Massively

TERA's senior producer looks at the game's past, present, and future

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 09 May 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, Launches, TERA

Saying that it "feels as though a giant weight has been lifted off [his team's] shoulders" now that TERA has launched, En Masse Senior Producer Brian Knox has turned his attention to the immediate and far future of the game. He says that the team is hard at work ironing out "pain points" for players, but his big passion is working to make the PvP experience even better and to roll out the battlegrounds this summer.

"I want to continue to slowly iterate our PvP-server rules," Knox said in an interview published yesterday. "I think TERA's skill-based system is a natural fit for PvP players, and I want to develop a system that encourages and rewards PvP participants."

Knox addressed the pace of the leveling experience (he says it should be a "smooth and even ride" if players follow the story and do all the quests), the price of teleportation scrolls (expensive for lowbies, affordable for veterans), and what to do at the endgame (answer: a lot). As more players reach the high levels, En Masse is preparing to juice up its nexuses and political system, both of which require a decent amount of participants to work.

TERA's senior producer looks at the game's past, present, and future originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

MV Guide: February 6-12, 2012

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Massively Meta, Livestream, Miscellaneous, MV Guide

MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV.

Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.)

Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule!

Continue reading MV Guide: February 6-12, 2012

MV Guide: February 6-12, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

WildStar unveils world information page

Matt Daniel — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Lore, Previews, News items, WildStar

The world of WildStar is one of adventure, intrigue, and of course, treasure. But many players are curious as to what kind of environs they'll be visiting, what grand sights they'll be seeing, and what unfortunate natives they'll be mercilessly slaughtering. Well, the folks at Carbine Studios are looking to relieve some of that curiosity with the freshly launched World page.

The first planet up for review is one of the game's main hubs, Nexus. Originally the planet of the mysterious and technologically advanced Eldan, Nexus has since been claimed by the galactic empire known as The Dominion. As The Dominion declares war upon the planet's new settlers (known as the Exiles), treasure-hunters, pirates, and intergalactic corporations alike have come to Nexus in an attempt to find valuable and powerful Eldan artifacts and to uncover the secret of the Eldan's mysterious disappearance. For the full details, head on over to the WildStar official site.

WildStar unveils world information page originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

WildStar explores its Nexus

Larry Everett — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Lore, New titles, Dev Diaries, WildStar

WildStar Wednesday is upon us, again! The team at Carbine Studios intends to give a weekly update for its upcoming MMO WildStar. Before finishing off part two of From Concept to Creature, Senior Community Manager Robert "Robeardo" Land decided to sidestep the creature aspect of the world and concentrate on the history of the WildStar central planet, appropriately named Nexus.

Robeardo had to call on the talents of Narrative Designer Chad Moore to assist him in the developer blog. Moore explains that Nexus was once the home of the Eldan, an ancient, advanced race that disappeared from the galaxy over a thousand years ago, leaving behind all of its technology to rot. Part of the excitement for the player is exploring the planet and unearthing artifacts. Moore explains further:

The rusting wrecks of giant robots lie half-buried in shifting desert sands, and strange and deadly alien creatures prowl in the shadows of extraordinary monolithic machines. And hidden among all of these wonders are the dark secrets of the Eldan themselves, and the answers to why they disappeared from planet Nexus so long ago.

WildStar is locking in the explorer type of MMO player, and we at Massively will keep our eyes out to see if it hopes to hook the social, killer, and achiever types, too.

WildStar explores its Nexus originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Gamescom 2011: WildStar reveals first three races and classes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Game Archaeologist traces his Lineage: The highlights

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lineage, The Game Archaeologist

If we judged MMOs by their numbers alone -- and I'm not suggesting we do so -- then Lineage would be the crowing rooster strutting about the hen house. It's also been one of those games that I've always intellectually acknowledged was a huge hit for some reason, but I never gave it much attention. I think it's because, contrary to many of the "big name" games we cover here, Lineage was and always will be an Asian phenomenon. That doesn't mean it should be shunned, of course, but just that it may be difficult to understand when you're on the outside of it.

So let's back up the memory truck to September 1998, when a then-fledgling NCsoft rolled out a Diablo-esque isometric MMO and struck virtual gold in South Korea. At the time, gaming rooms were becoming a huge thing in the country; a recession had hit (giving people a lot of time with nothing to do), and the government was rapidly expanding the broadband network. In the face of this perfect storm, titles like StarCraft and Lineage became overnight household fixtures -- and the country hasn't looked back.

Even if you haven't played Lineage and you don't know anyone who does, trust me: There are a lot of people playing this 13-year-old title, to the tune of millions and millions. As former Senior Producer Chris Mahnken said, "Lineage keeps going because it's just plain fun."

This month we'll be looking back at the incredible legacy that Lineage has given the industry, starting with an overview of the highlights of these past 13 years. Hit the jump and mind the gap!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist traces his Lineage: The highlights

The Game Archaeologist traces his Lineage: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Perpetuum unveils new game details

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, News items

The team at Perpetuum has been busy the past week or so. The requirements for beta have been lightened a bit-- no thesis required -- and there is some great in-game footage of a player event.

Our latest dose of news is new information on the NEXUS system. NEXUS stands for "Networked Extension Utilization Systems", modules designed to enhance the performance of some robot parts. This isn't a single-player attachment or upgrade, however. When one of these modules is activated, every robot in a 100-meter range gets the buff. The range can be increased to 400 meters or more with certain extensions.

It's an interesting system, but only one of many changes the team has made to Perpetuum. Check out the latest round of update notes for all the details.

Perpetuum unveils new game details originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The gaming renaissance, part 2

Brendan Drain — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Continue reading The gaming renaissance, part 2

The gaming renaissance, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The gaming renaissance

Brendan Drain — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Opinion, Academic, Virtual worlds

In the early 70's, some clever chap programmed a pile of circuits to create a primitive game we all know as Pong. Fast-forward some forty years down the line and we're now battling Orcs in Azeroth and flying spaceships in the far-reaches of another galaxy. An entire games industry has erupted from those first simple arcade systems, with people designing and programming games for kids and adults alike. In the 90's, the first generation of kids that grew up with those early game systems became the ones making them and a virtual renaissance in game design ensued. Those kids that grew up wishing they could make their own games started to realise their dreams and the games industry as we know it came forth. More recently, the people that grew up with early MMOs have begun to hit the games industry and we're seeing a rebirth of the genre.

In this article, I look at the games industry explosion and how it relates to the generations growing up with games. I ask whether the MMO genre is headed for its own great gaming renaissance and take a speculative look ahead at the future for MMOs and the games industry as a whole.

Continue reading The gaming renaissance

The gaming renaissance originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

NATO seeks Second Life tenders

Tateru Nino — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: News items, Second Life, Virtual worlds

The NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Supreme Headquarters Allied Command Transformation is presently seeking tenders for the construction of a proof-of-concept site in a virtual environment. "The first scenario is to replicate a generic headquarters compound for a NATO operation. ... The second scenario will involve replicating the Headquarters Supreme Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk, USA. The only acceptable worlds that may provide a solution to this statement of work are Second Life by Linden Labs[sic], OLIVE by Forterra, or NEXUS by ECS."

Actually, this part's a little confusing, because of the three virtual environments specified as 'acceptable', only one (Forterra's OLIVE) actually meets the minimum criteria given in the solicitation. NATO SHQACT acknowledges this in a subsequent clarification document, but is still seeking Second Life submissions anyway. As it stands, it doesn't seem like any existing Second Life developer can actually meet the stringent Defense Contract requirements in any case, and submissions close on the 8th of this month.

Continue reading NATO seeks Second Life tenders

NATO seeks Second Life tenders originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Anti-Aliased: Games you should have played, but probably didn't.

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Nexus: The Kingdoms of the Winds, Opinion, Hands-on, Mabinogi, Anti-Aliased

So I learned two things since my last column. The first is if I mention Warhammer Online or Playboy models in any capacity, my traffic rating graph begins to resemble the Swiss alps. So... Warhammer Online and Playboy models.

The second thing I learned is that everyone is pretty much agreed on Warhammer, except for a few outliers. The game has faults, but all those faults are easily overlooked when the game provides a fun environment to romp around in. But that made me start thinking... what other games on the market are pretty good, but overlooked due to a lack of popularity? What games would I recommend to my readers who just aren't happy with the current mainstream market? What games should you have played, but probably overlooked? I think I have a few.

Show Me The Games >>

Gallery: Anti-Aliased: Games you should have played, but didn't.

Anti-Aliased: Games you should have played, but probably didn't. originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AoC board game miniatures revealed

Shawn Schuster — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, New titles

If you just can't quite get your fix of Age of Conan this spring when it releases in online form, there's hope yet! I mean, what would you do if the internet was down, or the power went out? Read a book? Psshh! You'd play the upcoming Age of Conan board game by candlelight, of course!

Described as a "massive new strategy game" (see what they're trying to do there?), the AoC board game will feature several miniatures based on the visuals created by Dark Horse Comics. So far, we're shown two new prototypes: the Stygian Emissary and the Hyperborean Army figure. The game developers, Roberto Di Meglio, Francesco Nepitello and Marco Maggi of Nexus Games said they've chosen the Dark Horse Comic style for their miniatures because those are simply the ones they liked the best, despite the many other interpretations in the past.

AoC board game miniatures revealed originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Massively's Visual History of MMORPGs, Part I

Samuel Axon — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:40:00 EST

Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, Lineage, Meridian 59, Nexus: The Kingdoms of the Winds, MMO industry, The Realm Online, Ultima Online

The MMORPG genre has come so far in these past few decades, it's almost difficult to believe. The journey from text MUDs to America Online-based dungeon crawlers, and all the way up to Age of Conan and Warhammer Online has been a truly impressive one. We here at Massively would like to invite you to step into the time machine with us and take a visual tour of that journey. We're taking a close look at the most important titles in online role-playing game history!

What was the first MUD? Howabout the first 3D MMO? When did these games transition from niche curiosities to global, cultural phenomenons, and who's responsible? In this series, we'll tackle all those questions and more. Plus, we'll see just how far these fancy graphics have come over the years! Sound like fun? Jump into the gallery!

Gallery: Massively's Visual History of MMORPGs, Part I

Massively's Visual History of MMORPGs, Part I originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments