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[EverQuest II drops Age of Discovery's NDA]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/everquest-ii-drops-age-of-discoverys-nda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/everquest-ii-drops-age-of-discoverys-nda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/everquest-ii-drops-age-of-discoverys-nda/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

EQII
Here's the invisible key: You can unlock and unzip your lips to finally talk freely about the next EverQuest II expansion, Age of Discovery. Sony Online Entertainment has released us from our pinky swear promising to keep mum on the project, and now everyone is free to share their experiences.

There are a couple exceptions to the NDA dropping, however. Testers still may not share anything that's being posted in the beta forums, and no screenshots taken during the testing period may be made public.

Age of Discovery is launching on December 6th. and includes many new features to the game, including the Beastlord class, the Freeport revamp, and the dungeon maker tool. Oh, and there's also a small matter of the entire game going free-to-play, but you knew that already. Because you didn't zip your ears closed.

MassivelyEverQuest II drops Age of Discovery's NDA originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-discoverybeastmasterdungeon-designerdungeon-makereq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iif2pfree-to-playfreeportfreeport-revampftpndanon-disclosure-agreementsoesony-online-entertainmentFri, 02 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The absurdity of the NDA]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/the-soapbox-the-absurdity-of-the-nda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/the-soapbox-the-absurdity-of-the-nda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/the-soapbox-the-absurdity-of-the-nda/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Admiral Ackbar
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

So Star Wars: The Old Republic's NDA dropped. Now the entire world (officially) knows the skinny on BioWare's new themepark, and I'm hard-pressed to think of a more anti-climactic NDA death. Even if you weren't following the game over the past few months, you knew exactly what to expect -- provided you weren't a Star Wars or a BioWare virgin.

This complete lack of surprise is one reason why the whole MMORPG NDA thing is a joke, and TOR is just the latest in a long series of punchlines.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The absurdity of the NDA

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The absurdity of the NDA originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>absurdityabsurdity-of-the-ndabambig-ass-monsterbig-ass-monstersbiowarebioware-ndaea-biowareen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfeaturedgame-journalismhypemarketingmmo-absurditymmo-industrymmo-ndammo-shootermmofpsndandas-are-stupidnon-disclosure-agreementopinionplanetside-2planetside2prpublic-relationssci-fisoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorterathe-absurdity-of-the-ndathe-soapboxthemeparktortor-ndaTue, 29 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR lifts NDA and reveals Legacy system, new flashpoint, art book]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/18/star-wars-the-old-republic-lifts-nda-bothan-spies-spared-furth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/18/star-wars-the-old-republic-lifts-nda-bothan-spies-spared-furth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/18/star-wars-the-old-republic-lifts-nda-bothan-spies-spared-furth/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SWTOR
Do you hear that? That's the sound of a million voices who were silenced suddenly freed to share their experiences with Star Wars: The Old Republic. That's because BioWare has officially lifted the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) allowing testers to talk about the game.

BioWare VP Greg Zeschuk posted the announcement just minutes ago on the forums:
As of now, the non-disclosure portion of our Game Testing Agreement is officially lifted. While all players must still accept the Game Testing Agreement, from this point on testers may now freely talk about their experiences this past weekend in the game, as well as post screenshots and gameplay videos of their testing experiences. We encourage you to come join us on the official Star Wars[TM]: The Old Republic[TM] Forums to share your experiences!

The Star Wars: The Old Republic community site will have a copy of this message on the forums and it will also appear in the Patcher. Players may not talk about nor reprint posts from our testing forums as they are still fully covered by the confidentiality portions of our Game Testing Agreement. And all players who want to participate in the upcoming Beta Test Weekends still have to accept all terms of the Game Testing Agreement. So, other than that, free feel to talk about and share your experiences in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
If all that wasn't exciting enough, the dev team also released articles covering the flashpoint Bringing Down the Hammer, the book, The Art and Making of The Old Republic, and the Legacy system, which allows for a family last name shared across characters.

MassivelySWTOR lifts NDA and reveals Legacy system, new flashpoint, art book originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-testingbiowarebringing-down-the-hammerea-biowareflashpointgame-testinggame-testing-agreementGreg-Zeschukndanon-disclosure-agreementstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-art-and-making-of-the-old-republicFri, 18 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: NDA drop]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/the-road-to-mordor-nda-drop/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/the-road-to-mordor-nda-drop/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/the-road-to-mordor-nda-drop/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

LotRO Draigoch
With last week's NDA drop, the last vestiges of secrecy surrounding this expansion were wiped away and the beta testers (including yours truly) were free to spill the Dwarven beans about Lord of the Rings Online's third expansion.

I know I was pretty critical of Rise of Isengard's scope in last week's Road to Mordor, but I want to make it clear that I'm pretty happy with the amount of pure PvE questing content that's on display here. LotRO's quests and epic storylines have always been the meat of this MMO, and even if Rise of Isengard is being served up with few garnishes, it's still looking to be a filling meal.

Today I want to check out what the community has to share about this expansion following the NDA drop, although apparently it's important to note that beta testers aren't allowed to share patch notes, videos, and excessive content. On Twitter, Sapience made it clear: "We have always held that an NDA drop is not 'open season.' It's fair game to share your experiences, opinions, and thoughts. Not endless screens, videos, copy and pasted posts/notes."

So let's focus on those "experiences, opinions, and thoughts" -- what do beta testers have to say about our upcoming journey into Dunland and beyond? Hit the jump and let's find out!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: NDA drop

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: NDA drop originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-casual-stroll-to-mordorbetabeta-testersdoc-holidaydocholidaydunlandexpansionfeaturedgap-of-rohanisengardisengard-depthslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromirkwoodmoriandanda-dropnon-disclosure-agreementrise-of-isengardthekhazadguards-blogturbineturbine-entertainmentwulfs-cleftFri, 02 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RIFT beta powow with Scott Hartsman]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/rift-beta-powow-with-scott-hartsman/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/rift-beta-powow-with-scott-hartsman/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/22/rift-beta-powow-with-scott-hartsman/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

This is, by any measure, a busy week for RIFT. Fresh off the second beta event, Trion Worlds has dropped the NDA for the game and announced a third beta to take place over the holidays. As the process speeds exponentially faster toward launch, Scott Hartsman and his team have a white-knuckled grip on RIFT for all the bumps, shimmies, dips and hills that such a high-profile title offers.

Even with a heaping amount of work on its plate, the team has been willing to share its passion for RIFT with the press and community. During this slight lull between betas two and three, Hartsman sat down with us over the phone to jaw about lessons learned from the beta, why Trion has dropped the NDA, how RIFT's already made history, and when we might be seeing this game on the shelves.

Hit the jump and let's do this thing. As Hartsman is fond of saying about the game, "S**t just got real."

Continue reading RIFT beta powow with Scott Hartsman

MassivelyRIFT beta powow with Scott Hartsman originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artifactsbetabeta-eventbeta-onebeta-threebeta-twocharacter-wipecollectionsdirectxdungeonsexpert-dungeonsfeaturedin-game-eventinstancesinterviewinvasioninvasionsiron-tomblfglfg-toolndanon-disclosure-agreementoptimizationprince-hylas-aelfwarquicksilver-collegerealm-of-the-faeriftrift-planes-of-telarariftssanctumscott-hartsmansilverwood-foresttriontrion-worldswysiwygzone-wide-invasionsWed, 22 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What would you break the NDA for?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/13/the-daily-grind-what-would-you-break-the-nda-for/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/13/the-daily-grind-what-would-you-break-the-nda-for/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/13/the-daily-grind-what-would-you-break-the-nda-for/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


It's easy to miss amongst all of the GDC 2010 coverage and news, but Final Fantasy XIV and All Points Bulletin went into beta this week. Of course, not much new information has surfaced about either, both due to the relatively short time they've been out there and to the three letters that are the bane of any tester's existence: the NDA. Those documents are the barrier between whatever fun gameplay (or buggy, glitchy nightmares) the testers are experiencing and the eager public, and Mark Jacobs has gone so far as to say on record that the earlier the NDA drops, the more confident a company is in its game.

That doesn't mean that the NDA is an ironclad protection, of course. There are always one or two testers that find something so surprising, in either direction, that they consider it worth breaking the rules and being thrown out of testing for the chance to break a story. So put yourself in their shoes. What sort of things could you uncover within a game you were testing that would inspire you to break an NDA? Would you be more likely to break it for good news, or to warn other people off from a mess of a game?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What would you break the NDA for? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinapbbetabetasbreaking-the-ndaffxivfinal-fantasy-xivmark-jacobsndanon-disclosure-agreementtestingthe-daily-grindSat, 13 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WAR NDA (probably) ends next week, CE pre-orders to join closed beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/war-nda-probably-ends-next-week-ce-pre-orders-to-join-closed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/war-nda-probably-ends-next-week-ce-pre-orders-to-join-closed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/war-nda-probably-ends-next-week-ce-pre-orders-to-join-closed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Mythic's Mark Jacobs wrote a post-announcement update on the Vault Network boards today. The purpose of the post was to clarify some of the details about the release date, pre-orders, and the beta test. Warhammer Online fans should definitely read the post. Most of what he said was clarification about known information, but there were a couple big reveals.

Jacob hopes that the nondisclosure agreement (NDA) that prevents current WAR beta testers from publicly discussing their experiences will end next week. He noted that three issues have been preventing the team from taking that step so far, but that progress has been made and resolutions are imminent.

The other big news: folks who pre-ordered the Collector's Edition of the game will soon be invited to participate in the closed beta test. This is probably only a small win for those folks, given the rumors that the open beta is a couple weeks away. Jacobs declined to confirm a date for the open beta, saying that the announcement will come when the game is 100% ready. Not committing is a wise move in light of the problems Age of Conan had in its open beta event.
Warhammer Online Coverage Did you enjoy this? Make sure to check out all of our previous Warhammer Online features, and don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!

MassivelyWAR NDA (probably) ends next week, CE pre-orders to join closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betaboardsbreakingclosed-betaea-mythicforumsignmark-jacobsmythicmythic-entertainmentndanon-disclosure-agreementnondisclosure-agreementopen-betarelease-datevault-networkvnwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineThu, 07 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The neverending NDA?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/05/the-neverending-nda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/05/the-neverending-nda/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/05/the-neverending-nda/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Non-disclosure agreements or NDAs have traditionally been thought of as a burden that gamers have only begrudgingly borne because they want early access to a game. For a variety of reasons, developers often don't want people going around and blabbing about their new titles, either because the game is still in a very unfinished state and the comments wouldn't be generally positive, or for marketing reasons having to do with hype and release timing.

So when we read one blogger suggest that a developer actually extend the NDA indefinitely post-release, at first we weren't really sure what to make of the idea. He suggests that it would give developers the leverage to eliminate game guides and third-party sources of information that really marginalize the difficulty of content by letting players gain knowledge of encounters before they've experienced them. He suggests that it would have the benefit of strengthening inter-personal bonds and information sharing within the game. While this is true, we can only imagine the explosive legal battles that would precede this sort of system. Still, it's a novel idea to think about.

[Via Mythical Blog]

MassivelyThe neverending NDA? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 May 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crazymythical-blogndanon-disclosure-agreementole-bald-angus-the-monkMon, 05 May 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO players, Isengard calls you!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/19/lotro-players-isengard-calls-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/19/lotro-players-isengard-calls-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/19/lotro-players-isengard-calls-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

More specifically, active players of LotRO: Shadows of Angmar are eligible to participate in testing new and revised content well in advance of any of it appearing on public servers! This is the Isengard Programme, named after the tower in which Saruman consolidated his power (yes, lore fans, I know its history goes much further back, but if I type it all out, I'll never get this post completed).

The requirements for acceptance as a tester are:
  • Must be age 18 or older
  • Agreement to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
  • A solid grasp of the English language
If you're one of those people who keep checking the 'Net for news of updates and new content, this position is perfect for you! If you're interested in participating, please send an e-mail to isengardeurope@codemasters.com and tell them a little bit about your LotRO experience. You should include the following in this e-mail:

Name:
Date of birth:
Forum name:
Best forum post / bug submission:
Your own LOTRO experience:

Here's the originating link, for you purists out there. Seats are limited, so get cracking on this ASAP!

[Thanks, Boltar!]

MassivelyLotRO players, Isengard calls you! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Jan 2008 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>isengardisengard-programmelord-of-the-rings-onlinelorendanon-disclosure-agreementsarumanshadows-of-angmartesterSat, 19 Jan 2008 02:30:00 EST<![CDATA[10 EverQuest: Secrets of Faydwer beta keys up for grabs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/10-everquest-secrets-of-faydwer-beta-keys-up-for-grabs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/10-everquest-secrets-of-faydwer-beta-keys-up-for-grabs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/10-everquest-secrets-of-faydwer-beta-keys-up-for-grabs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Earlier today we announced that we're giving away 15 EverQuest II: Rise of Kunark beta keys. Not to be out done, the fine people of the original EverQuest have also granted us 10 beta keys to give away from their next expansion, Secrets of Faydwer.

Rules for entry are extremely complex and rigorous: just post here. That's right. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post by Saturday, November 3, 2007 at 11:59pm EST and you're entered. We'll randomly choose ten people from the list and send each of them on a one-way trip to newest expansion lands in Norrath.

The only caveat is that you must already have a paid subscription to EverQuest or else the beta key will not work. And also, you will be playing under a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) so no squealing to your guildmates about all the shinies that await. Of course, the NDA will probably be lifted some time early next week, so you don't have to hold back your school girl glee for long.

So get to commenting so Massively can ship out these beta keys. Never know when we're going to get more coming in.

EDIT: Give-away is over! E-mails have gone out! If you didn't get in, don't despair. The NDA will be lifted in a few days and the expansion will be live on Nov. 13th.

Massively10 EverQuest: Secrets of Faydwer beta keys up for grabs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Nov 2007 02:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eq-beta-giveawaynon-disclosure-agreementsecrets-of-faydwerFri, 02 Nov 2007 02:09:00 EST<![CDATA[We're giving away 15 EQ2 expansion beta keys]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/were-giving-away-15-eq2-expansion-beta-keys/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/were-giving-away-15-eq2-expansion-beta-keys/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/02/were-giving-away-15-eq2-expansion-beta-keys/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


To celebrate the launch of Massively, Sony Online Entertainment has graced us with 15 beta keys for their upcoming expansion, EverQuest II: The Rise of Kunark. Unlike those other sites giving away beta keys, we're not even going to make you work for it.

That's right, no creative writing contests or screenshot submissions or badly cut machinima efforts to apply. Just post below in the comments section before Saturday, November 3, 2007 at 11:59pm. We'll choose among them randomly and send the winners a beta key with instructions on getting into Kunark.

Though we are free-wheeling with the beta key love, there are two restrictions that you should know about. First, you will need to have a paid subscription to EverQuest II. The beta key doesn't work if you're not already paying for the game. Second, you will have to agree to a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This means no talking about what you see or posting screenshots until the NDA is lifted.

If you wanted to try out the new Sarnak playable race before everyone else, this is your chance. What are you waiting for? Get to commenting!

EDIT: Give-away is over! E-mails are all out to the winners. For those who didn't get in, keep an eye on Massively for, well, massive coverage of EQ2. First with our beta walkthrough feature. Then, when the NDA lifts.

MassivelyWe're giving away 15 EQ2 expansion beta keys originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Nov 2007 01:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eq2-beta-giveawayfeaturedjoystiqfeaturesNDAnew-playable-racenon-disclosure-agreementrise-of-kunarkrokrok-betasarnakFri, 02 Nov 2007 01:27:00 EST