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[Defiance beefs up its TV cast with big-name stars]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/defiance-beefs-up-its-tv-cast-with-big-name-stars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/defiance-beefs-up-its-tv-cast-with-big-name-stars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/defiance-beefs-up-its-tv-cast-with-big-name-stars/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Defiance cast
Next month the pilot for Syfy's Defiance will commence filming, and the station has announced several additional cast members joining lead star Grant Bowler in the sci-fi post-apocalyptic series. As the show and Trion World's upcoming MMO will share the same world and influence one another, it's quite possible that gamers could be running into virtual versions of these characters.

Four new actors have been announced for the show. The first is Julie Benz (Dexter, Angel), who will be playing Mayor Amanda Rosewater, a leader of a small mining town. Stephanie Leonidas (MirrorMask) is Irisa, an alien warrior who's adopted by the lead's character and raised as his bodyguard and daughter. Finally, Tony Curran (Gladiator, Blade II) and Jaime Murray (Warehouse 13, Dexter) are coming on as an alien husband-and-wife team fleeing the destruction of their home world.

[Source: Trion Worlds press release]

MassivelyDefiance beefs up its TV cast with big-name stars originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actorsAngelBlade IIblade-iiBladeIicastingdefianceDexterGladiatorGrant-BowlerJaime-MurrayJaimeMurrayJulie-BenzMirrorMaskmmofpspilotseriesStephanie-LeonidassyfyTony-Currantriontrion-worldstvtv-seriesWarehouse 13warehouse-13Warehouse13Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gods & Heroes dev blog talks class balance, lifts NDA]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/gods-and-heroes-dev-blog-talks-class-balance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/gods-and-heroes-dev-blog-talks-class-balance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/gods-and-heroes-dev-blog-talks-class-balance/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Hot on the heels of its GDC updates, Heatwave Interactive has released a new dev blog detailing further aspects of Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising. The mythological MMORPG boasts four unique character classes (the Priest, the Soldier, the Gladiator, and the Mystic), and today's dev blog offers a look at a few class-specific issues through the eyes of senior content designer Todd Bailey.

Bailey discusses how the Soldier and Gladiator differ despite the fact that both focus on close-range melee combat. He also talks about why the Scout and Nomad classes won't be available at launch. "The honest answer is that the Nomad was completely overpowered as a class and just felt like it was the catch-all for abilities that didn't go anywhere else," Bailey explains. He also says that combat tuning and balancing is an ongoing process, noting that the overall combat feel is much improved even though a few new wrinkles have been introduced during the tweaking process. Head to the official Gods & Heroes website for the full dev diary.

In still other G&H news, Heatwave has officially dropped the game's NDA, so beta players can now freely talk about the title here and elsewhere!

MassivelyGods & Heroes dev blog talks class balance, lifts NDA originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classesdev-blogdev-diaryfantasygladiatorgods-and-heroesgods-and-heroes-rome-risingheatwaveheatwave-interactivemysticmythologyndanda-droppriestsoldiertodd-bailyFri, 04 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gods & Heroes details classes and releases new screenshots]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/gods-and-heroes-details-classes-and-releases-new-screenshots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/gods-and-heroes-details-classes-and-releases-new-screenshots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/gods-and-heroes-details-classes-and-releases-new-screenshots/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The devs at Heatwave Interactive have given Gods & Heroes fans a bit more information to mull over as they wait anxiously for the title's debut. In a press release dated earlier this morning, Heatwave detailed the game's four character classes and released an accompanying batch of screenshots.

While the classes don't stray too far from MMORPG norms, it's nonetheless instructive to see exactly what the game has in store. First up is the Gladiator, who, as you might surmise, exists to do massive melee damage at close range. The Soldier is your basic tank archetype, responsible for juggling aggro and taking a beating for his friends. The Mystic is Gods & Heroes' answer to ranged DPS, while the Priest is, crazily enough, the main healer.

You can get a full rundown on Gladiators, Soldiers, Priests, and Mystics at the game's main website, and don't forget to check out the new screens below.

Gallery: Gods and Heroes

MassivelyGods & Heroes details classes and releases new screenshots originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classesfantasygallerygladiatorgods-and-heroesheatwaveheatwave-interactivemysticmythologypress-releasepriestscreenshotssoldierThu, 17 Feb 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV details two new classes and weapons]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/12/final-fantasy-xiv-details-two-new-classes-and-weapons/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/12/final-fantasy-xiv-details-two-new-classes-and-weapons/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/12/final-fantasy-xiv-details-two-new-classes-and-weapons/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Those of us looking forward to Final Fantasy XIV have a bit more to look forward to now, with a new update to the official site. Continuing the slow reveal that the recent updates have included, this update contains two classes who have been previously named but not discussed in detail, the Gladiator and Pugilist. In addition, the update offers some details regarding the weaponry used by these classes -- which, as we've reported earlier, are the central element for each class in the multifaceted world of the game.

Gladiators are what their pictures would tend to indicate, heavily-armored sword wielders with a penchant for close melee combat. They're also slated to be masters of throwing knives, and will have the option of using a shield or eschewing it for more offensive combat. Among their weapons are a number of swords and shields, including the blade-encrusted Lantern Shield that offers simultaneous offense and defense. Pugilists, by contrast, are lightly-armored melee fighters that use a variety of hand-to-hand attacks -- shades of the classic Monk. Their weapons are a bit less novel, but any player familiar with Final Fantasy XI will feel some nostalgia at the sight of baghnakhs and cesti. Take a look at the official site for more information, including the galleries of weapons and multiple images of the new classes.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV details two new classes and weapons originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classesdisciplinesffxiffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivgladiatorofficial-sitepugilistsquaresquare-enixweaponsThu, 12 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: A week with Aion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/the-digital-continuum-a-week-with-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/the-digital-continuum-a-week-with-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/19/the-digital-continuum-a-week-with-aion/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


After spending a week playing Aion over every other game in my library -- a feat considering I've got Brutal Legend and Uncharted 2 -- I'm feeling ready to discuss the game in a meaningful fashion.

It's hard to gauge what kind of game you're dealing with when an MMO launches, largely because the reality is that, often times, much of what an MMO is designed to be will change over the course of its first half year or so of development. With Aion, we're dealing with a deliberately designed concept that's been mostly well executed on -- more on that later.

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: A week with Aion

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: A week with Aion originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aioncrytekcrytek-koreafeaturedgladiatorncsoftopinionpizzapvepvppvpetheme-parkthemeparkMon, 19 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Delving into the archetypes and specialty classes of Aion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/27/delving-into-the-archetypes-and-specialty-classes-of-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/27/delving-into-the-archetypes-and-specialty-classes-of-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/27/delving-into-the-archetypes-and-specialty-classes-of-aion/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The folks over at Ten Ton Hammer have been cranking out a number of features that examine the various class archetypes and specialty classes of Aion. So far, they've produced two game guides showcasing the Priest and Mage archetypes and had four interviews with NCsoft discussing the Gladiator, Templar, Ranger, and Assassin specialty classes.

When creating a character in Aion, you must initially choose one of four available archetypes. Anyone who has played a fantasy MMO or RPG in the past decade or so will find them quite familiar. They are the Warrior, Scout, Priest, and Mage.

Once you reach level 9, you're sent on a quest to discover your true identity and ascend to daevahood. The quest is like Red Bull - it gives you wings. At this point you must choose a specialty class defined by your original archetype. Warriors become Gladiators or Templars. Scouts become Rangers or Assassins. Priests become Clerics or Chanters. Mages become Sorcerers(esses) or Spiritmasters.

By our count, TTH has covered half the archetypes and specialty classes so far, so keep your eyes peeled for the second half coming soon. We'll also bring you our own impressions of these classes when beta permits. So far, we've been limited to testing some pretty low level characters.

MassivelyDelving into the archetypes and specialty classes of Aion originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionassassinchanterclass-guideclericgladiatormagencsoftpriestrangerscoutsorcererspiritmastertemplarten-ton-hammerwarriorSat, 27 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST