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Iris Online expansion slated for the 26th

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Expansions, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Free-to-play

If you've been enjoying the gypsy-themed MMO Iris Online, you probably want more of the game to enjoy. That coincides nicely with the fact that the game is getting a major update Wednesday. The game's first expansion (in the usual free-to-play model of a large patch) will be released on January 26th, bringing along a new dungeon, new monsters, and four new maps to accompany a boost in the level cap to level 60. The update also contains several bug fixes and mechanical tweaks, including the removal of the "Force" mechanic to help balance Battlefield encounters.

All of the new areas to explore will contain monsters between levels 50-62, with the new dungeon Wood Garden limited to players at level 40 or higher. There's also a new PvP zone dubbed Spirit's Shelter, featuring a field boss for players to spar against as well as wandering cactus monsters. Iris Online players will luckily not have to wait too long for the game's additions, but the new visual additions to the gallery below will help tide players over until the patch drops.

Gallery: Iris Online Screenshots

Iris Online expansion slated for the 26th originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XI gets an Abyssean trailer

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Expansions, Previews, News items, Consoles

The highly anticipated December version update for Final Fantasy XI looks to be going live on December 6th. That's not quite certain yet, but considering that the newest update to the Heroes of Abyssea site lists that as the activation date, it's reasonable to assume the game's next major patch will be going live then. It also comes with a trailer showing off the new monsters listed under the bestiary, as well as the landscape for players to explore.

Orthrus, Alfard, and Khrysokhimaira are the three headlining notorious monsters for the add-on, with the trailer giving some sense of just how large the monsters are in comparison with players. Combined with the extant previews of the completed Empyrean Armor sets and the option to pre-purchase the mini-expansion, Final Fantasy XI players will have plenty to whet their appetites until the forecasted release date in a little less than two weeks' time.

Final Fantasy XI gets an Abyssean trailer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultima Online's high seas move into open beta

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Expansions, Game mechanics, News items, Ultima Online

It's difficult for an MMO to be any longer in the tooth than the venerable Ultima Online, a game whose presence and launch has defined much of the genre for years. But the game hasn't stopped updating or running through its long history -- in fact, the game is expanding yet again in the near future. The High Seas booster pack, a mini-expansion for the game, has just gone into open beta, complete with a new dedicated forum and FAQ for players looking forward to an array of nautical adventures.

When the booster goes live, every Ultima Online player will benefit from enhanced boat movement. Players who purchase the $15 expansion, however, will also receive a plethora of oceanic improvements, including improved ship combat, paintable boats, fish markets, and NPC ship combat allowing you to attack both pirates and merchant vessels. Add in new ship types, and players will be well-served on their nautical ventures by the expansion. You can take part in the open beta now, or just keep your eye on the main forums for discussion of the experience.

Ultima Online's high seas move into open beta originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XI and the future

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Events, real-world, Expansions, Game mechanics, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log

So, I had planned to go back to my soloing experiment from Final Fantasy XI this week, but two things got in the way. The first is named Final Fantasy XIV's open beta, and I'm not going to start talking about that because I won't stop. The second, however, is the September version update and the fast-approaching end of that timeline we saw back at VanaFest. While I'm not wholly qualified to talk about everything in the version update at the moment, I can certainly talk about what comes after.

And here's why: This is a significant update for the game. It's the last update before the release of Final Fantasy XIV later this month, it's the second stage in the level cap increase, and it's the second-to-last additional content that we know we're getting. And what it's doing for Final Fantasy XI says volumes about what's going to happen in the game in the coming months, as well as what we can hope for.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XI and the future

The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XI and the future originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trailer for Scars of Abyssea surfaces for Final Fantasy XI

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Final Fantasy XI, Expansions, Previews, News items, Consoles

While there's quite a stir around the new open beta for Final Fantasy XIV, there are some very big additions coming to Final Fantasy XI as well. Scars of Abyssea is due to be released with the September version update, and lest players forget about it, Square-Enix has updated the teaser site. Not only does it include previews of the new Empyrean armor sets and a new trailer for the mini-expansion, it also offers us a predicted launch date for the update of September 8th.

Although the chest pieces are not shown and it's a bit early to be sure, it does appear that most of the Empyrean Armor sets are the new Artifact pieces (an upgrade from the previous Relic Armor). Combined with the coming upgrades to Trial of the Magians, this armor set may become the norm for quite some time. Players can take a look at all of the coming attractions on the official teaser site, and the Final Fantasy XI update should be available early next week.

Trailer for Scars of Abyssea surfaces for Final Fantasy XI originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Champions Online gearing up for Revelation playtest

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Events, in-game, Patches, Champions Online

There was quite a stir when Champions Online first announced their new region of Vibora Bay, with a lot of negative feelings getting voiced. That was mollified when it transformed into its current form as Champions Online: Revelation, a mini-expansion free to all players of the game promising a new area, new enemies, and new plots to uncover. The wait is nearly over, and that means all the joy of testing out the new features before they go live, as the game has just announced a special playtest event with the development team on Thursday, March 11th.

Running from 4-7 PM PST (that's 1-4 PM EST for those on the opposite coast), the event will (understandably) be taking place on the public test server. It's a chance both to hang out with the dev team and get an idea of what the new area will play like, with the added bonus of knowing that the people who know the area inside and out will be right there for any questions. Keep your eyes open for the event, as Champions Online will no doubt have quite a bit to reveal during the test.

Champions Online gearing up for Revelation playtest originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Champions Online gives a mini-state of the game

Eliot Lefebvre — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Culture, Patches, Champions Online

It's been a bit of a rough ride lately for Champions Online. Their initial plan for a paid mini-expansion met with a reception that could best be described as "frothing rage," and even their later reversal didn't exactly calm the waters. To make matters worse, their large "Kitchen Sink" patch met with equally mixed reviews at the same time. In hopes of stepping up their community relations, Cryptic has been pushing out a great deal more news to the players, including both their new GM Blog feature and a recent pint-sized State of the Game letter.

A re-examination of the "Kitchen Sink" patch, affectionately dubbed the "Kitchen Sink Scrub," is being pushed out in the near future, with a week or so to go before it hits the live servers. The mini-expansion, dubbed Champions Online -- Revelation, should also be going live sometime in the middle of March. Players hoping to get a bit of an early start on it will be happy to note it's also going to be hitting the test servers some time within the next week, letting the new zone get a thorough examination. With the promise of an upcoming site devoted specifically to the expansion, it seems like Champions Online is really trying to wash out the bad taste of their missteps.

Champions Online gives a mini-state of the game originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XI's November version update announced

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Expansions, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Consoles

While it was a foregone conclusion that we'd be seeing a content update in Final Fantasy XI very soon, thanks to the release of the trailer for "A Shantotto Ascension," we now have confirmation on the target month for the gigantic update -- November.

The November version update will include new Wings of the Goddess nation quests, more Moblin Maze Mongers features, a mysterious new "item related system," and a continuation of the job targeted enhancements. The next few months will be filled with exciting news as we'll get to find out what jobs are being targeted for changes during this update and what exactly this mysterious new system is.

Of course, the version update will also come with the newest mini-expansion, "A Shantotto Ascension," which we have the trailer for already! So check out the trailer, and stay tuned to Massively for all the information related to the upcoming version update!

Final Fantasy XI's November version update announced originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively tours Final Fantasy XI's latest version update

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Expansions, PvE, Hands-on, Consoles, Massively Hands-on

Not too long ago, we were taken on a tour of moogles and mayhem by the developers over at Square-Enix as we got an inside look into Final Fantasy XI's July version update. There's a lot of meat to this update as it includes everything from Ninja job changes, new blue mage spells, more item augmentations, campaign quests, expansions to Moblin Maze Mongers, and their newest mini-expansion pack, "A Moogle Kupo d'Etat!"

Our hands-on is set to cover all of these new additions, so let's waste no more time here on the front page. On to moogles and more!

Continue reading Massively tours Final Fantasy XI's latest version update

Massively tours Final Fantasy XI's latest version update originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online mini expansion Apocrypha 1.5 deploys Thursday, Aug 20th

James Egan — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Bugs, Expansions, Exploits, Game mechanics, Patches

Tomorrow, EVE Online will launch Apocrypha 1.5, which CCP Games has dubbed a "mini-expansion." The Apocrypha expansion was released in March and introduced a slew of new features to the game, but there were more changes in the works that didn't make it into that first release. The 1.5 changes slated to roll out tomorrow are numerous and will introduce a few new aspects to EVE Online, more than a typical patch would, but cannot be considered a full expansion release either.

[UPDATED]: The maintenance window has been extended "due to delays earlier in the deployment process" per CCP. Tranquility is expected to come online at 16:30 GMT (12:30 PM Eastern).

Read on for Massively's highlights of what Apocrypha 1.5 will bring.

Continue reading EVE Online mini expansion Apocrypha 1.5 deploys Thursday, Aug 20th

EVE Online mini expansion Apocrypha 1.5 deploys Thursday, Aug 20th originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More moogles than you can shake a chocobo at in the upcoming Final Fantasy add-on

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Expansions, Launches, New titles, Consoles

Moogles. A rich, noble race that's been around for ages. Sure, their contributions to society are overlooked -- such as their dedication to keeping your house clean, changing your jobs, and acting like a save point in oh so many Final Fantasy worlds. But that doesn't mean that this race has many more things to share with society.

Things like haunted mog houses, engagement rings, and... um... mogfia bosses? What's going on here?

It's a Moogle Kupo d'Etat, the next add-on expansion pack for Final Fantasy XI! Just like the first pack, A Crystalline Prophecy, this expansion will once again provide a short storyline and an augmentable item at the end, all for the low price of 10 bucks.

This time around, it's the headpiece for the sets! The Champion's Galea, Anwig Salade, and Selenian Cap are all up for grabs once the mini-expansion is completed.

The add-on pack will be available for pre-order on July 5th, and will most likely roll out with the next version update later in July. Check out our gallery of some of the scenes from the upcoming pack, as well as our look at the new items!

Gallery: A Moogle Kupo d'Etat

More moogles than you can shake a chocobo at in the upcoming Final Fantasy add-on originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you prefer patches or expansions?

Lesley Smith — Thu, 14 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Expansions, Patches, The Daily Grind

One of the big things that attracts gamers to MMOs has to be the protean nature of the genre; the games are forever changing and that keeps them fresh and interesting. City of Heroes: Going Rogue is just the latest example. However, the folks behind MMOs from World of Warcraft to Guild Wars have also realised that the time between expansions (sometimes a period of one to two years) is so long that players need something in the interim. This is where major content patches come in. Some companies, like Blizzard, have started treating these as mini-expansions but without the artbooks, CD soundtracks and other shiny extras.

Personally, I think the idea of mini-expansions is a fantastic way to keep people interested and think of them as almost a free bonus for buying a game or expansion in the first place. Do you prefer lining up in the cold to get a limited special edition of your favourite MMO, or do you like major content patches and look forward to the next one with as much gusto as a full on expansion? What about the cost of an expansion versus the free patch? Is it worth it?

The Daily Grind: Do you prefer patches or expansions? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 May 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's hands-on with Final Fantasy XI's April version update

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Expansions, Game mechanics, New titles, Reviews, PvE, Opinion, Consoles, Massively Hands-on

Prophecy, valor, campaign, and item augmentation, oh my! This latest version update was packed with goodies for the Final Fantasy XI player base, making sure that something for everyone was included in the game. I recently got the chance to sit down with the Final Fantasy XI team and play through some of the content, experiencing what their newest mini-expansion, A Crystalline Prophecy, had to add to the game.

Past that, I also had the chance to see the new Fields of Valor areas in action, aid the Mithras in defending Windurst from the beastmen during the Crystal War, and experience some of the hard tasks in the campaign missions first hand.

So does the April update get a thumbs up? Is Crystalline Prophecy worth the ten bucks? Those questions and more will be answered within.

Continue reading Massively's hands-on with Final Fantasy XI's April version update

Massively's hands-on with Final Fantasy XI's April version update originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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