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[Aion gives Pando Media Booster the boot [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/aion-gives-pando-media-booster-the-boot/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/aion-gives-pando-media-booster-the-boot/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/aion-gives-pando-media-booster-the-boot/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Pando Dragon Booster still works with the game, but it's not recommended.
If you've never heard of Pando Media Booster before, then you probably haven't downloaded one of several free-to-play games. It's meant to improve download speeds and speed in streaming clients, but in practical terms it's frequently cited as a resource hog that cripples performance on many computers. Aion was one of the many games that used the program following its transition to free-to-play, complete with the usual complaints, but as of now, the game can be played without the booster.

As of this afternoon, the game can be downloaded directly from the master NCsoft launcher without using any third-party workarounds. If you had already downloaded and installed the game, you can feel free to safely shut down and uninstall Pando Media Booster without any impact on your gameplay. Considering the horror stories that have periodically circled around the program, Aion players will likely be happy to learn it's no longer associated with the game.

[Update: NCsoft has contact us to clarify that the removal of Pando Media Booster from Aion is only temporary: "We temporarily removed Pando Media Booster so that we can test a variety of server-side adjustments regarding download completion rates and further refine the service we provide our players. We will bring Pando Media Booster back once we've optimized our service to provide the best download rates possible." Sorry for the confusion!]

MassivelyAion gives Pando Media Booster the boot [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionascensionf2pfantasyfree-to-playncsoftpando-media-boosterperformanceprogramstruly-freeTue, 17 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Some Assembly Required: Six must-haves for creative expression]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/02/some-assembly-required-six-must-haves-for-creative-expression/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/02/some-assembly-required-six-must-haves-for-creative-expression/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/02/some-assembly-required-six-must-haves-for-creative-expression/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Some Assembly Required header
Creativity. It is expressed in so many ways in so many mediums. Art, literature, architecture, music, performance... I love it all, conventional and unconventional. Heck, I revel in it! Why do you think my work and recreation include gaming?

Wait, gaming?! You betcha!

Beyond the artistry of the developers, MMORPGs offer outlets for player creativity in a variety of ways. I am not ashamed to admit that the primary reason I delve into MMORPGs is not for the gameplay but to explore and experience the creative expression of others (and to express some of my own as well). In fact, finding and sharing that very creativity by championing and highlighting player-generated content is precisely what Some Assembly Required is about.

Between (or in lieu of) the hacking, the slashing, and the plundering, players seize proffered tools in myriad virtual realms to build works of art, pen masterpieces, construct edifices, compose melodies, and take the stage, all within the pixeled confines of a virtual world. Unfortunately, not all games have adequate tools for such creative expression. While inspired players can make do if they must, having supporting features exponentially enhances a game (and positively affects retention). Thankfully, some games provide a few standard-setting features that -- in my opinion -- should be included in every game on the market. Here are six of those must-have features.

Continue reading Some Assembly Required: Six must-haves for creative expression

MassivelySome Assembly Required: Six must-haves for creative expression originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appearance-slotsbookbookscreativitydecoratingdungeon-makeremotesEQ2EverQuest-2everquest-iifeaturedgame-mechanicshousingopinionperformancepgcplayer-booksplayer-contentplayer-generated-contentplayer-housingplayer-written-booksquest-builderroleplayRolePlayingrpsandboxsarSOEsome-assembly-requiredSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-galaxiesswgterraformingvanguardwritingxsyonxsyon-preludeFri, 02 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Performance tweaks coming to Fallen Earth]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/performance-tweaks-coming-to-fallen-earth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/performance-tweaks-coming-to-fallen-earth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/27/performance-tweaks-coming-to-fallen-earth/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We announced just last week that popular post-apocalyptic sandbox title Fallen Earth had been released on Steam. Well, opening that can of worms seems to have taken its toll on many of the game's more populated areas, causing performance issues and crashes for some players. Needless to say, GamersFirst is not about to let that fly.

In fact, GamersFirst's Napalm stopped by the game's official forums earlier today in order to notify players of some small tweaks that are being made to the game in order to solve these performance issues. For starters, Embry Crossroads and all starter towns are being moved onto "much, much beefier hardware," which "will have an immediate impact, and should decrease the amount of lag that players are seeing in those areas." Improvements are also being made to server memory management, and the studio is even upgrading to a "more capable branch of the xScape engine" that should hopefully allow the game to handle a higher number of players in any given area. For the full details on the improvements, just click on over to the official announcement below.

MassivelyPerformance tweaks coming to Fallen Earth originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfallen-earthfree-to-playg1gamersfirstoverpopulationperformanceperformance-issuespopulationserver-performanceserver-upgradestabilitysteamupgradeMon, 27 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare responds to The Old Republic performance issues]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/bioware-responds-to-the-old-republic-performance-issues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/bioware-responds-to-the-old-republic-performance-issues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/10/bioware-responds-to-the-old-republic-performance-issues/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Screenshot -- Star Wars: The Old Republic
Many Star Wars: The Old Republic players have raised complaints on the official forums about the game's technical performance. A disconcertingly large number of users report poor framerates despite lowering the game's graphic settings or running the game on a high-end PC. BioWare, however, is not convinced that there's anything wrong with the game, and instead the company asserts that users' lame rigs must be to blame.

OK, not really. But game director James Ohlen told Eurogamer that "most players aren't really having performance concerns" and chalks the reported performance issues up to low-end hardware. He goes on to add that "[the team] knows that it's important that there is a smaller group of people usually with lower end machines that are having problems in some areas. And one of the most important things for [the team is] to grow [its] service is to continue to bring in more players, including those players who only have low-end machines." In light of this, the studio has a team of developers who are devoted to fixing performance-inhibiting bugs, so if all goes well, we poor low-end-rig-users will be able to play the game comfortably soon enough.

MassivelyBioWare responds to The Old Republic performance issues originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebugbugseaelectronic-artsframerateframerate-issuesjames-ohlenperformanceperformance-issuesstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 10 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE dev blog talks increased system specs, Incarna performance]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/14/eve-dev-blog-talks-increased-system-specs-incarna-performance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/14/eve-dev-blog-talks-increased-system-specs-incarna-performance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/14/eve-dev-blog-talks-increased-system-specs-incarna-performance/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Performance is always a concern when it comes to MMORPGs, and EVE Online is no different. The game has traditionally run quite well on older hardware despite graphical upgrades and thousands of simultaneous users sharing the same virtual space. In the latest EVE dev blog, CCP Zulu addresses the impact that the upcoming Incarna expansion is likely to have on client performance, and to make a long story short, CCP is upping the game's minimum and recommended hardware configurations.

Zulu says that the change is mostly directed at users with lower-end Nvidia 6000 or 7000 series graphics cards who are trying to run multiple EVE clients on a single machine (a common practice due to the number of alt accounts and the fact that only one character per account can actively skill-train).

"We therefore decided to temporarily add the option to not load the Incarna interiors while still retaining full access to all options and menus. This allows us to accommodate users with old and gnarly hardware [... and] also develop for those with top-of-the-line gaming computers," Zulu explains. Check out the blog entry, and the system specs, on the official EVE website.

MassivelyEVE dev blog talks increased system specs, Incarna performance originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesccp-zuludev-blogdev-diaryeveeve-onlineexpansionsincarnaminimum-specsperformanceperformance-optionssandboxsci-fisystems-specswalking-in-stationsTue, 14 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: Faxion Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/05/rise-and-shiny-recap-faxion-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/05/rise-and-shiny-recap-faxion-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/05/rise-and-shiny-recap-faxion-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I've been following Faxion Online for quite a while. Aww, I remember when it was just a cute little game in development, back when I visited the UTV True Games studio for a tour during GDC Online last year. The team was very passionate about its product, and there was obviously a lot of talent at work behind the scenes. One of the comments I made then (and that I will always remember) is that the devs all seemed like a bunch of gamers -- they appeared to have a love for what they were doing and truly seemed to believe in the game.

They also talked about how a lot of MMO development took several years and the budget of a small country. I agreed with them on that. So they wanted to create their game in a much shorter time period yet have it still feature free-to-play accessibility along with old-school PvP. It was a tall order, especially considering the time frame they were looking at. Again, though, the team seemed capable of pulling it off.

But did it? I spent half a week (I will explain later) in the game, and my impressions are right past the cut.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Faxion Online

MassivelyRise and Shiny recap: Faxion Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmaneve-onlinefaxionfaxion-onlinefeaturedfpsmountsoffline-advancementoffline-levelingoffline-skillingperformancerise-and-shinyskill-advancementskill-basedspellbornstylizedstylized-graphicsthe-chronicles-of-spellborntravelutvUTV-Ignitionutv-ignition-gamesutv-true-gamesWorld-of-WarcraftSun, 05 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Earthrise patch coming soon, roadmap features delayed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/earthrise-rise-patch-coming-soon-roadmap-features-delayed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/earthrise-rise-patch-coming-soon-roadmap-features-delayed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/earthrise-rise-patch-coming-soon-roadmap-features-delayed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Fans of Masthead Studios' Earthrise MMORPG have waited a long time between patches. According to producer Atanas Atanasov, the wait is almost over. A new post on the official Earthrise boards details what players can expect when the new version goes live toward "the end of this week, or early next week at the latest."

The patch will include fixes for the inventory stacking bug and the problems with party experience gain. The game's shadow renders are also being tweaked, and AI attacks through walls and other solid objects are being addressed. Atanasov also tells us that the previously reported development roadmap has undergone a few revisions, and most of the items on that particular list are being delayed in favor of improving Earthrise's graphical performance.

"Due to changes in our priority list you can expect [a] delay of some roadmap features such as vehicles, inverse kinematics, quest hints on the minimap, and item painting," Atanasov explains. "Our expectations are that you will see them in game in June/July 2011."

MassivelyEarthrise patch coming soon, roadmap features delayed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Atanas-Atanasovatanas-atansovbugsdevelopment-roadmapearthrisegraphical-performanceitem-paintingmastheadmasthead-studiospatchpatchesperformanceroadmapsandboxsci-fivehiclesWed, 04 May 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Black Prophecy patch brings new missions, fixes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/black-prophecy-patch-brings-new-missions-fixes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/black-prophecy-patch-brings-new-missions-fixes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/black-prophecy-patch-brings-new-missions-fixes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Black Prophecy's first monthly patch is here, and today's update brings a bit of new content to the free-to-play sci-fi title -- as well as a number of smaller improvements. The content additions take the form of 10 new missions now available in the game's open sectors, and there are a variety of mission levels ranging from four to 35 according to the patch notes.

Aside from that, Reakktor has made a number of performance tweaks, HUD and graphical fixes, and adjustments to everything from damage distribution across ship components to repair kit durability. You can learn more, as well as download the game, at the official website.

MassivelyBlack Prophecy patch brings new missions, fixes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-prophecybug-fixesdamage-distributionf2pfree-to-playgamigointernet-spaceshipsmissionsnew-contentnew-missionspatchpatchesperformancereakktor-mediarepair-kitssci-fiTue, 03 May 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP acquires new FCP hardware to fight EVE Online lag]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/ccp-acquires-new-fcp-hardware-to-fight-eve-online-lag/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/ccp-acquires-new-fcp-hardware-to-fight-eve-online-lag/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/ccp-acquires-new-fcp-hardware-to-fight-eve-online-lag/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Insomnia can be dealt with in different ways. Some people count sheep. Others pop pills. For those of us whose eyes are prone to glazing over upon hearing computer-related techno-babble, reading a dev blog such as the new network performance-related piece from CCP might be just the thing we need to start nodding off.

All kidding aside, though, EVE Online is continually waging a war against lag, and unlike multi-shard MMOs with servers spread across different physical locations, CCP's sci-fi sandbox is beset with numerous technical challenges stemming from its one-server setup. Making matters worse for the IT nerds at the Icelandic development studio is the fact that tons of people like EVE, and those people are constantly setting new concurrent user records and pounding the heck out of Tranquility.

CCP Mort's blog entry details the company's newly purchased Flow Control Platform (FCP), which "ties in closely with our Edge routers; it monitors all traffic to and from the game cluster, has a BGP peering relationship with the Edge routers, and monitors the pipes to our providers for bandwidth and errors." The short version is that FCP is CCP's latest offensive in the ongoing lag wars saga, and the company remains committed to perfecting the EVE Online experience going forward.

MassivelyCCP acquires new FCP hardware to fight EVE Online lag originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesccp-mortdev-blogdev-diaryeveeve-onlinefcpflow-control-platformlagmortperformanceperformance-improvementssci-fiseries-of-tubessingle-shardtranquilityWed, 23 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Masthead adds exploration rewards to Earthrise, hints at player-crafted vehicles]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/masthead-adds-exploration-rewards-to-earthrise-hints-at-player/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/masthead-adds-exploration-rewards-to-earthrise-hints-at-player/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/masthead-adds-exploration-rewards-to-earthrise-hints-at-player/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It's patch time for Earthrise, and the sci-fi sandbox from indie developer Masthead Studios is looking to put the hurt on a few of its early-release gremlins. The patch notes for version 17045 indicate that players should notice a substantial reduction in lag and an overall increase in server and client performance. The patch has also added keybinding functionality to the world of Enterra as well as animation tweaks for strafing and walking.

Exploration rewards have also arrived in Earthrise, and players "will now be able to salvage materials and use them for either crafting or personal advantage." The dev team isn't stopping there, though, and producer Atanas Atanasov drops a couple of tasty hints regarding upcoming updates. "We are actively taking player feedback and requests into consideration for future releases, and have extensive developments planned for completion in the next few months, including the addition of territorial conquests and player crafted vehicles," he said via press release.

Gallery: Earthrise

MassivelyMasthead adds exploration rewards to Earthrise, hints at player-crafted vehicles originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Atanas-Atanasovbugsdesyncearthriseexplorationexploration-rewardsgallerieslagmastheadmasthead-studiospatchperformanceperformance-fixesplayer-vehiclessandboxsci-fiscreenshotsserver-lagstabilityterritory-controlupdateMon, 14 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Massively: Happy "I like you just enough to outweigh the annoyance of breaking up with you" day edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/ask-massively-happy-i-like-you-just-enough-to-outweigh-the-ann/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/ask-massively-happy-i-like-you-just-enough-to-outweigh-the-ann/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/ask-massively-happy-i-like-you-just-enough-to-outweigh-the-ann/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Valentine's Day was Monday, a celebration for those happy couples incapable of showing mutual affection during the other 364 days of the year. But many people haven't given their hearts to their beloveds so much as they have been in those relationships too long. It's not being in love; it's being unwilling to deal with the irritation that comes with splitting up after the situation has become a comfortable routine. Since I assume that the week basically downgrades from Monday, happy day of things not being bad enough to break up!

I may have just wanted to link Dogs Die in Hot Cars. But I'll deny it in further comments.

This week's questions cover nothing of a romantic nature. Instead, we're talking about World of Warcraft, or more specifically, how doing well on a boss one week seems to mean doing worse next week. As always, you can leave your questions for the next edition of Ask Massively in the comment field or just send us an email to ask@massively.com.

Continue reading Ask Massively: Happy "I like you just enough to outweigh the annoyance of breaking up with you" day edition

MassivelyAsk Massively: Happy "I like you just enough to outweigh the annoyance of breaking up with you" day edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-massivelyaveragesbeing-eaten-by-wolvesbell-curveboss-fightsbossescolumnfeaturedopinionperformanceworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 17 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DC Universe Online is SOE's fastest selling game [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/24/dc-universe-online-is-soes-fastest-selling-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/24/dc-universe-online-is-soes-fastest-selling-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/24/dc-universe-online-is-soes-fastest-selling-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

How's DC Universe Online performing after a week or so in the wild? Sony Online Entertainment hasn't released official sales or subscription numbers, but company president John Smedley recently stated that "it's our fastest selling game ever." Smedley delivered the news via his Twitter account, and also revealed that DCUO topped Steam's sales charts last week.

The title also seems to be exceeding SOE's expectations given the fact that Smedley alluded to a stock shortage. "Working on out-of-stock problems," he tweeted, adding that more copies of the game should become available early this week.

DC Universe Online is currently available for PC and Playstation 3, and you can learn more at the game's official website.

[Update: John Smedley updated his Twitter feed in response to questions concerning the PC/PS3 sales numbers. The PS3 is currently leading at 52%.]

MassivelyDC Universe Online is SOE's fastest selling game [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dcDC Comicsdc-universe-onlineDcComicsdcuojohn-smedleynew-titlesperformancesoeSony-Online-Entertainmentsteamstock-shortagesuperheroMon, 24 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Darkfall expansion delayed, treasure hunting in the works]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/12/darkfall-expansion-delayed-treasure-hunting-in-the-works/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/12/darkfall-expansion-delayed-treasure-hunting-in-the-works/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/12/darkfall-expansion-delayed-treasure-hunting-in-the-works/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Lots of stuff is going on in the world of Agon, and the weekend brought us a double-shot of news updates, one good and one not so good. Aventurine's Tasos Flambouras recently checked in on the official boards to announce a delay on the upcoming expansion. The delay appears to be primarily performance-related. "The expansion is forced back a short while longer, we hope no longer than a couple of weeks, in order to get the performance right, and everything in the expansion working properly and tested thoroughly so there's no repeat of the last setback with the terrain feature," he wrote. Aventurine has also been having trouble with its network service provider, and the post provides a few details along those lines as well.

Now for the good news: treasure hunting is coming to Darkfall, courtesy of the aforementioned expansion. Players will be able to acquire map-reading skills from NPCs, make their own shovels to unearth various objects, and use treasure map hints to determine appropriate dig locations. "We are already planning on expanding this system, which means you can expect additional treasure hunt features being added on top of the one we talked about today," writes Aventurine's Laenih on the Darkfall forums.

MassivelyDarkfall expansion delayed, treasure hunting in the works originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agonaventurineaventurine-sadarkfalldarkfall-2010expansionperformancetasostasos-flambourastreasure-hunttreasure-huntingSun, 12 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Anvil of Crom: Building a Khitai PC]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/08/the-anvil-of-crom-building-a-khitai-pc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/08/the-anvil-of-crom-building-a-khitai-pc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/08/the-anvil-of-crom-building-a-khitai-pc/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

So I've finally started to have technical issues with Age of Conan. Despite being in the original closed beta, the launch weekend headstart, and several bug-ridden months of playtime after that, I've never really been unable to run the game until recently.

I'm playing with the same PC I used back when the game debuted in 2008; the only concession to hardware advancements I've made in the past two years is an updated video card. For some reason though, Khitai has become increasingly unplayable on my rig. This is curious because I was in the Godslayer beta with no problems, just like I tooled around in the Gateway zone when the expansion went live with no problems.

After the last couple of patches though, I'm unable to play in Hyboria's far east for more than a few minutes before a memory crash takes me back to the desktop. Also, I've had to completely bottom-out my graphical settings to be able to load into the new zones (and even with this concession, it literally takes four to six minutes -- yes I've timed it -- of staring at the loading screen and progress bar).

Slog past the cut for more.

Gallery: Age of Conan - Khitai PC Build

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Building a Khitai PC

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Building a Khitai PC originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-guidesaocbuild-a-gaming-pcbuild-a-pcfeaturedfpsframe-ratesfuncomgaming-pc-buildkhitaiopinionpc-buildpc-gamingperformancethe-anvil-of-cromSun, 08 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP details Tyrannis performance tweaks]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/ccp-details-tyrannis-performance-tweaks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/ccp-details-tyrannis-performance-tweaks/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/ccp-details-tyrannis-performance-tweaks/#commentsFiled under: , ,


CCP Blaze has posted a dev blog on the official EVE Online website detailing the various fixes and performance improvements made to the game client since the Tyrannis expansion. The piece goes into a fair amount of technical detail about everything from the game's physics, to Overview changes, to resource loading and memory issues.

"It turned out that there was an issue with the way the resource manager assigned a size to textures that had not been fully loaded. This caused the resource manager to hold on to too much memory; this was fixed shortly after it was discovered. We also found and fixed a memory leak in the module responsible for reading resources. At that time, during internal testing, we started noticing that some objects from our physics simulation weren't being cleaned up as well as they should have been. We fixed that as well," Blaze states.

Read all about it on the EVE Insider dev blog.

MassivelyCCP details Tyrannis performance tweaks originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-blazeCCP-Gameseveeve-onlineperformancetyrannistyrannis-expansiontyrannis-performancetyrannis-tweaksThu, 08 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Meet the man who sped up LotRO: José Luis]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/03/meet-the-man-who-sped-up-lotro-jose-luis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/03/meet-the-man-who-sped-up-lotro-jose-luis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/03/meet-the-man-who-sped-up-lotro-jose-luis/#commentsFiled under: , ,

For all of Lord of the Rings Online's many virtues, a speedy load time is not one of them. Even three years after its launch, players are still struggling to figure out ways to deal with sluggish framerates and lengthy loading screens, which is where José Luis comes in. Hailing from Argentina, José is the creator of two popular LotRO utilities: FlashBoost (which reduces load times and lag with the help of a flash drive) and DefragSuite (which defragments internal game files to speed up the client). These programs have the Turbine thumbs-up of approval, and are featured on the LotRO Lorebook.

The blog Mordor or Bust got some face time with José Luis in a rather lengthy interview, covering both of these utilities and his general thoughts on the game. It's a bit technical in places, but José does a decent job explaining just how and why these programs work, and what he has in store for the upcoming FlashBoost 2.0. He also shares his love of LotRO: "The art of the game is amazing, the story arc and quests are very well done and the community is outstanding!"

So if you're looking to boost LotRO's performance, it's worth giving FlashBoost and DefragSuite a try.

MassivelyMeet the man who sped up LotRO: José Luis originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 May 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>argentinadefragsuiteflashboostflashdrivejose-luislord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromordor-or-bustperformancethe-good-kind-of-flashingMon, 03 May 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Planet Calypso debuts their new mission system with a bang]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/planet-calypso-debuts-their-new-mission-system-with-a-bang/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/planet-calypso-debuts-their-new-mission-system-with-a-bang/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/19/planet-calypso-debuts-their-new-mission-system-with-a-bang/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A literal bang, actually. Not only has Planet Calypso updated to version 2010|01 (their new system uses the year and update number, rather than version number) but they've also had a small volcanic eruption that's changed part of the map. Blizzard, eat your cataclysmic heart out.

While the newly re-terraformed area of Cyclops has been visually improved by the team and patched in under the 'guise of a volcanic explosion, the version update also brings the anticipated mission system to Calypso.

The mission system, which is in a public beta, more or less, is only currently offering 5 tutorial missions to newbies landing on Calypso for the first time. Once you complete those five missions, be sure to offer your feedback in the survey that pops up at the end. That information will be used to make more missions for higher level players, so don't be stingy!

Also, there's fish. Remember those fish we showed last time? Yeah, those fish. If you value your ankles, you'll watch where you swim.

MassivelyPlanet Calypso debuts their new mission system with a bang originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cryenginecyclopsfirst-planet-companyfishfishingmission-systemmissionsperformanceplanet-calypsopublic-betare-designterraformingtutorialversion2010-01Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: A Cryptic opinion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/04/anti-aliased-a-cryptic-opinion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/04/anti-aliased-a-cryptic-opinion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/04/anti-aliased-a-cryptic-opinion/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

So, wow, what a set the last week and a half has been. There seems to be a very strong theme going on in my inbox recently, and that's, without a doubt, Cryptic Studios. I've read unflattering comments about my integrity as a journalist, the usual statements of how this site is Cryptic's lapdog due to all of the Star Trek Online and Champions Online coverage, and, even more oddly, people want to know my opinion of Cryptic's recent actions -- specifically Star Trek Online and Vibora Bay.

Well, I was never one to shirk from the truth. I've been wanting to give my personal opinion on these events since Vibora Bay hit, so I might as well dedicate this column to my evaluation of Cryptic Studios. But, before we get to Cryptic, I have a few ground rules that I want to go over with you guys. Some facts that I'd like to set straight for, oh, I dunno, the fifth time.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: A Cryptic opinion

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: A Cryptic opinion originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-aliasedbusinesschampions-onlinecommentscrypticcryptic-studiosfeaturedferengiforumskitchen-sink-patchklingonmanagementmicrotransactionsnew-racesopinionperformanceqaquality-assurancestar-trek-onlinetestingvibora-bayThu, 04 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Curse.com founder's open Aion letter to NCsoft Korea]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/curse-com-founders-open-aion-letter-to-ncsoft-korea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/curse-com-founders-open-aion-letter-to-ncsoft-korea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/curse-com-founders-open-aion-letter-to-ncsoft-korea/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Open letters to MMO developers from forum members are
a dime a dozen these days but it isn't very often you see one from a forum admin. It's even more rare to see one from the founder of a major fansite network. Today must be our lucky day because Netcurse, founder of Curse.com wrote just such a letter to NCsoft Korea, head studio behind Aion.

The public plea puts some extra weight behind the biggest complaints many Aion players have been voicing since release, namely: "the grind," spammers/botters, and large-scale PvP performance in fortresses. Statements like "...there are three issues I want to bring to the front page today that need to be addressed or this game will end up being a 300k subscriber game within 6 months, not the one-million+ subscriber game it should be," show just how impassioned Netcurse is about these issues.

What's refreshing is that the author is pointing out potential solutions for each problem he draws attention to. For instance, to combat the grind, he feels XP should be increased and more benefits should be rewarded to social players (groupers). Not everyone is agreeing with his comments in the replies, so we're curious, what are your thoughts?

MassivelyCurse.com founder's open Aion letter to NCsoft Korea originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaionsourcecurse.comgrindnc-westncsoftncsoft-koreanetcurseopinionperformancexp-curveTue, 20 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Apocrypha 1.3 improvements and Tech III changes coming to EVE on Monday June 29]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/26/apocrypha-1.3-improvements-and-tech-iii-changes-coming-to-eve-on-monday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/26/apocrypha-1.3-improvements-and-tech-iii-changes-coming-to-eve-on-monday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/26/apocrypha-1.3-improvements-and-tech-iii-changes-coming-to-eve-on-monday/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


EVE Online patch Apocrypha 1.3 is slated for a Monday June 29 deployment. CCP Games is pushing ahead with their Need for Speed initiative, which aims to streamline the game's performance and provide a better play experience. They're making some database changes with the next Apocrypha patch that should improve what you experience in your game client with inventory management, but beyond addressing "The Jita Problem" there will be a fair number of changes in the next patch.

On that topic of speed, players should notice a huge change with starbase deployment (or hasty tear downs): players will be able to anchor, online, or unanchor offensive and defensive starbase structures in half the time it took previously. (Ninja POS deployment?) Perhaps more significant to some players than others, station reprocessing will be much faster -- apparently refining stacks of items will be up to 25 times faster than before. Also, some of those changes to Tech III production we've mentioned before are going into effect on Monday, and should ultimately be a boost for Tech III. Apocrypha 1.3's changes extend far beyond what is mentioned here; players heavily invested in wormhole exploration and the production it fuels should look closely at the patch notes to see how CCP's changes to the game might affect them.

Continue reading Apocrypha 1.3 improvements and Tech III changes coming to EVE on Monday June 29

MassivelyApocrypha 1.3 improvements and Tech III changes coming to EVE on Monday June 29 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaccp-gameseveeve-onlinegame-mechanicsjitaneed-for-speedpatch-notespatchesperformancepossci-fisleepersleepersstarbasetech-3tech-iiiwormhole-explorationwormholesFri, 26 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP Games points to EVE client as source of performance woes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/08/ccp-games-points-to-eve-client-as-source-of-performance-woes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/08/ccp-games-points-to-eve-client-as-source-of-performance-woes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/08/ccp-games-points-to-eve-client-as-source-of-performance-woes/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The Quantum Rise expansion for EVE Online brought with it numerous server side and database improvements, and brings us a bit closer to the ideal of having smooth fleet battles with thousands of ships. So after the expansion rolled out, with the promise of improving the game experience, why was performance subpar at first? The latest CCP Games dev blog points out the culprit -- it's the client.

CCP Atlas (aka Jon Bjarnason), EVE's Technical Director, has written a dev blog on the performance issue. He states, "In hindsight, we should have caught this, but we didn't. Needless to say the week after Quantum Rise wasn't exactly our proudest moment. Although we had improved server and database performance in Quantum Rise, due to the client issues the perception was that overall performance had degraded. And perception is reality, doubly so in virtual worlds."

Continue reading CCP Games points to EVE client as source of performance woes

MassivelyCCP Games points to EVE client as source of performance woes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-atlasccp-gamesclientdev-blogeveeve-onlineexpansionsgame-mechanicsjon-bjarnasonperformancequantum-risesci-fitechnical-directorMon, 08 Dec 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online RvR performance and stability improvements forthcoming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/27/warhammer-online-rvr-performance-and-stability-improvements-fort/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/27/warhammer-online-rvr-performance-and-stability-improvements-fort/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/27/warhammer-online-rvr-performance-and-stability-improvements-fort/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Warhammer Online's live team has issued a statement on the WAR Herald informing players that they're doing everything they can to improve tier 4 stability and performance, especially during large-scale fortress sieges in RvR. The post's purpose seems mostly to let everyone know that Mythic is listening and hard at work on the problem, a fact that never goes without thanks from concerned parties.

The overall goal is of course the elimination of crashes, improving of frame-rate and other graphical issues seen during large-scale encounters. Anyone more than half-way through the leveling process can attest to the fun of huge battles, but they can likely also talk of how bogged-down a system can get during that time. Hopefully the fixes will come sooner rather than later, and without any unexpected new bugs.
Warhammer Online Coverage Did you enjoy this? Make sure to check out our Warhammer guides: Massively's Character Creation Guide and our WoW Player's Guide to Warhammer. Plus, don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!

MassivelyWarhammer Online RvR performance and stability improvements forthcoming originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaelectronic-artsmythicmythic-entertainmentperformancervrstabilitywarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineThu, 27 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The EVE Performance Group]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/17/the-eve-performance-group/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/17/the-eve-performance-group/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/17/the-eve-performance-group/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


"CCP fix lag nao!!" That's essentially what this writer has been hearing from players since he began EVE Online, and most assuredly it was being uttered long before that. Whether it's a typical forum whine or something much more clever, the message remains the same: Players really want to have fleet battles with several hundred people at once. After all, the shardless galaxy that players populate, in theory, should allow for that. But in practice, lag can turn such engagements into a slide show. Is it unrealistic to assume that 1000-player fleet battles will ever be a reality in EVE? Time will tell. Still, you'd think that CCP Games didn't care about wiping out lag from much of what you read on the forums.

They're making some inroads with their new server technologies and ongoing initiatives to improve performance, but players still wonder what goes on behind the scenes. The latest in the recent blitz of dev blogs from CCP Games comes from CCP Tanis, "Introducing: the EVE Performance Group," and is an attempt to explain how this group of developers works to make EVE "run better, faster, and smarter." CCP Tanis lays out how they using monitoring, profiling, and debugging tools to try and reduce server load and increase performance.

Continue reading The EVE Performance Group

MassivelyThe EVE Performance Group originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesccp-tanisdevdev-blogdpseveeve-onlineeve-performance-groupforumsgame-mechanicsinfinibandlagmmo-industrynpcnpcsperformancesci-fiserverserverssingle-serverweapon-groupingFri, 17 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Vanguard Game Update 6 goes live, adds free trial/newbie area]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/13/vanguard-game-update-6-goes-live-adds-free-trial-newbie-area/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/13/vanguard-game-update-6-goes-live-adds-free-trial-newbie-area/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/13/vanguard-game-update-6-goes-live-adds-free-trial-newbie-area/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

One thousand. That's how many bug fixes are in Vanguard's sixth game update, which has now gone live. In addition to the fixes, there's a new newbie area for levels one through ten called the Isle of Dawn. Word is that it will eventually serve as a free trial setting. For now, though, it's just an easy place to get a new character started.

SOE also redid character models, offering new customization options and making some changes that lower the models' system performance hit. You can keep your old look if you want, though.

The most controversial changes are a whole slew of class damage adjustments. SOE looked at every single class in the game and adjusted its damage output to ensure "that each lands in their correct place in the spectrum of classes." The details of all those changes are buried in the patch notes. Did you get nerfed or buffed? Read up to find out.

MassivelyVanguard Game Update 6 goes live, adds free trial/newbie area originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balancecharacter-modelsclassescustomizationdamagedpsgame-update-6graphicsisle-of-dawnnewbiepatchperformancesoetrialvanguardvanguard-game-update-6vanguard-saga-of-heoresSat, 13 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Testing Age of Conan: Gamespot's hardware roundup + performance guide]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/23/testing-age-of-conan-gamespot-s-hardware-roundup-performance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/23/testing-age-of-conan-gamespot-s-hardware-roundup-performance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/23/testing-age-of-conan-gamespot-s-hardware-roundup-performance/#commentsFiled under: ,


You got bills to pay, no computer upgrades in a year, heck maybe it's been two or three, and here comes along Age of Conan with eye-dazzling effects that you must play. It also comes with launch bugs that don't ease the stress on your computer or your nerves for that matter. Crash after crash will leave you infuriated, the problem could be drivers, maybe the PSU can't handle the load, or it's poor optimization code -- whatever it is let the debugging process begin.

PC Gaming really does need some better standards, especially MMOs, but let's get back the basic computer hardware needed to run Age of Conan. What hardware will make it run like a champ, and what hardware will even run the game at all in case Grandma wants to chop some heads off in Hyboria on the most sluggish computer. Everything you need to know is available in this in-depth, fantastic hardware performance guide by Gamespot.

Continue reading Testing Age of Conan: Gamespot's hardware roundup + performance guide

MassivelyTesting Age of Conan: Gamespot's hardware roundup + performance guide originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>8800GT9800GTXage-of-conanaticomputer-guidecomputer-hardwareconancpufuncomgamespotgraphicsnvidiaperformanceramrequirementsspecsvideo-cardsMon, 23 Jun 2008 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Improvements to Tabula Rasa's performance on the way]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/08/tabula-rasa-changes-on-the-way/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/08/tabula-rasa-changes-on-the-way/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/08/tabula-rasa-changes-on-the-way/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


The most recent iteration of Tabula Rasa's Feedback Friday brought the announcement of a change to how the client will work in future deployments of the game. "The Bubble," as they call it, is an optimization that the developers hope to roll out in a future build of Tabula Rasa's Deployment 9. Until now, all static map objects such as rocks and trees loaded up front, but at the cost of decreased system performance. The Bubble will limit the client to loading only those static objects within a certain distance from the camera. The end result promises to be a client that uses less memory and delivers increased performance. They would, however, like help from the players with testing the bubble feature once it's viable.

As always, Feedback Friday also addressed player questions and concerns, namely that logout countdowns in PvP will stop being exploitable in Deployment 10. As it stands, players can evade combat during clan-wars by simply logging off. Another issue in the game that's being resolved is the common complaint about how difficult it is to keep track of friends. Presently each time a player creates a new character, they must reinvite all of their friends, ad nauseam. So beginning with Deployment 9, both the friends and ignore list are now user-based instead of character-based. This change alone will eliminate a number of headaches for TR players, but check out the Feedback Friday page for more details on how the game is evolving.

MassivelyImprovements to Tabula Rasa's performance on the way originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>altaltscharactercharactersclientclonedestination-gamesfeedback-fridaygame-mechanicslagncsoftperformancepvpsci-fitabula-rasathe-bubbletrtr-deployment-10tr-deployment-9Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Keen and Graev's AoC podcast makes its first transmission]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/keen-and-graevs-aoc-podcast-makes-its-first-transmission/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/keen-and-graevs-aoc-podcast-makes-its-first-transmission/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/keen-and-graevs-aoc-podcast-makes-its-first-transmission/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

MMO bloggers Keen and Graev have published the first episode of their Age of Conan podcast. Well, it's the first if you don't count the open beta special they did earlier this month, anyway.

In this episode, they talk about their impressions of the game during its Early Access period, from Tortage to the Wilds. They also describe the performance and stability improvements Funcom has managed to make since the rather troubled open beta event. It sounds like the duo generally has positive feelings about AoC's post-launch existence so far, but a few criticisms are raised about things like the user interface and the way the game's world is pieced together.

The conversation is an honest intro to the state of Hyboria at the moment; it's worth a listen whether you're already playing AoC or still sitting on the fence.

MassivelyKeen and Graev's AoC podcast makes its first transmission originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 May 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocearly-accessfuncomgraevhyboriakeenkeen-and-graevlaunchperformancepodcaststabilitythe-wildstortageThu, 22 May 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMOGology: Age of Conan, PC vs 360]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/19/mmogology-age-of-conan-pc-vs-360/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/19/mmogology-age-of-conan-pc-vs-360/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/19/mmogology-age-of-conan-pc-vs-360/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Age of Conan's official release date is tomorrow (May 20, 2008) and MMOG players around the world are salivating at the chance to get down and dirty in the world of Hyboria. In fact, the level of interest is so intense that as I'm writing this article I can't even access the official Age of Conan website due to the high volume of traffic. With Funcom reporting one million beta test subscriptions, it looks like Conan may lay down some serious competition in the MMOG market.

Any time an MMOG looks to bring in big numbers, people inevitably ask whether or not it can challenge the current king of the hill, Blizzard's World of Warcraft. Personally, I don't think that's Funcom's goal. Sure they want to be successful, but unlike Blizzard, they aren't targeting a broad demographic of players. Instead, it appears that Funcom's goal is to capture a mature audience of hardcore gamers. The violence and sexual content that give Conan a Mature rating are obviously two indications of this target audience. Another indicator is the game's steep system requirements.

Typically steep system requirements are a barrier to many gamers. However, unlike most other MMOGs, Age of Conan won't be solely available on the PC. Gamers have the unique option of playing AoC on Xbox 360 and possibly on PS3. I'll discuss AoC's system requirements and the pros and cons of both platforms after the break.

Continue reading MMOGology: Age of Conan, PC vs 360

MassivelyMMOGology: Age of Conan, PC vs 360 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 May 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>360age-of-conanfeaturedfuncomjoystiqfeaturespcperformancexbox-360xbox-360-vs-pcxbox360Mon, 19 May 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMOS X: Second Life performance on a Macbook]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/mmos-x-second-life-performance-on-a-macbook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/mmos-x-second-life-performance-on-a-macbook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/15/mmos-x-second-life-performance-on-a-macbook/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


MMOS X is a bi-weekly column dedicated solely to gaming on the Macintosh natively. "Running Boot Camp or Parallels" is not an option here. This column is for people who want to get the most out of their Mac gaming, as meager as it is.

There aren't a lot of MMOs that fall into the "I've got a few minutes and want to goof around in" category. Second Life to me is one. Sure, we can argue the "Is SL an MMO argument" while we're taking a break from the "Which is better: Mac or PC?" argument. For me, SL is good for that hour I've got to kill because I got to my night class early, or I'm sitting in bed with my laptop and my RSS feeds are up to date. Really, some days I'll play anything to avoid a daily quest.

The gotcha is, when I got my laptop I had a hard time convincing my wife err myself that I needed to blow almost two grand on a laptop. I still don't have too much buyer's regret over my regular Macbook. Games aside, the three apps that do most of my heavy lifting are Twitteriffic, Mail, and Scrivener (these days, it seems like I write more than game). World of Warcraft runs OK on it, but, lordy, does Second Life crawl on it. I'm not sure which gets better FPS: Second Life running on a Macbook, or frozen molasses rolling uphill. Yeah, I know, the integrated video on the 'book isn't supported and that's what I get for running unsupported hardware and I shoud be using a Macbook Pro. Duly noted.

That said, an unscientific study conducted at my school's cafeteria and library, taken randomly on Mondays between 4 and 5 pm shows a heck of a lot more college kids sprung for the cheapo 'books. Second Life could be considered a good game for non-gamers in the way The Sims was considered a good game for people that hated Quake. So, lets take a good, hard look at what's involved with Second Life on Macbooks, what you can do, and what realities your going to face running SL on a non-Pro 'book.

Continue reading MMOS X: Second Life performance on a Macbook

MassivelyMMOS X: Second Life performance on a Macbook originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 May 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternative-clientsleopardmacbookmacintoshmmos-xos-xperformancesecond-lifeslThu, 15 May 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Exclusive Vanguard Game Update 5 mounts video]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/exclusive-vanguard-game-update-5-preview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/exclusive-vanguard-game-update-5-preview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/exclusive-vanguard-game-update-5-preview/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


SOE's Vanguard: Saga of Heroes keeps marching forward with its upcoming Game Update 5. GU5 features a bevy of new features, including new "anti-hitching" code which will cut down on the number of times the game needs to read from disk, smoothing out the gameplay substantially. Not content with just boosting performance, the developers decided to go whole hog (and turtle, and spider, and beetle, and wolf) and introduce new racial mounts for every race in the game.

Click on through to see the mounts Vanguard has in store for their dedicated players! Then, stop by later for a look at the new, improved spell graphics coming in GU5, and an exclusive interview with esteemed Vanguard game designer Lenny "Tiraslee" Gullo.

Gallery: Vanguard Game Update 5 Gallery

Rhino Mount

Continue reading Exclusive Vanguard Game Update 5 mounts video

MassivelyExclusive Vanguard Game Update 5 mounts video originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fantasyfeaturedjoystiqfeatureslenny-gullomountsperformanceracessoespellstirasleevanguardvanguard-game-update-5vanguard-saga-of-heroesTue, 06 May 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AoC beta: a tale of two clients]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/03/aoc-beta-a-tale-of-two-clients/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/03/aoc-beta-a-tale-of-two-clients/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/03/aoc-beta-a-tale-of-two-clients/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


Frustrated with the Age of Conan open beta's serious performance problems? Worried that the game won't be ready for retail in just a couple of weeks? Don't worry too much; not it is all as it seems. Word on the virtual street is that the open beta client is an old build with issues long since resolved in the closed beta version.

When the IGN beta event finally began on Thursday, thousands of excited gamers ended up more frustrated than entertained. The experience has been marred by low framerates, stuttering, and frequent hard crashes. Admittedly, it's a beta; some of that is to be expected. But it's bad, and since the game's retail release is less than three weeks away, there's an air of concern that Age of Conan will hit retail in an unplayable state. The reality is more complex than that.

Continue reading AoC beta: a tale of two clients

MassivelyAoC beta: a tale of two clients originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 May 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbetabildobloggersbugsclientclosed-betacrashesforumsframeratefuncomignign-beta-eventkeenopen-betaperformancestutteringSat, 03 May 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE promotes player-run events]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/11/soe-promotes-player-run-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/11/soe-promotes-player-run-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/11/soe-promotes-player-run-events/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Socialization is the key ingredient in any MMO, I think we can all agree with that. So why is it we don't hear about more in-game events run by the players in our favorite MMOs? Everquest's Community Manager Lydia Pope has recently made a plea for the players of any SOE game to advertise for their special events and let the world know about them. She also states that if the SOE community runs more events, SOE will find new ways of supporting them. This includes SOE's help in spreading the word for you, and even the chance for someone at SOE to attend these gatherings.

If you're interested in doing something like this, but you're wondering what type of event to do, there are many fine examples cited. For example, you could create a scavenger hunt across a wide area of your favorite game map, or hold a performance where players can act out their favorite scene from a play. The possibilities are almost limitless, but no matter what you decide, be sure to check out the EQ guide entitled Tips on Player-Run Events. As with any MMO, be sure to also contact the appropriate community manager for more information or advice on running your very own event.

MassivelySOE promotes player-run events originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communityeventseverquesteverquest-2gatheringin-game-eventperformancescavenger huntScavengerHuntsoesony-online-entertainmentswgFri, 11 Apr 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[It's Sunday and the Second Life grid is behaving badly [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/09/its-sunday-and-the-second-life-grid-is-poorly/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/09/its-sunday-and-the-second-life-grid-is-poorly/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/09/its-sunday-and-the-second-life-grid-is-poorly/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We shouldn't be surprised really, but after a few good weeks of shopping, rezzing, teleporting, sending money, group IMs and the rest, many of Second Life's In World Services are acting up. There are about 57,500 people online at the moment (depending on exactly when you try to log in and get the numbers) which is a slight increase in the peak concurrency from last week, and it appears just enough to make the asset cluster scream in agony for the first time in a few months.

No word on the official blog as yet, but be warned your Second Life experience may be rather poor at the moment.


Update: The official blog has been updated to say they're experiencing a temporary interruption of In World Services and, "Please refrain from land and L$ transactions until we give an all clear."

Update #2: Though Linden recently gave the all clear, they're now reporting there are still some functionality issues. We don't have any specifics, only, "We are looking into this and will update you as soon as we have information."

Update #3: As of 5:19 PM EST (2:19 SLT), "In world services are beginning to resume. Some transactions were delayed and are catching up."

Update #4: As of 2:47 SL Time the problem is re-opened. Do not conduct land or L$ transactions.

Update#5: As of 3:15 SLT it is meant to be fixed again. Some caution might be in order, but back in the pool everyone!

MassivelyIt's Sunday and the Second Life grid is behaving badly [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Mar 2008 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>concurrencylindenlinden-labloadperformanceSecond-LifeslSun, 09 Mar 2008 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Linden Lab publishes viewer frame-rates]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/linden-lab-publishes-viewer-frame-rates/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/linden-lab-publishes-viewer-frame-rates/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/linden-lab-publishes-viewer-frame-rates/#commentsFiled under:

Linden Lab have been collecting data on Second Life viewer frame-rates and have compiled them into a handy little chart - Okay, so it's a handy big chart. The chart shows the 100 most widely used GPUs, approximate frame rate ranges and medians.

Of course some of this data will vary a little. People with more capable hardware tend to crank up the settings until things start to visibly slow down, so we expect the higher-end hardware to show a bit lower as people flip on a lot of extra rendering options and crank up their draw-distances.

Continue reading Linden Lab publishes viewer frame-rates

MassivelyLinden Lab publishes viewer frame-rates originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Nov 2007 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gpuhardwarelinden-labperformancesecond-lifesecond-life-viewerstatisticsThu, 15 Nov 2007 21:00:00 EST