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[TERA subscription error affects thousands [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/03/tera-subscription-error-affects-thousands/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/03/tera-subscription-error-affects-thousands/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/03/tera-subscription-error-affects-thousands/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

TERA
According to several tipsters and many, many pages on TERA's forums, something's gone badly wrong with En Masse's account system. The studio admits that some players have been billed immediately upon selecting a subscription plan instead of being billed after the 30 days. Other players have reported not being able to log in at all, as the game cannot find their subscriptions or free time and delivers an "expired account" error.

En Masse posted that it is aware of the situation and is working to resolve it. The studio says that players who purchased a physical copy of the game and signed up for a subscription before entering their game code triggered this problem. However, we've also had reports of players who have encountered this error when dealing with digital copies.

Affected players should now be able to log in to TERA while En Masse works on fixing the error.

[Thanks to Andrew, Schippie, and Alex for the tip!]

[Update: En Masse has contacted us to note that the 2000 players have been affected by the "insufficient remaining subscription time" issue, not the "immediate billing" error. En Masse says that these are two separate issues that the studio is actively working to resolve as fast as possible. We've updated this article accordingly.]

MassivelyTERA subscription error affects thousands [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>30-days-of-game-timeblueholebluehole-studioscustomer-supportdigital-copyen-masseen-masse-entertainmenterrorfantasyforumissuelaunchlaunch-issuephysical-copysituationsubscriptionsubscription-errorteraThu, 03 May 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars 2 gets all social before the beta weekend [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/guild-wars-2-gets-all-social-before-the-beta-weekend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/guild-wars-2-gets-all-social-before-the-beta-weekend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/guild-wars-2-gets-all-social-before-the-beta-weekend/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Or you could just hang out by the punch bowl and not talk to anyone. That's also an option.
There's no shortage of players waiting eagerly to jump into Guild Wars 2 beta testing this weekend, but that's still several days away. It's very possible that you really need a steady shot of Tyria a little earlier than that. Fortunately for you, there are options open as the community team pushes interaction in a big way. The game's Facebook page is the center of a rather art-centric promotion: As the page nears half a million Likes, the team is releasing a new piece of art for every 10,000 new fans.

Not your cup of tea? That's all right, as the team has also set up a Pinterest page to show off the best game-related fan projects. There are also boards set up on the same page where you can show off screenshots of each race, whether you're opting for the diminutive Asura or the towering Norn. It's a good chance for everyone to get involved in the Guild Wars 2 community before the weekend gets underway, even if it won't make the test start any faster.

[Updated with clarification regarding the picture forums.]

MassivelyGuild Wars 2 gets all social before the beta weekend [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbetabeta-testingbeta-weekendfacebookfantasyforumforumsguild-wars-2gw2ncsoftnewsofficial-forumspinterestsocialsocial-mediatwitterMon, 23 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: New tools for the community]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/12/eve-evolved-new-tools-for-the-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/12/eve-evolved-new-tools-for-the-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/12/eve-evolved-new-tools-for-the-community/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
Earlier this week, CCP Games released a much-needed complete overhaul of the official EVE Online website. Having been in operation for nine long years, the old website had become a mismatch of marketing information aimed at new players and tools for the existing player community. The overhaul split the page into two awesome websites, with a new community site to cater to existing players and an impressive new main page to attract future players.

The main page uses HTML 5 to deliver incredible interactive views of the EVE Online galaxy and dozens of in-game ships right there on the website. The community website houses all of the news, devblogs, knowledgebase articles, fictional chronicles, and support tools that existing players use, but with a much neater layout than the old website. In web developer CCP Alice's recent In Development video, she revealed that the team would be working on new community tools following the launch of the new websites. With the community site completely de-cluttered, there's now room to incorporate a lot of the tools players want or currently use, opening up some interesting possibilities.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I discuss the new EVE Online website and community portal and speculate on awesome new community tools we might possibly see in the future.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: New tools for the community

MassivelyEVE Evolved: New tools for the community originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamescorpcorporationdotlanefteveeve-evolvedeve-fitting-tooleve-onlineevemonfeaturedforumforumsgame-designguildguild-forumshtml5icscincarnamapmarketmarketingopinionsandboxsci-fitoolswebsiteSun, 12 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online website revamp detailed in new video devblog]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/eve-online-website-revamp-detailed-in-new-video-devblog/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/eve-online-website-revamp-detailed-in-new-video-devblog/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/eve-online-website-revamp-detailed-in-new-video-devblog/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

EVE Online title image
EVE Online has undergone countless changes and iterations since its first release in 2003, with major graphics overhauls and new gameplay systems arriving every year. In contrast, the official EVE website hasn't changed much over the years. With background information, screenshots, video, forums and knowledgebase articles, the EVE website now juggles content designed for prospective players and existing community members alike. CCP aims to change all that with a complete overhaul that will split community tools like the forums, knowledgebase, and account management from marketing designed to attract players.

In a new video devblog, web-developer CCP Alice shows off some of the features of EVE's brand new website. Built using HTML 5, the new page will feature a full built-in renderer able to show prospective players the EVE Online universe map and interactive renderings of every ship in the game. "Now that we have a better eveonline.com, the focus after this one is to focus on the community," says CCP Alice, hinting that new community tools will soon be on the way. In a follow-up devblog today, Community Manager CCP Guard confirmed that players will soon be able to start their own corporation forums hosted on CCP's servers. Check out the full video after the cut.

Continue reading EVE Online website revamp detailed in new video devblog

MassivelyEVE Online website revamp detailed in new video devblog originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-aliceccp-gamesccp-guardcommunitycommunity-sitecorporationcorporationsdevblogeveeve-onlineforumforumsguildguild-forumsguildssandboxsci-fivideoWeb-DevelopmentwebsiteTue, 31 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Emperor is stuck in a queue? BioWare shall redouble its efforts!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/the-emperor-is-stuck-in-a-queue-bioware-shall-redouble-its-eff/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/the-emperor-is-stuck-in-a-queue-bioware-shall-redouble-its-eff/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/the-emperor-is-stuck-in-a-queue-bioware-shall-redouble-its-eff/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR
Is it a wonderful problem to have when your MMO is so popular that everyone trying to crush through the door at the same time is causing painful queues? Or is it a problematic wonder? Either way, the BioWare live team has been struggling to keep up with demand for Star Wars: The Old Republic access -- but the team may be getting closer to winning the war on wait time.

BioWare's Greg Zeschuk stopped by the forums to assure players that the company is "redoubling its efforts" in tackling the issue. As a result, players should already be seeing quicker access to SWTOR:
We've also being doing our best to get every little bit of possible performance on our servers to increase capacity: We've "turned them up to 11" to do our very best to get you in and playing as quickly as possible. As a result - you should now be seeing significant improvement versus waiting times at the end of last week.
The team is also working on a way to hold players' places in the wait queue in the event of a disconnect.

MassivelyThe Emperor is stuck in a queue? BioWare shall redouble its efforts! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-live-teamea-biowareforumforumsGreg-Zeschuklive-teamqueuequeuesserverserver-capacityserversstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorturn-it-up-to-11turned-up-to-11wait-timeFri, 23 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare defends its decision to not have individual SWTOR server forums]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/bioware-defends-its-decision-to-not-have-individual-swtor-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/bioware-defends-its-decision-to-not-have-individual-swtor-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/bioware-defends-its-decision-to-not-have-individual-swtor-server/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SWTOR forums
With the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic came a new and improved forum system for the community, and everyone lived happily ever after. Right? Yeah... not so much. It turns out that BioWare neglected to include individual server forums for its many, many, many shards, and this omission has rankled some players who were looking forward to talking amongst their new communities on the site.

TOR-Talk got in touch with BioWare to ask about why the individual server forums were cut down to four ruleset forums. Senior Community Coordinator Allison Berryman says the decision was a matter of practicality as there would be too many forums and not enough moderators to go around: "Generally speaking, server forums for many MMOs tend to be largely un-moderated and can become unpleasant to visit."

Instead, BioWare hopes that server communities create and moderate their own server-specific sites and forums. "This is also a great opportunity for the community to come together in their own ways - on fan sites and through other resources," Barryman said. "Of course, we want people to visit the official forums, and will use them to provide information that's of specific interest to the community, but we also love to see the community coming up with cool stuff on their own."

MassivelyBioWare defends its decision to not have individual SWTOR server forums originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Allison-Berrymanbiowarecommunityeaea-biowareforumforumsinterviewstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictortor-talkWed, 21 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare updates fans on staggered SWTOR launch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/bioware-updates-fans-on-staggered-swtor-launch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/bioware-updates-fans-on-staggered-swtor-launch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/bioware-updates-fans-on-staggered-swtor-launch/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

RAWR GIEF EARLY ACCESS NAO! says the Zabrak
If you're still not in Star Wars: The Old Republic's early access phase, you're not alone. In fact, BioWare's Stephen Reid took to the forums today to update impatient fans on just how the staggered pre-launch will continue to roll out over the next few days:
Today, we invited people who had pre-ordered up to the very beginning of October (roughly). Tomorrow, we're going to be inviting the same number of people again; that will take us up to the last week or so of November. On Friday, we'll be inviting even more, and we'll give you an update on that tomorrow.

You'll see more servers coming online tomorrow, and almost certainly there will be some queuing. That was always expected. As a reminder, our plan here is to maintain healthy server populations post launch, and during the excitement of launch that will mean queues. That said, we'll be working hard to keep those queues reasonable.
That's good news for those who pre-ordered late and who otherwise might have thought they'd have a much longer wait.

MassivelyBioWare updates fans on staggered SWTOR launch originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareeaearly-accesselectronic-artsforumforumshead-startheadstartlucasartsrolloutsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicstephen-reidswtorthe-old-republictorWed, 14 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lock and (re)load: BioWare preps us for The Old Republic's launch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/lock-and-re-load-bioware-preps-us-for-the-old-republics-launc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/lock-and-re-load-bioware-preps-us-for-the-old-republics-launc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/05/lock-and-re-load-bioware-preps-us-for-the-old-republics-launc/#commentsFiled under: , ,

SWTOR
With 15 days to go before Star Wars: The Old Republic's launch, it doesn't seem like there's much time to get everything stocked and ready before the year's biggest release happens. Fortunately, BioWare's helping us to run down the preparation list with a series of informative forum posts.

First on the list is to make sure that SWTOR players have the latest version of the client installed on their computers. BioWare says that if you played the game prior to November 25th, you'll probably need to install a completely new client; if you played since, you should be good. There are instructions on the forums as to how you can check which version you have.

Pre-orders are wondering about early access, which BioWare says is the same between the three editions of the game -- it only matters when you added your pre-order code, not which edition you purchased. More information about the early access program is coming later this week.

Finally, BioWare is preparing to make major changes to SWTOR's forums following a December 10th outage, during which all posts and PMs will be erased (as will infractions!). New forums, including those covering crew skills, story, lore and PvP, will be added, and guild forums will be expanded significantly. Those just starting to learn about the game will appreciate the new player help forum and community blog that's coming with the update.

MassivelyLock and (re)load: BioWare preps us for The Old Republic's launch originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareclienteaea-biowareearly-accessforumforum-wipeforumshead-startinstallpre-orderreinstallstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorMon, 05 Dec 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The best complaint is an empty seat]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/22/the-soapbox-the-best-complaint-is-an-empty-seat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/22/the-soapbox-the-best-complaint-is-an-empty-seat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/22/the-soapbox-the-best-complaint-is-an-empty-seat/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Unless you're protesting a lack of seating options. But that's a different blog.
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.

This is a public service announcement for you. Yes, you, with the post open for the message board and your finger hovering over the "post" button. I can't see what you've got written there, but I'm willing to bet some form of "turning the game into World of Warcraft" is there if you're posting about another game. Or possibly FarmVille. Hopefully I'm getting warm.

Look, the point is that I now you're about to post this hateful diatribe about threatening to leave. But I've got a better suggestion for you. How about you delete that post, unsubscribe, and then head outside for a walk with some friends. Play a different game, maybe an offline one, for a couple of days. Don't whine and just leave.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The best complaint is an empty seat

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The best complaint is an empty seat originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cancellationcomplainingculturedepartingfeaturedforumforumshumorleavingofficial-forumopinionpostssoapboxthe-soapboxunsubscribingwhiningTue, 22 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Are you in favor of SWTOR's 'legacy' surnames?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/21/the-daily-grind-are-you-in-favor-of-swtors-legacy-surnames/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/21/the-daily-grind-are-you-in-favor-of-swtors-legacy-surnames/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/21/the-daily-grind-are-you-in-favor-of-swtors-legacy-surnames/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

SWTOR
Though you may have missed the announcement amidst all the NDA-lifting frenzy, last week BioWare revealed the Legacy system for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Essentially, it allows players to choose surnames for their characters, but in a lore-friendly (if not RP-friendly) twist, you'll be restricted to one unique surname that will be shared across all of your characters on a single server.

Two hundred pages of posts later, players are still voicing deep concerns about the system. While most fans seem content with being rewarded for "legacy levels," roleplayers are baffled at the idea that their Twi'lek Consular and their Mirialan Smuggler must share the same last name and that gamers RPing family members across different accounts cannot share surnames. Some have suggested this is merely a ham-handed "handle" and not a true surname at all as seen in countless MMOs since the days of Ultima Online's free-form naming system.

What do you think? Should BioWare scrap this system and allow characters independent last names, or do you think the system suits the game just fine as proposed?

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: Are you in favor of SWTOR's 'legacy' surnames? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebrianna-royce-tdgeaElectronic-Artsfamilyfamily-nameforumforumslast-namelegacy-levelsopinionroleplayersroleplayingrpstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsurnameswtortdgthe-daily-grindthe-old-republictorMon, 21 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Into the flames of the official forums]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/09/enter-at-your-own-rift-into-the-flames-of-the-official-forums/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/09/enter-at-your-own-rift-into-the-flames-of-the-official-forums/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/09/enter-at-your-own-rift-into-the-flames-of-the-official-forums/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ember Isle Fire
Over the summer at a game convention, I was having a conversation with a friend who asked me about RIFT. But curiously, he didn't ask me the usual questions about gameplay, souls, or invasions. He wanted to know whether the rumor was true that the official forums were just full of sound and fury rather than productive discussions. In the initial weeks after launch, I had to admit, the forums were a lot like the wild west. On one hand, you had post after post from people arguing about whether the game was good or bad, whether it was too much like World of Warcraft, and even whether the game would survive more than a year. On the other, you had grizzled veterans showing disdain for newer fans by posting curt replies to their questions about the game. There were some good discussions on the forum, but they often got lost in a sea of emotion, and as a result, I ended up avoiding the forum in the months that followed.

For this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, I've decided that it's time to don my flame-retardant suit and wade back into the forums to see if things have settled down at all. I've always been a believer that forums are an important part of that community feel in MMOs, and I'm channeling a bit of Jef's Community Detective to see how things fare today. Read on for my findings and for some helpful threads that I encountered in the process!

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Into the flames of the official forums

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Into the flames of the official forums originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communityelrarenter-at-your-own-riftfeaturedforumforumsjames-nicholskaren-bryanriftrift-forumsrift-planes-of-telaratalk-of-telaratelaratriontrion-worldsWed, 09 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Every day I'm tribbleing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/captains-log-every-day-i-m-tribbleing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/captains-log-every-day-i-m-tribbleing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/captains-log-every-day-i-m-tribbleing/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Screenshot - Star Trek Online
Captain's Log, Stardate 65322.9...

Hello, computer (and players)! For the past several weeks, Star Trek Online players have been checking out the latest F2P beta builds on the Tribble test server. While there have been a few patches on other days, more for stability fixes and minor tweaking, Thursdays seem to be the designated day for us to receive the largest pushes of new content. The latest round of updates has brought further economy changes, new events and ships, and even more heated debates. Since we seem to be a ways out from the seeing the updates ported to the Holodeck live server, there is still plenty of time to check it all out and provide your feedback to the devs.

I would like to dedicate this entry to those who are helping test the changes. This week's Captain's Log serves as a checklist of sorts on what new content you can test and where you can provide feedback about it. As you read through, I suggest that you read a particular section, jump into game to check out the particular change, formulate an opinion, and head to the linked forum where you can leave your feedback. No matter what you think, it's important to let the devs know -- they will make changes based upon a collective opinion.

Ensign, warp 10! It's time to create our own party rock anthem...

Continue reading Captain's Log: Every day I'm tribbleing

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Every day I'm tribbleing originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abilityc-storeconsolecraftingcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdaily-eventdevdev-blogdev-diarydeveloper-blogdeveloper-diarydevsdilithiumdoffduty-officerduty-officer-systemevent-calendarf2pfeature-testingfeaturedfeedbackforumforumsfree-to-playgame-mechanicsgame-systemsgeargozerhereticklingon-academylivestreamloglore-missionspatchespath-to-f2pperfect-world-entertainmentpowerpwesci-fishipsspecial-task-forcespecial-task-force-missionsspecial-testingstst-onlinestar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestarfleet-academystephen-dangelostfstf-updatesstostormshadetest-servertrek-onlineuiui-tweakupdatesThu, 27 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warplanes turns off the 'no forums' lights]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/world-of-warplanes-turns-off-the-no-forums-lights/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/world-of-warplanes-turns-off-the-no-forums-lights/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/20/world-of-warplanes-turns-off-the-no-forums-lights/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

World of Warplanes
While you can't yet throw yourself into the cockpit of a World War II-era fighter and take off for the stratosphere, at least now there's nothing stopping you from talking about it with like-minded pilots.

World of Warplanes, the upcoming fighter plane MMO from Wargaming.net, has launched its official forums. The categories are quite extensive, ranging from developer feedback to a place to write poems about flying. There are even several sub-forums that cover the history of aviation if you're looking to brush up on your basics.

The title is the third in the "World of" series, and is currently in closed alpha testing. By having the forums up, Wargaming.net hopes that it'll be useful for refining the testing process and to balance the title before it's ready for the masses. World of Warplanes covers combat aviation from the 1930s all the way up through the 50s. Potential pilots are encouraged to read our conversation with Wargaming.net about the game from GDC earlier this month.

MassivelyWorld of Warplanes turns off the 'no forums' lights originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alphaalpha-testingcombat-aviationf2pfighterfighter-planesforumforumsfree-to-playgdc-2011poemspoetrywargaming.networld-of-warplanesworld-war-iiwowpwwiiThu, 20 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Turbine explains recent LotRO forum security issue]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/turbine-explains-recent-lotro-forum-security-issue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/turbine-explains-recent-lotro-forum-security-issue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/turbine-explains-recent-lotro-forum-security-issue/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

LOTRO
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.

MassivelyTurbine 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugbugsfaqforumhacklord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropasswordpasswordssecuritysecurity-compromisesecurity-faqturbineTurbine-EntertainmentWed, 19 Oct 2011 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Watch out BioWare, it's a (WoW) trap!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/the-soapbox-watch-out-bioware-its-a-wow-trap/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/the-soapbox-watch-out-bioware-its-a-wow-trap/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/the-soapbox-watch-out-bioware-its-a-wow-trap/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Soapbox
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.

I want to be up front about one thing first: World of Warcraft was, to me, a truly great game. It was. No matter how easy and trendy it is to take swings at the popular kid, I'd be lying if I didn't say that I had a few really terrific years in Azeroth. So as I go on to criticize aspects of the World of Warcraft phenomenon, I don't want to give you the impression that I'm filled with nothing but loathing for my time spent there.

There are many factors -- including plain old burnout -- that drove me away from WoW, but the one thing I never liked from my earliest days in the game until now was the attitude and approach that Blizzard gave. These were relatively minor flaws that became magnified with the game's staggering popularity and size, and they stand as proof that even great game designers can be blind to their own shortcomings.

Why do I bring up WoW today? Because with the unprecedented build-up to Star Wars: The Old Republic, I see BioWare teetering on the edge of these same traps that ensnared Blizzard and tainted that company's product. BioWare and EA may be betting on WoW 2.0, but if the people behind the scenes are smart about it, they'll take a lesson from history instead of discovering that they're just as prone to fumbling the ball as anyone else.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Watch out BioWare, it's a (WoW) trap!

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Watch out BioWare, it's a (WoW) trap! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arrogancebiowareblizzardcondescensioncontenteaea-biowarefeaturedforumopinionriftsoapboxstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-soapboxtorupdatesworld-of-warcraftwowyes-menTue, 11 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online's new forum is back online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/eve-onlines-new-forum-is-back-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/eve-onlines-new-forum-is-back-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/eve-onlines-new-forum-is-back-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

EVE title image
Back in April, EVE Online received a brand-new forum with a revamped search tool, the ability to "like" posts, and other useful features. Unfortunately, players quickly found several serious security problems in the new forum software, including the ability to inject arbitrary HTML (but not script) into any thread via a modified forum signature.

It also became known that the forum was a modified version of open source software Yet Another Forum, with the authentication system tied to CCP's own login service. A cookie exploit was discovered in this login system shortly after the forums went online, allowing users to post as anyone they wanted -- even as developers. The new forum was temporarily disabled pending a security review and the old one reactivated.

After a complete security revamp and a period of rigorous testing, the new forum returned to service today. This forum is tied into CCP's web platform EVE Gate, which provides quick access to your character's evemails while not in the game and has integrated social networking features. The old forum will be officially decommissioned on Friday, September 9th and left as a permanent archive.

[UPDATE: We've been informed that the previous injection exploit involved only HTML and not script. The post has been modified accordingly.]

MassivelyEVE Online's new forum is back online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-gateeve-mmorpgeve-onlineforumforumsnew-forumssecurityTue, 06 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE security devblog explains recent forum exploit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/eve-security-devblog-explains-recent-forum-exploit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/eve-security-devblog-explains-recent-forum-exploit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/12/eve-security-devblog-explains-recent-forum-exploit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

When EVE Online's new forum went live on Thursday, April 7th, it wasn't long before someone discovered a gruesome exploit. The cookie used by the forum wasn't encrypted, putting the user's character ID and signature in plain text. The forum software also didn't have the required validation procedures, meaning users could change the user ID in their cookies to any character's ID and they'd be able to post as that character. Moderator tools and private forums for EVE developers, volunteers and the CSM were also allegedly exposed.

In a new devblog, CCP Sreegs has explained the extent to which the exploit compromised security. In addition to being able to post as any user and edit any post, users abusing the exploit were able to inject arbitrary HTML into their forum signatures. Several players have been very vocally outraged by this, as the potential for someone to insert javascript into a forum page could be extremely damaging. Sreegs assured players that javascript inserted into the signature was sanitized and would not execute.

At least one player who reported the exploit was banned for subsequently abusing the exploit in an effort to force CCP to take action. In his devblog, Sreegs re-iterated the correct steps for getting in touch with CCP's security department if an exploit or security hole is discovered. Player response to the devblog has been largely positive, but questions still remain. CCP has yet to comment on why it decided to base the new forum on open source software Yet Another Forum and why it didn't inform players that it was using a pre-made package.

MassivelyEVE security devblog explains recent forum exploit originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-sreegseveeve-ccpeve-gateeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexploitforumTue, 12 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New EVE Online forums get off to a bumpy start]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/10/new-eve-online-forums-get-off-to-a-bumpy-start/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/10/new-eve-online-forums-get-off-to-a-bumpy-start/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/10/new-eve-online-forums-get-off-to-a-bumpy-start/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As part of EVE Online's Incursion expansion, players were due to get a new set of forums with a powerful new search feature and other handy tools. A beta version of the forum was released for testing by players at the end of February to help CCP collect feedback on its design. On Thursday, April 7th, the new forum was officially launched and the old forum was set to a read-only archive. It wasn't long, however, before problems began to crop up with the new forum. With so many people now using the new forum, it was only a matter of time before someone found a security hole in it.

Players discovered a cookie-based exploit that allowed them to authenticate as any EVE player without knowing the user's password, including forum moderators and CCP developers. Although user login data wasn't revealed, players abusing the exploit were able to edit other users' posts, access moderator tools and post as developers. A similar exploit was found that allowed players to post arbitrary Javascript into their forum signatures, which could have led to serious security compromises.

Web developers at CCP disabled the forum for several hours to develop and deploy a fix, but were ultimately unable to resolve the problem. For now, the new forum has been disabled and the old one has been reactivated in its stead. A devblog on the issue is due to be posted tomorrow.

MassivelyNew EVE Online forums get off to a bumpy start originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-gateeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexploitforumSun, 10 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New EVE forums available for testing]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/25/new-eve-forums-available-for-testing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/25/new-eve-forums-available-for-testing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/25/new-eve-forums-available-for-testing/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Last month, CCP Alice from EVE Online's web-development team revealed that the official EVE forums would be getting a complete revamp as part of the ongoing Incursion expansion. The new forums will have several advanced features, including a powerful search feature, a "Like" button next to posts, and the ability to subscribe to an RSS feed of search results. The new forums are nearing completion and, in true CCP style, developers have released them for public testing and feedback-gathering before they go live.

Developers need your help to make sure the forums are everything you expect. Head over to EVE Gate and sign in to give the new forums a test. If you've noticed anything wrong with the new forum, or even if you just have a suggestion for a change you'd like to see made, leave your feedback in the New Forum Feedback Portal. The web-development team is adding highly supported ideas to a review list for further development. When the new forums come in, the old forums will remain as a locked backup in its current location on the EVE website.

MassivelyNew EVE forums available for testing originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-aliceccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-gateeve-mmorpgeve-onlineforumforumsincursionsocialsocial-networkingFri, 25 Feb 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's EVE CSM interview: EVE Gate, microtransactions and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/massivelys-eve-csm-interview-eve-gate-microtransactions-and-m/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/massivelys-eve-csm-interview-eve-gate-microtransactions-and-m/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/massivelys-eve-csm-interview-eve-gate-microtransactions-and-m/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Earlier this month, the official minutes of meetings between CCP Games and EVE Online's Council of Stellar Management were published to the general public. EVE's democratically elected council of volunteer players meets with CCP's developers twice per year at the company's headquarters in Iceland. At the meetings, the concerns of EVE's players and details of upcoming expansions are discussed. Response to the December summit's minutes has been largely positive so far, which is a huge turnaround from June's tirade of negativity.

EVE blogs have been considering some of the problems raised in the meetings, and insider Keith Neilson delivered his assessment of how the meetings went right here on Massively. The only people we have yet to hear from are the council members themselves. To make sure the CSM has its say in the public arena, Massively interviewed council member Dierdra Vaal about the summit and asked some critical questions on CCP's plans for EVE's future. In this first of two interviews, we discussed EVE Gate, the growing botting problem, user interface upgrades, CCP's microtransaction policy, how the summit went in general, and how attitudes within CCP have changed toward the CSM.

Skip past the cut to read the first of two illuminating interviews with EVE Online's CSM.

Continue reading Massively's EVE CSM interview: EVE Gate, microtransactions and more

MassivelyMassively's EVE CSM interview: EVE Gate, microtransactions and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>botbotsbottingccpccp-eveccp-gamescouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmcsm-delegatecsm-summitdierdra-vaaleveeve-ccpeve-gateeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedforuminterviewinterviewsisk-faucetmicrotransactionsrmtFri, 21 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Old EVE portraits to be backed up -- log in today for high-res captures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/17/old-eve-portraits-to-be-backed-up-log-in-today-for-high-res-c/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/17/old-eve-portraits-to-be-backed-up-log-in-today-for-high-res-c/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/17/old-eve-portraits-to-be-backed-up-log-in-today-for-high-res-c/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

EVE Online's Incursion expansion's final phase is upon us, bringing with it the cataclysmic destruction of several hundred thousand disembodied heads. Those passport-photo-style mugshots next to characters' names on the forum and in-game chat channels will all be removed in tomorrow's patch. In their place, we'll create new photos using an advanced new full-body avatar generator. We've seen this new character generator in action, and it can produce some really impressive results that far outshine the old avatars we currently use. More importantly, the new avatars will be full-bodied characters for use with the upcoming Incarna expansion, rather than just small passport photos.

Players have expressed concerns about losing those EVE character portraits they've have had since as far back as 2003. In response, CCP has announced that all of the current portraits used on the forum are being backed up to an alternative web-server which will be kept open to public access. However, these portraits are limited to a width and height of 256 pixels. If you'd like to capture your current character in full high-resolution glory, you'll need to log in tonight to capture it. In a new last-minute devblog, the hilariously-named CCP Purple Tentacle has just posted details of the portrait backup service and instructions on exactly how to capture your character in high definition.

If you're caught away from your PC tonight and unable to capture your portrait, we'd like to help out. Please leave a comment with your character name and I'll be available for the next few hours to log in to capture the image for you. I'll then email the image to the email address you use on Massively. If you'd like it sent to a different email address, please include it in your comment or mail your request to brendan@massively.com and I'll send it to that address. When I'm no longer available to process requests, I will update this post.

UPDATE: The deadline has now passed and old portraits an no longer be catured in high resolution. Lower resolution portraits of up to 256 width and height can be downloaded using CCP's portrait backup service, which is now live.

MassivelyOld EVE portraits to be backed up -- log in today for high-res captures originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avataravatarsccpccp-eveccp-gamescharacter-creationcharacter-customizationeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionexpansionsforumincursionincursionsportraitMon, 17 Jan 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online to get shiny new forums as part of Incursion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/12/eve-online-to-get-shiny-new-forums-as-part-of-incursion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/12/eve-online-to-get-shiny-new-forums-as-part-of-incursion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/12/eve-online-to-get-shiny-new-forums-as-part-of-incursion/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Despite calls for some new features, the EVE Online forums haven't changed much at all since their release in 2003. A search feature was added several years ago, but it failed to produce reliable results. As usually happens when there's something missing in EVE, the community filled in the gaps with Chribba's popular EVE-Search forum archive and search tool. In a new devblog, CCP Alice has revealed that the forum will finally get a face-lift during the Incursion expansion. Players will be happy to know that a useful advanced search feature is definitely on the way, with some handy innovations like the ability to subscribe to an RSS feed of your search results.

In addition to displaying the shiny new avatars we'll create with the new character generator, the new forum has a quick-reply feature, a "like" button next to every post and a share option to link the post on various social networking tools. Each thread will also post to an RSS feed, so you can subscribe to interesting threads and receive replies on any device with an RSS reader. Players will also have a favourite thread list, which could be handy for saving a list of the various guides and information posts players find themselves looking up on a regular basis. The new forum will be integrated with EVE Gate, and the old forum will be left as an archive for posterity. The exact release schedule of the new forum isn't yet decided, but as it's part of Incursion, it will have to be released before the summer.

MassivelyEVE Online to get shiny new forums as part of Incursion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-aliceccp-eveccp-gamesdevblogeveeve-ccpeve-gateeve-mmorpgeve-onlineforumincursionsocial-networksocial-networkingWed, 12 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: EVE players debate microtransactions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/10/eve-evolved-eve-players-debate-microtransactions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/10/eve-evolved-eve-players-debate-microtransactions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/10/eve-evolved-eve-players-debate-microtransactions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Sometimes it seems as though the entire MMO industry is moving toward microtransaction-based pricing schemes. With the success of free-to-play titles like Runes of Magic and Free Realms, it's clear that microtransactions are becoming a popular alternative to the standard subscription model. Famously, Dungeons and Dragons Online also proved that a hybrid model with both subscription and microtransaction options could be a great success. Even World of Warcraft has hopped on the microtransaction bandwagon with its infamous sparkle pony and cosmetic pets.

With the industry moving firmly in one direction, questions have been raised over whether EVE Online will ever implement any kind of microtransactions. Believe it or not, the first steps toward doing just that have already been taken. It was discovered some time ago that the Incursion expansion this winter would give players the ability to buy extra neural remaps with PLEX. Neural remapping allows players to re-assign a character's attributes using a points-based system. As attributes are only used to determine the speed with which skills train, remaps allow players to max out the stats required to train a particular branch of skills.

In this opinion piece, I look at the microtransaction debate currently raging in the EVE community and weigh in with my opinions on this controversial issue.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: EVE players debate microtransactions

MassivelyEVE Evolved: EVE players debate microtransactions originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesdebateeveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedforumincarnaincursionmicrotransactionMicrotransactionsneural-remappingopinionpilot-license-extensionplexrmtSun, 10 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Jumpgate Evolution forums now live]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/03/new-jumpgate-evolution-forums-now-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/03/new-jumpgate-evolution-forums-now-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/03/new-jumpgate-evolution-forums-now-live/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Jumpgate Evolution forum members will be happy to hear that the old JGE forums are a thing of the past.

The new forums went online today, replacing the old ones that a NetDevil staffer referred to as "broken in many ways." As with many new sites, this one still has a few bugs to be fixed and additions to be made, so the News and Announcements forum contains a welcome post with a list of known issues.

That post explains how players can bring their login information to the new forum and gives a list of features that are still in the completion process. The forums and subforums are all functional -- though missing a few bells and whistles -- so check them out for yourself!

MassivelyNew Jumpgate Evolution forums now live originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>forumforumsgazilliongazillion-entertainmentjgejumpgatejumpgate-evolutionnetdevilSun, 03 Oct 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New devblog reveals only 54 developers working on EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/17/new-devblog-reveals-only-54-developers-working-on-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/17/new-devblog-reveals-only-54-developers-working-on-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/17/new-devblog-reveals-only-54-developers-working-on-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Icelandic MMO developer CCP Games has always made a point of being open and transparent with players. Through tools such as the Council of Stellar Management (CSM) and in-depth devblogs, a great deal of CCP's internal workings have been laid out in the open for all to see. In the latest CSM summit, CCP revealed that it couldn't commit any resources to CSM issues for at least the next 18 months as too many development resources were being used up by Incarna and Dust 514.

EVE Online's new senior producer CCP Zulu (formerly CCP Zulupark) elaborated on the issue yesterday with a full devblog on CCP's current allocation of developer time. In the devblog, Zulu provides a complete breakdown of CCP's current development teams, what projects each developer is assigned to, and what we can expect to come over the next year and a half. The devblog confirms grim fate of issues raised by the CSM, with no teams assigned to cover player-raised game defects. Perhaps the most surprising thing to come out of the devblog, however, was that only 54 members of CCP's "200-person development team" are working on anything that directly affects the current EVE populace. Of those, only 22 are working on features for the next expansion.

Skip past the cut to find out why there are only 22 developers working on features and what the reactions of the EVE player-base have been since the announcement.

Continue reading New devblog reveals only 54 developers working on EVE Online

MassivelyNew devblog reveals only 54 developers working on EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-zuluccp-zuluparkdevblogdevelopersdevelopmenteveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionexpansionsfeaturedforummmo-industrySat, 17 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Tattered Notebook: I'm in ur community, stalking ur threads]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/08/the-tattered-notebook-im-in-ur-community-stalking-ur-threads/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/08/the-tattered-notebook-im-in-ur-community-stalking-ur-threads/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/08/the-tattered-notebook-im-in-ur-community-stalking-ur-threads/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Last week's small little interview was fun, but this week it's time to get back to business. I haven't stalked threads in the forum for a while now, and I'm afraid that I'm losing my touch.

So this week I've dived back into the official EverQuest II forums to bring up the most recent discussion topics -- many of them centered on the changes made during Halas Reborn. Freeport and Qeynos still dominate the hot topic list, suggestions for things Dave Georgeson should fix in the game are being collected, and one thread muses on the past and future of the game.

In short, don't miss out on this week's entry in my Tattered Notebook. Do not disgrace the power of the Tier'dal, as the Community Manager Dark Elf has done! Otherwise I will have to invent stern punishments, like withholding lolcats from the internet. Do not force my hand!

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: I'm in ur community, stalking ur threads

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: I'm in ur community, stalking ur threads originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>community-roundupeq-2eq-iiever-quest-2ever-quest-iieverquest-2everquest-iifeaturedforumforum-threadsfreeporthalas-rebornnewsqeynossoesoe-eq-2soe-eq-iisony-eq-2sony-eq-iisony-online-entertainmentthe-tattered-notebookTue, 08 Jun 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mark Jacobs says EA wanted to kill UO, but he saved it]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/21/mark-jacobs-says-ea-wanted-to-kill-uo-but-he-saved-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/21/mark-jacobs-says-ea-wanted-to-kill-uo-but-he-saved-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/21/mark-jacobs-says-ea-wanted-to-kill-uo-but-he-saved-it/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Mythic CEO and Warhammer Online lead designer Mark Jacobs is a man who speaks his mind in the face of opposition and criticism. In truth, it's an admirable trait, even if it might occasionally cause some trouble. In the face of criticism from forum trolls and Blizzard COO Paul Sams, he posted a super-long defense of his game and himself. That's interesting on its own, but there's a gem hidden inside. Jacobs claimed that EA wanted to shut down Ultima Online, but he saved it!

Jacobs was defending himself against the accusation that he has a thin skin to criticism by listing things he's weathered and done over the course of his career. Listing those, he said he was "blamed for the state UO is in," but went on to say that "EA wanted to shut down UO when they gave it to us but I convinced them to spend more money on the game."

While it's not surprising that EA wanted to can UO, we're not sure whether to believe he was solely responsible for UO's rescue -- but if that really did happen, well, uhh... thanks, Mark Jacobs!

[Via Kotaku]

MassivelyMark Jacobs says EA wanted to kill UO, but he saved it originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cannedeaea-mythicelectronic-artsforummark-jacobsmythic-entertainmentoriginshut-downultima-onlineuowarhammer-onlineTue, 21 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AoC Testlive forums now active]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/aoc-testlive-forums-now-active/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/aoc-testlive-forums-now-active/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/aoc-testlive-forums-now-active/#commentsFiled under: ,


As part of the process of testing its new patches, Age of Conan recently unveiled its new Testlive Server, where players can try out the weekly patches in advance and provide feedback, thus helping find and crush bugs. As of last night, the Testlive Forums are now open. Although anything that happened in Beta is still under NDA (amazingly enough, given how often people talk about it!) the Testlive Forums are open to all active players, and thus are under no NDA.

Players who want to try out various classes at higher levels will also be able to do this on Testlive, as there will be facilities for rapid leveling and automatic gear aquisition. QA manager Nophex explains: 'In order to streamline the testing process we will be placing out special Testlive vendors that will allow you to level up your characters to various levels. This leveling process will also give you appropriate equipment for your level. These vendors will appear on Testlive in the next few weeks.'

The forums are open to both US and EU players, meaning the communities will be sharing a forum for the first time. Age of Conan players can log in to the Testlive Forums with their usual forum name and password.

MassivelyAoC Testlive forums now active originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocforumforumsfuncompatch-notespatchestest-servertestlivetestlive-forumstestlive-serverWed, 09 Jul 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP chronicles lives of Empyrean Age's warlike leaders]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/24/ccp-chronicles-the-lives-of-empyrean-ages-warlike-leaders/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/24/ccp-chronicles-the-lives-of-empyrean-ages-warlike-leaders/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/24/ccp-chronicles-the-lives-of-empyrean-ages-warlike-leaders/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

CCP has announced a weekly series of chronicles -- short lore stories -- related to the EVE Online's Empyrean Age expansion. The first four will tell stories about the motivations of the heads of the four factions in this new time of war. The final chronicle will focus on regular ol' capsuleers.

The first chronicle -- titled "Silent Furies" -- is available now. It's a talky story starring Sanmatar Maleatu Shakor, the head honcho of the Minmatar faction. Check it out if you're really into EVE lore. Needless to say, though, you don't need to know any of this stuff to just log in and blow people up.

In the event that you do read it, CCP has provided an official forum thread for chronicle-related discussions.

MassivelyCCP chronicles lives of Empyrean Age's warlike leaders originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chronicleempyrean-ageeve-onlinefictionforumloreminmatarsanmatar-maleatu-shakorsilent-furiesstoryTue, 24 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[67,000 plus dead in Jita, cause unknown]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/67-000-plus-dead-in-jita-cause-unknown/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/67-000-plus-dead-in-jita-cause-unknown/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/67-000-plus-dead-in-jita-cause-unknown/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened...
-- Obi Wan

Something 'terrible' indeed has transpired recently in EVE Online, but the event brought more amusement than horror to fans of the brutal sci-fi game. Over 67,000 ships were destroyed in the bustling trading hub of Jita yesterday, and the pilots of EVE's galaxy of New Eden are still trying to figure out what really happened. All of the obliterated ships were shuttles, which is unusual given the nearly endless procession of freighters and industrial ships clogging the system's star gates. The Jita system is notorious for being overcrowded and is often blamed for the lag that affects the rest of New Eden. Not a day goes by without an EVE pilot, somewhere, cursing Jita and calling for the system to be nuked. It seems those rage-fueled wishes were finally granted, just not quite how most would want that retribution to play out.

Theories about the event can be found in multiple forum threads, ranging from the plausible to the absurd. A few players expressed the view that multiple convoys of freighters offloaded their cargo of ships into space at one location, and somehow ignited the mass in a doomsday-level conflagration. Some feel that it was all orchestrated by EVE Online's developers to help set the tone for factional warfare between the races, which is about to consume EVE's pilots in the Empyrean Age expansion. Others point out the most likely cause of the mayhem: it was simply a bug... a map glitch. No official explanation from CCP Games has been given for the occurrence, nor has EVE's Interstellar Correspondents covered news of the event. Glitch or not, it's a novel way to kick off the wave of destruction about to sweep over New Eden mere days from now.


Thanks Hortinstein

Massively67,000 plus dead in Jita, cause unknown originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingbugccpccp-gamesdoomsdayempyrean-ageeveeve-onlinefactionfactional-warfareforumforumsglitchinterstellar-correspondentsjitanew-edenrumorsci-fiwarwarfareSat, 07 Jun 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Wonderland Online announces Memorial Day events]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/25/wonderland-online-announces-memorial-day-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/25/wonderland-online-announces-memorial-day-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/25/wonderland-online-announces-memorial-day-events/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Wonderland Online, one of the many free-to-play MMOs at the Internet Gaming Gate, has announced its exciting array of Memorial Day events happening this weekend.

One of these is an interesting take on the original Memorial Day theme as a military holiday or remembrance. The event is called Saving Private Ryan and it will be a play on the movie of the same name. Three GMs will play the part of injured veterans who are on their way home from the front. They will be attacked by monsters along the way, and it's up to the players to defend them until they reach home. Plus, as an added bonus, from May 23rd to May 26th, players who post replies to discuss Wonderland Online in its forum will have a chance to win valuable rewards.

MassivelyWonderland Online announces Memorial Day events originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 May 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>contestsforumfree-to-playiggwonderland-onlineSun, 25 May 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom seeks volunteer forum moderators]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/10/funcom-seeks-volunteer-forum-moderators/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/10/funcom-seeks-volunteer-forum-moderators/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/10/funcom-seeks-volunteer-forum-moderators/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Funcom posted a bulletin seeking volunteers to moderate the official Age of Conan forums. The game will be launching in just over a week, so if you're a particularly passionate member of its community, this is probably a good time to jump on board.

All you need: strong English language skills, an infraction-free couple of months of history on the AoC forums, "organization skills," and a little bit of forum moderation experience. It's too bad it's not a paying gig, but there's no doubt that there are people out there who are committed enough to the game that they'll help out for free. So if you're one of those people, head on over; Funcom has provided a application for you to fill out.

Just don't be too shocked when you end up spending hours every day battling level 80 elite trolls.

MassivelyFuncom seeks volunteer forum moderators originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 May 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocconanforumforumsfuncommoderatormoderatorsmodstrollsvolunteerSat, 10 May 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Which MMO should go away?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/21/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-should-go-away/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/21/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-should-go-away/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/21/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-should-go-away/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

People love to hate things. Whether we're talking about sports, religion, politics, lifestyles, or goulash recipes, there are always at least two sides in opposition to each other, and frequently many more. Those on one side will sing the virtues of their choice, and decry the faults of the other side, sometimes with virulent verbiage. Nowhere is this activity more evident than in the forum of your favorite MMO.

Gamers will yell at each other over the slightest perceived insult, and heap abuse on any who dare to assert the primacy of anything that isn't in line with what they love. And that's the sort of energy we want to invite! So, Precious Readers, which MMO do you hate the most, and why?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Which MMO should go away? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abuseflamesforumgoulashhatetdgthe-daily-grindMon, 21 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warrior Epic team launches community forum]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/27/warrior-epic-team-launches-community-forum/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/27/warrior-epic-team-launches-community-forum/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/27/warrior-epic-team-launches-community-forum/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Possibility Space, the fine folks behind the upcoming free MMO Warrior Epic, sent us a note this evening letting us know that their forums have officially gone live, and that they're sending out a call for interested gamers to come take a look. As a bit of an incentive, community manager Brice Lucas is promising that the development team will be in constant contact with the posters on their forums, so if you're interested in getting involved in a burgeoning community at the ground floor, you'll want to jump on this sooner rather than later.

Unlike the forums of bigger titles like World of Warcraft, where player concerns are buried under a deluge of ASCII memes, off-topic comments, and thousand-word flames, smaller forums tend to demand a higher degree of intelligence from their members, as it's harder to hide under the veil of anonymity. The downside, of course, is that they're considerably slower and it's not as fun to park yourself there while at work and hit refresh all day. Still, we've got the new forum bookmarked already and we advise all interested parties to do the same.

MassivelyWarrior Epic team launches community forum originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Dec 2007 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brice-lucascommunityforumforumspossibility-spacewarrior-epicThu, 27 Dec 2007 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[CoX: New web-based display options]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/cox-new-web-based-display-options/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/cox-new-web-based-display-options/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/cox-new-web-based-display-options/#commentsFiled under: ,

Supporting the theory that the world should know more about the CoX universe, you'll soon be able to configure the game client to display or hide certain information on the web. It is a bit convoluted, however, so please be sure to note the information contained in the official forums.

In the Miscellaneous section under the General tab (Menu > General), you will have the option of hiding your Statistics, Powers, Badges, and Friends list from inclusion on the public web page. If you choose to show them, leave each option disabled; however, if you wish to hide them, enable the option. If you're a private person, simply enable the Statistics option, and all other options will automatically be hidden. One other thing: unlike graphic settings, these options are configured on a per-character basis, so if you want everything hidden, you'll need to properly configure each character you have on each server. The only caveat to this is if your character has not been logged in for at least 90 days: at that cut-off point, all options are hidden.

Although a final go-live date for this feature has not been announced, it's planned for a relatively short lead time. There will be more information available in the official forum as the release date approaches; and, as always, if you have any issues, concerns, or comments, NCsoft wants to hear from you in the discussion thread.

MassivelyCoX: New web-based display options originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BadgesCity-of-HeroesCity-of-VillainsCoXDiscussionForumFriendsGeneral-TabNCsoftOptionsPowerStatisticsWeb-PageTue, 20 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[D&D Online Game Guide winners announced]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/dandd-online-game-guide-winners-announced/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/dandd-online-game-guide-winners-announced/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/14/dandd-online-game-guide-winners-announced/#commentsFiled under: ,

The anticipation is over, and for those of you eagerly awaiting the results, Dungeons & Dragons Online has finally released the list of winners for its Game Guide contest.

Want to know the best way to acquire information in the game? Just use the lessons learned when MysticTheurge teaches you how to Ask a Loremaster. Need more assistance? SableShadow lands a sneak attack with Notes from a Dancing Rogue, and LostLeader helps you get to where you need to be with The Lost Quest Guide. As well, there are an additional seven runners up who will also have their game guides published in the DDO.com compendium. And don't forget that you're not limited to just these ten entries: the full list of top-rated and most useful guides is available in its own forum category, and they range from general information to quest-specific rewards.

When Dungeons & Dragons Online first opened its contest on September 20, they stated that they were looking for the best guides from the most knowledgeable participants. The guides were posted to their online User-Written Guides forum, and participants were allowed to nominate their favorites.

If you've ever needed a reason to learn more about Dungeons & Dragons Online, or to enjoy the wit and wisdom of other players, here's your excuse.

MassivelyD&D Online Game Guide winners announced originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CompendiumContestDDODungeons-and-Dragons-OnlineForumGuidesMost-UsefulTop-RatedUser-WrittenWinnersWed, 14 Nov 2007 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP proposes rebalancing capital ships/carriers - reactions mixed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/24/ccp-proposes-rebalancing-capital-ships-carriers-reactions-mixe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/24/ccp-proposes-rebalancing-capital-ships-carriers-reactions-mixe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/24/ccp-proposes-rebalancing-capital-ships-carriers-reactions-mixe/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Zulupark, one of the newer game-designers at CCP, has broached a new notion for balancing capital ships in EVE Online. It's a balancing change, so you can immediately expect a few happy people, a few sad ones, a few threatening to cancel their accounts, and some who already have without waiting to see how it will all pan out, if the changes go ahead anyway - the proposed changes did go live on the test server yesterday.

The basic notion is that capital ships that are equipped with drones and/or fighters have their control of those limited to align them more with a support role than the turn-your-ship-into-a-charred- hole-in-the-void-in-two-seconds role.

Gallery: EVE Online Core Gallery


Continue reading CCP proposes rebalancing capital ships/carriers - reactions mixed

MassivelyCCP proposes rebalancing capital ships/carriers - reactions mixed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capital-shipscarriersCCPdroneseve-onlinefightersforumzuluparkWed, 24 Oct 2007 10:00:00 EST