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[Twin Skies scraps their 3D MMO plans to focus on a F2P Flash game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/02/twin-skies-scraps-their-3d-mmo-plans-to-focus-on-a-f2p-flash-gam/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/02/twin-skies-scraps-their-3d-mmo-plans-to-focus-on-a-f2p-flash-gam/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/02/twin-skies-scraps-their-3d-mmo-plans-to-focus-on-a-f2p-flash-gam/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


You may remember Twin Skies from our extensive interview with Meteor Games at PAX earlier this year. The game looked very promising and we had nothing but good things to say about it. In a surprising announcement made today, we get word that they're actually scrapping the 3D part of the project to focus on the Flash-based content, making some storyline changes and turning it into a free-to-play model.

While this news is both good and bad for die hard fans, it does change quite a bit about the whole game. The integration of a 3D world with a 2D Flash-based client was going to be something special. Of course, the company's CEO, Adam Powell, says that they may revisit this concept at a later date, but he attributes these changes to the current economic problems that are affecting everyone these days. We wish the folks at Meteor Games the very best, and hope this new approach to Twin Skies works well for them and the players!

MassivelyTwin Skies scraps their 3D MMO plans to focus on a F2P Flash game originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-powelleconomyflash-basedmeteor-gamesneopetstwin-skiesFri, 02 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Best of Massively: Hands-on with upcoming games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/the-best-of-massively-hands-on-with-upcoming-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/the-best-of-massively-hands-on-with-upcoming-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/the-best-of-massively-hands-on-with-upcoming-games/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Massively's first birthday is only a couple of weeks a way! We've been having fun looking back at our first year of coverage -- first with our ten most important interviews, then our most helpful guides, and most recently our top 5 weirdest news stories. This week we've compiled six of our hands-on previews of games that are yet to be released.

Jump into the gallery to see what's on the genre's horizon with new expansions, Sci-Fi, super heroes, and more. No matter what your interests, we've got you covered!


Gallery: The Best of Massively: Hands-on with upcoming games

EverQuest: Seeds of DestructionJumpgate EvolutionTwin SkiesAionChampions Online

MassivelyThe Best of Massively: Hands-on with upcoming games originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k-gamesaionbest-of-massivelychampions-onlinecryptic-studioseqeverquestexpansionfeaturedhands-onimpressionsjoystiqfeaturesjumpgatejumpgate-evolutionlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrometeor-gamesmines-of-moriamoriancsoftnetdevilpreviewseeds-of-destructionsoethe-best-of-massivelyturbinetwin-skiesMon, 13 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX08: Twin Skies interview]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/pax08-twin-skies-interview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/pax08-twin-skies-interview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/pax08-twin-skies-interview/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Twin Skies is a brand new MMO still in development from Meteor Games, which is fronted by two of the co-founders of the wildly-successful Neopets. Despite the fact that Twin Skies is still in its early stages, their presence at PAX08 seemed to be well-received by gamers. This was the first public showing of the MMO that was only first announced a month ago from a company that was introduced to us only two months ago!

So we took this opportunity to sit down with the CEO Adam Powell and Lead Designer Aaron Matthew for a bit of an exclusive look at what this game is all about. Despite the fact that the surrounding PAX booths were competing for attention all around us, we were able to get some great information on this upcoming game.

Follow along on our exclusive tour of Twin Skies>>

MassivelyPAX08: Twin Skies interview originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browser-basedfeaturedjoystiqfeaturesmeteor-gamespax-08pax-2008penny-arcade-expotwin-skiesWed, 03 Sep 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX08: Day three impressions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/01/pax08-day-three-impressions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/01/pax08-day-three-impressions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/01/pax08-day-three-impressions/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Day three is now behind us, marking the end of PAX 2008. Sunday showed a crowd of gamers just as strong as the first two days, and there is no doubt that the attendance numbers from this year blew away last year's figures. As far as panels for this last day, there was an interesting mix of MMO development-type panels with a particularly interesting one called "MMO and Virtual World Business Models" that we will be reviewing in more depth later. Plus, who could forget the intriguing "How to Get Your Girlfriend into Gaming" panel?

So now we look forward to the future of this mega expo. If next year's PAX grows as much as the previous years have progressed, they're going to need a larger booth floor, no doubt about it. As this blogger sifts through the bags of free swag and begins the recovery process, you can look forward to more coverage of interviews with Jon Radoff of GamerDNA, Jeffrey Steefel of Turbine on Mines of Moria, Dane Caruthers of NCsoft on Tabula Rasa, Adam Powell and Aaron Matthew of Meteor Games on Twin Skies and much much more!

Gallery: PAX 2008 General Gallery

MassivelyPAX08: Day three impressions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamerdnajeffrey-steefelmeteor-gamesmines-of-moriancsoftpanelspax-08pax-2008penny-arcade-expotabula-rasatwin-skiesMon, 01 Sep 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Neopets creators enter the MMO world with Twin Skies]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/13/neopets-creators-enter-the-mmo-world-with-twin-skies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/13/neopets-creators-enter-the-mmo-world-with-twin-skies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/13/neopets-creators-enter-the-mmo-world-with-twin-skies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

After a bit of a tease a couple of weeks ago, Meteor Games, founded by the creators of the kids Flash game portal Neopets, has announced details of their first-ever MMO. Twin Skies will be a blend of a traditional, 3D MMO with innovative out-of-game elements. For instance, certain web-based mini-games can earn you a monster in-game, who will roam about, fight, and even send you pictures of the hapless newbies it kills. That ... is so deliciously evil. Other mini-games could change the weather in-game, open a chest full of loot, or other game-changing things. Continuing with the theme from Neopets, every Twin Skies player will have their own pet to aid them in their travels. While killing beasties will be one way of progressing through the game, the social aspects and of course, the mini-games, will keep people busy no matter how they like to play.

Kids have no expectations of what MMOs are like, so it's easier for companies to innovate. Playing web-based minigames to aid your character in-game, or just messing with people by spawning monsters on them -- you'll be able to play some parts of Twin Skies no matter where you are. That's a trend you'll certainly see more of in the future.

[Via Under Twin Skies]

MassivelyNeopets creators enter the MMO world with Twin Skies originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browserfantasyforumsgame-mechanicskidsmeteor-gamesneopetsnew-titlenewstwin-skiesSun, 13 Jul 2008 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Neopets founders announce a new MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/02/neopets-founders-announce-a-new-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/02/neopets-founders-announce-a-new-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/02/neopets-founders-announce-a-new-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Started in 1999, Neopets was one of the first kid-friendly online virtual worlds on the web, and is still fantastically popular today. Hoping to bring their success with Neopets into the MMO world, founders Adam Powell and Donna Williams started Meteor Games in 2007 to make a game targeted at a slightly higher age bracket than Neopets. Their still-unnamed MMO, due to be shown at this year's Penny Arcade Expo (PAX), will be a seamless, 3D world with elements drawn from today's top MMOs -- World of Warcraft is specifically mentioned.

Their new game will be a drastic departure from Neopets. Not only will it be a 3D world instead of a collection of minigames, but it won't be free to play. The founders believe they need a subscription in order to produce the highest quality game, but the price will be less than WoW, and there will be an item shop of some sort where new outfits, furniture and other non-unbalancing items may be bought. Meteor Games is also looking into ways to integrate cellphones into their game. Due out in some fashion in 2009, their MMO will enter a market already dominated by Runescape and will be competing directly with SOE's Free Realms, which promises to be free to play and run also on the Playstation 3.

Neopets is famous for its huge amount of content, involvement with players and accessibility. Can Meteor Games grab that same sort of success with a more traditional MMO? CEO Adam Powell explains their strategy in this interview with Gamasutra.

MassivelyNeopets founders announce a new MMO originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelscasualfantasyfree-realmskidsmeteor-gamesneopetsnew-titlesnewspaxpax-2008penny-arcade-exposoeworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 02 Jul 2008 09:30:00 EST