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GDCO 2010: Bigpoint's Alan Dunton on the next-gen of browser MMOs

Beau Hindman — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Screenshots, Events (Real-World), New Titles, Previews, PvP, Free-to-Play, Browser, Hands-On, MMOFPS, Interviews (Massively's), Hands-On (Massively's), Events (Massively's Coverage), Post-Apocalyptic

Bigpoint has had a very successful run as a multi-game publisher over the last few years. If you're familiar with Seafight or Dark Orbit, then you have played some of the company's games. Of course, those titles -- plus the many others -- are just not enough for the devs at Bigpoint. They wanted to host, create and specify a game for the North American market. What they ended up with are a few titles -- The Mummy Online, Battlestar Galactica, and Ruined Online -- all crafted in the same amazing Unity browser engine.

What this will do is allow for more flexibility, accessibility, and possibility. Bigpoint's background in free-to-play and microtransaction-based games will also help to monetize the titles -- a delicate science in itself. We were able to meet up with Alan Dunton, and he explained to us what Ruined Online meant for the company and for the future of Battlestar and The Mummy.

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GDCO 2010: Bigpoint's Alan Dunton on the next-gen of browser MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Erebus closed beta 2 begins tomorrow

Jef Reahard — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Erebus

Outspark plans to enter the second closed beta phase of their free-to-play MMORPG known as Erebus: Travia Reborn on April 14. The isometric Diablo-style action game will add a dueling system, three PvP maps, three new instanced dungeons, and an increased level cap (50) starting tomorrow.

Additionally the Outspark team has added guild versus guild warfare, a new tutorial, and many tweaks to both the leveling curve and the skill system. Many changes were made based on feedback from the initial closed beta phase that wrapped in March.

"The first Closed Beta was a big success. We kept it mostly in the Outspark community, but we still had thousands of people sign up to play, and the feedback they provided was invaluable. I think people who participated in the first beta are really going to like the changes we made and the new features being added for Closed Beta 2," said Ben Berens, Erebus Associate Producer.

Check out our impressions of Erebus from GDC and, if you haven't already, sign up for the closed beta tests.

Erebus closed beta 2 begins tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC10: En Masse's Patrick Wyatt talks MMO security

Rubi Bayer — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, News Items

Security concerns in MMOs are nothing new. We all know the drill -- Don't share your account, avoid suspicious emails and sites, change your password regularly and so on. We go through all of that to keep our personal accounts safe, but what about the bigger picture?

Patrick Wyatt from En Masse looked over this very thing at GDC this year, explaining how issues like gold farming, account theft and even plain old griefing affects the MMO community at large. He began looking at the other side of the equation: the people causing these problems in the first place and what motivates them. Money is the main motivator, of course, but there is no shortage of attackers who are just doing it for kicks.

So as long as you protect your own account, it doesn't affect you, right? Wyatt addressed that false assumption as well, outlining the affect of each type of attack on the general gaming community and the game in question itself. Any event that affects the game and the community at large will of course affect every member of the community. So what's to be done? Game developers never stop working to stay ahead of "the enemy", and Wyatt illustrates quite a few possible solutions.

This slideshow certainly isn't only for those in the industry. It's very informative for any MMO player, so head over to playnoevil.com and take a look at the slideshow for yourself!

GDC10: En Masse's Patrick Wyatt talks MMO security originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC10: Hands-on with Star Wars: The Old Republic

Shawn Schuster — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Screenshots, Events (Real-World), Game Mechanics, New Titles, Opinion, Hands-On, Hands-On (Massively's), Events (Massively's Coverage), Star Wars: The Old Republic

I could easily spend this article telling you about the amazing LucasArts Presidio compound, its history and the incredible relics of the Star Wars universe adorning the walls and hallways. But I won't. I could also easily go on and on about how George Lucas and Star Wars inspired my childhood, and how even setting foot in the presence of such greatness was a bit overwhelming. But I won't.

Instead, I will focus on the only reason you're reading this: my first impressions of Star Wars: The Old Republic and the Trooper class.

Once we arrived at LucasArts HQ, we were introduced to a few members of the LucasArts and BioWare crew, then we each sat down to our very own computer with our very own Trooper class character set up to run through our very own test mission. Although we weren't playing together in the game, we were all set up in the same location to run the same mission.

Interestingly enough, we weren't really given an overview of the game or an intro to the gameplay. They sat us down and told us to have fun. There was a print-out of a small cheat-sheet for help with the mission if needed, but I was honestly stuck to the monitor from the second I sat down.

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GDC10: Hands-on with Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC10: First look at Divine Souls

Justin Olivetti — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events (Real-World), Casual, First Impressions, Divine Souls

What, you've never heard of Divine Souls? You Philistine! Actually, it's not the public school system that has failed you here -- Divine Souls is only now crossing the waters of the Pacific (and Atlantic) in its worldwide debut. Created by Korean development studio Game Prix under the title of St. Soul, the renamed Divine Souls is being brought over to North America and Europe through an agreement with publisher Outspark.

Divine Souls's makeup is part steampunk, part brawler, part co-op, and part traditional MMORPG, so don't expect the normal routine in this one -- it actually feels more of a hybrid of several MMOs. Massively sat down with the game at last week's GDC to put this title through its paces.

Channel your inner Karate Kid, and hit the jump for the full scoop!

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GDC10: First look at Divine Souls originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC10: An in-depth look at Black Prophecy

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Events (Real-World), News Items, Black Prophecy

Space: the final frontier. Space: in it, no one can hear you scream. Space: it's been looking at us the wrong way lately, so let's take a laser cannon to it and readjust its attitude.

If you haven't been feeling a ball of growing excitement in your tummy over Black Prophecy's development (over four years at this point), then we feel pity for you. It might be another spaceship MMO, but while EVE Online has a heavy focus on the economy and political intrigue, and Star Trek Online boasts a slower, tactical approach to combat, Black Prophecy is all about fast, sweaty, double-fisted fighter action in the depths of the cosmos. And it doesn't look half bad while doing it, either.

At GDC, Massively got under the hood of this title with Black Prophecy's Falko Böcker to find out all we could about this promising free-to-play MMO. Check your oxygen levels and then hit the jump to hyperspace for more!

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GDC10: An in-depth look at Black Prophecy originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get your Champions fix on Facebook

Beau Hindman — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: News Items, Champions Online

Recently we spotted an interesting post from Bill Roper, Design Director for Cryptic Studios' MMO Champions Online. On his Facebook page he showed a slightly blurry picture of a developers booth with the simple caption "GDC 2010: The developers of our Facebook Game." Sure enough you can now play a Mafia Wars style Facebook game while wearing your tightest spandex! It runs in your browser and hooks up to your Facebook account so that you can choose to announce level ups and achievements. You can also invite friends to form a superteam, customize your secret base and even attack other players.

Developer Lolapps claims to have "over 40 million active users per month, and has the largest network of social games and applications on Facebook." It looks like they know what they are doing, so it is definitely worth a look. Head over now, make your hero and get to stopping crime!

Get your Champions fix on Facebook originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC10: A chat with Cryptic's Bill Roper and Craig Zinkievich

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Events (Real-World), Star Trek Online, Champions Online

As two of the most public figures at Cryptic Studios, Bill Roper (Champions Online) and Craig Zinkievich (Star Trek Online) are typically at the forefront of controversy, adulation and speculation. At GDC 2010, Massively sat down with the pair to discuss what it's like working for Cryptic, how they deal with the ups and downs of being game developers, and the pressure of handling the future of two hot MMORPG franchises.

Massively: How do the Champions and STO teams collaborate between each other?

Bill Roper: I think it's really good the way the company interacts back and forth -- "Hey, this worked for us, you guys should do that too." "This totally didn't work for us, don't do that, do something different."

Craig Zinkievich: "Hey, you know, about three-and-a-half weeks after launch, don't have a free 90-day promo! Don't do that! That didn't work well!" [Laughs]

Continue reading GDC10: A chat with Cryptic's Bill Roper and Craig Zinkievich

GDC10: A chat with Cryptic's Bill Roper and Craig Zinkievich originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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