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The Daily Grind: Do you stay loyal to your MMO guild?

Brianna Royce — Sat, 26 May 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Events, real-world, Guilds, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

When I joined a guild in Ultima Online in 1997, I had no idea I was going to still be in a version of that guild almost 15 years later. Heck, I doubt I even realized that MMOs would still be a thing 15 years later! But from chatting with my fellow Massively staffers and you lovely readers, I've realized that my experience isn't shared by most people. Guilds implode. New games emerge. People move on. Drama develops. Real life happens. That sense of loyalty just isn't always worth the trouble. Guilds often exist to help members meet their goals in a single game, and when those goals are met, that's it -- it's over.

But I'll move to (and stay in) games past their expiration dates just to hang out with guildies. What about you guys? Are you loyal to a single guild or group of gaming friends, or do you drop from a guild when you drop out of a game, knowing you'll find new mates in the next big thing?

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: Do you stay loyal to your MMO guild? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 26 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist: Richard Garriott's haunted cache

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Events, real-world, Tabula Rasa, Ultima Online, The Game Archaeologist, Miscellaneous

Whenever you get really into a new hobby, it's natural to want to blab about it to anyone who drifts into your gravitational field. That's why we all talk about MMOs, right? It's also why any friends, family members, and coworkers have had to put up with excited rambling about my discovered love for Geocaching.

Some of you probably know Geocaching, as it's been around for over a decade now. For those of you who haven't, it's a worldwide treasure hunt that involves over a million and a half "caches" of various sizes that are hidden and then marked with GPS coordinates. Players head to the official site or one of the open-source projects to get the coordinates and go hunting for them. There's a useful two-minute introduction to this hobby on YouTube if you're curious.

I noted on our Massively Speaking podcast that Geocaching has a lot in common with MMOs: Both encourage questing and exploration, both have treasure to be found, and both plug you into a community of adventurers. Listener Terrence heard this and send in an email with an interesting revelation that ties these two hobbies even closer together, as a game developer brought his online world to a real-world location.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Richard Garriott's haunted cache.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: Richard Garriott's haunted cache

The Game Archaeologist: Richard Garriott's haunted cache originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultima Online rolling out a new installment of the Awakening

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Ultima Online, Dungeons

Ultima Online is preparing a continuation of the game's latest global arc with tomorrow's patch. Act VI of The Awakening asks players to assist in crafting a number of alchemical preparations, with a number of rewards available for players who actively try to crack the puzzle of the correct ingredients. More information will be available from the official site as well as an in-game NPC. If you need more time to prepare, don't worry -- the quest is going active in July and lasting until mid-August.

If you're not willing to wait, the new patch also sees a revamp of the Covetous Dungeon. The first floor remains largely unchanged, but levels two and three both feature a new system for the game in which players accumulate points for defeating monsters that can later be turned in for new rewards. Last but not least, vanilla plants have been added to the game's gardening system, giving players another new thing to explore when not fighting monsters or preparing for the next part of The Awakening.

Ultima Online rolling out a new installment of the Awakening originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 May 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist: Are graphical updates worth the hassle?

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Anarchy Online, Opinion, Ultima Online, The Game Archaeologist, Miscellaneous

"I'd play this game again if the graphics were updated."

"If they re-released this game with modern graphics, it would be way more popular."

"The Game Archaeologist is my hero, and I will name my progeny in his honor."

How many times have we heard the above statements? From my perspective as someone who tries to keep tabs on classic MMOs, I see these claims quite a lot. Such sentiments pop up in nearly every other post Massively does about older games: "This title is rock-solid except for its aging visuals. Update those, and it would recapture its former glory and then some."

This has gotten me thinking whether such logic would pan out or not. With Anarchy Online's much-hyped graphics overhaul on the way, this discussion seems to crop up more often. Is the power of a graphics conversion or overhaul strong enough to pull back in previous players and fresh blood? Or is it merely slathering on new paint over a rusting hulk?

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: Are graphical updates worth the hassle?

The Game Archaeologist: Are graphical updates worth the hassle? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Asheron's Call, Dark Age of Camelot, EVE Online, Final Fantasy XI, PlanetSide, Warhammer Online, Ultima Online, Free-to-play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, Final Fantasy XIV, Perfect Ten

In the increasingly diminishing field of subscription-only MMOs, two distinct camps have formed. There is the Old Guard that has its established playerbase and is simply not interested in jumping on board the F2P train, and then there are the New Kids on the Block (which would make an excellent band name, by the way), who argue that their premium features and AAA content warrant a subscription in the F2P age.

A few years ago, doing a list of the final few F2P holdouts would have been a ridiculous proposition, but now it's actually difficult to get to 10 of these. Each company has a different reason that it hasn't given these games more flexible payment options (FPO should replace F2P; pass it on!), and while some have addressed this publicly, others say nothing and leave us to speculate on it.

For today's Perfect Ten, we're going to look at the 10 biggest current F2P holdouts in the industry and muse about what's going on behind the scenes. Will this list be impossible to do in a few years or will subscription-only titles come back in a big way? Hey, I don't predict things; I just make lists.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts

The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Would you ever pay to beta test?

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Culture, Opinion, Ultima Online, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

You might have read the title of today's Daily Grind and found yourself laughing uproariously, startling any small children or cats in the area. "Me? Pay for beta?" you chortle. "Why, that's the most ludicrous thing I've heard all day, and I've already been to The Onion!"

But I'd like you to stop and actually consider it for a moment. Historically, people have paid for beta access; back in the late '90s, players shelled out a few bucks to get a copy of the Ultima Online beta CD. Even today, many pre-purchases and pre-orders involve exchanges of funds so that a beta key might be reserved.

But what if MMO studios today came right out and blatantly started charging you to be a part of the beta process? Would you do it? What game would need to be involved, and for what price would you capitulate? Let us know in the comments, and please leave all "I'm already paying for a beta; it's called [Name of Launched Game]" snark at the door!

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: Would you ever pay to beta test? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, City of Heroes, Dark Age of Camelot, Dungeons and Dragons Online, EverQuest II, Culture, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, Star Wars Galaxies, Ultima Online, Guild Wars 2, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous

When a beloved friend, family member, hero, or role model dies, we feel the pain of that loss and grieve in many different ways. Part of that grieving and healing process is often entails those left behind constructing some sort of tribute to the dearly departed. Sometimes this comes in the form of a shrine of flowers, sometimes it's the establishment of a charity, and sometimes it's creating an in-game memorial that thousands if not millions of people will see over the course of years.

So while death and illness are depressing topics to dwell upon, I find the many MMO tributes that studios and even gamers have erected to be inspiring and a celebration of individual players' lives. With the help of my fellow Massively staffers, I researched 10 wonderful in-game tributes that serve to honor the lives of fellow gamers.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people

The Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leaderboard: Ultima Online vs. EverQuest vs. Asheron's Call

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Polls, Asheron's Call, EverQuest, Culture, Opinion, Ultima Online, Miscellaneous, Leaderboard

Back at the turn of the century, you didn't have the equivalent of cable's infinite choices when it came to MMOs. No, you pretty much had the standard Big Three of network programming: Ultima Online, EverQuest, and Asheron's Call. With the subscription model firmly in place, most players had to choose their loyalty and choose it well.

For today's Leaderboard, we're going to pretend that no other MMOs exist other than those three and see how the 2012 crowd divides up between them. Would you fly your banner for Ultima Online and its enormous sandboxy world? Would you cast your lots with EverQuest, the once great and powerful king of the genre? Or would you throw in with Asheron's Call and its monthly stories?

Call it a popularity contest, a trip down memory lane, or an all-out brawl between MMO senior citizens. It's a three-way title fight on this week's Leaderboard, and only one game will live to see next week!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Ultima Online vs. EverQuest vs. Asheron's Call

Leaderboard: Ultima Online vs. EverQuest vs. Asheron's Call originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you miss player-written books in MMOs?

Brianna Royce — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

In her sandbox column a week or so ago, Massively's own MJ Guthrie brought up an MMO feature that's fallen by the wayside in recent years: player-written books. Ancient sandboxes like Ultima Online and modern classics like EverQuest II give players the ability to write their own books, which then populate player-run libraries, serve as tavern menus, explain quests, and mark the memory of friends who left the game. Later games, however, have sadly passed over the mechanic.

I can't say that player-written anythings have no potential for abuse and inanity. There's a guild in UO, for example, that uses books as advertising spam, and the game's designers were forced to implement a system to lock-in text to circumvent the "Dudebro was here" graffiti that miscreants would otherwise inscribe on other players' masterpieces. But the potential for cool outweighs the potential for abuse for me, and I miss writing and reading in-game books so very much.

What about you -- do you miss player-written books in MMOs? Or do you think they're a niche idea that was retired from MMO design with good cause?

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: Do you miss player-written books in MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultima Online inducted into new MMO Hall of Fame

Jef Reahard — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, MMO industry, News items, Ultima Online

Did you know there's an(other) MMO Hall of Fame? We first heard of its launch a few months ago, but thought it was a bit of a joke, considering the Geocities-era site design and strangely familiar logo.

Oh, and the owners decided to induct Ultima Online -- a game for which we have something of a soft spot.

In any event, the site features an MMO timeline, a World of Warcraft timeline, and a listing of UO releases, expansions, and special editions. You can also view the site's voting committee, which includes Blizzard, Sony Online Entertainment, and Wizard101 developers as well as MMO writers and fans.

[Source: MMO HoF press release]

Ultima Online inducted into new MMO Hall of Fame originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Would you buy an advanced character?

Brianna Royce — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Endgame, Opinion, Ultima Online, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous, Sandbox

For many years, Ultima Online has offered an advanced character microtransaction. Well, the term "microtransaction" may be stretching it -- originally priced at $30 a pop, it's more like a macrotransaction. The advanced character token allows you to boost the skills and stats of a single character according to a preset template. It won't give you a capped Bard, Treasure Hunter, or Animal Tamer overnight, but it will get you a big chunk of the way there. And for skills that are notoriously hard to train .1 by .1 all the way to 100 or 120, advanced character tokens can be a huge boon to players who've been there and done that and just want to skip the early grind.

UO's not alone in this; other games, such as Dark Age of Camelot, allow players to jump past some of the early game on their alts once they've capped a toon and proven they know the ropes of the game. Of course, those games aren't charging for the pleasure. So what do you think: Would you buy an advanced character from a game company? Or do you think you're cheating yourself and those around you by not grinding up the old-fashioned way?

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: Would you buy an advanced character? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What's your favorite item-quality system?

Brianna Royce — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

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

Grey, white, green, blue, purple, gold. World of Warcraft may not have invented what's become the standard colors for item quality, but it's surely cemented the hierarchy in gamers' minds. Last week, Raph Koster suggested that these tiers of items are part of the "yuck" that leads to the loss of immersion across the games industry.

I think he's right. I miss the days of Ultima Online (which not coincidentally was Koster's baby), when players geared up with basic platemail of invulnerability, chainmail of fortification, and katanas of vanquishing. Halfway through UO's lifespan, that system was gutted in favor of a Diablo-esque item that turned wearables into a numbers game. The charm of my deadly poisoned kryss made by a Grandmaster Blacksmith was gone, replaced by a few dozen stats to juggle.

Do you agree with Koster? Are color-coded item tiers a design shortcut that contributes to the loss of immersion in MMOs and other games? What game has your favorite item-quality system?

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's your favorite item-quality system? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA denies Richard Garriott's claims of Ultima Online discussions

Shawn Schuster — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Ultima Online

What would a recent day in MMO news be without a mention of Richard Garriott? Today's entry is especially interesting in a he-said-they-said kinda way.

A few days ago, Richard Garriott spoke up on the possibility of a reincarnation of the Ultima franchise through talks "at very high levels with Electronic Arts about access to the property." But EA is now denying this claim.

EA's Jeff Brown recently told IndustryGamers in a candid interview that he's not sure what Lord British is talking about. "No one at EA is discussing partnership or licensing opportunities related to the Ultima Online franchise."

Sorry Ultima Online fans, it seem that either the talks were supposed to be confidential, or they simply didn't happen at all.

EA denies Richard Garriott's claims of Ultima Online discussions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Documentary on Richard Garriott to premiere in 2012

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Trailers, Video, Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous

He's the man credited with Tabula Rasa and Ultima Online. He blames other companies for ignoring the social gaming space. He runs his own company via robot, and he likes to remind everyone that he is a key element of the ultimate RPG. Oh, and he's been to space, and that's what the upcoming documentary about Richard Garriott is going to focus on. The documentary, Man on a Mission, will be chiefly focusing Garriott's efforts to be the first son of an astronaut to go into space.

As the documentary explains, due to Garriott's nearsightedness, a career in NASA was always out of the question, but he never stopped wanting to follow in his father's footsteps. The documentary will premiere on January 13th nationwide, tracing his path to fortune through video games followed by his trip aboard the Soyuz spacecraft. If you're interested in seeing what you can expect from the documentary, you can check out the trailer just past the cut.

Continue reading Documentary on Richard Garriott to premiere in 2012

Documentary on Richard Garriott to premiere in 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: Ultima Online

Beau Hindman — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Culture, Opinion, Ultima Online, Hands-on, Humor, Rise and Shiny, Livestream

This might sound silly, but my life is super rough. Well, OK, hardly rough at all, and I'm eternally thankful for that. But once in a while, a feeling of burn-out starts to creep into my everyday gaming life, and I need to take a vacation from the constant search for new titles and trolling through gaming forums to recharge my batteries. It might sound completely dorky, but I can understand how actors can seem so insane: They are. Sometimes you just need to play a good, juicy role to reset your creative self.

There are certain games that we can always go back to, games that will instantly provide a feeling of nostalgia for those of us who have played them before. Ultima Online is one of those games, and it might just be the perfect example of a game that we can use as comfort food for our restless gamer hearts.

So I spent an official week taking a look at the game (again) and found about what I'd expect. Click past the cut!

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Ultima Online

Rise and Shiny recap: Ultima Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott describes his 'ultimate' RPG

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, Ultima Online, Humor, Miscellaneous

Before Tabula Rasa, before Ultima Online, before any of the Ultimas, Richard Garriott had a vision for what he called the "ultimate" RPG. In a lengthy Facebook post, Garriott takes us back to 1974 when he first got the idea for such a game after being influenced by Lord of the Rings and Dungeons & Dragons. Starting with BASIC games on his school's teletype and moving up through the modern era of MMOs, Garriott details how he's been pursuing a dream of creating and refining one RPG to rule them all.

He doesn't have kind words for how Ultima Online's shaped up since his absence, however, saying that elements like Elves and Ninjas were added against his wishes.

"This is only a small example of why and how Ultima has drifted away from Richard Garriott, but I have not drifted away from Ultima," he writes. "It is clear to me that I, Richard Garriott, am an essential ingredient of at least the Ultimate Ultima, if not more broadly the Ultimate RPG. Perhaps one day, now that the people who pushed me out of EA more than a decade ago are long since gone, EA will recognize that together, we could rebuild that franchise in a way that they have failed to do in the intervening years. Richard Garriott is an essential ingredient in the Ultimate Ultima!"

He ends his passionate speech with a few glimpses into the design for this "ultimate" RPG that he and his team are currently designing: "You will have customized Avatar homesteads and real roles to play in a deep, beautifully realized highly interactive virtual world. It will have virtues and the hero's journey reflected back to the player. It will have the best of synchronous and asynchronous features in use. Fiction will support your arrival from earth into this new world. I even hope to make maps, coins and other trinkets available to players of the game."

Richard Garriott describes his 'ultimate' RPG originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott's Britannia Manor II up for grabs

Matt Daniel — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, News items, Miscellaneous

Have you ever wanted to live in a king's castle? Well, now you can... sort of. Richard Garriott (or Lord British, if it pleases you), creator of Ultima Online and Tabula Rasa, is selling his home -- affectionately named Britannia Manor II -- for the paltry sum of $4.1 million. If you're in the market for a multi-million dollar house, then what are you doing reading Massively? Go on over to the home's Re/Max listing and have a ball.

Richard Garriott's Britannia Manor II up for grabs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott's Portalarium project gets more funding

Jef Reahard — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Browser, Casual, Miscellaneous

Portalarium, the social networking startup founded by Richard "Lord British" Garriott, is picking up a bit of momentum thanks to a round of new funding. London-based m8 has contributed an undisclosed amount of capital to Garriott's Austin, Texas studio, which thus far has published two Facebook gambling games (Port Casino Poker and Port Casino Blackjack).

Total funding for Portalarium stands at $3.6 million, and the company plans to release CenterPort sometime in 2012. CenterPort is a graphically advanced social networking app that "will be the virtual world social hub for the OpenLife ecosystem, a broad yet fully integrated meta-community," according to the studio's website.

Garriott, most famous for the seminal Ultima series (which for MMO gamers peaked with Ultima Online in 1997), launched Portalarium in September 2009.

Richard Garriott's Portalarium project gets more funding originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott addresses 'Third Grand Era of Games' at the 2011 LOGIN Conference

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, Miscellaneous

Richard Garriott: game developer, private astronaut, beard aficionado -- and now keynote speaker.

The former developer of the Ultima series, Ultima Online, and Tabula Rasa will provide the main speech at the 2011 LOGIN Conference. Garriott will be talking about the Third Grand Era of Games that he sees us moving into, following the single-player titles of the '80s and '90s and the MMORPGs of the 2000s. It's his belief that the market for online gaming is poised to expand tenfold with the rise of casual-led, virally spread, free-to-play titles.

Garriott gave a teaser for his upcoming message: "The gaming industry is dawning on - at long last - a truly global audience of both genders and all ages. What lessons of history are useful? What truly new challenges await us? What will casual online games look like in five years?"

The LOGIN Conference is a convention of game and software developers who discuss advances in technology, business, design and community. It will take place from May 16-18th in Bellevue, Washington, and Garriott will deliver his keynote speech on the 17th.

Richard Garriott addresses 'Third Grand Era of Games' at the 2011 LOGIN Conference originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott on the state of social gaming

Jef Reahard — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Casual

Legendary game creator Richard Garriott raised a few eyebrows when he announced a foray into social gaming last fall. The MMORPG maestro and occasional astronaut seemed a rather unlikely candidate for the casual games space after spearheading the likes of Ultima Online and Tabula Rasa. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Garriott revealed that he's taking no prisoners when it comes to his new endeavor, offering his views on the large number of crapware titles cluttering the casual space as well as his company's plans to distribute its tools for free in order to help standardize the sector and raise the quality bar.

"There's tons of small start-ups who we are seeing take lots of investment and lots of activity and large acquisition costs -- who are creating, literally, junk. Stuff that people aren't playing that much and if you play it it's not much fun," Garriott opined.

Garriott's new company, Portalarium, has thus far produced Port Casino Poker and Port Casino Blackjack, both playable via Facebook, and is now shifting its focus to a new title that has more in common with UO. Details on the new game are slated to be revealed over the next two weeks.

Richard Garriott on the state of social gaming originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Garriott's Portalarium going the social media route

Jef Reahard — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual

Our friends at Joystiq tipped us off to the latest endeavor for MMO legend Richard Garriott (and no, it doesn't involve the intrepid developer orbiting the earth). While speaking at the Austin, Texas-based Fantastic Arcade event, Lord British dropped a few hints regarding the social media stylings that his latest company (and game), Portalarium, will feature.

"You play it by clicking on a link, nothing to pay for up front, no real installation and only if you decide you really want to play it will we decide how to eventually charge you money for it," Garriott enthused.

While we're not quite as excited as we would be if he'd announced an updated Ultima Online project, Portalarium bears watching, if only to see whether Garriott can still walk the walk. "Since everybody else is doing Flash and Java games, I can kick their ass pretty easy," he told attendees.

Garriott's Portalarium going the social media route originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist and the Ultima Prize: Richard Garriott

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 18 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, Ultima Online, The Game Archaeologist

Before he was Tabula Rasa's General British, Richard Garriott was simply -- and most famously -- known as Lord British, the absolute ruler and creator of the Ultima franchise. From 1980's Ultima I through 1999's Ultima IX, Lord British guided the development of one of the most popular RPG series of all time, including 1997's Ultima Online. Through it, Garriott and his Lord British persona became the de facto face of the series, a video game celebrity before such a thing really existed.

After the floundering of Tabula Rasa and his subsequent falling-out with NCSoft, Garriot took a little R&R time to blast into outer space, returning to Earth to get involved with a social media games company called Portalarium. Because of his stature as one of the founding giants of not only MMORPGs, but video game RPGs as well, the Game Archaeologist stopped at nothing to procure his wise words for an interview. This quest took us to far-off, dangeous places -- including the world's most famous haunted house, Britannia Manor -- at which point we promptly purchased a return ticket and pleaded with our editor to do our dirty work for us.

So bow, mere mortal! For you are now in the presence of LORD BRITISH! (cue wild applause)

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Ultima Prize: Richard Garriott

The Game Archaeologist and the Ultima Prize: Richard Garriott originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 May 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist and the Ultima Prize: The History

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 04 May 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Ultima Online, The Game Archaeologist

Welcome to the first madcap adventure of The Game Archaeologist! In this column, we'll be looking back at some of the MMORPGs that may not get the spotlight these days, but deserve our respect and attention due to their place in MMO history. Together, we'll don our explorer gear, jump back in time, dust off forgotten treasures and look at the titles that helped build an online empire.

Each month, we'll embark on a voyage through a particular MMO of yesteryear in a three-part series. The first part will examine the history of the game and its place in the genre, the second part will feature interviews with current and past players of the game, and the third part will witness The Game Archaeologist himself checking out the title as it stands today (if the MMO is still up and running, that is).

For our first column, we'll salute one of the greatest grandfathers of the modern MMO: Ultima Online. Crack your whip and dive into the Stygian Abyss with us!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Ultima Prize: The History

The Game Archaeologist and the Ultima Prize: The History originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott talks about Portalarium and the future

Rubi Bayer — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Interviews, MMO industry

Earlier this week we told you about Richard Garriott's latest venture, turning an eye to the social media trend with his new business venture Portalarium. Our sister site Joystiq spent some time with him discussing the company and its future.

Before delving into where Garriott is going, Joystiq explored a bit about where he's been. They talked about the infamous venture into space, and the even more infamous NCsoft lawsuit, then moved on to what Portalarium is all about and what Garriott hopes to accomplish with it.

Portalarium's aim is essentially to tap into the growing social network gaming genre and do it bigger and better. The interview covers the basics of how the business model will work as well as Garriott's views on what the market is lacking and how he plans to fill in those gaps. It's an interesting read, so head over to Joystiq and take a look at the full interview!

Richard Garriott talks about Portalarium and the future originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Garriott returns to gaming with Portalarium

Krystalle Voecks — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Launches, MMO industry, News items, Casual

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Richard Garriott isn't a man content to rest on his laurels. Just after we hear that the documentary about his space trip is coming out, we now hear that he's found a new niche in the multi-player gaming industry. Only this time, he's not developing a traditional MMO as one might suspect. Instead, Garriott has revealed his involvement in a start-up called Portalarium, which is setting out to get a chunk of that browser-based social game cash floating around on Facebook and other social media networks.

Currently, Portalarium isn't so much a games company as a games engine company. According to a great writeup about this new company by Dean Takahashi over on GamesBeat, their general feeling is that the current crop of Facebook games are "relatively primitive in terms of game play." The Portalarium team plans to make richer, more engaging games that will manage to give players a high-quality game while still remaining in a browser and not needing a separate download. In all, it's a fascinating article -- both in terms of technology, and in terms of what Garriott has been up to (there's a bit about Tabula Rasa in there too) -- so be sure to pop over there and give the full article a read.

Garriott returns to gaming with Portalarium originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video interviews present the life and times of Richard Garriott

James Egan — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real life, Video, Interviews, MMO industry

The online broadcast network VBS is showing a three-part video series on the life and times of (computer) RPG pioneer Richard Garriott. The footage explores his first steps into the world of video game design, explaining how the moniker "Lord British" became synonymous with Garriott.

The videos also give a look into what someone can do once they can afford any toy their heart desires, and chronicles a bit of the latest direction Garriott is taking his life -- into space. The short series is a revealing peek into the life of a significant figure in the games industry. We've got the video embeds for you below the cut, but for more background you might want to check out the accompanying info over at VBS.TV.

Continue reading Video interviews present the life and times of Richard Garriott

Video interviews present the life and times of Richard Garriott originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: How can Tabula Rasa be improved?

Akela Talamasca — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Guilds, Endgame, Opinion, Tabula Rasa, The Daily Grind

Honestly, I haven't had any desire to try Tabula Rasa. Well, that's not entirely true; when I first heard that Lord British was developing a science fiction MMO, I was terribly excited. And if all I knew of the game was what I saw in screenshots and gameplay video, I might still be tempted to give it a try. However, being a part of Massively means that I'm privy to every bit of news and stories that come down the pike, and some of them aren't so complimentary to ol' TR.

In fact, posts that talk about 'giving it another try' and 'there's no endgame' and 'the hybrid classes are lame' make me less inclined than ever to even give it a chance. Listen, I know it's got fans so it's not entirely broken, but nothing exists in a vacuum, and there's always room for improvement. So tell me, fans, how would you fix Tabula Rasa?

The Daily Grind: How can Tabula Rasa be improved? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott talks MMOs at GWU lecture

Chris Chester — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:31:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, Tabula Rasa, Ultima Online, Academic, Education, Massively Event Coverage

Yesterday, the Washington DC chapter for the Association of Computer Machinery welcomed game design guru Richard Garriott to speak at its last meeting for the 2007 calendar year. Garriott, who has been writing and designing games professionally since the age of 19, is currently the executive producer on Tabula Rasa, though he's perhaps better known as the man behind Ultima Online, likely the MMO for which he will be most remembered. It helped pioneer the massively multiplayer game as we know it, and ushered in many gaming conventions that we're still familiar with today.

While we were expecting something of a more technical speech from Garriott given the venue, the lecture was more autobiographical, with the esteemed Lord British explaining how, as one of the industry's oldest members, he's had to ride the wave of expectations in PC gaming over time. He also reflected on many aspects of Tabula Rasa's recent release, making it a relevant discussion for gamers who are more familiar with his more recent offerings in the genre.

Continue reading Richard Garriott talks MMOs at GWU lecture

Richard Garriott talks MMOs at GWU lecture originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TR PvP to incorporate clan-captured CPs

Chris Chester — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 23:15:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, real-world, PvP, Tabula Rasa

Richard Garriott, founder of the legendary Ultima series and Executive Producer for Tabula Rasa, gave a lecture this evening to the Washington D.C. chapter for the Association of Computer Machinery. Of course, being your personal guide into the complex world of MMOs, we were on-hand to cover the event. While you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see the full write-up, we couldn't resist posting this juicy bit of information that fell from the lips of one Lord British.

Addressing the issue of the near-constant feedback cycle that MMOs enjoy by virtue of being in a persistent state of development and refinement, Garriott cited Tabula Rasa's PvP as an element of the game that was being moved up the ladder of development priorities. PvP in the game's current state essentially amounts to guilds camping teleporters and hospitals, waiting for members of warring clans to appear, where they can be taken by surprise and slaughtered.

Garriott's vision for the future of the PvP system is set to feature TR's popular Capture Point gameplay mechanic. Clans will be to capture CPs for themselves, generating money based on the activities of the NPCs within the CP. This will have the dual effect of giving warring clans something to do besides spawn-camping as well as give a context for PvP that makes slightly more sense within the lore. It's always been a bit of a rough sell having fellow members of the Allied Free Sentients slaughtering each other, but the idea of clans trying to control commerce is somehow more palatable.

Again, we'll have a full write-up tomorrow.

TR PvP to incorporate clan-captured CPs originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Dec 2007 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tabula Rasa seeks more rookies

Louis McLaughlin — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, News items, Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa has wasted no time in joining the list of MMOs with "refer a friend" schemes. After all, if Earth had just been invaded by aliens -- and assuming Will Smith wasn't available -- the first thing you'd do would be to get your buddies to join the military and flee into ancient wormholes. Right?

It's a pretty tempting offer with the game having been released so recently, though. If anyone you know happens to pick up a copy of TR, they get three extra days playtime and you get an additional month -- not a bad deal. Of course if Tabula Rasa really wants to sell some more copies, it could do with more than a handful of reviews on the internet. Perhaps General British is storming offices?

Tabula Rasa seeks more rookies originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: A moment in history

Elizabeth Harper — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Screenshots, Tabula Rasa, One Shots

Today we've captured a little Easter egg in Tabula Rasa just for you. There are numerous computers throughout the game and most of them are usable -- which means you can see interesting little messages on them. Some are bits of story or lore, others simply give the world and environment a bit more depth than it would have had otherwise. This one, however, is a blast from the past! Using a particular computer in the Cormon base in Raja Gorge fires up Akalabeth, Richard Garriott's first game, published in 1980. (Though how the NCsoft crew managed to misspell Akalabeth with the original game disks hanging in their lobby I'm not sure...!)

Do you have a screenshot of your own that you think expresses a unique or memorable moment in your favorite MMO? Send them to us with a description (including game name and location) and you may see it posted here for tomorrow's One Shots.

Gallery: One Shots

One Shots: A moment in history originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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General British wants you for a trivia contest

Michael Zenke — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:15:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Contests, Events, in-game, Tabula Rasa

To celebrate the successful launch of Tabula Rasa, the folks at NCsoft have set up a surprise in-game event ... for tonight! General British / Richard Garriott will be on-hand for the AFS Sci-Fi Trivia Contest to be held in-game throughout the evening, and across the servers.

The release alerting us to the event included this quote from the man himself: "I wanted to quickly do something fun in-game as a thank you to the players who have made this such a smooth launch. We have continued NCsoft's track record for incredibly successful launches and player interest and excitement is higher than we expected in both North America and Europe. The battlefields are full of players taking down Bane invaders & we're having a blast kicking alien butt."

No word on where in-game you'll be able to play, but one can only assume details will be given out in the public channels. Here are the times for each server:

Centaurus 1pm - Central
Pegasus - 6pm Central
Orion - 8 pm Central
Cassiopeia - 9pm Central

Bring your trivia caps and you could find yourself winning some credits. Good luck!

General British wants you for a trivia contest originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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