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[Stargate Worlds level cap to increase every three months]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/31/stargate-worlds-level-cap-to-increase-every-three-months/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/31/stargate-worlds-level-cap-to-increase-every-three-months/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/31/stargate-worlds-level-cap-to-increase-every-three-months/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Stargate Worlds France conducted a very substantial interview with Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment/Firesky Studio Head Dan Elggren at the Games Convention in Leipzig. We say it's substantial because it includes a few new revelations about the game.

The most notable of those revelations: CME/Firesky will be raising the game's level cap (50 at launch) by two levels every three months to coincide with new content updates and episodes. The second most interesting tidbit is about teams. Teams are a social unit smaller than commands (guilds); think of them as persistently existing and organized groups/parties. Anyway, the big news about teams is that players will be able to name their regular groups. Cool!

Other topics included various Stargate inside jokes, Elggren plugging the gas-guzzling Hummer promotion, and some stuff about the Asgard, Archaeologist, Jaffa, and Go'auld classes that has already been floating around for a while. Watch the video for all that. Note that most of the video is in French with English subtitles, while the interview itself is in English with French subtitles.

MassivelyStargate Worlds level cap to increase every three months originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 31 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archaeologistasgardbetacheyenne-mountain-entertainmentdan-elggreneuropefireskyfrancefrenchgc-08gc-2008goauldhummerhummersinterviewjaffaleipziglevel-cappet-classpvpsgwstargatestargate-worldsstargate-worlds-franceSun, 31 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stargate Worlds beta invites coming in "early September/October"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/stargate-worlds-beta-invites-coming-in-early-september-october/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/stargate-worlds-beta-invites-coming-in-early-september-october/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/stargate-worlds-beta-invites-coming-in-early-september-october/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

In addition to a previously reported train station appearance, and in defiance of all common sense in the midst of a global gas crisis and panic about carbon emissions, Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment/FireSky promoted Stargate Worlds at the Games Convention in Leipzig by meeting the press in a constantly-moving caravan of pimped-out, gas-guzzling Hummers.

In one of those Hummers, Ten Ton Hammer's John Hoskin recorded a video interview with Stargate Worlds studio head Dan Elggren. Hoskin asked Elggren about CME/FireSky's beta plans. Elggren said that the friends and family beta test has been going on for a while (it was when we visited the studio back in July, even) but that invites for "gameplay testing" will be going out to the public in "early September/October." Not quite the summer date we were promised, but we're still impressed at how quickly it's coming up.

Hopefully that will cheer up Stargate fans who are depressed over the recent news of Stargate Atlantis' imminent cancellation. Yet another spin-off -- called Stargate Universe -- will premiere in 2009, though.

MassivelyStargate Worlds beta invites coming in "early September/October" originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betadan-elggrengameplay-testinggc-2008interviewinvitesleipzigoctoberseptembersgwstargatestargate-atlantisstargate-universestargate-worldsvideoThu, 28 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Before and after images of Age of Conan's DirectX 10 support]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/23/before-and-after-images-of-age-of-conans-directx-10-support/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/23/before-and-after-images-of-age-of-conans-directx-10-support/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/23/before-and-after-images-of-age-of-conans-directx-10-support/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Let's say you play Age of Conan, your computer runs on Windows Vista, and you have a fairly new video card (GeForce 8-series and better or the ATI equivalent). Honestly, we're not sure there are really that many of you that touch all those bases, but for those who are: congratulations! You can play games in DirectX 10 mode! Too bad there aren't really that many games that support DirectX 10!

Thankfully, Age of Conan will soon be one of the elite few. It looks like the difference in visual quality will be significant. We make that observation based on a handful of before-and-after screenshots hosted at Ten Ton Hammer. Give them a look to find out what you're in for if you're one of the folks who have the hardware and software to experience it, or what you're missing out on if you're not.

MassivelyBefore and after images of Age of Conan's DirectX 10 support originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocdirectxdirectx-10funcomgc-2008graphicsleipzigscreenshotsvistawindows-vistaSat, 23 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GC 2008: EVE economist says players set the game's course]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/gc-2008-eve-economist-says-players-set-the-games-course/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/gc-2008-eve-economist-says-players-set-the-games-course/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/gc-2008-eve-economist-says-players-set-the-games-course/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Speaking at the Games Convention in Leipzig, EVE Online economist Dr. Eyjolfur Gudmundsson suggested that the game's 245,000 players drive its development and innovation even more than the team at CCP does. That could be construed as populist pandering, for sure, but Gudmundsson -- who was addressing a room full of game developers -- dedicated most of his talk to the notion of "unleashing the power of players."

He pointed to the Council of Stellar Management -- a democratically-elected group that represents the player-base in meetings with CCP -- and the player-driven open market that manages itself in accordance with real-world principles of economics as examples of the communal direction in action.

This is a notably different mentality than that found in World of Warcraft and similar games which dispense carefully constructed experiences to the players from the developers at the top. EVE stirs an open ended pot of players to cook up gameplay experiences. Godmundsson is talking up the open approach, but both methods arguably have their own special strengths and pitfalls.

MassivelyGC 2008: EVE economist says players set the game's course originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpcouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmeconomisteconomyeveeve-onlineeyjolfur-gudmundssongcgc-08gc-2008leipzigleipzig-08leipzig-2008leipzig-games-conventionThu, 21 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EST