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[The Tattered Notebook: Build a better character with EQ2U]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-tattered-notebook-build-a-better-character-with-eq2u/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-tattered-notebook-build-a-better-character-with-eq2u/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-tattered-notebook-build-a-better-character-with-eq2u/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EQ2U Promo
For years, EverQuest II fans have quietly suffered in silence as the EQ2Players site remained broken and buggy. We watched other games, with their Armories, Magelos, and extensive databases, and we pined for the day when we could once again look up things like characters, gear, stats, and guild rosters.

The wait was worth it, though, and EQII players have gone from famine to feast. This past week, we got a glimpse of the newly refurbished EQ2Players site, but what's really exciting is that the EQII team has been working with fansites to provide the data feed and allow community figures to create their own resource sites. Morgan Feldon and Dethdlr, who do an amazing job with EQ2Wire, did just that, and on Friday, they officially launched EQ2U. It's a thorough and regularly updated database of things ranging from character stats, gear, and AAs to spell lists and warder pets. What's more, you can look up gear, track spells, and create your own wish list for your character. Feldon and Dethdlr have been working on this for the bulk of the past year, and Massively had a chance to talk with them about the project. Read on for a glimpse into the site's early beginnings and learn how EQ2U will help you get your characters up to snuff!

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Build a better character with EQ2U

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Build a better character with EQ2U originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dan-kinneydethdlreqeq-2eq-iieq2eq2ueq2wireeqiieqII-databaseeverquestEverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playkaren-bryanmorgan-feldonnander-szotsopinionsoesony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookzoltarothSat, 11 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Six wonders of the newbie world]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

LotRO
As I reported last week, I've recently rerolled as a Hobbit Minstrel in an effort to refresh my attitude toward the game, to get a different perspective, and to continue my series in which I go through all of the single-player quests in the game.

It's been, in a word, smashing.

Having been away from the tamer lands of Eriador for so long, I had forgotten the charm and serenity that these lowbie areas exude. Plus, it's always fun leveling up a brand-new character, since there are plenty of goals and ways to develop your character that your level-capped toons have long since surpassed.

As I've been plugging away at Bree-land quests, I began to make a mental list of exactly what's so special about the low-level game in Lord of the Rings Online. The mental list became an actual one, and after a period of milling and refining, I've baked it into a nice loaf of observations to share with you.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Six wonders of the newbie world

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Six wonders of the newbie world originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beginnerbeginner-zonesbreebree-landcharacter-advancementered-luinf2pfeaturedfree-to-playhobbithobbitslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolowbielowbie-zonesnewbienewbie-zonesthe-road-to-mordorthe-shireturbineturbine-entertainmentSat, 11 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: Over, done, finished, finito]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/storyboard-over-done-finished-finito/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/storyboard-over-done-finished-finito/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/storyboard-over-done-finished-finito/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Yes, I know, there's no Mass Effect MMO. Not yet.
The best stories have an ending. And if you want to tell a decent story in a roleplaying format, you're going to need some sort of an ending eventually. The problem is that most endings have a pretty strict sense of finality to them, and really ending your roleplaying kind of implies that your character is riding off into the sunset and possibly sipping martinis. (Depending on the game, they may be space martinis. Lots of things are possible.)

So you want to end the story without ending your character's story on a whole. That's a good approach and one that can be handled. But it's also one that's a bit easier said than done, hence my devoting an entire column to it. So let's talk about creating a satisfying ending that manages to wrap up a story without subsequently wrapping up every aspect of your character.

Continue reading Storyboard: Over, done, finished, finito

MassivelyStoryboard: Over, done, finished, finito originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>character-arcscharacter-developmentscolumnconclusionscultureendingfeaturedopinionroleplayersroleplayingrpstoryboardFri, 10 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Betawatch: February 4 - 10, 2012]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/betawatch-february-4-10-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/betawatch-february-4-10-2012/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/betawatch-february-4-10-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Betawatch (RODE pic)
Mmgame USA's Rise of Dragonian Era joins our closed beta list this week. The F2P sandpark title is aiming for a March launch, but prizes (including cash and video cards) await those who give the beta a spin this weekend.

Massively also secured codes for Seven Souls Online's beta, which begins on February 15th.

Finally, we're keeping an eye on the ongoing TERA sneak-peeks and beta events. If you preordered, you should be able to participate starting today.

Read on for the complete Betawatch roundup!

Continue reading Betawatch: February 4 - 10, 2012

MassivelyBetawatch: February 4 - 10, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alphabest-testbetabeta-testingbeta-testsbetawatchbrick-forceclosed-betafeaturedinfernummassively-metammgame-usaopen-betarise-of-dragonian-eraroderode-onlineFri, 10 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Firing Line: Controller wars edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/the-firing-line-controller-wars-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/the-firing-line-controller-wars-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/the-firing-line-controller-wars-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Firing Line - DUST 514 merc banner
Welcome back to The Firing Line, shooter fans. Some interesting stuff went down this week, much of it related to DUST 514. Even if you're not partial to what some have dubbed "the controller wars," there's still plenty of online shooter news for you to peruse after the cut.

Join me on the other side for a glimpse of Hawken, Firefall, and my PlanetSide character!

Continue reading The Firing Line: Controller wars edition

MassivelyThe Firing Line: Controller wars edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adhesive-gamesbetabetasccpccp-gamescontroller-warsdustdust-514dust-514-keyboard-mouseeve-onlinef2pfeaturedfirefallfirefall-betafiring-linefree-to-playhawkenkhang-lemark-kernmmo-shootermmofpsonline-shooteropinionplanetsideplanetside-2red-5red-5-studiosroundupsandboxsci-fishootershooter-roundupsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentthe-firing-lineFri, 10 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: Let's make a mobile game, part two]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/mmobility-lets-make-a-mobile-game-part-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/mmobility-lets-make-a-mobile-game-part-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/mmobility-lets-make-a-mobile-game-part-two/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My MMO screenshot
Last week I started working with Dave Toulouse, indie developer of Golemizer and Star Corsairs, to build our very own mobile MMO. For the sake of completing the project within the month of February, we kept our game designs simple and easy for anyone to play. The idea was not to create a state-of-the-art video game but instead to build a working framework that illustrated some of the basics of MMO design.

Ironically, my first column on the subject was received rather coolly when I consider my normal column response, but last week's responses taught me a valuable lesson about design: Players often want to talk about what is not possible rather than what is. Dave told me how his players often told him what they wished his games would achieve, without ever considering just how difficult it is to make a game.

Still, there were several great ideas in the comments section. I'm going to use those ideas to break down this week's update.

Continue reading MMObility: Let's make a mobile game, part two

MassivelyMMObility: Let's make a mobile game, part two originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-baseddave-toulousefeaturedgolemizerIOSMMObilitymobilemy-mmosmartphonestar-corsairsFri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Some Assembly Required: Salem dev talks permadeath, griefing, and skill-based gameplay]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/some-assembly-required-salem-dev-talks-permadeath-griefing-an/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/some-assembly-required-salem-dev-talks-permadeath-griefing-an/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/some-assembly-required-salem-dev-talks-permadeath-griefing-an/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Some Assembly Required - architecture banner
Hello, sandbox faithful, and welcome to a special interview edition of Some Assembly Required. We recently had a chance to pitch some questions to the team behind Seatribe's upcoming Salem title, and creative director Björn Johannessen was kind enough to answer them.

Salem is being advertised by publisher Paradox as "the crafting MMO," but it's also rife with throw-back mechanics including a huge amount of player freedom and a permadeath/punishment system similar to the one in Johannessen's Haven & Hearth.

Continue reading Some Assembly Required: Salem dev talks permadeath, griefing, and skill-based gameplay

MassivelySome Assembly Required: Salem dev talks permadeath, griefing, and skill-based gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bjorn-Johannessencash-shopcraftingemergent-gameplayexclusivef2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgame-mechanicsgriefinghaven-and-hearthinterviewitem-shopno-tradeparadoxParadox-Interactivepermadeathpermadeath-prevents-griefingplayer-contentplayer-generated-contentsalemsandboxseatribeskill-systemsome-assembly-requiredsoul-boundtradeskillsFri, 10 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: Why is it so hard to say congratulations?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/the-guild-counsel-why-is-it-so-hard-to-say-congratulations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/the-guild-counsel-why-is-it-so-hard-to-say-congratulations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/the-guild-counsel-why-is-it-so-hard-to-say-congratulations/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Miracle on ice handshake
When was the last time you said congratulations to someone in game? And no, I don't mean the spammy "congrats" when someone in guild gains a level, an AA, a skill up, a crafting combine, or any of the dozen other milestones that pop up every day in chat. Those are the easy congratulations because the accomplishment has no direct effect on you. I'm talking about the congratulations when someone beats you in game. You might be in a duel or battleground, and the other guy ends up taking you out. You might be racing for a named mob, and the other guy gets there first. Or you might be in that guild that always seems to fall just a bit short and winds up the bridesmaid when it comes to guild progression.

There is plenty of competition in MMOs, but you rarely see much sportsmanship from players. In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll look at why it's so hard to say "congrats" and why that has an effect on guilds as well as on the communities overall.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Why is it so hard to say congratulations?

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Why is it so hard to say congratulations? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>congratscongratulations+for+doing+excellent+jobcongratulationsfordoingexcellentjobfeaturedgood-sportsmanshipgraceguildguild-adviceguild-counselguild-leadershipguildskaren-bryanproblem-memberssore-loserssportsmanshipsportsmanship+vs+gamesmanshipsportsmanshipvsgamesmanshipwinnerwinnerswinningwinning-with-graceThu, 09 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Massively: We do not play games for a living edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/ask-massively-we-do-not-play-games-for-a-living-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/ask-massively-we-do-not-play-games-for-a-living-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/ask-massively-we-do-not-play-games-for-a-living-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Total paycheck for this bit of roleplaying: $0.00.
One of the most persistent misconceptions about what we do here at Massively is this idea that we play games for a living. Allow me to be perfectly clear in this: What you're seeing right now? This article? The one I wrote? Writing this is what I do for a living. I write about games, and I enjoy games, but if I decided to not write any of my columns for a month and just play Star Wars: The Old Republic, I would be fired. That is not my job.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, it's time for another installment of Ask Massively, this time featuring questions about gambling and the latest City of Heroes cash shop offering. If you've got a question you'd like to see in a future installment of the column, mail it to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments below. Questions may be edited for brevity and/or clarity.

Continue reading Ask Massively: We do not play games for a living edition

MassivelyAsk Massively: We do not play games for a living edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-massivelycity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcolumncolumnscovcoxfeaturedgamblinggambling-minigamesminigamesopinionThu, 09 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: MMO prisons]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/the-perfect-ten-mmo-prisons/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/the-perfect-ten-mmo-prisons/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/the-perfect-ten-mmo-prisons/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten Prisons
Chillin' in the clink. Spending time in stoney lonesome. Thrown into the slammer. Checking in to the big house. Doing (perfect) 10 to life in the hole. Learning the ropes in juvie.

Prison: The only fun thing about it is the slang that people have come up to describe it. And while you may never actually want to spend any time in the crowbar hotel in real life, chances are you've already done so in MMOs. Jails are an ever-popular locale in online gaming, and they almost always deal with an epidemic of escaped -- yet still milling around casually -- prisoners.

So in today's Perfect Ten, we talked to the warden and got you a special glimpse into pixelated pokeys, if only to scare you straight. No more exploits and bots for you, young man or woman!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: MMO prisons

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: MMO prisons originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocarkhamarkham-asylumbelsavisbrickstownchampions-onlinecity-of-heroesclinkcocohconanconan-the-barbariandc-universe-onlinedcuoeqeverquestfallen-earthfeaturedffxifinal-fantasy-xigm-jailgm-prisoniron-towerjailkingman-prisonlistlistsmmo-prisonsperfect-10perfect-tenprisonprisonsstar-wars-the-old-republicstockadesstronghold-prisonswtorthe-iron-towerthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenultima-onlineuoworld-of-warcraftwowzigzigguratThu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Summoner's Guidebook: A community guide to League of Legends]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/the-summoners-guidebook-a-community-guide-to-league-of-legends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/the-summoners-guidebook-a-community-guide-to-league-of-legends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/the-summoners-guidebook-a-community-guide-to-league-of-legends/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Greetings, summoners, and welcome to the first installment of the Summoner's Guidebook! For a new player, the Guidebook is a one-stop-shop to gaining familiarity with the various elements of League of Legends. For the more advanced players, we'll also be covering ways to improve on weak areas of your play and how to deal with the toughest of matchups.

I was a new player once, and I remember being extremely daunted by the number of things I needed to learn to be competitive in LoL. Although the journey from newbie to expert was long and difficult, I learned a lot about common mistakes and how to reduce them. If you're looking to step up your game or if you're just getting into the League, the Summoner's Guidebook is the place for you to learn without being treated like you're a noob.

This week, we're going to cover the community resources available to you. There are a lot of websites dedicated to League of Legends, and it would be foolish to assume that this column is the only place to get advice on the game. If there's something I haven't covered yet or there's a topic I'm unfamiliar with, you can be sure that one of these places will have the info you're looking for. This article can't possibly cover all the League fansites on the internet (there are probably hundreds), but I can focus on the ones with the best information.

Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: A community guide to League of Legends

MassivelyThe Summoner's Guidebook: A community guide to League of Legends originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>counter-logic-gamingf2pfacebookfansitesfeaturedforumsfree-to-playguideleague-of-legendslolmobamobafireofficial-websiteriotriot-gamessummoners-guidebookteam-solo-midtribunalyoutubeThu, 09 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How many chat channels do you use?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/the-daily-grind-how-many-chat-channels-do-you-use/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/the-daily-grind-how-many-chat-channels-do-you-use/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/the-daily-grind-how-many-chat-channels-do-you-use/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EverQuest II - chat boxes
MMO global chat is a funny thing. I've met friends in it, I've ignored half the server because of it, and I'm amused (and appalled) by it on a daily basis. One thing I normally don't do is turn it off completely, unless I'm gunning for an immersive solo or small-group session that's heavy on roleplay.

My EverQuest II Sage has 19 (19!) channels on his UI, and though I rarely see any activity in the ratonga or evil chat rooms, I keep tabs on them anyway in case a useful nugget happens by.

What about you, dear readers? Does your MMO of choice have multiple global chat channels, and if so, how many do you monitor at once?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How many chat channels do you use? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chatchat-channelseq-iieq2everquest-2everquest-iifeaturedgame-discussiongamer-discussionglobal-chatmmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicsopinionsoeSony-Online-Entertainmenttdgthe-daily-grindThu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The obligations to the useless]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/a-mild-mannered-reporter-the-obligations-to-the-useless/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/a-mild-mannered-reporter-the-obligations-to-the-useless/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/a-mild-mannered-reporter-the-obligations-to-the-useless/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

A Mild-Mannered Reporter header by A. Fienemann
I'm going to let all of you in on a secret. Actually, it might not be a secret; everyone might have figured this out by now independent of any admission on my part. But here it is, just the same.

I'm not actually a very good City of Heroes player.

I mean, I'm "good" in the sense that I play the game, enjoy it, think about it, try to improve my character appropriately... but I'm not actually very skilled at the game. My rotations look awkward, my slotting is usually sub-optimal, and my ability to recall important data is pretty paltry. I understand the mechanics just fine, but when it comes time to log into the game, somehow I wind up as the guy who just subtly makes the entire team worse. I'm not terribly skilled. And for all that I'm going to be playing the game for some time to come, I don't think that I'm ever going to reach the point that I say I'm really any good.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The obligations to the useless

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: The obligations to the useless originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mild-mannered-reportercity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcolumncovcoxfeaturefeaturedhumorincarnate-systemncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiosplayer-skillskillWed, 08 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Family: Why safe chat isn't so safe (and why that's OK)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/mmo-family-why-safe-chat-isnt-so-safe-and-why-thats-ok/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/mmo-family-why-safe-chat-isnt-so-safe-and-why-thats-ok/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/mmo-family-why-safe-chat-isnt-so-safe-and-why-thats-ok/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Toontown
One of the toughest issues that game developers have to treat when it comes to kid-friendly MMOs is chat. I touched on this in a past column, but it's worth further discussion. If you're making a game where lots of players are interacting and doing stuff together, you need to allow them to communicate, otherwise you're pretty much making a single-player game with the other players as background scenery.

On the other hand, when it comes to kids MMOs, having open communication means other players can use it to harass each other. Worse is the scenario of the deranged adult abusing it to exploit young people. As a result, virtually every kid-friendly MMO has some sort of filter in place that restricts what players can say to each other. But are these chat filters really that effective? Are kids better off without them? Let's take a look in today's MMO Family.

Continue reading MMO Family: Why safe chat isn't so safe (and why that's OK)

MassivelyMMO Family: Why safe chat isn't so safe (and why that's OK) originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abuseblacklistschatchat-filtersdisneyfeaturedfilterfree-realmshercworldi+want+to+stick+my+long+neck+giraffeiwanttostickmylongneckgiraffekaren-bryankid+codeskidcodesmmo-familysafe-chatsecret-friendstrangerstoontownwhitelistswizard101Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: Comparing the payment models of Glitch and Ryzom]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/free-for-all-comparing-the-payment-models-of-glitch-and-ryzom/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/free-for-all-comparing-the-payment-models-of-glitch-and-ryzom/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/free-for-all-comparing-the-payment-models-of-glitch-and-ryzom/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Ryzom screenshot
I thought it might be a cool idea to do a comparison of free-to-play models for my next few articles. As free-to-play has become more and more popular, cash shops and tiers of service have become much more important to how a player might enjoy or interact with a game. While the standard free-to-play model, the most popular one by far, is one that allows players to download a free client, has no subscription at all, and tacks on a cash-shop, the freemium variant is quickly becoming widespread. Freemium seems to be the model of choice for many Western games that were previously subscription-only.

The problem is that I do not really like the freemium model. I'm old-school, I guess. I enjoy the model that was imported to the States maybe eight years ago. A free client with a cash shop on top is all I need to steer my fun by. I'd rather skip any sort of tiered service as well.

There are exceptions to the rule, of course.

Continue reading Free for All: Comparing the payment models of Glitch and Ryzom

MassivelyFree for All: Comparing the payment models of Glitch and Ryzom originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanbrowsercash-shopf2pfallen-earthfeaturedfree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiumftpgamersfirstglitchMicrotransactionsRyzomSandboxtiny-speckWed, 08 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Craft it one piece at a time]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/choose-my-adventure-craft-it-one-piece-at-a-time/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/choose-my-adventure-craft-it-one-piece-at-a-time/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/choose-my-adventure-craft-it-one-piece-at-a-time/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Said Corlede in... well, not snow.
Sometimes, a well-planned weekend turns into a complete mess. Case in point: This past weekend, which I fully meant to use to get more of a footing in Ryzom, wound up being almost entirely dominated by a mixture of other responsibilities and necessities. As a result, I didn't get nearly as much time playing the game as I would have liked. The plan is to spend more time crafting away over the course of the week, but this article needs to be written up earlier than that.

As you can imagine, this results in a little bit of a hole in the narrative. Fortunately, crafting is pretty deep as a system but fairly thin in terms of a core narrative, unless you find "and then I made another set of light sleeves" to be engrossing. So while I didn't get several hours of story, if you're not familiar with what the system offers, there's still plenty of ground to cover.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Craft it one piece at a time

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Craft it one piece at a time originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choose-my-adventurecmacolumncraftcraftingdesigndetailfeaturedmechanicsopinionpollpollsryzomthe-saga-of-ryzomwinch-gateWed, 08 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do children have a place in MMOs?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/the-daily-grind-do-children-have-a-place-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/the-daily-grind-do-children-have-a-place-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/the-daily-grind-do-children-have-a-place-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

World of Warcraft
Today's discussion topic needs a smidge of clarification. I'm not asking you whether or not real-life kids should be playing MMOs, as plenty already do and it's great to be raising a future crop of gold farmers and extreme fashion designers.

What I am asking is whether child NPCs have a place in MMOs. When you think about it, most of our virtual worlds are nearly devoid of anyone under the age of 18 (except if you're in certain Asian titles where it seems like nobody, including yourself, has hit puberty yet). Whole cities are bustling with merchants and kings, yet not a single child is to be seen. If there are kids, they tend to be in place for a one-time unique quest or a special event, such as World of Warcraft's Children's Week.

But with all of the war, slaughter, and volatile situations, is it a good thing that someone has whisked these kids off to safety? Would MMOs be more questionable with their content if a kid was to come stumbling along while you were skinning a boar or decapitating an Orc leader? Or would these worlds be more believable and immersive if the whole range of ages was represented?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do children have a place in MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>childrenchildrens-weekfeaturedkidkidsopinionpubertytdgthe-daily-grindunderageworld-of-warcraftwowyouthyouthsWed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/the-game-archaeologist-dials-up-phantasy-star-online-the-player/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/the-game-archaeologist-dials-up-phantasy-star-online-the-player/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/the-game-archaeologist-dials-up-phantasy-star-online-the-player/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

PSO Blue Burst
After last week's foray into the colorful world of Phantasy Star Online, I knew I had to step it up for a great follow-through. That's why I got in touch with three excellent MMO bloggers who have long histories with PSO and were more than eager to share their perspective on this unique game world!

The Game Archaeologist: Who the heck are you and how did you first get into Phantasy Star Online? What class and race did you play?

David: I'm David Lambert, but many people know me better as Branick, host and producer of the LOTRO Academy podcast. I first got into Phantasy Star Online with the original Dreamcast release, which I picked up only about two weeks after it came out. I actually had eight different characters (I bought six VMUs in addition to the two I already had specifically for this purpose), but I definitely favored the HUcast. I wasn't big on using techniques, and the HUcast had the highest attack power in the game.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The players

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The players originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blue-burstchristmascity-of-heroesdavid-lambertdiablodiablo-clonediablo-iidreamcastdreamcast-web-browserexploitexploitingexploitsfeaturedffxifinal-fantasy-xigamecubegamesharkhackinginterviewlotro-academymagmagspatrickPhantasy-Starphantasy-star-onlinephantasy-star-online-2phantasy-star-universePhantasy-Star-Zeropsopsuroguerogue-likessegasoexboxyeeboYeebo-Fernbottoms-MMO-Love-InTue, 07 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Mos Eisley Radio part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/hyperspace-beacon-mos-eisley-radio-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/hyperspace-beacon-mos-eisley-radio-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/hyperspace-beacon-mos-eisley-radio-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: Mos Eisley Radio Part 2
Last week, I introduced to you again to the crew at Mos Eisley Radio. This podcast and web site launched itself to the Star Wars: The Old Republic community in 2009 and has been growing strong ever since. In fact, it's hard not to be shocked at the growth in viewers and content since SWTOR launched. Some of the other fan sites have actually streamlined their content to compensate for the fact that their crews are busy playing the game. But Mos Eisley Radio's producers have actually expanded its reach -- so much that I had to talk with them about what they are doing.

Executive producer Zach Brown, host Evan Lewis, and guild leader Alan Nauman joined me in a chat about the site, the guild, and the future of the community they are building. If you missed the first part of the conversation, be sure to read that first, then jump past the cut for the rest.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Mos Eisley Radio part 2

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Mos Eisley Radio part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alan-Naumanbiowarecommunityeaelectronic-artsEvan-Lewisfeaturedguildshyperspace-beaconlucasartsMERCMos-Eisley-Radioopinionsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorZach-brownTue, 07 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Evolution of a class]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/the-soapbox-evolution-of-a-class/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/the-soapbox-evolution-of-a-class/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/the-soapbox-evolution-of-a-class/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Draenei make everything better.
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.

In 1974, the first roleplaying game was published under the name Dungeons & Dragons. Being the first of its field, it still had certain rough parts, which later designers would consider fundamental failures. Modern tabletop design looks at things like classes and levels as being relics in many ways -- elements that made sense as a crutch when the design of RPGs was one step removed from tactical wargames.

Compare that to, well, pretty much every MMORPG on the market. While there are certainly games that don't follow the class/level model, they're outnumbered by games that embrace it wholeheartedly. As a result, it's easy to look at the way game development has gone and feel as if the design of online games has not only stagnated but actively slid backward, going from a more advanced system to a far less developed one.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Evolution of a class

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Evolution of a class originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advancementclass-designclass-level-systemclassesculturedesignfeaturedgame-mechanicsmechanicsopinionskill-systemskillssoapboxthe-soapboxTue, 07 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you have too many alts?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/the-daily-grind-do-you-have-too-many-alts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/the-daily-grind-do-you-have-too-many-alts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/the-daily-grind-do-you-have-too-many-alts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EverQuest II - Qeynos flyby
I've been playing a lot of EverQuest II lately, and one thing that the game has in abundance is choice. Whether we're talking about combat vs. non-combat activities, group vs. solo content, or a huge class roster, Sony Online Entertainment's fantasy sequel is pretty ridiculous when it comes to play options.

There's so much choice, in fact, that it's occasionally difficult to decide what to do next. Take the aforementioned classes as an example. Thanks to the introduction of the Beastlord in last December's Age of Discovery expansion, the game now has a whopping 25 classes to choose from, and I have 13 of them sitting in various stages of advancement on my character select screen.

Which one should I play? Should I make one of the other 12? These are the times that try men's souls! OK, not really, but it can be a tough call. What about you, Massively readers? Do you have too many alts?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you have too many alts? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classeseq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iifeaturedgame-discussiongamer-discussionmmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicsopinionsoeSony-Online-Entertainmenttdgthe-daily-grindTue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: D3 cuts death animations and HoN releases another broken hero]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/not-so-massively-d3-cuts-death-animations-and-hon-releases-anot/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/not-so-massively-d3-cuts-death-animations-and-hon-releases-anot/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/not-so-massively-d3-cuts-death-animations-and-hon-releases-anot/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
Diablo III delivered 100,000 beta keys to North American fans this week, but it also revealed that the epic death animations from the game's first gameplay reveal were actually faked and won't be in the final game. Upcoming online FPS Blacklight: Retribution has challenged players to play 20 ranked matchmaking games by Thursday to win an exclusive golden helmet, and Massively still has beta keys if you'd like to get involved.

Heroes of Newerth released its potentially overpowered new hero Berzerker this week, placing Artesia into the free hero pool for legacy accounts a week early. League of Legends introduced its updated AI, adding 40 champions to the bot roster for both Summoner's Rift and Dominion co-op games. Dota 2 released a new test version to trial experimental changes without interrupting balance testing, and dungeon crawler Path of Exile showed off two new screenshots of its upcoming 0.9.6 patch. Finally, Bloodline Champions increased all XP gains by 50% this week in patch 2.3 and has launched a hilarious new photo content that's sure to get some questionable entries.

Continue reading Not So Massively: D3 cuts death animations and HoN releases another broken hero

MassivelyNot So Massively: D3 cuts death animations and HoN releases another broken hero originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgbattlenetberzerkerblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championscompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidominiondotae-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playfuncomgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesheadhunterheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolmark-norrismmofpsmobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exileperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpoepvppweriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessteamstunlockstunlock-studiosvalvevideozombie-studiosMon, 06 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: The top 19 ways to get your dungeon crawl on]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/wings-over-atreia-the-top-19-ways-to-get-your-dungeon-crawl-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/wings-over-atreia-the-top-19-ways-to-get-your-dungeon-crawl-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/wings-over-atreia-the-top-19-ways-to-get-your-dungeon-crawl-on/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Wings Over Atreia header
You know 'em -- those places shrouded away from the everyday grind of the world where you can chill-out without being interrupted (excepting spouse aggro), a private nook where you know there is a definite beginning and end to your adventure, one that offers the best possible loot. They are areas often steeped in lore.

They are... the instanced dungeon.

There are actually 19 separate PvE dungeons currently in Aion where Daevas can get their dungeon crawl on. If you include the Fortress instances, you can add another 10 dungeons to this list. Adding PvP instances raises the number even higher. However, since fort instances are seriously lacking in lore and fort ownership is required (so availability is not assured), we will forego including them. We'll also omit the Dredgions and PvP arenas to keep the list PvE focused -- after all, there are times you really may not want to bother with fighting the enemy!

This week, Wings Over Atreia explores the first half of the dungeon list for the benefit of both young whippersnappers and old-timer Daevas alike. Why would veterans need it? Because dungeons aren't just for certain levels anymore. For a change of pace or to break out of a rut, grab yourself some lowbies, mentor down, and check out one instance a day -- you'll pass two weeks before ever repeating. You might even have fun, meet new friends, and renew your enthusiasm for Aion.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: The top 19 ways to get your dungeon crawl on

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: The top 19 ways to get your dungeon crawl on originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>A-LabsAetherogenetics-Labaionaion-gameAzoturan-FortressBeluslancrucible-challengeDraupnir-Cavedungeondungeon-crawldungeon-crawlerdungeon-crawlingdungeonsEltnenfeaturedfire-templeguideguidesHaramelHeironinstancesKromedes-Triallistlistsmorheimnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionnochanta-training-campntcsolo-instancesolo-instancestalocs-hollowWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Leaderboard: Mining vs. woodcutting]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/leaderboard-mining-vs-woodcutting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/leaderboard-mining-vs-woodcutting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/leaderboard-mining-vs-woodcutting/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Leaderboard
Oh, don't you scoff at today's topic. I can hear you, harrumphing with seeming impatience at what you consider to be activities beneath your stature. Perhaps the idea of putting in an honest day's hard work in an MMO is abhorrent to you -- after all, that's why you have servants, right? But there are those of us who know the value of soil, stone, and wood.

So today we turn our gaze away from manslaughter and onto gathering natural resources. In most MMOs, two harvesting professions come almost standard with any title: mining and woodcutting (or, if you're feeling Monty Pythonish, lumberjacking). Which is more noble and more worthwhile to pursue?

Mining has the appeal of precious metals and the near-universal utility of these resources in a wide range of crafting recipes, but one must not underestimate how essential wood is. After all, can you imagine swords without hilts, ships without hulls, or campfires that had to resort to burning dung every night in lieu of a better fuel source? Inconceivable!

Get your hands dirty today and vote on the better career path for the burly outdoorsman or woman!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Mining vs. woodcutting

MassivelyLeaderboard: Mining vs. woodcutting originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingfeaturedforestingharvestingim-a-lumberjack-and-thats-okleaderboardlumberjacklumberjackingminingmonty-pythonopinionpollvotevotersvotingwoodcuttingMon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The benefits of a subscription]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/05/eve-evolved-the-benefits-of-a-subscription/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/05/eve-evolved-the-benefits-of-a-subscription/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/05/eve-evolved-the-benefits-of-a-subscription/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
In last week's EVE Evolved opinion piece, I tackled the question of whether it would be possible to make EVE Online free-to-play and then devised a viable hybrid freemium business model based on other apparently successful free-to-play conversions. While this was largely a thought experiment exploring the viability of a conversion, the fact that other subscription games have made the change recently makes it more than just theoretical. The possibility that executives at CCP Games have investigated the same options makes this debate an important one to hash out in a public forum.

We've established that a free-to-play EVE could potentially be viable, but this week I'd like to take the debate one step further and ask whether EVE is actually doing the right thing with its current subscription model. Subscriptions may no longer appear to be the dominant business model in the MMO landscape, but they have some major advantages that are rapidly becoming apparent as more and more games drop their monthly fees. The sale of cosmetic enhancements will only net so much money, and if a game expands into selling convenience items that circumvent grind, there's a strong financial incentive to develop grindy gameplay and then sell shortcuts. This produces a conflict of interest between developing fun games and making money that isn't present with the subscription model.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the benefits of the subscription model, the unique position CCP is in with its PLEX system, and the hidden dangers of convenience-based microtransactions.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The benefits of a subscription

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The benefits of a subscription originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesdebateeqeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineeverquest-2everquest-iif2pfeaturedfree-to-playfree-to-play-conversiongame-designincarnammo-industryopinionplexsandboxsci-fisubsubscriptionSun, 05 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: PlaneShift]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/05/rise-and-shiny-recap-planeshift/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/05/rise-and-shiny-recap-planeshift/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/05/rise-and-shiny-recap-planeshift/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

PlaneShift screenshot
As with many of the games I choose for this column, I am a bit lost as to how long the game has been in existence, what sort of time has passed since the game first began to allow players into its world, and what the exact state of the game currently is. With PlaneShift, a game that seems to have existed since I was 12 years old and has remained in some sort of testing or beta phase since then, I am even more unclear. Really, it shouldn't matter, but I can see the importance of knowing whether the game you are about to play is in testing or has even been released yet.

Without those key words, a player can become confused. Is this quest broken, missing parts, or just poorly designed? Is the game world empty because it's midnight or because the testing crowd is on at different times? I've heard from developers who keep their games in a beta state for years and years, and it usually means that they simply want a sort of explanation as to why the game feels incomplete. I say release it already and perhaps you'd attract more players anyway.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: PlaneShift

MassivelyRise and Shiny recap: PlaneShift originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acasherons-callbeau-hindmanbetaeqeverquestf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpIndieLiveStreamold-schoolplaneshiftrise-and-shinytwitch-tvSun, 05 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Mog Log: One year, two courses]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-mog-log-one-year-two-courses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-mog-log-one-year-two-courses/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-mog-log-one-year-two-courses/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Mog Log header by A. Fienemann
Today does not quite mark the two-year anniversary of The Mog Log. That was back on January 24th, but I decided to run just a wee bit late with annual retrospectives. We're now close enough to the year mark for argument's sake, which gives me a chance to look back at how the past year of the column has shaken out, what's gone right, and what hasn't. That ties into the issue that one invariably finds when a single column covers two games: There's a split.

Whether or not you like Final Fantasy XIV, you can't argue that the past year has brought an onslaught of changes to the game. On the flip side, there's been less going on in Final Fantasy XI than in any of the game's previous years of operation. As a result, I've had a difficult dilemma to try to juggle: There's one game moving at high speed and one staying rather stagnant, but I don't want to give undue attention to one over the other.

Continue reading The Mog Log: One year, two courses

MassivelyThe Mog Log: One year, two courses originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnsfeaturedffff11ff14ffxiffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivmeanderingmeta-columnopinionretrospectivesquaresquare-enixthe-mog-logSat, 04 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: A year in review]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/captains-log-a-year-in-review/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/captains-log-a-year-in-review/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/captains-log-a-year-in-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

ESD @nd Anniversary
Another year has passed for Star Trek Online, and it can be described as tumultuous at best.

It was a year that contained very little story-based content provided by the developer, Cryptic Studios, as it was put through the proverbial ringer -- first by being sold off, and second by being purchased in the midst of what many believed was the game's most critical year.

With the focus that many players (including me) had on the lack of new missions in 2011, it was easy to gloss over what material did get released despite the challenges the strangle-held teams at Cryptic were facing.

The game has gone free-to-play, there are visibly more players than have ever been seen before, the development team seems to be settling in to a new owner's house, and the second anniversary is upon us, so it's time to take a good look back to see what was released over the course of the last year.

Continue reading Captain's Log: A year in review

MassivelyCaptain's Log: A year in review originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversarycaptains-logcrypticcryptic-studiosf2pfeaturedfree-to-playopinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpwerachel-garrettsci-fistar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestoyear-in-reviewSat, 04 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: New executive producer, new wishlist]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-tattered-notebook-new-executive-producer-new-wishlist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-tattered-notebook-new-executive-producer-new-wishlist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-tattered-notebook-new-executive-producer-new-wishlist/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Georgeson and Longdale
I was all set to sit down and talk about raiding and the big news of critical mitigation disappearing from gear, and then some even bigger news appeared. Executive Producer Dave "SmokeJumper" Georgeson has handed the reins over to Holly "Windstalker" Longdale. She is new to take the lead on EverQuest II, but she's not new to the team; in fact, she worked on EverQuest in the past under the name Vahlar.

What's the first thing to do when there's a new leader taking over? Form a wish list, of course! EverQuest II has come a long way since its bumpy launch, but there's always stuff that would make the game that much more fun. Let's look at a few ideas, and then you can add yours to my list.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: New executive producer, new wishlist

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: New executive producer, new wishlist originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dave-georgesoneqeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquestEverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playholly-longdalekaren-bryanopinionsoesony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookSat, 04 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: A fresh start]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-start/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-start/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-start/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

LotRO
I don't know about you, but sometimes I fall into the trap of forcing myself to do something in a game because I feel internally obliged to do it. Somewhere along the line, "setting a goal" became a Bataan Death March that absolutely had to be accomplished before I'd allow myself to do what I truly wanted. In my case, it was the stubborn determination to get through the remainder of Rise of Isengard's content even though I had slowed to slogging through it, feeling burned out on my Lore-master after well over a year of constant play on the character.

So I sat back and re-evaluated. My reasoning for finishing Isengard was to make sure I was at the top of the game and could evaluate any new high-level content that came along for you guys, which was a noble reason. But the truth was that in so doing, I was playing something that was leeched of enjoyment for the time being and really needed to be put aside. Once I realized that, the solution was obvious.

A fresh start. That's what I wanted: a completely fresh start to the game. Hey, it's still (sort of) a new year, so why not? And once I gave myself permission to do that, my adventures in Lord of the Rings Online brightened up considerably.

I might be weird in this, but I absolutely love starting over from scratch in long-term games from time to time, even though it means scrapping (or putting aside) a whole heap of achievements and the effort spent acquiring them. This week I'm going to look at my fresh start with LotRO and why it has me buzzed to log in for the first time this year.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: A fresh start

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: A fresh start originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>do-overf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfresh-startgladdenlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrominstrelrestartriders-of-rohanrise-of-isengardstart-overstarting-overthe-road-to-mordorturbineturbine-entertainmentvirtuevirtuesSat, 04 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Some Assembly Required: Xsyon picks up speed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/some-assembly-required-xsyon-picks-up-speed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/some-assembly-required-xsyon-picks-up-speed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/some-assembly-required-xsyon-picks-up-speed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Some Assembly Required header
Last year, I had the opportunity to meander around Xsyon for Choose My Adventure. Then, the game was still at the end of its beta phase. Now, with some time under its belt since release, the game continues to grow. And January has seen quite the growth spurt.

I won't complain if the momentum that Xsyon has shown in the last month keeps up. Announcing multiple events and an architecture contest? Not to mention introducing new goodies? You go, game! Though it's small and indie, I am totally rooting for this title to succeed. Why? The main reason is that the game is reliant on player generated content: Instead of developers designing every aspect of the game, they built the world as a foundation and gave players the tools to go from there. This game is one of the few out there that offers many avenues for players to generate their own content and have a visible and lasting impact on the world around them.

And just how is post-apocalyptic Earth shaping up with the players at the helm? This week, Some Assembly Required explores the once-ravaged land to highlight some of that generated content, from events (both player-run and developer sponsored) to small- and large-scale construction.

Continue reading Some Assembly Required: Xsyon picks up speed

MassivelySome Assembly Required: Xsyon picks up speed originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>architecturechoose-my-adventurechoose-my-adventure-xsyonCMAcontestcontestseventsevents-in-gamefeaturedin-game-eventsnew-featuresnotorious-gamesplantingplanting-treesplayer-generated-contentplayer-run-eventssandboxsandbox-experienceSARsome-assembly-requiredterraformingXsyonxsyon-earth-2012Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: Let's make a mobile game, part one]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/mmobility-lets-make-a-mobile-game-part-one/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/mmobility-lets-make-a-mobile-game-part-one/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/mmobility-lets-make-a-mobile-game-part-one/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Wurm Online screenshot
I thoroughly enjoy reading your comments, especially when the discussion turns to game design or suggestions for development. I decided it was high time that I sat down and experienced, even if just a little, how the design process goes. I've had plenty of peeks at different studios, but I wanted to know what it is like to actually make a game from basically beginning to end.

So for the next four weeks, I will be doing something special. I invited indie developer Dave Toulouse, maker of Golemizer and Star Corsairs, to help me in this journey. If you'd like to find out more about Dave, you can visit his official website, follow him on Twitter, or even read an interview I did with him a while ago. He really is the epitome of the indie spirit, and I am so thankful that he volunteered to do this with me.

The goal is to start with a basic idea and framework, and using input from our discussions and from reader comments, assemble a very basic working mobile MMO. So let's get started!

Continue reading MMObility: Let's make a mobile game, part one

MassivelyMMObility: Let's make a mobile game, part one originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedbrowser-based-mmodave-toulousedie2nitef2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpglitchgolemizerhardcoreillyriadIOSiphoneMMObilitymobilepollpollsstar-corsairswurm-onlineFri, 03 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Betawatch: January 28 - February 3]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/betawatch-january-28-february-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/betawatch-january-28-february-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/betawatch-january-28-february-3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Betawatch (Brick-Force screenshot)
This week, TERA revealed the details of its North American and European pre-orders and associated closed beta tests. WAKFU, still in beta but launching at the end of February, likewise unveiled its subscription plans, and Mythos Global officially entered open beta. Again.

Finally, Brick-Force, a Minecraft-inspired sandbox-shooter pseudo-MMO (say that 10 times fast) from German publisher Infernum, has made it to our alpha list as it's aiming for closed beta on February 28th.

Read on for the entire Betawatch roundup.

Continue reading Betawatch: January 28 - February 3

MassivelyBetawatch: January 28 - February 3 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alphabest-testbetabeta-testingbeta-testsbetawatchbrick-forceclosed-betafeaturedinfernummassively-metaopen-betaFri, 03 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Firing Line: Global Agenda year two retrospective]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/the-firing-line-global-agenda-year-two-retrospective/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/the-firing-line-global-agenda-year-two-retrospective/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/the-firing-line-global-agenda-year-two-retrospective/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The Firing Line - Global Agenda turns two
You! Yeah, you! You still haven't played Global Agenda, have you? I know, I know, you're going to get around to it, it's on your list, blah blah and etc. While you've been dilly-dallying about, Hi-Rez Studios' sci-fi shooter has gone and turned two years old!

That's OK, though, because the game has more options, more content, and more pew-pew than at any time in its history, and thanks to a gaggle of anniversary events, now is the perfect time to saddle up.

Continue reading The Firing Line: Global Agenda year two retrospective

MassivelyThe Firing Line: Global Agenda year two retrospective originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryf2pfeaturedfiring-linefree-agentfree-to-playglobal-agendahi-rezhi-rez-studiosmmo-shootermmotpsopinionpatchesrecursive-colonyretrospectivesci-fithe-firing-linethird-person-shootertwo-year-anniversaryupdatesyes-it-is-an-mmoFri, 03 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: You guys must be the party]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/storyboard-you-guys-must-be-the-party/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/storyboard-you-guys-must-be-the-party/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/storyboard-you-guys-must-be-the-party/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I always wonder if people read more into these header images than they ought to.
A couple of weeks back, I wrote an article about dealing with a major ongoing storyline in an MMO. For those of you who neither read the article nor can spare the time to click the link and read it now: It talked about the problems presented by having a storyline and offered a few different solutions for handling such inconsistencies. Of course, as I noted, very few of these problems apply to open-world sandbox games that have no sort of ongoing developer-run story for you to stumble around.

No, those games have issues entirely their own, starting with the very nature of player-run stories.

A completely player-driven story has the advantage of not having several issues that can crop up when dealing with an ongoing in-game story, but it also still has some serious problems. There are still issues that you're going to have to have answers for when you're in a game that lets you craft the world to match your whims, and unfortunately the methods for doing so aren't quite as straightforward as the methods for dealing with an in-game storyline.

Continue reading Storyboard: You guys must be the party

MassivelyStoryboard: You guys must be the party originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>culturefeaturedopen-worldopinionplayer-driven-storiesroleplayingrpsandboxstoriesstorystoryboardFri, 03 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Massively: Thieving on the fast track edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/ask-massively-thieving-on-the-fast-track-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/ask-massively-thieving-on-the-fast-track-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/ask-massively-thieving-on-the-fast-track-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

These are the markers used to cross our names off the credits. What? It's not the most tenuous connection I've used.
One of our readers was kind enough to point us to two sites that, once again, were stealing our posts without crediting our authors or anything like that. (I don't mean "this post looks suspiciously similar"; I mean abusing copy and paste.) Unfortunately, while we're aware of these things, there's not a whole lot we can do other than request that the sites get taken down. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, but it's all we can do. I guess it's nice to be good enough that your work is worth stealing without credit? That's something.

This week's installment of Ask Massively isn't going to focus on that, however. Instead, we're going to focus on the recent spate of MMO litigation and the potential for a boxed RIFT expansion. If you have a question you'd like to see answered in a future installment of Ask Massively, mail it along to ask@massively.com or leave a comment in the field below. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity.

Continue reading Ask Massively: Thieving on the fast track edition

MassivelyAsk Massively: Thieving on the fast track edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-massivelyBethesda-Softworksbottersboxed-expansioncolumncolumnsexpansionfalloutfallout-onlinefeaturedinterplayjagexlawsuitlawsuitslitigationmmo-industryopinionplagiarismriftscrapingsite-scrapingtriontrion-worldsThu, 02 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: SWTOR is stealing my (character) identity!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/the-guild-counsel-swtor-is-stealing-my-character-identity/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/the-guild-counsel-swtor-is-stealing-my-character-identity/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/the-guild-counsel-swtor-is-stealing-my-character-identity/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

SWTOR Jedi Ghost
Guild leading is often as much about managing personalities as it is about managing the nuts and bolts of the game. In previous columns, we've looked at all sorts of issues that guild leaders have to solve, and at the root of almost all of them is some sort of personality clash. Show me a nice blend of personalities, and I'll show you a happy guild that will stick together for years.

What makes guild leading so difficult, though, is that unlike real-life leaders, guild leaders need to manage two identities for every member. There's the real-life identity of the player, and then there's the identity of the in-game character, and they aren't always the same. If you talk to a guild that's met at a guild gathering or convention, one of the things you'll always hear is how a particular member is so different from his in-game character. In game, for example, he might be a rough-around-the-edges general, but in real life he's a quiet teddy bear.

MMOs give us the opportunity to be someone completely different from who we are out of game, and even non-roleplayers will sometimes behave differently when they're playing. But Star Wars: The Old Republic has taken away some of our power to construct our own identities in game. In this edition of The Guild Counsel, Let's look at how that's happened and whether it will affect the way we game.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: SWTOR is stealing my (character) identity!

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: SWTOR is stealing my (character) identity! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecharacter-identityeaelectronic-artsfeaturedguild+creator+in+swtorguildcreatorinswtorimmersionkaren-bryanlucasartsraph-kosterrichard-bartleRolePlayingsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorswtor+guildsswtor+newsswtor+stuffswtorguildsswtornewsswtorstuffthe+guildthe-guild-counselthe-old-republictheguildtorThu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Mask: The real state of the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/behind-the-mask-the-real-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/behind-the-mask-the-real-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/behind-the-mask-the-real-state-of-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Although Champions Online's most recent State of the Game has been out for a while, I sort of avoided talking about it in previous editions of Behind the Mask. The main reason was because I really wanted to cover the new powersets. However, that doesn't mean I don't have any comments on it.

If you look at the history of the State of the Game and Ask Cryptic entries, they fluctuate quite a bit between good information and annoying PR. The January SOTG was full of annoying PR, and it bothered me greatly. It felt dishonest. I saw a lot of hype on little things that no one wanted and very little on what people really wanted.

This week, I'm going to talk about the real state of the game: where CO is and where it needs to go. I'll also talk about some of the future stuff that Robobo mentioned in the SOTG. Is it good or bad? We'll see!

Continue reading Behind the Mask: The real state of the game

MassivelyBehind the Mask: The real state of the game originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Archetypesbehind-the-maskchampions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-studiosfeaturedopinionperfect-world-entertainmentpwesotgState-of-the-gameThu, 02 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Could you make your own MMO for $30 million?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/the-daily-grind-could-you-make-your-own-mmo-for-30-million/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/the-daily-grind-could-you-make-your-own-mmo-for-30-million/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/the-daily-grind-could-you-make-your-own-mmo-for-30-million/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Richard Garriott in space
Massively gets a certain amount of grief for writing news stories about Richard Garriott. While it's true that he hasn't made a major contribution to the MMO industry since the 1990s, it's also true that he's something of a touchstone when it comes to geekery and ambition. If a guy can go from being a young astronaut hopeful to having a spare $30 million to burn on a spaceflight, that's got to count for something, doesn't it?

While we're on the subject of a spare $30 million, yesterday's Garriott piece got me to thinking about what I would do if I had that kind of pocket change. While spaceflight and a lifetime supply of Hershey's kisses are certainly high on the list, I'd use a good chunk of the money to make my own MMO. What about you, Massively crew? Would you self-finance an MMO if you could, and what would it be like? Would $30 million be enough?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Could you make your own MMO for $30 million? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>30-millionfeaturedgame-discussiongamer-discussiongarriottmmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-industrymmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicsrichard-garriottself-financed-mmotdgthe-daily-grindThu, 02 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Firing Line Extra: Tribes' Todd Harris on class customization and base gameplay]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/the-firing-line-extra-tribes-todd-harris-on-class-customizatio/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/the-firing-line-extra-tribes-todd-harris-on-class-customizatio/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/the-firing-line-extra-tribes-todd-harris-on-class-customizatio/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tribes Ascend - Blood Eagle vs. Diamond Sword rock, paper, scissors
Today's a big day for fans of Tribes: Ascend, and it's also a big day for Hi-Rez Studios, the Atlanta-based indie firm behind the upcoming online shooter.

You see, today is patch day, and while that's not terribly unusual (Hi-Rez has updated the Tribes beta client early and often since the start of closed testing last November), the latest tweak is a bit of fan service that will likely bring smiles to the faces of franchise die-hards waiting in the wings to see what becomes of their baby.

Continue reading The Firing Line Extra: Tribes' Todd Harris on class customization and base gameplay

MassivelyThe Firing Line Extra: Tribes' Todd Harris on class customization and base gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blood-eagleclass-customizationclassesdiamond-swordexclusivefeaturedfiring-linefpsgame-mechanicsgameplayhi-rezhi-rez-studiosinterviewloadoutsmmo-shooteronline-shootersci-fishazbotshooterskiingthe-firing-linethe-firing-line-extratodd-harristribestribes-ascenduiui-upgradeThu, 02 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST