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[Massively to co-host STO panel at the Official Star Trek Convention]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/massively-to-co-host-sto-panel-at-the-official-star-trek-convent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/massively-to-co-host-sto-panel-at-the-official-star-trek-convent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/massively-to-co-host-sto-panel-at-the-official-star-trek-convent/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

STO
Hey MMO Trekkies, are you beaming down to Las Vegas for this year's Official Star Trek Convention? If so, we've got one event that you won't want to miss: a Q&A panel with Star Trek Online's developers co-hosted by Massively and TrekRadio.net!

We'll be on the scene as Cryptic Studios fields a wide variety of questions from ardent fans of the game. If getting that burning question you've had off your chest isn't enough of a reason to attend, the developers will also show a few trailers and sneak peeks of upcoming content.

The panel will take place on Saturday, August 11th, from 2:00 to 3:00 EDT (11:00 a.m. to noon PDT) at the Rio Suites Hotel in Las Vegas.

MassivelyMassively to co-host STO panel at the Official Star Trek Convention originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>community-q-and-aconventioncrypticcryptic-studiosdev-panelf2pfree-to-playlas-vegasofficial-star-trek-conventionpanelperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpweq-and-asci-fisneak-peekstar-trekstar-trek-conventionstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestotrekradio.netFri, 20 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's own Eliot Lefebvre will tell your site how not to suck at PAX East]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/massivelys-own-eliot-lefebvre-will-tell-your-site-how-to-not-su/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/massivelys-own-eliot-lefebvre-will-tell-your-site-how-to-not-su/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/massivelys-own-eliot-lefebvre-will-tell-your-site-how-to-not-su/#commentsFiled under: , ,

PAX East logo
Are you planning on heading to Boston, Massachusetts for PAX East 2012? If you are, then boy have we got a treat for you. On Sunday, April 8th, our very own Eliot Lefebvre will be joining members of Guild Wars Insider, Darth Hater, ArenaNet, and Vox Games on a panel informatively titled How To Make Gaming Sites That Don't Suck. It is what it says on the tin, folks.

So if you've got a blog lying around and you're not sure what to do with it, let this panel of experts tell you how to turn it into the next big thing. Or at least let them tell you why Papyrus and Comic Sans are not legitimate font choices. Please? If nothing else, just show up, ask questions, and show our favorite cynical curmudgeon some love.

MassivelyMassively's own Eliot Lefebvre will tell your site how not to suck at PAX East originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elioteliot-is-famouseliot-lefebvreeventeventspanelpanelspaxpax-eastpax-east-2012penny-arcade-expopenny-arcade-expo-eastpenny-arcade-expo-east-2012real-world-eventreal-world-eventsFri, 24 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter At Your Own Rift: The big takeaways from GDC]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/26/enter-at-your-own-rift-the-big-takeaways-from-gdc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/26/enter-at-your-own-rift-the-big-takeaways-from-gdc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/26/enter-at-your-own-rift-the-big-takeaways-from-gdc/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Ember Isle
After dining on enough beef brisket to feed an army of hungry cowboys, I returned from Austin's GDC Online to chip away at the Ashes of History world event quests. RIFT had a nice showing at the GDC Online Awards ceremony, walking away with awards for Best Online Technology and Best New Online Game. In addition, Trion CCO and RIFT Executive Producer Scott Hartsman gave a talk about RIFT's pre-launch preparations and post-launch plans. GDC was dominated by a handful of common topics, like free-to-play, metrics, monetization, and technology. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, we'll take a look at a few of these to see how they apply to RIFT, and then we'll look at the big takeaways from GDC overall.

Continue reading Enter At Your Own Rift: The big takeaways from GDC

MassivelyEnter At Your Own Rift: The big takeaways from GDC originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Benedikt-GrindelChristopher-Schmitzenter-at-your-own-rifteqeverquestextra-life-2011f2pfeaturedfree-to-playgdcgdc-onlinegdc-online-2011georg-zoellerkaren-bryanMarkus-Perssonminecraftmojangmonitizationpanelpanelsred-doorriftscott-hartsmansettlers-onlineshadow-citiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortelarathe-settlers-onlinetriontrion-worldsubisoft-blue-bytewizard101Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Transformers Universe NYCC panel recap]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/21/transformers-universe-nycc-panel-recap/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/21/transformers-universe-nycc-panel-recap/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/21/transformers-universe-nycc-panel-recap/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Transformers Universe banner
Autobots, transform and roll -- Oh, hi. No, I wasn't playing with action figures. Anyway, how about that new Transformers Universe game that Jagex is making, huh? Well, there's some new information about it straight from the Q&A panel at New York Comic Con, so let's talk about that and not the action figures I wasn't playing with.

The panel covers a veritable smorgasbord of information, ranging from lore to gameplay to voice acting to technology and security. The team points out that the game will not tie into the Michael Bay movies in any way, as it takes place in the franchise's Prime universe. The game will be browser-based and free-to-play, though the team isn't ready to announce how the game will be monetized. PvE and PvP will both be available -- as if a Transformers game would be complete without Autobot vs. Decepticon action -- but the team says that both tie in to story elements within the game. The devs also note that players' Transformers' vehicle modes will be more than just mounts (that is to say, vehicle mode will tie into combat somehow) but they're not ready to discuss specifics.

The full panel addresses much more in greater detail, so click on through the link below to read the full report.

MassivelyTransformers Universe NYCC panel recap originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browserbrowser-basedf2pfree-to-playhasbrojagexloremechanicsnew-york-comic-con-2011panelq-aq-and-aq-and-a-panelqatransformerstransformers-universeFri, 21 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Online 2011: RIFT's Scott Hartsman on surviving and thriving in today's MMO climate]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/gdc-online-2011-rifts-scott-hartsman-on-surviving-and-thriving/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/gdc-online-2011-rifts-scott-hartsman-on-surviving-and-thriving/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/gdc-online-2011-rifts-scott-hartsman-on-surviving-and-thriving/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Scott Hartsman
Recently, we took time to look back on the past six months of RIFT's milestones, and this year at GDC Online, Trion CCO and RIFT Executive Producer Scott Hartsman sat down for a question-and-answer session to do the same thing. While we've seen the results of Trion's post-launch efforts, Hartsman gave a candid glimpse at what was going on behind the scenes as the team finished up beta and moved toward launch day. He took questions from N'Gai Croal, as well as from the audience, and highlights from the interview follow after the break.

Continue reading GDC Online 2011: RIFT's Scott Hartsman on surviving and thriving in today's MMO climate

MassivelyGDC Online 2011: RIFT's Scott Hartsman on surviving and thriving in today's MMO climate originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betafeaturedgdcgdc-onlinegdc-online-2011panelpost-launchriftscott-hartsmantriontrion-worldsThu, 13 Oct 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Online 2011: SWTOR's Georg Zoeller on analyzing in-game feedback]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/gdc-austin-2011-swtors-georg-zoeller-on-analyzing-in-game-feed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/gdc-austin-2011-swtors-georg-zoeller-on-analyzing-in-game-feed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/gdc-austin-2011-swtors-georg-zoeller-on-analyzing-in-game-feed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Georg Zoeller
Star Wars the Old Republic is rapidly approaching its launch date, and questions constantly pop up about what the game will be like. Some longtime MMO veterans are even a bit skeptical about whether BioWare will be able to release a game of this scope in a finished state. At this year's GDC Online Principal Lead Combat Designer Georg Zoeller demonstrated some of the tools that the team uses to analyze player feedback and data, and then he explained how, through sophisticated technology, the team can make appropriate adjustments to the game as it wraps up beta testing and prepares for launch.

Continue reading GDC Online 2011: SWTOR's Georg Zoeller on analyzing in-game feedback

MassivelyGDC Online 2011: SWTOR's Georg Zoeller on analyzing in-game feedback originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareeaElectronic-Artsfeaturedgdcgdc-onlineGDC-Online-2011georg-zoellermetricsord-mantellpanelstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortatooinethe-old-republictortythonThu, 13 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Online 2011: CCP talks community management]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/gdc-austin-2011-ccp-talks-community-management/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/gdc-austin-2011-ccp-talks-community-management/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/13/gdc-austin-2011-ccp-talks-community-management/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Valerie Massey of CCP
As we all know, every MMO has its share of crises. They can range from an unpopular game nerf to bugged content to full-out server meltdown. Ironically, CCP Community Manager Valerie Massey submitted her plans for a GDC Online talk the day before, as she put it, "all hell broke loose at CCP." From that point on, the devs "were out of the frying pan and into the fire" over and over. In all, Monoclegate and the Incarna problems were two months of one PR disaster after another.

When it comes to crisis management, she stressed that it's not an exact science, that it's hard to pick apart post-analyses, and that one CM's experience is very different from another. She chose to use Tylenol as a key example of correct response to crisis. Back in 1982, a killer inserted cyanide into Tylenol bottles, thus murdering several people. Tylenol wasn't at fault, but the company reacted correctly by pulling all bottles from the shelves, recalling the product, adding tamper-resistant packaging, and discounting prices after the fact. The company's quick action restored the trust of the consumers.

Who did it wrong? BP. That company shirked responsibility, waited two days before making a statement, lied about the extent of the damage, and failed to execute a clear clean-up plan fast enough.

In a crisis, whether it's in game or in real life, the key is to prepare in advance.

Continue reading GDC Online 2011: CCP talks community management

MassivelyGDC Online 2011: CCP talks community management originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bpccpccp-gamescommunity-managementcrisis-managementeveeve-onlinefeaturedgdcgdc-onlinegdc-online-2011monoclegatepaneltylenolvalerie-masseyThu, 13 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Online 2011: CCP on virtual goods in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/gdc-austin-2011-ccp-on-virtual-goods-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/gdc-austin-2011-ccp-on-virtual-goods-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/gdc-austin-2011-ccp-on-virtual-goods-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online
Remember Monoclegate? CCP sure does, and at GDC this week, the company reflected on some lessons learned from its introduction of virtual goods to EVE Online. Associate Producer Ben Cockerill from CCP games offered a candid look at what the team learned through both player response and market data. While the initial launch of virtual goods in Incarna sparked a fierce objection on the forums and even in-game protests and riots, things have settled down quite a bit, and CCP seems confident that it is headed in the right direction now.

Read on for a look at why virtual goods were introduced into EVE Online and what the team has learned so far.

Continue reading GDC Online 2011: CCP on virtual goods in EVE Online

MassivelyGDC Online 2011: CCP on virtual goods in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aurumben-cockerillcash-shopCCPccp-gamesdust-514eveeve-onlinefeaturedgdcgdc-2011gdc-onlineGDC-Online-2011incarnaiskkaren-bryanmonoclemonoclegatepanelplexrmtvirtual-goodsTue, 11 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The panel is true: The Secret World preps a NYCC appearance]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/the-panel-is-true-the-secret-world-preps-a-nycc-appearance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/the-panel-is-true-the-secret-world-preps-a-nycc-appearance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/the-panel-is-true-the-secret-world-preps-a-nycc-appearance/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

NYCC
MMO fans traveling out to the Big Apple for the New York Comic Con next weekend have another potential "must see" on their event list: an exclusive panel of The Secret World with the devs.

The panel will take place on Friday, October 14th at 4:00 p.m. EDT in room 1A24. It's here that Funcom devs Ragnar Tørnquist and Dag Scheve will not only present an all-new live demo of the upcoming conspiracy MMO but field questions from the audience in as candid a manner as possible.

Of course, considering the game in question, we note that this could be a trap by the Old Gods to swallow the souls of all those attending and turn them into husks to do the Old Gods' bidding, but that's just the chance you'll have to take.

MassivelyThe panel is true: The Secret World preps a NYCC appearance originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Dag-Schevedemodev-q-and-afuncomlive-demonew-york-comic-connyccnycc-2011old-godspanelq-and-aRagnar-Tornquistthe-secret-worldtswFri, 07 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare announces PAX 2011 plans for The Old Republic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/20/bioware-announces-pax-2011-plans-for-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/20/bioware-announces-pax-2011-plans-for-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/20/bioware-announces-pax-2011-plans-for-the-old-republic/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Screenshot -- Star Wars: The Old Republic
Are you going to Penny Arcade Expo? Is the Force strong with you? If you answered yes to these questions, then holster your blasters for just a hot second while we give you the skinny on BioWare's plans for Star Wars: The Old Republic at PAX 2011.

For those of you interested in just getting your nerf-herding hands on The Old Republic for some one-on-one time, all you have to do is swing by booth 914, where demos will be running that allow players to experience content from each of the game's four origin worlds as well as letting players drop into the Alderaan Warzone for some Republic vs. Imperial action.

If you want to go more behind the scenes, don't fret! At 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 28th, BioWare and LucasArts will be overtaking the Paramount Theatre for a Star Wars: The Old Republic panel. New reveals! Question and answer sessions! Live demonstration of the endgame Operation, the Eternity Vault! All of this and more can be yours if you manage to weasel your way in.

And lastly, if you're more of a social butterfly, BioWare will be hosting a community meet-and-greet at the Grand Hyatt Seattle hotel. The soiree begins at 7 p.m., so dress your fanciest and don't be late!

MassivelyBioWare announces PAX 2011 plans for The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarelucasartsmeet-and-greetpanelpanelspaxpax-2011penny-arcade-expopenny-arcade-expo-2011star-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republicSat, 20 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft shares its Gamescom schedule with the public]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/ncsoft-shares-its-gamescom-schedule-with-the-public/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/ncsoft-shares-its-gamescom-schedule-with-the-public/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/ncsoft-shares-its-gamescom-schedule-with-the-public/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

NCsoft Gamescom
Gamescom is barreling right at us, and NCsoft is prepared to ride that train for all it's worth. The game publisher, along with ArenaNet and Carbine Studios, has announced its schedule of events for the European trade show later this month.

Guild Wars 2 will, of course, feature heavily in the company's presentations. Along with several big-screen live demos, ArenaNet plans to host several Q&A panels covering design, art, PvP, and more. There's even a costume competition planned and several chances to score sweet loot from the dev team.

The NCsoft booth will be located in Hall 9 at A11, and the company has provided several ways that travelers can keep track of the weekend's events via social media. Visitors will have the opportunity to check out these new games in addition to chatting up the many developers who will be on hand for the event.

MassivelyNCsoft shares its Gamescom schedule with the public originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetcarbinecarbine-studiosconventioneventgamescomgamescom-2011guild-wars-2gw2hands-onncsoftpanelpvpq-and-aq-and-a-paneltrade-showWed, 10 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BBC assembles experts to comment on Sony crisis]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/bbc-assembles-experts-to-comment-on-sony-crisis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/bbc-assembles-experts-to-comment-on-sony-crisis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/bbc-assembles-experts-to-comment-on-sony-crisis/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The fact that it's been one of the worst couple of weeks for Sony -- and its customers -- cannot be disputed. However, the future of this crisis, which started a couple of weeks ago when Sony's network was hacked and user information was stolen, is anybody's guess. As such, BBC News assembled a panel of four industry experts to comment on the situation and speculate where Sony might go from here.

Richard Merrin, a PR director, said that Sony demonstrated both the worst and best ways to respond to a crisis: "In the first instance, Sony waited ten days before telling users what was happening, which is a classic error in terms of communications. It knocked consumer [confidence] and damaged Sony's reputation. But with the second incident, it has acted extremely quickly and seems to be following the four golden rules in crisis PR -- to be open, honest, transparent and fast."

"In terms of PR, I think Sony can turn it around," said ComputerandVideoGames.com's Tim Ingham. "Consumers are often quickly outraged by this sort of wobble from a global corporation -- but we tend to have short memories if we're not personally damaged by a given incident."

The security expert, Sophos' Graham Cluley, said this doesn't change how users should protect themselves: "People need to be more careful with their passwords and make sure that they have different passwords for different online accounts."

You can read the rest of the comments at BBC News.

MassivelyBBC assembles experts to comment on Sony crisis originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 May 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcbbc-newscomputerandvideogames.comcrisisexpertsGraham-Cluleypanelprpr-crisispublic-relationsRichard-Merrinsoesonysony-online-entertainmentsophosTim-InghamTue, 03 May 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[WonderCon MMORPG industry panel explores key topics of the day]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/wondercon-mmorpg-industry-panel-explores-key-topics-of-the-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/wondercon-mmorpg-industry-panel-explores-key-topics-of-the-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/wondercon-mmorpg-industry-panel-explores-key-topics-of-the-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

At last month's WonderCon in San Francisco, three MMO industry experts sat down to do a panel on many of the pressing questions and issues that players have these days. The lively panel, moderated by PC Gamer's Josh Augustine, consisted of Dirk Metzger (Zentia), Scott Hartsman (RIFT) and Nick Huggett (Runes of Magic), each taking turns to address some of the questions that are commonly asked about these games and the industry at large.

These topics included player retention, free-to-play vs. subscription business models, the endless comparisons to World of Warcraft, why MMOs tend to be fantasy-based, some of the biggest mistakes in the genre, how to appeal to both hardcore and casual players, the differences between the Asian and North American market, and the struggle to provide player-created content.

The rise of social media also has a significant effect on MMO development, according to Hartsman. "What that kind of forces us to do, bluntly, is make better games right off the bat, because people will tell you if your game sucks."

You can watch the video highlights of the panel after the jump.

Continue reading WonderCon MMORPG industry panel explores key topics of the day

MassivelyWonderCon MMORPG industry panel explores key topics of the day originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asianbusiness-modelcasualDirk-Metzgerf2pfree-to-playhardcoreindustry-panelNick-Huggettnorth-americanpanelplayer-retentionriftromrunes-of-magicscott-hartsmansocial-mediasubscriptionvideowonderconworld-of-warcraftzentiaMon, 02 May 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Marvel Universe Online will be free-to-play, penned by Bendis]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/29/marvel-universe-online-will-be-free-to-play-penned-by-bendis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/29/marvel-universe-online-will-be-free-to-play-penned-by-bendis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/29/marvel-universe-online-will-be-free-to-play-penned-by-bendis/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Move over, Batman: After a few false starts, Marvel's finally poised to become the next big MMO superhero thing.

Thursday evening, I attended Gazillion Entertainment and Marvel's live San Francisco reveal of Marvel Universe Online's head writer, the jovial Brian Michael Bendis. Joining Brian for a lively Q&A panel were Gazillion President and COO David Brevik, VP and Studio Head for Secret Identity (fka Gargantuan) Jeff Lind, and VP of Games at Marvel TQ Jefferson. Brian's involvement in the game's story wasn't the only announcement the panelists had in store for attendees -- they almost casually confessed that players will slip into the spandex of iconic Marvel characters and that the game will be free-to-play, making it perhaps the first Western triple-A title to be designed for such a model from the ground up.

Because I knew you'd be disappointed if I didn't, I dutifully asked an amused Jeff Lind about PvP, housing, crafting, voice acting, character customization, travel powers, advancement, and all those other goodies, but as you can probably guess, the devs aren't in a position to talk about sweeping systems just yet -- they want to "retain the ability to change [their] minds." So manage thy expectations accordingly! Fortunately, both Jeff and Brian were willing to chat about story, tie-ins, and MUO's niche in an increasingly crowded superhero MMO field, so hit the break for their thoughts and my round-up of the hot topics from the panel.

Continue reading Marvel Universe Online will be free-to-play, penned by Bendis

MassivelyMarvel Universe Online will be free-to-play, penned by Bendis originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>axel-alonsobendisbrian-bendisbrian-michael-bendiscanondavid-brevikdisneydoctor-doomf2pfeaturedfree-to-playgargantuan-studiosgateway-gamegateway-gamesgazilliongazillion-entertainmentinterviewinterviewsjeff-lindjoe-quesadamarvelmarvel-comicsmarvel-ipmarvel-universe-mmomarvel-universe-onlinemuopanelQ-and-Aroleplayingsecret-identityshsosquirrel-girlstan-leestorysuper-herosuper-hero-squad-onlinesuperherothe-amazing-societytq-jeffersonFri, 29 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Official video available for the Guild Wars 2 PAX East panel]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/25/official-video-available-for-the-guild-wars-2-pax-east-panel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/25/official-video-available-for-the-guild-wars-2-pax-east-panel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/25/official-video-available-for-the-guild-wars-2-pax-east-panel/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If you were attending PAX East a couple of weeks ago, the odds are you wanted a chance to get in on ArenaNet's panel. Unfortunately, Guild Wars 2 fans were lined up outside the panel long before it started, filling the room to capacity and dashing the dreams of several hopeful attendees. Luckily, the fine team behind the games took the time time to record the panel in its entirety and has just made the full video available on the official blog.

Posted in two parts and comprising just under an hour of total footage, the panel covers a variety of topics related to the development of Guild Wars 2 and includes a lengthy question-and-answer session from the audience. While it's not quite a substitute for being at the convention itself, the full video should prove interesting whether you weren't able to make it to Boston or just couldn't get inside the jam-packed panel session.

MassivelyOfficial video available for the Guild Wars 2 PAX East panel originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetconventionsguild-wars-2gw2live-panelncsoftnewspanelpanelspaxpax-2011pax-eastpax-east-2011real-world-eventsrecapvideovideosFri, 25 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC 2011: BioWare's Damion Schubert on designing for loners]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/gdc-2011-biowares-damion-schubert-on-designing-for-loners/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/gdc-2011-biowares-damion-schubert-on-designing-for-loners/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/07/gdc-2011-biowares-damion-schubert-on-designing-for-loners/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Nothing stirs up a good MMO debate like the age-old question of whether or not the genre should cater to solo players. BioWare's Damion Schubert, lead systems designer on the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic, recently added a bit of fuel to that particular fire during a presentation at last week's GDC in San Francisco.

Schubert's talk focused on loners in the massively multiplayer space, and while it's no surprise to anyone that TOR is being built with the solo player in mind, it may come as a bit of a revelation that BioWare isn't aiming to "dumb down" the MMORPG as some fans have suggested.

On the contrary, Schubert states that MMOs feature "hardcore stuff. This is hardcore gameplay, and we have to figure out how to get the solo player in a position where they want to take part in this, where they feel comfortable with the social circles, where they feel like they can be contributors."

Continue reading GDC 2011: BioWare's Damion Schubert on designing for loners

MassivelyGDC 2011: BioWare's Damion Schubert on designing for loners originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredamion-schubertdesignea-biowareexclusivefeaturedgame-developers-conferencegdcgdc-2011han-solohardcorelonerlonerspanelsci-fisocialsocial-designsolostar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republicyoure-doing-it-wrongMon, 07 Mar 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The MMO Report: Now is the winter of our discontent edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/the-mmo-report-now-is-the-winter-of-our-discontent-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/the-mmo-report-now-is-the-winter-of-our-discontent-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/the-mmo-report-now-is-the-winter-of-our-discontent-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We're not sure whether he was inspired by the recent Oscars or other recent winning theatrics, but this week we're treated to a breathtaking performance from the MMO Report's very own Casey Schreiner. Admittedly, he likely won't be picking up any golden statuettes from the Academy -- this is internet video, after all. However, we feel relatively certain that he will likely find his bag quite swollen over owing to this week's subtle combination of stellar performance and particularly well-groomed facial hair. Well, that and because this week's episode is really short.

Starting off running, Casey touches on the February game update in DC Universe Online while simultaneously saving us from having to look at cherubs from the game's holiday event. After that, it's a quick jump to Runes of Magic, which is determined to make it even easier to spend tons of time wandering aimlessly in the game while telling your Facebook friends all about it. Next, it's a nod to our GDC 2011 coverage with our ArenaNet localization panel writeup and an aside about the large amount of Guild Wars hardcore Norn we got to enjoy last week. Finally, the bag returns to equally rapidly disappear once again.

As always, this week's episode lurks beyond yon break -- or you can catch it on G4TV every Thursday! Until then, anon good readers; anon!

Continue reading The MMO Report: Now is the winter of our discontent edition

MassivelyThe MMO Report: Now is the winter of our discontent edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetcasey-schreinerdc-universe-onlinedcuofebruary-updatefrogsterfrogster-interactiveg4tvg4tv.comgame-developers-conferencegdcgdc-2011guild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw2humorlmnop-reportlocalizationmmo-reportncsoftnornopinionpanelpatchromrunes-of-magicrunewaker-entertainmentsoesony-online-entertainmentthe-mmo-reportvideoThu, 03 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What are you hoping to hear from GDC?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/28/the-daily-grind-what-are-you-hoping-to-hear-from-gdc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/28/the-daily-grind-what-are-you-hoping-to-hear-from-gdc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/28/the-daily-grind-what-are-you-hoping-to-hear-from-gdc/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

This week, Massively's own Shawn & Rubi are headed out to San Francisco to check out all the sights and sounds of this year's Game Developers Conference. In fact, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the event, one that has grown from a small gathering held in someone's house into an enormous industry-wide event. There are tons of topics to look forward to, from intricate development issues to the wider ramifications of online and social gaming.

Given how many varied and interesting panels, discussions and more bedeck the conference's schedule, we thought we'd ask whether there's anything in particular you're hoping to hear from this year's event. Are there any games or topics you're really craving more news about? Grab your morning cuppa wake-up beverage goodness, check out the schedule, and tell us what you're hoping to learn more about in our upcoming GDC 2011 coverage!

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What are you hoping to hear from GDC? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>event-coveragegame-developers-conferencegdcgdc-2011panelpanelsroundtable-discussionsshow-floorshowfloortdgthe-daily-grindMon, 28 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NYCC 2010: DCUO's Q&A panel and fan event]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/12/nycc-2010-dcuos-qanda-panel-and-fan-event/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/12/nycc-2010-dcuos-qanda-panel-and-fan-event/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/12/nycc-2010-dcuos-qanda-panel-and-fan-event/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The gods of New York Comic Con smiled upon Detective Comics fans and MMO junkies alike this weekend, as DC Universe Online kicked butt and took questions at not one, but a senses-shattering two Q&A sessions on Saturday. Conventioneers enjoyed a glimpse into the character-creation process at the "Creating the Next Legend Panel," and then Sony Online Entertainment invited fans to a special Q&A event afterward. And I would not be exaggerating if I said the audience reaction was riotously positive.

Executive Creative Director Jim Lee, Creative Director Chris Cao and Art Director Mark Anderson shared details and fielded dozens of questions about the DC-based MMO at both events. Discussion ranged from costume creation to endgame content to the game's recent delay to early 2011.

Continue reading NYCC 2010: DCUO's Q&A panel and fan event

MassivelyNYCC 2010: DCUO's Q&A panel and fan event originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batcaveBatmanchampions-onlinecharacter-creationchris-caocity-of-heroesCOHdc-comicsdc-universedc-universe-onlinedcuoDelayendgamefeaturedgreen-lanterngroupingjim-leemark-andersonnew-york-comic-connew-york-comic-con-2010nyccnycc-2010panelQ-and-Aq-and-a-panelraidingSOESony-Online-Entertainmentsuperherosuperheroesthe-batmanTue, 12 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet releases images from Guild Wars 2 Designing Dynamic Events panel]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/arenanet-releases-images-from-guild-wars-2-designing-dynamic-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/arenanet-releases-images-from-guild-wars-2-designing-dynamic-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/arenanet-releases-images-from-guild-wars-2-designing-dynamic-eve/#commentsFiled under: , ,

New races, new lands, and talk of familiar places with a new look. The Guild Wars 2 Dynamic Events panel at PAX stirred up quite a bit of conversation and even more curiosity.

What are these regions? What events are there? What is a krait obelisk for? What does The Great Oouo look like? Guild Wars 2 fans watched all the video taken by hand held cameras at the panel and viewed snapshots of the screen, trying to get a better look.

If you've been dying for an up-close view of the Regrown Flame, orrian undead, and yes, even The Great Oouo, you're in luck. ArenaNet has generously provided Massively with the images used in the panel, so check out the gallery below for the newest look at Tyria of the future!

Gallery: Guild Wars 2 Dynamic Events panel images

MassivelyArenaNet releases images from Guild Wars 2 Designing Dynamic Events panel originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetconcept-artdynamic-eventsguild-wars-2gw2kraitmapsncsoftorrian-undeadpanelPAXpax-2010pax-primepax-prime-2010quagganWed, 15 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Quaggan sad: A look back at the Guild Wars 2 Dynamic Events panel]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/09/quaggan-sad-a-look-back-at-the-guild-wars-2-dynamic-events-pane/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/09/quaggan-sad-a-look-back-at-the-guild-wars-2-dynamic-events-pane/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/09/quaggan-sad-a-look-back-at-the-guild-wars-2-dynamic-events-pane/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

At the top of my to-do list for Saturday morning at PAX was Designing Dynamic Events, a Guild Wars 2 panel with designers Eric Flannum and Colin Johanson. Talk and video of the panel have been everywhere this week, and I wanted to take a little bit of time to give my thoughts on what they did and how it was received.

The panel was billed as a discussion about "how Guild Wars 2 designers create events in the dynamic, living game world and the many factors to consider when designing any kind of MMO content."

It sounded interesting, but it was a ticketed event with limited attendance, which seemed strange to me. I managed to get a ticket and was even more confused when I walked into the relatively tiny room. Why such a small place for something that would certainly have drawn a huge crowd?

It all became clear very soon, so follow along after the cut to hear more about my take on the new things we learned in Designing Dynamic Events.

Continue reading Quaggan sad: A look back at the Guild Wars 2 Dynamic Events panel

MassivelyQuaggan sad: A look back at the Guild Wars 2 Dynamic Events panel originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetcolin-johansoncon-paneldesigning-dynamic-eventsdynamic-eventseric-flannumevent-designfeaturedguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-panelgw2jeff-grubbkraitncsoftopinionpanelpanelsPAXpax-2010pax-primepax-prime-2010quagganquest-designsharks-with-laser-beamsthe-mighty-ooohThu, 09 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Baldur's Gate was almost an MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/baldurs-gate-was-almost-an-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/baldurs-gate-was-almost-an-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/baldurs-gate-was-almost-an-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , ,

For those of you who remember Baldur's Gate, we want you to close your eyes and imagine it as an MMO. For the time it released (the mid-90s), it quite possibly could have been the first MMO, at that.

At a recent GDC Europe panel for BioWare, studio founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk had some fun with the audience, reminiscing on what might have been. The original game's title was Battleground Infinity and was pitched to five publishers as a massively multiplayer online game that revolved around mythological gods.

Interplay are the ones who pushed the doctors toward the Dungeons & Dragons RPG route, which I'm pretty sure worked out for them in the end.

MassivelyBaldur's Gate was almost an MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baldurs-gatebattleground-infinitybiowaredungeons-and-dragonsgdc-europe-2010greg-zeschukpanelray-muzykarpgMon, 16 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fan Faire 2010: John Smedley and the SOE crew talk EverQuest Next]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/07/fan-faire-2010-john-smedley-and-the-soe-crew-talk-everquest-nex/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/07/fan-faire-2010-john-smedley-and-the-soe-crew-talk-everquest-nex/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/07/fan-faire-2010-john-smedley-and-the-soe-crew-talk-everquest-nex/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


EverQuest Next, the surprise news out of this year's Fan Faire, has certainly gathered a lot of attention from the general MMOGsphere since word broke about the game last night. Across Twitter, Facebook, and myriad blogs, many people are wondering just precisely what the plans are, and what this new incarnation of the world of Norrath might be like.

Well, the developers behind the game sat down with attendees at Fan Faire not only to show off screenshots and concept art from EverQuest Next, but also to solicit questions and ideas from the SOE-devoted -- and they've captured it all on video for those of us who couldn't make it! While they stress that this is all in the very early stages, there are some great insights on the thinking behind this reboot of their beloved franchise. There's also some information on what players can expect with regard to support for subscribers of EverQuest and EverQuest II once EverQuest Next comes out. If you're hungry for more details straight from the people behind this surprising new title, then check out the videos behind the break!

Continue reading Fan Faire 2010: John Smedley and the SOE crew talk EverQuest Next

MassivelyFan Faire 2010: John Smedley and the SOE crew talk EverQuest Next originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We here at Massively know that not everyone can spend the money or the time to come out to Dragon*Con. But we don't want you guys to feel left out of the fun!

Tonight there's going to be a Second Life panel being run here at Dragon*Con, and we'd love it if you attended! The panel will be run simultaneously in Second Life and in real life, hosted by us here at Massively.com. Come, meet your fellow Second Life Massively readers, and you can even interact with and send questions to us here at the convention!

The panels topics will cover the entire culture of Second Life, serving as a player meetup opportunity and a pubic forum for everyone to talk about Second Life and discuss issues relevant to the virtual world platform.

Interested in attending? The panel will start at 7 PM ET (4 PM SLT/PT) and you can find our meet up as easily as clicking this link to boot your Second Life client. See you tonight, hopefully!

MassivelyAttend Dragon*Con via Second Life originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dc-2009dragon-condragon-con-2009dragoncon-2009panelsecond-lifeslvirtual-worldsFri, 04 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA and GLAAD to host a panel against homophobia in online games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/17/ea-and-glaad-to-host-a-panel-against-homophobia-in-online-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/17/ea-and-glaad-to-host-a-panel-against-homophobia-in-online-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/17/ea-and-glaad-to-host-a-panel-against-homophobia-in-online-games/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Tomorrow marks an interesting event in Redwood City, CA as Electronic Arts teams up with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination (GLAAD) to host a panel regarding homophobia in online games.

The panel will be featuring some major industry players, including GayGamer founder Flynn DeMarco (AKA Fruit Brute), senior director of communications and industry affairs for the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) Dan Hewitt, senior producer Caryl Shaw from Maxis Studio, Linden Lab's vice president of customer relations Cyn Skyberg, and Xbox Live's program manager Stephen Toulouse (Gamertag: Stepto.)

Stephen Toulouse's presence at the panel is especially interesting, as Microsoft has come under fire for some rather inflammatory anti-gay policies.

The panel will be moderated by GLAAD's Justin Cole, their director of digital and online media. The panel will take place tomorrow, July 18th, from 11 AM to 1 PM Pacific time.

MassivelyEA and GLAAD to host a panel against homophobia in online games originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>discussionelectronic-artsflynn-demarcogaygaygamerglaadhomophobialesbianlinden-labmaxisonline-gamespanelstephen-toulousexbox-360xbox-liveFri, 17 Jul 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC09: Spending time with the cruise director of Azeroth pt. 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/gdc09-spending-time-with-the-cruise-director-of-azeroth-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/gdc09-spending-time-with-the-cruise-director-of-azeroth-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/gdc09-spending-time-with-the-cruise-director-of-azeroth-pt-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Mistakes of World of Warcraft

Kaplan was quick to note that Warcraft was far from perfect, and he wanted to highlight some of his own mistakes inside of the design.

The first mistake was the idea of the "Christmas tree effect," otherwise known as having so many quests in a quest hub that the minimap lights up with exclamation points like a Christmas tree. While players enjoy this, Kaplan wanted to say that the developer loses call control over the player at these points, as the player will not read any quest text in their clicking frenzy. There's no control over what quest leads into what or which order the player will do the quests in.

The second was the internet adage of "too long, didn't read." Quest designers don't need to write a book to get their point across with the quests. He brought up that video games had a type of "medium envy," where sometimes they get too preachy with their topics. Games should be fun first, story second.

Mystery also falls in this category. The story can provide mystery, but the quest log should never have any mystery to it. The quest log should always point where to go and what to do, but the overall story of those quests may provide some solution to some mystery.

Also avoid poorly placed quest chains, like the Chains of Myzrael questline in Arathi Highlands. The Myzrael line was hard to find, ended up spanning 14 levels, and ended with killing an elite mob that was level 44. This quest line was a "brick wall" according to Kaplan, because most players never stuck with it.

It's good to have quest chains that span content, but quest chains like this break down trust the player has with the developer. When the player runs into a chain that he can't finish with a monster he can't kill, the player loses trust in the developer's sense of guiding them to fun.

He also emphasized to avoid inserting "gimmick quests." His example here was part of the Oculus dungeon where players ride on dragons. These types of quests center around doing something the client may not be able to properly handle. Warcraft was not designed to accommodate vehicles. When developers resort to putting in parts of the game that center around a gimmick, it can detract from the fun of the rest of the game.

The horror of collection quests

Kaplan's speech ended with an analysis of why people hate collection quests so much, and a few tips on how to make collection quests into a better experience.

His problems with the quests stemmed from three areas -- dense creature population, too few of a creature to kill, and having a wide variety of items required for the quest. Having a dense creature population can put off people, especially when there's a lack of the monster required for the quest. If someone has to kill four lions for every one raptor required for the quest, then there's a problem.

His other point was that collection quests shouldn't require an insane amount of items. To everyone's amusement, he brought up the Green Hills of Stranglethorn quest chain (a chain he wrote) as the exact thing a designer should never do. Collection quests should be an easily obtainable number of items, and not such a long grind fest with the hope that your required item might drop.

Lastly, never have the player question why they're collecting the item required -- it should be clear from the onset. Kaplan brought up the infamous gnoll paw collecting quests, in which gnolls may or may not drop paws upon death, where obviously a gnoll has four paws and not a number between 0 and 1 (which everyone applauded at loudly). Quests should make sense and not become a gimmick in their own right. This causes the player to once again, lose trust.

Most of these points that Kaplan has brought up pertain to Warcraft, but can easily be applied to any game on the market. With all of this in mind, perhaps we'll get to see some better design in our MMOs from other developers, now that we're all on the same page... of the Green Hills of Stranglethorn.

MassivelyGDC09: Spending time with the cruise director of Azeroth pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>azerothblizzardchristmas-treecollection-questscruise-director-of-azerothdirected-gameplayexclamation-pointsgdc-2009green-hills-of-stranglethorninterface-designjeff-kaplanlead-game-designermistakespanelquest-designquest-helperquestingquestsuser-interfaceworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 01 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC09: Spending time with the cruise director of Azeroth]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/gdc09-spending-time-with-the-cruise-director-of-azeroth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/gdc09-spending-time-with-the-cruise-director-of-azeroth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/01/gdc09-spending-time-with-the-cruise-director-of-azeroth/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


At GDC09, we got to talk with many people and listened to a variety of panels on all aspects of game design. But there was little doubt as to which panel attracted loads of attention -- the Jeff Kaplan panel on quest design in World of Warcraft.

Warcraft has come extremely far in terms of their UI design and quest implementation since the game launched back in 2004. Just between 2007 and 2009, Kaplan revealed that over 8,570,222,436 quests have been completed, while the daily average was 16,641,409. With those numbers in place, it's safe to say that World of Warcraft players are driven by their questing.

Kaplan's panel revealed a few tricks of the trade, as well as his beliefs regarding questing, so without further adieu let's get into the meat of his panel.

Gallery: GDC09: Spending time with the cruise director of Azeroth

Continue reading GDC09: Spending time with the cruise director of Azeroth

MassivelyGDC09: Spending time with the cruise director of Azeroth originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>azerothblizzardcollection-questscruise-director-of-azerothdirected-gameplayexclamation-pointsfeaturedgame-designgame-developers-conferencegdc-2009gimmicksgreen-hills-of-stranglethorninterface-designjeff-kaplanjoystiqfeatureslead-game-designerpanelquest-designquest-helperquestingquestsworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 01 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC 09: Eskil Steenberg on bringing the Love]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/24/gdc09-eskil-steenberg-on-bringing-the-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/24/gdc09-eskil-steenberg-on-bringing-the-love/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/24/gdc09-eskil-steenberg-on-bringing-the-love/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We're always on the lookout for innovation in the MMO genre, so that's why Love has caught our eye. Developed by one man, Eskil Steenberg, Love is a procedurally-generated game, which essentially means that the entire world - including almost watercolor-looking graphics, different locations, etc. - are created randomly as you adventure through the world. Currently set to support 200 people per shard, Love is an interesting take on the massive genre.

Within the world of Love, users will be treated to a completely free-form adventure that will involve complex chains of missions. According to Steenberg, "You want to have cool adventures with cool things, but part of the fun is just to adventure; to just explore it. [Love] is the ultimate in player-versus-environment. The idea is that there are ways to control and manipulate things in the world - cities are like networks of interesting stuff rather than just static cities - which makes it more of a puzzle than a regular MMO. You can figure out your own ways to hack your environment, if you will; find your own way of doing different things to make it your own story."

Steenberg's talk at GDC about creating a game like Love, and the tools involved will be held later today at 4:45 Pacific, which promises to be a very interesting discussion. Of course, if you're not able to make it to the Game Developer's Conference, but are curious about Love and just how the project has proceeded with just one person working on it, Steenberg has been so kind as to post the long version of his presentation on his blog for us to enjoy. So if Love seems like an interesting game to you, be sure to check out the main site for more information and procedurally-generated graphics from the current alpha. We'll definitely be keeping an eye on this one as it progresses.

MassivelyGDC 09: Eskil Steenberg on bringing the Love originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>discussionEskil-Steenberggdc-09gdc09panelplayer-versus-environmentprocedurally-generatedpuzzlepvereplayabilityTue, 24 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you attend developer chats?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/the-daily-grind-do-you-attend-developer-chats/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/the-daily-grind-do-you-attend-developer-chats/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/the-daily-grind-do-you-attend-developer-chats/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Developer chats. For some, it's a great way to reach out into the community and see what the pulse of things is at that given moment. For others, it's just a chance to spread the word on what's going on in their games - or with their upcoming game. The question is really, how far do they reach? Are they as broadly appealing as some feel they are?

This morning, we thought we'd take a representative sampling of gamers by asking you - do you attend developer chats - either online or in person? Will you only attend them if, say, you're already attending a convention like BlizzCon? Are you a hardcore developer chat junkie, and can tell people what's coming up on Stratics well into the future? Are you kind of middle of the road - you'll catch them here and there, but only when it's your absolute favorite game, and again, only when it's at a convenient time for you? Or are you wondering what the heck we're going on about, what a 'dev chat' is, and would instead prefer that we get the hell off your lawn?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you attend developer chats? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dev-chatdeveloper-chateventeventslive-chatmmo-industrypanelWed, 11 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP Games releases EVE Fanfest 2008 videos]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/18/ccp-games-releases-eve-fanfest-2008-videos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/18/ccp-games-releases-eve-fanfest-2008-videos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/18/ccp-games-releases-eve-fanfest-2008-videos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Most EVE Online players didn't have the opportunity to attend EVE Fanfest 2008 in Reykjavik earlier this month, but that doesn't necessarily mean they have to miss out on what was revealed. CCP Games and EVE TV have made good on their promise to release video footage of Fanfest presentations and panel discussions. While they did make live audio of some of this available in-game over EVE Voice, it was difficult to follow without the visuals to tie it all together.

Now, they've put up a new video page dedicated to EVE Fanfest 2008, with both low res and high res downloads. They culled roughly 30 hours of raw footage down into 12 videos. We've listed them below, accompanied by the CCP descriptions and video links, for both YouTube (when available) and high resolution versions:

Continue reading CCP Games releases EVE Fanfest 2008 videos

MassivelyCCP Games releases EVE Fanfest 2008 videos originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We almost missed this major revelation on our sister site WoW Insider -- we might not have caught it if Eurogamer hadn't. Deep within WoW Insider's excellent liveblog of the World of Warcraft PvP panel at Blizzcon, you'll find that Blizzard reps let slip that players will soon be able to earn experience points in addition to honor in PvP.

That's already possible in WoW's new competitor Warhammer Online, in which it is essentially just as viable to level up to the cap in PvP as it is in PvE. The WoW devs are likely responding to the competition, knowing that they might lose big fans of PvP to WAR. In that vein, they're also ensuring that daily PvP quests are available from levels 10 - 80.

It's hard not to look at this as a good change. The only argument against it we can think of is that if a player levels from 10 - 80 entirely in the battlegrounds, he or she will not have the necessary experience to run instances and raids at later levels if a change of course is desired. But that seems like a fairly minor criticism of a long-needed addition to the game.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft players will earn experience points in PvP originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlegroundsblizzardblizzconblizzcon-2008blizzcon2008daily-questsexpexperienceexperience-pointspanelplayer-vs-playerpvppvp-panelwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftworld-of-warcraft-pvp-panelwowwow-pvp-panelxpTue, 14 Oct 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars PAX Panel video released]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/11/guild-wars-pax-panel-video-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/11/guild-wars-pax-panel-video-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/11/guild-wars-pax-panel-video-released/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


If you missed this year's Penny Arcade Expo, or you simply didn't get a chance to attend the packed ArenaNet panel entitled "Three Years of Guild Wars", now you can watch the video of the entire discussion from the comfort of your own computer chair.

You can download the full high quality, 51-minute video from the Guild Wars website, or watch it in six parts on the official ArenaNet Youtube channel. Either way, you'll get to see a fantastic Q&A session with ArenaNet's James Phinney (Lead Game Designer), Ree Soesbee (Game Designer), Jeff Grubb (Game Designer), Chris Lye (Director of Marketing), Katy Hargrove (Artist), and Katy Perry (Artist). This discussion panel includes the information on the series of Guild Wars books to be released before Guild Wars 2, as first reported by Massively during PAX08. Check out the entire video for some incredible information on the history of the game from the developers themselves.

MassivelyGuild Wars PAX Panel video released originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetdiscussionguild-warsguild-wars-2panelpaxpax-08pax-2008penny-arcade-expovideoSat, 11 Oct 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AGDC08: Devs on why MMOs have a web-based future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/agdc08-devs-on-why-mmos-have-a-web-based-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/agdc08-devs-on-why-mmos-have-a-web-based-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/agdc08-devs-on-why-mmos-have-a-web-based-future/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

A write-up at Gamasutra of an AGDC panel featuring MMO developers who have begun working on web-based projects gives us an opportunity to explore the new (some would say it's actually the old) frontier of massively multiplayer gaming.

There are many MMOs that are experienced via a web interface (such as Sherwood), but traditional gamers have largely shunned the trend. Why, then, did some of the most hardcore MMO developers (including Dan Ogles, Raph Koster, and Scott Hartsman) abandon the traditional MMO in favor of this new frontier? Some of their work, like Ogles' Loudcrowd, is barely recognizable to traditional gamers.

They offered some answers on the panel. For example, Koster (originally of Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies fame, now working on the creative platform MetaPlace) said that game devs have more to learn from web devs than vice versa. Ogles talked about using Adobe Flash so anyone can embed elements of the game anywhere on the web they like. It's worth a read if you're able to work through some pretty technical development speech.

MassivelyAGDC08: Devs on why MMOs have a web-based future originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agdcagdc-2008agdc08areaebrowsercasualconduit-labsdan-oglesdevelopmentflashindustryloudcrowdmetaplacepanelraph-kosterscott-hartsmansherwoodstar-wars-galaxiesswgultima-onlineuowebThu, 25 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AGDC 08: The Secret to Storytelling in MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/23/agdc-08-the-secret-to-storytelling-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/23/agdc-08-the-secret-to-storytelling-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/23/agdc-08-the-secret-to-storytelling-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


At the Austin Game Developers Conference, we sat down to a one-man panel held by James Portnow, of Divide by Zero Games. His topic was "The Secret to Storytelling in a Massively Multiplayer Environment", and it was well worth our time.

James' main point was to collect the various servers, or shards, into one continuous world, and how that would affect the idea of composing an overarching storyline. We've compiled a breakdown of James' panel here, condensing his hour-long talk into what we think are his most salient points. Remember, most of these statements are not actual quotes unless specifically pulled out as such. Read on to learn more about "The Secret to Storytelling in a Massively Multiplayer Environment".

Continue reading AGDC 08: The Secret to Storytelling in MMOs

MassivelyAGDC 08: The Secret to Storytelling in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We spent a little time at the Austin Game Developers Conference this year and walked away with our heads full of game-related knowledge. Not least of this came from a panel held by Sheri Graner Ray, the computer game industry's leading expert on the subject of gender and computer games.

She began by dividing learning styles into types, and explaining how closely gender relates to the different styles. She then went on to discuss how important it is for game tutorials to include the different styles of learning at the risk of losing potential players. We've compiled a breakdown of Sheri's panel here, condensing her hour-long talk into what we think are her most salient points. Remember, most of these statements are not actual quotes unless specifically pulled out as such. Read on to learn more about "The Importance of Learning Style and Gender in MMOs".

Continue reading AGDC 08: The Importance of Learning Style and Gender in MMOs

MassivelyAGDC 08: The Importance of Learning Style and Gender in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agdc-2008austin-game-developers-conferenceevent-coveragefeaturedgenderjoystiqfeatureslearning-stylepanelsheri-graner-rayFri, 19 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Check out a DC Universe Online interview, gameplay video]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/25/check-out-a-dc-universe-online-interview-gameplay-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/25/check-out-a-dc-universe-online-interview-gameplay-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/25/check-out-a-dc-universe-online-interview-gameplay-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Mahalo spoke with DC Universe Online Executive Producer John Blakely at Comic Con this week and videotaped the conversation, along with a whole bunch of gameplay. The gameplay includes a player running around at lightning speed, scaling walls, picking up and throwing cars, and some gunplay.

In the interview, Blakely said that to watch DCUO's MySpace page for updates about the release date and other news. Specific gameplay info was thin, but he did suggest that player skill will matter just as much as your character's abilities. They all say that, though, and unfortunately it's usually only half true.

Mahalo also recorded video of a panel on which famous comic book writer Stan Lee glowingly talked about storytelling in video games. We've embedded both parts of that video beyond the jump.

Continue reading Check out a DC Universe Online interview, gameplay video

MassivelyCheck out a DC Universe Online interview, gameplay video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday the 13th: An inauspicious day for the superstitious crowd, but a great day for attendees of the Social Gaming Summit, held in San Francisco. The day saw a schedule full of great panels, populated by some of the industry's finest movers and shakers, among them representatives from Gaia Online, Nexon, Three Rings, and Gamasutra, among others too numerous to list here.

A particular highlight of the conference for this blogger was the panel entitled "Casual MMOs and Immersive Worlds", which provided a lively discussion on what it means to create a virtual social space, how to monetize free-to-play content, and what exactly is a casual MMO? Trying to divide attention between listening raptly and taking notes is difficult; here is the result, along with the panelists, after the jump.

Continue reading The Social Gaming Summit: Casual MMOs and Immersive Worlds

MassivelyThe Social Gaming Summit: Casual MMOs and Immersive Worlds originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auditioncasual-gamesclub-penguineventfeaturedfree-to-playgaia-onlinejoystiqfeaturesk2-networkkart-riderlostmaple-storymassively-event-coveragemicrotransactionsneopetsnexonpanelplayerbasescionsocial-gaming-summittexas-hold-emWed, 18 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Help with panel suggestions for SOE Fan Faire]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/help-with-panel-suggestions-for-soe-fan-faire/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/help-with-panel-suggestions-for-soe-fan-faire/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/help-with-panel-suggestions-for-soe-fan-faire/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Over at the EQ developer blog, your help is needed. EverQuest senior producer Clint Worley has made a post asking for suggestions on panels for SOE's Fan Faire, to be held in August. He mentions that things like spells and content are normally covered, but he is hoping that some of the people attending will have interesting ideas for other panels to throw in the hat.

Even if you're not planning on attending, it's worth sharing any cool suggestions that you might have, as the news from these events is usually covered by your favorite sites anyway. Visit the dev blog to add your ideas to the growing list.

MassivelyHelp with panel suggestions for SOE Fan Faire originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>clint-worleydev-blogdeveloper-blogeqeverquestfan-fairepanelpanel-suggestionssoesoe-fan-fairesony-online-entertainmentWed, 14 May 2008 17:30:00 EST