Massively

The Firing Line: Hands-on with Heroes & Generals

Jef Reahard — Fri, 25 May 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Historical, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, War, Free-to-play, Browser, Hands-on, MMOFPS, Massively Hands-on, First Impressions, The Firing Line

During the first 10 minutes of my time with Heroes & Generals, I killed once, died twice, and drove a tank, a jeep, a half-track, and a bicycle (not necessarily in that order). I also rode shotgun on said tank and said jeep, manning a nifty vehicle-mounted machine gun in the process.

I marveled at the visuals, took way too many screenshots of my squadmates looking at the blow-away badass in-game map (it's the little things, amirite?), and generally had a helluva good time. Did I mention that all of this happened in a browser?

Continue reading The Firing Line: Hands-on with Heroes & Generals

The Firing Line: Hands-on with Heroes & Generals originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Who will be our MMO development heroes of tomorrow?

Shawn Schuster — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

The lifespan of the MMO genre is still fairly short when you take general gaming into consideration. Fifteen years ago, most of us wouldn't have dreamed of what's available online today, thanks to the innovators who brought together graphical roleplaying games and the MUDs of the day. People like Richard Garriott, Raph Koster, Starr Long, J. Todd Coleman, and a handful of others helped create what we know today as MMORPGs.

But who will be the innovators and trend-setters of tomorrow's MMOs? We see a lot of innovation these days, but ascribing those ideas to one person isn't as easy (or applicable) as it was in the early days of five-man studios. Still, there are geniuses in these modern studios making some much-needed improvements that will carry on for many years.

So if you're a player and you know of someone who will be known for his or her innovation in the future, let us know. If you're a developer who wants to call out a co-worker for something he or she has done to change the genre, get that name out there!

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!

The Daily Grind: Who will be our MMO development heroes of tomorrow? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Party with the Gods & Heroes devs in Austin

Brianna Royce — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Livestream, Miscellaneous

Heatwave Interactive aims to seize the day -- Friday, October 14th, that is -- by offering players of Gods & Heroes a unique opportunity to visit the studio in person. Following the final day of GDC Austin, Heatwave's community team will offer 10 attendees the chance to spend an afternoon and evening touring the offices for "sneak previews" and a Q&A with various panels and team members, including CEO Anthony Castoro, the design team, the art team, the support team, and the community team. Guests will then participate with the devs in hosting a live Ustream chat, after which they'll enjoy the fruits of their labors (or more accurately, the meats) with a BBQ worthy of the gods.

Interested parties can RSVP by email on the official site. Have fun!

Party with the Gods & Heroes devs in Austin originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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City of Heroes bonus weekend coming July 28th

Jef Reahard — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, MMO industry, News items

Break out those City of Heroes alts, as there's a double XP event looming large over Paragon City next week. The festivities kick off at 9:00 a.m. Pacific on Thursday, July 28th, and the party continues through 11:59 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, July 31st.

In addition to the XP smorgasbord, you'll be happy to know that your characters can double their pleasure when it comes to Inf and Prestige as well, so dust off those semi-retired superheroes and get ready to gorge them on NCsoft's sweet, sweet bonus event. Catch up on all our City of Heroes coverage while you wait, and don't forget to visit the CoH website for the official announcement.

City of Heroes bonus weekend coming July 28th originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively: Wait, so he wins by getting himself killed?

Brendan Drain — Sat, 21 May 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Galleries, Video, Game mechanics, Lore, News items, Free-to-play, Hands-on, Not So Massively

Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Saturday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Defense of the Ancients, Bloodline Champions, and more.

Not all online games can be neatly classified as either a full-fledged MMO or not an MMO at all. Some games contain elements of persistence, community, and iterative development that we've come to expect only from MMOs. In last week's colossal Not So Massively, we we published an exclusive reveal of Rise of Immortals character The Netheurgist and took a look at the new LoL champion Vayne.

Following on from that, we celebrated Heroes of Newerth's first birthday with a look at its one-year Honiversary update. We also took a look at a few new games from Prime World, Realm of the Titans, and Karma Online to Blizzard's highly anticipated Diablo III. As if that weren't enough, we got an interview with END Games, the developer behind Vorp!, an online multiplayer action game based entirely in Facebook.

In this week's Not So Massively, we take another peek at the sheer creativity of the League of Legends community and get technical with Heroes of Newerth's practically suicidal hero Martyr. We also take a look at Bloodline Champions' new match replay system, Rise of Immortals' immortal Aislynn, and the latest Realm of the Titans game update arriving in time for closed beta.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Wait, so he wins by getting himself killed?

Not So Massively: Wait, so he wins by getting himself killed? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 May 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flameseeker Chronicles: Is ArenaNet approaching the pay-to-win line?

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Culture, Flameseeker Chronicles

The addition of Guild Wars Mercenary Hero Packs to the NCsoft store is the latest step in ArenaNet's effort to highlight Guild Wars "microtransactions." (I am ambivalent about using the word microtransactions in this context -- "micro" in my eyes says under 10 dollars.)

The mercenary heroes are probably the most controversial addition to the current store to date, and the ongoing debate fascinated me. I can see both sides of the argument, so I thought I'd take today and explore this new addition to the store and what it means. Follow along after the jump and let's look at the perceived pros and cons of the newest not-very-micro-transaction in the NCsoft store!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Is ArenaNet approaching the pay-to-win line?

Flameseeker Chronicles: Is ArenaNet approaching the pay-to-win line? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Embark Beach and Mercenary Heroes coming to Guild Wars

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Guild Wars, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Free-to-play

Do you play Guild Wars with nothing to lose and nothing to prove? Then you might wind up dancing with yourself in the newest update to the game, which will add a new system of Mercenary Heroes -- turning other characters on your account into special heroes just for your use. And since this update also gives players the option to have a full party of seven heroes, there's plenty of reason to improve alts and play with them even on other characters.

Of course, that's the least of the features packed into the new update, and you may not even need the new heroes with the introduction of the group-focused Embark Beach. Allowing players transport to a multitude of locations and missions, the outpost serves as a waypoint for players to find groups and get right into the action of a mission without any trouble. It's also a hub for services, making it an ideal place for players to congregate and look for any needed assistance.

That's not even touching upon the new daily quests in Pre-Searing Ascalon, the changes to the Survivor title track to make it earnable on an existing character even after that character has died, and a new Minion UI feature. In short, Guild Wars players have plenty to dance about in the new update, whether by themselves or with others.

Gallery: Guild Wars Core Gallery

Embark Beach and Mercenary Heroes coming to Guild Wars originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What motivates your faction choice?

Jef Reahard — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Super-hero, Dark Age of Camelot, Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, DC Universe Online

Most MMOs have some sort of factional component, even if the mechanics and options aren't directly identified by a "faction" label. Whether it's heroes and villains in DC Universe Online, Alliance and Horde in World of Warcraft, or the Albion, Hibernia, and Midgard trifecta from Dark Age of Camelot, creating a character in an MMO usually requires some sort of alignment choice.

Often this choice boils down to a good or evil stereotype, and while roleplayers and lore enthusiasts may argue that "the Horde isn't evil" (or similar arguments from other games and factions), the fact remains that the Horde's visual palette is filled with imagery and concepts that have signified evil throughout much of human history.

In today's Daily Grind, we'd like to know why you pick particular factions, and if the visual or lore-centric baggage they carry influences your decision. Do you usually roll characters that are good? Evil? Neutral? Why?

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!

The Daily Grind: What motivates your faction choice? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Speak live with Gods & Heroes developers on Ustream

Larry Everett — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, real-world, New titles, Livestream

The Telchine gods have returned to enact revenge on their Olympian conquerors with the citizens of Rome caught in the middle. It is your place to take up the mantel of protector of the empire. Battle gods and monsters to gain favor with the Roman gods and test your drive to save the citizens of your country. You may join the fight in upcoming MMO Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising.

We all would like the inside scoop on what's happening in our favorite game, and it's not often that developers have an opportunity to speak directly to the players. Heatwave Interactive would like to change that with a live Ustream event today (November 30th) at 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. EST. Get your questions ready because developers want to tell you what to expect for launch in 2011. If you like what you hear, you can then sign up for the closed beta by visiting the Gods & Heroes website.

Speak live with Gods & Heroes developers on Ustream originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ArenaNet adding seven-hero parties, new outpost to Guild Wars

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, News items

The latest ArenaNet blog post is up, bringing with it the Guild Wars War in Kryta survey results and some exciting news.

One survey question regarding seven-hero parties sparked a lot of discussion in the community, and ArenaNet heard the answer loud and clear: An upcoming content update will bring the ability to fill your party with all heroes.

For those of you who love grouping, the other half of this update is for you: "We're going to be adding Embark Beach-a new Zaishen outpost that will allow players to travel to all Mission outposts (that they are eligible for!) from a single location. So if you're looking to find something to do or someone to help you out, you just have to check one convenient location. Embark Beach will be included in an upcoming feature build containing some improvements for the game."

Check out all of the survey results at the ArenaNet blog!

ArenaNet adding seven-hero parties, new outpost to Guild Wars originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to 50: A guide to filling your Guild Wars Hall of Monuments (II)

Rubi Bayer — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Guild Wars 2

Welcome to day two of The Road to 50! After addressing minipets yesterday, I'm excited to spend today on their larger counterparts: pets and heroes. The Monument to Fellowship is so much fun to fill in my view, because it sends you to challenge missions, off-the-beaten-path quests, elite areas, and more in order to obtain everything on the list.

Getting every pet required and armor for every hero in the game, in my view, is an opportunity to explore some real teamwork with your friends, guildmates, and allies while you see parts of Guild Wars that you haven't seen before.

Follow along as I tell you all about how to get the full eight points in the Monument to Fellowship.

Continue reading The Road to 50: A guide to filling your Guild Wars Hall of Monuments (II)

The Road to 50: A guide to filling your Guild Wars Hall of Monuments (II) originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Heroes of EVE

Brendan Drain — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Lore, Opinion, EVE Evolved

In last week's EVE Evolved, I looked at a few of EVE Online's most famous outlaws. In the game's open-ended sandbox, players are free to turn to a life of crime. Around every corner, you'll find another thief making off with someone's loot, or a pirate waiting for an unsuspecting victim to pass by. Worse still are the many scam artists and market manipulators you'll find in trade hubs like Jita, making a dishonest living at the expense of other players. But it's not all doom and gloom, and not all players are the dark, nefarious types EVE is famous for.

For every low-life scammer trying to steal your hard-earned ISK, there are helpful individuals working to counteract scamming. For every war-mongering pirate preying on new players, there are hundreds of people willing to teach new players to defend themselves and stay safe. Despite all the talk of EVE's anti-social element, you'll also find a rich and diverse community, built around forums, chat channels and dozens of blogs. Programmers even spend their free time to provide the community with free tools to aid play. These are all people I would call heroes of EVE, either because they work to prevent the wrong-doings of outlaws, or because they selflessly enrich the EVE community.

In this opinion piece, I look at a few of the people and groups I consider to be true heroes of EVE. Who are your heroes?

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Heroes of EVE

EVE Evolved: Heroes of EVE originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flameseeker Chronicles: Heroes ruined Guild Wars

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Culture, Flameseeker Chronicles

Oh, settle down. I'm not stating that as a fact, I'm just repeating what others have said. It's an old argument, but one that's recently come to my attention several times over the past week, so I want to take a look at the argument today.

Heroes came to Guild Wars near the end of 2006 with the introduction of Nightfall. They were a huge upgrade from the much-maligned Alesia and her companions. Sure, you had to level them up, but you had as much control over their runes and insignias, skill bars, and weapons as you did your own.

The addition gave players the option to add three of these customized companions, making it much easier to continue adventuring even if you couldn't get a group at the moment. It sounds perfect, right? Not everyone agrees, and it's a debate that flared back up in the past months when the possibility was raised of companions in Guild Wars 2.

Hit the handy "read more" button to check out both sides of the argument.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Heroes ruined Guild Wars

Flameseeker Chronicles: Heroes ruined Guild Wars originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What makes you feel like a hero?

Justin Olivetti — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind

There's always been a big to-do in MMORPGs about making you feel like a hero (and, hey, all RPGs ever). Dev interviews, particularly before release, usually include discussion about how such-and-such will make the player feel important, feel central to the story, feel... heroic.

Of course, when everyone else and his or her specially trained dog or cat are doing the exact same thing, it's hard to feel like a unique snowflake in the hero crowd. While NPCs are supposedly helpless and need a dashing, daring stud or studette to champion their cause, after a while it may seem like they're more "lazy bums" than "weak innocents."

Or maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there's something in MMOs that does, in fact, make you feel like a hero. Maybe it's not anything scripted by the developers, but instead happens out of the blue. Perhaps you're the healer who kept your raid alive, or the person who gave up a night to help out a lowbie in the guild. Maybe you saved a total stranger from annihilation, or you chained sixteen crits in a row until the bad guys were weeping for mercy.

What makes you feel like a hero in MMOs?

The Daily Grind: What makes you feel like a hero? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Going Rogue video documentary hits the City of Heroes Facebook page

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Video, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Expansions, Game mechanics, Previews, News items

Having celebrated its sixth anniversary back in April, City of Heroes is a bit of an old dog in the MMO world. But it's proving quite adept at learning new tricks, with Going Rogue bringing out a big new trick in the form of its morality system. Allowing players not only to play heroes or villains but several intermediate forms in between, the ability to change allegiance is one of the expansion's biggest selling points -- as well as being the focus of the second video documentary, available on the game's Facebook page.

While the video doesn't reveal every piece of system information on changing from hero to villain or vice versa, it does talk more about the choices that go into such a shift. We've been hearing for some time that players will be making choices within the missions of Going Rogue, and it's explained here as well. It also discusses in brief how Praetoria is a framework removed from the hero-villain dichotomy of Paragon City and the Rogue Isles, allowing players to make choices and shape morality from the ground up. City of Heroes players are encouraged to take a look at the documentary and leave their comments on the page, as the developers are due to check in there throughout the day.

New Going Rogue video documentary hits the City of Heroes Facebook page originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Team Arenas and Hero Battles not the only thing changed in latest Guild Wars update

Rubi Bayer — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Game mechanics, Patches

Devona without "Charge!"? No more Firestorm for Cynn? Abasi has...wait, what did Abasi have before? Who is that, anyway?

Regina said a few days ago that Hero Battles and Team Arenas would be removed from Guild Wars this week and that the Sealed Deck/Codex Arena would be added. It looks like the Live Team took care of that, made a few more PvP tweaks, then turned their attention to heroes and henchmen. Our sometimes-trusty sidekicks got quite the makeover. Nearly 70 henchmen skill bars throughout every campaign plus Eye of the North were rebalanced, and the AI for nearly every class of hero, henchman, and Hard Mode NPC was updated. (The AI on Necros and Dervishes got a pass - apparently they used their skills well enough to be left alone.) The full list of changes can be viewed here.

The Underworld got some attention too, fixing bugs, streamlining things, adjusting spawns and adding the ominous statement "Something stirs deep in the Underworld, slowly making its presence known." Hopefully we'll find out more about that something when the Halloween events get into full swing.

For now, we're going to find out if removing Healing Touch from Alesia's bar has taught her that she's not a frontliner.

Team Arenas and Hero Battles not the only thing changed in latest Guild Wars update originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An early peek at the DC Universe Online storyline

James Egan — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Interviews, New titles, Quests, DC Universe Online

DC Universe Online is a superhero MMO in development at Sony Online Entertainment, but one that we didn't get to see much of at E3 2009. That's not going to be the situation with Comic-Con International which is happening this week in San Diego. The DC Universe Online team will be on hand and will hopefully reveal more about the game.

While you won't get to play as Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman, you will begin the game as a hero who fights alongside such comic book icons. In fact, once you roll a character you'll choose a specialty from among super powers, tech powers, or magic powers. That choice will determine the storyline you begin with, according to info revealed in a Variety article. Sony Online Entertainment gave Chris Morris from Variety's 'The Cut Scene' an exclusive on how players will begin the game.

Continue reading An early peek at the DC Universe Online storyline

An early peek at the DC Universe Online storyline originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The 5th Column returns as City of Heroes Issue 15: Anniversary goes live

James Egan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Game mechanics, Patches, News items

It was only a few weeks ago that we wrote about the City of Heroes Issue 15 beta testing, but this latest update to the game, Anniversary, has gone live. Issue 15 brings a host of improvements to City of Heroes particularly in terms of hero and villain character customization. There are 20 new character faces to choose from, two new costume sets, and costume change emotes, which provide flashy transitions between costumes for your characters.

Issue 15: Anniversary also marks the return of The 5th Column and The Reichsman, and thus new missions at levels 45-50 -- with Villain Strikeforce and Hero Taskforce arcs, depending upon which side of the law you're on. NCsoft has more info about Issue 15 on their Anniversary overview site, and asks, "What does the opening of the Omega Team Time Capsule hold in store for Paragon City and the Rogue Isles?" The answers, we suspect, should be clear as City of Heroes and City of Villains players explore the new Issue 15 content.

The 5th Column returns as City of Heroes Issue 15: Anniversary goes live originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DC Universe Online's "The Next Legend Is You" trailer

Seraphina Brennan — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Super-hero, Trailers, Consoles, DC Universe Online

The new DC Universe Online trailer that just recently hit the streets is one comprehensive video. In the short one minute and 23 seconds that the trailer runs, we get to see many of the highlights of DCUO, including environmental weaponry and damage, many of the game's iconic characters, a frenetic look at the game's combat, a taste of character customizations, and more!

Currently the trailer can be viewed at the main DCUO site, or over at Shacknews in standard and hi-resolution modes. HD resolution, however, is only available to those who have a Shackvideo username and password.

Now, if you can excuse us, we're going to go ponder what colors of spandex we're going to choose for when the game comes out.

DC Universe Online's "The Next Legend Is You" trailer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heroes star Masi Oka developing MMO-themed movie: The Defenders

James Egan — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, News items

Massively multiplayer online games sometimes get a bad rap in mass media, but these games and the experience of playing them are slowly becoming more prevalent in TV and film. In fact, a new family adventure movie called "The Defenders" will focus on MMOs, and the film's concept is from none other than Heroes star Masi Oka, best known for his role as the time-travelling Hiro Nakamura. Oka has some serious geek cred, having worked on fluid effects for Industrial Light and Magic and being a dedicated World of Warcraft player.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Defenders has been picked up by DreamWorks. THR.com gives a brief synopsis of the plot: "The story centers on a group of mostly teenagers from around the world who are involved in a multiplayer video game, each unaware of who they really are behind the cover of their consoles and avatars. They are forced to come together for a real adventure, becoming inadvertent heroes in the process." In some respects, this film sounds like The Goonies re-imagined for a contemporary audience that identifies with their virtual personas.

[Via WoW.com]

Heroes star Masi Oka developing MMO-themed movie: The Defenders originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Champions Online's Dr. Silverback profiled

Kyle Horner — Sun, 17 May 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Lore, New titles, News items, Champions Online

Don't believe everything you've learned from Planet of the Apes movies. Dr. Silverback is easily one of the most intelligent creatures around, and he's very much a gorilla, too. You can read all about him in the latest hero profiles on Champions Online's official website.

But what we really love about Dr. Silverback is that he fights not with his strength, but his mind by building powerful gadgets. And because he attended schools of higher learning in England -- where he was also made an official citizen -- he possess an incredibly charming accent to compliment his intellect. This has, of course, made him quite popular with the media and general populace.

So what we have here is a "gentleman" of a gorilla with enough brainpower to light up a large metropolis, who builds cool gadgets and helps the Champions solve scientific conundrums. Could you ask for a more interesting leader? Possibly, if you got really lucky, but we'd follow a crazy-smart gorilla's plans any day of the week.

Champions Online's Dr. Silverback profiled originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 May 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft announces City of Heroes: Going Rogue expansion

Shawn Schuster — Tue, 12 May 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Trailers, Video, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Expansions, Game mechanics

Two worlds collide. Loyalties will change. Where will you stand? This is the question posed to us as NCsoft announces the first major expansion for the City of Heroes franchise since the launch of City of Villains in 2005. Going Rogue will be a new experience for CoH fans introducing the 'mirror universe' of Praetoria and an all-new alignment system that blurs the lines between Heroes and Villains.

For the first time ever, Heroes can become Villains, and Villains can become Heroes. This is yet another groundbreaking game mechanic that the Paragon Studios folks have introduced in a recent whirlwind of exciting new features. Look out Champions Online and DC Universe Online; City of Heroes is raising the standard of superhero MMOs.

Check out the exciting new teaser trailer right after the jump, and to answer any questions you may have, they've compiled a handy FAQ.

Continue reading NCsoft announces City of Heroes: Going Rogue expansion

NCsoft announces City of Heroes: Going Rogue expansion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 May 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DC Universe Online video shows open PvP gameplay as a villain

James Egan — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Video, Game mechanics, Previews, PvP, DC Universe Online

Most of the video footage seen of DC Universe Online to date focuses on the setting's iconic heroes and the role a player can take in assisting them. While taking down the bad guys in a game is fun, sometimes it's good to be bad, as the newest gameplay footage we've seen of DCUO from New York Comic Con shows us.

We were pretty excited when we noticed this over at Limited Edition today and it's certainly worth a look if you're into the superhero games genre. The GameTrailers video is a walkthrough of an open PvP area, from the perspective of a psychotic clown with psi-blasts, blazing speed, and freakish strength. Need I say more? Check out the video embed below for a look at DC Universe Online's PvP mixed in with developer commentary on what you're seeing.

Continue reading DC Universe Online video shows open PvP gameplay as a villain

DC Universe Online video shows open PvP gameplay as a villain originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PvP touched on for DC Universe Online

Kyle Horner — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, New titles, PvP, News items, DC Universe Online

Studio creative director Chris Cao (aka The Biggest Designer in the Building) has tossed up some initial details on PvP in SOE's upcoming DC Universe Online. It sounds like plans are being drawn up to create a varied and worthwhile system for heroes and villains to duke it out within. We're going to be getting some open world PvP, arena-based PvP and even a system allowing heroes and villains to battle over control of the world itself.

Basic PvP will be over stuff like protecting cops, or trying to beat them down in the case of baddies. Arenas are going ot be instanced content where both sides struggle over things like downed alien spacecraft --- mmm, alien technology. Finally, control over the world wasn't delved into very much. All we know is that strategic points in the world play a role in who controls how much of what.

Chris ends it with a few notes, stressing things like the availability of PvP servers, opt-in PvP and designated zone. He also touches on SOE wanting to make the experience more skill-based in lieu of purely stat-based. So the better fighter should usually win in DC Unvirse Online.

PvP touched on for DC Universe Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The newest Guild Wars companions explained

Shawn Schuster — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Guild Wars, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Guides, PvE, Education

With the recent news of two new allies joining the fray for Guild Wars, you may be excited about the new game mechanics that both the M.O.X. hero and the Fire Imp helper bring to the game. We may even go so far as to say that these game mechanics could be a glimpse into what's to come with Guild Wars 2 game mechanics. ArenaNet has already said that there will be a 'sidekick' in Guild Wars 2, but is the Fire Imp a precursor to that?

Speculations aside, these two new companions have caused a stir lately. First, there are those who inevitably say that M.O.X. is overpowered. There are those who say the Fire Imp is simply a free ticket to the Survivor title. There are those who say that these are both ways for ArenaNet to scrape up some more money for Guild Wars 2 development. Whatever outlandish rumors you believe, they're here and they're changing the way we play the game just a bit.

Follow along as we give these two a proper introduction and explain the facts about what they are exactly>>

The newest Guild Wars companions explained originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DCUO ramps up for Comic-Con and additional gameplay details

Matt Warner — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, New titles, PvP, News items, Consoles, DC Universe Online

If you are a casual or even the most dedicated DC Comics aficionado the news surrounding DC Universe Online, a MMOG that brings the iconic property and thousands of beloved super heroes, villains, and settings to virtual life is spine-tingling. If you can't wait to play, Comic-Con is the place to see DCUO in action. Players will encounter a special scenario with super villain Brainiac which will be playable on both the PS3 and PC platforms. This event held in San Diego, California is where the comic world, games, and 125,000 geeks will collide together for four days running through July 24-27th. Unfortunately, the event is sold out, but there's the SOE block-party you can hit up. If you can't attend either, new details surrounding DCUO already started trickling out at E3-2008.

Gaming website, Crispy Gamer was able to expose a few additional DCUO details in there top-five DCUO must know list. We've already covered a few things on their list in our own exclusive DCUO coverage. Heroes and Villains don't get along, so don't expect to be paired together in the same guilds. Speaking of guilds, how about being part of the Justice League of America as a reserve member with the chance to rise in rank? Hell yea, and whatever you pick between crime-fighter or criminal, your actions will matter as special DC characters like Batman and the Green Lantern take notice. As for your own super power abilities, you can either use a power set of an already existing DC character or create your own ability combinations. But to use them on other players it'll be consensual or on PvP servers. Also, be sure to check out some new DCUO screen grabs.

[Thanks to Massively Tipster, Haggs!]

DCUO ramps up for Comic-Con and additional gameplay details originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sword of the New World expands with Nocturnal Sonata

James Egan — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Sword of the New World, News items, Free-to-play

IGN has a scoop on the new 'Nocturnal Sonata' expansion to Sword of the New World, an MMO also known as Granado Espada in Asia. Sword of the New World is a free-to-play title brought to North America and Europe by the K2 Network. Massively has looked at this game in the past and found it to be a quirky title; IGN describes its setting as 'the European Baroque period if it was designed by a modern anime artist'. Sword of the New World becomes even more surreal given that its old world setting is juxtaposed with a techno soundtrack.

Surreal qualities aside, the game has some interesting features, particularly the use of collectible UPCs, or Unique Player Characters. The concept is somewhat comparable to the Heroes in Guild Wars. You control up to three characters at once who are members of your 'family'; certain NPCs for whom you've successfully completed quests offer themselves up to be added to your family as UPCs and called upon to aid you in your adventures. They provide access to special hybrid classes with unique powers to match. There are over 40 such UPCs, and two more are initially being added in the Nocturnal Sonata expansion: Vincent Rio (who inflicts damage with music) and Baek Ho (martial artist extraordinaire). Yet more UPCs are to follow in the coming months, adding new gameplay possibilities to Sword of the New World. The Nocturnal Sonata expansion will be released on June 25, and closely follows the 'The Land of the Dead' expansion released only three months ago.

Sword of the New World expands with Nocturnal Sonata originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars: A guide to Heroes

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Guild Wars, Classes, Game mechanics, Guides, PvE, Academic, Education

Guild Wars has been an innovator in so many different aspects of the MMO genre, but none more than the introduction of ally NPCs to fill out a party and make soloing easier.

This was nothing new to online gaming though. Diablo did it way before Guild Wars, but GW refined the process with Henchmen. They made it simple to hire a few NPCs standing around near the city gate and get them to join your party for their share of the loot. It started out simple enough, but it eventually evolved into something much more advanced (and exciting) with Heroes.

Gallery: Guild Wars Heroes Gallery

Continue reading Guild Wars: A guide to Heroes

Guild Wars: A guide to Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 May 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Putting the story into MMOs

Brenda Holloway — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Warhammer Online, Opinion, Roleplaying

It's hard to be a hero sometimes. You wait in line behind a dozen other adventurers for your chance to hand in your twelve warg ears in return for some silver. You'd been sent to help clear the fields of wargs and even though there were several other heroic warg hunters slicing through the weeds for them, you eventually found yours. The old farmer was pleased, but he had a new job that only you -- and the hundreds of people like you -- could perform. There were more wargs out there! But this time, he would need their feet. As you headed back out into the night to continue warg genocide, you thought -- there has to be more than this. There has to be more to being a hero than hunting dogs and bears, then heading to a new town to look into their ant problem.

What you're missing, is story. The game has been designed to make your story the same as every story. A long history of slaughtering trivial mobs, occasionally grouping with others to kill a greater monster who will be prowling the hills an hour after play ginsu with its spleen. In "It's Story Time, Boys and Girls!", Warhammer blogger Syp explores the different ways MMO developers try to add story to their games, some more successful than others. NPCs in City of Heroes will talk about your deeds and exploits as you pass. GM actors in EverQuest once presaged world-changing events with missions ordinary players could affect. Lord of the Rings Online slowly advances the plot of the war with Mordor with each update. Syp also wonders how quests might change if the decisions you made in the game slowly wrote your own unique story, and generated new quests based on it. Some great suggestions about a problem all too common in today's games.

Putting the story into MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Event Coverage: The NCsoft Europe Heroic Weekend

Krystalle Voecks — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Events, real-world, Massively Event Coverage

This column comes to us from our new blogger, Adrian Bott, reporting in from the field. Adrian is joining our team as a City of Heroes and City of Villains fanboy aficionado extraordinaire, so keep an eye out for even more in-depth CoX coverage here at Massively!

"I cannot believe how polished this event is," confided visiting City of Heroes developer Melissa 'War Witch' Bianco, during a lull in the frenzy. Nor could we. NCsoft Europe knows how to throw a party.

As we crossed from the gloomy streets of central Birmingham into the blazing techno-sanctuary of Omega Sektor, the professionalism and sheer hard graft of the NCsoft team gleamed from every splash-panel surface. Amid the sounds of hordes of happy Super Group members meeting up in the flesh for the first time, video screens showing looped footage of NCsoft games, and the wibbles and whoops of more than four hundred individual PCs, we struggled through to the admin desk.

The organizers and their blue-shirted 'sidekicks', buoyed up by who knows what inhuman energy source (they had already been doing this for two days and showed no signs of flagging) gave us the rundown. There were PvP events, task force challenges, 'death races' and sundry other in-game activities. And huge, padded, Gladiator style superhero suits for real-life PvP. Seriously.

Continue reading Massively Event Coverage: The NCsoft Europe Heroic Weekend

Massively Event Coverage: The NCsoft Europe Heroic Weekend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TurpsterVision: An Episode of Great Impotence

Mark Turpin — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, City of Heroes, Humor, TurpsterVision

Every Tuesday think "T" for Turpster and take the "a" in "day", capitalise it, remove the little bit in the middle, turn it upside down and you get a "V". Put the two together and you'll have TV for TurpsterVision -- the best Internet video podcast on Massively! (Never mind that business about it being the only video podcast on Massively...)

It's that time of the week again folks! For some people out there they have been going through withdraw symptoms since my absence on this week's WoW Insider Show. Have no fear, for Super Turpster is here! I have tried to make it up to you guys, even though my schedule is whooping my butt. Thanks to all the folks from last week who voted Bard, you all win a "Turpster-Patented-Internet-High-Five".

I find it very tough in this job to ever be fair to an MMO; I only get a week to play it and produce the review. It's always tough to get a sense of how fantastic it is past the starting zone. That in mind, I do urge all of you out there to try every MMO you can get your hands on. There is so much more out there than just World of Warcraft (Blasphemy I hear you scream!) Then again on Massively I feel like I am preaching to the choir!

Enjoy the show this week; it was a close shave getting it up in time...in more ways than one! (Join us after the break to find out if Turpster is really allowed to make such horrid innuendo.)

Continue reading TurpsterVision: An Episode of Great Impotence

TurpsterVision: An Episode of Great Impotence originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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City of Heroes fans to honor real world heroes

Chris Chester — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:52:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Culture, Events, real-world, Events, in-game

Never let it be said that gamers don't have heart. In honor of the upcoming Veteran's Day on November 12th, a spirited group of City of Heroes players on the Virtue server will be holding an in-game event to recognize the exceptional deeds of some real-life do-gooders; not only the men and women fighting overseas, but also the firefighters and police officers who keep us safe at home. There will be guest speakers (including a special keynote speaker that organizer Dwarfstar didn't want to reveal to us at this time), both in character and out, talking about what the day means to them, as well as an open forum for whomever is inclined to show up.

For those not on the Virtue server or who are unable to make it, The Cape Radio will be providing coverage of the event, including inspirational music and some additional comments. Make sure to log-in at 8 PM EST on the 12th if you want to take part in the festivities.

City of Heroes fans to honor real world heroes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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