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[Free for All: So, what does "MMORPG" mean?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/08/free-for-all-so-what-does-mmorpg-mean/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/08/free-for-all-so-what-does-mmorpg-mean/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/08/free-for-all-so-what-does-mmorpg-mean/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

As a reader of Massively, you should have a pretty good idea what MMORPG means. Not just what it stands for, but what it feels like, looks like, and behaves like. The problem is, despite common definitions, the games keep coming in different shapes and sizes -- and from all over the world. While I receive many comments about the Western coverage that Massively features, I would only be doing half my job if I reported on only the latest half a dozen games to break the multi-million-dollar budget mark in America.

The world is a smaller place, especially now. And across the world there are MMORPGs that are being played and enjoyed in many different ways. There are PvP games, games that place players into instance after instance with only a handful of other players, all while offering the potential to hang out with thousands of other people. Is an instanced combat game still an MMO? How about a game like Mabinogi, which maintains a persistent world, but is broken into several invisible channels for players to skip in to and out of?

This is impossible, but I think I will try to define exactly what MMO means -- now, in this current market.

Continue reading Free for All: So, what does "MMORPG" mean?

MassivelyFree for All: So, what does "MMORPG" mean? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmandefining-mmosdefinitionsfeaturedfree-for-allfriends-listguild-warslarpmabinogimassivemassivelymassively-multiplayermassively-multiplayer-onlinemassively-multiplayer-online-gamemassively-multiplayer-online-gamesmmommorpgmobile-gamesmultiplayerphonesreal-liferoleplayroleplayingsocializationsocializingtechnologyterminologywesternWed, 08 Sep 2010 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: One massive agenda]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/15/anti-aliased-one-massive-agenda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/15/anti-aliased-one-massive-agenda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/15/anti-aliased-one-massive-agenda/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

So, I'll be honest, I had a completely different idea for a column this week. But reading over the comments on yesterday's launch trailer for Global Agenda got me thinking: Why is there so much ado about the nature of an MMO? Why are so many fixated on the 10 vs 10 nature of Global Agenda and not the bigger picture of what the game has to offer? Why do we scoff at the idea of 100 person instances when it was designed to give the player more flexibility?

Today, I want to play the devil's advocate, as I do in so many of my opinion columns. I want to take on the defense of Global Agenda as an MMO title, and I think I have enough evidence to prove that it's massive -- just not in the way you normally consider MMOs to be massive. And, personally, I think this is only good news for the industry at large.

If you guys wish to comment on this edition of Anti-Aliased, please comment of page 2 of the article, as always! Your comments are always well received!

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: One massive agenda

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: One massive agenda originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10-vs-10anti-aliasedconquestfeaturedglobal-agendaglobal-agenda-conquesthi-rez-studiosmassive-warmassively-multiplayermmo-tacticsmmortsmmotpsplanetsidethird-person-shooterFri, 15 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Looking back on the good old days]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/the-daily-grind-looking-back-on-the-good-old-days/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/the-daily-grind-looking-back-on-the-good-old-days/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/15/the-daily-grind-looking-back-on-the-good-old-days/#commentsFiled under: , ,


From time to time all of us look back on "the good old days" of massively multiplayer gaming -- it's something to occupy our minds with while that annoying elf camps our corpse. At least that's what our mind always comes back to after organizing our backpack, arguing about politics in guild chat until we're threatened with being kicked, and passionately arguing the subtle advantages of a 51/5/5 build over a 54/7/0 build on the WoW forums. Ah, the good old days, when the closest you could get to what we now know as "massively multiplayer" was trading messages across a BBS or a dozen people logged on to a text-based MUD or the charming 2D graphics of Ultima Online. (Though, really, there was corpse camping back then, too, wasn't there? No doubt our minds wax nostalgic for prettily painted sprite-based graphics.) So, whether you're being corpse camped or you just happen to be stuck at the office for the next eight tedious hours, let's talk: when were your "good old days?"

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Looking back on the good old days originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daily-grindgood-old-daysmassively-multiplayermmomudnostalgiatdgultima-onlineMon, 15 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: It will all be fine in ten minutes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/11/anti-aliased-it-will-all-be-fine-in-ten-minutes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/11/anti-aliased-it-will-all-be-fine-in-ten-minutes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/11/anti-aliased-it-will-all-be-fine-in-ten-minutes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Back in the day when a 500 Mhz processor was fast, we were lulled into these weird online universes with multitudes of golden tongued promises. "Play online with thousands of others!", "Make a hero and save detailed and vast worlds!", and, my favorite, "Live in an persistent universe where your actions will have long lasting effects!"

Certainly, two of those promises have come true. Our worlds are traveled by thousands upon thousands of users daily, and the characters we have created are truly the stuff of legends who have saved these vast worlds countless times. But the one thing that has still eluded us all this time... persistence.

The funny thing is, it's not because we can't program or realize persistence in our games. We have the technology and expertise to do that just fine. We don't have persistence because persistence isn't profitable.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: It will all be fine in ten minutes

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: It will all be fine in ten minutes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acasherons-callblizzarddynamic-contentdynamic-worldsepiceventsfeaturedfeatureshistorieshistoryjoystiqfeaturesloremarketingmassively-multiplayerpersistenceplayer-involvementprofitstatic-contentturbineworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 11 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EST