailer distributes codes in the most helpful way? Which one gives you the best extra goodies? It's all there!

Mythic publishes Warhammer Online pre-order FAQ originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott and special guest join TR's Friday Night Fights

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Contests, Events, in-game, Forums, Game mechanics, PvP, News items, Tabula Rasa

In the past, we've reported on some excited bouts in Tabula Rasa's Friday Night Fights, but nothing compares to what they have in store for you now. Next Friday, July 25th, Richard Garriott will be facing up against two time featherweight boxing champ Jesus Chavez in the C.E.L.L.A.R. Arena. This will be held on the TR Test Server starting at 6pm Central time. They will be in C.E.L.L.A.R. 3, which can be accessed via teleporter from the barracks in Alia Das.

If you're new to Friday Night Fights and aren't sure how it all works, TR's Community Coordinator Amy "Critters" Crider has assembled a handy Q&A which you can see right after the cut, as well as a hilarious promotional video created especially for this event. We hope to see you there!

Continue reading Richard Garriott and special guest join TR's Friday Night Fights

Richard Garriott and special guest join TR's Friday Night Fights originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythic offers FAQs for Warhammer's loss of cities, classes

Michael Zenke — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Warhammer Online

The removal of four classes and four capital cities from Warhammer Online last week continues to reverberate through the fan community. In an attempt to answer prospective player questions in a highly visible place, FAQs have been posted to the official website. They tackle both questions related to the four classes and questions related to the removal of the cities. Essentially, the game's Realm vs. Realm combat works exactly the same. Players will now work through the tiers of content to reach the fortress outside of the three capital cities. To open up access to attack the opposing faction's city, two of these three fortresses must be sieged and captured. The document crows "it works out even better than we had originally designed."

The classes FAQ is a also hopeful, noting that the developers will use the extra time freed up by removing these classes to good effect. Literally. Smoother visual effects will be added, as well as additional animations to smooth out the 'feel' of combat. The classes still in the game will receive additional polish as well, with new abilities and class-specific gear the result. Be sure to read both selections to gain more clarity on this somewhat-confusing topic.

Mythic offers FAQs for Warhammer's loss of cities, classes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 beta? Not in 2008

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, Guild Wars 2

Following our Gearing up for Guild Wars 2 article from earlier this month, ArenaNet has released news of their Guild Wars 2 Frequently Asked Questions segment of their website. While hardly any of these questions or answers on this FAQ are new to those of us following along at home, we do get word that there will be no beta in 2008.

Previously, it was mentioned that a 2008 GW2 beta was a possibility, or at least a hope of ArenaNet. This was something that kept players anxiously awaiting any tidbit of news as we reached the beginning, and now the middle of the year. Yet in this FAQ, it is stated, "Guild Wars 2 is a very large and ambitious game, and Guild Wars players rightfully have very high expectations of its quality. We want players to be absolutely blown away by the game the first time they experience it." Regardless of when the beta starts, you can bet we here at Massively will be all over that news.

Guild Wars 2 beta? Not in 2008 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WAR Q&A posted on the Warhammer Herald

Akela Talamasca — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, real-world, Warhammer Online, News items, War

The Warhammer Herald is the Warhammer Online dev journal. It's always an entertaining read, but the latest post is also chock-full of great information, specifically surrounding the North American beta test.

Reading more like a Q&A/FAQ than a simple letter, the post talks about how to get into the beta, why you haven't gotten in even if you think you should have, people who have won slots in the test who haven't been playing, and more. If you're at all curious about how the process works, give it a read.

[Thanks, Yulian!]

WAR Q&A posted on the Warhammer Herald originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FAQ for Mines of Moria site helps you unlock rewards

Kyle Horner — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, News items

Now that everything seems to be working properly, you might be spending a lot of time playing the dice wars-style minigame at the official website for the upcoming Lord of the Rings Online expansion. If you're like us and largely having a tough time getting the hang of the website's first game -- King Under the Mountain -- then you'll be glad to hear there's a nice little FAQ over on the official LotRO forums. It's still a bit early on, but there are a few pointers in there that anyone looking to up their King Under the Mountain skills should check out. It's also good for answering any burning questions regarding King Under the Mountain.

The FAQ will have updates as more information is revealed on the other two mini-games -- Swing and Toss followed by Eleventy-seven Morsels -- so we'll be checking back from time to time! Now if you'll excuse us, there's a set of dice calling our names and they can't wait any longer.

FAQ for Mines of Moria site helps you unlock rewards originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All you need to know about WAR's keeps and sieges

William Dobson — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, New titles, PvP, Warhammer Online

There's a new FAQ at Ten Ton Hammer that looks at the keeps and sieges of Warhammer Online. It answers a nice chunk of questions that people might have about this aspect of the Realm versus Realm gameplay which was looked at in the February newsletter. The process involved in capturing a keep will be to first breach the exterior walls, then the interior walls, and finally to slay the Keep Lord.

Along the way you'll be able to use a variety of siege weapons, and both the attacking and defending sides will find these siege tools useful. When the Keep Lord is taken out, all remaining guards at the keep will despawn, and the Keep Lord will respawn as an ally to the sieging party, ready for when the other faction tries to re-capture the keep. It's a big, messy circle. Check out the rest of the FAQ for more on how you can attack or defend a keep in WAR.

All you need to know about WAR's keeps and sieges originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan FAQ reveals system requirements

Kyle Horner — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:11:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, News items

If you've been waiting with bated breath (much like us) for Funcom to finally release the recommended and required system specs for Age of Conan, then you'll be pleased to hear that the wait is finally over. It's about time too, we were starting to look into the cost of flying to Norway and raiding their offices Barbarian-style. Then when we thought about it, the cost of double-sided great axes and authentic moleskin trousers was just too much when combined with the plane ticket.

It all works out in the end, since you can find the much-awaited required specs after the break.

Continue reading Age of Conan FAQ reveals system requirements

Age of Conan FAQ reveals system requirements originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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