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[Previewing the nuts and bolts of MechWarrior Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/previewing-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-mechwarrior-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/previewing-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-mechwarrior-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/previewing-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-mechwarrior-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

MechWarrior screenshot
MechWarrior Online might just be one of the most exciting titles to be announced in recent times. If you have ever played any version of the game or have ever enjoyed stomping around in the Battletech universe, you'll be happy to know that, yes, the new online game is actually being made. While the IP will soon turn 30 years old, it's still very popular. Some of us remember painting metal figures to place into our tiny lances, while others have fond memories of jumping and shooting, jumping and shooting, jumping and shooting.

Massively joined the press roundtable for the game this week and snagged some juicy information. We talked with Piranha Games' President Russ Bullock and Creative Director Bryan Ekman about how the development process is going, how their philosophies influence design, and how the game will actually play.

Click past the cut, and watch out for heat!

Continue reading Previewing the nuts and bolts of MechWarrior Online

MassivelyPreviewing the nuts and bolts of MechWarrior Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battletechbeau-hindmanboardgamebryan-ekmanf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpinterviewinterviewsmechmechsmechwarriormechwarrior-onlineminiaturespiranha-gamesruss-brownWed, 21 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars 2 developers offer new information on PvP, servers, titles, and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/guild-wars-2-developers-offer-new-information-on-pvp-servers-t/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/guild-wars-2-developers-offer-new-information-on-pvp-servers-t/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/guild-wars-2-developers-offer-new-information-on-pvp-servers-t/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The class and race information for Guild Wars 2 might be coming fast and furious, but general gameplay details have been scarce lately.

That all changed today, thanks to an interview with Guild Wars 2 fansite Variance. The Variance team sat down to chat with Eric Flannum, John Corpening, Egan Hirvela, and Matt Witter for plenty of new tidbits on the game, including the new details that fans have been hoping for.

Perhaps some of the most exciting information was regarding PvP play. Information on this side of the game has been very limited, but we learned several new things today. There will be four World vs. World maps at launch, each player will begin in his or her own home map, and there are numerous strategic objectives within PvP play. Hardcore fans will enjoy the in-depth analysis of the new PvP information, courtesy of Kill Ten Rats.

The team wasn't finished there, though. Fans have also been very curious about other details such as server setup, titles carried over from Guild Wars 1, and vanity items like miniatures. The team had things to say about all of that, so head over to Variance to see the full interview for yourself!

MassivelyGuild Wars 2 developers offer new information on PvP, servers, titles, and more originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetegan-hirvelaeric-flannumguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw2john-corpeningmatt-witterminiaturesncsoftPvPserverstitleswvwWed, 04 May 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: Dofus]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/02/rise-and-shiny-recap-dofus/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/02/rise-and-shiny-recap-dofus/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/02/rise-and-shiny-recap-dofus/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Years ago I had to find a job in my new home state of Texas. Luckily for me, my wife hooked me up with a friend who helped me get hired at Starbucks. At first, I hung my head in shame. Later, though, I enjoyed dealing with customers and the free coffee. I had a co-worker, a real chin-scratching, coffee house wanna-be intellectual who would often spend more time dreaming about some game than about getting people on their breaks. He even brought his Macbook to work to sneak in time in the game.

I glanced over his shoulder one day and was delighted to see an odd-looking, cartoony, turn-based game on his screen. It turned out that the game was Dofus. I tried it immediately and fell in love with it, but that was years ago. I still found time to revisit the game, but once I started working at Massively, most of my time became dedicated to every other game in the world.

Well, it's time to visit it again. During the first part of this week, though, I thought this was going to be a disaster. I stayed strong and battled my way through bot after bot, spam message after spam message, and eventually found the great game I remember. Click past the cut to see exactly what I found!

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Dofus

MassivelyRise and Shiny recap: Dofus originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ankamaankama-gamesbeau-hindmanbotsDofusdofus-2.0f2pfeaturedflash-basedflash-based-mmofree-to-playftpgames-workshopgold-spamgold-spammerminiaturesmobilenetbooknotebookrise-and-shinyspamspam-botstable-toptable-top-gameswar40kWarhammer-40KSun, 02 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars fansite hosts "Night of the Mini Pets" community event]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/19/guild-wars-fansite-hosts-night-of-the-mini-pets-community-even/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/19/guild-wars-fansite-hosts-night-of-the-mini-pets-community-even/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/19/guild-wars-fansite-hosts-night-of-the-mini-pets-community-even/#commentsFiled under: , ,

A long-running event in the Guild Wars community should be gaining an extra dose of attention and excitement this year. In all the player buzz over the Hall of Monuments, many people have found the Monument to Devotion to be one of the most difficult to fill.

That problem might be solved for many people thanks to the upcoming Night of the Mini Pets. Fansite Blade Radio has worked to coordinate this event for three years running, and each year hundreds of miniatures are handed out to Guild Wars players as prizes.

This year is bigger than ever: Blade Radio has over 1,100 minis (both dedicated and undedicated) to distribute along with many other items including a prepaid Guild Wars 2 package. The event will be held for three nights beginning on October 29th, so check out the Night of the Mini Pets page for all of the details and a full prize list.

MassivelyGuild Wars fansite hosts "Night of the Mini Pets" community event originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetblade-radioguild-warsgwhall-of-monumentshommini-petsminiaturesminipetsncsoftnight-of-the-mini-petsTue, 19 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to 50: A guide to filling your Guild Wars Hall of Monuments (I)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/11/the-road-to-50-a-guide-to-filling-your-guild-wars-hall-of-monum/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/11/the-road-to-50-a-guide-to-filling-your-guild-wars-hall-of-monum/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/11/the-road-to-50-a-guide-to-filling-your-guild-wars-hall-of-monum/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

While I was writing today's Flameseeker Chronicles, I noticed something: It was about twice as long as my normal columns, and yet I'd barely skimmed the surface. Many players in the Guild Wars community went inactive over the past few years while waiting for Guild Wars 2. Now that we know all the details of the strongest link between the two games, hundreds if not thousands of players are coming out of retirement to max out their Halls.

Today's Flameseeker Chronicles was a generalized guide to reaching 30 points on the calculator. That number will get you every reward on the scale, but so many veteran players and completionists are chasing 50 points that I wanted to do something for them too. The Road to 50 is a feature that will run for five days this week, each day focusing on a different monument. I'll give tips, suggestions, and guides for obtaining a "full score" in each one.

Today's focus is Miniatures, so follow along after the jump to see how to get your hands on 50 of your little friends.

Continue reading The Road to 50: A guide to filling your Guild Wars Hall of Monuments (I)

MassivelyThe Road to 50: A guide to filling your Guild Wars Hall of Monuments (I) originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetfeaturedguideguidesguild-warsGuild-Wars-2guild-wars-beyondgwgw2hall-of-monumentshall-of-monuments-calculatormini-petsminiatureminiaturesminipetsminisncsoftthe-road-to-50Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: The consequences of an aging economy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/15/flameseeker-chronicles-the-consequences-of-an-aging-economy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/15/flameseeker-chronicles-the-consequences-of-an-aging-economy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/15/flameseeker-chronicles-the-consequences-of-an-aging-economy/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

About two weeks ago, I decided I wanted Obsidian armor for my Elementalist. Those who know me laughed (and are probably laughing as they read this), because it's been a bit of a joke that she's not had it until now. She is without a doubt my most favored character in any game, sporting a wardrobe that borders on ridiculous, a minipet for every occasion, and heroes bearing Tormented weapons. She's spoiled rotten, but the Elementalist version of Obsidian armor has always reminded me of those little cups you take camping. I just never cared for it.

Eventually I thought "she's got everything else, so why not that?" The fact that it was a snap decision set me thinking about the economy of Guild Wars today. Sure, it'll take me a bit to earn the armor, and I'll be spending a fair amount of time in UW and FoW, but it's not out of reach by any means. It's not an epic goal, it's just something to keep me amused for a few weeks, and that speaks much more to the game than it does to any sort of virtual wealth I've accumulated. Follow along after the jump, and let's take a look at the implications of that.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: The consequences of an aging economy

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: The consequences of an aging economy originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenaneteconomyfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesguild-warsgwminiaturesMinipetsMon, 15 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you play MMO-based tabletop games?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/the-daily-grind-do-you-play-mmo-based-tabletop-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/the-daily-grind-do-you-play-mmo-based-tabletop-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/the-daily-grind-do-you-play-mmo-based-tabletop-games/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sure, there aren't really any such things as 'tabletop MMOs' but there are quite a few tabletop games based on MMOs. There are trading card games for a few different MMOs - both online and off. World of Warcraft has an actual board game, complete with expansions. Dungeons & Dragons Online is based on the much beloved Dungeons & Dragons pen & paper system - and now we have Champions Online in the pen & paper to MMO market. It's not quite the same thing as EverQuest spawning its own pen & paper game, though. Warhammer made the jump from minis to MMO, and WoW has jumped from MMO to minis. With this much cross-pollination going on, we thought we'd ask this morning; do you play any of the tabletop variants? From board games to card games to pen & paper games, there's a lot to choose from out there. Any you thought were really well done? How about crossovers that you tried but just didn't make the cut for you?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you play MMO-based tabletop games? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>champions-onlineddodungeons-and-dragons-onlineeqeverquestminiaturesroleplayingtabletop-gametdgthe-daily-grindtrading-card-gamewarwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 15 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What do you think of table-top games?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/10/the-daily-grind-mmos-and-the-tabletop/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/10/the-daily-grind-mmos-and-the-tabletop/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/10/the-daily-grind-mmos-and-the-tabletop/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

There exists a very close relationship between MMOs and table-top games.

Yesterday saw the launch of Ethernauts, the fifth expansion to EverQuest-related collectible trading card game Legends of Norrath. LoN is digital, but gameplay-wise, it's totally a table-top game. World of Warcraft has an entirely material trading card game. Warhammer Online is of course based on the Warhammer miniatures game, and WoW is getting a miniatures game of its own. And of course, the RPG genre originated on the table-top with Dungeons & Dragons.

We're wondering: how much crossover is there between digital and table-top games? How many of our readers play them? Tell us! What do you think of table-top games?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What do you think of table-top games? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccgcollectible-card-gamediscussiondungeons-and-dragonsethernautseverquestlegends-of-norrathlonminiaturesopinionpen-and-paperrole-playing-gamerpgtable-toptcgtdgthe-daily-grindtrading-card-gamewarhammerwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftFri, 10 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft miniatures game hits shelves November 11th]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/30/world-of-warcraft-miniatures-game-hits-shelves-november-11th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/30/world-of-warcraft-miniatures-game-hits-shelves-november-11th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/30/world-of-warcraft-miniatures-game-hits-shelves-november-11th/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A World of Warcraft miniatures game will be released on November 11th. It has been designed and will be published by Upper Deck, the company behind the WoW TCG. For those curious how the game works, there are a number of gameplay previews at the News section of the game's website.

According to the FAQ, you can play with between one and five characters (each represented by a 40mm miniature) on each side of a battle (there are three sides -- Alliance, Horde, and Monster). Each character has an "action bar" which can be customized with abilities from WoW. Starter sets (priced at $24.99) will include basics like dice, rules, etc. as well as two Alliance and two Horde miniatures. Booster packs ($14.99) will include three random miniatures from one faction. The company plans to release expansions based on famous WoW raids in the future.

This is perhaps most interesting in that Warcraft has taken the opposite approach of its initial inspiration, Warhammer, by starting with video games and later moving on to miniature-based board games!

[Via MMORPG]
One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft miniatures game hits shelves November 11th originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allianceblizzardboard-gamebooster-packsccghordeminiaturesmonstersraidsstarter-settcgupper-deckwarcraftwarhammerworld-of-warcraftworld-of-warcraft-miniatures-gamewowwow-miniatures-gameTue, 30 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft miniatures game brings conquest and art]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/world-of-warcraft-miniature-game-brings-conquest-and-art/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/world-of-warcraft-miniature-game-brings-conquest-and-art/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/world-of-warcraft-miniature-game-brings-conquest-and-art/#commentsFiled under: ,

The World of Warcraft miniatures game has quite the appeal for artist and gamer alike. You can admire your opponent's incredible figures and then destroy them all in a bloodrage rivaling anything the orcs could ever imagine! Over at Blizzplanet, that is exactly the idea, but with less bloodrage. Figures of orcs, dragons, gnomes, and beasts from WoW impress us with their awesome, yet small, presence. The artwork, in our estimation, will blow your mind straight through the Dark Portal!

Beyond that, Upper Deck had a surprising announcement to make at this week's GAMA trade show. The folks behind your favorite rookie cards announced that they would be unveiling the Onyxia piece. We immediately ran to the center and applied more dots for a chance to catch a glimpse. The Onyxia figure, which is pictured about to devour some poor tank, looks amazing. Claiming some of the most talented sculptors from around the world on the design team, the WoW miniatures game is sure to make a big splash when the game hits shelves sometime in the fall of 2008.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft miniatures game brings conquest and art originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardminiaturesonxyiaupper-deckworld-of-warcraftworld-of-warcraft-miniatureswowThu, 24 Apr 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[White Lions are the last career for High Elves?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/03/white-lions-are-the-last-career-for-high-elves/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/03/white-lions-are-the-last-career-for-high-elves/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/03/white-lions-are-the-last-career-for-high-elves/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Just a little bit of fun speculation about the last class for Warhammer Online's High Elves-- GOA, the company co-publishing WAR in Europe, apparently put up this big display picture at Dreamhack, and Warhammer know-it-alls have identified that High Elf on the right as a "White Lion," supposedly a career straight from the miniatures game.

Of course, we have no idea what this means-- previous speculation has called the White Lion career a DPS-based pet class (wielding a melee-two hander and fighting with pets?), and while the miniatures class looks completely different, there's no doubt that there is definitely a white lion fighting alongside the Elf in the picture above. All of this is still just rumors, however -- we won't know what that last High Elves career is until they announced it -- but hey, at least it's a cool looking display.

MassivelyWhite Lions are the last career for High Elves? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>careerdreamhackhigh-elvesminiaturesmythicpet-classpetswarhammer-onlinewhite-lionMon, 03 Dec 2007 22:00:00 EST