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[Bring your pals to The Old Republic with a newly extended Friends Trial]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/bring-your-pals-to-the-old-republic-with-a-newly-extended-friend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/bring-your-pals-to-the-old-republic-with-a-newly-extended-friend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/bring-your-pals-to-the-old-republic-with-a-newly-extended-friend/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Screenshot -- Star Wars: The Old Republic
The galaxy can be a big, cold, and lonely place, and BioWare knows it. That's why the studio has decided to increase the number of friends that players can invite to join them in Star Wars: The Old Republic courtesy of a seven-day free trial. Whereas before players were only able to invite a paltry three friends at a time, now burgeoning social butterflies can drag up to 25 of their friends into The Old Republic.

It's worth noting, of course, that the free trial period does come with some limitations. Friends invited for the free trial will only be able to progress to level 15, and trial characters can play only "on their Origin World, Capital World, at the Fleet, [in] a Warzone, and in their first Flashpoint." But if you've got some friends who are on the fence about subscribing to the game, those seven days just might be enough to get them hooked. So get out there, rally your friends, and get to conquering the galaxy.

MassivelyBring your pals to The Old Republic with a newly extended Friends Trial originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-day-free-trial7-day-trialbiowareeaelectronic-artsfree-trialfriendsfriends-triallucasartssci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feeswtorthe-old-republictortrialTue, 03 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: Attitude of gratitude]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/wings-over-atreia-attitude-of-gratitude/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/wings-over-atreia-attitude-of-gratitude/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/wings-over-atreia-attitude-of-gratitude/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Wings Over Atreia header image
For Solorius, I expounded on my wish list for Aion, detailing things I wanted to see in game. Now, however, 'tis the season to express thankfulness for that which we have. While contemplating the many things I am grateful for in my life, I also considered the things that I am grateful for in the world of Atreia. Sure, things are not perfect (what world, real or pixelated, is?), and there are problems, bugs, and things I still hope are changed or added, but that does not diminish the fact that Aion still offers many things to gamers in general -- and me in particular.

Originally slated to release during the holiday, this topic was preempted by last week's announcement. No matter -- I certainly don't mind stretching out the season of gratitude. So while it might be more trendy to troll and spread hate, I dedicate this week's Wings Over Atreia to just saying thanks.

Don't believe there are things to be thankful for? Step past the cut (or roll, if you enjoyed as much turkey as I did) to check out my reasons and a chance to express your own.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Attitude of gratitude

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Attitude of gratitude originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-gameeventsfeaturedflightflyingfriendsfriendshipgratefulgratefulnessgratitudelegionnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionpetsthankfulthankful-forthankfulnessWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 28 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Exclusive: Referee Ruby makes friends in Free Realms]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/exclusive-referee-ruby-makes-friends-in-free-realms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/exclusive-referee-ruby-makes-friends-in-free-realms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/exclusive-referee-ruby-makes-friends-in-free-realms/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Free Realms' Referee Ruby
Not everyone can be Referee Ruby, but everyone can make friends in Free Realms, or so says today's exclusive video from Sony Online Entertainment. Ruby is back with tips on how players young and old can win friends and influence people in the free-to-play MMO. Mind your manners and don't be a jerk, she says (a simple lesson ignored by too many gamers), but above all else, get a boombox with the hottest tunes, trick out an awesome house for entertaining, and throw a party -- because everyone loves a party. Naturally, the very best party supplies and structures are purchased in the Free Realms cash shop, and Ruby shows viewers how it's done. Hey, no one said friendship was cheap!

Grab your favorite boombox and hit the break to see Free Realms' Making Friends video in full.

Continue reading Exclusive: Referee Ruby makes friends in Free Realms

MassivelyExclusive: Referee Ruby makes friends in Free Realms originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adviceexclusivef2pFRfree-realmsfree-to-playfriendsmaking-friendsreferee-rubysoeSony-Online-EntertainmenttipsvideovideosFri, 19 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you have departed friends from old games?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/the-daily-grind-do-you-have-departed-friends-from-old-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/the-daily-grind-do-you-have-departed-friends-from-old-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/the-daily-grind-do-you-have-departed-friends-from-old-games/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Friends leave. It's a sad reality, but it's still a reality, and it's hard to maintain a friendship when your only real common interest is a game that you no longer play together. Even though your friend might have left City of Heroes or Warhammer Online behind many years ago, you still think about your friendship and wonder about what the other person is up to -- but you were friends in the game and not elsewhere. There's no way to know, and nothing that can be done beyond sighing wistfully at the in-game horizon and hoping that your old buddy is still having fun.

Play a game for long enough, and you'll no doubt find old friends that move on even while some stick around. So what friends do you remember from the games of yore that you no longer play alongside? Were they former real-life friends that gradually became game friends until you lost touch, or are they just people you met while playing EverQuest II? What sort of memories do you have about the departed, and have you ever managed to reconnect with an in-game friend you thought was gone for good?

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 departed friends from old games? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>absent-friendsculturefriendsin-game-friendshipin-game-relationshipnostalgiaold-friendsrelationshipstdgthe-daily-grindThu, 07 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you have an MMO partner?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/13/the-daily-grind-do-you-have-an-mmo-partner/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/13/the-daily-grind-do-you-have-an-mmo-partner/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/13/the-daily-grind-do-you-have-an-mmo-partner/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Everything's always better with a buddy. Sure, you might be having a lot of fun by yourself shooting at everyone in Global Agenda, but it's even better when you know your friend is right there watching your back. And if you decide you don't want to play any longer and move on somewhere new, it's even better to know that your partner is following you as well. You get used to the other person's styles and playing patterns, and you can help compensate for weaknesses.

Some of us have a partner who follows us through several games, some of us have partners in any given game, and some of us go through games like The Man With No Name, without anyone at our back. So where do you fall? Do you have a constant companion, a fairweather friend, or just random acquaintances? And which would you rather have, if the choice were totally yours?

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 an MMO partner? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 May 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>associatesbackupbuddiescompadrescompanionsfriendsgaming-partnersopinionpalspartnerstdgthe-daily-grindwell-wishersFri, 13 May 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gamers buck stereotypes in a recent survey]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/gamers-buck-stereotypes-in-a-recent-survey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/gamers-buck-stereotypes-in-a-recent-survey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/gamers-buck-stereotypes-in-a-recent-survey/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Angry at being lumped in with the stereotype of a gaming loser who can't make a friend for all the effort in the world? It turns out you probably have a right to be upset. According to a survey by Bigpoint, most gamers are actually balanced, social and fairly good-looking -- a far cry from the antisocial nerd who cannot understand this thing called "women."

The Bigpoint Gamer Survey covered 6,663 gamers across the globe in its research before coming to this startling (or not-so-startling, depending on your perspective) conclusion. The survey also showed that gamers are just as active with their online friendships as those in real life. Yes, 55% of players under 20 years old said they had more online friends than offline, and a quarter of gamers mashed the two social spheres together -- 28% of those surveyed said that they eventually met their online friends in the real world.

Bigpoint's Janine Griffel thinks that this survey paints a very positive picture for the gaming community: "Our study shows that online gamers are attractive individuals with healthy and active social lives. Social and casual games are very popular among our users for the reason that they emphasize being social. The trend's definitely moving away from single-player games to social-based experiences."

You can read more about this fascinating survey at Game Politics.

MassivelyGamers buck stereotypes in a recent survey originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antisocialbigpointbigpoint-gamer-surveyfriendsingame-friendsnerdreal-worldsocial-spherestereotypestereotypessurveywhats-cooking-good-lookingTue, 08 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: When has a game made you feel better?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/the-daily-grind-when-has-a-game-made-you-feel-better/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/the-daily-grind-when-has-a-game-made-you-feel-better/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/the-daily-grind-when-has-a-game-made-you-feel-better/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Let's face it, real life has a tendency to throw some pretty nasty curveballs from time to time. Sometimes the negativity just keeps coming, and it feels like all you can do is struggle to keep your head above water for a few days. And then you log in to Guild Wars to find that your friend wants to give you a rare undedicated pet to help you feel better, or you finally reach the next ship tier in Star Trek Online, or you get a lucky night of Incarnate drops in City of Heroes.

We talk a lot about the drama and friction in MMOs for understandable reasons, but every now and again the social side of the game is a boon and not a curse. It's not always enough, but a victory in a game can at least help dull the ache when things are going bad, and sometimes it's enough to make your day after all. So when has a game made you feel better? Was it your fellow players, lucky drops, or just a long-awaited milestone that perked you up?

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: When has a game made you feel better? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cheering-upculturefriendlinessfriendsgood-fortunegood-luckhappyopinionpositivitysocialtdgthe-daily-grindupliftingTue, 01 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Are you a game evangelist?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/25/the-daily-grind-are-you-a-game-evangelist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/25/the-daily-grind-are-you-a-game-evangelist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/25/the-daily-grind-are-you-a-game-evangelist/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There is a gospel to be preached, and all good players are well aware of it. After all, whether you're playing World of Warcraft, EVE Online, Guild Wars, Fantasy Earth Zero, or some other game altogether -- you know that your game of choice is the game to play. That's why you're playing it, right? But not all of your friends necessarily play the same game, and some of them might not be as sure about how excellent your game of choice really is.

So when you sit down and chat with your friends, do you evangelize? Do you preach the gospel of your favorite game to everyone you know, hoping that they'll convert and log on alongside you? Or do you let your game of choice remain on the side, not annoying your friends with constant discussions of your favorite game until they throw you out of a moving car? Are your favorite MMOs things you try and share, or keep to yourself?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Are you a game evangelist? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>evangelismeveeve-onlinefantasy-earth-zerofavorite-gamefezfriendsgame-of-choiceguild-warsgwopinionsharing-gamestdgthe-daily-grindworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 25 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: The ties that bind]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/wings-over-atreia-the-ties-that-bind/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/wings-over-atreia-the-ties-that-bind/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/wings-over-atreia-the-ties-that-bind/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Flaws. Bugs. Annoyances -- like a level 45 slaughtering you while your little level 18 self is quietly going about gathering Lumesia. Moments that just make you want to find a dev and toss him off the nearest high rise; all games have them, no one denies this -- not even Aion players (although they usually don't feel the need to discuss them with those who don't play).

So why is it we stay in games that, at times, make us want to rip our hair out by the fistfuls? With such a plethora of games catering to a wide variety of play styles, how do we stay faithful to a particular one over the long haul, even when we know it isn't perfect? No, it isn't because we are all secretly masochistic. Or because we detest our barber/hairdresser. Looking around me in games both past and present, watching those who could be considered die-hards stay in (and enjoy) games long after the masses have fled, I found themes that mirrored some of my own reasons -- because, alternately, there are the moments that make it worth it. Not the art, the features, or the wittiness of the quest dialog. Rather, the ties that bind us: Friendships, epic memories, and just plain stubbornness.

Charge across the bridge and we'll delve into my top reasons for sticking with a title, even in the face of the raging malcontents.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: The ties that bind

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: The ties that bind originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionatreiadaevadaevaseltnenepic-memoriesfeaturedfriendsfriendshipfriendshipsmemoriesmorheimncsoftpvpstubbornstubbornnesstiesventriloWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 28 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How well do you know your game buddies?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/27/the-daily-grind-how-well-do-you-know-your-game-buddies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/27/the-daily-grind-how-well-do-you-know-your-game-buddies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/27/the-daily-grind-how-well-do-you-know-your-game-buddies/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

While it's increasingly possible to play an MMO without being forced to interact with others, it's a bit like renting a tuxedo for a trip to McDonald's. Connections get formed (however mercenary they may be at the start) and you find yourself with a circle of friends you play with. Of course, while it's helpful to know who these people are, it's not absolutely necessary to know much aside from their character names and their roles in a group.

Some people are content to leave their knowledge of cohorts there; others prefer to go the extra mile and find out the players and personalities behind the avatars. And it can help the play experience to know that Swizzle the Thief is actually a CPA in Gary, Indiana who's thinking about marrying his girlfriend. It's not going to help the group in the strictest sense, though, and getting too attached can lead to some major drama. What about you? Do you tend to know a lot about the people you game with, or would you generally prefer not to know?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How well do you know your game buddies? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chumscompanionsdramafriendsgatheringsgroupsmercenarysocialsocial-groupstdgthe-daily-grindThu, 27 May 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Mask: I lost my best friend to Gigabolt]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/behind-the-mask-i-lost-my-best-friend-to-gigabolt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/behind-the-mask-i-lost-my-best-friend-to-gigabolt/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/behind-the-mask-i-lost-my-best-friend-to-gigabolt/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Powers in Champions Online vary widely in the eyes of the playerbase. Some powers, like Mind Lock and Arcane Vitality, remain mostly unknown, while other powers, like Regeneration and Haymaker, take center stage. Sometimes this reputation is due to a present or former imbalance like Collective Will, and sometimes it's due to an unknown combination of factors, like Roomsweeper (probably because Might is the most played powerset in the game).

And sometimes, like in the case of Gigabolt, it might just be something else.

Powers are balanced in CO according to a variety of mathematical factors, such as activation time, range, energy cost, and damage dealt. But the devs also try to have their powers balanced around another factor: Fun. On a 1-10 scale, most powers in Champions hover around a 3-4 on the fun scale, with the standout powers pushing up to a 5-6 and possibly as high as 7 or even 8 for good synergies between several powers. When a power gets too fun, like the Incisive Wit advantage for Kinetic Darts, the devs make sure to issue a patch to fix the imbalance.

Except for Gigabolt.

Continue reading Behind the Mask: I lost my best friend to Gigabolt

MassivelyBehind the Mask: I lost my best friend to Gigabolt originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Behind-the-Maskchampions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-studiosfeaturedfriendshumoropinionsarcasmThu, 29 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What spurs you to try a game?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/the-daily-grind-what-spurs-you-to-try-a-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/the-daily-grind-what-spurs-you-to-try-a-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/the-daily-grind-what-spurs-you-to-try-a-game/#commentsFiled under: , ,

For most of us, MMOs can be loosely grouped into three categories. The first consists of games that you're playing or no longer wish to play, where you bought the box and dove in for better or worse. In the second category are games that you have zero interest in playing. But the third category is the most nebulous in some ways -- games that you want to try but haven't for whatever reason. Sometimes it's a lack of time, sometimes it's a feature or two you'd rather see implemented before you commit. Sometimes it's even just a matter of wanting to see if the game has a future, which can be a terribly self-fulfilling prophecy.

But there's a hurdle there, even if it's just a small one. So what pushes you off the fence, so to speak, and gets you to try a new game? Is it an upcoming expansion? A free trial or a discounted upgrade? Friends enjoying the game, perhaps even gifting it to you? Or do you just wait a little on new games to see how they shake down, making a commitment only when you think it will be well-placed?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What spurs you to try a game? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>expansionsfree-trialfriendsopinionssalestdgthe-daily-grindwhat-you-should-be-playingWed, 31 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Global Agenda offering free trials]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/25/global-agenda-offering-free-trials/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/25/global-agenda-offering-free-trials/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/25/global-agenda-offering-free-trials/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You're all our friends here on Massively, or at least we'd like to think so. That's why we're doing what friends who play Global Agenda do for their friends who are curious about the game but don't want to commit. We're sending you along to the link to sign up for a free trial to the game that lets you experience how the game runs for... well... as long as you'd like. Once you have the trial, you have it forever. You can see why Hi-Rez Studios is encouraging people to tell their friends not yet in the game to take a look.

Of course, their are limitations -- specifically, there are a limited number of trials available, meaning that if you're interested you need to sign up by April 1st. There are also level and content restrictions, as detailed by the official disclaimer. But none of that should stop the people curious about how the game plays out from signing up in hopes of getting in for free. If there's one thing we've heard over in over in comments about Global Agenda's rapid-fire patches, it's the want for a trial -- and here it is. Isn't that friendly?

MassivelyGlobal Agenda offering free trials originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>free-trialfriendsga-trialglobal-agendaglobal-agenda-hi-rezglobal-agenda-trialhi-rezhi-rez-global-agendahi-rez-stdioes-global-agendahi-rez-studiostrialunlimited-trialThu, 25 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you invite your friends?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/23/the-daily-grind-do-you-invite-your-friends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/23/the-daily-grind-do-you-invite-your-friends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/23/the-daily-grind-do-you-invite-your-friends/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Not every game has one, but several do -- the opportunity to invite a friend who hasn't played the game before, or try and entire someone back to the game again after a prolonged absence. After all, we have friends we know outside of our games that still enjoy flying around and smashing orcs (or alien horrors, or gang members, or anyone unlucky enough to wander into your space), and it's fun to bring people you interact with anyway into your favorite virtual world. You've got automatic leveling partners and people who know how you like to work, what could go wrong?

Well, they could not like it. Actually, they could get annoyed at you bugging them about the game and decide not to play based solely upon that. Or they could wind up going in a completely different field of the game than you enjoy, or they might bring a whole bunch of real-world drama into a world you had been using to avoid that drama. So there might be good reasons to let your friends just keep enjoying whatever they like and keep your MMO friends separate. What do you do? Do you invite your old buddies, or do you stick with the fresh start?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you invite your friends? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buddieschumscity-of-heroescohcompanionsdramafriendsinvitationsrecruitmentrefer-a-friendreferralstdgthe-daily-grindTue, 23 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom offers prizes for friends and followers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/19/funcom-offers-prizes-for-friends-and-followers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/19/funcom-offers-prizes-for-friends-and-followers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/19/funcom-offers-prizes-for-friends-and-followers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Tis the season for getting cool things -- and for making new friends. Funcom obviously agrees, as they've got a contest going where they'll be giving away some pretty nice prizes for people who become friends, fans, or followers on their various Facebook and Twitter accounts. The idea is pretty simple: for every one of the Funcom accounts you link up with, you'll be entered in the drawing for prizes. So, with two accounts each for Age of Conan, Anarchy Online The Secret World, as well as for Funcom in general, there are 8 different ways you could land some sweet swag.

Among the prizes for this giveaway are free game time; beta access to Age of Conan's next expansion, Rise of the Godslayer; a guaranteed spot in hotly anticipated The Secret World beta test; in-game items for Age of Conan and Anarchy Online; and "much, much more" according to their information. With Rhode Island and Florida excluded from the ranks (that pesky "must buy a bond for your prizes" thing we're sure) most everyone else can enter for a chance to score some sweet Funcom goodies. If you're looking for where exactly to link up your accounts, they've even listed the links on the Age of Conan site, making the clicky-clicky that much easier. Just make sure you've joined up before January 4th, 2010 when the contest ends. Good luck!

MassivelyFuncom offers prizes for friends and followers originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananarchy-onlinebeta-accesscontestfacebookfansfollowersfree-game-timefriendsfuncomin-game-itemssocial-mediathe-secret-worldtwitterSat, 19 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: I, suck]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/11/anti-aliased-i-suck/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/11/anti-aliased-i-suck/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/11/anti-aliased-i-suck/#commentsFiled under: , ,

So my last column was one heck of a surprising column. Anti-Aliased got steamrolled with your opinions, thanks to the linking from N4G, Kotaku, Reddit, WoW.com, and Joystiq and everyone spreading the word and telling their friends. Without a doubt, that was the most productive column I've written in a long time, and while some people may have written it off as a rant, the more important thing is that it started some great discussion amongst the community. Everyone who gave their view on things, from the people who agreed to the people who wish I would crawl into a ditch and die, thanks for giving your view!

So this week when I went out with a few friends to get a drink, one of them mentioned Darkfall. Of course when an MMO comes up in conversation, all of my friends turn and give me this long, dead stare. I sighed and recounted my time in Darkfall, but as I thought of it, I began to notice something.

I really sucked at Darkfall. Not just kind of sucked -- really sucked. The combat in that wasn't my thing, as I never really deal with pressure in PvP when something big is on the light. FPS games where I go to my save point when I die is one thing, but dying and losing everything? That's something different. I think I killed like 3 people in my entire month there. Although, when it came to crafting, I was a arrow machine.

But that got me thinking about sucking in general and how we as a community aren't very supportive when it comes to players who may not be the best at the games they play.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: I, suck

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: I, suck originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-aliasedcooperationdarkfallfeaturedfriendshelpingleadershipopinionpartyparty-leadersuckFri, 11 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: If all of your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/07/the-daily-grind-if-all-of-your-friends-jumped-off-a-bridge-wou/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/07/the-daily-grind-if-all-of-your-friends-jumped-off-a-bridge-wou/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/07/the-daily-grind-if-all-of-your-friends-jumped-off-a-bridge-wou/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


How many times did we hear that growing up? Peer pressure is a powerful thing, but when it comes to the allure of a new MMO, it may take on a whole new meaning. Let's say you've had a favorite game that you've been playing for years now with a steady group of friends. A shiny new game comes along and those friends all want to check it out, and they're begging you to join them. The problem is, you love your current game and have already invested so much time and energy into getting your characters exactly the way you want them!

So what do you do? Do you grudgingly follow your friends to this new game, even if you know you won't enjoy it? Is it really so much about staying in the group that you're willing to endure crappy game mechanics for the comaradarie of friends? Maybe the new game actually turns out to be much more fun anyway! Let us know if you've ever faced this situation and how you dealt with it.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: If all of your friends jumped off a bridge, would you? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>friendsgroupingnew-gamesopinionpeer-pressurethe-daily-grindFri, 07 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E3 2009: Friends fix coming to Free Realms]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/03/e3-2009-friends-fix-coming-to-free-realms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/03/e3-2009-friends-fix-coming-to-free-realms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/03/e3-2009-friends-fix-coming-to-free-realms/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


While there's little doubt that Free Realms is a wonderfully fun, addictive game that more and more old-school MMOers and non-MMOers are enjoying together, it has had some pretty nasty snags since launch. The most glaring of these for social gamers has really been the problem with trying to add someone to your Friends listing. As the mechanic currently works, if you want to add someone to your friends listing in the game to find them later, you must be signed on to the same server at the same time. If you don't happen to know your friends are online, you have no real way to find them. This is leading to players having to hook up on Twitter, via IMs or email, or just by calling one another before they sign in so they can meet up in a particular zone on a particular server to finally be "friends" in Free Realms.

Yesterday, while talking to Andrew Sites from Sony Online Entertainment here at E3, we were told that they'd noticed, while Free Realms is incredibly popular, it's not necessarily as social as they'd like it to be - at least not yet. The friends list problem, they acknowledge, is a good portion of this, as players can't find their friends as easily as they'd intended for them to. As such, they wanted to let us all know that they're currently working on a fix for this particular issue and we should see it rolling out to the live servers within the next few weeks. Good news for those of us who have been frustrated by not being able to play with - or even locate - our friends in Free Realms.
Massively is on the ground in Los Angeles this week and covering all the latest E3 MMO news coming from the convention. Check out our breaking coverage (or all the Joystiq network E3 reporting) and keep your eye on Massively's front page for the latest developments.

MassivelyE3 2009: Friends fix coming to Free Realms originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bug-fixe3e3-2009free-realmsfriendsfriends-listingsoesony-online-entertainmentWed, 03 Jun 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How did you find your guild?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/07/the-daily-grind-how-did-you-find-your-guild/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/07/the-daily-grind-how-did-you-find-your-guild/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/07/the-daily-grind-how-did-you-find-your-guild/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Guilds, fellowships, corporations, group of rum-soaked adventurers; whatever your core gaming group decides to call itself, many of us have people that we tend to play with in our different MMOs. For example, I joined an EVE Online Corp last night that an old RL friend of mine is a director in. In my last game, a few friends started a loose group, we merged into a guild of like-minded folks we met in game which split, so then we reformed again. Before that I was in supergroups based on themes (TaxiBots, for example) with a small core group of MMO and RL friends in another, primary group. And so on, and so on, and so on. Most of the team here has had wide experiences from blind invites to guilds they'd never heard of, to joining up with other bloggers, to getting local RL friends to game with them.

This morning we thought it would be fun to ask where you picked up your core group of people you play with? Did you happen to meet them in game? Was it several games ago and you've been together ever since? Did you meet via blogs? IRC? A particular website or forum? Or were they meatspace friends first, then you started running around in MMOs together?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How did you find your guild? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>corpeve-onlinefellowshipfriendsguildmeeting-peoplesupergrouptdgthe-daily-grindTue, 07 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO! Pokemon does not choose you]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/26/mmo-pokemon-does-not-choose-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/26/mmo-pokemon-does-not-choose-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/26/mmo-pokemon-does-not-choose-you/#commentsFiled under: , ,


If you've been waiting for a Pokemon MMO to come out, we're afraid we've got some bad news for you. In an interview with What They Play, Pokemon series director Junichi Masuda confirmed that they're not considering going in the MMO direction at this time. As he stated in the interview, "Trading is a core concept of Pokemon. So when you're trading, you meet with a friend and decide which one you want and which one they want. I would like to emphasize real-world communication. You don't see each other online."

That said, we've heard rumblings from some of our readers about Ether Saga, which appears to be based on a pet-collecting and fighting system - although we'd note we haven't played it and can't judge just how similar the two might be in practice. Perhaps the creators of Pokemon will reconsider their no-MMO decision down the road. Sure, you may not see people face-to-face when it comes to online gaming, but handled properly, MMOs can be a great way to meet new people and potentially make friends you wouldn't have met otherwise.

[via GamesIndustry]

MassivelyMMO! Pokemon does not choose you originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>friendsgame-developmentmmoonline-gamingpikachupokemonThu, 26 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How can you tell your online friends that you've passed away?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/how-can-you-tell-your-online-friends-that-youve-passed-away/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/how-can-you-tell-your-online-friends-that-youve-passed-away/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/how-can-you-tell-your-online-friends-that-youve-passed-away/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Gamers know that online friends are important. We spend untold hours raiding together, questing together, leveling together, and laughing together. Part of the reason we even play MMOs is because we want to play a game with thousands of other players and meet new people while we do something we all can enjoy together.

But what if the unthinkable should happen? What if you should die unexpectedly?

The Associated Press recently ran the story of Jerald Spangenberg, a man who passed away while playing World of Warcraft, and his daughter's quest to inform his guild of his passing. Unfortunately, she didn't have his password, leaving her to ask around on the forums to speak with members of his guild.

Methods are being set up to deal with this sort of thing -- including everything from websites sending out e-mails from beyond the grave to just giving a really trusted friend access to your e-mail account so he can tell your contacts that you've passed away. Whatever the method though, it seems like this problem will only be increasing as more people begin spending their time online and finding relationships where they never could before.

MassivelyHow can you tell your online friends that you've passed away? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-entertainmentdeathdyingfriendsguildsjerald-spangenbergpost-deathrelationshipsworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 17 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Meeting your MMO pals in real-life]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/08/the-daily-grind-meeting-your-mmo-pals-in-real-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/08/the-daily-grind-meeting-your-mmo-pals-in-real-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/08/the-daily-grind-meeting-your-mmo-pals-in-real-life/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


This weekend, several local friends and I have been hosting a number of our real-life guild-mates. (We locals are all guilded together with the exception of one or two of us who have left that particular MMO and moved on.) Originally, it was just to be one or two people, but grew in size until we were a pretty solid rolling force when we decided to head out and catch Watchmen - first for some, second for others. That said, we've been friends for years, traveling to each other's weddings, parties, and all the rest - but most of us met via MMO. This morning we thought we'd ask you - have you ever traveled just to hang out with your MMO friends in real-life? Do you guys make travel plans to take vacations together (like say, a cruise) like some of our group does? Or is it something you really wouldn't ever do, short of seeing them at a convention or meetup for your favorite game that you might attend?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Meeting your MMO pals in real-life originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>friendsguildmateshang-outmeet-upmmoreal-lifevacationSun, 08 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE's Station Launcher gets an update]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/soes-station-launcher-gets-an-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/soes-station-launcher-gets-an-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/soes-station-launcher-gets-an-update/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

SOE's all-encompassing Station Launcher has received an update, responding to (like the last update) player feedback and suggestions left at the Station Launcher forum. According to SOE, the Station Launcher's daily usage levels have been steadily increasing over time, with more and more users adopting the handy platform. A lot of the changes are related to the "Friends network" -- among these is the new option to "Join [friend] in [game]", speeding you through game, server, and character selections to meet up with a pal. You can also hide your online status from the Friends network with the "Disconnect" button, and inactive characters won't show up on the Friends tab by default any more.

Other welcome changes include improvements to the Scanning process that ensures that game files are up to date, and an automatic re-login feature to counter disconnects. Check after the break for the full list of updates.

Continue reading SOE's Station Launcher gets an update

MassivelySOE's Station Launcher gets an update originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>disconnect-buttonfeedbackfriendsfriends-networkpatchsoesony-online-entertainmentstation-launcherstation-launcher-betastation-launcher-forumupdateWed, 11 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Who do you MMO with most, real-life or online friends?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/29/the-daily-grind-who-do-you-mmo-with-most-real-life-or-online-f/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/29/the-daily-grind-who-do-you-mmo-with-most-real-life-or-online-f/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/29/the-daily-grind-who-do-you-mmo-with-most-real-life-or-online-f/#commentsFiled under: ,

In a past Daily Grind, we asked you how important your friends are to your MMO gaming, and how much influence friends have over which virtual world you reside in. What we didn't ask was whether those friends were people you knew in the flesh, or people you had met online, quite possibly in a game. Some of you did specify in your responses whether the friends that influenced you were RL or online, and it would seem that the answers differ quite a lot from person to person.

There are gamers out there with no real-life gamer friends, and one would assume that some of the strongest online friendships are between people from this category, as they finally find folks to share their hobby with. Others might be too hardcore, or not hardcore enough, to play with their real-life friends for a lot of the time. On the other hand, we know plenty of people that only ever play an MMO if they have at least one of their RL pals joining them. If you were to look at one month of your play-time in any particular MMO, would you have spent more time with real-life friends or with people you met online?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Who do you MMO with most, real-life or online friends? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>friendsonline-friendsreal-life-friendsrl-friendstdgthe-daily-grindThu, 29 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: When your group moves on]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/24/the-daily-grind-when-your-group-moves-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/24/the-daily-grind-when-your-group-moves-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/24/the-daily-grind-when-your-group-moves-on/#commentsFiled under: , ,


You log in, you say hello, your guild/corp/fellowship/the bunch of silly monkeys you hang around with greets you, plans are made, adventures are had. It's pretty standard fare for those of us into MMOGs. Only the most devoted soloers can usually say they don't at least have one friend in their game of choice. The question is what happens on the day when you log in and find that your friend(s) have left you. Would your closest friends leaving your game and going elsewhere make you jump ship as well? Would you perhaps try it out and keep them both? Would nothing really pull you away from your 'home' MMO? How do you deal with it when your core group of friends move on?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: When your group moves on originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>changing-mmosfriendstdgthe-daily-grindtrialSat, 24 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you take advantage of recruit-a-friend offers?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/the-daily-grind-do-you-take-advantage-of-recruit-a-friend-offer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/the-daily-grind-do-you-take-advantage-of-recruit-a-friend-offer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/the-daily-grind-do-you-take-advantage-of-recruit-a-friend-offer/#commentsFiled under: , ,


MMOs are all about having a massive amount of people in one world, so you might as well drag a few of your real life friends along for the ride, right? Or are you more of the person who likes to leave his friends behind, so you can have all of those pretty treasures and super powerful abilities for yourself?

Today's grind question wants to know if you enjoy taking advantage of those "bring your friends" offers and why you do it. Is it all about having a way to get your friends into your favorite game quickly and easily, with things like triple the experience for your buddy? Or is it more because you get that sweet mount and free game time? Whatever the reason is, let us know if why you've taken advantage of these programs, or perhaps why you may not be so keen on the whole idea down in the lovely white comment box below.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you take advantage of recruit-a-friend offers? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>free-game-timefriendslootmountrecruit-a-friendthe-daily-grindtreasureMon, 12 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A special message from "The Ask Massively Guy"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/16/a-special-message-from-the-ask-massively-guy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/16/a-special-message-from-the-ask-massively-guy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/16/a-special-message-from-the-ask-massively-guy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I don't normally write much outside of the scope of my weekly column, but I wanted to share an experience I had during the Wrath of the Lich King launch that I think sums up the MMORPG experience for a lot of us.

Many of you, I am certain, have spent a considerable amount of time trying to decide what to do first in the expansion. "Do I level my main character to 80 first?" "Should I start playing a Death Knight immediately?" There have even been stories about the first person to hit level 80, or the first level 70 Death Knight, or the first person to reach Grand Master in each of the various professions in the game. While I can admire, to an extent, the enthusiasm of such players and the guilds and friends who support these types of players, I'd like to take a minute to go in a different direction.

Continue reading A special message from "The Ask Massively Guy"

MassivelyA special message from "The Ask Massively Guy" originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-massivelyfeaturedfriendsworld-of-warcraftwrath-of-the-lich-kingSun, 16 Nov 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMOGology: I lost a friend to WAR]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/06/mmogology-i-lost-a-friend-to-war/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/06/mmogology-i-lost-a-friend-to-war/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/06/mmogology-i-lost-a-friend-to-war/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Last week I wrote about Blizzard's Recruit-a-Friend program and my experience leveling through World of Warcraft with triple XP. The Recruit-a-Friend program is a seemingly brilliant strategy on Blizzard's part. In addition to recruiting new players, it also serves as way of keeping existing players occupied while waiting for Wrath of the Lich King; players that might otherwise divert their attention to Warhammer: Age of Reckoning. Who can resist the allure of triple XP, right? My friend Rob couldn't and for a while we enjoyed the rush of leveling as fast as we could.

But the thrill of light-speed-leveling wasn't enough to hold his attention for long. It was still the same content we'd run through time after time. An astute reader of mine, Jeromai, left the following comment about my last article, "There's a sidelong danger to power-leveling fast. All the content you once enjoyed as content now becomes a means to an end. It's a headlong race right towards the burnout phase of a game." Jeromai couldn't have been more right.

I logged into WoW a few nights ago, ready to blast through another level or two with my friend. He never showed. A few days later I called him up and realized I'd lost him to WAR.

Continue reading MMOGology: I lost a friend to WAR

MassivelyMMOGology: I lost a friend to WAR originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardchanging-gamesfeaturedfriendsjoystiqfeaturesmythic-entertainmentnew-gamesswitching-gameswarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftMon, 06 Oct 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gonna try with a little help from my friends...]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/gonna-try-with-a-little-help-from-my-friends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/gonna-try-with-a-little-help-from-my-friends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/gonna-try-with-a-little-help-from-my-friends/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

As much as players and designers have lauded the Massively Multiplayer genre for being the social future of gaming, allowing players from disparate geographic and sociological backgrounds to come together in a virtual space to accomplish goals together, they're often still very anti-social experiences. As Van Hemlock explored in a blog post recently, the City of Heroes series is really one of the few games out there that let players of disparate levels play together in a meaningful experience.

In some ways, its strange that more games don't offer the same kind of Sidekick/Exemplar system, where players can have their attributes raised or lowered to an appropriate level to be able to play with friend. As Van Hemlock discusses, part of it has to do with the way the CoX battle systems work. By working with relative percentages instead of absolute values, it's easier to tweak content difficulty by level. But some of it also just seems like willful disregard for how much more difficult keeping up in-game friendships is when you level at different rates. In any case, we were delighted to see that Age of Conan has its own sort of apprentice system already in place, and we hope it becomes the trend in the future.

MassivelyGonna try with a little help from my friends... originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 May 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanapprenticecity-of-heroescoxexemplarfriendsfriendshipsidekicksocialWed, 28 May 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Player vs. Everything: Frustrated by levels]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/player-vs-everything-frustrated-by-levels/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/player-vs-everything-frustrated-by-levels/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/24/player-vs-everything-frustrated-by-levels/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I was reading through my usual round-up of blogs and news items this morning when I found an interesting post by Van Hemlock on the topic of levels in MMORPGs. More specifically, it was about how levels in games keep players from playing with each other. He discusses how ever since he started gaming in 1999, being a different level than the people he wants to play with has kept him from playing with them. Whether you're too high for the content to be challenging or too low to be effective, playing with your friends at different levels just never seems to work very well.

Van Hemlock makes an excellent point, and it's a problem in almost every single MMOG out there with two notable exceptions: EverQuest 2 and City of Heroes/Villains. Both of these games recognize the problem and attempt to circumvent it, but they do it in very different ways. In City of Heroes, you can move either up or down in level so that you can see high level content at low levels or go back and do low level content as a high level player and still advance. In EverQuest 2, it's strictly one-way. You can bring yourself down to your friend's level and adventure with them for alternate advancement experience. Is this really as big of a problem as people make it out to be, and if it is, why don't more games have systems like these?

Continue reading Player vs. Everything: Frustrated by levels

MassivelyPlayer vs. Everything: Frustrated by levels originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 May 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainseverquest-2everquest-iifeaturedfriendsjoystiqfeatureslevelinglevelsmentoring-systemplayer-vs-everythingpower-levelingsidekicktreadmillworld-of-warcraftSat, 24 May 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Player vs. Everything: Playing with your friends]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/23/player-vs-everything-playing-with-your-friends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/23/player-vs-everything-playing-with-your-friends/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/23/player-vs-everything-playing-with-your-friends/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Players often venture into the wilderness of online games alone and friendless, seeking out allies in the worlds they inhabit and making friends as they go along. Some games are better at encouraging players to work together than others, too. You're not going to last very long playing by yourself in games like EverQuest or EVE Online, so you have to go looking for people to play with. On the other hand, in games like World of Warcraft you can start at the first level and get to level 70 without ever talking to another human being (it's even easier if you're a Hunter). Regardless of whether your particular game of choice forces you to find friends, many people like to have friends to play with anyway. Even if you don't need them, it's kind of the point of online games to play with other people. Right?

That's why some people roll into these games with a ready-made posse. Maybe it's a group of real-life friends that want to play together online, or maybe it's a guild composed of players that you met in a previous game and you'd all like to try something different together. Either way, it's pretty nice to be able to work with a group of people you already know, trust, and like. You don't have to hope that the fickle hand of fate will deliver good PuGs to you (we all know how rare those are), and you don't have to worry about trying to find a new group of people who you can relate to in a sea of anonymous faces (many of whom will have value systems, expectations, and maturity levels that will be different than yours). Is it possible you're missing out on something by bringing your own people in, though? If so, do you care?

Continue reading Player vs. Everything: Playing with your friends

MassivelyPlayer vs. Everything: Playing with your friends originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bigotsculturefeaturedfriendsgirl-gamersgroupgroupsjerklearningmeetingplayer-vs-everythingpugsocialstalkerWed, 23 Apr 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Battle of San Romano ... FOR THE HORDE [UPDATED]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/26/the-battle-of-san-romano-for-the-horde/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/26/the-battle-of-san-romano-for-the-horde/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/26/the-battle-of-san-romano-for-the-horde/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Paolo Uccello's 'Niccolò Mauruzi da Tolentino at the Battle of San Romano' gets an updated treatment with 'Understanding Art for Geeks', a Flickr set by 'paulthewineguy' (a worthy 'Friends' reference, by the way), that takes classic art pieces and updates them to fit in with our modern times.

In this particular piece, we see that apparently Mr. Uccello's a Tauren Druid. Who knew? Check out the rest of the set, they're wonderful!

[UPDATED: paulthewineguy has taken all the photos off his Flickr page. He states 'I reckon I've made a mistake, i.e. modifying pieces of art with no right whatsoever of doing so.' You can read the rest here.]

MassivelyThe Battle of San Romano ... FOR THE HORDE [UPDATED] originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 26 Jan 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flickrfriendspaolo-uccellopaulthewineguytauren-druidthe-battle-of-san-romanounderstanding-art-for-geeksworld-of-warcraftSat, 26 Jan 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: But all my friends play!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/11/the-daily-grind-but-all-my-friends-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/11/the-daily-grind-but-all-my-friends-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/11/the-daily-grind-but-all-my-friends-play/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Why do we play MMOs? Sure, we could spend all day discussing game design, new content, casual vs. hardcore, class balance (nerf <insert class here>!), PvP, crafting, leveling curve, and economy... but in the end what makes us log on to a game day after day, through nerfs, bugs, and server meltdowns? Chances are, it's not the gameplay -- it's the people. Would you still play your favorite game were it not for your guild (or clan, or fellowship)? Or is your MMO-ing all about the game?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: But all my friends play! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredfriendfriendsguildguildsmmommorpgplaywhyFri, 11 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMOGology: The sappy, holiday special edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/24/mmogology-the-sappy-holiday-special-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/24/mmogology-the-sappy-holiday-special-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/24/mmogology-the-sappy-holiday-special-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

The most defining characteristic of a massively multiplayer online game is the very fact that it's massively multiplayer. Until the advent of the MMOG (and yes, I'm including MUDs as MMOGs) playing video games was either a solitary experience or one you experienced with a few existing friends. MMOGs are wonderful in that they allow us to meet new people across the globe; breaking the physical boundaries of our real-world environment that would otherwise prevent our interaction. The relationships formed and fostered during our time gaming often end up transcending the game itself.

Take my friend Rob, for example (Please! Ha!) Rob and I have been friends since middle school and went to college together in Florida. After college Rob got married and eventually moved to Atlanta, Georgia. MMOGs have been great for us because they've allowed us to stay in touch while enjoying a hobby we both love. When we started to play Dark Age of Camelot, Rob met a guy online named Josh who lives in California. Josh played a tank class and Rob played a healing class. Since both of these guys are arrogant goofballs with a similar sense of humor they hit it off right away. As they played together, learning their classes as they went, they became excellent players of their respective classes. Over the years they've stuck together through Star Wars Galaxies, City of Heroes, Everquest 2, Lord of the Rings Online and, of course, World of Warcraft. Although they do mix it up occasionally they almost always stick to the same roles of healer and tank. As a result of knowing their roles, and knowing each other so well, they typically dominate whatever game they play; whether it's in PvE or PvP. But more than just becoming great gamers, they've become great friends.

Continue reading MMOGology: The sappy, holiday special edition

MassivelyMMOGology: The sappy, holiday special edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Dec 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardCity-of-HeroesDark-Age-of-CamelotfeaturedfriendsjoystiqfeaturesLord-of-the-Rings-OnlineMMOGologyMythicNC-SoftSOEStar-Wars-GalaxiesTurbineWorld-of-WarcraftMon, 24 Dec 2007 10:30:00 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