Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - Age of Conan turns four, looks to Star Wars Galaxies for inspiration
The last time I did an anniversary retrospective for Age of Conan, we had a recent expansion, some new dungeon content, and several class revamps fresh on our minds. The year before that, we had the earth-shaking combat and itemization changes. This past year, the major development was, of course, the switch to a freemium business model, followed closely by the game's first adventure pack.

Join me after the break for a quick rundown on the last 12 months as they happened in Hyboria, as well as an anniversary interview with game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison that sheds a bit of light on the crafting revamp.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Miraluka
As I mentioned in my Why I Play Star Wars: The Old Republic piece, Dark Forces and Jedi Knight were two of the Star Wars video games I enjoyed most. Obviously, this was before Knights of the Old Republic. In Jedi Knight, the main antagonist was Jerec. Although it's never mentioned where Jerec comes from or even what species he was, his most distinguishing feature is the cover over his eyes. At the time, players thought it was a type of cybernetic implant similar to that worn by Geordi LaForge in Star Trek: The Next Generation. It wasn't until the Tales of the Jedi comic book series that we learned that Jerec and others are a part of the Force-seeing humanoid species known as the Miraluka.

If you choose to play a Jedi Knight or a Jedi Consular (or if you have 1.5 million credits to unlock it through the Legacy system), you can play as a Miraluka. I have been fascinated by this species since Jerec of Jedi Knight and Shoaneb Culu in the Tales of the Jedi after that. So this week, let's talk about this captivating species, its culture, its connection to the Force, and what its role is during the time of The Old Republic.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Miraluka

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Miraluka originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SWTOR
I believe I'm like most people when I say that I cling to nostalgia. I love it when parts of my adolescence are made into movies or video games. Yes, despite it being an explode-y Michael Bay movie, I loved Transformers, and I can't tell you how many times I watched Lord of the Rings when Peter Jackson adapted J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece into a blockbuster. But despite Ghostbusters' status as my favorite single movie of all time, the original Star Wars trilogy had more impact on my childhood than anything else in my life. I still get childhood chills when I think about it.

From the music to the action figures, I loved them all. I still have a picture of me at six years old riding an AT-AT. Yes, even at six, I knew exactly what an AT-AT was. And although I called a lightsaber a light-saver, I grew up with Star Wars entrenched in my psyche. It was only natural that when the video games revolving around the series came out, I would take up that cause. You guys remember the crazy wireframe Death Star trench arcade? You'd better believe I was there playing that.

When Star Wars entered the MMO space, I was there with bells on. But it's not just this longing to recapture my childhood that propels me to that galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: The Old Republic. The spice addiction runs quite a bit deeper.

Continue reading Why I play Star Wars: The Old Republic

MassivelyWhy I play Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hellgate Tokyo
Maybe I'm alone in this, but my jaw just dropped when I came home this past week to see that Massively posted the news that Shadowbane is coming back to life. Granted, it's only going to happen in China, but still, that's pretty incredible. Shadowbane's been in the ground for three years now, and if I had to pick an MMO that deserved resurrection, this particular one would be farthest from my mind (no offense if you liked the game; it's just that there are so many others that are even more worthy).

But how can this not give you hope? Many of us have lost an MMO we loved or at least had a decked-out character populating the character select screen, and the thought of that game coming back against all odds is a goosebump-rising one. It may also smack of justice served, as some MMOs fail not because of faulty gameplay but because of mismanagement by the studio, complex legal wrangling, or bad marketing.

Today let's look at a few examples of dead MMOs that were brought back to life and what this may mean for the future of the industry. Zombie MMOs! Not, you know, MMOs with zombies.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: When dead MMOs come back to life

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist: When dead MMOs come back to life originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyperspace Beacon: Advice from a master
I had the pleasure of playing Star Wars Galaxies with Brian "OddjobXL" Rucker for at least five years before his unfortunate passing last week. We never met in person, but he was a great influence on my life despite my having only recently found out what he looked like. One of the great things about the internet is that personality really shines through when you don't have a preconceived notion of who someone is based on how he looks. Brian was one of those people whose personality stood out from the rest of the community because of the stories he created and wisdom he imparted to others.

When he played SWG, he posted quite a bit as Mandash Grim on the Starsider Galaxy roleplay website; when a good chunk of those players decided to give Star Wars: The Old Republic a go, he moved with them to SWTOR-RP. On this forum, he talked about how SWTOR influenced RP, even though it was not exactly the way he envisioned it.

It's hard to summarize in a thousand words his gaming philosophies, which had such an influence on me, but I'd like to highlight a few key things he wrote that I believe summarize his feelings on something everyone reading this column probably loves: Star Wars MMO storytelling.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Advice from a master

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Advice from a master originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebrian-ruckerclassic-mmocommunityeaelectronic-artsfeaturedgalaxieshyperspace-beaconlucasartsoddjob-xloddjobxlopinionroleplayingrpsandboxsci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswgoswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 24 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Prolific MMO blogger Brian 'OddjobXL' Rucker passes away]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/prolific-mmo-blogger-brian-oddjobxl-rucker-passes-away/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/prolific-mmo-blogger-brian-oddjobxl-rucker-passes-away/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/prolific-mmo-blogger-brian-oddjobxl-rucker-passes-away/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Rucker's SWG avatarThe MMO roleplaying community lost one of its most prolific authors this week as Brian "OddjobXL" Rucker passed away at the age of 48.

Rucker maintained a blog called The Roleplayer's Redoubt on MMORPG.com, and he was also featured in Massively's The Game Archaeologist, where he talked at length about MUDs, MUSHs, and Star Wars Galaxies.

Massively columnist Larry Everett remembers Rucker as "a very prominent member of both of my websites and a personal inspiration to me as a gamer, writer, and roleplayer." Rucker, known as Cap'n in SWG circles, covered roleplaying in dozens of disparate MMO titles. He also offered plenty of sage advice for both newbs and veterans alike.

[Thanks to Laura for the tip.]

MassivelyProlific MMO blogger Brian 'OddjobXL' Rucker passes away originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Perfect Ten
When a beloved friend, family member, hero, or role model dies, we feel the pain of that loss and grieve in many different ways. Part of that grieving and healing process is often entails those left behind constructing some sort of tribute to the dearly departed. Sometimes this comes in the form of a shrine of flowers, sometimes it's the establishment of a charity, and sometimes it's creating an in-game memorial that thousands if not millions of people will see over the course of years.

So while death and illness are depressing topics to dwell upon, I find the many MMO tributes that studios and even gamers have erected to be inspiring and a celebration of individual players' lives. With the help of my fellow Massively staffers, I researched 10 wonderful in-game tributes that serve to honor the lives of fellow gamers.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heroes (which would make an awful MMO, btw)
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.

We're not heroes, at least in the ubiquitous Hollywood sense. We're teachers and janitors and businessmen, and we may occasionally be heroic in the eyes of our kids or our colleagues, but rarely are we celebrated beyond a tiny circle of family and friends.

Games can meet this emotional need, at least temporarily, and that's a major reason they've become such a booming business over the last couple of decades. We get to be Kratos for a couple of hours, or fem-Shepard or a thousand other pixelized pariahs -- until we set foot in an MMORPG, that is.

Software companies sell pre-packaged heroism in ways that book publishers and filmmakers can only dream of, and it doesn't really matter that it's fake heroism or impersonal heroism crafted on an assembly line and shipped out to millions of consumers. Shouldn't it matter, though, when it comes to MMORPGs?

Continue reading The Soapbox: Nobody's hero

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Nobody's hero originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyperspace Beacon: Making sense of Legacy
Last week, I spent some time in Austin, Texas, at BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic studio. One of the many things I saw was the Legacy System. Although it's a great tool, it is far from the good storytelling device it's intended to be. But perhaps we can make some sense out of it.

The Legacy leveling system begins when one of your characters completes chapter one. Without revealing too many spoilers, I can say that chapter one ends in a non-planetary quest just after the main Alderaan quest line. Based on the average, your character should be level 32 when this happens (or if you're like me, you were level 30 and a friend helped you pass the final stage). At this point, you begin to gain legacy levels, which Lead Systems Designer Damion Schubert says cap at level 50 currently (that's 50 legacy levels, not 50 combat levels).

Until last week, we were uncertain what the legacy levels would actually give us. Thanks to the latest SWTOR video, we now know that the Legacy System provides rewards ranging from ship customization items to species unlocks. I won't be able to talk about all the Legacy additions in this article, but I can hit the highlights.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Making sense of Legacy

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Making sense of Legacy originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SWG sunset
In previous Guild Counsel columns, we've tackled the issue of players leaving their guilds or even their games, but what about when the game leaves you? Recently, this has become an issue that, sadly, we're seeing more and more often, with announced closings of MMOs and even studios.

This week, Star Wars Galaxies' eight-year-plus run will come to an end, and the servers will shut down at midnight EST tonight. I saw a terrific tribute video made by Kyranna Mythina from the Starsider server, and I wanted to get some thoughts about the game and its closing. Read on for Kyranna's best memories of the game as well as thoughts about the end... and where to go from there.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: What if the game leaves you?

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: What if the game leaves you? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classic-mmofeaturedgalaxiesgame-closureguildguild-counselguildskaren-bryanopinionsandboxsci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgswgothe-guild-counselThu, 15 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How will you say farewell to SWG?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/the-daily-grind-how-will-you-say-farewell-to-swg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/the-daily-grind-how-will-you-say-farewell-to-swg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/the-daily-grind-how-will-you-say-farewell-to-swg/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies screenshot
Star Wars Galaxies' final day is here. Since last June's announcement that SOE's Star Wars game would be shut down on December 15th, the sandbox fans on the Massively staff have grown ever more sad, and the early arrival of Star Wars: The Old Republic has seemed like salt in the wound. For my part, I can hardly stand to log in without lamenting all the MMO design achievements that will be lost when the servers go dark.

And yet log in I will because a game only has one ending. Some of our writers will be chronicling the last hour on a livestream; others will be hanging out in social centers like Mos Eisley to watch the twin suns set. I'm planning to join a few guildmates near the location of our first guild city, formed just over eight years ago. What about you, readers? Where will you be at the end -- how will you say farewell to SWG?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How will you say farewell to SWG? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgclassic-mmogalaxiesopinionsandboxsci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiessunsetswgswgotdgthe-daily-grindThu, 15 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars Galaxies' GU20 brings the GCW to space]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/star-wars-galaxies-gu20-brings-the-gcw-to-space/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/star-wars-galaxies-gu20-brings-the-gcw-to-space/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/star-wars-galaxies-gu20-brings-the-gcw-to-space/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies screenshot
Star Wars Galaxies may be due for a tragic space opera death come December, but that doesn't mean the devs are twiddling their thumbs in the meantime. This morning, Sony Online Entertainment's sci-fi sandbox received a major faction and space update, making the ongoing Galactic Civil War content truly interplanetary. According to the patch notes, players can now "participate in dynamic space battles and fight alongside or against Ace pilots including Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and Boba Fett" above iconic planets like Tatooine, Corellia, Naboo, Lok and Dantooine. The patch offers new duty missions for player Pilots as well as awards for participation in the new content, and recurring station events ensure that players can always find some action in the cold black of space.

Medics and Smugglers also received profession tweaks to bring them into balance with the other classes, and Shipwrights will be happy to learn that the update's new starships are in fact player-craftable.

MassivelyStar Wars Galaxies' GU20 brings the GCW to space originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>galactic-civil-wargalaxiesgcwgu20medicpatchpilotsmugglersoeSony-Online-Entertainmentspacestar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgupdateThu, 18 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Bucket list]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/16/hyperspace-beacon-bucket-list/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/16/hyperspace-beacon-bucket-list/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/16/hyperspace-beacon-bucket-list/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: Bucket list
Once we start Star Wars: The Old Republic, we will not be able to stop. After only playing the game twice, I have a hard time going back to other games because -- among other things -- voice-over dialogue is far superior to walls of text any day. Then, of course, we can't forget character choices. We will be able to tell the quest-giver what we think of fetching that item for him at the shop when he could just as easily get it himself if he decided to walk 10 feet to the building next to him. That leads me to the point of this article.

Despite all the incredible things we will be able to do in SWTOR, certain others will be missed once the game launches. Particular staples of MMO games, in general, will never be seen again. As someone who is placing his MMO future in TOR, I suggest creating a bucket list. Let's face it: When The Old Republic releases, we cannot look back to other MMOs. They will be dead to us. After the cut, I have complied a list of 10 items that we will never see again once we start playing TOR. Count them down with me.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Bucket list

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Bucket list originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AskAJediBioWareclown-armorcory-butlerdaniel-ericksonEAElectronic-ArtselfselvesfeaturedGalaxiesGamespothan-shot-firstholiday-eventsjames-ohlenkill-ten-ratslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroLucasArtsluteno-more-elvessitting-in-chairsStar-Warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicSWGswimmingswtorthe-old-republictorVentrilowall-of-textWorld-of-WarcraftWoWTue, 16 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Online Entertainment issues an official response to Star Wars Galaxies petitions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/29/sony-online-entertainment-issues-an-official-response-to-star-wa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/29/sony-online-entertainment-issues-an-official-response-to-star-wa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/29/sony-online-entertainment-issues-an-official-response-to-star-wa/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The news that Star Wars Galaxies will soon be shutting down has been met with quite a bit of sadness from the players, for understandable reason: The game has just recently hit its eight-year anniversary and remains a large and unique game in many respects. Players had banded together to start a petition to save the game, one large enough to merit an official response from Sony Online Entertainment. But we're sorry to say that this isn't something to get excited about; the official response is, essentially, that the decision is made.

Posted by Linda "Brasse" Carlson, the short response thanks players for their dedication and commitment to the game but notes that the agreement between SOE and LucasArts has been made after a great deal of discussion, and it's not going to be reversed. The letter closes by urging Star Wars Galaxies players to enjoy the game's twilight months by playing the game while it's still around, which is good advice but certainly sad news for those who had held out hopes for an 11th-hour reprieve.

MassivelySony Online Entertainment issues an official response to Star Wars Galaxies petitions originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brassefan-petitiongalaxieslinda-carlsonLucasArtspetitionsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgWed, 29 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Post mortem]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/28/hyperspace-beacon-post-mortem/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/28/hyperspace-beacon-post-mortem/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/28/hyperspace-beacon-post-mortem/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

When a company ends a project or when a theatre production ends, the producers and directors will usually do an analysis of the project. They will give a rundown of what performed well and what performed poorly. The idea is to ensure that the next project delivers better results than the previous one. Granted, we will not be able to sit in on the official post mortem meeting for Star Wars Galaxies, but we can do our own analysis of what happened.

As I said above, the idea is to take what we learned from the previous project and apply it to the next one. In the eyes of a Star Wars MMO fan, the next project will be Star Wars: The Old Republic. Now to be fair, I already have a series of articles that feature the mistakes SWG made that we don't want to see in The Old Republic, so this time around, I figured it would be best to show off the good things SWG did that should probably be repeated in SWTOR. This is by no means exhaustive, but it's a couple of the big ones in my mind.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Post mortem

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Post mortem originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ArmormechBiochemBioWareCorelliacraftingDroid-EngineerEAeconomyElectronic-ArtsevironmentfeaturedGalaxieshyperspace-beaconiconic-locationsLucasArtsMuscianNabooplayer-driven-economypost-mortemRaph-KosterRoriSOESonySony-Online-EntertainmentStar-Warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorTatooinethe-old-republictorTue, 28 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Exclusive: Smedley on the sunsetting of Star Wars Galaxies [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/exclusive-smedley-on-the-sunsetting-of-star-wars-galaxies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/exclusive-smedley-on-the-sunsetting-of-star-wars-galaxies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/exclusive-smedley-on-the-sunsetting-of-star-wars-galaxies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

When I penned this week's Soapbox about Star Wars Galaxies and the NGE, I had no idea what was in store for MMO gamers today. In fact, I was so confident that the pre-eminent MMO sandbox was going to be around forever (or at least another eight years) that I reassured commenters that there was no need to fear Star Wars: The Old Republic. The two games might both feature the Star Wars IP, but their goals are so dramatically different -- one being a dialogue-driven themepark, the other being a player-driven sandbox -- that they shouldn't conflict unduly. Surely Star Wars fans could play both indefinitely and enjoy both types of gameplay.

Unfortunately, on Thursday we learned that just won't be so. Sony Online Entertainment has announced that Star Wars Galaxies will be shutting down on December 15th of this year, marking what is in my mind the most significant sunset of a major MMO to date (and a personally painful one for many on the staff at Massively, including me). I know what you're thinking, and no, the impending closure is due neither to the hackings nor to a dwindling playerbase. Past the break, an audibly regretful John Smedley, President of SOE, sits down with us to chat about SWG's sunset, explaining the reasons that led to the decision and offering a new hope for the future.

Continue reading Exclusive: Smedley on the sunsetting of Star Wars Galaxies [Updated]

MassivelyExclusive: Smedley on the sunsetting of Star Wars Galaxies [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebreakingchroniclesClone-Wars-AdventurescwaeaElectronic-Artseq2EQIIEverQuest-2everquest-iifeaturedgalaxiesinterviewinterviewsjohn-smedleylucasartssandboxsmedleysoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicstorytellersunsetswgswtortcgthe-old-republictortrading-card-gameFri, 24 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The Uncle Owen paradox]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/the-soapbox-the-uncle-owen-paradox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/the-soapbox-the-uncle-owen-paradox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/the-soapbox-the-uncle-owen-paradox/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

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 week, the venerable Star Wars Galaxies celebrates its eighth year of existence. I was there in the beginning -- before the beginning, in fact. I did what a lot of you early SWG players probably did: I had a guild and a guild city, multiple accounts, a booming business as a chef, and a character who could entertain and fight. Even then, we realized how different SWG was from its immediate predecessors like EverQuest and Dark Age of Camelot. We'd returned to the earlier age of Ultima Online, of persistent worlds (as the term was used back then). It was more a world than a game, and in it we could roleplay whatever we liked, to a point. Nowadays, we'd call it a sandbox.

Old-school MMO gamers know well that the sandbox is under attack. Some will blame it on EverQuest, some on World of Warcraft, some on the free-to-play phenomenon. Among the Massively commenters, there's a large contingent of gamers who consider SWG's own NGE to be the beginning of the end of the classic sandbox. I can't say they're wrong when it comes to the philosophy governing new MMOs, but the sandbox isn't dead yet.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The Uncle Owen paradox

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The Uncle Owen paradox originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingeighth-anniversaryfeaturedgalaxiesgame-developmenthaters-gonna-hatejohn-smedleylucasartsluke-skywalkernew-game-enhancementsngenostalgiaopinionpersistent-worldpre-ngepwsandboxsmedleysoapboxsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgtcgthe-soapboxthemeparktrading-card-gameuncle-owenuncle-owen-experienceveteranswhinersTue, 21 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Star Wars Galaxies 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/hyperspace-beacon-star-wars-galaxies-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/hyperspace-beacon-star-wars-galaxies-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/hyperspace-beacon-star-wars-galaxies-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It happens all the time: When a new game is coming out we attempt to compare it to something familiar. "Jumpgate Evolution is like EVE combined with Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed." "Guild Wars 2's battles are scalable like Warhammer's." Even Rich Vogel, the Executive Producer for Star Wars: The Old Republic, couldn't get away from comparing his crafting system to an existing MMO when we interviewed him at E3. "It will be very similar to what WoW has," is what he said. Granted, Blaine Christine later set our minds at ease at PAX: "I think it's a different take on crafting than what people will be expecting. It's not the standard implementation." Unfortunately, the stigma of comparison was already there.

One of my favorite features of MMO creation is the fact that there are no real rules regarding gameplay style. Granted, in the early days of MMO design, a creator had to consider the heavy latency of dial-up connections, so most games were designed to be turn-based. However, now there really is no limit to gameplay style, so there are no rules regarding what makes a game an MMO besides its having a persistent online world. There are no rules that say a game must have similar gameplay to other games that came before, even a prequel. Guild Wars 2 is a great example of this, yet people, inevitably, are going to attempt to compare Guild Wars and its sequel -- sometimes to the point of being unfair about it.

Current Star Wars fans cannot help but compare SWTOR to Star Wars Galaxies. Follow me after the break as I make an attempt to debunk this stigma.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Star Wars Galaxies 2

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Star Wars Galaxies 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWareblaine-christinechoose-your-own-adventuredaniel-ericksondialogue-systemdungeon-masterDungeons-and-dragonse3eaElectronic-Artseve-onlinefeaturedgalaxiesgameplaygameplay-styleguided-tourGuild-Wars-2jump-to-lightspeedjumpgate-evolutionLucasArtsPAXpen-and-paperpen-and-paper-roleplayingrich-vogelsequelsequelsspace-gamestar-foxStar-Warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicstigmaswgswtorthe-old-republictie-fightertortwitchyWorld-of-Warcraftx-wing-vs-tie-fighterTue, 05 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Curtain: The guilt of an MMO gamer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/14/behind-the-curtain-the-guilt-of-an-mmo-gamer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/14/behind-the-curtain-the-guilt-of-an-mmo-gamer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/14/behind-the-curtain-the-guilt-of-an-mmo-gamer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

I haven't been playing World of Warcraft as much as I should have this week, and I feel bad about it. Last week, my Warrior hit the Defence cap, I got my first 25 Emblems of Heroism, and I tanked Archavon on 10-man. This week though, I've hardly even logged on.

I have instead spent most of the week playing Mario Kart Wii, honing my skills so that I can crush my 7-year old nephew utterly when next we meet. There are lessons we all need to learn early in life. Chief among them being never, ever, horse your Uncle Craig at Mario Kart. He'll thank me for it in time.

I also had some problems with my internet connection, thanks to the UK's seeming inability to cope with heavy snow. Then again, it is January, so I can see why we were taken by surprise. That was sarcasm, by the way.

I have felt guilty about my lack of WoW time though. I've been neglecting my characters in favour of other games, and I feel bad about it. I've felt this way before, on the occasion that I've taken a break from WoW, for example, to spend some time with EVE Online or Star Wars Galaxies.

Continue reading Behind the Curtain: The guilt of an MMO gamer

MassivelyBehind the Curtain: The guilt of an MMO gamer originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anarchy-onlineaobehind-the-curtaineq2eveeve-onlineeverquest-2featuredgalaxiesguilti-waited-for-you-frylord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromultiplemultiple-subscriptionsmultiplesseymourstar-wars-galaxiessubscriptionsubscriptionsworld-of-warcraftwowSat, 14 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Curtain: What keeps you going?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/24/behind-the-curtain-what-keeps-you-going/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/24/behind-the-curtain-what-keeps-you-going/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/24/behind-the-curtain-what-keeps-you-going/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

This week, I have been mostly killing Baron Rivendare. I'm now sitting with 65 kills under my belt, with no Deathcharger to show for it. We are not amused, and are now convinced that Blizzard hates us. Precious. Sss.

I have the run down to a science now - dodge one pack of mobs, step aside from that pat, kill this group, spank the boss, rinse and repeat. Then repeat it again, and again, and again, and again, and again. I'm sure you get the idea.

I was talking with one of my colleagues at my 'real' job just the other day, when he asked me if I had anything planned for the evening. I started to plan my response in my head, trying to come up with an easy way to translate, in non-gamer terms, what I'd been doing with my time of late. I ended up going with, "Not much" because I just couldn't figure out how to explain it without taking half an hour.

Continue reading Behind the Curtain: What keeps you going?

MassivelyBehind the Curtain: What keeps you going? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baron-rivendarebehind-the-curtainburnoutdeathchargerdeathchargers-reinsfeaturedgalaxiesstar-wars-galaxiesworld-of-warcraftwowSat, 24 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Meet the Team: Craig Withers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/05/meet-the-team-craig-withers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/05/meet-the-team-craig-withers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/05/meet-the-team-craig-withers/#commentsFiled under: ,



Once a week our writers will give you a glimpse into their lives, to let you get to know them and the characters they play a little better. Click here to read more Meet the Team.

What do you do for Massively.com?
I contribute the weekly column, Behind the Curtain. Instead of having a real job on the site posting up actual news, I'm lucky enough to just hang around and ramble on for a few hundred words every seven days, in a general opinion-based format.

What's your favorite MMO?
World of Warcraft, easily. Like the T, I feel like a bit of a sell-out choosing WoW, but this is my time in the spotlight, and I'll pick whatever game I want to, and there's not a thing you can do to stop me!

Sorry.

My entry into the MMO world started with Star Wars Galaxies, which I still dabble in occasionally. I've also spent a fair bit of time in EVE Online, but haven't had an active account in either for quite some time.

Gallery: Meet the Team

Meet the Team: Tim DaleMeet the Team: Jon ShuteMeet the Team: Lemuel PewMeet the Team: Lesley SmithMeet the Team: James Egan

Continue reading Meet the Team: Craig Withers

MassivelyMeet the Team: Craig Withers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craig-witherseveeve-onlinefeaturedgalaxieslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromeet-the-teamstar-wars-galaxiesworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 05 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Curtain: Multiple MMOs pt. 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/20/behind-the-curtain-multiple-mmos-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/20/behind-the-curtain-multiple-mmos-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/20/behind-the-curtain-multiple-mmos-pt-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

When I started thinking about this subject, I remembered reading something on the subject a while back on the Daedalus Project.

Going by the figures Nick Yee collected back in 2006, less than a quarter of the players he spoke with had more than one account.

I can't help but wonder if that number will have increased or decreased with time.

Without getting too much in the state of the world-economy, as we all have to tighten our belts that little bit more, we'll end up looking for cheaper ways of relaxing and blowing of some steam. I wouldn't be the first person to point out that the average cost of a monthly MMO subscription is less than you'll spend on one night at the cinema.

While it's absolutely not my place to fault Dr. Yee's work, and I certainly don't intend to, I would have liked to see him also ask about how many players had more than one account active for the same game, and the reasons why.

The reasons given for having subscriptions to more than one game aren't surprising. Players maintain several subscriptions due to having friends and family still active in the game; or they feel that the time spent so far with the game will be wasted if they cancelled the account; or for financial reasons like waiting for the subscription plan to expire, or simply forgetting the subscription was there.

If people were asked why they play more than one game, I'd expect to see similar answers, but I'd hope to see some others, too. Game mechanics, for one. When I went back and looked at Star Wars Galaxies a while back, I didn't feel like it was a game I'd really want to play on a regular basis. That said, the crafting in the game was still as interesting as I remembered. A crafting system that isn't a simple pass/fail mechanic, rewarding time spent hunting for high-quality raw materials, and classes whose sole purpose is to craft rather than quest ticked a lot of boxes for me. And while the ground game left a lot to be desired, there was still a lot of fun to be had in space, hunting Rebels or Imperials, depending on which side your bread was buttered on.

My point is that it's a rare game that provides you with everything you want. Maybe you play one game because the combat system is second to none, but another one because the RP tools in it haven't been bettered yet. Graphics are a big thing for a lot of people, and the cartoonish graphics of WoW have put off more than one person in the past, without a doubt. Realistic graphics and presentation, on the other hand, won't stop your game from being slated if it deserves it - see Age of Conan for proof.

Your turn now. Do you run more than one MMO at a time? Which ones are they, and why? Hit the comments, and let the world know.

MassivelyBehind the Curtain: Multiple MMOs pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbehind-the-curtaindaedalus-projecteveeve-onlinegalaxiesmulitple-mmosmulti-boxingmultiple-accountsnick-yeestar-wars-galaxiesworld-of-warcraftwowSat, 20 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Curtain: Multiple MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/20/behind-the-curtain-multiple-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/20/behind-the-curtain-multiple-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/20/behind-the-curtain-multiple-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Is one MMO ever enough?

Lots of people play more than one MMO. Among the staff here at Massively, you would be hard pressed to find a writer with only one active subscription. Ever the exception however, I am a one-game kind of guy.

"Is that through choice, or necessity though, Craig?" I hear you cry. The answer is that it's a little of both. It's easy to say that I don't have enough time to play a couple of MMOs, but if I was really honest with myself, I'd admit to that being a lie. If I'm able to free up a couple of hours every couple of nights to play World of Warcraft, then why can't I alternate those nights, for example, between WoW and another game?

Continue reading Behind the Curtain: Multiple MMOs

MassivelyBehind the Curtain: Multiple MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbehind-the-curtaineveeve-onlinefeaturedgalaxiesmulti-boxingmultiple-accountsmultiple-mmosnick-yeestar-wars-galaxiesthe-daedalus-projectworld-of-warcraftwowSat, 20 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Curtain: Why bother?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/behind-the-curtain-why-bother/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/behind-the-curtain-why-bother/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/12/behind-the-curtain-why-bother/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

What is it that keeps us playing, months and years after our first trip through the character generation screen?

The obvious answer is that we're still having fun. Maybe you've been playing World of Warcraft since release or earlier, you've got an alt of every class, epics to make a GM weep with envy, but you still get that little tingle of excitement every time you log on, that keeps you coming back for more.

What kind of enjoyment do you get from your MMO? Hopefully you are actually having fun with it. If not, I suggest you seek help, or go play Vanguard. Just kidding, maybe.

That being said, how do you quantify 'fun'? Exactly what is it about WoW or EVE Online or any other MMO that keeps you coming back for more? The steep climb to yet another epic flying mount in WoW has pushed me perilously close to burn out over the past few weeks (the impending release of the new 40K rulebook may also be a factor) so I've been thinking, more than usual, about what keeps us going in situations like this.

Continue reading Behind the Curtain: Why bother?

MassivelyBehind the Curtain: Why bother? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behind-the-curtainburn-outeveeve-onlineexteelfeaturedfree-to-playgalaxiesworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 12 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Curtain: Something Unexpected]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/behind-the-curtain-something-unexpected/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/behind-the-curtain-something-unexpected/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/behind-the-curtain-something-unexpected/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

More often than not, we tend to get stuck in a rut in our gaming careers. I've been quite guilty of it in the past - all of my characters in World of Warcraft have levelled their way up solo. I've decided to take steps to rectify this, by rolling up a new character, a Warrior this time, and I plan on making a concerted effort to get her into as many instances as I can. Even if it means jumping into the PUG from Hell, I'm going to force myself to step out of the rut I've gotten into in my games.

My big lottery win hasn't came round yet, so I'm not yet able to play WoW all day long in my boxer shorts. Since I have to work for a living, my time online is pretty restricted, so I like to know that I'm spending it wisely, which means that I tend to end up falling into the same routine - maybe a couple of daily quests, a quick check of the Auction House, maybe clear the odd solo quest out of my log. It doesn't sound very exciting, and sometimes it occurs to me that it isn't.

Continue reading Behind the Curtain: Something Unexpected

MassivelyBehind the Curtain: Something Unexpected originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behind-the-curtainblizzardcomfort-zoneeqeq2everquesteverquest-2featuredfree-trialgalaxiespvprpsoesony online entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 31 Jan 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Curtain: What's in a name?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/behind-the-curtain-whats-in-a-name/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/behind-the-curtain-whats-in-a-name/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/behind-the-curtain-whats-in-a-name/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How much attention do you pay to the names behind the MMOs we're playing just now? Do you dig up as much information as you can on the developers, producer and designers involved in up and coming games? Do you even pay any attention at all?

I'll be honest - I picked up Star Wars Galaxies based on the licence alone. While I've been a gamer since my Uncle gave me a ZX Spectrum as a child, I didn't know anything about the people behind Galaxies. I had heard about Everquest of course - I wasn't stupid after all - but Galaxies was my first MMO, and I was a noob in every sense of the word. I didn't know anything about the designers, the developers, and I didn't even think to check up on them.

I was a little more aware when I came round to World of Warcraft. I was, and still am, a big Diablo 2, fan, so I knew who Blizzard were. I hadn't picked up Warcraft 3 when it came out, due to the PC I had t the time not being to run it, but I knew that it'd been a huge commercial and critical success for Blizzard, so I knew that it was a safe bet. Plus, it was taking the world by storm already, so it was a bit of a no-brainer.

Maybe I'm just older and wiser now, or maybe the information is just easier to get a hold of, but I pay more attention to the people actually making the game that I'm interested in - I thought this week, we could have a look at some of the names you should be aware of.

Continue reading Behind the Curtain: What's in a name?

MassivelyBehind the Curtain: What's in a name? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>989-studiosblizzardblizzard-northcity-of-heroescity-of-villiansdiablodiablo-2eaelectronic-artseverquesteverquest-2featuredflagshipflagship-studiosgalaxieshellgatehellgate-londonjohn-smedleymetaplacencsoftraph-kosterrichard-garriottrichard-garriott's-tabula-rasarob-pardosoesony-online-entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiestabula-rasaultimaultima-onlineverant-interactiveworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 24 Jan 2008 17:30:00 EST