Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Not So Massively: New Star Citizen column, Path of Exile Season Two, and MOBA news]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/not-so-massively-new-star-citizen-column-path-of-exile-season/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/not-so-massively-new-star-citizen-column-path-of-exile-season/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/not-so-massively-new-star-citizen-column-path-of-exile-season/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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If you've been following the development of upcoming crowdfunded sci-fi sandbox Star Citizen with interest, Massively has a brand-new column you might enjoy. The Diablo III test realm hinted at upcoming boosts to life regeneration and the damage output of a few spells, but Blizzard also suggested that a nerf to the Wizard Archon Form might be on the way. Path of Exile started its second season of race events, with over 200 events to take part in and massive prizes to be won.

Third-person MOBA SMITE added the 34th god to its roster this week with acrobatic assassin Ne Zha entering the fray, and Guardians of Middle-Earth released new DLC character Kili the Dwarf. Rise of Immortals added support for game replays and introduced and interesting new White Knight feature that lets players take over from characters who have disconnected or quit in the middle of a game.

Heroes of Newerth announced a huge upcoming balance patch that may finally get rid of the paid-for early hero access and promises to rebalance much of the game's expansive roster of characters. Dota 2's streamlined abuse report update backfired when players discovered they could use the report feature itself to abuse other players. And Firefall may finally be edging toward release with the announcement of a date for the start of open beta.

Continue reading Not So Massively: New Star Citizen column, Path of Exile Season Two, and MOBA news

MassivelyNot So Massively: New Star Citizen column, Path of Exile Season Two, and MOBA news originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abuseaction-mmoaction-rpgArmillary-Sashbalance-patchbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingconsoled3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2dwarfe-sporte-sportseaearly-accessesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfire-batsfree-to-playgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthheroes-of-newerthhonhon-tourkilileague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmeldingmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayerne-zhanewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeropen-betapatchpatchespath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpray-of-frostred-5-studiosreplayriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessandboxsci-fistar-citizenterrauniverse-ringvalvevideowarner-broswhite-knightwhite-knight-queuewitch-doctorwizardwrath-of-the-lich-kingxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Jumping on the MOBA bandwagon]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/not-so-massively-jumping-on-the-moba-bandwagon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/not-so-massively-jumping-on-the-moba-bandwagon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/not-so-massively-jumping-on-the-moba-bandwagon/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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It seems as if everyone is jumping on the MOBA bandwagon lately and trying to cut a slice of the action for himself. Creative Assembly announced that the next game in the Total War series will be a MOBA with RTS elements named Total War: Arena. MMO developer Turbine has also thrown its hat in the ring, teaming up with Warner Bros. and DC comics to develop a MOBA based on the Infinite Crisis DC storyline.

League of Legends continued its plans to revamp old characters with overhauls to Sejuani and Trundle. Developers also revealed upcoming Ice Witch champion Lissandra, a crowd-controlling mage who can cast some of her spells mana-free. Guardians of Middle-Earth finally released Frodo Baggins as a DLC character, and Heroes of Newerth announced that the $60,000 grand final of HonTour Season One will take place later this month in Las Vegas.

In a new Diablo III developer journal, Blizzard discussed its efforts to get players into multiplayer and public games, including some gameplay improvements and a new matchmaking tag system. Path of Exile's Patch 0.10.5 went live today, adding three powerful new support gems, four new unique items, and several balance changes and bug-fixes. And Torchlight II gave modders a huge gift this week by releasing its in-house development tools to the public and officially adding Steam Workshop support to the game.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Jumping on the MOBA bandwagon

MassivelyNot So Massively: Jumping on the MOBA bandwagon originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A demo of Diablo III running on the PS3 was shown at PAX East 2013 this week, and developers confirmed that the game is not necessarily exclusive to Sony. Many PC players have been enraged by the demo, which showed improved loot and singleplayer features developers had previously said were not possible. Red 5 Studios was also at PAX this week to reveal its ambitious plans for a gaming TV channel. The studio plans to expand its gaming video channel Stage 5 with several new high-quality shows about indie games, cosplay, and gaming tropes. Path of Exile also released information on three completely overpowered new support gems currently in alpha testing for its upcoming Patch 0.10.5.

In MOBA news, League of Legends officially launched in Italy this week with a huge launch ceremony in Rome. Several professional players were unrelatedly banned for boosting other players' stats artificially, and one team was given its final warning for using a DDoS attack during a match. Heroes of Newerth received new melee strength hero Prisoner 945, and Guardians of Middle-Earth released a free map update along with a purchasable spider character DLC. Upcoming MOBA SMITE was given a loose launch window of summer 2013, and Russian MOBA Prime World took a big step toward European and US launches with the translation of much of its Russian website into English.

Continue reading Not So Massively: PAX East 2013, D3 on PS3, and Firefall's TV channel

MassivelyNot So Massively: PAX East 2013, D3 on PS3, and Firefall's TV channel originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgbanbansbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcheatcheatingclassic-mmocompetitive-gamingconsolecosplaycrystal-grazianod3ddosdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidosdotae-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgame-changersgood-game-universitygothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthheroes-of-newerthhonitalianitalyleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmeleemiddle-earthmirkwoodmmofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnivalnot-so-massivelynsmofflineoffline-modeoffline-playonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepaxpax-eastPAX-East-2013planetsideplaystation-networkpoeprime-worldPrisonerPrisoner-945Prisoner945project-cosplaypsps1ps3psnpvevppvpreal-money-auction-housered-5-studiosriotriot-gamesrise-of-the-indiesrmahround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessci-fishackledsingleplayersoesony-online-entertainmentspiderstage-5steve-wangUnglobvideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: SimCity is not an MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/not-so-massively-simcity-is-not-an-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/not-so-massively-simcity-is-not-an-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/not-so-massively-simcity-is-not-an-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Doubts were cast on SimCity's always-online requirement this week when a player managed to hack the game into playing completely offline despite developers saying it wouldn't be possible. Maxis General Manager Lucy Bradshaw also caught a lot of flack from gamers this week for claiming that the game was in many ways an MMO. Petroglyph's Victory Kickstarter that we announced last week has now been cancelled, making the future of the game uncertain.

League of Legends revealed its plans to finally update two-year-old champion Karma and release new champion Zac, who is literally a pile of green goop. Guardians of Middle-Earth published iconic character Saruman as a new piece of DLC, and SMITE added new god Aphrodite, who heals and supports her teammates with hugs and kisses.

In addition to fixing some major bugs, Diablo III's recent patch 1.07a was shown to have nerfed many popular Wizard builds, including critical mass Energy Twister and Meteor builds. Path of Exile's latest patch added a new Cyclone skill that's reminiscent of the Diablo II Whirlwind skill and introduced three fun new game types for this season's upcoming race events.

Continue reading Not So Massively: SimCity is not an MMO

MassivelyNot So Massively: SimCity is not an MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The MOBA genre has exploded in recent years, with global giant League of Legends becoming the most actively played video game in the world and competitive tournaments getting more viewers than some televised sports. Today's MOBAs appeal to casual and competitive gamers alike, but until recently very few had crossed the console barrier. Released on PS3 and XBox 360 last December, Guardians of Middle-Earth took traditional DotA gameplay and made the quite experimental leap onto consoles.

I'm not much of a console gamer (you can take my mouse and keyboard away when you pry them from my cold, dead hands), but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see how Guardians of Middle-Earth stacks up against its PC-based counterparts. Monolith Studios has done great things in adapting MOBA gameplay to a console control scheme and audience, and the core game really is a lot of fun to play. But in charging an initial purchase price for a game that relies on having a large community, publisher Warner Bros. may have accidentally consigned Guardians to the scrapheap.

In this hands-on opinion piece, I explore Guardians of Middle-Earth and ask why it's already a ghost town just three months after launch.

Continue reading Guardians of Middle-Earth: A fun game doomed by its business model

MassivelyGuardians of Middle-Earth: A fun game doomed by its business model originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aiartificial-intelligenceartificial-stupiditybeltbeltsbotsconsoleconsolesdominiondotae-sportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgemsheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmatchmakingmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosplaystation-networkps3psnqueuequeuesrelicstutorialvideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: SimCity's launch fiasco, Victory's kickstarter]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/11/not-so-massively-simcitys-launch-fiasco-and-crowdfunding-vict/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/11/not-so-massively-simcitys-launch-fiasco-and-crowdfunding-vict/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/11/not-so-massively-simcitys-launch-fiasco-and-crowdfunding-vict/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Fresh from its work on End of Nations, developer Petroglyph launched a Kickstarter campaign this week for its own online RTS Victory. The campaign hit $19,574 in the first five days but has a long way to go to hit its $700,000 target. SimCity's always-online DRM backfired spectacularly as launch server capacity and stability issues left thousands unable to play what they thought of as a largely singleplayer game.

Diablo III revealed details of its upcoming loot overhaul that will make legendary items a little more legendary and rare items and good bit rarer. Path of Exile's patch 1.10.2 was deployed successfully, adding a few item mods and significantly improving the Duelist class area of the passive skill tree.

League of Legends celebrated its 100th Summoner Showcase with a look back at the community's best creative output and announced a brand-new comic contest that will see players voting for the winner. SMITE announced its $10,000 PAX East invitational tournament, and Guardians of Middle-Earth tempted players back with 75,000 free in-game gold in a new weekend event.

Continue reading Not So Massively: SimCity's launch fiasco, Victory's kickstarter

MassivelyNot So Massively: SimCity's launch fiasco, Victory's kickstarter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgalways-onlinebattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcitycity-buildingcompetitive-gamingconsolecrowdfundingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadueliste-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artsesportesportsf2pfailed-launchfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgames-as-a-servicegames-as-a-service-sucksgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshi-rez-studiosinfernoitemitemskickstarterlaunchlaunchesleague-of-legendslegendarieslegendarylegendary-itemslegendary-weaponslogin-queueslollootlord-of-the-ringslotrmaxismiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepetroglyphplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrtsserver-downtimeserver-queuessimcityvictoryvideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Diablo III's console constroversy and Wrath of Heroes' shutdown]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-console-constroversy-and-wrath-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-console-constroversy-and-wrath-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-console-constroversy-and-wrath-of/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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It's been a huge week for MOBAs, with the release of several new characters, a ton of balance changes, and even a game closing down for good. League of Legends announced that it will start officially supporting Mac and released a new Smart Ping system designed to help players work together as a team despite language barriers. SMITE showed off its new crowd-controlling water god, Poseidon, and console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth released a new Survival game mode DLC.

We heard the unfortunate news that Wrath of Heroes will be closing its doors at the end of the month, and it's not the only game going out of business. Online FPS Bullet Run, formerly known as Hedone, is due to shut down on Friday, March 8th, in a big final event. It's not all doom and gloom, though, as Dota 2 has hit another impressive milestone, passing 300,000 peak concurrent players. The first season of Heroes of Newerth's HoN Tour league is soon to draw to a close, and developers are planning a huge balance patch before the next season kicks off.

Blizzard enraged Diablo III fans this week with the announcement that the console version will not feature the controversial always-online DRM and can be played offline. Path of Exile detailed its next open beta patch, which is due to introduce a new fire skill, a 3v3 dueling arena, and significant Duelist class buffs. Online FPS Firefall produced a new trailer this week showing off its flight gameplay amidst criticism from fans over its lack of beta content. Finally, sci-fi sandbox Star Citizen gave fans a look behind the curtain of game development in its biggest development update video yet.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III's console constroversy and Wrath of Heroes' shutdown

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III's console constroversy and Wrath of Heroes' shutdown originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizzard revealed this week that Diablo III will be coming to both the PlayStation 3 and Sony's new PlayStation 4 console and will be shown off at PAX. Torchlight II developer Runic Games announced that the game will soon be localised to Japanese and Chinese for its upcoming release in Asia; a free DLC is on the way with three new Asian-themed pets. Path of Exile revealed the schedule for its first full season of ladder-style race events and announced new account security options along with its new policy to never restore items from hacked accounts.

League of Legends unveiled its new champion duo, Quinn and Valor, a dynamic pair of characters that work together as a single champion to dominate teamfights. Heroes of Newerth revealed its own new hero with a video spotlight on Saloman, a melee support hero who gains power from movement and can heal and shield his allies.

Dota 2 added a new Hero Build feature to its beta this week, giving players access to community-produced skill and item builds for all heroes. Console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth showed off its new goblin DLC character Snaga, and online FPS Blacklight: Retribution detailed its upcoming Onslaught expansion, which comes with three new game modes.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Path of Exile events, Diablo III coming to PS4, and huge MOBA updates

MassivelyNot So Massively: Path of Exile events, Diablo III coming to PS4, and huge MOBA updates originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgactivisionasiabattlenetblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentchampionchineseclassic-mmocompetitive-gamingconsoleconsolesd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2dupeduplicatione-sporte-sportsesportesportseventeventsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesherohero-buildsheroes-of-newerthhonitem-dupeitem-duplicationjapanjapaneseladderlast-man-standingleague-of-legendslocalisationlocalizationlollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmists-of-pandariammofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeronslaughtpath-of-exilepaxperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentplanetsideplaystation-3playstation-4playstation-networkpoepsps1ps3ps4psnpvppwequinnquinn-and-valorrace-eventrace-eventsretributionriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrunic-gamess2s2-gamessalomansci-fisearch-and-destroysimplified-chineseSnagasoesony-online-entertainmenttraditional-chinesevalorvalvevideowarcraftwarner-brosworld-of-warcraftwowxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Path of Exile server upgrades, Dota 2 broadcasters turn to crowdfunding]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-server-upgrades-dota-2-broadcas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-server-upgrades-dota-2-broadcas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-server-upgrades-dota-2-broadcas/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Path of Exile continued upgrading its servers to cope with the increasing load of new players following its open beta release, closing the servers for three hours this week to add several new database servers. Massively exclusively revealed Blacklight: Retribution's new Safehold and metro maps, and Firefall developer Red 5 Studios explained its development plans for the next quarter.

Rise of Immortals released a spotlight video on its new long-range mage immortal Undine, while Guardians of Middle-Earth showed off its latest two DLC characters Radagast the Brown Wizard and Glóin, father of Gimli.

League of Legends made some balance changes to its Honor system, which rewards players for being nice to each other. Riot also talked to some of Season 3's newest competitive players about what being a professional gamer means to them. Dota 2 finally got its long-awaited team matchmaking system this week, and community broadcaster Beyond The Summit launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay for full-time tournament broadcasting.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Path of Exile server upgrades, Dota 2 broadcasters turn to crowdfunding

MassivelyNot So Massively: Path of Exile server upgrades, Dota 2 broadcasters turn to crowdfunding originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoantisocial-behaviorbattle-for-graxiabeyond-the-summitblacklightblacklight-retributionbroadcastersbroadcastingcompetitive-gamingconsolediablodotadota-2e-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgimligloingraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshonorhonor-systemleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmatchmakingmetromicrotransactionsmiddle-earthmmofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosnewsnot-so-massivelynsmpath-of-exileperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvppweradagastred-5-studiosretributionriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uproundupSafeholdserverserver-downtimeserversteam-matchmakingtournamenttournamentsundinevalvevideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Cash prize MOBA tournaments and crowdfunding success!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/07/not-so-massively-cash-prize-moba-tournaments-and-crowdfunding-s/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/07/not-so-massively-cash-prize-moba-tournaments-and-crowdfunding-s/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/07/not-so-massively-cash-prize-moba-tournaments-and-crowdfunding-s/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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The League of Legends North American online qualifiers took place this weekend, with 32 teams competing for just eight spots in the upcoming offline qualifiers in Los Angeles. Dota 2's competitive tournament scene suffered a setback when tournament website joinDOTA had its YouTube account and channel inexplicably closed. Rise of Immortals is gearing up for its first official tournament, and Guardians of Middle-Earth has $5,000 up for grabs in its first console MOBA e-sports cups.

The Kickstarter campaign for Elite: Dangerous blasted through its goal in the final two days thanks to a huge wave of last-minute pledges. Off the back of the popularity of its own crowdfunding campaign, action RPG Path of Exile upgraded and battle-tested its servers to handle over 50,000 concurrent players.

Upcoming MOBA Sins of a Dark Age aims to add a twist to the modern MOBA with randomly spawned Realm Quests that add another tactical level to the standard 5v5 gameplay. Finally, Blizzard highlighted several player-made videos this week showing some of the optimum Diablo III farming routes for players on the race to paragon level 100.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Cash prize MOBA tournaments and crowdfunding success!

MassivelyNot So Massively: Cash prize MOBA tournaments and crowdfunding success! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgAlkaizerbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbrabencashCash-Prizescash-tournamentcompetitive-gamingconsolecrowdfundingd3david-brabendiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportseliteesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrontierfrontier-developmentsgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesironcladironclad-gamesleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerparagonparagon-levelpath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpreal-questsriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgsandboxsci-fisins-of-a-dark-ageTobiWanKenobitournamentvalvevideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: End of the year (and not the world) edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/31/not-so-massively-end-of-the-year-and-not-the-world-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/31/not-so-massively-end-of-the-year-and-not-the-world-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/31/not-so-massively-end-of-the-year-and-not-the-world-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

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Diablo III players are sure to have mixed feelings this week as Blizzard announced that 1v1 dueling will be released in the new year but that the anticipated arena and team deathmatch gameplay has been scrapped. Path of Exile revealed the impressive winning entries in its recent fan art competition and has ended the year on a high note by winning the IndieDB Players Choice Upcoming Indie Game 2012 award.

SMITE celebrated the end of the Mayan calendar (and not the world) with the release of its new Mayan god Xbalanque, and Rise of Immortals gave its old immortal Kaos a graphical facelift. Guardians of Middle-Earth revealed its second DLC pack based on The Hobbit, introducing Thorin Oakenshield and Great Goblin as playable characters. Bloodline Champions may not be having a very good end to 2012 as its Russian servers are set to close in the new year, and Heroes of Newerth player stonefain ushered in the new year by finishing off his 21-video Tip of the Day series.

Continue reading Not So Massively: End of the year (and not the world) edition

MassivelyNot So Massively: End of the year (and not the world) edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Braben released a new update on the development of upcoming sci-fi sandbox game Elite: Dangerous, while the success of the game's Kickstarter campaign still remains uncertain. Star Citizen's developers revealed several of the game's ships; developer Chris Roberts made the bold claim that the studio will "compete with any AAA game out there."

To celebrate the recent cinema release of The Hobbit, console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth revealed its Hobbit-themed DLC that lets you play as Bilbo Baggins and includes a new playable map of The Shire. Dota 2 revealed its own new DLC with the impressive winners of its fan-designed hero skin contest and passed the 200,000 peak concurrent user mark despite still being officially in beta. Likewise, despite having just entered beta itself, Rise of Immortals announced that its first official winter tournament is scheduled for next month. League of Legends also celebrated the winter holiday with an adorable gingerbread baking contest.

Blizzard has been catching some flack for the lack of promised PvP features in Diablo III, and now it looks as if we won't even be getting information on the patch until next year. Blizzard has also unofficially got a version of the game running on non-PC hardware, which could signal a possible upcoming console release. Path of Exile continued to gear up for its January release with load-testing events and a series of new ladder events. And Torchlight II's developers round out the year with a look back at the game's development and some hints as to what might come next for the franchise.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Of Hobbits and space ships

MassivelyNot So Massively: Of Hobbits and space ships originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Console MOBA Guardians of MiddleEarth launches
It seems as if the world has gone MOBA-mad in recent years, with Dota 2 launching the first ever million-dollar competitive tournament and League of Legends becoming the most played game in the world. While there are plenty of PC games following in the competitive footsteps of classic DotA, the console market has remained largely untested. Today that changed with the launch of Guardians of Middle-Earth, the first 3-D console MOBA to be designed for classic DotA-style competitive matches.

Guardians of Middle-Earth gives players control of iconic characters from the Lord of the Rings lore, like Gandalf and Gollum. Each character has an array of special abilities, and teams of five players battle against each other in short competitive matches. A streamlined item system and directional attacks adapt the game for the controls and faster pace of gameplay console gamers expect, but it remains to be seen whether the console audience will form a hardcore competitive tournament scene. The game went live on the Playstation Network today and goes live on XBox Live Arcade tomorrow.

Continue reading Guardians of Middle-Earth brings competitive MOBA gaming to consoles

MassivelyGuardians of Middle-Earth brings competitive MOBA gaming to consoles originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>competitivecompetitive-gamingconsoleguardians-of-middle-earthlaunchlauncheslord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobanew-releasesplaystation-3ps3pvptournamenttournamentsxboxxbox-360Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: No PvP gear in Diablo III, and the first console MOBA launch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/03/not-so-massively-no-pvp-gear-in-diablo-iii-and-the-first-conso/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/03/not-so-massively-no-pvp-gear-in-diablo-iii-and-the-first-conso/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/03/not-so-massively-no-pvp-gear-in-diablo-iii-and-the-first-conso/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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It's been a relaxed week for MOBA news as developers return from DreamHack Winter 2012 and the Thanksgiving break. League of Legends took things slowly with a look at competitive gamer Alex Ich's favourite champion. The Dota 2 scene also took it easy with a relaxed tournament at the World Cyber Games. Bloodline Champions players have noticed that every week seems to be slow in the game and have started looking for ways to draw in new players.

Not every studio has had time to chill out this week, however, as Monolith Studios prepares to launch its console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth. As part of the run-up to launch, developers released a new video looking at team-based strategies and introduced new heroes Haldir and Lugbol. Rise of Immortals' massive Battle For Graxia overhaul is also gearing up for launch and is now officially in open beta.

Diablo III game designer Jay Wilson confirmed that there are no plans for PvP-specific gear in the game and promised that an update on the development of PvP arenas will be released "very soon." The Path of Exile developers promised to announce the final date for open beta soon as well and teased players this week with a colossal 25MB image of the game's full passive skill tree.

Continue reading Not So Massively: No PvP gear in Diablo III, and the first console MOBA launch

MassivelyNot So Massively: No PvP gear in Diablo III, and the first console MOBA launch originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One of the world's biggest annual LAN parties took place this week at DreamHack Winter 2012, where the European e-sports communities faced off in a series of huge tournaments. League of Legends' tense tournament was streamed around the world as favourite CLG.EU suffered defeat at the hands of Fnatic.RaidCall. Dota 2's Corsair Vengeance Cup followed up with one of the most spectacular grand finals in MOBA history, as relatively unknown team NoTidehunter completely demolished Evil Geniuses with an incredible never-before-seen baiting tactic.

Heroes of Newerth pulled out the big guns with a massive $32,000 US top prize for its DreamHoN tournament and also revealed its new stealthy assassin hero, Grinex. Blizzard conceded that it has no plans to develop a Diablo III e-sports scene despite plans to introduce PvP arenas by the end of the year, and livestreamer Athene shocked fans when he managed to kill Diablo in the game's toughest difficulty setting with a naked character. Path of Exile continued its own competitive ladders this week and delivered a huge progress update on the development of the game's third act.

Console gamers who are looking for something new will probably want to get their hands on the first console MOBA, Guardians of Middle-Earth, but they may not be familiar with MOBA gameplay. Developers released the fourth video in a new series designed to explain the genre's gameplay to console players, delving into the game's potion and item system. If mobile gaming is more your thing, mobile MMO Order & Chaos Online produced a brand-new spinoff game this week: Heroes of Order & Chaos, set to become the world's first mobile MOBA when it releases for free on Android and iOS.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Dreamhack Winter 2012, and Athene's naked Diablo kill

MassivelyNot So Massively: Dreamhack Winter 2012, and Athene's naked Diablo kill originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Nov 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sci-fi sandbox Star Citizen secured $2.1 million US on Kickstarter this week, adding to the $4.1 million in crowdfunding the game has already received. League of Legends released new champion Zed, a deadly assassin who can summon his own shadow as an ally, and SMITE unveiled the hilarious Bacchus, Roman god of wine, lewd behavour, and madness. Valve announced a new Dota 2 chat feature that promises to break down the language barrier between MOBA players in different countries, and a new strategy threatens to upset the game's map balance in favour of the Radiant side.

As developers geared up for next month's launch, Guardians of Middle-Earth looked back at the PAX 2012 tournament that pitted the fresh-faced general public against a team of professionals. With the end of the year fast approaching, there are still no signs of Diablo III's promised PvP arena patch despite assurances that it's still under development. Path of Exile will open to the public next month, complete with its own PvP arenas and three finished acts. Developers showed off part of the third act this week in a new Build of the Week video.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Star Citizen, MOBA heroes, and no PvP for D3

MassivelyNot So Massively: Star Citizen, MOBA heroes, and no PvP for D3 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Nov 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a flurry of sci-fi sandbox kickstarting this week, Star Citizen's crowdfunding campaign passed the million dollar mark and David Braben revealed plans for a sequel to the incredibly successful Elite series. Diablo III announced a wave of bans linked to the use of third-party launcher and botting software and revealed that an expansion is on the way.

Path of Exile continued on the path to open beta this week with the announcement of a secure trade system and two closed-beta hardcore race events. League of Legends began preparations for its upcoming third competitive season this week as developers explored item balance and jungling changes on the way. Plans include making early game jungler ganks less viable and introducing new items for specialised builds.

Heroes of Newerth's voting system was made anonymous in this week's patch in an effort to prevent players from being singled out or pressured into conceding matches. Dota 2 released its hilarious Reverse Captain's Mode, which lets each team pick the heroes it wants the other team to play. Console MOBA Guardians of Middle-earth announced its release date this week and revealed two new heroes, Thráin and Gothmog. Finally, Prime World gave details of its persistent castle system, which may tie the game into Facebook.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Sci-fi sandboxes, LoL pre-season updates, and D3 bans

MassivelyNot So Massively: Sci-fi sandboxes, LoL pre-season updates, and D3 bans originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Nov 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends introduced its upcoming third competitive season with an article explaining how European teams can qualify to enter next year's championship and compete for massive cash prizes. Dota 2 temporarily turned MMO this week with its Diretide Halloween map that turns the game into a collection quest and then a 10-man raid.

SMITE revealed its new god Loki, adding a deadly backstabbing assassin to the game's growing roster of characters. Guardians of Middle-Earth also released its first two real hard carries this week with a Battle Profile on Ori and Agandaûr, two characters whose ability power scales up with each use. Heroes of Newerth's inclusive competitive league HoNTour got off to a great start this week despite early setbacks.

Upcoming action RPG Path of Exile spruced up its website this week and released its anticipated PvP arena patch. Diablo III players have reported that monsters with the Reflect Damage affix are almost impossible to kill in higher Monster Power levels. Finally, the first Firefall Fest saw special guests Athene, Felicia Day, and Wil Wheaton trying the game for the first time, and Blacklight: Retribution released its Evacuation update.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Halloween events, tournaments and character reveals

MassivelyNot So Massively: Halloween events, tournaments and character reveals originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgAgandaûrAgandaurathenebattlenetblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcompetitive-gamingconsoled3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidiretidedotadota-2e-sporte-sportsesportesportsevacuationf2pfantasyfeaturedfelicia-dayfirefall-festfpsfree-to-playgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthhalloweenheroes-of-newerthhonhontourleagueleague-of-legendslokilollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmmofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmonster-powermultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeroripath-of-exileperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentplaystation-networkpoeprofessional-gamingps3psnpvppvp-arenapvp-arenaspwereflect-damageriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamestournamentvalvevideowarner-broswil-wheatonxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 05 Nov 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Golden Joysticks, new heroes, and insane character builds]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/29/not-so-massively-golden-joysticks-new-heroes-and-insane-charac/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/29/not-so-massively-golden-joysticks-new-heroes-and-insane-charac/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/29/not-so-massively-golden-joysticks-new-heroes-and-insane-charac/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Diablo III lost to Skyrim at this year's Golden Joystick awards, but it was named as a runner-up in two categories. Blizzard also reduced the difficulty of increased Monster Power levels this week by about 25%, and one player managed to design an insane Barbarian build capable of dealing 2.6 million damage per second. Path of Exile followed up with the fourteenth crazy character build in its Build of the Week series, and the devs revealed that the New Zealand government has not provided any support for the game.

League of Legends was voted the runner-up for the Golden Joystick Best MMO award despite the fact that it's not an MMO. Developers revealed some interesting updates for the game's 3v3 Twisted Treeline battleground, and officially released a new champion named Elise the Spider Queen. Heroes of Newerth revealed its own new hero this week, an adorable support character called Pearl the Bubble Mage.

Dota 2 added classic hero Centaur in this week's beta update, and Rise of Immortals published some more details of its upcoming Battle for Graxia revamp. Guardians of Middle-Earth revealed its newest combatants this week, fearless warrior Éowyn and ruthless Orc warlord Mozgog. Finally, Blacklight: Retribution raised its level cap to 40 in preparation for the upcoming Evacuation update.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Golden Joysticks, new heroes, and insane character builds

MassivelyNot So Massively: Golden Joysticks, new heroes, and insane character builds originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgÉowynbattle-for-graxiabattlenetbfgblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbubblebubble-magebubble-magibuild-of-the-weekcentaurcompetitive-gamingconsoled3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidominiondotadota-2e-sporte-sportseliseeowynesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgolden-joystickgolden-joystick-awardsgothic-fantasygovernmentgovernment-grantgrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshalloweenheoheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmmofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmonster-powerMozgogmultiplayernew-zealandnewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exileperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvppweriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessilencerspiderspider-queensupportSupport-classtwisted-treelinevalvevideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Behind the scenes of MOBA development]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/22/not-so-massively-behind-the-scenes-of-moba-development/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/22/not-so-massively-behind-the-scenes-of-moba-development/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/22/not-so-massively-behind-the-scenes-of-moba-development/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Diablo III's patch 1.0.5 launched this week, bringing in a brand-new Monster Power system and the Infernal machine endgame event. Upcoming action RPG Path of Exile announced that it will begin open beta in December, complete with a full three acts of content and a PvP arena system.

In MOBA news, League of Legends announced details of its massive Halloween update with new icons, ward skins, and brand-new transforming champion Elise, the Spider Queen. Heroes of Newerth's new competitive league was delayed this week due to technical difficulties, and SMITE revealed its newest God Freya, Queen of the Valkyries.

Dota 2 players came up with some surprising results on the most effective team compositions by analysing the details of 39,626 matches, and Wrath of Heroes released its new Garden of Morr scenario. Upcoming MOBA Prime World revealed details of its Outpost game mode in which two teams escort huge battle robots toward each other. And Monolith Studios gave us our second peek behind the scenes of development on upcoming console MOBA Guardians of Middle-earth.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Behind the scenes of MOBA development

MassivelyNot So Massively: Behind the scenes of MOBA development originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgarenabattlenetbetabiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentchampioncompetitive-gamingconsoleconsole-mobad3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artseliseesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfreyagarden-of-morrgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshalloweenheroes-of-newerthhoninfernalinfernal-machineleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmonster-powermultiplayermythicmythic-entertainmentnewsnivalnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeropen-betaoutpostpath-of-exileplaystation-networkpoeprime-worldps3psnpvevppvppvp-arenariotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamesspiderspider-queenstatisticsuberuber-bossesubersvalvevideowarhammerwarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswarner-broswohwrath-of-heroesxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 22 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: MOBA development, LoL tournament cheating, and D3's Monster Power]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/15/not-so-massively-moba-development-lol-tournament-cheating-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/15/not-so-massively-moba-development-lol-tournament-cheating-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/15/not-so-massively-moba-development-lol-tournament-cheating-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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The League of Legends $2,000,000 World Championship was rocked by controversy this week as several teams were caught cheating. Despite being fined, Korean Team Azubu Frost was allowed to continue in the competition and made it all the way to the grand final to face Taiwanese favourite Taipei Assassins. Dota 2 launched a new art contest this week that asks players to design and sell virtual items, and Heroes of Newerth delved into the lore and design decisions surrounding its newest item: Lightbrand.

Guardians of Middle-earth announced its release date this week and revealed new heroes Beregond and Felgrom. SMITE started a new video series looking into the stories behind each of its gods and how the development team matched that god's abilities to the lore. Finally, Diablo III revealed the hard facts and figures on its upcoming Monster Power system, which lets players increase the game's difficulty in exchange for higher rewards.

Continue reading Not So Massively: MOBA development, LoL tournament cheating, and D3's Monster Power

MassivelyNot So Massively: MOBA development, LoL tournament cheating, and D3's Monster Power originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Oct 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgArtemisazubu-frostbattlenetBeregondblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcheatcheaterscheatingcompetitive-gamingconsoled3dawnbringerdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfelgromfinalfinalsfirebrandfree-to-playgothic-fantasygrand-finalheroes-of-newerthhi-rez-studioshonicebrandkoreakoreanleague-of-legendslightbrandlollord-of-the-ringslorelotrmiddle-earthmillion-dollarsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmonster-powermultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerplaystation-networkpolycountps3psnpvprelease-daterelease-datesriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessouth-koreansummoners-cuptaipei-assassinstaiwantaiwanesetournamentvalvevideowarner-brosworld-championshipsxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 15 Oct 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: LoL World Championship, HoN Tour, and D3 patch 1.0.5]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/08/not-so-massively-lol-world-championship-hon-tour-and-d3-patch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/08/not-so-massively-lol-world-championship-hon-tour-and-d3-patch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/08/not-so-massively-lol-world-championship-hon-tour-and-d3-patch/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Diablo III's endgame woes may soon be a thing of the past as patch 1.0.5 hit the test realm this week with some awesome new endgame content and much-needed magic-find buffs. Upcoming action RPG Path of Exile had no trouble keeping its beta players engaged, with this week's Turbo Hardcore league event giving players the ultimate challenge.

North America's hopes of winning the League of Legends World Championship were dashed this week as all three US teams were knocked out of the competition along with Dota 2 world champions Invictus Gaming. Heroes of Newerth fought back with its new competitive HoN Tour event, which aims to give hundreds of cash prizes away to players of all skill levels.

Dota 2 released classic hero Magnus this week, SMITE revealed its newest god Ares, and Guardians of Middle-earth showed off its two newest additions: Nori and Wulfrun. Finally, Russian MOBA success Prime World revealed some details on its PvEvP Dragonwald game mode ahead of the release of its North American and European beta tests.

Continue reading Not So Massively: LoL World Championship, HoN Tour, and D3 patch 1.0.5

MassivelyNot So Massively: LoL World Championship, HoN Tour, and D3 patch 1.0.5 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Oct 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgaresbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentclgclg-primecompetitive-gamingconsolecounter-logic-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2dragonwalde-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgodgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshardcoreheroes-of-newerthhonhon-tourhontourinfernal-machineinvictus-gamingleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmagic-findmagnusmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmonster-powermoscow-5multiplayerNephalem-ValornewsnivalNorinorth-americanot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpatchpatch-1.0.5patchespath-of-exileplayoffspoeprime-worldps3psnpvevppvpresplendent-chestsriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamesteam-solo-midturbo-hardcorevalvevideowarner-brosworld-championshipsWulfrunxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 08 Oct 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Diablo III's Monster Power system and LoL's World Championships]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/01/not-so-massively-diablo-iiis-monster-power-system-and-lols-wo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/01/not-so-massively-diablo-iiis-monster-power-system-and-lols-wo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/01/not-so-massively-diablo-iiis-monster-power-system-and-lols-wo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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This week Riot Games revealed details of the League of Legends $2,000,000 World Championship that's just two weeks away. Dota 2 celebrated its own world champions with a new blog post dedicated to the Aegis of Champions plaque given to this year's winners of The International. Upcoming console MOBA Guardians of Middle-earth showed off its PAX 2012 recap video this week, and Heroes of Newerth revealed its new hero, Solstice, who transforms during the night.

Torchlight II continues to dominate the game charts this week with impressive sales on Steam and even more impressive Metacritic scores. Upcoming free-to-play action RPG Path of Exile took another big step toward release this week with the addition of voice acting to quests. And Blizzard revealed details on Diablo III's next big patch, discussing increased legendary drop rates and the new Monster Power system that will let players customise their own difficulty levels.

Upcoming FPS Firefall revealed its impressive plans for Dynamic Events this week, with both local events and global invasions on the menu. Finally, Blacklight: Retribution followed last week's sniper montage contest with details of a new sniper-focused map and a new sniper rifle that would make Counterstrike players cry.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III's Monster Power system and LoL's World Championships

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III's Monster Power system and LoL's World Championships originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-million-dollarsaction-mmoaction-rpgaegis-of-championsand-then-we-doubled-itbarbarianbattlenetblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcash-prizecompetitive-gamingconsoled3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2dynamic-eventdynamic-eventse-sporte-sportsenergy-twisteresportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguild-wars-2gw2heroes-of-newerthhoninfernojay-wilsonleague-of-legendslegendarylegendary-itemslegendary-weaponslollord-of-the-ringslotrmagic-findmetacriticmeteormiddle-earthmmofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmonster-powermultiplayerncsoftnerfnewsnot-so-massivelynsmone-million-dollarsonline-multiplayerpath-of-exileperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentplaqueplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvppweriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrun-like-the-winds2s2-gamessolsticesteamvalvevideovoice-actingwarner-broswhirlwindwizardwizard-nerfwyatt-chengxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360zombie-studiosMon, 01 Oct 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: D3's legendary effects revealed, Torchlight II launch date imminent]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/27/not-so-massively-d3s-legendary-effects-revealed-torchlight-ii/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/27/not-so-massively-d3s-legendary-effects-revealed-torchlight-ii/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/27/not-so-massively-d3s-legendary-effects-revealed-torchlight-ii/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Diablo III's patch 1.0.4 arrived this week, bringing with it 100 new Paragon levels and a whole series of new legendary items. Players have been hunting for the new legendaries since the patch went live, and one player has put together a video showing some of the new legendary proc effects in action. Torchlight II developers revealed that they are still aiming for a summer release and will announce the exact launch date next week at the start of PAX Prime 2012.

Dota 2's $1.6 million US tournament The International got underway this week with the preliminary rounds to determine who will make it to next week's final in Seattle. League of Legends released new champion Rengar this week and announced that nerfs are on the way for Diana, Corki, Graves, and Ezreal. Guardians of Middle-earth developers gave a behind-the-scenes look at the development process this week in a new documentary video featuring some of North America's top competitive MOBA players.

Finally, Bloodline Champions released patch 2.6 this week to kick off competitive season six, and Wrath of Heroes released patch 0.24 with its new ornament customisation system and announced upcoming hero Master Albodi.

Continue reading Not So Massively: D3's legendary effects revealed, Torchlight II launch date imminent

MassivelyNot So Massively: D3's legendary effects revealed, Torchlight II launch date imminent originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgbattlenetbiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championscompetitive-gamingconsolecorkid3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidianadotadota-2e-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artsesportesportsEvelynnezrealf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgothic-fantasygravesjay-wilsonleague-of-legendslegendarieslegendarylegendary-itemslegendary-weaponslollord-of-the-ringslotrmaster-albodimiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-productionsmonolith-studiosmultiplayermythicmythic-entertainmentnewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerparagonparagon-studiospatchpatch-1.0.4patch-1.04playstation-networkps3psnpvprengarriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrunic-gamesstunlockstunlock-studiosthe-internationaltournamentvalvevideowarhammerwarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswarner-broswohwrath-of-heroesxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 27 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Cash prizes, tournaments, and hero spotlights]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/06/not-so-massively-cash-prizes-tournaments-and-hero-spotlights/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/06/not-so-massively-cash-prizes-tournaments-and-hero-spotlights/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/06/not-so-massively-cash-prizes-tournaments-and-hero-spotlights/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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For those with the skills to enter competitive gaming tournaments, there are huge cash prizes to be won. The Major League Gaming League of Legends summer tournament ended this week with $10,000 US going to Azubu Blaze, and Moscow 5 narrowly beat bitter rival CLG.eu to win the $15,000 US top prize in the ECC Poland tournament. Dota 2 continued to update its in-game tournament access and spectator modes in preparation for upcoming major tournaments.

Firefall announced a massive €10,000 EU beta tournament due to take place this month live at Gamescom 2012. If you aren't the competitive gaming type, you might be interested in Blacklight: Retribution's 30 Days of Fight event that lets players win raffle tickets for daily prizes of $1,000 for an entire month.

Console MOBA Guardians of Middle-earth revealed its new champions this week, support mage Galadriel and tanky warrior Uglúk from Lord of the Rings lore. Heroes of Newerth showed off its new melee strength hero Rally, and SMITE revealed Egyptian god Anhur, Slayer of Enemies. Finally, Diablo III released a hotfix to address the rubber-banding problems that have been affecting players recently, and an odd bug has surfaced that could potentially be duplicating items.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Cash prizes, tournaments, and hero spotlights

MassivelyNot So Massively: Cash prizes, tournaments, and hero spotlights originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgactivisionanhurazubu-blazebattlenetblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbugcashcash-prizesclgclg-eucompetitive-gamingconsolecounter-logic-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-3-dupediablo-iidiablo-iiidiablo-iii-dupedotadota-2dupeduplicatee-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgaladrielgamescomGamescom-2012gothic-fantasyheroes-of-newerthhi-rez-studioshonitem-dupeitem-duplicationleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmmofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmoscow-5multiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentplaystation-networkps3psnpvppwerallyriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessmiteteam-solo-midtournamentUglúkuglukvalvevideowarcraftwarner-brosworld-of-warcraftwowxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360zombie-studiosMon, 06 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Battle of the online action RPGs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/23/not-so-massively-battle-of-the-online-action-rpgs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/23/not-so-massively-battle-of-the-online-action-rpgs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/23/not-so-massively-battle-of-the-online-action-rpgs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

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Blizzard addressed Diablo III's poor launch in an open letter to the community this week and detailed plans for development going forward. If you're stuck in the magic find grind, an impressive new guide also surfaced this week to demystify the hunt. Upcoming free-to-play action RPG Path of Exile released a video of its updated passive tree this week, demonstrating some of the game's incredible character customisation options. Torchlight II developer Runic Games also released some statistics this week showing just how big the game is compared to its predecessor.

In MOBA news, League of Legends released updated champion spotlight videos for its recently overhauled champions Evelynn and Twitch, and Heroes of Newerth surprised players by releasing all of its heroes for free to every player. Dota 2 added classic hero Naga Siren and updated the spectator UI with a much-requested gold-per-minute table.

Hi-Rez Studios released a new SMITE video featuring Hindu demon Bakasura, a character who can eat enemies to regain health and later vomit them up on the battlefield. Wrath of Heroes also revealed ranged assassin Korith Bitterborn this week, and Guardians of Middle-Earth published its first battle profile video showing some of Gollum's and Gandalf's attacks.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Battle of the online action RPGs

MassivelyNot So Massively: Battle of the online action RPGs originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Every now and then, a game comes out of nowhere with such incredible financial success that it causes the games industry to completely lose perspective. All it takes is one game to start raking in the millions for developers, publishers and investors to stumble around with dollar signs in their eyes for years to come. Innovation grinds to a halt and everyone starts blindly copying whichever game just hit the jackpot. It's like some huge industry-wide superstition takes over and convinces people that if they do the same dance the same way, it'll rain again.

World of Warcraft has consistently had this effect since shortly after its launch in 2004. To this day, several studios per year excitedly announce yet another fantasy MMO that lifts its entire feature set and every gameplay mechanic wholesale from World of Warcraft as if it were a model for automatic success. The same thing is happening again in online gaming today, not from MMOs but from MOBAs, a new genre based on the competitive gaming classic DotA. Developers are still chasing the massive money made by yet another hugely successful game, and this time it's League of Legends.

Continue reading The Soapbox: League of Legends is the new World of Warcraft

MassivelyThe Soapbox: League of Legends is the new World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Upcoming MOBA SMITE met some opposition from The Universal Society of Hinduism this week as the game lets players control the Hindu gods Kali, Vamana, and Agni. Developers also released Guan Yu this week, a new character based on an ancient Chinese general. Lord of the Rings-based MOBA Guardians of Middle-earth published its first gameplay trailer this week, showing classic DotA-style gameplay tweaked for console controls.

Diablo III released a hotfix this week that doubled the drop rate of valuable items in Inferno difficulty and made bosses more tempting targets. Blizzard also announced plans to address the use of gear-switching mouse macros that players have been abusing in magic find runs. Upcoming free-to-play dungeon crawler Path of Exile released exciting details about its endgame map system that is sure to take over from traditional magic find runs.

League of Legends celebrated the release of its Pulsefire Ezreal legendary skin this week with a half price offer and an updated Ezreal champion spotlight video. Dota 2 also continued its march toward release with the addition of two classic heroes: Luna and Wisp. Finally, Firefall reached a whopping 500,000 beta signups this week and impressed fans with an augmented reality technology demo.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Path of Exile's map system, D3 drop rates, and MOBA news

MassivelyNot So Massively: Path of Exile's map system, D3 drop rates, and MOBA news originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diablo III has been taking on player feedback this week with the announcement of item drop rate and gameplay changes coming in the upcoming 1.0.3 patch. In a hotfix this week, Tyreal's damage was nerfed to stop players from using him to farm risk-free, and several easy gold-farming spots were heavily nerfed in an effort to curb botting. Path of Exile is also taking notice of player feedback to Diablo III, releasing new multiplayer loot reservation and public game systems.

Dota 2 announced that a limited number of tickets to watch its upcoming tournament The International will go on sale tomorrow for $49.99 each. Heroes of Newerth revealed its new tanky melee initiator Ravenor, and Rise of Immortals released new immortal Kreed along with some much-needed gameplay overhauls. League of Legends' European password database was hacked this week; Riot Games reccomends that all players reset their passwords. The Draven patch also went live this week, adding the new champion to the game and bringing nerfs for Ahri, Darius, Graves and Urgot. Finally, we got our first taste of upcoming MOBA Guardians of Middle Earth's gameplay at E3.

Continue reading Not So Massively: LoL database hack and Diablo III updates

MassivelyNot So Massively: LoL database hack and Diablo III updates originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgahriauction-housebattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcompetitive-gamingconsoled3Dariusdatabasediablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2Dravene-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgothic-fantasygravesgrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshackheroes-of-newerthhoninfernoKreedleague-of-legendslegolaslollootlord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernerfnewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpasswordpassword-theftpath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessecuritysteamvalvevideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Free Firefall manga, MOBA news, and D3 server woes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/04/not-so-massively-free-firefall-manga-moba-news-and-d3-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/04/not-so-massively-free-firefall-manga-moba-news-and-d3-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/04/not-so-massively-free-firefall-manga-moba-news-and-d3-server/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
There's no shortage of MOBA news this week, as Valve announced that Dota 2 will be free-to-play and Warner Bros. unveiled its new Lord of the Rings-themed MOBA, Guardians of Middle Earth. League of Legends ran its first invitational player-vs.-developer tournament in Las Vegas this week and released details on upcoming champion Draven, the Glorious Executioner. Heroes of Newerth published its first community-driven balance patch, and Rise of Immortals announced details on upcoming melee mage Kreed.

Diablo III faced its worst week of server stability yet, with sporadic auction house availability and frequent unscheduled maintenance periods lasting several hours each. Some players have been reporting success in getting a refund for the game, and Blizzard's Korean office was even raided by officials when the company declined to give refunds in that country.

The Path of Exile team announced that the game will be entering open beta in mid-August and that once the game is in open beta, characters will not be wiped. Red 5 Studios unveiled a new Firefall manga, written by Ender's Game author Orson Scott Card, which the company will be releasing online completely free.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Free Firefall manga, MOBA news, and D3 server woes

MassivelyNot So Massively: Free Firefall manga, MOBA news, and D3 server woes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgaffinityathenebattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcharitycomiccomicscompetitive-gamingconsoled3dariusdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2downtimedravene-sporte-sportserror-3007error-37esportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesheroes-of-newerthhoninfernolagleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmangamiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerorson-scott-cardpath-of-exilepetroglyphPetroglyph-Gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpsychozenpvpred-5-studiosriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamesserversteamvalvevideowarner-brosWarner-Bros-InteractiveWarner-Bros-Interactive-Entertainmentxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 04 Jun 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lord of the Rings Online developer blog on shaping the newest story]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/lord-of-the-rings-online-developer-blog-on-shaping-the-newest-st/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/lord-of-the-rings-online-developer-blog-on-shaping-the-newest-st/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/12/lord-of-the-rings-online-developer-blog-on-shaping-the-newest-st/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Riverfront property is pretty much always like this.
The next part of Lord of the Rings Online's epic story is on the way, another installment with players following behind the Fellowship of the Ring and taking care of all sorts of important tasks on the periphery. That means it's time for players to head down south of Lothlorien toward the banks of the river Anduin. And according to the latest developer diary, if you're interested in the people of Rohan, you'll be happy to learn this installment is packed to the brim with all sorts of interesting moments and landscapes.

Aside from laying out the basics of what players will be doing on the shores of the river, the entry also explains why this installment of the story is sending players via the river rather than the west when the last story put them on the wrong side of the Misty Mountains. The entry explains that it's all about the shape of the story -- sending players ahead to Rohan from the wrong side would lead to all sorts of unpleasantly early victories and make things a lot less interesting. It should be an enlightening look at the upcoming installment of the story, even if it won't ameliorate some grumbles at the amount of travel involved.

MassivelyLord of the Rings Online developer blog on shaping the newest story originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developer-diariesepic-storyf2pfantasyfree-to-playgame-storylord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelorelotrlotrolotro-volume-iii-book-6storystory-pathstory-shapeturbineturbine-entertainmentupdatesMon, 12 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[What a tangled web Lord of the Rings Online weaves, especially for Weavers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/23/what-a-tangled-web-lord-of-the-rings-online-weaves-especially-f/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/23/what-a-tangled-web-lord-of-the-rings-online-weaves-especially-f/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/23/what-a-tangled-web-lord-of-the-rings-online-weaves-especially-f/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Oh, good. Spiders.
If your idea of a good time in Lord of the Rings Online is to be a scuttling eight-legged monstrosity in PvMP, you've no doubt spent plenty of time with the Weaver. The developers aren't entirely happy with the Weaver; they feel that as players have grown more powerful, the finesse of a Weaver has less of a place on the battlefield. Rather than reworking the class from the ground up, however, the team is pushing through some big new upgrades for Weavers to keep them as terrifying in a mechanical sense as they are in a physical sense.

The two biggest changes are the addition of Venom pips and the Ensnared debuff. Venom pips will increase a Weaver's poison damage and can be consumed via two new skills. Ensnared, on the other hand, stacks on players whom a Weaver has slowed and can be converted into Venom pips and damage. The control elements of the class are also seeing some upgrades and enhancements aimed at keeping spiders dangerous in the battlefield, ensuring that the first reaction of "smash that spider!" is in fact the correct one.

MassivelyWhat a tangled web Lord of the Rings Online weaves, especially for Weavers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrlotrolotro-update-6newsoh-no-spiderspatchpatchespvmppvpspidersturbineturbine-entertainmentupcoming-patchesupdate-6weaversThu, 23 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Latest Lord of the Rings Online dev diary is rather audacious]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/latest-lord-of-the-rings-online-dev-diary-is-rather-audacious/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/latest-lord-of-the-rings-online-dev-diary-is-rather-audacious/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/latest-lord-of-the-rings-online-dev-diary-is-rather-audacious/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Lord of the Rings Online
Lord of the Rings Online's PvMP changes just keep rolling in, it seems. Last week, the Turbine team announced that a new currency known as commendations will be replacing the role of destiny in matters of PvMP transactions. Today, we've got a new dev diary that announces the upcoming addition of a new PvMP-only stat called Audacity.

What is Audacity, exactly? Well, put simply, it's a PvMP stat that will provide players with benefits such as reducing incoming damage and lowering the duration of crowd control abilities. Higher audacity, obviously, equates to lower incoming damage and shorter crowd control effects. But why introduce this feature in the first place? According to the post, the team believes that having PvMP and PvE gear on the same progression path resulted in underwhelming or overly difficult-to-obtain PvMP gear since the team had to ensure that "the PvMP items did not devalue the PvE offerings." In addition, Turbine feels that, thanks to the damage changes made in Rise of Isengard, PvMP combat was too fast-paced. The addition of audacity is intended to nix both of these problems.

Freeps will acquire their first rank of Audacity automatically at level 40, and further ranks will be boosted by PvMP gear that can only be purchased with commendations. Creeps, meanwhile, will gain their first rank of Audacity upon creation, and they'll gain further ranks by purchasing them directly from class trainers (seeing as how Creeps don't wear equipment).

For the full details on this new system, just click on through the link below to the official dev diary.

MassivelyLatest Lord of the Rings Online dev diary is rather audacious originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audacitycommendationcommendationsdev-diariesdev-diaryf2pfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrlotroplayer-vs-monster-playplayer-vs-monster-playerplayer-vs-playerpvmppvpturbineTurbine-Entertainmentwarner-broswbWed, 22 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lord of the Rings Online offering PvMP players some Commendation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/lord-of-the-rings-online-offering-pvmp-players-some-commendation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/lord-of-the-rings-online-offering-pvmp-players-some-commendation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/lord-of-the-rings-online-offering-pvmp-players-some-commendation/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Nothing personal, bro. I just need to upgrade my mandibles.
Lord of the Rings Online has always had an interesting system of PvP, with players facing off against a specially designated group of players in the guise of monsters. It's also a system that's historically had some problems, ones that the developers are hoping to alleviate the new Commendation system coming with Update 6. While it won't fix everything, the new system outlined in today's developer diary should ensure that players will be able to focus their PvMP efforts toward PvMP rewards, making rewards more straightforward without forcing players into PvE to advance.

The diary explains how Destiny, the previously intended PvMP currency, wound up being bloated and failed to serve its proper purpose. Commendations will be hard-capped at 100,000, and spending this currency will allow players to advance Creeps and acquire new equipment. The preliminary numbers are also included with the diary, with the understanding that there will be some tweaking after the system goes live. While players might be a bit miffed at having to use their Destiny quickly before it goes away, the new reward system will hopefully make advancing via PvMP far more viable.

MassivelyLord of the Rings Online offering PvMP players some Commendation originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>currenciesdeveloper-blogdeveloper-diaryf2pfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrlotrolotro-update-6pvmppvppvp-rewardsreward-systemsrewardsturbineturbine-entertainmentupdate-6Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Lord of the Rings Online discusses this year's Yule Festival]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/lord-of-the-rings-online-discusses-this-years-yule-festival/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/lord-of-the-rings-online-discusses-this-years-yule-festival/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/lord-of-the-rings-online-discusses-this-years-yule-festival/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The forces of evil can wait while we build snowmen.
Generally, holiday events aren't seen as content in major need of updating. Usually a game that runs an event one year will run more or less the same event the next year with a handful of extra toys. But the holiday events in Lord of the Rings Online are still an important part of the game experience, which is why the Yule Festival has undergone some serious revamping and changes to hopefully make this year the best Yule ever.

As outlined in the new developer diary, the original incarnation had a lot of space in Winter-home that didn't tie together, leaving the area feeling empty despite the abundance of content. The changes were thus focused around making full use of the space as well as making the existing quests a bit friendlier to players to address some long-standing complaints. The overall effect should make the area feel more lively and the event more fun for everyone, whether you've done it for years or this is your first Yule in Middle-earth.

MassivelyLord of the Rings Online discusses this year's Yule Festival originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>christmaschristmas-2011developer-diarieseventsf2pfree-to-playholiday-eventlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrlotronewspatchesturbineturbine-entertainmentwinter-holiday-2011yule-festivalyule-festival-2011Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Lord of the Rings Online delves into the Ring of Isengard]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/lord-of-the-rings-online-delves-into-the-ring-of-isengard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/lord-of-the-rings-online-delves-into-the-ring-of-isengard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/lord-of-the-rings-online-delves-into-the-ring-of-isengard/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Lord of the Rings Online
Today's Lord of the Rings Online dev diary brings players behind the scenes with the upcoming instance cluster, Ring of Isengard. This new update includes three small fellowships, one fellowship, and one raid, ensuring that there's something for groups of every size. The team is working off the recent success of the instance cluster In Their Absence.

The team states that "[Ring of Isengard] is a return to the classic LotRO cluster model with In Their Absence's added benefit of tiers." The cluster puts a large focus on interacting with the environment, with the addition of ballistas, saw mills, and more. The diary also gives many details on the story of the cluster, but we're not going to give it all away. Head on over to the official dev diary and read it for yourself.

MassivelyLord of the Rings Online delves into the Ring of Isengard originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dungeonsf2pfree-to-playin-their-absenceinstanceinstance-clusterinstance-clustersinstancesisengardlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrlotroring-of-isengardturbineturbine-entertainmentMon, 12 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lord of the Rings Online overhauling currencies into a single standard]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/lord-of-the-rings-online-overhauling-currencies-into-a-single-st/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/lord-of-the-rings-online-overhauling-currencies-into-a-single-st/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/lord-of-the-rings-online-overhauling-currencies-into-a-single-st/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Goats never worry about currencies. Goats have it figured out, man.
The great thing about token-based currencies, such as those found in Lord of the Rings Online, is that they allow players to acquire rewards based on steady progress rather than on the whims of a random drop. The awful thing is that you can wind up with huge vaults covered in several dozen different currency types, which is also found in Lord of the Rings Online. Fortunately, as the newest developer diary outlines, the currency is being consolidated down and shifted to a very straightforward system with just three reward types: Marks, Medallions, and Seals.

Marks are being used in a manner functionally similar to Skirmish Marks at the moment, while Medallions take the place of higher-end dungeon content and Seals are the best of the best. Players will have most of their currencies automatically converted based on the currency type, although Superior Fourth Marks will need to be manually exchanged for Medallions or Seals at the player's discretion. Players will ultimately have an easier time getting the rewards they need in a straightforward fashion with this update, and that's to the benefit of everyone.

MassivelyLord of the Rings Online overhauling currencies into a single standard originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>currenciesendgamef2pfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrlotropatchessystem-changessystemstoken-currenciestoken-systemsturbineturbine-entertainmentupdatesFri, 09 Dec 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Volume III, Book 5 diary available for Lord of the Rings Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/volume-iii-book-5-diary-available-for-lord-of-the-rings-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/volume-iii-book-5-diary-available-for-lord-of-the-rings-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/volume-iii-book-5-diary-available-for-lord-of-the-rings-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Continuing the epic saga of doing the work necessary so the heroes don't all die.
One of the challenges facing the storyline in Lord of the Rings Online is that it has a very definite deadline to contend with. While the story runs in parallel to the events in the books, it also has to line up in terms of what's taking place, which is why players will be parting company with the Grey Company starting in the next installment. Instead, as outlined in a new developer diary, Book 5 of Volume III will see players working with Prince Théodred, heir to Rohan, as he works to organize the defense of his country's borders.

The diary also gives a firm date to mark story progress by; according to the book's timeline, Frodo should reach Mount Doom in about a month. Players will find this book to be a bit shorter than the previous installment, but it should still be a vital component as the game approaches the climax of the trilogy. They'll also receive a cosmetic set of equipment at the beginning of Book 5 to help them look like a Ranger, which is appropriate considering the story progress up to this point.

MassivelyVolume III, Book 5 diary available for Lord of the Rings Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backstorybook-5developer-diaryepic-storyf2pfree-to-playlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelorelotrlotrostoryturbineturbine-entertainmentupcoming-patchesupcoming-updatesupdatesvolume-iiivolume-iii-book-5Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Functional improvements coming to the store for Lord of the Rings Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/functional-improvements-coming-to-the-store-for-lord-of-the-ring/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/functional-improvements-coming-to-the-store-for-lord-of-the-ring/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/15/functional-improvements-coming-to-the-store-for-lord-of-the-ring/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

EPIC
The store for Lord of the Rings Online is probably not the sort of epic adventure you think of when you consider Middle-earth. But it's an integral part of the game's setup now that it's moved over to free-to-play, and so it's in the best interests of Turbine Entertainment to make the store as easy to navigate and productive as possible. To that end, the team has announced a set of coming updates that should help players navigate the store, make purchases, and manage those purchases with the greatest of ease.

The two biggest additions at a glance are the inclusion of a Quick Buy button and an Add to Cart button, with the former saving the need for a shopping cart trick and the latter allowing you to stay on the page after adding the item. Also added are a Recent Buy tab and some improvements to the visual elements of the store, making it easier for players to see which categories have additional items. No, it's not quite as exciting as slaying dragons and Uruk-Hai, but it should make it a little easier to buy the gear to do so.

MassivelyFunctional improvements coming to the store for Lord of the Rings Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfree-to-playinterfaceinterface-updateslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrlotrolotro-storestorestore-updatesturbineturbine-entertainmentwarner-brosThu, 15 Sep 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Protect Isengard with the new LotRO Guardian dev diary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/protect-isengard-with-the-new-lotro-guardian-dev-diary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/protect-isengard-with-the-new-lotro-guardian-dev-diary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/protect-isengard-with-the-new-lotro-guardian-dev-diary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Lord of the Rings Online
It's time for another Lord of the Rings Online developer diary, and this time around the Guardian is up to bat. So what's in store for the plate-wearing, shield-toting class come Rise of Isengard? Well, of course Turbine realizes that many Guardians are tanks first and foremost, and it will ensure that Guardians are able to continue tanking with the best of them. On top of that, however, some passes are being made to increase Guardian DPS, which Turbine feels is substandard.

In order to accomplish this, they will be raising Guardian DPS "in a behind-the-scene fashion." This means that many abilities, such as Guardian's Ward, will simply "do more damage inherently as the Guardian levels up from 65," and Guardians will also be granted some additional damage from their shield abilities thanks to increased Shield Use rating from new Legendary Traits. If you're interested in the finer details, the full list of skill changes can be found in the full dev diary.

MassivelyProtect Isengard with the new LotRO Guardian dev diary originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>changesclassf2pfree-to-playguardianimprovementlord-of-the-ring-onlinelord-of-the-ringslotrlotrorise-of-isengardturbineTurbine-EntertainmentTue, 30 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST