Massively

Massively looks at Capsuleer 2.0, an iPhone app for EVE Online

James Egan — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Massively Interviews

The newest generation of smartphones has begun to deliver on the ideal of having continual access to your data on the go with persistent web connections. As such, the iPhone is becoming ubiquitous, helped no doubt by its ease of use and the ever-growing number of apps available to users. In the relatively short time the iPhone has existed, it's already begun to have an impact on the gaming world. Given how stat-centric massively multiplayer online titles are, it was inevitable that there would be some steps made towards a marriage between the iPhone and our games; some developers are creating iPhone apps that extend certain aspects of MMOs beyond the game client.

This can be especially useful with a game like EVE Online, where players typically have a number of things going on, even while they're not logged in to play. While the EVE iPhone apps don't act as game clients, players can, for instance, check in on the skill progression of their characters, check their wallet balances as market transactions and contract sales take place while away from the client, and in general keep tabs on their virtual involvements in New Eden.

Capsuleer 2.0 is one such iPhone and iPod touch app for EVE Online that aims to be a portal into New Eden for whenever players are away from their computers and on the go; in some respects, it's a persistent real-world analog to EVE's in-game Neocom used to keep tabs on your characters. Capsuleer 2.0 was approved by Apple just this week, so Massively caught up with its two creators to find out more about what they've been up to. Marcus Dickinson is known in EVE as Roc Wieler and is likely a familiar name to many players from his Roc's Ramblings blog. The other half of the Capsuleer duo is Chris Whiteford (PyjamaSam in EVE Online), and they were both kind enough to take some time out to speak with us about their work on Capsuleer as well as their plans for its future. Read on for Massively's Capsuleer interview and our impressions of the app in a brief visual tour.

Gallery: A look at Capsuleer 2.0

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Massively looks at Capsuleer 2.0, an iPhone app for EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC09: Massively previews Huxley, a hybrid sci-fi MMO and FPS

James Egan — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Huxley, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, Races, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage

Huxley: The Dystopia is a massively multiplayer online first-person shooter (MMOFPS) in development at NHN USA. We haven't heard much about the title since mid-2008, so we were happy that NHN USA was willing to sit down with us at GDC 2009. We spoke with Andy Hong, Huxley's Project Manager, who showed us some of the basic concepts behind the game.

Huxley is a persistent world built upon Unreal Engine 3 foundations and is a game that differs from many of the MMOs we cover at Massively. Like other titles entering the market such as Global Agenda, Huxley is a marriage of the twitch combat of a first person shooter with classes, skills, trading, banking, and player housing we associate with MMOs. "At the core of the gameplay in Huxley, at its heart, it's an FPS," says Hong. But the depth of the rest of Huxley's gameplay, not limited to its quest and crafting systems, makes it a title quite unlike any pure FPS.

Gallery: Huxley: The Dystopia

Continue reading GDC09: Massively previews Huxley, a hybrid sci-fi MMO and FPS

GDC09: Massively previews Huxley, a hybrid sci-fi MMO and FPS originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise page 2

James Egan — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Economy, Lore, New titles, Previews, Crafting, PvP, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage, Earthrise

The struggle for dominance

Earthrise will be a very PvP-centric title, with open PvP and full looting adding greater risk to combat. How long will players have to loot fallen opponents (or allies)?

Atanasov says, "There will be a time limit. Right now we're planning for 30 seconds, which means that once you die nobody can pick up your inventory for that first 30 seconds. So you have the time to choose whether or not you want your inventory back," at a cost, of course.

A key game mechanic that's central to Earthrise's combat is a player's "battle rating" which is a numerical ranking of how tough you are (as presently skilled/equipped) and conversely how tough your opposition is. Your own battle rating and that of your opponents determines the experience you can gain from defeating them, or how juicy a target you are to them.

Your battle rating is determined by a few factors. The armor and weapons you equip and the abilities you've learned largely dictate battle rating. A target's battle rating will be visible to you and determines how much experience you'll get from taking down a mutant or other opponent.

The battle rating system will also give players flexibility in how quickly they advance. For example, you may be very strong but if you want greater experience gains from taking on weaker opponents you can choose to use weaker gear to match. In effect, you lower your own battle rating but earn more rewards by facing a greater challenge. The battle rating system isn't just a system that determines individual gains, it will also carry over to groups. Atanasov says, "I would say it's very unique in the MMO field. Nobody has tried it so far. I hope it will work well and will bring some new ideas to the future of MMO games."

Continue reading GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise page 2

GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise page 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Community Spotlight: SirMolle

James Egan — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Guilds, Interviews, PvP, Endgame, Massively Interviews

Alliance warfare in EVE Online is a defining aspect of the game. EVE's setting of New Eden is a sprawling galaxy of over 5000 solar systems, where players are free to build empires, establish vast enterprises, and do whatever is necessary to maintain dominance over their competitors -- be it financial, political, or military. All of that freedom to do what you choose eventually leads players, collectively, into one another's sphere of influence, triggering bitter and protracted warfare. That's the nature of EVE -- the setting provides potential, but it's largely the players who drive the game. In what has been aptly described as "the largest virtual conflict ever waged", the Band of Brothers Alliance (BoB) has stood at the forefront of that struggle for dominance in EVE Online for years.

As an alliance, their strength is undeniable. But the power they've gained has sparked a fiery resentment from the much larger non-BoB playerbase in EVE, polarizing the community into those who either love or hate them. In many cases, it's been the latter. After all, for some time, Band of Brothers' goal was to control all space in New Eden, beginning in the lawless frontier of 0.0, where most alliance warfare rages, and eventually consolidating control over Empire space and its commerce. Band of Brothers set a goal for territorial control that's simply not possible in the game, however. The times have changed, and now the old paradigm of territorial grabs characteristic of the epic conflict with The RedSwarm Federation has been replaced with the MAX campaign, and a different nemesis -- the Northern Coalition. As vendetta-turned-alliance policy, MAX is intended to be a wave of destruction that cuts through the hulls and holdings of their opposition.

The man behind the MAX campaign, and the Band of Brothers alliance, is SirMolle. Massively recently spoke with SirMolle about the pressures of leadership, the impact Band of Brothers has had on the game, and the endgame of control over New Eden.

Continue reading EVE Community Spotlight: SirMolle

EVE Community Spotlight: SirMolle originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's tour of Dungeons and Dragons Online Module 8

Michael Zenke — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Patches

We here at Massively love MMOs big and small. We have a special fondness for games that do things just a touch differently, though, so it should be no surprise that we're big fans of Dungeons and Dragons Online. Turbine's action/adventure MMO is a very different animal from your average fantasy game. It's fantastically beautiful, innovate, and coming soon it'll have a whole new passle of content for players new and old. If you've been reading along with the site you've probably already seen Massively's guide to the new player experience coming in DDO Module 8. We also had the chance to go on an extensive walkthrough of the new high end content, and that's what we're bringing to you today!

Join us as we explore the depths of the Reaver's Refuge, crawl through the Monastery of the Scorpion, and attempt to rescue a dragon from a band of fearsome Frost Giants! We'll run through all the new features in the module, from rune armor to hirelings! We also highly recommend checking out DDOcast's guide to the hirelings and the entire module patch notes from the Dungeons and Dragons Online test realm.

But first, take the tour of all-new module 8 content, courtesy of Massively.com.

Set out on the Tour >>

Gallery: DDO Module 8 Tour

Gallery: DDO Module 8 New Player Gallery

Continue reading Massively's tour of Dungeons and Dragons Online Module 8

Massively's tour of Dungeons and Dragons Online Module 8 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively in Metropolis: DC Universe Online concept art sneak peek

Michael Zenke — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Screenshots, New titles, Massively Hands-on, DC Universe Online

Batman. Superman. Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter. Black Canary, Oracle, The Question. The world of DC Comics is populated with amazing characters and fantastic stories. The entire four-color experience is coming to fans of the MMO genre in the form of DC Universe Online, a title in Sony Online Entertainment's stable of next-gen MMOs. Alongside the FPS title The Agency and casual/kid friendly Free Realms, DCUO looks to reinvent the concept of massively multiplayer game for comic book fans. And Massively has had a lengthy first-hand look at this groundbreaking title.

We had extensive hands-on playtime with the game's combat and powers mechanics, and hours of face to face chat time with the developers at SOE Austin. Over the next week, Massively is going to fully explore this dyanmic in-development game. In the words of the developers we'll crack into the studio's philosophy of play and discover the value these developers place on your play time.

To kick things off we've got a fantastic gallery of concept art taken right from the walls of the SOE Austin studios. Explore the work of Jim Lee and the other DCUO artists, with commentary on what you're seeing and hints on what is coming in the next week. Plus! Read on below the cut for Studio Manager John Blakely's insights into 'future screenshots'!

To the Batcave >>

Gallery: DC Universe Online Concept Art

Continue reading Massively in Metropolis: DC Universe Online concept art sneak peek

Massively in Metropolis: DC Universe Online concept art sneak peek originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMOGology: Why bother with story?

Marc Nottke — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online, Game mechanics, Opinion, MMOGology

I recently went through a burn-out period on MMOGs. In addition to a job change and lots of personal commitments that limited my time, I'd simply grown bored with the genre. I think we all go through those periods. Times when we're just done with the grind and we need to recharge our gaming batteries on something different. This seems especially true once we've reached end-game and we're grinding the same old dungeons and flailing away in the same old PvP battles. It seemed like the only thing I had to look forward to was an eight year old telling me how bad I got pwned or watching yet another piece of gear drop that I couldn't use.

My burnout period also coincided with the purchase of a brand new gaming rig. I think the last machine I purchased was back in 2004, and I finally decided to bite the bullet and buy a new rig. If you're like me (and I know I am), the first thing you do when you get a new gaming computer is test it on the most graphically advanced game you have available; that special game that brought your old machine to its knees. For me, that game was The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Although my old machine could run it with the settings on low, now I can finally play it at high resolution with all the bells and whistles turned on. I'm proud to say my new rig cuts through Oblivion like a hot knife through butter.

I played Oblivion a lot when it originally came out, but because my old rig struggled with it, I never played more than about a quarter of the way through the game. I decided to start over from scratch and as I progressed I remembered why I love single player RPGs: the story. A great story provides a level of immersion that's only possible to achieve when playing alone. It was really refreshing. And it made me wonder, why do MMOGs even bother with the pretense of a story at all?

Continue reading MMOGology: Why bother with story?

MMOGology: Why bother with story? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TurpsterVision : A Class Act

Mark Turpin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Club Penguin, Opinion, Browser, Casual, Humor, TurpsterVision, Kids

I wont bore you all with words and phrases strung together to create some form of coherence, instead I will jump right back in! I am extremely proud to invite you once more to join in with the fun right here at Massively that is TurpsterVision!

After last time trying to sell you all on a new form of entertainment media, I thought I'd return to something a little more traditional. Something that all the MMO fans out there, all the World of Warcraft fans, could really get behind. A game that's on everyone's lips and dancing right into their hearts. That's right: Club Penguin.

Join me below the cut for a special deluxe edition (complete with tuxedo) of TurpsterVision!

Continue reading TurpsterVision : A Class Act

TurpsterVision : A Class Act originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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News from the Wider MMO World: August 26, 2008

Akela Talamasca — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-fi, Screenshots, Dreamlords, Jumpgate Evolution, Neocron 2, Culture, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, Expansions, Game mechanics, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, Patches, PvP, News items, RuneScape, Free-to-play, Browser, Mabinogi, Requiem: Bloodymare, Fiesta

The MMO genre is more than World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, and Warhammer Online. Here's what's going on in the rest of the world.

Mabinogi welcomes Generation 3
The MMO that bills itself as "your fantasy life" has gotten its next upgrade with Generation 3. Now Mabinogi players will have the ability to marry each other, complete with license and wedding attire for both genders. An overarching quest will require warriors to recover dungeon seals to prevent the Fomor from entering the world. And finally, the pet system gets an overhaul, with new interactions, behaviors, and controls. The removal of the combat cap, increased UI options, and new items all await players in Generation 3.

Neocron 2 developer declares insolvency
10Tacle Studios AG, parent company of Reakktor Media GmbH, developers of Neocron 2, declared insolvency on August 6th. They are awaiting an insolvency administrator to determine what will happen with the game servers. In a later update to the original forum post, Kirk Lenke, CEO of Reakktor Media announced that the insolvency will not affect business operation of Neocron 2, and that they are still in development for upcoming title Black Prophecy.

Continue reading News from the Wider MMO World: August 26, 2008

News from the Wider MMO World: August 26, 2008 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gen Con 08: Turbine tells us what's in store for Asheron's Call

Samuel Axon — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Events, real-world, Expansions, Interviews, Patches, PvP

At Gen Con, we spoke with Turbine's Andy Cataldo, the Community Manager for Asheron's Call, about the future of this historic game. Cataldo told us a lot about AC's epic 100th update. The update is coming within the next few weeks, and it's a doozy. According to Cataldo, AC players will get a whole new faction system, three land areas to battle over, tons of new loot and spells, and various other improvements to the game, particularly to enemy AI.

In addition to working its regular monthly event and patch schedule, Turbine is attempting to respond to player demand for a variety of new features in the 100th and all future updates. Particular emphasis is being placed on adding features common in modern MMOs, such as a quest tracking menu. AC has been around for almost ten years, so it has some catching up to do!

Learn more about Turbine's big push to modernize the game, add lots of new content, and more in the interview after the break.

Continue reading Gen Con 08: Turbine tells us what's in store for Asheron's Call

Gen Con 08: Turbine tells us what's in store for Asheron's Call originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Impressions: Requiem: Bloodymare

Akela Talamasca — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Galleries, Screenshots, Game mechanics, New titles, Opinion, Hands-on, First Impressions, Requiem: Bloodymare

We've been talking about this game for months now, and Requiem: Bloodymare is finally available to play. Hailed as the first horror MMO, there are definitely aspects of R:B that are pretty gruesome. Whether or not they freak you out is between you and the game. I will say that, having played the beta, Gravity Interactive has made leaps and bounds in turning this title into something that I could spend a great deal of time playing.

What you behold is our First Impressions for Requiem: Bloodymare, a feature meant to give you some idea of what gameplay will be like once you've signed up for an account. Keep in mind: this is not a guide, there is no insider knowledge here. This post merely details the experiences playing this title for the first few hours; your mileage may vary. Up, up, and away!

Gallery: First Impressions: Requiem: Bloodymare

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First Impressions: Requiem: Bloodymare originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will we ever be able to fly in Middle Earth?

Lindsey Phillips — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Game mechanics, Lore

The ability to fly is one thing players ask for in practically every online game! But not all games feature soaring superheroes, so most gamers turn to the next best thing: flying mounts. The ability to mount up on a fire-breathing dragon and fly as far and high as one can has been the dream of almost every child (and adult) who has read a fantasy novel ... so why not allow flying in the MMORPG adaption of the greatest fantasy novel of all time?

One of Turbine's greatest strengths in developing Lord of the Rings Online is their adherence to the novels of J. R. R. Tolkien. This is partially because they must run any large game changes past Tolkien Enterprises to make sure they reasonably fit within the lore that Tolkien created, and also because the developers themselves are quite dedicated to the source material. Therefore, there would have to be either justification in the lore for allowing regular players to fly mounts, or enough silence on the issue so that Turbine could implement them without technically breaking any lore.

So what mounts would be possible in Tolkien's lore? Obviously there would need to be a creature or machine big enough to carry a fat hobbit, hefty dwarf, muscular man or freakishly-tall elf. This narrows it down quite a bit.

Continue reading Will we ever be able to fly in Middle Earth?

Will we ever be able to fly in Middle Earth? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A visit to NCsoft Austin

Elizabeth Harper — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 06:05:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, New titles, Tabula Rasa

Last week, we were invited to take a look at NCsoft's Austin offices to see where the the magic behind some of our favorite MMOs takes place. Communications Director David Swofford was happy to give us a tour of the facilities and tell us a bit about how NCsoft does what it does. Nestled in the Texas hill country off Loop 360, this could be one of countless tech companies -- but don't let its ordinary exterior fool you. Want to take a look inside? Keep reading!

Gallery: NCsoft Austin Tour

Continue reading A visit to NCsoft Austin

A visit to NCsoft Austin originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Nov 2007 06:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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