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[SWTOR's Daniel Erickson on pulling players' moral strings]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/swtors-daniel-erickson-on-pulling-players-moral-strings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/swtors-daniel-erickson-on-pulling-players-moral-strings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/swtors-daniel-erickson-on-pulling-players-moral-strings/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR
BioWare's Daniel Erickson said that for the writing team, the crunch time came way ahead of everyone else since the script for the game had to be done first. As such, the team has had plenty of time to reflect on how the game's developed while it's moved on to future content. In speaking with GameSpy, the Star Wars: The Old Republic head writer opened up about the difficulties and fun of penning a game with so many personalities, choices, and plot twists.

Probably the most revealing is how Erickson admits that the writers are trying to pull players in multiple directions through a series of moral influences: the game's own light and dark side system, players' own morality, companions' own likes and dislikes, and multiplayer dialogue. Ideally, he said, one of the goals of the writing team was to make quests that would challenge players' set paths to make them want to change. "It's interesting to watch all those dynamic forces affect the player, see how they interact with the storytelling method," he said.

Erickson also says that the project got initial pushback over the notion of centering it on story, because of the past limitations of MMOs and "the expected norm" that had grown over the years: "It was clear, when you played the early MMOs, that they were trying to put as much as they could in for what was there. There were people on each one of these projects that clearly cared passionately about the lore, and were really trying to get it across to the players. So we knew that that was there and we knew from the single-player games what did it."

The interview continues to cover a wide range of writing challenges, including coming up with the script for Huttball, quests that the team was sure would get cut by the ESRB, and how the team enjoyed coming up with intricate stories, connections, and romances for companion characters.

MassivelySWTOR's Daniel Erickson on pulling players' moral strings originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarechoicesdaniel-ericksondark-sideeaea-biowareesrbgamespyhuttballlight-sideloremoralmoral-codemoral-decisionsmoralityscriptingscriptsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorvoice-overwritingwriting-teamFri, 30 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Champions Online video showcases character creation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/10/champions-online-video-showcases-character-creation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/10/champions-online-video-showcases-character-creation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/10/champions-online-video-showcases-character-creation/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's been a long time coming, but Cryptic has put out a video through Gamespy detailing character creation with glorious in-game footage of the actual process. If you've been following information on Champions Online for some time now, you probably won't learn anything new in terms of what Bill Roper talks about during the video. However, videos are worth more words than anything else, so we doubt that will bother anyone too much.

Soon -- very soon actually -- the open beta will arrive and everyone will get a crack at superhero design in Champions Online. We can't wait to see what kind of craziness people come up with, especially when components are in place to make what appears to be robot-clown-demons and other disturbing concoctions.

Check out the full video after the break.

Continue reading Champions Online video showcases character creation

MassivelyChampions Online video showcases character creation originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataribill-roperchampions-onlinecharacter-creationcrypticcryptic-studiosgameplaygamespyvideoFri, 10 Jul 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CrimeCraft impressions and screenshots]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/14/crimecraft-impressions-and-screenshots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/14/crimecraft-impressions-and-screenshots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/14/crimecraft-impressions-and-screenshots/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Despite its unfortunate name, Vogster's CrimeCraft seems to be a promising contender in the crop of games launching in 2009, according to a recent review at Gamespy. First announced earlier last year, CrimeCraft boasts what they call a "persistent-world next-gen shooter", or PWNS for short. Can an MMO shooter work? Ask Planetside, Tabula Rasa and Huxley (if he ever shows up).

Unnecessary snark aside, the screenshots in this review article look gorgeous. The gameplay seems promising, with PvE, deathmatch PvP and a crafting system that is aimed at using some real sponsorship promotion (think CoH ads, but on clothes). Yet the one part that raised our collective eyebrows was the mention of a persistent world, yet it is said to include only persistent towns, much like Guild Wars and Diablo II. Granted the game isn't finished and is still in a closed beta at this point, but Vogster's senior marketing manager Casey Dickinson mentioned that they're thinking of ways to "liven up" the game's persistent lobbies.

MassivelyCrimeCraft impressions and screenshots originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crimecraftgamespypersistentpwnsvogstervogster-entertainmentWed, 14 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gamespy's MMO column returns with a look at Battlefield Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/gamespys-mmo-column-returns-with-a-look-at-battlefield-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/gamespys-mmo-column-returns-with-a-look-at-battlefield-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/05/gamespys-mmo-column-returns-with-a-look-at-battlefield-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Gamespy's excellent ongoing MMO column OnLife has been regrettably on hiatus for some time, but it looks like it is back with a vengeance. Its first column back in the saddle is all about the online free-to-play FPS Battlefield Heroes. While not technically an MMO, author Miguel Lopez notes numerous similarities between Heroes and high-end PvP in MMOs. As he observes, the fact that he can even make these comparisons is bad news for the folks at DICE. The stated purpose of the stylized online shooter has been to offer a simple, fun, low-cost experience for FPS players. Instead, even in the game's extended Beta, the game is already beginning to resemble World of Warcraft's sometimes-arcane PvP build strategy game.

Says Lopez, "I'll admit that much of what makes me want to play Heroes' is its promise of varied abilities, full of potential for synergy and experimentation. But I hope that its designers will tread thoughtfully when it comes to implementing them." Check out the article for his full assessment of the game, then click below the cut for a look at the hyper-cartoony graphics and strange sense of humor found in Battlefield Heroes.

Continue reading Gamespy's MMO column returns with a look at Battlefield Heroes

MassivelyGamespy's MMO column returns with a look at Battlefield Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-heroesgamespymmo-industrymmofpsonlifeFri, 05 Sep 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A lengthy Warhammer Online journal]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/a-lengthy-warhammer-online-journal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/a-lengthy-warhammer-online-journal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/a-lengthy-warhammer-online-journal/#commentsFiled under: , ,


There have been plenty of previews for Warhammer Online over the last year or two. So when the guys over at Gamespy got beta access they decided to try for something other than the standard preview. They created a journal chronicling their experience as they played through the game. You'll get a more personal experience of the game content in its early levels this way. Of course, the downside is you've got tons of pages to sift through for your information. So it may not be for everybody, especially if you want a concise bullet-point preview of the game.

With the NDA lifting in just a week from now though, you can be sure to find plenty of focused opinions about Warhammer Online all over the net. You can of course expect an enormous information blowout from us here at Massively, too. Hell, we've already got an initial blowout on the site!
Warhammer Online Coverage Did you enjoy this? Make sure to check out all of our previous Warhammer Online features, and don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!

MassivelyA lengthy Warhammer Online journal originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaelectronic-artsgamespymythicmythic-entertainmentndawarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineThu, 07 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan's endgame explored]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/age-of-conans-endgame-explored/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/age-of-conans-endgame-explored/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/age-of-conans-endgame-explored/#commentsFiled under: , ,

IGN's out of the box impressions on Age of Conan late last month were just its opening salvo in continuing coverage about the game. In an update to those initial impression, Charles Onyett offers up his views on the game's leveling experience. He offers insight into the first 40 levels of the game, as well as a taste of what the post-40 experience currently offers. While he greatly enjoyed the first 20 levels of the game's destiny quest, and found the 20-40 experience rich in quests and content, he's less impressed with the game after that point.

Though our own Cameron Sorden has experienced MMO malaise within Age of Conan's first 20 level, Onyett is enthusiastic about the game's rich narrative through the 30s. He especially appreciated the cutscenes used to convey that story, but admits the game's main thread loses cohesion quickly after leaving Tortage. Ultimately his verdict is mixed, saying "overall I'd say the game's worth checking out, though maybe it's best to wait a month or two at this point so more of the issues with higher level content can get worked out."

MassivelyAge of Conan's endgame explored originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocendgamefuncomgamespyout-of-the-boxSat, 07 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mark Jacobs expunges the mystery of WAR's crafting]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/mark-jacobs-expunges-the-mystery-of-wars-crafting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/mark-jacobs-expunges-the-mystery-of-wars-crafting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/mark-jacobs-expunges-the-mystery-of-wars-crafting/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We've been receiving a lot of information about all things Warhammer Online for some time now, but the one topic that hasn't been touched on is crafting. The veil of silence has been lifted as you can now go and read Gamespy's recent interview with Mark Jacobs. It's all about the very different and astoundingly intriguing crafting system being developed for the game wot's got gobbos 'n stuff.

It's typical for MMOs stick close to the tried-and-true crafting system we've all come to know and oft-lament. Yet that's not something EA Mythic is up for this time around. No, this time they want to challenge the status quo.

Lets not mince words, though. By choosing to create a more in-depth crafting system for Warhammer Online, they've given up a certain amount of profession variety upfront. If the discussed system works as intended it could be very well worth the risk of reduced crafting diversity -- and there's always content updates too. Hopefully EA Mythic can pull it off so we can see other MMOs experimenting with their crafting systems as well. Wouldn't that be nice?

MassivelyMark Jacobs expunges the mystery of WAR's crafting originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 May 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingcrafting-systemea-mythicelectronic-artsgamespymark-jacobsmythicwarwarhammer-onlineThu, 29 May 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan as it stands 'out of the box']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/age-of-conan-out-of-the-box/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/age-of-conan-out-of-the-box/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/age-of-conan-out-of-the-box/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Reviewing massively multiplayer games is a losing proposition. Gamespy recognizes this, and when a new MMO launches they offer up an 'Out of the Box' feature that gives a snapshot of what the game is like at launch. Their opinion is that further exploration is required before any kind of verdict can be assigned to the newly-released Funcom title Age of Conan. We agree, and that's something we've tried to address in our State of the Game / Beta Impressions pieces. So what does the games reporting mega-site think about Hyboria?

They're cautiously optimistic, it seems, offering a yellow light on the endeavor. This "Wait on It" designation was prompted by a few concerns that we've noted as well: some slight technical issues, problems on the website integration side, and UI complaints. The 'spy also notes something we haven't heard reported before: possible exploits already in-game. According to the article, some guilds are already running up to the 50s and 60s via a gold/xp cheat. If this is true, it might be a possible explanation why some guilds already have enough high level members to build a player city. The alternative is just that folks really like grinding on MMOs, and Funcom has already noted that leveling isn't supposed to take an epically long time.

There's plenty more on the game in the writeup, which is well worth checking out. For our own 'out of the box' experience, check out our Age of Conan Collector's edition unboxing.

MassivelyAge of Conan as it stands 'out of the box' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 May 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocfuncomgamespyout-of-the-boxThu, 22 May 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Consume even more Age of Conan beta coverage]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/04/consume-even-more-age-of-conan-beta-coverage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/04/consume-even-more-age-of-conan-beta-coverage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/04/consume-even-more-age-of-conan-beta-coverage/#commentsFiled under: , ,


You've probably seen all the coverage of Age of Conan around the net -- we have quite a bit here at Massively, too -- but if you're looking for even more information about the world of Hyboria than Gamespy has a nice roundup of all their coverage. Everything from more beta impressions to the artistry of the Age of Conan is discussed. So if you haven't had enough exposure to the game yet or you're just looking to know all there is to know about Funcom's Age of Conan before release, check it out.

If you're a big fan of Robert E. Howard's world and want to know how Funcom brought it to life, then definitely check out Gamespy's discussion with members of the development team about how they brought Conan's world to life.

MassivelyConsume even more Age of Conan beta coverage originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 May 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbetaconanfuncomgamespyrobert-e-howardSun, 04 May 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[IGN and Gamespy preview WAR's Elven starting areas]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/19/ign-and-gamespy-preview-wars-elven-starting-areas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/19/ign-and-gamespy-preview-wars-elven-starting-areas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/19/ign-and-gamespy-preview-wars-elven-starting-areas/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Partners-in-crime IGN and Gamespy recently visited Mythic to get some hands-on time with a couple of the starting areas in Warhammer Online. IGN ended up with the High Elves, taking Swordmaster as their class, and Gamespy chose the Dark Elves and picked Sorceress.

One of the things that Gamespy commented on was the close proximity of the High Elf and Dark Elf starting areas to each other. They also noted that some of the newbie quests deliberately brought the two races together, within striking distance, giving players the choice to either scowl menacingly, or jump straight into PvP. There was unfortunately no mention of a meet-up and subsequent rumble with their noble High Elven counterparts though. Both teams ended their playtime by participating in a public quest, and you can read all about it from either IGN's or Gamespy's perspective.

MassivelyIGN and Gamespy preview WAR's Elven starting areas originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-reckoningdark-elfgamespyhigh-elfignmythicpqpublic-questpublic-questssorceressswordmasterwarWed, 19 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rising from a lowly slave - Age of Conan's starting point profiled]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/04/rising-from-a-lowly-slave-age-of-conans-starting-point-profil/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/04/rising-from-a-lowly-slave-age-of-conans-starting-point-profil/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/04/rising-from-a-lowly-slave-age-of-conans-starting-point-profil/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

With Age of Conan's launch ever-closer, more information continues to spill from the lips of Funcom employees. To continue the fan-priming, Gamespy has a look at Tortage Island - the first zone you'll enter in your AoC adventures. An escaped slave newly freed by a shipwreck, you'll brave steamy, treacherous jungles and dark dungeons just within your first dozen hours of life in Hyborea.

The piece focuses on one of those dungeons, describing the mad crypts of the Onyx Tomb and the foul beings that inhabit its depths. A former treasure trove turned laboratory, the place is crawling with Scaleskin Lizard snakemen and some truly stomach-turning mummies. The screenshots of these vile beasts really don't do them justice; until you've seen one of the horrid undead lurching towards you with its entrails hanging out its hard to appreciate just how far they can go with that M rating.

Glimpses of those tomb horrors, as well as other parts of the Hyborean landscape, are available in the new trailer the site is hosting. You can check it out below the cut. Make sure to stay to the end - the Lizardmen attack animations are incredibly creepy looking.

Gallery: Age of Conan Gallery

Continue reading Rising from a lowly slave - Age of Conan's starting point profiled

MassivelyRising from a lowly slave - Age of Conan's starting point profiled originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocfuncomgamespyTue, 04 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A preview of D&D Online's sixth module]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/17/a-preview-of-dandd-onlines-sixth-module/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/17/a-preview-of-dandd-onlines-sixth-module/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/17/a-preview-of-dandd-onlines-sixth-module/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


While the focus on much of the MMO community is on the reigning champ or the upcoming hotness, loyal fans keep smaller games not only afloat but flourishing. Turbine's Dungeons and Dragons Online is one such game tirelessly continuing development , despite the lack of mainstream media attention or general community buzz. Gamespy has coverage of the next release slated for the game, Module Six: "The Thirteenth Eclipse". It should be patched in before the end of the month.

The video above nicely encapsulates the highlights of the next publish, which will offer the beginnings of a crafting system and the introduction of a demonic struggle to the continent of Xen'drick. The demon attack is especially interesting for fans of the Eberron setting; the fiends are invading from one of the mysterious outer planes, slipping into the world through a collision between the prime material plane and the Shavarath Battleground. Great stuff, reaching deep into the setting's lore. For a full look at the publish make sure you check out the written article.

It's worth noting that this piece is just another in GameSpy's pattern of giving quality coverage to MMOs. Whether it's an interview with the FFXI team or a peak at Project Entropia's 2008 plans, they're doing top-notch work over there.

MassivelyA preview of D&D Online's sixth module originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ddodungeons-and-dragons-onlineeberrongamespymodule-sixthe-thirteenth-eclipseturbineThu, 17 Jan 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO and TBC honored in GameSpy 2007 awards]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/lotro-and-tbc-honored-in-gamespy-2007-awards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/lotro-and-tbc-honored-in-gamespy-2007-awards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/lotro-and-tbc-honored-in-gamespy-2007-awards/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

GameSpy recently released the latest iteration of its annual best-of list. The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar was ranked #6 in the best PC games of 2007 list. World of Warcraft's The Burning Crusade expansion also got some attention. It came in at #5 on the same list -- just an inch ahead of LotRO. However, LotRO also walked away with a bigger prize -- the title of PC MMO Game of the Year.

Both LotRO and TBC failed to beat blockbuster first-person-shooter fare like BioShock and Call of Duty 4 in the overall PC list, but still, this was a pleasant cap to a strong year for both titles, especially LotRO, which saw promising sales figures and a warm critical reception right out of the launch bay door this Spring.

TBC and LotRO are also nominees for various "gamers' choice" awards. The voting for those awards comes to a close today, and the winners will be announced tomorrow.

MassivelyLotRO and TBC honored in GameSpy 2007 awards originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2007awardsblizzardgame-of-the-yeargamespylistlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrothe-burning-crusadeturbineworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 19 Dec 2007 13:00:00 EST