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[New ArcheAge fly-through video released, planting system profiled]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/new-archeage-fly-through-video-released-planting-system-profile/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/new-archeage-fly-through-video-released-planting-system-profile/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/new-archeage-fly-through-video-released-planting-system-profile/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Yesterday we learned a bit more about the labor system in XL Games' ArcheAge as well as some juicy tidbits on ship and housing construction. Today, AAportal.net has some more non-combat discussion to whet our sandbox appetites, and this time the subject is plants.

While plants are an unlikely MMORPG topic (unless you're talking about a gathering quest), they play a unique role in ArcheAge thanks to the game's gardening and harvesting systems. Whether your interest lies in cultivating grapes or in seeding a grove of apple trees and (eventually) selling the harvest to expand your farm, it's all doable. Trees are also a source of timber, which is required for the aforementioned ship-building as well as house and furniture construction.

In other ArcheAge news, a brief fly-through video has surfaced on YouTube. While the clip clocks in at a paltry 43 seconds, it offers a number of external looks at player housing as well as the game's gorgeous scenery. Check it out after the cut, then head to AAportal for more.

Continue reading New ArcheAge fly-through video released, planting system profiled

MassivelyNew ArcheAge fly-through video released, planting system profiled originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 May 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arche-agearcheagecraftingfarmingfly-through-videoharvestinghousingnon-combat-gameplayplantingplanting-systemplantssandboxtimbertrailertrailersvideovideosxlxl-gamesTue, 10 May 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wakfu shows off ecosystem mechanics in newest trailer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/wakfu-shows-off-ecosystem-mechanics-in-newest-trailer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/wakfu-shows-off-ecosystem-mechanics-in-newest-trailer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/03/wakfu-shows-off-ecosystem-mechanics-in-newest-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The trailers continue to surface for Wakfu as potential players in the U.S. anxiously await word on an official beta date. For those players in other regions already participating in the beta, that wait is a bit less pressing. But whether you've been enjoying the game for some time in its testing phase or you're just looking forward to finally getting your hands on it, the latest trailer should provide you with plenty of eye-candy and features to look forward to. This time around, the highlight is on the game's ecological systems.

One of the major selling points has always been players having a substantive impact on the game, with the landscape changing and reacting based upon player actions. This ecosystem trailer gives a look at the ways in which players can either help or harm the surrounding environment, providing new life in barren areas or destroying ambient plant life. The latest Wakfu video can be found just past the cut, a worthy diversion for anyone interested in this anticipated strategy MMO.

Continue reading Wakfu shows off ecosystem mechanics in newest trailer

MassivelyWakfu shows off ecosystem mechanics in newest trailer originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ankamaecologyecosystemenvironmentf2pfree-to-playgame-mechanicsgame-systemslifeplantspreviewpreviewstrailertrailersvideovideoswakfuTue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A peek at Sector 4 of Fallen Earth]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/18/a-peek-at-sector-4-of-fallen-earth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/18/a-peek-at-sector-4-of-fallen-earth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/18/a-peek-at-sector-4-of-fallen-earth/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Sector 4 isn't available for players of Fallen Earth just yet, but it's impossible not to know that it's out there, the fourth piece of a building world. As it turns out, however, Sector 4 is more than just the next zone -- it's a look into what the game's world was like before everything went to hell. In a new diary from Chris "Devo" Deavellar, the aesthetics of the new zone are discussed, and he mentions that Sector 4 is the first branch away from the fairly realistic environments seen in the game up to this point.

Deavellar mentions that just throwing a bunch of plant life around would have felt unsuitable for the game, but considering the newest sector highlights the insane experiments of the Globaltech company, the place needed an alien feel. Using several real-world plants such as kudzu for inspiration, the result is a world that still feels true to life in many ways... but also is filled with alien plants weeping amber fluid. Fallen Earth players should take a look at the full diary to get the smallest hint of what this newest zone will look like, a reminder of what would have been the future... before the end of the world.

[Thanks to Scott for the tip!]

MassivelyA peek at Sector 4 of Fallen Earth originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aestheticsappearanceart-diarydevelopment-diaryfallen-earthfallen-earth-llcfeicarusicarus-studiosimmersionlooksnew-zonesplantspreviewssector-4verisimilitudeFri, 18 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost Pages of Taborea: Finding time to play Runes of Magic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/31/lost-pages-of-taborea-finding-time-to-play-runes-of-magic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/31/lost-pages-of-taborea-finding-time-to-play-runes-of-magic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/31/lost-pages-of-taborea-finding-time-to-play-runes-of-magic/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Ever since my semester started up, I've had to learn new ways to budget my time. My schedule cuts right through the middle of every day, which is both good and bad. I don't have to get up at an obscene hour for class, and I'm not in school through the night. It still makes it hard to play Runes of Magic and other MMOs, though, as it chops my free-time up into short, interspersed chunks. I initially found some ways to satiate my gaming addiction by -- gasp -- playing Perpetuum.

Games like Perpetuum -- and I suspect EVE Online -- have some nice pacing that allows me to go semi-AFK while I work on homework, articles or whatever. I can find safe places with large ore deposits, lay down a large container, and mine for 30 minutes at a time or longer. I'm still visiting the world of Taborea on weekends, and I make quick pit-stops during the week to check up on my fellow guild members, but I realized during my last visit that there are some nice ways for the returning college student to get in some game time and get his or her school-work done.

If you find your having trouble balancing work, school and life with RoM, you might find some satisfaction in the long term pet, guild, crafting, and skill-building goals.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: Finding time to play Runes of Magic

MassivelyLost Pages of Taborea: Finding time to play Runes of Magic originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>budgeting-timeencyclopediafeaturedfinding-time-to-playfrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactiveguild-castlejeremy-strattonlost-pages-of-taboreamaterialspacingpet-craftingplant-systemplantsresourcesromrunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmenttimeMon, 31 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Building MMO landscape scenes, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes-part-2/#commentsContinue reading Building MMO landscape scenes, part 2

MassivelyBuilding MMO landscape scenes, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanbillboardengineeverquest-2everquest-iigraphicsheightmaplakelandscapelightinglodlord-of-the-rings-onlineoceanplantsriversceneryscenictechnologyterrainterrain-renderingtexturestreeswaterworld-of-warcraftMon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Building MMO landscape scenes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


Landscapes have been a staple component of almost every MMO in recent memory. With the exception of some sci-fi titles, most MMOs take place on the land of some imagined island or continent. Some use stylised fantasy landscapes that run smoothly on even low-end computers while others have managed almost photo-realistic visuals at the cost of performance. But have you ever thought about what's going on behind the scenes in your favourite MMO? Most of us don't think about how the computer is actually drawing the terrain we run around on. We don't give much thought to the different ways each MMO renders the water in lakes, rivers and oceans. And just how does your computer render so many trees and plants without grinding to a halt? As part of my masters degree in computer science, I got to grips with a number of these techniques and found it a fascinating thing to learn about. Now when I play a new game or see MMO screenshots, I can't help but think about what the computer is doing in the background and how particular visual effects could have been achieved.

In this technical article, I talk about some of the components of an MMO landscape scene and a few of the techniques used in creating the graphics behind them.

Continue reading Building MMO landscape scenes

MassivelyBuilding MMO landscape scenes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanbillboardengineeverquest-2everquest-iigraphicsheightmaplakelandscapelightinglodlord-of-the-rings-onlineoceanplantsriversceneryscenictechnologyterrainterrain-renderingtexturestreeswaterworld-of-warcraftMon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA['Secret of the Goblin Mine' update to hit Runes of Magic next week]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/23/secret-of-the-goblin-mine-update-to-hit-runes-of-magic-next-we/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/23/secret-of-the-goblin-mine-update-to-hit-runes-of-magic-next-we/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/23/secret-of-the-goblin-mine-update-to-hit-runes-of-magic-next-we/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Frogster has dropped some information about the next update for Runes of Magic. The best part about the news? You won't even have to wait a whole week until the patch is released. The update is titled Secret of the Goblin Mine and is focused around a new solo adventure mini-game called -- you guessed it -- the Goblin Mine. Inside there are three tasks to complete with a time limit of 30 minutes. Players will be dressed up as goblins for the duration of the mini-game. The area will only be accessible once a day (and dying will forfeit the chance to beat it) but the victorious should be well-rewarded:

Those who succeed, receive rare armor recipes and handcrafted objects from the treasure chests at the end of the dungeon. There are also two new titles to reward particularly diligent Goblin hunters, one of which being 'Goblin Hero.'

The update will also bring an epic weapon quest series and the plant cultivating system we first heard of a few months ago. There's a preview video for the Goblin Mine available on the RoM official site, to whet your appetite before the patch goes live on the 28th of July.

Massively'Secret of the Goblin Mine' update to hit Runes of Magic next week originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>epicepic-weaponfrogstergoblin-herogoblin-mineplantsromrunes-of-magicrunewalker-entertainmentsecret-of-the-goblin-mineThu, 23 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Plants mean power in Runes of Magic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/30/plants-mean-power-in-runes-of-magic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/30/plants-mean-power-in-runes-of-magic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/30/plants-mean-power-in-runes-of-magic/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Free-to-play MMO Runes of Magic is prompting players to get green-fingered with their brand new plant system. While currently being tested, it is due to be implemented in an upcoming patch. Basically, players will be able to plant seeds in colourful pots (no boring visit to the garden centre required). Seeds can be purchased from the Item Shop or found left behind after slaughtering your foes, we assume some enemies must be stashing seeds in their pockets which fall out when they expire.

The plants must be watered regularly -- they will shrivel up and die if you forget -- and can take up to a week to grow. You can fertilise them with magical runes which will help determine what the plant will yield. This can be anything from more seeds and runes to the rarest of crafting items.

It's certainly an interesting mechanic and the range of plants and pots seems quite impressive, as does the detail involved. We're sure Runes of Magic fans will be pleased with this new system. Plus, we think the plants work really well as their secondary purpose: ornamental objects.

MassivelyPlants mean power in Runes of Magic originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>frogsterfrogster-interactiveplantsrunes-of-magicrunewaker-entertainmentrunewalker-entertainmentrunewalkerentertainmentThu, 30 Apr 2009 19:00:00 EST