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Alganon delays expansion, plans double-XP weekend

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Events, in-game, Expansions, Free-to-play, Alganon

Citing "unforseen circumstances," the team at QOL has announced that Alganon's Rise of the Ourobani expansion will be delayed until the fourth quarter of this year. "After evaluation of the project, it was decided that more time was needed in order to do some critical bug fixes as well as to spend more time on certain areas and features of the expansion in order to do the best work possible," the devs wrote in the April newsletter.

Rise of the Ourobani will feature the playable titular race, a brand-new continent to explore, a Warden combat companion, PvP, and flying mounts. To soften the blow of the expansion's delay, QOL has released several sneak peek pictures and videos.

Even though the expansion is a ways away, players have a reason to log in now, as Alganon is preparing a double-XP weekend from April 20 through the 23rd.

You can watch Rise of the Ourobani flying mounts in action after the break.

Continue reading Alganon delays expansion, plans double-XP weekend

Alganon delays expansion, plans double-XP weekend originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Derek Smart on Line of Defense (and its competition)

Jef Reahard — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: EVE Online, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, News items, MMOFPS, DUST 514

Dr. Derek Smart is hard at work on the MMO interview circuit lately, and his sit-down with Massively a couple of weeks ago was only the beginning. The head honcho of Quest Online and 3000AD recently checked in with Rock, Paper, Shotgun to talk up the merits of his Line of Defense MMOFPS. He also had a few choice words for genre competitors like CCP's upcoming EVE Online sidequel.

"DUST 514, that's just going to fail," Smart opines. "There's no ifs, maybes or buts about it. The proper way I think that would have been done would have been to do an EVE sequel and bolt DUST 514 into it."

He doesn't stop there, though, and he goes on to say that folks who call EVE a space combat game "need to be taken out back and shot." It's a lengthy read, and Smart drops a few Line of Defense gameplay-related nuggets here or there, so head to RPS for all the details.

Derek Smart on Line of Defense (and its competition) originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Firing Line: Derek Smart on Line of Defense

Jef Reahard — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, MMOFPS, The Firing Line

Welcome to a special interview edition of The Firing Line, folks. True MMOFPS titles are few and far between these days, though 2012 is shaping up to be a banner year for the genre thanks to games like PlanetSide 2, DUST 514, and possibly even Firefall. There's another massive FPS on its way, too, and even though it hasn't had quite as much press coverage as the aforementioned titles, 3000AD's Line of Defense project is worth a look.

Join me after the break for a conversation with lead designer Derek Smart as he talks about what makes the game massive as well as what sets it apart from its competitors.

Continue reading The Firing Line: Derek Smart on Line of Defense

The Firing Line: Derek Smart on Line of Defense originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MV Guide: October 17-23, 2011

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST

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

MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel.

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

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

Continue reading MV Guide: October 17-23, 2011

MV Guide: October 17-23, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: News roundup from some of my favorite free-to-plays

Beau Hindman — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, News items, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Free for All

Interesting stuff is happening all of the time in the world of indie, free-to-play, and browser-based gaming. In fact, it's hard for me to keep up with it all. I have to say that some developers make it much easier on me by contacting us here at Massively or by maintaining a good news feed on their website. Some developers (*ahem*) make tracking down news harder than it should be. Still, it's out there, and I decided to recap some of my favorites over the last few weeks.

Of course, I will always miss something or just forget to put something in. The search bar is always good for finding bits of news, or you could just visit us here every single day. Several times. And leave comments about how cool I am.

Click past the cut and let's get to it!

Continue reading Free for All: News roundup from some of my favorite free-to-plays

Free for All: News roundup from some of my favorite free-to-plays originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon opens European servers

Matt Daniel — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, News items, Free-to-play, Alganon

Quest Online announced today that its free-to-play MMORPG Alganon is expanding! The game's reach grows just a wee bit longer with the launch of the Aeon server, located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Players on either continent can choose to play on either server, so there's nothing stopping North American players from throwing down with their friends across the pond.

As a result of this new addition to the Alganon family, players will have a week (until July 19th) to transfer to the Aeon server free of charge. To do so, all you have to do is log into the Alganon website, choose the My Account option, and click My Transfers. Voila! The new server also comes just in time for the upcoming GM vs. Player battles taking place on July 16th and 17th. For more information, head to the official Alganon site.

Alganon opens European servers originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise of the Ourobani coming to Alganon this winter

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Patches, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Alganon

Alganon has come a long way since its launch, with the conversion to free-to-play and several updates helping to improve the game's feel and engine immensely. Now it's time for the game to move on to its next big step of development -- its first expansion. Yes, that's right, the game is expanding with Rise of the Ourobani, introducing a new race and class to the game along with several other new features.

The eponymous Ourobani are a race in service to a god long thought lost, with the Asharr and Kujix both attempting to seize the Ourobani's power for their own ends. Players will also get access to the game's first pet class in the form of the Warden. In addition, the game is promising both player and guild housing, flying mounts, and a new continent called Aeon, on which players can enjoy a whole new leveling experience. If your opinion of Alganon hasn't been updated since the game's original development, it might be a good time to start looking at the game with new eyes -- there's a lot on the expansion plate, especially for a free-to-play game.

Rise of the Ourobani coming to Alganon this winter originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: A week of scheduled playtimes

Beau Hindman — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: EverQuest II, Culture, Ryzom, Wurm Online, Opinion, Free-to-play, Casual, Humor, Mabinogi, Alganon, Free for All

After a loose week of playing scheduled games, I can say that I have a lot of work to do to perfect my system. Once again, Tim and Jon from the Van Hemlock podcast are my inspiration. They are both dedicated to the art of playing games, to "finishing" games, almost to the point of obsession. It's certainly not for everyone, but they seem to maintain a real balance while skipping around. Perhaps the podcast they host helps them with this balance? I've hosted several podcasts over the years, so maybe putting my weekly gaming thoughts into audio form is necessary to keeping my sanity?

In reality, what I need to do is just stick it out and stay the course. I am not sure of many things in this world, but I am positive that repetition and scheduling are more powerful than almost any plan. Humans are habitual creatures, even with their gaming. Especially with their gaming. Over this last week, I started to settle into the role of a scheduled player and even looked forward to it each night.

Click past the cut and I'll let you know how it went.

Continue reading Free for All: A week of scheduled playtimes

Free for All: A week of scheduled playtimes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's exclusive look at Line of Defense, a new MMOFPS

Beau Hindman — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Interviews, Previews, PvP, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, Massively Interviews

We all enjoy a good shooter, don't we? It's even more fun if we can play it with dozens (if not hundreds) of our closest friends, so we were excited to hear about the new MMOFPS that 3000AD and Derek Smart are making and will publishing through Quest Online. It sounds like there will be some cool twists and unique innovations in this new title, a game called Line of Defense, so we were happy to ask someone at the source.

Mr. Smart, President of QOL, was kind enough to give us the scoop on this upcoming game. Grab a comfortable seat, because this interview has a lot of information for you to digest. Check it out after the cut!

[Update: We've added some additional exclusive screenshots to the gallery, courtesy of Derek Smart. We also corrected the information about the proper publisher and creator of the game.]

Gallery: Line of Defense screens

Continue reading Massively's exclusive look at Line of Defense, a new MMOFPS

Massively's exclusive look at Line of Defense, a new MMOFPS originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon patches Phase III PvP update

Jef Reahard — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Alganon

Destruction, terror, and mayhem came to Alganon this past November with the arrival of the game's first PvP patch. This week, the free-to-play fantasy MMORPG is tweaking the functionality with Phase III of its planned PvP rollout which includes a couple of noteworthy additions.

First up is the new tower mechanic. In a nutshell, the towers are PvP-enabled zones that automatically flag players for conflict five seconds after they've entered. Temporary promotions will be in effect for characters from levels 10 to 49, and statistics and action levels will be raised to level 50 for the duration of a player's time in the tower zone. The towers can also be captured, which brings bonuses to every member of your faction in the zone. The Quest devs have also added local and world defense chat channels to facilitate battlefield communication.

Finally, the new patch has also increased the renown level cap to 10 and there is new PvP gear for sale at various capital city quartermaster NPCs. Read all the details on Alganon's 2.5.2 patch at the official website.

Alganon patches Phase III PvP update originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon dev blog talks character models, more PvP

Beau Hindman — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Alganon

If you've been following the long and indie road of Quest Online's Alganon, you'd know that development has picked up over the last several months. PvP was released in a recent patch, despite warnings that it might not fit into a game that was meant solely for PvE. Well, PvP fans can rejoice as a "PvP phase III" will be rolling out soon. This means that players will be able to interact with towers while murdering each other. "Capturing all three Towers in a particular area provides a benefit to your entire faction while adventuring and defending that zone," stated a recent blog post.

Concerns for adding PvP were always high. At one point, Derek Smart even told the team that, "I think this would be asking for trouble because we would have the PvP players in a world primarily designed for PvE. It could be a can of worms that I'm not sure we want to deal with." However, according to the official blog, PvP has gone off pretty well.

New character models are coming, as well. The much-anticipated addition will be rolled out in the "early part of this year" according to the latest entry. While the before and after shots could be more dramatic -- something Smart admits in the blog -- he goes on to honestly explain the thinking behind the development process.

You can check the official blog out here, and find out more information about Alganon on their main site.

Alganon dev blog talks character models, more PvP originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Ten tips for the virtual traveler

Beau Hindman — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Humor, Free for All

This week I decided to take a break from analyzing cash-shop models and theorizing over what players might consider "nickel-and-diming" (hint: it doesn't exist) to bring you some frequent MMO traveler tips. Now, if you are the type who enjoys playing one game for years and years or who doesn't have any interest in most any other game, this is not for you. These are a few tips that I have learned from covering games over the last years of my life, especially during my time with Massively.

Since I have been here (it will be a year in March, if I recall) I have been embarking on a journey across all types of MMOs, one MMO per week. I might not remember everything I have done, but I do remember how to make sure that I feel satisfied after spending only a week in each game. Granted, many of the games I have played have stuck around for a long, long time, some of them becoming favorites. Recently, though, I put so much more into playing the current game that I have to let it go in order to put that much into the next one.

How do you live this virtual vagabond lifestyle and still feel good about yourself? What about the golden rule -- a week isn't long enough to get any ideas about an MMO? Well, click past the cut and I'll try to explain.

Continue reading Free for All: Ten tips for the virtual traveler

Free for All: Ten tips for the virtual traveler originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Tilting at windmills

Krystalle Voecks — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Free-to-play, One Shots, Alganon

It's been a while since we've had an Alganon sent in by a player, but with today's One Shots from Niklas, we break that streak. As a small free-to-play fantasy MMO, Alganon has certainly had its share of trials and tribulations, but that isn't stopping players from enjoying the game or stopping to check out the scenery like we see in today's image. Niklas writes in to share his thoughts: "When I was walking around in the world of Alganon, a beautiful free-to-play MMORPG (which some of you hate), I stopped for a moment just to listen to the music. Then after a couple of seconds, I looked up in the sky where the moon was shining brightly on me. I could only hear the sound from the forest and I got a warm feeling. It is strange how a game can make you so emotional!"

If we haven't seen a screenshot of your favorite MMO here for some time, why not take a moment to snap a picture and send it in to us. It's easy to do. Email it in to oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing in the image. Please make sure the image is at least 1024 pixels wide and has no visible UI elements. If chosen, we'll post it out here on Massively for everyone to enjoy and give you the credit for sending it in!

Gallery: One Shots: 2011

One Shots: Tilting at windmills originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The top indie and free-to-play stories of 2010

Beau Hindman — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Screenshots, Culture, Economy, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Kids, Family

I have to admit to feeling slightly amazed when I read that someone thought of 2010 as a bad year for MMORPG fans. Then, when I think about it, I realize that he was talking about the year in "AAA" subscription gaming -- something almost alien to me. I just don't get turned on by huge-budget subscription games like I did seven or eight years ago. Well, it might be better to say that I am always suspicious of big-budget gaming. Gaming is a lot like movies, and look at how bad most blockbusters are. They are often silly, over-the-top, special-effects-laden bores. If those movies were the only ones I watched, I might be a little depressed about Hollywood as well.

If you pay attention only to what the major publishers are pushing out, you are simply going to have a narrow view of MMO gaming. You will miss too much. The year 2010 offered more than any year before it, and 2011 will top that. Thanks to mobile technologies and the always-dropping price of computers, you will find that smaller or unknown games have much more of a chance of grabbing a gamer's eye than ever before.

So, what were some of the high and low points in free-to-play and indie gaming this year? Click past the cut and let's take a look!

Continue reading The top indie and free-to-play stories of 2010

The top indie and free-to-play stories of 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: An insight on indie from Alganon

Beau Hindman — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Interviews, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, Casual, Alganon, Free for All

Recently I decided that I wanted to ask different indie developers how their world revolves and what it's like to exist within that world. Development is a funny thing and often much more difficult than many of us will ever know. In my experience, the budget doesn't change the basic goings-on in the development studio, but it can effect what developers are willing to talk about. I would never expect certain mainstream developers to ever open up to certain questions, while many indie developers seem more than willing.

Last time, I asked the developers of Istaria what they thought, which you can read here. This time, I decided to send some questions to Quest Online, the maker of Alganon. I received my answers from Derek Smart, president of QOL. Alganon has been one of my surprise favorites of the last year, so I was eager to ask some questions -- after all, he says exactly what's on his mind.

Continue reading Free for All: An insight on indie from Alganon

Free for All: An insight on indie from Alganon originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon adding PvP functionality

Jef Reahard — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Alganon

Despite its checkered history, free-to-play fantasy MMORPG Alganon soldiers on. In its recently released November newsletter, Quest Online details the latest feature set added to the game in the form of PvP combat. The upgrade is scheduled to proceed in stages, with phase one consisting of both dueling and open world PvP, both of which are already available on the live servers.

Phase two of the PvP integration is currently slotted for a December release and looks to add an objective system to the open-world PvP mechanics in the form of conquerable towers. Said towers will provide adventuring benefits to factional members located in the zone. Quest is also working on PvP armor sets and accessories for characters between levels 10 and 50. Keeps will be making an appearance in phase two as well and will represent stepping stones along the path to being able to enter the enemy capitol and slay the factional leader for fun and profit.

Finally, phase three of the PvP master plan will bring battlegrounds to the world of Alganon. These self-contained PvP instances will feature team objectives and function similarly to the maps found in traditional FPS titles. Quest is also prepping a renown system that will feature weapons, armor, and assorted gear, as well as a resource-control mechanic. Battlegrounds are scheduled to go live sometime in 2011.

Check out the official Alganon newsletter for more details.

Alganon adding PvP functionality originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quest Online legal drama ends in settlement

Rubi Bayer — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, News items, Legal

Months of legal wrangling, accusations of corporate incompetence, and rampant bickering -- all performed as publicly as humanly possible -- is finally over. Derek Smart and David Allen have probably not settled their personal differences, but at least they've settled the ongoing legal issue.

Derek Smart posted the news on his personal blog last night: "At approximately 7PM EST on Sept 27th, 2010, the lawsuit between Quest Online LLC and David Allen was settled with the purchase of Allen's equity in the LLC; thus he is no longer associated with Quest Online. "

Smart also promises a press release later this week, and hopefully it signals the end of the public drama. And hopefully we never have to speak of it again. Ever. Seriously.

Quest Online legal drama ends in settlement originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: Alganon

Beau Hindman — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Video, Events, in-game, Reviews, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-play, Hands-on, Casual, Alganon, Rise and Shiny

We have all heard of the controversy surrounding Alganon. Essentially, it breaks down into a few basic points: it is a "WoW clone," and it is being run by Derek Smart, a say-it-like-you-mean-it development bad-boy. Many claim he looks for negative attention and enjoys arguing with players. To be blunt, I don't care what people think about Derek Smart. I have said it before: I actually believe that he reacts to negative attention the way other developers wish they could. I don't keep track of his battles, though; I keep track of what he has done in gaming. All I know is that before he was with Alganon, I did not enjoy the game. After he became involved, the game got better.

Concerning the "WoW-clone" issue: If I had a gold piece for every time I've heard that, I could afford that incredible level 50 mount! (*snort*) If I took a moment to break down all games that have similarities to WoW, this article would be much, much longer than it needs to be. WoW was successful, and the industry takes cues from success. WoW took its own cues from other games before that. Still, does Alganon take more from WoW than, say, Lord of the Rings Online?

Read on, and let's discuss it.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Alganon

Rise and Shiny recap: Alganon originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon making the switch to the full free-to-play model

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, News items, Free-to-play, Alganon

It's been quite a while since we've heard much from Alganon, with the last major game announcement having been the switch to a subscription-free model back in April. The team over at Quest Online has apparently decided to take that philosophy to the next level, as on Friday, August 13th, the game is going fully free to play. The client will be free to download and play indefinitely, with no time limits. There will be certain restrictions on new accounts, with a lowered level cap and ability cap that can be ameliorated via microtransactions.

Said microtransactions are also the game's way of compensating players who had already purchased a copy of the game, with existing purchasers getting several caps removed automatically. The full details, as well as details on a special offer within the first week of the game's free-to-play launch, are outlined within the official announcement. Alganon is certainly no stranger to controversy, but it remains to be seen what the MMO community at large will think about the game in its newest incarnation.

Alganon making the switch to the full free-to-play model originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon steals press release from BioWare

Jef Reahard — Sat, 08 May 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, News items, Humor, Alganon

The comedy train that is Alganon just keeps on rolling. Ethic over at Kill Ten Rats alerts us to a press release for the newly relaunched fantasy MMORPG that copies, nearly word for word, the verbiage used by Bioware to promote Star Wars: The Old Republic almost two years ago.

"'Traditionally, massively multiplier online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars - combat, exploration and character progression,' Derek Smart continued. 'In Alganon, in addition to these we've added the fourth pillar to the equation; a story. We delivered a fun, immersive adventure that gamers expect in a top quality massively multiplayer online game. To top it all off, we're not done yet. A whole new adventure with new updates will follow soon, starting with a consignment house, new classes, PvP and much more,'" proclaims the offending release.

Sound familiar? That's probably because it was posted a while back on The Old Republic's official site:

"Traditionally, massively multiplayer online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars - combat, exploration and character progression," said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder and General Manager/CEO of BioWare and General Manager/Vice President of Electronic Arts Inc., "In Star Wars: The Old Republic, we're fusing BioWare's heritage of critically-acclaimed storytelling with the amazing pedigree of Lucasfilm and LucasArts, and adding a brand-new fourth pillar to the equation - story. At the same time, we will still deliver all the fun features and activities that fans have come to expect in a AAA massively multiplayer online game. To top it all off, Star Wars: The Old Republic is set in a very exciting, dynamic period in the Star Wars universe," reads a BioWare release dated in October 2008.

Check out Ethic's post over at Kill Ten Rats. Additionally, Massively has contacted Quest Online for comment and will update the story as information becomes available.

[Update: Quest CEO Derek Smart has responded with this post over on Alganon's official boards.]

Alganon steals press release from BioWare originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 May 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: In with the new

Krystalle Voecks — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, One Shots, Alganon

With the recent relaunch of Alganon including a change of model to something more akin to Guild Wars than the original box & subscription model, there are quite a few people taking a look at the game and reporting back on their impressions. Today we have a lush One Shots taken recently by Todd L. who has been checking the game out as well. He writes in to give us his impressions on the view in the above screenshot: "I was out adventuring in the woods of Alganon on my Healer and stopped for a second to take in the scenery in the forest before getting back to the tasks at hand. What a great view!"

From big to small MMOs, we love to see what you're doing. All you have to do to take part of the fun is to email your image to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and your thoughts/description of what we're seeing. Please make sure your image is at least 1024 pixels wide, and has as little UI showing as possible. Yours could be the next one we feature here on Massively!

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

One Shots: In with the new originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 May 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon re-release: worth all the hype?

Beau Hindman — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Reviews, Opinion, Free-to-play, Hands-on, First Impressions, Alganon

For starters, there are two things that I will not cover in this look at the Alganon re-launch:

Derek Smart: I am still not that familiar with the man. I am familiar with his games, and familiar with the snarky jokes made at his expense, but I do not feel it has any bearing on how much or how little I enjoy a product that he is involved in. His religious beliefs probably affect his life and thus his work more than most things, yet I do not care to read about them either. To put it as he does in his forum signature: "Game developers are just human beings who happen to make games for a living. If you want to hold us up to higher standards of conduct, then go ahead...but don't be surprised if we don't uphold them."
"WoW clones:": If we spend any amount of time comparing user interfaces, monster types and general looks, we will be here all day. I am a fan of 30's crime novels, a genre that definitely "borrows" stylistically from itself, but I do not dismiss the use of subtle details that separate different authors from one another simply because they sometimes feel the same or are set in the same universe. Let's not compare vehicles for the content, let's discuss the actual content.

Continue reading Alganon re-release: worth all the hype?

Alganon re-release: worth all the hype? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 May 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon finishes changes, announces relaunch

Rubi Bayer — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, News items, Alganon

Alganon has been going through some huge changes over the past few months, and while sometimes it seems like it's taken a back burner to other things, the Alganon employees have been hard at work behind the scenes.

Their work paid off yesterday with the grand reopening of Alganon's doors, accompanied by a hearty thank you to the fans from Derek Smart: "We appreciate the valuable feedback from the testers as well as those who bought and played the original December 2009 release. The continued enthusiasm and dedication of players around the world, and the help they gave us in helping to finish and fine tune the game is very much appreciated."

Fine tuning might be a bit of an understatement, as the game has gone through an overhaul from the business model up. Yesterday's relaunch announcement provided an overview of what you can expect from the new-and-improved Alganon, so take a look and see what you think of the new direction the game has taken. Keep an eye on Massively too, as our own Beau Hindman will be taking a detailed look at the changes very soon.

Alganon finishes changes, announces relaunch originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quest Online responds to David Allen lawsuit

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, News items, Free-to-play, Legal, Alganon

Lawsuits aren't necessarily a fact of life in the world of video games, but they seem to be a bit favored over words when two parties just can't seem to get along. David Allen, the gentleman formerly in charge of Alganon's development, has opted for legal action in the matter of his removal from the company, which was followed by Derek Smart taking his position. While Smart has responded to Allen on his personal blog, Quest Online has taken the opportunity to attempt to put the record straight in a more official capacity.

According to the official statement, "the company's members, forced to make a decision between David Allen and Derek Smart, unanimously voted to remove Mr. Allen as managing member thereby leaving Derek Smart as President of the company." Those who have been following the debate since the beginning will note that this matches Smart's depiction of events. The company states that it will defend itself against untrue allegations by Mr. Allen, and that they are confident the courts will see that there were no unfair actions taken on their part. The unfolding legal drama certainly has succeeded in stirring up more interest in Alganon, but only time will tell how the legal side will play out.

Quest Online responds to David Allen lawsuit originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon reveals much of the overhauled launch experience

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Alganon

It's easy to get wrapped up in the war of words between the inimitable Derek Smart and the equally inimitable David Allen, but the whole reason behind that back-and-forth is a game. Much of the news coming out about Alganon has been both sides sniping at each other, but it looks like the development team has been hard at work revamping the game for an April 28th launch. As the website has slowly been updated, they've begun posting more and more information about what's due out when the game goes live... which promises to be pretty extensive.

There's more about the various cash shop items that can be purchased with the new "subscription-free" model, which follows a vaguely Dungeons & Dragons Online pattern -- increased experience gain, bonuses to study speeds, limited-duration enchanted equipment. The starter areas are also being revamped, with the Asharr Humans starting in the Temple of Argon (which may or may not contain an eye) and the Temple of Xukiss becoming the start point for Talrok Kujix characters. And as expected, the feature list prominently states that Alganon's graphics have been overhauled, especially for the UI. With a little over a week to go, it should be interesting to see how the new iteration of the game plays out.

Alganon reveals much of the overhauled launch experience originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon founder David Allen strikes back

Jef Reahard — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Alganon

Derek Smart is famous for having the subtlety of an Imperial Walker, so it's only fair that we give the target of one of his laser-focused rants the chance to respond. In a press release over at PRWeb.com, Quest Online founder David Allen addresses his role in the development of the troubled MMORPG known as Alganon, as well as the fallout from the hiring of Smart and the events that led to Allen's departure.

"Mr. Smart began a smear campaign attacking my credibility, first privately among the investors, and then publicly. As many have read on various internet websites, Mr. Smart has made disparaging remarks concerning my professional work and comments that could lead others to question my loyalty, honesty, and ability to successfully create, build, run, and manage a multi-million dollar MMOG development company; something I have been doing successfully for over four years," Allen wrote.

He goes on to state that he has filed a civil suit against Smart, and paints a bright picture regarding the future of Alganon. "I am confident that during the process of resolving this conflict, the truth will prevail and the factual account of the activities associated with the development of Alganon will become known," Allen said.

Alganon founder David Allen strikes back originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively interviews Alganon's Derek Smart

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Business models, Interviews, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Alganon

Amidst the recent flurry of GDC announcements, it's possible for people to miss what's been coming out of some of the smaller studios. That being said, almost everyone with some game industry knowledge took notice when it was formally announced that Derek Smart would be taking charge of Alganon. It helped that Mr. Smart, well-known for his vocal nature and not shying from controversy, almost immediately took the opportunity to set the record straight regarding the management change. (And then set it even straighter.)

Naturally, Massively asked for an interview. Mr. Smart was kind enough to answer a number of questions from us, ranging from future plans for the game to his place within the overall structure of development. Love or hate Alganon, his responses should be of interest to almost anyone with some knowledge of the game or the man himself. Check on past the cut for everything he had to say regarding the game, its present, and its future.

Continue reading Massively interviews Alganon's Derek Smart

Massively interviews Alganon's Derek Smart originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Derek Smart and ex-Alganon employees butt heads

Rubi Bayer — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Alganon

News of last week's shakeup of the Alganon team has been sparking a lot of talk in the gaming community, and the fans aren't the only ones with something to say. Derek Smart is taking Alganon back to the drawing board in a big way, but he's still finding time to maintain his policy of very open communication: "The fact is that in our industry, the less you say, the more people will fill in the blanks for you."

You're not going to find many blanks to fill in here. Gamasutra reported the news Monday, and Smart posted some clarifications to the story in the comments section. He had quite a bit to say over the next 24 hours, and Hue Henry and Jason Blood stopped by to add their voices to the conversation as well. The discussion that followed was interesting to say the least, and offered quite a bit of insight into their thoughts on the matter.

The comments section, while long, is well worth a look, particularly if you're familiar with the participants or a fan of Alganon.

Derek Smart and ex-Alganon employees butt heads originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Derek Smart: big changes in store for Alganon

Rubi Bayer — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Alganon

"Dave Allen didn't 'depart'. I fired him back in February for insubordination and for acting against the best interests of the company, the LLC investors (who I represent), the game and the team."

Well, there you go. Wednesday night we brought you the news that David Allen was gone from Alganon. Shortly after that, Derek Smart spoke out in a big way regarding the event. He has a lot to say and the full post is a great read. He pulls no punches and he seems to have a lot of plans, but you can follow along after the jump for the highlights.

Continue reading Derek Smart: big changes in store for Alganon

Derek Smart: big changes in store for Alganon originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Allen leaves Alganon

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Alganon

It's been a strange ride over at Alganon of late. The game's announcement of a shift to a subscription-free model came out on the heels of David Allen's statements that the game would never go even remotely free-to-play. It seems that it didn't exactly happen on his watch, as Quest Online has just announced Mr. Allen's departure from the company. There's no reason given, although speculation can (and no doubt will) run rampant. Replacing David Allen is Derek Smart, creator of the Battlecruiser 3000AD game series, and something of a contentious figure in the gaming world.

The company continues to push forward that the game's "official" launch is in mid-April, after having retroactively turned the opening in December of last year into a "soft launch." What this means for the game as a whole is still uncertain, although the number of shakeups of late certainly don't suggest that it's been a resounding success thus far. Alganon players should keep their eyes peeled for any news about the game, as a new president usually means that there will be some significant changes in store.

David Allen leaves Alganon originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anti-Aliased: "Cash shop" shouldn't be a dirty phrase

Seraphina Brennan — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, Anti-Aliased

A not so long time ago in an interview located not too far away, one of our intrepid readers asked Alganon's David Allen if they ever considered a free-to-play model for their game. His response was the following:

"Right now, the industry standard is to squeeze as much money as they can out of players by introducing cash shops, and forcing them to pay for things that ought to have been part of the game. We don't want to do that. We want Alganon to be a service. You pay us a subscription so we can continue to develop and run a game that you enjoy playing. It's not a product where you hand us money and we hand you a vanity pet, or mount, or epic sword and then walk away. "

So, David... not to be "that girl" but... um... how's that cash shop working out for ya?

So, now that I've said what pretty much everyone was thinking when they heard that announcement from Quest Online, let's talk about cash shops this week and how we seem to royally keep screwing them up in our culture. Because, as the title says, "cash shop" just shouldn't be a dirty phrase in our industry.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: "Cash shop" shouldn't be a dirty phrase

Anti-Aliased: "Cash shop" shouldn't be a dirty phrase originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon moves to a "subscription free" model

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, News items, Free-to-play, Alganon

We've just hit the four-month mark from the launch of Alganon, but it turns out that Quest Online has been paying more attention to their business model than was externally apparent. The game is moving from its current subscription-based model to a "subscription free" setup immediately, changing up a number of elements of the game in an effort to stay competitive. As the official announcement takes pains to point out, they have no desire to make the game completely free-to-play, which means that the game will retain its cover price, but there will be no subsequent fee for play.

Similar to Dungeons and Dragons Online, the game will be converted to using an item shop complete with various items, as well as the option to speed up the game's Study system substantially. Customers who have already pre-paid for subscriptions will be given a certain amount of currency for the item shop as a payback, as well as having their accounts given a special "Citizen" status as a show of good faith. The release also sets the game's "official" release as April 8th, an odd move to be certain. Alganon is making some large-scale changes, so take a look at the full press release for more information.

Alganon moves to a "subscription free" model originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon gives preview of class updates with first expansion

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Expansions, Previews, Alganon

The first free expansion for Alganon, titled "The Dawning," has been getting a fair bit of talk from Quest Online. They've been a bit longer on talk than on details, however, leaving us largely to guess what it might contain aside from promises of new dungeons and large changes to the game world. Some of the silence has been broken now, however, with Systems Designer Josef Shindler breaking word on several upcoming class balance changes in the game. The most recent small patch contained a number of small class tweaks, but there are more extensive changes for everyone in the future.

Mages are currently in the best place, from the design team's perspective, but there are plans to allow characters specializing in one type of damage to branch out to other elements without sacrificing damage. Healers are also going to see some changes to damage, as their focus on one element makes them susceptible to enemies who are strong against it. Meanwhile, Rangers will see an extensive overhaul in terms of damage buffs and their operation in groups, and Soldiers will see several tweaks to their Anger generation to make its buildup and release more strategic. While it's not a great deal of information, it's good to see the design team keeping themselves hard at work on improving Alganon's overall class balance.

Alganon gives preview of class updates with first expansion originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Jan 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Impressions: Alganon part 2

Shawn Schuster — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Opinion, Hands-on, First Impressions, Alganon

I decided to give Alganon a fair shot for several reasons. First off, it's a game that was crafted by real people with real lives and real passions. I see every game like this, and realize that hype and negativity can spread incredibly easily these days. I'm not going to pass judgment until I get my hands dirty in a game. In line with that, you should use this First Impressions article as my initial opinion only. Playing the game yourself is the only way to truly discover if it's for you.

Now that that's out of the way, I have some thoughts to share on my experiences with the first ten levels of Alganon.

Continue reading First Impressions: Alganon part 2

First Impressions: Alganon part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Impressions: Alganon

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Launches, New titles, First Impressions, Alganon

Today's First Impressions could use a little bit of external reading before you go too deeply into it. So I'm going to start by linking an article that's nearly seven years old but still excellent -- Fantasy Heartbreakers.

Now that you've all clicked "Back" in some confusion or just avoided the link in the first place, some explanation. The article is the origin of a term that pen-and-paper RPG fans have come to use to describe a certain type of game referenced in the article. It's referring to the countless game companies who thought they could make a game that was better at being Dungeons and Dragons than, well, Dungeons and Dragons. Many of the games in question weren't bad games -- sometimes even good ones -- but they were built on the fundamental premise that they would be "like D&D but with X."

Some of you probably see where this is going, or got it as soon as you saw the term. Because we're all very aware of how predominant World of Warcraft has become in the MMO marketplace, to the point where it's the essential standard that other MMOs are judged against. Alganon, then, could be seen as our genre's first fantasy heartbreaker. Because it's genuinely tough not to play the game and see that there's some really good stuff in here.

Continue reading First Impressions: Alganon

First Impressions: Alganon originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon developer roundtable answers player questions

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, Interviews, New titles, Alganon

Coming up on its first full month of being live, Alganon has had a bit of a rocky start thus far. Whatever one's opinions on the game might be, however, the amount of enthusiasm the development team has for their game is admirable, and any issues it has certainly can't be attributed to a lack of caring. The most recent communication has been the release of a new developer roundtable, with several questions from the game's community answered directly by the developers.

One of the largest highlights in the discussion is the question of gear prerequisites. Rather than focusing exclusively on level-restricted items, Alganon also has equipment limited by the game's study system instead of experience. There's also talk of multiple instance sizes within the same map, with each "version" re-tuned for the differing number of players in the encounter. Or, if you prefer non-sequiturs, there's a reference to The Lonely Island in a discussion of the game's current and upcoming transport options.

The full set of questions and answers can be found on the official site, and includes further discussion on instance unlocking and the upcoming in-game event "The Dawning." If you're interested in the game on any level, it's worth taking a look.

Alganon developer roundtable answers player questions originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon tries something new for trial accounts

Krystalle Voecks — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, New titles, News items, Alganon

These days, with so many different MMOs on the market, several companies are trying new, varied formats for their trials in an attempt to capture the most players. You really can't blame them for feeling the need to shift from the traditional models. With our busy lives, an old-school 10-day trial may actually only net a few hours of actual uninterrupted time for many casual players -- especially during the busy holiday season! Enter Alganon's new trial format to give players who are curious a chance to try the game for as long as they need to. However, it's not exactly like the other examples currently on the market.

As you probably already know, Champions Online and Warhammer Online (among others) employ level-restricted trials, allowing players unlimited time, but not unlimited access to the world. By contrast, Alganon isn't limiting people on the trial to a specific level. Indeed -- players can level as high up as they can, to the game's current cap. The catch is that at 30 days, your character starts pining for the fjords and is deleted if you don't convert that trial over to a paid account. If you level very fast and don't mind the idea of having to reroll once a month, this could be an interesting way to explore the content in Alganon for some time without paying anything. That said, there are other drawbacks to dissuade players from doing that; limitations on crafting; inability to freely chat; only able to take skills to level 3 among others. Overall we still think this is an interesting new tactic for an MMO trial system.

[Thanks Robert & Jason!]

Alganon tries something new for trial accounts originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon expands to Impulse distribution

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, News items, Alganon

Alganon isn't necessarily the darling of the MMO world at the moment, with a large number of people drawing conclusions about it before even setting foot in the game. So, really, more or less par for the course. But it has launched, it's developing its content, and it's clearly making moves to get itself noticed as something new and good. And if recent moves are any indications, one of the best ways to get yourself noticed is expanding on to the much-beloved digital distribution sources. The game has just been made available on the Impulse service, run by Stardock.

Those of you with acute memories may recall that it wasn't so long ago that Alganon had an exclusive setup with Direct2Drive. However, expansion is always a good thing, especially for a smaller studio looking to improve their visibility. There's no word on any exclusive giveaways a la the plethora of Fallen Earth bonuses for different services, but that's all right -- it's good enough to know that if you have a want for the game, there are more ways to go about getting it.

Alganon expands to Impulse distribution originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's Alganon launch day roundup

Shawn Schuster — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, Launches, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Alganon

With Alganon's launch today, fans -- or potential fans -- of the game may be looking for more information on the fantasy MMO from Quest Online. To help you out, we've compiled this comprehensive roundup of our best Alganon coverage. Plus, look for a letter from Quest Online's David Allen on the state of the game's launch and a look into the future. Check out the interviews and galleries below, and be sure to let us know how you're enjoying the game so far.

	Alganon community interview: Your questions answered Last week, we reached out to the Massively readers for questions to ask the team at Quest Online regarding the upcoming Alganon MMO. David Allen, president and co-founder of the studio, stepped up to answer the ten questions chosen for him by us.
	Alganon's State of the Game address The first piece of information is good news: they are set for the December 1st launch with no delays in sight. The Alganon team has been working hard lately, taking the servers down more frequently to patch and update, which should help to minimize problems at launch. The address did mention the postponement of the original launch date, citing a desire for the most polished game possible -- reasoning that we can certainly support.
	Massively's pre-launch interview with Alganon After a newly-announced launch delay, we now have just under a month before Quest Online's Alganon releases to the public. Now in its beta stage, Alganon has enjoyed mixed reviews since the NDA was lifted two weeks ago. We thought we'd take this opportunity to ask some of the questions floating around about this new fantasy MMO, and how it sets itself apart from existing fantasy MMOs.

Continue reading Massively's Alganon launch day roundup

Massively's Alganon launch day roundup originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alganon's State of the Game address

Rubi Bayer — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, New titles, Alganon

Alganon is scheduled for launch in less than a week, and has already released its first State of the Game address.

The first piece of information is good news: they are set for the December 1st launch with no delays in sight. The Alganon team has been working hard lately, taking the servers down more frequently to patch and update, which should help to minimize problems at launch. The address did mention the postponement of the original launch date, citing a desire for the most polished game possible -- reasoning that we can certainly support.

The address sent out a big thank you to the Alganon community and beta testers, expressing appreciation for their enthusiasm in expressing feedback, opinions and suggestions, both in game and on the forums. Alganon didn't hesitate to tackle the tougher questions either, specifically those dealing with a rocky ride for beta testers, and the oft-asked question "Why does this game look so much like WoW?"

The full address can be viewed at the official site, and we wish Alganon the best of luck on next week's launch.

Alganon's State of the Game address originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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