Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[World of Warcraft is the new Match.com]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/world-of-warcraft-is-the-new-match-com/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/world-of-warcraft-is-the-new-match-com/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/world-of-warcraft-is-the-new-match-com/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Of course, gamers don't wear sunglasses and pinstripe polos while holding controllers, but artistic license.
Are you single? Do you want to be a little bit less single? Are your friends telling you that you should stop spending so much time talking with them online and more time looking for dates? Well, according to a recent infographic, your friends might be completely off-base. Onlineuniversity.net put together a graphic comparing World of Warcraft to the popular dating site Match.com, and the results come out pretty firmly in favor of blood elves.

So how does it look? According to the graphic, World of Warcraft has more than 10 times as many people involved as Match.com, and people sink more time into online gaming than any online dating site. There's also a number of factors that suggest slaughtering virtual trolls as a better way to bond than a cup of coffee. So while it's still probably bad form to hit on your raid leader between pulls, maybe you're not entirely off the mark. Unless she's married.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft is the new Match.com originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>culturedatinggaming-relationshipshuman-interesthumorlovemmosromancewhat-is-this-i-cant-evenThu, 22 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Rooting for the fail]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/the-soapbox-rooting-for-the-fail/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/the-soapbox-rooting-for-the-fail/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/the-soapbox-rooting-for-the-fail/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

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.

I'm going to start this with a strange admission: I love MMOs. I love them as a lumpy, imperfect collective; I love specific ones immensely, and I love being a fan of the genre. I feel that I have to clarify my stance when I sometimes -- often -- see people who apparently follow MMOs quite closely become a neverending fount of bile and venom toward these games. Apparently, not all MMO fans love MMOs, and that perplexes me.

Odd as that may be, whatever, I can accept that we live in a topsy-turvy world. What I really don't get are the folks who hate specific games so greatly that their entire bodies and minds have been honed into a dedicated game-loathing entity. Mention that title anywhere on a forum, a blog, or in a post, and these people come out to scream through clenched teeth how this MMO sucks beyond the telling of it and that we are all fools, fools for getting anywhere near it.

They aren't just content to say their piece and be done with it, oh no; their vitriol literally knows no end. They will rant, they will attack, they will laugh with derision, and above all else, they will root for the fail. Their greatest desire in life is for this specific game to die so that they can rend their clothes and let out a blood-curdling victory howl. And I don't get it. I feel like an alien in their presence, perplexed at their rage and fixation. Why do people root for MMOs to fail with such intensity? What motivates them and what do they hope to achieve?

Continue reading The Soapbox: Rooting for the fail

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Rooting for the fail originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boodoomfailfeaturedgrinchhatehello-kittyhello-kitty-onlinei-told-you-soinsecurejeeringloveopinionrantrantingrantingsrantsriftsoapboxstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-the-old-republicstoswtorthe-old-republicthe-soapboxtorvanguardwhoswhosvilleTue, 02 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: The secret lives of NPCs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/the-perfect-ten-the-secret-lives-of-npcs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/the-perfect-ten-the-secret-lives-of-npcs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/the-perfect-ten-the-secret-lives-of-npcs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It is fun, I've decided, to overthink things in life. This is especially relevant in MMOs, where we've long since taken absolutely bizarre staples as the accepted status quo. Sure, it's all polite fiction that allows developers to merge necessary game mechanics with a veneer of credibility, but many elements of MMOs simply fall apart when put under the microscope.

Case in point, the NPC. Is there a figure in online games that more symbolizes the thin barrier between the server database and user playerbase than the non-player character? NPCs exist to fill the world with warm bodies so that places don't feel empty, yet they also exhibit no more life than a mannequin with a tape recorder strapped to its back. These cardboard cutouts of the MMO scene are either reanimated corpses struggling to remember basic quest-giving instructions, or else they're prisoners of a foul witch who has struck the entire land with a paralyzing spell.

So even though it's 2011 and you'd think that NPCs would be showing us more signs of life than swiveling slightly when we approach, I'm happy to jump in and offer my opinion as to the secret life of these figures. What makes them tick? What do they get out of helping -- and prodding -- us into action? Why don't they ever sleep or use the bathroom? Just who are these people we encounter and dismiss every day?

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: The secret lives of NPCs

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: The secret lives of NPCs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barbartenderfeaturedlovemannequinnon-player-charactersnpcnpcsperfect-10perfect-tenretiredretirementsidekicktavernteacherthe-perfect-tentop-10top-tentop-ten-listtrainerturgoth-the-destructorvendorThu, 10 Mar 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars Galaxies developer webcast today shares the present and future of the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/star-wars-galaxies-developer-webcast-today-shares-the-present-an/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/star-wars-galaxies-developer-webcast-today-shares-the-present-an/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/star-wars-galaxies-developer-webcast-today-shares-the-present-an/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Calling all Star Wars Galaxies adventurers -- the SOE community team is planning to pour its heart out with the fans in a developer webcast later today! If you want to get the inside scoop on the Ewok Festival of Love and the Bonus Everything Weekend, then you will definitely want to catch this chat.

The webcast will take place today, February 17th, at 4:00 p.m. PST on Stickam, according to a Facebook announcement. The devs will be talking about the current in-game events as well as dropping "a few hints about what's coming up next."

The Ewok Festival of Love is a month-long (February 10th through March 10th) event in which the cute and cuddly inhabitants of the forest moon of Endor celebrate good feelings, good food and their obsession with flight. By participating in the events, players can earn several special rewards including housing items, pets, and decorative wings. Because nothing strikes fear in Stormtroopers like Jedi with itsy-bitsy wings!

MassivelyStar Wars Galaxies developer webcast today shares the present and future of the game originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bonus-everything-weekenddev-webcastdeveloper-webcastendorewok-festival-of-lovefacebooklovesoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstickamstormtroopersswgvalentines-daywebcastwingsThu, 17 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Eskil Steenberg talks LOVE, progression, and making indie MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/16/eskil-steenberg-talks-love-progression-and-making-indie-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/16/eskil-steenberg-talks-love-progression-and-making-indie-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/16/eskil-steenberg-talks-love-progression-and-making-indie-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Eskil Steenberg's LOVE has been flying well under the radar of late, even more so than is usual for an indie MMORPG. A little phenomenon called Minecraft happened over the past year since LOVE's launch, and while both games hail from Sweden, that's about where the similarities end. In fact, comparing LOVE to any other game is rather challenging (but also instructive), as evidenced by a new Eurogamer interview.

Steenberg is literally a one-man development show, and the piece covers a lot of fascinating ground including everything from how you measure the title against more traditional fare to how players react when confronted with LOVE's open-ended paradigm shift. Gamers will "play a game like mine... and they'll go back and play something scripted and say 'oh my God this is so archaic.' It's like if you play Dragon's Lair today. I'm not controlling it, it's all fake," Steenberg says.

The interview also touches on why Steenberg opted for a non-traditional approach to massive development, or put another way, why he didn't fall into lockstep behind World of Warcraft (and EverQuest before it) as the vast majority of the industry has done. "I'm trying to do something completely different," Steenberg says. "What they're doing is limiting what you do. You follow, you grind upwards. [Progression] is something you should do if you want to make money because you get that hook. But I was never interested in making my players addicts."

MassivelyEskil Steenberg talks LOVE, progression, and making indie MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addictseqeskil-steenbergeurogamereverquestgrindinginterviewslovemmo-industryprogressionsandboxworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 16 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Is your relationship with MMOs like courting?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/14/the-daily-grind-is-your-relationship-with-mmos-like-courting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/14/the-daily-grind-is-your-relationship-with-mmos-like-courting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/14/the-daily-grind-is-your-relationship-with-mmos-like-courting/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Or, to the angry-slash-rebellious, The Day of Insufferable Expectations Sponsored By Hallmark. Whether you're with a significant other or are secure in your singleness, we just want you to know today that Massively loves you very much. The chocolates and plush teddy bears are on the way, promise.

Speaking of love and dating, several people have made the observation over the years that players' relationships with MMOs are significantly different than players' relationships with other types of video games, almost as if these relationships mirrored romantic courting. There are periods of infatuation, lust over the hype, falling in love with the product, monogamy, secret affairs with other MMOs, moments with the game loses its luster, and the occasional break-up.

So is this you? Are your relationships with MMOs like courting? Today, take a step back and analyze just how you relate to these games -- maybe you're a "player," maybe a faithful lover, or maybe just plain disturbed by this analogy altogether. What do you think?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Is your relationship with MMOs like courting? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>courtinghallmarklovemmo-affairmonogamyopinionrelationshipstdgthe-daily-grindvalentines-dayMon, 14 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The MMO Report: Newstastic edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/28/the-mmo-report-newstastic-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/28/the-mmo-report-newstastic-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/28/the-mmo-report-newstastic-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Welcome back! This week on The MMO Report, Casey Schreiner and the team at G4TV are serving up a heaping helping of highlights, as the news has been crazy busy during the last week. Up first, Casey points out the sales numbers for DC Universe Online, which has been flying off shelves. From there, it's on to Bigpoint Games' upcoming free-to-play browser-based Battlestar Galactica Online, which will either enthrall space-drama fiends, or just give people a reason to say "frak" a lot. Zipping along, it's on to Eskil Steenberg's LOVE, which went through an upgrade while narrowly avoiding a random Craigslist hookup.

Also included are tidbits on an upcoming short documentary on the making of Minecraft, as well as an interesting piece on the MMORPGRTS alphabet soup of Reverie World Studios' upcoming game Dawn of Fantasy. Finally, this week ends out, as most weeks do, with Casey rifling through the best (or worst; we're not quite sure) to be found in Uncle Casey's Mailbag. For all the excitement and more, you can check out this week's episode of The MMO Report embedded for your ocular and aural pleasure behind the break, or catch it every Thursday on G4TV.

Continue reading The MMO Report: Newstastic edition

MassivelyThe MMO Report: Newstastic edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlestar-galactica-onlinebigpointbigpoint-gamesbrowser-basedbsgbsgocasey-schreinerdawn-of-fantasydc-universe-onlinedcuoeskil-steenbergfree-to-playg4tvhumorloveminecraftmmonewsprgreverie-world-studiosrtssillysnarksoesony-online-entertainmentthe-mmo-reportuncle-caseys-mailbagupcoming-gamesvideoFri, 28 Jan 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Friday Livestream: Eskil Steenberg's LOVE]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/10/friday-livestream-eskil-steenbergs-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/10/friday-livestream-eskil-steenbergs-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/10/friday-livestream-eskil-steenbergs-love/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Hey everyone, it's your favorite day -- Friday! The weekend is fast approaching, so let's kick it off by checking out a brand-new game!

This week's topic of the livestream is LOVE, the single-man MMO created by Eskil Steenberg. LOVE is a surreal fantasy where players fortify their settlements against waves of hostile computer-controlled tribes. However, LOVE doesn't stop the players at creating just fortifications alone! Players can terraform the environment, lay down power lines to defensive weaponry, construct buildings, and more!

So please, hit the play button above to watch the livestream narrated by Seraphina Brennan, or double-click the video to be taken to our Livestream page, where you can chat with other Massively users in real time, talk with Sera, and learn more about LOVE or the MMO industry at large!

Update: Thanks everyone for coming! The stream may be over, but you can catch a re-run of it by pressing the play button above! Enjoy!

MassivelyFriday Livestream: Eskil Steenberg's LOVE originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>defenseeskil-steenbergfeaturedfirst-personfriday-livestreamindie-mmolive-showlivestreamloveone-man-mmoversevideoFri, 10 Sep 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Free Love for the holiday weekend]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/02/free-love-for-the-holiday-weekend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/02/free-love-for-the-holiday-weekend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/02/free-love-for-the-holiday-weekend/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Those who lament that nothing innovative and interesting is being done in the field of MMOs are probably unfamiliar with LOVE, a project seeking to redefine pretty much any core assumptions about the genre. Players build and create, levels are based upon relationships with other players, and the entire world is a surrealistic masterpiece of a landscape. Oh, and the entire project is the work of one man, Eskil Steenberg. It's the sort of thing that would be well worth checking out, and during the holiday weekend, you can do precisely that.

From 6 PM GMT on Friday until noon on Monday, LOVE will be having its first free weekend, giving players curious about the actual mechanics of the game a chance to log in and take a close look at how the game works. That runs the majority of the Labor Day weekend, a fine time to log in and get some serious construction going. Keep an eye on the official site or on GamingLove for more information on registration.

[Thanks to bartillo for the tip!]

MassivelyFree Love for the holiday weekend originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cooperationeskil-steenbergexperimental-gamesfree-trialfree-weekendindependent-gamesindy-gameslabor-daylabor-day-weekendloveone-man-mmo-studioplayer-cooperationquel-solaartrialThu, 02 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMOs nominated for Game Developer's Choice Awards]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/mmos-nominated-for-game-developers-choice-awards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/mmos-nominated-for-game-developers-choice-awards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/mmos-nominated-for-game-developers-choice-awards/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The nominees for the Game Developers Choice Online awards have been announced, and MMOs made more than a respectable showing.

The nominees are separated into new and ongoing categories, and awards are given in eight different categories including best community relations, best audio, best visual arts, and several more. Seven of the eight categories carried at least one familiar MMO title, such as Champions Online, LOVE, Free Realms, Guild Wars, EVE Online, Dungeon Fighter Online, and of course World of Warcraft.

The awards ceremony will take place during GDC Online in October. The full event runs from October 5th - 8th, with awards being presented on the 7th.

MassivelyMMOs nominated for Game Developer's Choice Awards originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awardschampions-onlinedungeon-fighter-onlineeve-onlinefree-realmsgame-developers-choice-awardsgdcgdc-onlinegdc-online-2010gdc-online-awardsguild-warsloveworld-of-warcraftTue, 24 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Love's developer requesting player input for bug fixes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/loves-developer-requesting-player-input-for-bug-fixes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/loves-developer-requesting-player-input-for-bug-fixes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/loves-developer-requesting-player-input-for-bug-fixes/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Eskil Steenberg is a busy man, but that's not stopping him from retaining his title as the world's only One Man Traveling MMO Development Studio. Hey, he should get that trademarked!

For those following the progress of Steenberg's Love MMO, you are fully aware that the man stays on top of constant improvements to the game. His Twitter followers are fed a regular dose of update notes and he's not shy about appearances in his own Teamspeak channel.

This week, as he returns to the states for Siggraph 2010, he asks his loyal fans for their input on bugs that need squashing. The compiled list will be addressed this weekend, with another aim at a Teamspeak visit as well. Check out his most recent forum post for all the details.

MassivelyLove's developer requesting player input for bug fixes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bug-fixeseskil-steenbergforumslovequel-solaarWed, 04 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What do you hate about a game you love?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/23/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-hate-about-a-game-you-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/23/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-hate-about-a-game-you-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/23/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-hate-about-a-game-you-love/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Loving someone doesn't mean you lose the ability to see flaws; if anything, close proximity makes flaws all the easier to spot. The same is true for MMOs. Your six-year playtime in City of Heroes isn't coming to an end any time soon, but you still loathe the way the game handles experience post-30. You've been playing Star Trek Online since launch, but the time it takes to get out of the starter ship rubs you the wrong way. You'd never say no to Warhammer Online, but you hate the mono-gendered classes.

We all find it easy to say sweepingly negative things about games that we dislike on principle, but if you play EverQuest II and not World of Warcraft, you probably have a clearer picture of the former's failings. So today, think about your favorite game and say what it is that you don't like about it. Even if it doesn't break the game for you, what do you hate about a game you love? You'll feel better for getting it off your chest. Really.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What do you hate about a game you love? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescoheq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iigame-discussiongamer-discussionhatelovelove-hate-relationshipsmmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicsopinionstar-trek-onlinestotdgthe-daily-grindwarwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 23 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: I only have eyes for you]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/02/storyboard-i-only-have-eyes-for-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/02/storyboard-i-only-have-eyes-for-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/02/storyboard-i-only-have-eyes-for-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Welcome back to another edition of Storyboard, wherein I'm going to tackle an issue that is very near and dear to my heart. Matter of fact, it's near and dear to almost everyone's heart, and it's a topic that I'm sure I'm either going to revisit or avoid wholeheartedly in the future, because we're stepping into an emotional minefield. Today, we're going to be talking about romantic relationships in roleplaying.

Okay, now that some of the readers have run screaming from the room (which was kind of unnecessary, they could have just closed the browser), let's clarify that we are talking about romantic relationships, not anything else that could fall under the header of romance. That magical night you shared with a Mithra in Bastok Markets is an entirely different topic that I have no real interest in covering here. So we're at least into the realm of just plain emotional awkwardness, and that's for the best, as there's more than enough material there to cover for years.

Continue reading Storyboard: I only have eyes for you

MassivelyStoryboard: I only have eyes for you originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>affectionbackstorycautiondramadramatic-storyfeaturedloveroleplayingromancerprp-dramastorystoryboardFri, 02 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LOVE adding first major expansion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/love-adding-first-major-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/love-adding-first-major-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/love-adding-first-major-expansion/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We've not heard a lot from Eskil Steenberg since his MMO LOVE launched last month, but it must be going well, as he has unveiled the first major expansion for the game yesterday. AVAIL will be a free expansion, bringing the welcome addition of character progression to the game: "Many players feel that while enjoyable the game is pointless. You build only to have it be destroyed, and they would like to see a more long term goal to pursue. AVAIL will add character progression but in a way that is very different from how other games implement it."

LOVE will continue its basic goal of player cooperation in that you "level up" by working with and gaining the respect of other players. The interesting thing here is that it's a constantly shifting design -- just because you have a good working relationship with player 1, that means nothing if player 1 logs out and you begin working with player 2. If you don't already have a good working relationship with player 2 you'll need to cultivate one as part of your progression. You can find all the details on the expansion on the LOVE site.

MassivelyLOVE adding first major expansion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 May 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>availeskil-steenberglovelove-expansionquel-solaarTue, 04 May 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Eskil Steenberg: Why is LOVE so unusual?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/06/eskil-steenberg-why-is-love-so-unusual/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/06/eskil-steenberg-why-is-love-so-unusual/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/06/eskil-steenberg-why-is-love-so-unusual/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Eskil Steenberg's LOVE stood out from the MMO crowd from the first time it was presented at GDC two years ago. It didn't fit neatly into any pre-determined genre and the game's appearance was different from anything we were used to.

Two years later, LOVE has launched, and Steenberg is thrilled to see his work reach this point. He spent some time recently chatting with Gamasutra about how the game developed the way it did, what its focus is, and what he hopes players will take away from it.

LOVE isn't only unusual because of its appearance, Steenberg says. It also stands out because the focus is somewhere completely different than your traditional MMO games. Players cooperate to develop and build the world, interacting with it as they see fit: "It becomes almost like playing a RTS but one where you're playing a peon in an army, and you can decide what to do -- you can stay at home and build, you can explore, you can do all kinds of things," Steenberg explained.

That's just the beginning of what makes LOVE so unusual, though. The full interview is an interesting look at the mind behind the game, and can be read at Gamasutra.

MassivelyEskil Steenberg: Why is LOVE so unusual? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eskil-steenbergGamasutrainterviewlovequel-solaarTue, 06 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Love launch day roundup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/25/love-launch-day-roundup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/25/love-launch-day-roundup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/25/love-launch-day-roundup/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Eskil Steenberg's Love
Today is the day that Eskil Steenberg launches his indie procedurally-generated art-house MMO, Love. As if the idea of one man creating his very own MMO weren't ambitious enough, Steenberg also created a comprehensive set of tools to build the entire game from scratch. If you're curious for more information on this beautifully unique MMO, we've gathered up some highlights from our coverage of Love here for you to check out. Perhaps we'll see you in game!

Anti-Aliased: What is Love?
So what is love? That's certainly the metaphysical question of the ages, isn't it? ... That's why we're going to spend this week talking about Eskil Steenberg's indie-MMO, Love!
A first look at the Love alpha
The graphical style floats somewhere between impressionist and Abstract, with only the suggestions of people and things. Gone are the "customize your character heavily" moments of an MMO. You simply log in and your character is immediately created - an amorphous entity ready to take part in all that Love has to offer.
Two new videos bring the Love
Since we've heard about Eskil Steenberg's concept for a procedurally generated MMO, we've been craving a close look at Love. Luckily for those of us who have only heard about it through news sources, he's decided to publish a video presentation showing off just what gameplay is like in Love....

Continue reading Love launch day roundup

MassivelyLove launch day roundup originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eskil-steenbergindependentindielaunch-daylovemmommorpgroundupThu, 25 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[It pays to love Darkfall]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/it-pays-to-love-darkfall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/it-pays-to-love-darkfall/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/04/it-pays-to-love-darkfall/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Do you like Darkfall? Does it go above and beyond the call of duty, insofar as paying a company a monthly subscription for their game can be described as a duty? Or, if you would consider your love for the game somewhat more pedestrian, would you be willing to go above and beyond for the tune of five thousand dollars? (Yes, yes, read it in the Dr. Evil voice if you must.) Then you may want to take a look at the recently announced contest on the official forums, the celebration of the game's birthday with the new "I Love Darkfall" contest.

Thraiax made the official announcement, calling for the game's fans to do... well... whatever they see fit. The contest makes no distinctions about how a fan shows their love, be it a video, artwork, or something completely out of left field. All that matters is that it shows the depth of your love for the game. The best entry, judged by the staff, will receive a whopping $5,000 prize, proof that love can indeed pay your bills. More will be revealed in the next few days, but for the time being, start thinking of how best to show your love. (Flowers probably won't work here.)

MassivelyIt pays to love Darkfall originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversaryaventurinebirthdaycontestsdarkfalldarkfall-contestdarkfall-lovelovemoneyprizesthraiaxThu, 04 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Home is where the Love is]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/one-shots-home-is-where-the-love-is/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/one-shots-home-is-where-the-love-is/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/one-shots-home-is-where-the-love-is/#commentsFiled under: , ,

With Eskil Steenberg's indie MMO, Love, set to launch in just a little over a month, he's been incredibly busy pushing out updates and refining the game further. The idea that one man has managed to bring a whole new form of MMO from idea, on through building all the tools, to creating the game, running the beta, fixing all issues, and soon -- publishing! Add to that how uniquely beautiful the procedurally-generated world of Love is, and you can see why we're glad to see players sending in One Shots from there.

Today's image comes to us from Joshua P. who writes in to explain the scene: This is a screen shot taken just after Eskil sent out a graphics update. The Kadeshi Junction is one of the most beautiful places in the game. My character, Nathon (names are randomly generated), on Atlanta-1 server, had logged on and ran through legions of the genius AI to find a good spot for a settlement. I think this is it.

Why not join the fun and send in your own screenshots to be featured here on One Shots? We can always use more to pick from. Just email them to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the game its from, and whatever other information you'd like to give us. We'll post it for everyone to enjoy and give you the credit.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II


Gallery: One Shots


MassivelyOne Shots: Home is where the Love is originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eskil-steenbergjoshua-ploveone-shotsquelsolaarscreenshotscreenshotsWed, 24 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Indie MMO Love set for March 25 launch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/indie-mmo-love-set-for-march-25-launch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/indie-mmo-love-set-for-march-25-launch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/indie-mmo-love-set-for-march-25-launch/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Development of Eskil Steenberg's MMO Love has been proceeding quietly for a few years now, with the occasional story when alpha or beta milestones are reached. Back in October, we took a closer look at this gorgeous, unique game thanks to Krystalle and Seraphina.

The work of the one-man development studio and the patience of Love fans is about to pay off: Mr. Steenberg announced via Twitter that Love will launch March 25th, just over a month from now. If the game looks interesting to you and you haven't had the opportunity to check it out yet, the official site has some tips and suggestions for getting the game set up on your computer as well as some links to informational sites.

Take a look at the game, and we'll see you at launch!

[via Heartless Gamer]

MassivelyIndie MMO Love set for March 25 launch originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eskil-steenberglaunchloveTue, 16 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: The glow of Love]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/01/one-shots-the-glow-of-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/01/one-shots-the-glow-of-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/01/one-shots-the-glow-of-love/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When it comes to looking for new gaming ideas, there's no denying Eskil Steenberg's procedurally-generated art-house MMO, Love stands out. Now in beta, Eskil has been working hard at improving the game since the last time we looked at it. Today, we have a gorgeous One Shots from the beta to share with you. This came in with a report in from the front lines, courtesy of GamingLove's iamacyborg, who writes:

This is a screenshot of a player settlement in Eskil Steenberg's game, Love, on the UK1 server. We had the base set up on top of a few pillars, over a lake, with a force-field (that pink ball) protecting the important tokens. Here's a video someone took of the settlement a little while after the screenshot was taken, once we'd set up a perimeter defence with some blaster turrets.

Are you playing something we haven't seen before - or only see rarely? If so, why not take a moment and send some screenshots in? Just mail them to us at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll post it out here and give you the credit.

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: The glow of Love originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>art-housebetaeskil-steenbergindielovemmommorpgone-shotspaid-betaprocedurally-generatedscreenshotscreenshotsMon, 01 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LOVE open beta is now live]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/07/love-open-beta-is-now-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/07/love-open-beta-is-now-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/07/love-open-beta-is-now-live/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's been almost two years since we at Massively first laid eyes on Eskil Steenberg's MMO Love, and wondered if it would ever make it to production. The unique look and gameplay features of Love made it stand out immediately, and we (along with a good number of fans) remained anxious to see the game succeed as we watched production advance and open alpha approach.

Now one-man design studio Steenberg has crossed another hurdle. He's finished up a list of 26 things he wanted to add to the game, and beta launched today. The client is available for download at the site, and three euros will net you one month of gameplay. (Steenberg suggests that you download first and make sure the client will run on your computer before you pay for anything.)

If you're interested in checking out an MMO that's unlike pretty much anything currently out there, visit the Love page, read through what Steenberg has to say, and give the beta a try.

MassivelyLOVE open beta is now live originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eskil-steenbergloveopen-betaThu, 07 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Love's beta launches on January 7th]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/01/loves-beta-launches-on-january-7th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/01/loves-beta-launches-on-january-7th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/01/loves-beta-launches-on-january-7th/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Eskil has done it! He has completed the "List of 26" and has shut off the "join Love" screen until January 7th, when the beta will officially open up to all new players.

However, if you've been with Eskil through the Alpha process, you have a small thank you gift in the form of the servers already open for you and patched up with the beta client. So, if you have had an active account this past month, log in and see some of the things Eskil has changed and/or added to the game. Things like sound -- glorious sound!

For the full run down of Eskil's 26 major additions to Love, you're going to have to check out his Twitter page. There's no formal patch notes as of yet, so this is the best you can do until Eskil gets it all down formally on paper or just lets us find out what he changed.

[Via Blue's News]

MassivelyLove's beta launches on January 7th originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>26-thingsbetabeta-announcementeskil-steenbergfantasyloveopen-betaFri, 01 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Love counts down to the launch of beta, account holders play free]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/28/love-counts-down-to-the-launch-of-beta-account-holders-play-fre/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/28/love-counts-down-to-the-launch-of-beta-account-holders-play-fre/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/28/love-counts-down-to-the-launch-of-beta-account-holders-play-fre/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

While everyone's off enjoying the holidays, there's no rest for Eskil Steenberg. The one man of the one-man-MMO team is working hard though the holidays, putting together 26 major new features for the introduction of the Love beta test.

While the features are secret, Eskil is updating his Twitter account with information on the new features as he completes them. Once all 26 items are done, Eskil will be updating Love and sending the game into beta. Currently the features look quite interesting -- such as new specialized settlements, sound pathing for the game, letting the game's AI use teleporter guns, a new building type (prisons), and something that is only referred to as "armageddon." Whatever the heck armageddeon is, it sounds awesome.

Continue reading Love counts down to the launch of beta, account holders play free

MassivelyLove counts down to the launch of beta, account holders play free originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-testcountdowneskil-steenbergfree-gameplayloveone-man-mmoopen-betaupdateMon, 28 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's your favorite indie MMO?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-indie-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-indie-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-indie-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , ,


There's never enough credit given to the indie MMO developers. These are the teams that usually put it all on the line with the hope of making a darn good MMO for people to play in. They don't have the budgets that the big teams do, and sometimes they don't have the graphics, but what they always have is the soul and innovation to put out their title.

So today's Daily Grind is dedicated to the independent teams out there. And, in honor of them, we ask you what your favorite indie MMO is. You've got lots of choices, from Love to Face of Mankind to Neocron to Fallen Earth to Ryzom to Istaria to Darkfall to A Tale in the Desert to many others. We could keep going, but you'd probably get bored of us naming off all of these games.

So tell us of your favorite indie MMO! For good measure, tell us some stories about your indie MMO of choice! Go go go!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's your favorite indie MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-tale-in-the-desertdarkfallface-of-mankindfallen-earthfomindie-mmoistarialoveneocronopinionryzomthe-daily-grindFri, 09 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: What is Love?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/08/anti-aliased-what-is-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/08/anti-aliased-what-is-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/08/anti-aliased-what-is-love/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


So what is love? That's certainly the metaphysical question of the ages, isn't it? Is it simply an attraction to another gender, or is it a deep bond between two people that goes beyond mere friendship, and more into the realm of headbanging, suit and sunglasses wearing pride? Do I have the authority to take on questions such as this in my editorial column?

Heck no! That's why we're going to spend this week talking about Eskil Steenberg's indie-MMO, Love! We've been covering Love extensively this week, announcing that the alpha was available and showing off some really beautiful in-game footage. But, even with all of that, we never got into the meat of the game. What is Love about? What do you do in it? Why is it so special to us on the Massively staff?

Those questions and more will be answered in this week's edition. So come on in, the Love is great!

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: What is Love?

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: What is Love? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-aliasedeskil-steenbergfeaturedfpsindieindie-mmolovemonolithmystopen-worldprocedural-generationpuzzlesandboxtower-defenseThu, 08 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A first look at the Love alpha]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/06/a-first-look-at-the-love-alpha/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/06/a-first-look-at-the-love-alpha/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/06/a-first-look-at-the-love-alpha/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Ever since I first heard about Love at GDC, I've been hoping to get a chance to check it out. The graphical style floats somewhere between impressionist and Abstract, with only the suggestions of people and things. Gone are the "customize your character heavily" moments of an MMO. You simply log in and your character is immediately created - an amorphous entity ready to take part in all that Love has to offer. If you like to explore, Love has that. If you want to help build a mighty settlement, you can do that too. Alternately, if you want to run around blowing NPCs (and their settlements) off the map, that's also an option.

While it is a paid alpha - something some may balk at, and others find quite reasonable considering Steenberg is developing Love solo - the game offers an interesting twist on MMOs as we know them. It's a little bit adventure game, a little bit cooperative civilization building, and a little bit FPS. How you get through the game - through fending for yourself or working with others - is entirely up to you. At 3 EUR per 30 days of paid time (approximately $4.50 US) it's worth checking out if you're curious. If, however, you're just interested in looking in on Love from afar, we have two videos full of our very own beautiful alpha Love exploration footage behind the break.

Continue reading A first look at the Love alpha

MassivelyA first look at the Love alpha originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alpha-footageeskil-steenbergloveopen-alphapreviewprocedurally-generatedvideoTue, 06 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Love opens up logins for alpha testers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/05/love-opens-up-logins-for-alpha-testers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/05/love-opens-up-logins-for-alpha-testers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/05/love-opens-up-logins-for-alpha-testers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


A while back, we mentioned that the Love alpha client was available for download, so you can run the engine on your system and help the one-man-developer, Eskil Steenberg, with gathering data for his server. Eskil has gotten done that portion, however, and has now opened the anticipated game for alpha testing audiences.

Eskil has stressed on his website that much of what Love is now may not be what the game is in a few months or years, and that alpha will be chock full 'o bugs. Things may have been going really well for him, but he is giving no one any assurances on how well the alpha will function.

For those interested in Eskil's project, the open alpha will cost you 3 Euros (about $4.50) so Eskil can pay for the servers and bandwidth. Eskil has also posted the full information on what the account creation page does, which can be found in the middle of his information on Love's alpha test.

MassivelyLove opens up logins for alpha testers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alphaalpha-testbandwidthbreakingeskileskil-steenbergfreeform-mmoloveopen-alphaquelsolaarserverMon, 05 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Love reaches open alpha, client download now available]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/love-reaches-open-alpha-client-download-now-available/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/love-reaches-open-alpha-client-download-now-available/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/love-reaches-open-alpha-client-download-now-available/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The above picture is not a lie -- it's the login screen to Eskil Steenburg's one man MMO, Love. Mr. Steenburg has just recently pushed the client into open alpha, letting users download and run the game on their PCs, but not log into the game. Not yet, at least.

However, running the client is quite important, as it will send Eskil a few important statistics. The client will collect the name of your video card, if it supports the three OpenGL extensions he uses, and it will count how many people are interested so he can go invest in some servers without going overboard. So if you're interested in eventually playing the game, you can jump on over to his website, Quel Solaar, and grab yourself the open alpha of Love to "register your interest" by running the client on your machine. Plus, you get treated to an awesome look at Love's beautiful dynamic graphics.

Continue reading Love reaches open alpha, client download now available

MassivelyLove reaches open alpha, client download now available originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingclient-downloadeskil-steenbergeskil-steenbergs-lovelovelove-mmoone-man-mmoopen-alphaopenglMon, 28 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Are new MMOs afraid to take risks?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/01/are-new-mmos-afraid-to-take-risks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/01/are-new-mmos-afraid-to-take-risks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/01/are-new-mmos-afraid-to-take-risks/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Syp over at BioBreak is working on an interesting gaming project. He is valiantly attempting to flesh out a timeline for all MMOs in the history... of MMOs. While working on this project, he came to a stunning, if not somewhat obvious realization: MMOs don't take as many risks as they used to and the ones that do aren't rewarded for it. The latter is likely feeding the former in this situation.

It seems with all emerging genres that the pioneers really are just that; the risk-takers who pave the way for future products (or services). Over time though, this innovative spirit is lost or at least lessened to a great degree, and when it comes to satisfying the masses, it is somewhat understandable. Take the television, music, and motion picture industries for example. How many hospital dramas have we seen since E.R. first aired? How many recycled pop music tracks fuel success for the next big boy or girl band? We just can't wait to see the next super-hero movie sequel! While individuals may crave fresh ideas and implementations, "the masses," just don't seem interested.

However, not all creativity is lost. There are a number of independent MMO developers working on niche titles that might catch your eye. Don't bet on them being a huge hit with the masses, though we're sure they're just fine with that.

MassivelyAre new MMOs afraid to take risks? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biobreakearthrisefallen-earthindependentindie-designerslovemmo-timelinesypTue, 01 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Procedurally-generated MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/13/the-daily-grind-procedurally-generated-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/13/the-daily-grind-procedurally-generated-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/13/the-daily-grind-procedurally-generated-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


With the way MMOs keep changing and growing, there's some very exciting things on the horizon for players wanting something more than what's currently out there. For example, Eskil Steenberg is working on a unique procedurally-generated MMO - you could call it an art-house MMO - named Love. What we've seen of it has been utterly fascinating so far, and the fact that he's developing it solo ensures it will hopefully come out precisely as he wants it. Outside of that, a friend of mine named Jason tossed out a post this morning about another procedurally-generated engine - the CityEngine - that can generate enormous cities completely on the fly. As he mentioned, can you imagine using it to create a horror MMO where you can essentially wander for huge distances, in and out of buildings before you find another player? Completely open and playable building interiors? Zombies? In a sandbox? We'd be happy to just play there as a seriously spooky fragfest.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, we wanted to ask you - what do you think of the idea of procedurally-generated content? Do you think this is really the only logical choice in terms of building enormous open-ended sandbox MMO worlds for the future, or do you think the tightly designed and scripted worlds we have now are the only way to go? Can you see procedurally-generated games becoming a part of the mainstream, or is the tech too open ended for us? Are we ready to break free and tell our own stories?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Procedurally-generated MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cityengineeskil-steenberghorrorlovemmommorpgprocedurally-generatedzombieMon, 13 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Five upcoming MMOs with indie-cred]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/29/five-upcoming-mmos-with-indie-cred/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/29/five-upcoming-mmos-with-indie-cred/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/29/five-upcoming-mmos-with-indie-cred/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Eurogamer's Oli Welsh attended the Game Developer's Conference last month and took a look at five MMOs being produced by independent studios. Earthrise, Fallen Earth, Gatheryn, Global Agenda, and Love are all being developed without the support of a huge publisher. Given all the big budget competition, do they stand a chance?

According to Oli, Earthrise has many interesting features but with beta set for May and release set for late 2009, he's a little concerned with the framerate issues and lack of polish. Much like its post-apocalyptic brother, Fallen Earth shines on many levels and is also due in 2009, but it is lacking in execution with animation, combat, and AI issues. As for Gatheryn, Oli is a bit confused as to why this game is even being made at all because it lacks depth and has no clear direction (here's what we thought).

On the other hand, Mr. Welsh has high praise for both Global Agenda and Love. The former appears to be an interesting blend of adrenaline-pumping MMOFPS action with more polish than an antique car show. The latter is the brainchild of a one-man army, giving it the most indie-cred out of all the titles.

For a more in-depth explanation of his opinions, follow Oli as he takes a journey through the MMO's wild frontier.

MassivelyFive upcoming MMOs with indie-cred originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earthriseeurogamerfallen-earthgatheryngdcgdc-2009global-agendaloveoli-welshopinionWed, 29 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Two new videos bring the Love]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/24/two-new-videos-bring-the-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/24/two-new-videos-bring-the-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/24/two-new-videos-bring-the-love/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Since we've heard about Eskil Steenberg's concept for a procedurally generated MMO, we've been craving a close look at Love. Luckily for those of us who have only heard about it through news sources, he's decided to publish a video presentation showing off just what gameplay is like in Love, very similar to what our very own Shawn Schuster saw at GDC.

For those of you who are interested in just what a procedurally-generated MMO looks like, or who are curious for more information on this art-house feel MMO, check behind the break for a couple of videos showing off the splendour of Love. As an added bonus, there's a video showing the tools involved in the making of this intriguing one-man generated title. Technical and art geeks alike should find something interesting in this pair of previews!

Continue reading Two new videos bring the Love

MassivelyTwo new videos bring the Love originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eskil-steenberglovemmommofpsprocedurally-generatedFri, 24 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LOVE creator Eskil Steenberg on how his game differs from other MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/love-creator-eskil-steenberg-on-how-his-game-differs-from-other/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/love-creator-eskil-steenberg-on-how-his-game-differs-from-other/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/08/love-creator-eskil-steenberg-on-how-his-game-differs-from-other/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


It would be an understatement to say we're excited about the upcoming massively multiplayer online game titled LOVE, and we've certainly given the title some mention here in the past. It's an MMO being developed by one person, Eskil Steenberg, featuring a rather unique art style and some interesting gameplay elements. We're always looking out for more info about the title and came across an interview with Steenberg conducted by Phill Cameron from Gamasutra, just before the LOVE creator's Independent Games Summit lecture at GDC 2009.

Steenberg discusses his choice to adopt procedural generation for LOVE, which was actually the only way forward on this project. "Working alone, you simply just can't build a massive world all by yourself, so you need to do something smarter," he says. "Given that I am forced to solve this problem, I get some added bonuses like being able to constantly generate new content while the game is running." Steenberg points out another benefit to this type of game design."As it turns out I think this could be the key to gaming in the future, as the game is able to develop and change in response to the player's actions," he says. "Rather then having a few binary plot choices, the world becomes far more dynamic and responsive to your actions."

Continue reading LOVE creator Eskil Steenberg on how his game differs from other MMOs

MassivelyLOVE creator Eskil Steenberg on how his game differs from other MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>design-choiceseskil-steenberggamasutragame-designgdcgdc-2009independentindependent-games-summitindieinterviewslovemmo-industrynew-titlesphill-cameronprocedural-generationprocedurally-generatedsoloWed, 08 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Eskil Steenberg on developing the Love MMO solo]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/19/eskil-steenberg-on-developing-the-love-mmo-solo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/19/eskil-steenberg-on-developing-the-love-mmo-solo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/19/eskil-steenberg-on-developing-the-love-mmo-solo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Massively multiplayer online games are the result of millions of dollars of investment and the collective efforts of a large team of developers to produce... right? Not according to Eskil Steenberg, who has the distinction of being the only individual we've heard of who's developing an MMO by himself, titled Love.

No doubt this is a Herculean task before Steenberg, but Love is by all indications rather far along in development, particularly in light of the video footage we've seen in the past. Steenberg recently did an interview with GameSource, discussing aspects of Love ranging from his motivations to take on a project of this scale by himself to the tools he's using to make his game concepts a reality.

Eskil Steenberg will be in attendance at this month's Game Developers Conference, so it's a safe bet you can expect to hear more about Love at Massively in the coming weeks.

MassivelyEskil Steenberg on developing the Love MMO solo originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This One Shots has got love, happiness and penguins - it's the feel-good screenshot of the year! No, I'm not talking about a still image from Happy Feet; it's today's World of Warcraft One Shots sent in to us by Johanis. Admittedly, I've been sitting on this one for a little while, just for Valentine's day. Wondering why? Read the note that came along with it: Here's a shot sent in by Johanis taken while he was visiting areas around Moa'ki Harbor in Northrend of Wrath of the Lich King. I've flown by these two penguins several times and the two are always together. They do not wander around and stare out at the ice cold waters. Could they be in love? I often stop by now that I can fly in Northrend and visit them. They often look around and stretch their necks but they will not move away from each other. It's very sweet! See? Had to keep that for today.

Have you found something adorably cute in your favorite MMO? Perhaps you've noticed a couple of NPCs who never stray far from each other, too. Whatever your reason, we want your screenshots! Just email them to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name and the game they're from.

Gallery: One Shots




MassivelyOne Shots: Love in the frozen north originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Feb 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When you think of the sheer amount of work that a development team puts into an MMO, it's no wonder that we're talking about years of effort needed to produce a solid title. Now, imagine what it would take for one person to do it all on his own, while incorporating innovative concepts into the gameplay. That's exactly what Eskil Steenberg is doing. He's the one man army behind Love, an in-development MMO that boasts a unique art style, and is heavily geared towards gamers who enjoy exploration and world building.

G4TV's X-Play has an excellent video preview of Love, which explains the basic concepts of the game. It gives us a look at the environments and hints at the world shaping possibilities that players will be able to harness. Each of Love's worlds (which should support up to 200 players) is distinct from others, being in a near-constant state of flux. There's still no word on when Love will be released, but you can be certain we'll be keeping an eye on this title. If you'd like to see what Love is like, you can check out X-Play's video footage below the cut.

Continue reading Video footage released of unique MMO "Love"

MassivelyVideo footage released of unique MMO "Love" originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Have you ever wondered what it would take for a single person to create an MMO? Is a task this monumental even possible? Apparently it is, given what we've seen and read of Love, an MMO being developed by a single man -- Eskil Steenberg.

Love isn't being created by a team of devs, nor does it have a multi-million dollar development and marketing budget. It's just one man with a vision, building the best game he can and showing it off on his laptop. Rock, Paper, Shotgun recently got an exclusive first look at the Love trailer and Jim Rossignol from RPS followed that up with an interview with Eskil Steenberg. They discuss how Love's unique visual style evolved into what we see today and talk about the game's trinity of activities -- exploration, combat, and building -- namely the system of city building. It's a very interesting talk with Steenberg, and really is a must-read if you're enthusiastic about Love and the ambition of its creator.

MassivelyEskil Steenberg interviewed about his one-man MMO project "Love" originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What does it say about our industry when one man and a laptop can create a game arguably more artistically ambitious and breathtaking than anything to come out of SOE, Mythic, Funcom, Turbine, Cryptic, or Blizzard? We were left to ponder that question after watching the first trailer for Love, an MMO with a one-man development team.

We were first introduced to the game at GDC, where we first witnessed its gorgeous impressionist art style and learned about its procedurally generated narrative and creativity-driven social gameplay. Trailer host Rock, Paper Shotgun says this new trailer is the first moving image of the game seen by the public, but we actually included an off-screen video in our impressions of creator Eskil Steenberg's one-on-one presentation. That said, this video is much more impressive. It's simply stunning. We're not able to embed it, so head over to RPS to watch.

Gallery: GDC08: Love by Eskil Steenberg

MassivelyFirst trailer of Love is absolutely breathtaking originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artart-houseartisticeskil-steenbergeskil-steenbergs-loveimpressionistindieloveproceduralprocedurally-generatedquel-solaarquelsolaarrebeltrailervideoThu, 16 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New screens from the art-house MMO called Love]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/29/new-screens-from-the-art-house-mmo-called-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/29/new-screens-from-the-art-house-mmo-called-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/29/new-screens-from-the-art-house-mmo-called-love/#commentsFiled under: , ,

MMOs don't have to all be about orcs, elves, and level-grinding. Case in point: Eskil Steenberg's Love, an art-house MMO that defies every conceivable expectation of what the genre is about. There's been a lot of talk lately about how there isn't enough innovation anymore. Quiet down, folks; Love is what you seek.

When Steenberg showed the game to us at GDC this year, we were excited and alarmed at the same time -- excited because it was different and gorgeous, alarmed because we had to step outside of our comfort zone. The exploration-driven gameplay allows users to alter the painting-like world to match their dreams, but the world is all they'll be changing, as the game features no character creation or customization. Users don't even to pick their own names.

So yes, it's challenging, but God, we miss being challenged. If only there were more projects like this for us to write about. For now, though, let's just swoon over Love. Steenberg released three new images from the game on his blog yesterday, and we have them here so you can soak in the impressionistic atmosphere. Be sure to check out our GDC gallery as well.

[Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

Gallery: Eskil Steenberg's Love

City 1City 2City 3

MassivelyNew screens from the art-house MMO called Love originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The official EverQuest II community site has been updated with 20 screenshots of the forthcoming Game Update 44. The screenshots illustrate the new features that were announced a week ago. There are quite a few shots of the new Shard of Hate instance and its related events, as well as the updated trade skill facilities in Freeport. You can also see the two new warg mounts and an oh-so-titillating shot of the new "Show Ranged Weapon" option for Rangers who'd rather show off their epic bows than their melee weapons.

Once you're done looking over those, you can go read some snarky, sarcastic remarks about all the new Game Update 44 content in a pretty amusing commentary titled "Island of the Patch People," provided by EQ2 players RazorX and Coyote over at Ten Ton Hammer. All patches can be nitpicked at least a little, even the awesome ones!

Gallery: EverQuest II Game Update 44

MassivelySOE exhibits 20 new pics of EQ2's Game Update 44 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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