Massively

League of Legends reveals Fiora, The Grand Duelist

Brendan Drain — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, MOBA, League of Legends

If you're fed up with all the recent mage champions added to League of Legends, you'll be happy to know that the next champion due to hit the scene is a true melee carry. Fiora is a competent initiator able to dash around a teamfight picking off fleeing heroes. Fiora's passive causes her to regenerate health every time she hits a target, stacking up to four times if the target is an enemy hero. Her first move, Lunge, is a double-dash that can be used to land a hit and escape, chase down a fleeing target, or initiate teamfights.

As if that weren't enough mobility, Burst of Speed gives bonus movement speed for every basic attack or lunge that hits while it's active. Burst of Speed also provides an attack speed boost, and its cooldown resets if Fiora kills an enemy champion. Riposte gives Fiora a massive attack damage buff, causing the next basic attack or spell against her to be reflected back at the attacker. Fiora's ultimate, Blade Waltz, makes her rapidly bounce between nearby enemies, slashing each one for physical damage. Fiora is invulnerable during the move, but could easily be counter-attacked when it ends.

League of Legends reveals Fiora, The Grand Duelist originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Riot releases new League of Legends Nautilus spotlight video

Jef Reahard — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, MOBA

We brought you Riot's new Nautilus reveal a couple of days ago, and now the company has released a second video featuring its latest League of Legends champion.

The clip features seven minutes worth of strategy and gameplay footage, all of it centered around the beefy new melee tank. Whether you make use of Nautilus' anchor (and its associated drag ability), or spread his damage around to multiple targets, you'll find him to be a worthwhile addition to just about any fight, according to Riot.

Head past the break to view the full video.

[Source: Riot press release]

Continue reading Riot releases new League of Legends Nautilus spotlight video

Riot releases new League of Legends Nautilus spotlight video originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SWTOR: So you want to play a Jedi Knight

Brianna Royce — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Game mechanics, Previews, Opinion, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Guides

If it's true that gamers would rather play Luke Skywalker than Uncle Owen, then the Jedi Knight is the class to put that claim to the test in Star Wars: The Old Republic. The Knight is the Republic side's melee specialist and classic tank-mage, who supplements her melee attacks with taunts, buffs, and Force powers. She operates on the front lines of the war against the Sith, protecting her allies and representing the Jedi Order across the galaxy.

Also, lightsabers. Two of them.

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SWTOR: So you want to play a Jedi Knight originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Perfect World dev blogs discuss gear upgrades, Berserker class

Jef Reahard — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST

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

If you're looking for a little reading material to go along with your Thanksgiving leftovers, look no further than the latest War of the Immortals dev blogs from Perfect World Entertainment. The first piece focuses on WoI's gear upgrading mechanics, and there are five different methods player can choose from to enhance their equipment (including gem slotting, reformation, and more).

PWE has also released a new class video for the Berserker. This particular brute is fond of throwing him or herself into combat with reckless abandon, and the class skill set allows players to "close the distance on their enemies and wreak havoc on anyone that stands before them," according to a PWE blurb. Check out the full clip after the cut.

Continue reading Perfect World dev blogs discuss gear upgrades, Berserker class

Perfect World dev blogs discuss gear upgrades, Berserker class originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New ArcheAge video shows off combat moves, giant mobs

Jef Reahard — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, PvE, ArcheAge

While much has been made of ArcheAge's non-combat gameplay, the upcoming fantasy sandpark is no slouch when it comes to pew pew and sticking the pointy end into the other man. A newly released video compilation shows off many of the game's melee moves and spell-casting animations as well as a good cross-section of PvE mobs ranging from the mundane to the spectacular.

Apparently size matters to the devs at XL Games, as more than a few of the creatures on display dwarf the player characters taking them on. Whether you're into giant flying crabs, fearsome tree monsters, or hordes of undead, there's a little something for everyone in ArcheAge's newest combat clip. Check it out after the cut.

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New ArcheAge video shows off combat moves, giant mobs originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Exclusive: WindSlayer 2 dev diary looks at melee classes

Matt Daniel — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, News items, Dev Diaries

Last week, Ignited Games announced the upcoming 2-D side-scroller WindSlayer 2. This week, the title is back for more with a new developer diary that looks at the game's melee classes. Those who prefer to go wading into battle on the front lines will have three choices: the valiant Warrior, the dexterous Rogue, or the enlightened Monk.

For the full details on each of these classes, head on past the cut for the full dev diary. And once you're done, don't forget to head on over to the game's official site (linked below) to register for a shot at a spot in the closed beta test.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: WindSlayer 2 dev diary looks at melee classes

Massively Exclusive: WindSlayer 2 dev diary looks at melee classes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leaderboard: Magic vs. melee

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, Miscellaneous, Leaderboard

Magic and melee: the yin and yang of the fantasy world. It's hard to imagine one existing without the other, the spell-slinging wizard without the mace-wielding hedge knight, the Gandalf without the Conan. Do they exist in a strange symbiosis of mysticism and steel, or is one the clear superior of the other?

On one side, magicians have all the power of the elements at their disposal, able to do supernatural feats of wonder with a snap of their fingertips. Of course, this comes at a cost: namely, a terry cloth bathrobe dress code and approximately six-and-a-half hit points.

On the other side, melee fighters spend their lives honing their bodies to physical perfection, becoming the Olympic athletes of the fantasy world, if the Olympics had 50-meter Beheading as a category. Then again, fighters tend to have the intellect of a dull brick and try to solve every problem, including PTA meetings, by headbutting it.

Who will be crowned the victor today: the wizard or the warrior? Cast your vote -- and the fate of humankind -- after the jump!

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Leaderboard: Magic vs. melee originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wasteland Diaries: Factions and you

Edward Marshall — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Game mechanics, MMOFPS, Wasteland Diaries, Post-Apocalyptic

There was a time in Fallen Earth when the factions were more diverse. When I say diverse, I don't mean in ideology. I am talking about the game mechanics. These days, they are a bit more homogenized. Before everything was de-factionalized, your build would have a great bearing on which faction you chose. Sometimes, if you were a min-maxing PvPer like I am, you would wind up in a faction you didn't necessarily like. That was the main reason I didn't like the faction diversity. The ideology of the factions didn't appeal to me, but the factions' perks complemented my playstyle. I'll get into that a bit later in the post.

Another problem with the wide diversity between factions was the issue of balancing. It's hard enough to balance the three weapon classes, but once you have six different factions with six different sets of abilities, mutations, and capstones, it gets worse. I still see people asking in game about which faction is the pistols faction or which faction has access to Nano-manipulation. The short answer is all factions do. There is a misconception that your faction is still dependent on your build. It isn't. There are still a few artifacts of the old system lying around, but by and large, most of them are just minor annoyances. In this post I'll look at what is really important in choosing a faction in the new Fallen Earth.

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Wasteland Diaries: Factions and you originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wasteland Diaries: PvE like a boss

Edward Marshall — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, PvE, MMOFPS, Wasteland Diaries, Post-Apocalyptic

Fallen Earth PvE can be anywhere from laughably easy to downright frustrating. I guess that's a good thing since you get a gamut of difficulty levels, but much of the leveling span leans toward the easy end of the scale. I tend to get bored with PvE combat fairly quickly in MMOs (not just Fallen Earth). Other people love to struggle against the environment. Some even refuse to do anything remotely akin to PvP. I'll only throw the term "carebear" at those who think all PvPers are maladjusted psychopaths. I'm not talking about them; I'm talking about regular hardcore PvEers: players who would rather play against the NPCs than against other players.

Many of my posts center around PvP. If I didn't PvP (and since I'm not a big roleplayer), I doubt I would still be playing Fallen Earth. That's just what I spend most of my time doing in the wastelands. So I tend to write a lot about it. But all PvPers have to PvE. PvE has its own set of challenges for the player. Granted, these challenges are quite static, and once you find a way to overcome them, you are done. But they are challenges nonetheless, and knowledge is power as much in PvE as it is in PvP. In this post I will give you some tips and tricks that might help you get through that next tough mission. Much of this stuff is common sense, but it may not occur to you until it's too late. So click past the cut and let's get started.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: PvE like a boss

Wasteland Diaries: PvE like a boss originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamescom 2011: WildStar reveals first three races and classes

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Classes, Races, Massively Event Coverage, WildStar

After yesterday's unveiling of Carbine Studio's colorful entry into the MMO races, we've been understandably curious about this WildStar and could have s'more, please? Fortunately, a fan site has dug out some details about three of the game's races and classes, all of which can be seen in the hilarious trailer that Carbine released.

On the racial side, players have the Granok, Human and Aurin to choose from. The Granok are hulking, cigar-chomping slabs of rage, the Humans are exiles looking for a new home, and the Aurin are cute bunny-people who must go through Q-tips like mad.

As for classes, players who prefer to get up close and personal with their enemies would do well to choose the Warrior, who boasts a number of strong tech and melee attacks, which are powered by fuel cells and adrenaline, respectively. Spellslingers use a pair of special pistols to stay on top of ranged damage, relying on a balanced rotation of magic and gunplay to keep up with DPS. And finally there's the Esper, your standard Mage class, who uses psychic spells like Telekenetic Strike to do massive damage to helpless enemies.

There are reportedly more classes and races than just these, and we'll keep our eyes on Carbine as more details pour out about this promising title.

Gamescom 2011: WildStar reveals first three races and classes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elsword announces new Raven character

Jef Reahard — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play

Aside from having one of the cooler names in the MMO space, Elsword Online also has some pretty interesting characters. The manga-flavored brawler added a new face to that roster in today's update, and the dark and deadly Raven joins Rena, Aisha, and the titular Elsword as playable characters ready to adventure their way through Kill3rCombo's side-scrolling opus.

Raven is a human fighter with giant metal claws and considerable skill with a variety of blades, and he brings a "quiet, cold, and distant" vibe to the game's brightly colored canvas. In terms of gameplay, Raven is a fast melee attacking class, and he possesses the ability to dual wield, easily chain combos, and fire off heavy attacks without consuming much MP. He also boasts great evasive skills, and you can learn more about him -- as well as download the game -- on the official Elsword website.

Elsword announces new Raven character originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fiesta Online unveils the Joker class

Jef Reahard — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play

Outspark's Fiesta Online has your standard MMORPG classes. There's the Fighter, the Archer, the Mage, and the Cleric. The free-to-play fantasy title departs from the norm with the latest entries to its class stable, though, and today the devs have announced a followup to the Trickster class that was announced last March.

That followup is known as the Joker, and though he doesn't look terribly serious, he nonetheless brings the pain as well as your average comic book supervillain. According to an Outspark press release, the Joker is "an agile melee fighter who can deal a great deal of damage to his opponents in a short period of time." Additionally, Jokers boast their own class-specific system which involves absorbing souls from defeated opponents to strengthen subsequent attacks.

Weapon-wise, the Joker favors claws and dual swords. If you're interested in learning more about the class, or if you're ready to download Fiesta Online, head to the official website.

Fiesta Online unveils the Joker class originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wasteland Diaries: Weapon balance

Edward Marshall — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Classes, Professions, PvP, Endgame, PvE, Opinion, Wasteland Diaries, Post-Apocalyptic

Rock, scissors, paper. It's not quite that simple when referring to the three weapon classes in Fallen Earth. You have the two ranged disciplines: rifles and pistols. And then you have melee weapons. They all have distinct advantages in combat, and they are all viable in PvP and PvE when played properly. There is a lot of debate about weapon balance on the forums and in the game (gotta love global chat) about weapon balance.

I come from the school of thought that believes the weapons are currently as balanced as they have ever been. Many people will disagree with me on that point. But the vast majority of people who agree that the combat is well-balanced in Fallen Earth's current system are my contemporaries who have been PvPing since alpha, beta or launch. Many newer, less experienced players feel that certain weapon classes are overpowered or useless. I say that is not the case. Continue past the cut and I'll explain why I feel that way.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Weapon balance

Wasteland Diaries: Weapon balance originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: The highlights

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 10 May 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, The Matrix Online, The Game Archaeologist

It's not every year that a movie comes along that captures the pop culture zeitgeist so powerfully and so quickly as The Matrix did. I recall lugging a few college friends along to see this in 1999 -- having heard only a few sparse details about it beforehand -- and coming out of the theater feeling as if we we'd been electrified. The bold mix of science fiction, martial arts, philosophy, action, and leather ensembles became the smash hit of the year, and a franchise was born.

And while we had great hopes that this would be this generation's Star Wars, The Matrix ultimately proved to be a lightning-in-a-bottle phenomenon, impossible to recapture once unleashed. Sequels, animated shorts, video games, comic books -- none rose to the height of the original film, and eventually the franchise petered out.

During this period, an odd duck of an MMO was born: The Matrix Online. When you think about it, an online virtual world where people log in and fight against programs was a really short hop from the movie series. MxO, as it was abbreviated, was an audacious game with unique features, story-centric gameplay and a sci-fi bent in a field of fantasy competitors, and while it only lasted four years, it was enough to make a huge impression for its community.

So by popular demand, this month we're going to revisit the 1s and 0s of The Matrix Online to see just how deep the rabbit hole (and well-worn cliche) goes -- and what made this game stand out!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: The highlights

The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Exclusive: Outspark previews new Priest class in Divine Souls video teaser

Jef Reahard — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Divine Souls

There's a new class on the way to Divine Souls, the action combat MMO from Outspark. Next week will see the introduction of the Priest, and this ain't your daddy's healbot. No sir, this Priest is all about offense, and Outspark has given Massively an exclusive look at the whirling dervish as he swings, slashes, and chops his way through hordes of bad guys courtesy of his deadly soul scythe.

Priests make use of lightning and poison elements in addition to melee attacks and traditional restorative powers. Divine Souls is also getting some avatar outfit updates, and you can get a few glimpses of the new digs, as well as the new class, in the Priest trailer after the cut.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Outspark previews new Priest class in Divine Souls video teaser

Massively Exclusive: Outspark previews new Priest class in Divine Souls video teaser originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 30 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TERA shows off Centaur lore and tactics

Jef Reahard — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Lore, New titles, News items, TERA

The official TERA website has updated with a look at one of the mobs players will likely encounter in their journeys around Arborea. Centaurs are found primarily in the Fey Forest region and look to challenge adventurers with spear attacks, hoof attacks, and their ability to sidestep player combos.

The new entry also reveals a bit of centaur lore, noting that the legendary creatures are "presently allied with the fey creatures of northwestern Arcadia province in an uprising against woodcutters, whose drastic logging practices are in danger of denuding the forest in order to fulfill lumber orders from Velika."

Tactically, centaurs are prone to rapidly closing the distance to a target as well as coming to the aid of nearby faeries and other centaurs. Check out all the details, as well as a couple of new screens, at the TERA website.

TERA shows off Centaur lore and tactics originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wasteland Diaries: Choose your weapon

Edward Marshall — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, PvP, PvE, Opinion, MMOFPS, Wasteland Diaries, Post-Apocalyptic

The new Fallen Earth combat system is sweet. I really don't have much to complain about. But there is a serious lack of balance between the weapon types (I almost said classes). I like the fact that when I shoot someone in the head with a shotgun, I see results -- not the kind you'd expect to see in an ultra-realistic tactical FPS, but very tangible results for an RPG. The focus on weapon damage (aka white damage) has made the combat system more intuitive and user-friendly. But it has also (despite a decent increase in everyone's health) made combat much more decisive.

Making a shooter with firearms and melee weapons is a daunting balancing act. If you make the firearms too powerful, nobody will use the melee weapons. There will always be those who use the under-powered weapons, but in the competitive world of PvP, most PvPers will opt with the most powerful ones. The pendulum of balance has been swinging since Fallen Earth launched in September 2009, but more often than not, one weapon type has come out on top every time. In fact, one weapon is very popular and has been since launch. Oddly enough, that weapon isn't even a 180 weapon; it's a 164. That's right, you can be dual-wielding the most deadly weapons in the game at level 45. Most of you seasoned vets know what weapon I'm talking about, and after the cut I'll confirm your suspicions. If you are a new player, you should also read on.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Choose your weapon

Wasteland Diaries: Choose your weapon originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: Saturday afternoon's all right for (discussing) fighting

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log, Guides

Here's the hangup I have with writing guides: I like writing them so long as I'm fairly confident in my understanding of the game. Unfortunately, unlike many others who are reasonably sane, I have a definition of "understanding" that goes into theorycrafting and design space issues. I don't feel that I understand Dragoons just through knowing their abilities; I need to understand why they have those abilities instead of others, how those abilities work in concert with other parts of the game, and so on and so forth. That's the reason I haven't talked a whole lot about guides for Final Fantasy XIV, because I'm still figuring a good chunk of this out.

That having been said, there was no shortage of positive response (mixed with the usual omnidirectional vitriol) to the first guide-ish piece that I ran. So we're dipping back into that well with a look at the violence inherent in the system. It's time to get down and dirty with combat, and this time around we're going to look at the system as a whole, at tricks you can use that you might not be aware of, and at some useful low-level abilities to consider before you start picking "main" disciplines.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Saturday afternoon's all right for (discussing) fighting

The Mog Log: Saturday afternoon's all right for (discussing) fighting originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wasteland Diaries: Weapons

Edward Marshall — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fallen Earth, PvP, PvE, MMOFPS, Wasteland Diaries, Post-Apocalyptic

Those that say "violence never solves anything" have never been thrust into a post-apocalyptic future. Violence solves just about everything in Fallen Earth. And the cornerstone of violence, since man threw the first stone or hit his surly neighbor with a stick, has been weapons. Killing and incapacitating others is a lot of hard work, so leave it to mankind to devise a more efficient method. In Fallen Earth, weapons range from everyday household items and tools, all the way up to military-grade engines of destruction.

One of the tough decisions you will need to make in Fallen Earth will not be whether or not to use weapons. It will be to decide which weapons you will use. Weapons in Fallen Earth are divided into three main categories, those being melee, pistols and rifles. While it is possible to specialize in all three types of weapons, it is ill-advised. You would be better served to specialize in one type of weapon and use any additional AP to boost other skills and mutation lines. After the cut, I will discuss the ins-and-outs of each weapon style for PvP and PvE to ease your decision-making process.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Weapons

Wasteland Diaries: Weapons originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise dev diary details character builds

Jef Reahard — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, News items, Earthrise

Bulgaria-based Masthead Studios, the developers behind the upcoming Earthrise sci-fi sandbox, have checked in with German fansite OnlineWelten for the second in a series of dev journals designed to shed more light on the enigmatic title. This week's piece focuses on character builds and details an avatar named Tommie who provides a jumping-off point for examining a few of the skill and gear options available to residents of Enterra.

Tommie uses a combination of power armor and speed armor (Nova and Quicksilver, respectively), highlighting the ability to mix and match equipment bonuses in Earthrise. The character also uses a combination of weapon types including a long-range sniper rifle and short-range blades for melee encounters. The article also specifies a number of attack and buff abilities, though the Masthead team takes pains to elaborate on its desire to keep buffs in check. "We want to make sure that everyone knows that in Earthrise, buffs have very, very low durations and if you imagine having 10 of them at the same time -- well, this could prove quite difficult," says the article.

Stealth on over to the full article for more details, including snippets regarding combat medic, assault, and concentration skills.

Earthrise dev diary details character builds originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DCUO releases new brawling screens

Jef Reahard — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Galleries, Screenshots, New titles, News items, DC Universe Online

November 2nd is fast approaching, and you closet-superheroes are no doubt dusting off your tights, underoos and power armor in preparation for Sony Online Entertainment's DC Universe Online. The comic-inspired MMORPG will take would-be crime-fighters from Metropolis to Gotham City, and whether you've got a PC or a Playstation 3, you'll find a home as well as plenty of competition on Sony's servers. Speaking of competition, CVG has released a set of new screenshots from the game that focus on everyone's favorite MMO pastime: violence!

Whether you're itching to spec out a beefy brawler who pancakes opponents with his fists and feet, or a lithe ranged attacker who fills up on POWs, WHAMs, and KRAKs from a distance, DCUO looks to satiate your hunger for action. Check out our gallery below for a little bit of the old ultra-violence.

Gallery: DCUO Brawling

DCUO releases new brawling screens originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: Each answer is the end of a question

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Game mechanics, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log

Welcome to this week's edition of The Mog Log, in which we answer reader questions about Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV while staying as far away from the drama of this past week as possible. Seriously, the sky is not falling here, folks. It seemed like such a nice week overall, too, with lots of great news coming out the whole week long. And for the record, there's also a special announcement at the end of the article, so by all means read through to the end in the unlikely event you normally don't.

Roughly ten million people asked or said: "What the heck is the deal with the fatigue system?"

I'm really hoping that by the time you're reading this, the full translation has mollified people somewhat regarding the system. But I'm going to write on the assumption that it hasn't, and believe me, it's at the top of the list for things to talk about next week. And it certainly does put a strict limit on what players can do in the game, much like guildleves and their infamous two-day turnaround.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Each answer is the end of a question

The Mog Log: Each answer is the end of a question originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Waging WAR: A healer's advice for melee-DPS

Greg Waller — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: PvP, Warhammer Online, Opinion, Hands-on, Humor, Waging WAR

Waging WAR starts the month of August with a look at archetypes in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning and the way they work together in RvR and scenarios. Although Greg's rules apply to pretty much any class-based, group-based, PvP-centric game, he prefers to think of them as particular to WAR, since there's a bunch of game-specific slang in there that he's too lazy to change.

Having a role to play is integral to the massively multiplayer online experience, but when the term "roleplay" comes up, it usually means something very specific and closely related to dramatic acting. Taken in a broader sense, it means that we choose our roles when we project the most imaginative aspect of our psychic selves and ask the question "who (or what) do I want to be?" Thus, our vicarious adventures begin. For the purposes of social gaming, it should come as no surprise that those classes usually fit another staple in the MMO universe -- the role trinity of tanker, healer, and damager. While the bond between the healer and tanker is obvious, the unspoken pact between healer and damager is just as sacred and yet all too easily forgotten. For those who were unaware such a promise existed, it goes something like, "I, the healer, promise to keep you alive so you can kill stuff in the face (better)." However, in many cases, the damaging character is delegated an expendable role, compared to the tank's priority or the healer's own survival. These are exceptions that the melee-damager is usually aware of and even comfortable with.

But today I'm not here to challenge those roles like I normally would when talking about damage-healer hybrids. As a specialized healer, I've defined a few, easy-to-remember rules that I believe every melee-damage player should follow in group situations (PUG or premade - there is little difference when it comes to these rules). Solo play is an entirely different realm and beyond the scope of this column; I want to focus on the special synergy between healer and melee-damager, and to dispense advice to those brave, wayward souls in their never-ending quest to face blades as they bring their own to bear.

I'll bestow these tidbits of wisdom after the break.

Continue reading Waging WAR: A healer's advice for melee-DPS

Waging WAR: A healer's advice for melee-DPS originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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City of Heroes shows off the upcoming Kinetic Melee set

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Galleries, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Game mechanics, Previews

Melee characters in City of Heroes have always lacked ranged abilities. Some of this is implied by the archetype, of course -- you wouldn't expect a character built around hand-to-hand combat to be at maximum potency outside of grabbing distance -- but it's a bit of a disadvantage at times when a tanker or brute can do very little but get shot as he moves into range. Kinetic Melee, one of the power sets coming with the Going Rogue expansion, is poised to change that a little. It might not be a blaster set, but it's more than capable of mixing things up at a longer range.

Of course, that's hardly the only trick that the new powerset can pull. Kinetic Melee is full of smooth maneuvers that weaken the target with each hit -- and one of the marquee abilities, Siphon Power, strengthens the wielder with each hit. It's a steady chain of the target being worn down and the player character building up, coupled with knockback and knockdowns to keep control of the battle flow. Check out our gallery below, or take a look at the official site for more details on one of the upcoming powersets for City of Heroes.

Gallery: City of Heroes Kinetic Melee preview

City of Heroes shows off the upcoming Kinetic Melee set originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Behind the Mask: Taking a knife to a gun fight

Patrick Mackey — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Classes, Game mechanics, PvP, PvE, Opinion, Champions Online, Behind the Mask

In the long history of MMORPGs, there have been two mighty class divisions vying for supremacy. The melee damage dealers, lead by the mighty rogue (and in the olden days, the monk) showed us that the raw speed and power of melee damage output was of dire importance. The ranged damage dealers, led by the mages and wizards, did not have the staying power of a rogue who might be subject to random AoE at close range. They had to rely on the incredible fury of their spells and the relative safety that distance brings in a battle.

In Champions Online, that division is magnified. Ranged and melee characters can select all the same defensive powers, meaning that melee characters must, by the very nature of close combat, expose themselves to more risk. The advent of superhuman mobility multiplies the divide even further -- while a ranged character can flee at incredible speeds, melee characters require special advantages to get in close and stay there.

The Super Power Pack came out a while ago and while I talked a lot about it in its early stages, I didn't get a chance to cover how the devs' final answer to these problems worked out or what the landscape of melee is today.

That's changing now.

Continue reading Behind the Mask: Taking a knife to a gun fight

Behind the Mask: Taking a knife to a gun fight originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TERA invites the Berserker to visit for tea

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, TERA

When you heard that one of TERA's classes was to be called the "Berserker" and you either thought of either the 80's arcade cabinet classic or an obscure song from the movie Clerks, then we could be fast friends. In any case, TERA's Brian Knox and Scott James Magner sat down with ZAM to talk about this brutal class and why it might appeal to the barbarian in all of us.

TERA's Berserker is a two-handed axe wielder who has his weapon constantly in motion. The relatively short range of the class means that Berserkers have to get up close and personal with any foe they're fighting, but the increased risk of such moves are paid off with some of the highest DPS of the game. Because TERA uses both collision and positioning in its combat system, it's essential for the Berserker to hit with the blade and then duck away before getting slammed in return. Get too close, and you'll end up hitting with the hilt and wondering why the monster is laughing at you.

You can read the full interview at ZAM and check out a series of screenshots detailing one of the Berserker's key moves. The official TERA site also has an outline of the class, along with a video for your eyes only (it will self-destruct after viewing).

TERA invites the Berserker to visit for tea originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Behind the Mask: It's all about the DPS, baby

Patrick Mackey — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Classes, Game mechanics, PvE, Champions Online, Behind the Mask

There is a lot of pressure on me right now to write a review for the May 4th melee patch, but I want to delay it because the developers are already tweaking things. So instead of hearing a rant about how sad I am that Psi Lash is nerfed, I will talk about the toughest, most challenging role in Champions Online -- the Avenger.

The Avenger is the "glass cannon" of CO. Avengers have fewer hit points than their Guardian counterparts, and far less than the tank-like Protectors. Avengers cannot use defensive passives, or even support passives to increase their survivability. The last straw is that Avengers cannot heal as rapidly as other characters.

These tradeoffs come at a massive benefit: the Avenger deals far more damage than other characters. What's even more awesome is that the Avenger's role bonus multiplies on the effects of other damage buffs, meaning that extra 20% damage never goes out of style.

This guide won't be covering just the Avenger, though. It'll also cover Avenger's new cousin, the Brawler, as well as all the other ways to play a DPS machine in lairs and team content.

Continue reading Behind the Mask: It's all about the DPS, baby

Behind the Mask: It's all about the DPS, baby originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 May 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Behind the Mask: The Melee Conspiracy

Patrick Mackey — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Patches, Opinion, Champions Online, Behind the Mask

The controversy never seems to end in Champions Online. The big changes to the Might, Martial Arts, and Supernatural frameworks went live last weekend, and people just can't stop talking about them. There's also been some general changes to melee outside of those frameworks as well.

As one might imagine just by a cursory glance at those threads, the forums are quite abuzz with opinions on these changes. There is quite a bit of positive things to be said about the changes, but the overwhelming feeling one gets from reading the forums is that the changes are horrible. Everyone has something they don't like about them, myself included. Still, we can't help but wonder: is it a step in the right direction? Is the doomsaying as bad as people make it out to be?

Hit the jump, and we'll look at things from a different avenue.

Continue reading Behind the Mask: The Melee Conspiracy

Behind the Mask: The Melee Conspiracy originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Newest Ask Cryptic on Champions Online

Eliot Lefebvre — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, Champions Online

For whatever people may fault them on, Cryptic Studios has an excellent track record for trying to keep communications open between the company and the fans. Champions Online regularly allows players to ask any number and breadth of questions in the Ask Cryptic feature, and hot on the heels of the melee powerset developer diary comes the latest batch of questions. While the focus tends toward the Supernatural power set, a wide variety of topics are included, as well as a bit more talk about the issues of melee characters versus ranged ones.

Players excited by the new changes can take heart in the news that the entire Super Powers Patch (of which both the upcoming Supernatural changes and the melee changes are a part) should be hitting the test server soon. There's a fairly detailed breakdown of many affected Supernatural powers, as well as more abstract issues like why there aren't more cosmetic variants to power effects. The answers also discuss briefly how melee damage had already been tuned higher than ranged damage in hopes of balancing the two. Any Champions Online player should take a look at the answers, as they cover a variety of topics -- and may well give you ideas for when the next edition of Ask Cryptic rolls around.

Newest Ask Cryptic on Champions Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Champions Online dev diary brings good tidings to meleers

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Classes, Champions Online

In a world of guns, atomic blasters, telekinetic blows and eye lasers, the superhero who relies on getting up close and personal with fists or weapons becomes the underdog. Ever since launch, melee heroes in Champions Online have struggled with the disadvantage -- perceived or real -- of having to close the gap to an enemy and wail away, as well as generally feeling Superman-levels of powerful while doing it.

Enter Matt "Akinos" Danuser, who jumps on the stage for the latest Champions Dev Diary. Six months after launch, Matt and the team spent a lot of time reworking the melee power set, with the simple yet encouraging motto of "Make it fun, make it competitive, and make it fun."

Continue reading Champions Online dev diary brings good tidings to meleers

Champions Online dev diary brings good tidings to meleers originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Further weapon balance blogging for Fallen Earth

Kyle Horner — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fallen Earth, New titles, News items

Realtime guns, knives, grenades, pipes and all sorts of other weapons tend to make for an interesting challenge when it comes to balancing them, which is exactly what the most recent Fallen Earth developer diary discusses. It appears to have been a long road for the developers, but after much play testing and some clever re-categorizing they seem to have come upon a good method.

Smart choices like allowing everyone to use grenades (thus giving melee-focused characters a little range) mark a very well thought-out system. Insuring that an sandbox style MMO still have a good sense of structure and meaning is imporatant, because without it everyone simply opts for the winning weapon. It's developer diaries like this that make us excited for upcoming games, which wasn't really necessary for Fallen Earth but helps nonetheless.

Further weapon balance blogging for Fallen Earth originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMO MMOnkey: Comparing active attack and auto attack

Kevin Murnane — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Age of Conan, Game mechanics, PvE, Opinion, MMO MMOnkey

In the opening sentence of a previous column I compared Age of Conan's active style of combat in which the player must instigate every attack with a keypress to the auto-attack combat common to most MMOs. I characterized auto attack as a go-make-a-cup-of-coffee type of combat which, as one commenter pointed out, was a bit of hyperbole designed to accentuate the difference between active and auto attack but which offended several other people who thought their combat skills were being denigrated.

The earlier column had nothing to do with styles of combat but all the combat-related comments got me thinking about some of the differences between active and auto attack. The two types of combat appear to have few, if any, important differences for the experienced player at the operational level (deployment of unit or squads in raids) or the strategic level (player-controlled access to important game resources as in EVE Online, Dark Age of Camelot and possibly Warhammer Online). When we look at game mechanics and individual unit tactics, however, important and potentially interesting differences begin to emerge.

Continue reading MMO MMOnkey: Comparing active attack and auto attack

MMO MMOnkey: Comparing active attack and auto attack originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New TR patch shoved out the door

Chris Chester — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 09:05:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Bugs, Game mechanics, Patches, Tabula Rasa

Well, that was quick. I'm not too sure why I'm surprised, but players woke up this morning to find that Tabula Rasa's patch 1.5 had snuck out the door last night, and is patiently waiting on player desktops. Players didn't quite have a full week to fully digest the patch notes after they showed up on the public test server before they're going live, which is either helpful or incredibly reckless depending on how much stock you put into the QA process. In this case we're going to go with "reckless" because early reports (confirmed after we ourselves downloaded the patch) show a strange bug where the game resets your resolution every time you load up the game, causing crashes for some (this blogger included).

As to the content of the patch itself, we've already talked about some of the neat things that players will find within. One of the changes we didn't get around to talking about are the changes to the Spy class. They've reworked the way Traitor works in PvP to make it more like a traditional Mind Control, in addition to throwing in a new melee attack for Spies that is similar to other players' melee attacks, and takes into account bonuses to damage and knockdown given by putting pumps into hand-to-hand. (Spies are one of only two melee classes in the game, so this new attack is distinguished from their normal blade attacks.) Oddly enough though, Spies do not get a respec.

Full patch notes available after the jump.

Continue reading New TR patch shoved out the door

New TR patch shoved out the door originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Feb 2008 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dungeons and Dragons Online PvP video

Akela Talamasca — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Game mechanics, Guilds, PvP

Shot in-game by a guild called The Black Plague, this video is sure to change some impressions people might have about Dungeons and Dragons Online. I have to admit, because my last interaction with D&D at all was the original sit-down-and-roll-some-dodecahedral-dice version, I was totally unprepared for the level of action inherent in DDO PvP.

This is sheer lunacy. Watching this video gives the impression you're actually watching an Unreal Tournament mod -- this is the PvP that Fury wanted to be. The meleé combat alone is worth the price of admisison; it's fast, it's hectic, it's sloppy, just like real life! Except with CTF elements thrown in. Check it out after the jump -- it's DivX, so make sure you have the plugin installed.

[Thanks, Schad!]

Continue reading Dungeons and Dragons Online PvP video

Dungeons and Dragons Online PvP video originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Jan 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan's Assassin class is stealthy, badass

Samuel Axon — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Classes, Interviews, New titles, News items

Ten Ton Hammer has published the fourth in its series of "class interviews" with Funcom. Previously it spoke with the Age of Conan devs about the Dark Templar, the Guardian, and the Conqueror. This time it's the Assassin.

You can read the interview for all the details, but the gist of it is: Asassins use stealth and quick bursts of high damage melee attacks in tandem with poison and debuffs to fell opponents quickly. As a counter-balance to their extraordinary offensive capabilities, they are very weak in terms of defenses. They wear thin silk armor because it allows them to move freely and silently.

So the class is about 90% the same as the Rogue class in games like World of Warcraft. Unfortunately, "Assassins do it from behind" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Check out our Age of Conan interview and video footage, and our gallery of new artwork!

Age of Conan's Assassin class is stealthy, badass originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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