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Ask Massively: We do not play games for a living edition

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: City of Heroes, City of Villains, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous

One of the most persistent misconceptions about what we do here at Massively is this idea that we play games for a living. Allow me to be perfectly clear in this: What you're seeing right now? This article? The one I wrote? Writing this is what I do for a living. I write about games, and I enjoy games, but if I decided to not write any of my columns for a month and just play Star Wars: The Old Republic, I would be fired. That is not my job.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, it's time for another installment of Ask Massively, this time featuring questions about gambling and the latest City of Heroes cash shop offering. If you've got a question you'd like to see in a future installment of the column, mail it to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments below. Questions may be edited for brevity and/or clarity.

Continue reading Ask Massively: We do not play games for a living edition

Ask Massively: We do not play games for a living edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RuneScape spices up minigames with better rewards

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, RuneScape, Free-to-play

RuneScape, the under-the-radar MMO that keeps drawing in the crowds in mind-boggling numbers, wants everyone to enjoy the title's many minigames. While they're fun for their own sake, we're not going to sneeze at the prospect of getting a shiny trinket or two while we play -- and RuneScape has quite a few new shinies on tap for dedicated minigamers.

Jagex has added a "veritable bounty" of top-notch rewards for minigames, although these are only attainable by high-level players. These include five new sets of gear that can help boost one's skill focus (such as Runecrafting or Thieving), a cute and not-so-cuddly TzRek-Jad pet, new lunar spells, gear customization items, and more. For an infernal doggy, there's very little we wouldn't do, so we'll bet these rewards will be popular motivators.

RuneScape boasts an impressive 10 minigames, including Castle Wars, Pest Control, and the TzHaar Fight Pits.

RuneScape spices up minigames with better rewards originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: Free Realms

Beau Hindman — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Free Realms, Family, Rise and Shiny, Livestream

This week I decided to revisit a game that has been covered and played by me (and this site) quite a bit before. In hindsight, Free Realms was a bit of a big deal when it was released. I have to admit that I thought it was going to be something different than it was, but I was pleasantly surprised at how it played and looked. It wasn't so long ago, but my, how things have changed in the game.

Critics have said that Sony Online Entertainment ruined certain systems while loyal fans have collected pets, decorated their houses, and had a pretty darn good time. Where do I fall along the spectrum? Well, I simply have not made as much time for the game as I would have liked lately, so I couldn't tell you. Early on, I was obsessed enough over the game to host a brief podcast about it and to level up several jobs. Fastforward to now, when I decided to take a week and revisit the game.

Click past the cut and I'll let you know what I found.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Free Realms

Rise and Shiny recap: Free Realms originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E3 2011: Nival announces Facebook-integrated MMO Prime World

Patrick Mackey — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, Video, New titles, Previews, News items, Browser, MMORTS, Massively Event Coverage

Nival may be a new player in the MMOsphere, but Prime World, its first big push into the fray, is looking to turn a few heads. Developed in the Unity 3D engine and promising an intense PvP experience inspired by Defense of the Ancients, Prime World hopes to break from other, similar games by integrating itself into Facebook. While elements of the social game can be played in a web browser, the PvP combat will require a downloadable client.

Players will be able to construct castles and enjoy other social gaming features, and these elements will bleed into the PvP portions of the game and vice-versa. Well-designed castles will provide "meaningful benefits" to the PvP action scenes, and social networks can be exploited, helping players gain strategic advantages. Likewise, the spoils gained from successful PvP victories and other minigames can be used to customize your castle or be gifted to friends.

Nival is expecting Prime World to enter closed beta late this year, but it released a teaser trailer to whet our appetites until then. Check it out after the break!

Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 6-9, bringing you all the best news from E3 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!

Gallery: Prime World

Continue reading E3 2011: Nival announces Facebook-integrated MMO Prime World

E3 2011: Nival announces Facebook-integrated MMO Prime World originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Anvil of Crom: Is Age of Conan a PvP-focused game?

Jef Reahard — Sun, 15 May 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, PvP, PvE, Opinion, The Anvil of Crom

One of the great things about Massively is the deluge of MMO information and opinion that is spread across the site on a daily basis. Since I'm so closely tied to our Age of Conan coverage, it's interesting to read other writers' perspectives on Hyboria, particularly when they don't match my own.

Take one of our recent early-morning conversation starters in which Funcom's title is described as a PvP-focused game. Despite being a throw-away reference, the wording here struck a strange chord. Age of Conan does feature both open world and instanced PvP, but said PvP is -- in my experience -- a red-headed step-child in terms of content updates, system tweaks, and player preference.

The key here is "in my experience," and it's amazing how a simple turn of phrase like "PvP-focused game" can send the mind drifting on all manner of perceptual tangents. Analytically, though, is Age of Conan a PvP-focused game as of May 2011? Head past the cut to find out.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Is Age of Conan a PvP-focused game?

The Anvil of Crom: Is Age of Conan a PvP-focused game? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Does Vanguard's diplomacy system deserve another shot?

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 12 May 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, Vanguard, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

While I've never played Vanguard, I'll admit that I've always been fascinated by the game's diplomacy system. It was rather ambitious at the time it was first announced, as the devs boasted about how they were creating a whole new "sphere" of play by turning dialogues between you and NPCs into a deep, involved minigame.

Some people loved it -- and still do -- while others ignored it entirely. In any case, Vanguard's well-known struggles to stay afloat have kept the larger MMO community from experiencing the diplomacy system, which I feel is a shame. I've always hoped that other MMO devs would take this idea and run with it, creating a "next generation" version that would work well in contemporary games, sort of how Warhammer Online's public questing was picked up and revised for games that would follow (just as WAR picked it up from Ultima Online).

So my question to you today is, does Vanguard's diplomacy system deserve another shot? Should MMO devs take a closer look at the typically skimpy interactions between characters and NPCs to see if they can be improved? Or should this system best be left alone?

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

The Daily Grind: Does Vanguard's diplomacy system deserve another shot? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 May 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two years of Free Realms: A retrospective

Karen Bryan — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Free-to-play, Browser, Consoles, Free Realms, Kids, Family

"It's your world."

Those three words sum up Free Realms, and it's no coincidence that it's the title song for the game. It's hard to believe that the game is only two years old -- much has changed since launch, and in many ways, this young MMO has been a pioneer in the market.

To celebrate Free Realms' second birthday, we're going to take a look back at some highlights. From pet training, to Chatdy's name change, to its Guinness World Record, the game has experienced many milestones. Read on for a retrospective as well as a peek at the future.

Continue reading Two years of Free Realms: A retrospective

Two years of Free Realms: A retrospective originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fishing changes on the way to Final Fantasy XI

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Patches, Professions, News items, Consoles

There are certain constants in Final Fantasy XI that every veteran of the game knows, whether or not they were intended by the development team. It's a known fact, for instance, that you need an extra character to serve as a storage mule. You need to farm if you want money. And fishing is well-known for both being all but required for making money and being frequently boring and frustrating. But that last constant looks to be poised for changing, with the newest fishing changes promising a cleaner and easier experience while trawling Vana'diel's waters.

The first welcome change will give players a more detailed set of information when fishing rather than a simple generic message that you've snagged something. The second, however, will be even more helpful for fishers -- a message informing you of exactly what you've hooked if your skill level surpasses the level required for the fish. Both changes go hand-in-hand with a general revamp and improvement of the fishing code to make fishing easier for Final Fantasy XI's anglers to enjoy, while at the same time cutting down on the often unwanted botting that plagues fishing holes.

Fishing changes on the way to Final Fantasy XI originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free Realms buys the farm, offers it to players

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, Game mechanics, News items, Free-to-play, Free Realms, Family

Farming is kind of a hot-button issue for a lot of gamers these days, bringing forth mumblings about Facebook and clicking on cows. Fortunately for players who like farming in a colorful environment but don't feel like supporting aggressive non-gameplay, Free Realms has just introduced the option to work on your very own farm, clickable cows not included. All players will receive their own Wilds Farm to start cultivating, decorating, and harvesting as they see fit.

As is par for the course for the game, the new farming system introduces a number of minigames for farmers to convert crops into coins. Farming will also provide a surfeit of new items available to expert harvesters. If you're particularly taken by the farming mechanics, you can also purchase additional spots of land and items for planting for Station Cash. Free Realms players on the Mac and PC can begin enjoying the little joys of working on a farm, albeit without the backbreaking labor that accompanies a real farm.

Gallery: Free Realms

Free Realms buys the farm, offers it to players originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan Dreamworld patch goes live, faction grind reduced

Jef Reahard — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Patches, News items

Today's the big day for Age of Conan's Dreamworld engine upgrade, and Funcom has made the extensive notes available as it deploys the update to the live servers. Dreamworld features improved memory handling, loading times, framerates, and network latency as well as several visual upgrades (including the addition of tree wind, god rays, and higher-quality water for DX9 users).

The 2.1.3 patch also brings a few notable tweaks aside from Dreamworld, including minigame class balance fixes and the ability to purchase Khitai faction items (including simple trophies, marks of acclaim, and imperial insignias) with veteran tokens.

Age of Conan's launcher notes that "this is part of the current focus on improving the faction progression in Khitai, which will continue in subsequent updates with a significant increase in the speed of progression for faction." Check out the full patch notes on the official AoC forums.

Age of Conan Dreamworld patch goes live, faction grind reduced originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure: There's no crying in the Spiral edition

Beau Hindman — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Polls, Opinion, Free-to-play, Hands-on, Casual, Kids, Wizard101, Choose My Adventure, Family

Ah, another week of playing in the Spiral of Wizard101. It's been a lot of fun so far, and I've learned more than I thought I would. Of course, the game continues to run smoothly without almost any issues, and the combat is really starting to ramp up. I've barely dipped my toes into crafting and gathering, only going so far as to take on the first quest in a line that seems to explain it. I even dabbled in pet-raising and games, as well, probably the main area in which I can see the need for more improvement.

Other than that, I mostly enjoyed jumping into open groups with other players. Solo play is a blast, for sure, but having three other wizards at your side as you battle a gaggle of baddies is a sight to be seen. I'll have to get much better, though, in spite of finding it easy to mow down my enemies. I've started to notice chinks in the armor of my deck and have begun to wonder what it is I am doing wrong. I have an idea, but more testing is needed.

Click past the cut to read the details of my adventure, and maybe you can give me some advice, too!

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: There's no crying in the Spiral edition

Choose My Adventure: There's no crying in the Spiral edition originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan 2.1.2 patch goes live

Jef Reahard — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Patches, News items

Hold on to your bloodied, battle-scarred, and barbarian-themed helmets, kids, it's patch day in Hyboria. Yes, the 2.1.2 update has come to Age of Conan and brought with it a few tweaks to the game's classes. The Guardian, in particular, is the recipient of quite a lot of developer attention, and reaction on the official forums seems to indicate that the rich just got richer.

Also of note is Funcom's apparent addressing of long-standing issues relating to silences and other crowd-control abilities that have heretofore been immune to damage breaks. According to the patch notes, the unintended immunity should no longer occur. Another welcome change sees increased XP rewards from the new Call of Jhebbal Sag PvP minigame, as well as increased tick rates. You can view the full patch notes, and the resulting discussion, on the official boards.

Age of Conan 2.1.2 patch goes live originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age of Conan 2.1 brings new minigame, Guardian revamp, winter event

Jef Reahard — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Patches, PvP, News items, PvE

Today is patch day in the world of Hyboria, and Funcom has quite a few changes in store for Age of Conan. Version 2.1 is currently on the live servers and it brings new social content, a new PvP minigame, and a Guardian class revamp. Still want more? OK, how does a winter solstice quest grab you?

In addition to the items above, 2.1 also boasts a laundry list of tweaks and additions, among them adjustments to PvP minigame balancing, 18 new Gateway of Khitai quests, guild renown adjustments, and various and sundry bug fixes. While the jury is still out on the minigame balancing, the new game (The Call of Jhebbal Sag) transports players to the Pictish wilderness for a lengthy battle featuring capture objectives and resource stockpiles on a large-scale map.

Age of Conan 2.1 brings new minigame, Guardian revamp, winter event originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Impressions: LEGO Universe

Krystalle Voecks — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, New titles, Previews, Opinion, First Impressions, LEGO Universe, Kids, Family

Playing. It's one of our earliest lessons from childhood, and one that we as gamers hold on to with gusto. Let's face it -- in just about every gamer out there is a kid who, at least in some small way, refuses to grow up entirely. We love to play. It's that love, coupled with childhood memories of clicking tons of brightly colored LEGO blocks together, that has made the idea of LEGO videogames a huge hit. Now have a new contender to the LEGO gaming play-space: LEGO Universe. It's a game that has the potential to offer all the things we as MMO gamers would love: an open-ended world, a great known IP that reminds us of youthful days, and the social aspects many of us enjoy.

Aside from this, LEGO Universe also offers many things that parents of young gamers will value. As someone I spoke with recently asked: "What's stopping people from building offensive adult-themed content with LEGO bricks that my child might see?" The answer lies in LEGO Universe's moderation team, known as the Mythran (a shadowy group actually written into the lore of the game), which personally reviews personal free-build areas for compliance. The Mythrans also oversee character and pet names. When combined with a speedchat and whitelisted word chat system, it makes for a very workable solution to keeping kids safe online.

Curious about a look into LEGO Universe? Join me behind the break as I take a more detailed look at this colorful game, and be sure to check out the extensive gallery below!

Gallery: First Impressions: LEGO Universe

Continue reading First Impressions: LEGO Universe

First Impressions: LEGO Universe originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A crafting and harvesting primer for Final Fantasy XIV

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game mechanics, New titles, Professions, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, Guides

Crafting and harvesting in Final Fantasy XIV is a bit more involved than players have come to expect from the genre. Of course, that's kind of a given for a game in which crafting and gathering classes make up more than half of the options for players. Like with any other game, crafting and harvesting are optional rather than mandatory -- but in this case, fighting monsters with spells and weapons is also optional, with the non-combat classes also being fully capable of reaching the level cap without ever attacking anything.

While the systems for gathering materials and for crafting an item aren't as in-depth and ability-specific as the combat system, they're still far more involved than the now-standard practice of clicking a glowing resource node and waiting for a moment. Both involve minigames which require some attention and thought during play. Click on past the cut for a quick primer on working with Final Fantasy XIV's less violent classes.

Continue reading A crafting and harvesting primer for Final Fantasy XIV

A crafting and harvesting primer for Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMO Family: A parent's look at World of Cars Online

Lisa Poisso — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: New titles, Kids, MMO Family, Family

MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family, from tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate online games for everyone in the family.

How could you not fall in love with a Disney/Pixar movie? I'm not sure that's even possible. Cars revved up belly laughs in the theater back in 2006, earning two Oscar nominations and raking in more than a dozen other industry awards. Kids were captivated by the feisty little car characters, and grownups chuckled at voicing from such high-octane stars as Owen Wilson, Paul Newman and even Cheech Marin.

The MMO version of the franchise, which officially launched last month, pulls away from the starting line without this full tank of charisma. World of Cars Online hits on all cylinders yet somehow fails to throttle up into the type of completely engaging world we've come to expect from a Disney/Pixar creation. It's a 2-D, minigame-centric experience with lots (and we do mean lots) of point-and-click racing. Still, if you've got a young boy around the house who's hankering to burn a little online rubber, World of Cars is an inexpensive, kid-friendly way to do it.

Continue reading MMO Family: A parent's look at World of Cars Online

MMO Family: A parent's look at World of Cars Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LotRO's radiance to be run over by a train and other future tidbits revealed

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Interviews, Patches, Previews, Free-to-play

"We took Radiance outside, tied it up to some railroad tracks, and...well...I think you saw the end of this in Red Dead Redemption. Look for this in the future -‐ we will be removing Radiance from LotRO." Thus sayeth Turbine's Jen "Jalessa" Gordy, who confirmed that the controversial gear gating system is headed for a messy death.

In the same WarCry developer chat, the team fielded a number of questions about where LotRO is headed after this week's mega-update. Some of the features in the works for Tolkien's digital offspring include a new raid, class changes for monster play, a barter item wallet, PvMP skirmishes, Isengard, additional minigames and -- yes -- vanity pets for all. The devs also admitted to slipping in a few pop culture mentions into the game, such as Firefly and Futurama references.

And will there ever be any other hobbies than fishing in LotRO? Kate Paiz mused: "All of us devs really want to make golf next, but it's a tricky undertaking, so we don't have a timeline yet, but feel free to start practicing your backswings!"

You can read the full transcript at A Casual Stroll to Mordor.

LotRO's radiance to be run over by a train and other future tidbits revealed originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: The EVE Online that could be

Brendan Drain — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, Opinion, EVE Evolved

Each of us has a different idea of the perfect game, whether it's an existing game with a few tweaks or something completely new. Game designers work tirelessly to make their own vision of the perfect game a reality, but there's no telling what players will think of a feature until it's finished. In the process of transforming a feature from a gleam in the game designer's eye to a finished product, something is unfortunately often lost in translation. Limitations in the technology being used or the manpower available can render the ideal implementation infeasible.

As players, we don't really see that full development process. That doesn't stop us from painting our perfect vision of an upcoming or potential feature and how awesome it could be. In the coming years, the EVE Online developers will be going through the process of making some of their most incredible visions a reality. Ideas like walking in stations and integrating the upcoming MMOFPS Dust 514 with EVE's planetary interaction feature will be put through a potentially brutal development process. We can only hope that as little as possible of those visions we've heard from EVE's developers gets lost in translation.

In this speculative opinion piece, I look at a few areas in which EVE is sure to be expanded in the coming years and discuss what I'd consider to be the ideal way they could be implemented or handled.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The EVE Online that could be

EVE Evolved: The EVE Online that could be originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hero up! Hands-on with Marvel Super Hero Squad Online

Brianna Royce — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Business models, New titles, Previews, PvE, Free-to-play, Browser, Comics, Hands-on, Casual, Massively Hands-on, Family, Super Hero Squad Online

Back in May, I scored Massively's first real look at Super Hero Squad Online, the Marvel-flavored, kid-friendly MMO from Gazillion Entertainment and The Amazing Society. I was smitten with the game at the time, and so when Gazillion offered me the opportunity to take a peek at the newest build earlier this week, I jumped at the chance. Who can resist some hands-on time with such an adorable toy! (Answer to rhetorical question: no one, which is why you should go sign up for beta right now.) Plus, if I learned anything the last time, it was that I have a duty to relentlessly inquire about Squirrel Girl. Am I right?

Gazillion PR Manager Keith Mutzman and The Amazing Society's Director of Games Jay Minn wasted no time bringing me up to speed on the progress of the game as the team heads to PAX this weekend, so I'll pay that forward -- join me after the break and we'll dig in and hero up!

Continue reading Hero up! Hands-on with Marvel Super Hero Squad Online

Hero up! Hands-on with Marvel Super Hero Squad Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Three games to keep an eye on

Beau Hindman — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, MMO industry, New titles, Opinion, Free for All

There is so much to be excited about in the MMORPG world that I am always perplexed when someone claims lack of innovation in the market. I tend to think that this comes from an inability to play more than one game, or to support more than one idea in gaming, rather than from the actual state of the market. The fact is that there is so much happening in the world of gaming, and specifically free-to-play gaming, a player should feel almost overwhelmed.

I wanted to point out three games now in development (or very close to release) that I believe will do very well. Think of this as a list of predictions -- in fact I am going to have some fun with it and predict just how well these games will do. I have always enjoyed testing my gut. Concerning these three games, my gut is very, very excited. So, let's get right to the list.

Continue reading Free for All: Three games to keep an eye on

Free for All: Three games to keep an eye on originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: How do you like your PvP?

Jef Reahard — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, PvP, Warhammer Online, Opinion

Ah, PvP. Personally I kinda hate it, even on those rare occasions when I manage to emerge victorious. In small doses it's OK, but usually it consists of getting face-rolled by a player who knows the game systems much better than I do. That said, minigame PvP is quite enjoyable, particularly Age of Conan's variety, as well as the scenarios in Warhammer Online.

For a carebear like me, the only way to make PvP even semi-palatable is to grant control over when and if it happens. Sure, we may still lose and provide a good belly-laugh to the seasoned killers who view us as their game content, but at least they're not barging in on an otherwise productive session of questing, crafting, or exploring.

What about you, Massively readers? Do you prefer your PvP in spurts such as minigame instances or battlegrounds, or do you like the open-world FFA option common in games like Darkfall and Mortal Online?

The Daily Grind: How do you like your PvP? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you like minigames in MMOs?

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind

Quick: What does cooking in Free Realms, diplomacy in Vanguard, fishing in World of Warcraft and horse racing in Lord of the Rings Online have in common? Other than being fantastic wastes of time (I kid, I kid), they're all types of minigames added to our MMOs by ambitious developers who were looking for ways other than "smash with club" to accomplish tasks in game.

Some minigames are little more than whimsical diversions, set out for players looking to blow a few minutes on a cute activity. Other minigames are crucial to achieving goals, as players engage in them to get money, level up professions or even succeed at a raid.

So how do you feel about minigames in MMOs? Are they too "kiddy" and should best be left for Nintendo DS players and Flash game fanatics? Do you like the variety and spice they add to the game? Do you even want to see more of them as alternate ways to advance other than combat?

The Daily Grind: Do you like minigames in MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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STO celebrates six months of interstellar conflict in the latest State of the Game

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, Star Trek Online

While Captain Kirk and the original crew of the Enterprise had an initial five-year mission to explore the cosmos, Star Trek Online players have had a mere six months to do the same. In this span of time, a lot has happened for STO -- some good, some bad, some controversial, and some radically different. As the game heads into its second six-month tour of duty, executive producer Dan Stahl threw open the doors for STO's Season 2.0 update, entitled "Ancient Enemies."

In the latest State of the Game report, Stahl looks back at the additions, changes and accomplishments of the STO team since launch. The bullet point list he lays out is impressive indeed, listing 32 big ticket items that have been implemented into the game. He then looks at the immediate present with the launch of Season 2.0, which Stahl sees as a direct response to player requests and demands. "Season Two is filled with additional features and updates that you asked for, and in some cases even helped us design, specifically minigames," Stahl writes.

Finally, the State of the Game looks at the future of the title and the many improvements that are slated for delivery, including an upgrade to ground combat, more ship options for both factions and rethinking exploration. You can read Dan Stahl's full State of the Game report over at Star Trek Online's site.

STO celebrates six months of interstellar conflict in the latest State of the Game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preview made available for Star Trek Online's Season 2

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, Previews, News items, Star Trek Online

If the Season 1 patch for Star Trek Online pushed forward huge improvements to the game's engine, Season 2 looks to expand into several areas players have complained were lacking. Cryptic has just released a preview page detailing several additions, including added Klingon PvE play and six additional levels. The new levels let players reach the coveted rank of Vice Admiral in the Federation and Lieutenant General in the Klingon Empire, bringing improved versions of Tier 5 ships to coincide with the new maximum ranks. While it's not explicitly stated, it's implied that the new ships won't be mandatory upgrades, but rather options for players who want to fly some of the most iconic ships in the franchise's long history.

Even with no other additions, the changes would bring new aspects of play, but the update also sees the launch of the Federation Diplomatic Corps (a separate leveling track of negotiation and social interaction) and a new minigame associated with anomaly scanning. Currently a passive form of resource gathering, scanning will be changed into a simple wave-matching game to help gather additional resources -- making it somewhat more interesting than walking to a node and pressing a button. That's still not getting into the special weekly content due to start arriving in August... there's a good reason Cryptic has made a large page to summarize it at a glance. Star Trek Online's second major patch is targeted to hit later this month, with a first impression from testing available from West Karana.

Preview made available for Star Trek Online's Season 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 unveils the game's lighter side

Rubi Bayer — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars 2

We've learned a lot of core news about Guild Wars 2 lately -- everything from class reveals to character creation has been served up to eager fans.

The latest batch of new information about Guild Wars 2 takes a look at some of the lighter aspects of gameplay. IGN spent some time chatting with the developers and came away with a wealth of new information on events outside the central storyline.

Bar brawls, daily achievements, kill counts, and interaction with NPCs were all covered. We even got hints of some possible side games or minigames, such as a shooting gallery.

Check out the full interview at IGN.

Guild Wars 2 unveils the game's lighter side originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funcom wants your PvP feedback for Age of Conan

Jef Reahard — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, PvP, News items

Funcom's Craig "Silirrion" Morrison has been a whirlwind on the official forums of late, whether it's chatting with disgruntled players or soliciting feedback. In a new post published this week, he does a bit more of the latter, calling for suggestions and wish-lists in the form of Age of Conan PvP tweaks.

"Now that the expansion is out, and we will get through the summer holiday period relatively soon, I wanted to hear a little about which area of PVP you folk might want us to focus on. We have a number of things 'on the drawing board' and I am interested in hearing [...] your opinion on what you would consider the most important to focus on," he writes.

Morrison goes on to mention that two oft-requested PvP fixes are already in the works, in the form of siege performance and cross-server minigame queuing. "So those two things are being investigated further anyway, and we know they need to be looked at further so they will be, so this topic isn't to discuss them. We all agree I think those would be great additions (hence the further tech investigation into them). Likewise, class issues and concerns are always ongoing, and discussion of class concerns isn't the point of this post," he says.

All that said, everything else is on the table for discussion, whether it be new minigame settings, open-world objectives, Khitai PvP, or even the return of Drunken Brawling. Check out the post on the official boards to make your voice heard.

Funcom wants your PvP feedback for Age of Conan originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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E3 2010: Hands-on with Clone Wars Adventures

Dan O'Halloran — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Puzzle, Sci-fi, New titles, Previews, Browser, Hands-on, Virtual worlds, Massively Hands-on, First Impressions, Massively Event Coverage, Clone Wars Adventures

Arriving at the SOE booth at E3, one is assaulted with the shininess of their latest upcoming titles, DC Universe Online and The Agency. But scattered about the booth were demo stations for many of their other upcoming games including the recently announced Clone Wars Adventures. We haven't heard much about this game since it was announced (and our subsequent interview with the lead designer), but we got to sit down at E3 and find out what's involved.

As a quick refresher, CWA is less a traditional MMORPG and more a virtual lobby where players can access a number of minigames. There's no leveling or quests or equipment with stats. It's more Free Realms and less EverQuest. It will be free-to-play as a Flash-based browser title when it arrives this fall. But how does all this actually play? Click past the jump for more info.

Continue reading E3 2010: Hands-on with Clone Wars Adventures

E3 2010: Hands-on with Clone Wars Adventures originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Star Trek Online patch structure looks forward

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, News items, Star Trek Online

While you can fault the team behind Star Trek Online for some things, failure to plan is certainly not one of them. The development team has been very public about their plans for testing and release, which made a few people rather curious when Season 1.2 launched in early June rather than late May. What would that mean for Season 1.3 and the following Season 2 patch? The most recent Engineering Report on the official forums tackles precisely that, explaining that the team has adjusted their schedule slightly and will roll 1.3 straight into the Season 2 patch.

That leaves us with an enormous list of features for Season 2, which is aimed at July. Ship interiors and a raise in level cap to 51 are the two most obvious changes, with the former offering a choice from several layouts and the latter promoting a player to the rank of Vice Admiral or Lieutenant General. There's also the addition of minigames, weekly episodes, officer trading, new episodes for the high-level band, a new fleet action, and a general surfeit of improvements to the game. Star Trek Online players are encouraged to check out the official thread and offer any feedback to the proposed changes.

New Star Trek Online patch structure looks forward originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Anvil of Crom: Delving into PvP minis

Jef Reahard — Sun, 30 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, PvP, Opinion, The Anvil of Crom

There's a lot to like about Funcom's Age of Conan MMORPG, whether you're into the lush visuals, the lore, or the laid back progression. If you're anything like me, with combat and competitive sensibilities that lean toward the carebear side of the fence, you'll also likely appreciate the game's approach to PvP. For starters you have two major options: the free-for-all PvP servers or the PvE-focused realms that give you a bit more control over the ganking experience.

On the former, you've got your standard kill-everything-that-moves mentality, which, while fun in spurts, ultimately gets in the way of Age of Conan's top-notch PvE experience. On the latter, you can kill or be killed on your own terms, either in the Border Kingdom zones or in the game's mini-PvP scenarios.

Hit the jump for some minigame impressions.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Delving into PvP minis

The Anvil of Crom: Delving into PvP minis originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 May 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's tour of Mini Fighter

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, PvP, PvE, Free-to-play, Hands-on, Massively Hands-on

In my heart, I really want to like fighting games. And I do, at that, but just like we have to accept at some point that we're never going to become a rock god outside of our living room, I have to accept that I'm just not good at them. At some point my responses to what's happening on the screen fall into hopeless flailing, and I'm left watching my opponent's combo number going into scientific notation.

So while on a recent developer tour of Mini Fighter, I got to see a lot of my character winding up and performing some bone-shattering attacks on a target that would have been obliterated, had they not moved approximately ten minutes ago. But it was hard to get upset by that, because the game was pretty unambiguously fun despite my inherent lack of skill. The game is currently in Open Beta, but it already has a lot of polish and a lot of neat features to make it well worth playing. Skip past the cut for the details on the game and our time with it.

Continue reading Massively's tour of Mini Fighter

Massively's tour of Mini Fighter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Exclusive Interview: MindFuse's Isa Anne Stamos on Gatheryn

Krystalle Voecks — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Historical, Sci-fi, Interviews, Free-to-play, Massively Interviews, Gatheryn

With the oversaturation of fantasy in the MMO genre, we've been patiently waiting to get our hands on the steampunk victorian coolness of Gatheryn. An indie title currently under development by Mindfuse, Gatheryn seems to be part virtual world and part mini-game laden MMO, much like Free Realms. Considering how wildly popular Free Realms has become in a short period, many eyes are now turning to Gatheryn to see if the combination of casual minigames in a fun, unique MMO/VW setting can strike gold again. Massively's very own Managing Editor, Shawn Schuster sat down recently with Isa Anne Stamos, Game Studio Director for MindFuse, to find out some more about the future of this retro-feel title.

Massively: We first took a look at Gatheryn at GDC earlier this year, and liked what we saw so far. Can you describe some of the major feature changes or updates to the game since then?

Isa Anne Stamos, MindFuse: Generally, we've been focusing on building out the early stages of the Gatheryn experience - adjusting the layout of the city, adding variations to character customization, and creating a deep casual gaming experience that players can enjoy the minute they enter Gatheryn. Specifically, we just added a Player Health feature that measures your avatar's fatigue and gives us some creative options for healing items and quests. We're also filling in a lot of the quests and minigames - we've probably added a few since you saw us at GDC. We're also working hard to build up the community tools because we rely heavily on them to communicate with our beta users - they're crucial to getting player feedback in these early stages of development.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive Interview: MindFuse's Isa Anne Stamos on Gatheryn

Massively Exclusive Interview: MindFuse's Isa Anne Stamos on Gatheryn originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Would you craft more if it didn't bore you?

Michael Zenke — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Crafting, Opinion, The Daily Grind

The announcement of streamlining and clarification of crafting coming to Warhammer Online has us thinking: what do you think of crafting in MMOs? Most AAA games offer some sort of non-combat opportunities, but generally they're far less engaging than the combat component of the gameworld. There are exceptions, of course, such as the minigame offerings of Puzzle Pirates or the elaborate tiers of pre-NGE Star Wars Galaxies. EverQuest 2 has made enormous improvements on its simple design by adding vibrant rewards and unique non-combat instances into the mix.

The popularity of World of Warcraft has made their simple one-click crafting schema the 'defacto' standard, and a lot of players seem to enjoy that. What about you, though? If crafting was offered in a radically different way or was a central component to an MMO, would you be more inclined to participate? If it wasn't as simple as grinding through simple point-and-click recipes, would you join the noble ranks of the crafting elite?

The Daily Grind: Would you craft more if it didn't bore you? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free Realms continues to impress in CES 2009 video walkthrough

Kyle Horner — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Free Realms

Free Realms, it's a game that defies pretty much every preconception people have about what an MMO usually is to them, and the newest video walkthrough on Gametrailers only makes that more apparent. Let's make a checklist:

Impressive visuals that scale on older computers? Check.
Small downloadable client, with streaming content tech ala Guild Wars? Check.
PC and PS3 versions? Check.
Tons of customization features for avatars? Check.
Pets? Check.
Customization for pets? Check.
Diablo-style combat, with lots of classes? Check.
Plethora of non-combat mini-games, crafting and exploring? Check.
Free-to-play, with optional microtransactions and/or family-friendly subscription plans? Check.
Business model that supports long-tail new content delivery? Check.

As you can see, there's a whole lot about Free Realms that should make it an incredibly successful venture for Sony Online Entertainment. The fact that they're taking their time and making sure the game delivers on what it promises is a commodity that we wish more companies would afford their games. Check out the second half of the walkthrough beyond the cut.

Continue reading Free Realms continues to impress in CES 2009 video walkthrough

Free Realms continues to impress in CES 2009 video walkthrough originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blue Mars beta and launch dates disclosed

James Egan — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Business models, Launches, News items, Blue Mars, Virtual worlds

When it comes to virtual worlds, Massively's main focus to date has clearly been on Second Life, but we're also interested in some of the other choices that are becoming available to residents in virtual spaces. Blue Mars from Avatar Reality is one that's caught our eye -- it's a sci-fi themed virtual world, set on a terraformed Mars in the year 2177 AD. The potential is there to have some stunning visuals, as Blue Mars is built on CryEngine2, best known for giving Crysis its look.

The official Avatar Reality site lists a beta release for the end of 2008, but they've told Eurogamer that Blue Mars enters beta in January 2009. "The first-time developer expects this to last for around three months, before the full game launches in April," Eurogamer's Rob Purchese reports.

Continue reading Blue Mars beta and launch dates disclosed

Blue Mars beta and launch dates disclosed originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All Points Bulletin newsletter updates fans on game features

James Egan — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: News items, All Points Bulletin, Crime

Judging from the response we've seen from some our readers in the past, All Points Bulletin from Realtime Worlds is a hotly-anticipated MMO. And why wouldn't it be? APB may very well be a refreshing change from the tried-and-true marriage of fantasy and massively multiplayer games, and is one of the first urban crime MMOs we can see on the horizon.

The most recent All Points Bulletin newsletter addresses some of the input from APB's growing fan community on the types of weapons available, mini-games, and leisure activities they feel should be in the game. Realtime Worlds confirms that a few of the player-suggested features will, in fact, be present in the title.

Continue reading All Points Bulletin newsletter updates fans on game features

All Points Bulletin newsletter updates fans on game features originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exploring the PvP zone minigames in City of Heroes

Adrian Bott — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Galleries, City of Heroes, City of Villains, PvP, Tips and tricks

City of Heroes has no open PvP as such. It all takes place either in the Arenas, through the Arena kiosks in Pocket D, via friendly 'instant' base raids, or (most commonly) in one of the four designated PvP zones. Each one of these has a different theme, and features a minigame whose rewards have PvE benefits; often, they are more use for PvE than PvP.

For the benefit of new players, and those who've not explored the PvP zones of CoX to their fullest, we thought we'd take a stealthy trip around all four of them and walk you through how the minigames work. Even if you're not much of a PvPer, it's well worth knowing how to get a Shivan pet, or a one-shot nuclear missile blast, if only because it looks so freaking cool to call down an atomic strike in the middle of a mission.

To the PvP minigame gallery! >>

Gallery: City of Heroes PvP Zone Minigames

Exploring the PvP zone minigames in City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free Realms video preview shows quests in action

James Egan — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, New titles, Previews, Quests, Free-to-play, Casual, Free Realms

TenTonHamster has put together a whopping 13 minutes of Free Realms preview video footage from the Sony Online Entertainment Block Party, at the 2008 Comic-Con. Sony artist Sebastian Strzalkowski brings us on a tour of Free Realms, beginning with character creation and moving on to quests and minigames. Along the way, he notes that Free Realms characters are not locked onto a given server, and can easily move to other servers to meet up with friends.

Strzalkowski also touches upon the system of point accrual and redemption for premium content in the game. Also, true to its name, Free Realms allows for a free-to-play experience, with an optional possibility of earning points through short ad views. He shows viewers a simple user interface, with an OS X-like dock at the bottom of the screen and an animated map.The video presentation focuses mostly on minigames and quests, with bite-sized play times linked to rewards. The idea is that it provides a sense of accomplishment without having to rack up hours of gameplay.

Continue reading Free Realms video preview shows quests in action

Free Realms video preview shows quests in action originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively visits Stargate Worlds: The interview

Samuel Axon — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Interviews, New titles, Stargate Worlds, Massively Interviews

During our visit to Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment's Arizona studio, we got to sit down with five of the top minds on the Stargate Worlds team -- studio head Dan Elggren, creative director Chris Klug, art director Howard Lyon, VP of technology Demetrius Comes, and senior marketing manager Kevin Balentine. This exclusive, in-depth, and conversational interview is overflowing with information about everything in the game, including TV series tie-ins and cameos, episodic content, combat, graphics, mini-games, and much, much more. This meaty interview is an essential read for any Stargate or MMO fan. We've split it up into four parts for easy reading. Enjoy!

Gallery: Massively visits Stargate Worlds

Continue reading Massively visits Stargate Worlds: The interview

Massively visits Stargate Worlds: The interview originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively visits Stargate Worlds, part 2: Gameplay

Samuel Axon — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Screenshots, Interviews, New titles, Stargate Worlds

We saw gameplay in two contexts. First, we saw canned footage of a firefight on the planet Lucia. Second, we visited the Quality Assurance department and watched testers play the game. The scenario they were playing appeared to be a prison break. From this we acquired a relatively good understanding of the basics of Stargate Worlds' combat. We didn't see any of the other modes of gameplay, but we talked about them a bit in our interview with the directors.

Continue reading Massively visits Stargate Worlds, part 2: Gameplay

Massively visits Stargate Worlds, part 2: Gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stargate Worlds' minigames make casual hardcore

Samuel Axon — Tue, 27 May 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, New titles, Stargate Worlds

Cheyenne Mountain is trying something a little different in Stargate Worlds. Sure, there will be the regular routine of killing, looting, selling -- repeat. But the game design will also incorporate minigames not unlike the casual games you'd find on Yahoo! or AOL's web portals.

Cheyenne casual game designer Steve Williams has written up a longish developer blog about this unlikely marriage, in which he describes one of the minigames -- a hacking game. Okay, so that's not the most original casual game to slip into a more complex hardcore game -- most of us have played the Shock games. SGW's hack game sounds a bit different, though; it both confuses and helps the user with scrambled visuals and sonic cues as he or she searches for a hidden red wire to access.

More interesting than the specifics about the hack game, though, is the inside look at the process by which Williams and others develop "Hack" and other games like it. Williams also ponders in writing about how the presence of such games affects the traditional MMO experience. "What does it mean," he asks, "when you get uber loot from clipping a wire in less than 12 seconds?"

Stargate Worlds' minigames make casual hardcore originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 May 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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