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Firefall video diary talks Medics, Assaults, and that dreaded balance word

Jef Reahard — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, MMOFPS

Mmm, Firefall.

Red 5 Studios is starting the Thanksgiving week off right with a delicious helping of video. The entree consists of David Williams talking a bit about class design and the balance challenges inherent in the title's battleframes (for the uninitiated, battleframes are the suits of power armor worn by Firefall's soldiers, and in gameplay terms they determine your class and combat role).

When it comes to the dreaded "B" word, Williams uses the game's Medic class as an example, and he says that Red 5 wants combat docs to be able to deal damage and fulfill the primary support role. This poses a problem, of course, because other classes (like the Assault) aren't able to do both. The Medic "needed to be fun, it needed to be threatening, but it also needed to be just below the offensive capabilities of an Assault," Williams explains.

See what else he has to say, and get a good look at Firefall in action, via the video after the break.

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Firefall video diary talks Medics, Assaults, and that dreaded balance word originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SWTOR's Georg Zoeller salutes the Trooper class

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Interviews, Star Wars: The Old Republic

He won't play favorites between the choice of builds, but BioWare's Georg Zoeller is remarkably open otherwise when it comes to talking about Star Wars: The Old Republic's Trooper in action.

In an interview on RepublicTrooper.com, Zoeller fields a number of questions about the Trooper's capabilities in combat, especially in regard to how a ranged class can function as a tank. After struggling with these unique problems, BioWare tuned the Vanguard (the Trooper's advanced tanking spec) to be a mid-ranged tank with visual effects to show when the class was warding off melee attacks.

"Statistically, their tanking ability is based more upon absorption and shielding and less about avoidance, making them the slightly more predictable tanks (Medics love that)," he wrote. "Finally, they are visually very different when in action, as most of their abilities are themed around technical attacks "

Zoeller said that all-Trooper guilds are entirely possible, given the flexibility of the advanced class roles, as Troopers cover the gamut of the Holy Trinity. He sees Trooper healers as being extremely desirable: "Commandos are the only medic class capable of increasing their target's mitigation and receptivity to heals. They are also the only Advanced Class that features a 'smart heal,' an auto-response heal that triggers on the target when they take damage."

SWTOR's Georg Zoeller salutes the Trooper class originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Wars Galaxies' GU20 brings the GCW to space

Brianna Royce — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Patches, PvE, Star Wars Galaxies, Sandbox

Star Wars Galaxies may be due for a tragic space opera death come December, but that doesn't mean the devs are twiddling their thumbs in the meantime. This morning, Sony Online Entertainment's sci-fi sandbox received a major faction and space update, making the ongoing Galactic Civil War content truly interplanetary. According to the patch notes, players can now "participate in dynamic space battles and fight alongside or against Ace pilots including Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and Boba Fett" above iconic planets like Tatooine, Corellia, Naboo, Lok and Dantooine. The patch offers new duty missions for player Pilots as well as awards for participation in the new content, and recurring station events ensure that players can always find some action in the cold black of space.

Medics and Smugglers also received profession tweaks to bring them into balance with the other classes, and Shipwrights will be happy to learn that the update's new starships are in fact player-craftable.

Star Wars Galaxies' GU20 brings the GCW to space originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What class would you add to your MMO?

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Classes, Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

I have to say that last week's revelation that the latest Guild Wars 2 class to be unveiled was the Thief was a mite bit underwhelming to me personally (although I'm sure quite a few Guild Wars fans immediately had to change their pants). It was underwhelming because to announce a Rogue-type class in an MMO is akin to saying that you're including NPC vendors: "Yeah, and...?"

Sometimes it feels like it's the same classes in different games, just cut 'n' paste for our usual expectations. Once in a blue moon, however, a dev team creates a fairly unique class that is not just a cleverly renamed "Warrior" or "Medic" or "Gandalf" copycat but adds something new to the game that wasn't there before.

So if you had your druthers -- and we all know how fond you are of your druthers -- what class would you invent for your MMO? How would this class be different than what's already out there, and what role would it perform?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: What class would you add to your MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Medic ships, part 2: High-end healing

Brendan Drain — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Guides, PvP, Tips and tricks, Grouping, PvE, Hands-on, EVE Evolved

In the first of this two-part guide, I looked at some of the more affordable entry level ships and modules available to dedicated healers in EVE Online. I went on to examine an effective strategy for using medic ships as part of a PvE gang, whether you need some help on a particularly hard mission or you're trying to crack one of EVE's hardest exploration complexes. This week, I look at high-end healing as I explore capital ships and the role of medic ships in both PvP and wormhole operations.

Healing in missions and exploration sites is a largely passive affair, with the healer permanently locked to the main tank. NPCs in these sites never switch targets but the same can't be said for players or the advanced Sleeper AI that roam wormhole systems. Repairing your gang-mates in PvP or a wormhole operation is a completely different affair, made all the more complicated by the fact that the dedicated medic ship is sure to come under fire.

In this article, I look at capital ships and the remote assistance strategies players use in PvP or wormhole operations.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Medic ships, part 2: High-end healing

EVE Evolved: Medic ships, part 2: High-end healing originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MAG resuscitates their medic class with update, prepares to launch stats on MAG.com

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, Patches, MMOFPS, MAG

Medics of the Shadow War, unite! MAG's latest patch did many favors for you, and even those who aren't of the resuscitation persuasion will find some tasty benefits in their latest version, patch 1.02.

The last patch has cleaned up the field support's HUD by removing resuscitation icons from those players who can't be resuscitated, resulting in a much cleaner field of view for medics. Downed players who can be brought back to life also now carry a distance indicator icon on their body, so now you too can GPS your way to help a teammate. The same tracking system has also been given to players who have equipped explosive detectors, pointing out the location of mines. Lastly, medic icons will only be given to soldiers carrying defibulators, so those only holding a healing gun will no longer be medics.

The patch has also improved server performance, resulting in reduced lag during high-end matches, and has made a change to the statistics system to prepare it for integration into MAG.com.

So, if you're going to be jumping into the medic class after this patch, MAG's art director Steve Suhy has some tips for you when playing support. We've got the video embedded for your viewing pleasure right after the break.

Continue reading MAG resuscitates their medic class with update, prepares to launch stats on MAG.com

MAG resuscitates their medic class with update, prepares to launch stats on MAG.com originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Five tips on being a better agent in Global Agenda

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Tips and tricks, MMORTS, Global Agenda

When it comes to action-based shooters like Global Agenda, gear is good but skill is better. Way better. Even the most technologically endowed enemies can come crashing down with a little teamwork and creative ingenuity.

But if you're new to the game, new to action-based shooters, or just not doing so hot in your PvP matches, then you might need some help. That's where we come in.

After playing a huge amount of PvP, PvE, and a decent amount of AvA in Global Agenda, I've found that many players make a few common mistakes. So, while I know this article will result in more deaths for me, I want to help all of you avoid these common mistakes and play a better game.

Continue reading Five tips on being a better agent in Global Agenda

Five tips on being a better agent in Global Agenda originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Impressions: Global Agenda

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMORTS, Global Agenda, Massively Hands-on, First Impressions

Global Agenda. This game has been successful in causing quite a stir on our website. It seems almost every single story we do on the game anymore turns into the inevitable "this isn't an MMO" debate. We've even tried to give the MMORTS part of it more of a perspective in past articles, but that's neither here nor there. This article isn't about the game or if it's an MMO -- it's about how this game plays.

So, is Global Agenda a worthy investment for the MMOer? Is it a worthy investiment for the FPS nut? Can a game that's a hybrid of so many genres work as well as its creators say it works? Those are all excellent questions and they're also questions that we're going to answer today.

Gallery: Global Agenda Gameplay Gallery

Continue reading First Impressions: Global Agenda

First Impressions: Global Agenda originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global Agenda producer interview explains Players vs. Playable Environments

James Egan — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Interviews, PvP, PvE, Global Agenda

How can we describe a game like Global Agenda? "It's like a sci-fi Team Fortress 2 with elements of territory and resource control." That works. Or we could say, "It's an MMO that's gene spliced with a first person shooter." That's pretty accurate as well. But whichever way you look at it, Global Agenda is a game that's hard to define with any single, existing label. You'll play as an "agent" in one of four classes -- Assault (heavy weapons), Recon (stealth and melee), Robotic (gadgets galore), or Medic -- in a game that's as much about fast-paced combat as it is about controlling territory and tapping resources on an alliance (guild) level.

The title is in development at Hi-Rez Studios, and I4U News recently spoke with Global Agenda executive producer Todd Harris about what makes this game unique. Harris discusses Global Agenda's elements of world control and says, "When a player alliance successfully claims an entire zone, anticipated to take approximately 45 days, that group will be rewarded with prestige items, public display of their alliance banner, and permanent notation within the lore of the world."

Continue reading Global Agenda producer interview explains Players vs. Playable Environments

Global Agenda producer interview explains Players vs. Playable Environments originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jet packs, mechs, and all-out carnage in latest Global Agenda screens

James Egan — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Screenshots, MMO industry, New titles, Global Agenda

Global Agenda from Hi-Rez Studios is one of the upcoming games that is challenging our traditional definition of an MMO. Essentially Global Agenda will be a marriage of Team Fortress 2-style gameplay with a system of world control where guilds will tap resources to gain advantages. We got some hands-on time with GA at E3 2009 and Mike Schramm had a chance to try out the medic class. We know the game will have four classes at launch, and taking the Team Fortress 2 analog a bit further, Global Agenda's 'Assault' class is like the Heavy, 'Recon' is the Spy, 'Robotic' is similar to the Engineer, and 'Medic'... you get it. This is, however, a very broad generalization and what we've seen thus far suggests there will be a good range of abilities for each class with numerous gear options.

However, since none of us are in the beta at present, we're always hoping to find out more about the game. We've come across some new Global Agenda screens that Hi-Rez Studios released today, which show the various class gear and abilities in action. Have a look through our gallery to see the Assault, Recon, Medic, and Robotic classes tearing into mechs and androids, and quite likely each other as well. Plus, jet packs! We've added these shots to our Global Agenda gallery for you, so check it out:

Gallery: Hi-Rez Studios and Global Agenda Gallery

Jet packs, mechs, and all-out carnage in latest Global Agenda screens originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E3 2009: Global Agenda hands-on with executive producer Todd Harris

Mike Schramm — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, PvE, Hands-on, Global Agenda

Global Agenda is coming right along nicely -- we last saw the game in action at GDC, and today at E3, executive producer Todd Harris was nice enough to sit down and show us a never-before-seen part of the game: PvE gameplay.

We started off by checking out the character creator, which has come along quite a bit. They've built a very in-depth face creator -- there are about eight or ten different factors to switch between (eyes, mouth, and so on), and for each one, there are seven or eight sliders to adjust and tweak. Which allows for quite a few different variations, as you might imagine. Hair and skin color can also be edited, but Harris told us that body shape will generally be determined by the armor you wear (which is more or less determined by the class you choose).

Gallery: Hi-Rez Studios and Global Agenda Gallery

Massively is on the ground in Los Angeles this week and covering all the latest E3 MMO news coming from the convention. Check out our breaking coverage (or all the Joystiq network E3 reporting) and keep your eye on Massively's front page for the latest developments.

Continue reading E3 2009: Global Agenda hands-on with executive producer Todd Harris

E3 2009: Global Agenda hands-on with executive producer Todd Harris originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How would a Starcraft MMO work?

Akela Talamasca — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, New titles, PvP, Opinion, Races, Rumors

Speculation over Blizzard's upcoming MMO continues unabated, even with the lack of anything new to feed upon. The biggest hope, I dare to say, is that it's going to be Starcraft that gets the treatment, even if it's still a long way away from release. Starcraft holds fast in many gamers' hearts, including mine, so it's only natural to want more. But when actually considering the possibility, how would it play out?

Our Krystalle has already given this a glance over on WoW Insider, and our recent Ask Massively asked a similar question, but I'd like to take it deeper. Let's take World of Warcraft as a point of comparison and see if we can run down this mythical beast.

Continue reading How would a Starcraft MMO work?

How would a Starcraft MMO work? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paul Sage promises changes for Specialist classes

Chris Chester — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Patches, Tabula Rasa

Hey all you Specialists out there! Feeling a bit down? Tired of your Soldier friends flaunting those fancy chainguns and graviton armor while you run through the Plains in motor assist? Sick of throwing heals at pick up groups who forget you're even there? Well hang in there friends, because Paul Sage has the answer for you! According to the erstwhile Tabula Rasa designer, many of the changes in patch 1.3 are aimed at shoring up some of the weaknesses in the Biotech and Medic trees, including an AE damage/heal for the Biotech and a big debuff ability in Disease for Medics.

Perhaps more importantly, Sage revealed that they're going to be tweaking the significance of attributes to try and make Health a more meaningful statistic, instead of its utility now, which is basically just a rough estimation of how long it will be until you die once your armor is worn down. These changes won't be coming until 1.4, so they may be over a month away, but it's reason enough to go back to level 5 and retry that Specialist clone again, if you haven't already.

Paul Sage promises changes for Specialist classes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adventures From the Back Row: The cost of healing

Michael Zenke — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 19:20:00 EST

Filed under: Professions, Adventures from the Back Row

The healer gets a bad rap. In guild drama stories the healer is always some emo kid with a divisive personality. They're loot whores who sell their services to the highest bidder. They're fickle, unreliable showboaters who delay raids by hours while they shop for spells at the broker. And, of course, there is some truth to that.

Most healers I know, though, are the kind of folks who don't look for any of that kind of attention. The art of healing in most Massively Multiplayer games puts you at the back of the party. There, you can shine without being the star of the show. You can contribute without having to compete for the top of the DPS chart, and it's highly unlikely anyone will yell at you for pulling an unwanted mob.

For a lot of people that role in the back row is counter-intuitive to the reason they play Massive games. Seeing the big numbers appear above the heads of monsters is the ultimate goal of those hours of grinding, and anything that detracts from that is of secondary concern. The most extreme examples of that philosophy make for legendary pick-up group stories, the folks who say thing like 'gtg, cat's on fire' or 'gtg, mom died.'

Continue reading Adventures From the Back Row: The cost of healing

Adventures From the Back Row: The cost of healing originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Nov 2007 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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