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[Choose My Adventure: The last mile]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/23/choose-my-adventure-the-last-mile/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/23/choose-my-adventure-the-last-mile/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/23/choose-my-adventure-the-last-mile/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Choose My Adventure road trip
You haven't steered me wrong. At least, not yet.

I am pretty sure there is that nagging worry at the back of the Massively writers' minds when they give themselves over to the masses for Choose My Adventure. Sure, there is an element of mystery and excitement, but what if... just what if the majority manifests an evil streak and sends you careening over an embankment to your virtual doom? Or banishes you to tasks that would make you want to lobotomize yourself with your mouse -- things like run Death From Below repeatedly? Thankfully, you all spared me from such torture. And with this week's tour of the Mission Architect system in City of Heroes, you definitely steered me right -- this is my favorite aspect of the game yet!

I am glad to say that my trust in you all has not been unfounded, and I will speak on your behalf to the others. The fact is, I have enjoyed our little road trip immensely and am sad it must come to an end. So let's take one last cruise through City of Heroes together before you drive off into the sunset with Eliot.

Gallery: CMA: City of Heroes

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: The last mile

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: The last mile originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure City of Heroes
You've experienced it, right? That magic moment on any trip of significant length when you've been living and breathing the locale long enough that the place starts to feel more familiar and you settle in, that time when you feel less like a tourist and more like a local. After the last few weeks traveling with you all, I have hit that moment in City of Heroes. While I still may not be able to tell one inspiration from another by sight, I can find my way around the 'hood and know the skyline when zipping about -- well, at least in Atlas Park. Oh, and I found a Mexican restaurant! It's almost like a second home now.

It was upon reaching this comfort zone that City of Heroes got better for me; this past week has been more fun than the previous ones during this Choose My Adventure road trip. (And yes, I'd even call the torture of the expansive character creation fun. Exhausting, but fun!) What transpired this week? Buckle up and step on the gas to see.

Gallery: CMA: City of Heroes

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Cruisin' with the gang in City of Heroes

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Cruisin' with the gang in City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 May 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure City of Heroes
Yes, Virginia, there is a game after character creation.

With such extensive customization available, it is quite likely that I would have spent the duration of Choose My Adventure without ever actually logging in to play City of Heroes. For all of the hours I spent in character creation with all the options (enough to completely blow a fuse in your mind), it was easy to lose sight of the fact that there was actually a game to go play once I finally made my character. Now I see the real appeal of the VIP pass with all of those character slots; it has even me thinking wistfully of all the alts that could be.

Luckily I have you folks directing me, forcing me past the costume creator and into my role as defender of truth and justice. If it hadn't been for you, I would have never embarked on my journey of flight and fricasseed evil doers in Atlas Park. Or participated in an impromptu street band performance. Yup, it is all your fault! And I'm looking forward to what we do next as we continue our City of Heroes adventures together.

But first, let's take a look at what mayhem I caused... er, put an end to this past week.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Patrolling the park

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Patrolling the park originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Atlas-Parkchoose-my-adventurecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscmacohcovcoxf2pfeaturedfirst-impressionsflightflyingfree-to-playfreedomhands-onncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiospollpollspowersquestsreaders-choiceroad-tripsuperherosuperheroesvotevotingWed, 09 May 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Taking a right at Paragon City]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/choose-my-adventure-taking-a-right-at-paragon-city/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/choose-my-adventure-taking-a-right-at-paragon-city/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/choose-my-adventure-taking-a-right-at-paragon-city/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Choose My Adventure City of Heroes Road Trip
It was the flying Scrapper on Virtue with a mask!

The masses have spoken. For this leg of our Choose My Adventure journey, we will be parking ourselves in Paragon City, fighting the forces of evil, destruction, and movement keys! I must concede that Bree certainly knew her City of Heroes community -- ya'll voted just how she said you would. But Bree, you didn't predict the mask, now did ya?! Ha!

It recently came to my attention that I could have easily queried you on the spandex issue, but come on -- what superhero doesn't have to shimmy into that painted-on suit? We want the full experience, right? Right. So let's get to it. All we have left to do to get this show off the road and into some action is whip up a character.

But this is me we are talking about here! Thankfully, I am marching into this process armed with your decisions! I mean, how bad can it be? We have three days between close of the last vote and a new set of new ones, so it isn't like there isn't time. Here goes...

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Taking a right at Paragon City

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Taking a right at Paragon City originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia
Though a recent catchphrase for Aion's conversion to the Truly Free model, having it "your way" ((R)[TM]BLT) predates NCsoft's usage. Burger joints and assassins for hire alike touted this business motto long before the game. So there is no real infringement if I borrow this philosophy and mold it to my own purposes. And mold it I will, like Playdoh on a hot summer's day.

Some of you may have noticed that I have been livestreaming on a weekly basis to help expand on the Aion experience. (If you haven't, it's never to late to watch!) The thing is, if we just follow my own personal playstyle, you might be stuck watching me rearrange furniture in my little condo for hours on end since I usually play however the mood strikes me at that moment. That's where you come in.

It's time to vicariously experience Aion your way! This week's Wings Over Atreia is all about getting to the heart of what you want. Then I can incorporate the things that you find interesting into the livestreams and even the weekly articles. How shall we accomplish this? Well, although it seems some of you have been able to resist the lure of the spiffy tag at the end of every column that asks for reader suggestions, how many of you can resist... *dramatic music* The Poll? So quick and simple, just a few clicks...

If you ever wanted to tell me where to go, now is your chance.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Aion your way

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Aion your way originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aioncmaf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playhands-onlivestreamLiveStreamingncsoftopinionpollpollsreaders-choicevotevotingwings-over-atreiaMon, 30 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Next stop, City of Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/choose-my-adventure-next-stop-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/choose-my-adventure-next-stop-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/choose-my-adventure-next-stop-city-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Choose My Adventure
I hope your vote wasn't born from a desire to see me in tights!

Although road trips can be just as fun when you just jump in the car and take off with no predetermined destination, at some point you have to end up somewhere. And it looks like we now know our destination. While I was safely strapped in my seat and watching the scenery, you readers have taken the City of Heroes exit. So it looks like a cape and superpowers will be on order for the next few weeks in Choose my Adventure. (Unless you nix the cape, of course.)

Surprisingly, this time around I actually managed to sit back and enjoy the ride without checking the poll results every 20 minutes of every day; I managed to restrain myself to just once a day! Maybe it was because I've let you have the keys before and knew that I really would enjoy the experience no matter where you took me. After all, you didn't get us in a wreck last time, did you? And Justin survived (relatively) unscathed, so what was there to worry about?

Perhaps on another trip we will be able to explore other exotic destinations, such as Anarchy Online, Star Trek Online, Asheron's Call, or even World of Tanks. I'll admit that I wistfully entertained images of visiting each of these destinations while I was glancing periodically at the polls, but for now, our course is set, and we will be arriving shortly. The first order of business before jumping into City of Heroes is a shot pitstop to develop our character. Be sure to get your vote in before Saturday, April 28th, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. EDT!

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Next stop, City of Heroes

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Next stop, City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure
Let's go for another spin!

Just like Mikey of Life cereal fame, I ventured into the realm of Choose My Adventure once before, and I liked it! Grand adventures, camaraderie with readers, exploring the unknown... what more could I ask for? More time, obviously!

It ended all too soon. I was totally revved up and ready to jump right back in, but unfortunately neither pleading nor bribery worked to continue my stint as your plucky puppet (and locking the other staff members in a dark closet didn't pan out either -- they escaped), so I had to park it and wait my turn. It took much too long, but finally my time has come again. *happy dance*

Now the boss may have handed me the keys, but you will be the ones driving. The top is down, and I've got snacks and shades; all that is left to begin our adventure for the next six weeks is to pick which direction to head and floor it. Although a lot of good places have already been visited, there are plenty more to choose from. In the mood for fantasy? Capes? Nebulas? Heavy artillery? Cast your votes by Sunday, April 22nd, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. EDT for your chance to steer me to the world of your choice. Our possible destinations (in no particular order) are...

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Ultimate road trip edition

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Ultimate road trip edition originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acaeriaaeria-gamesage-of-conanage-of-conan-unchainedanarchy-onlineaoaocaoc-unchainedasherons-callchampionschampions-onlinechampschoose-my-adventurechoose-my-adventure-mj-guthriecity-of-heroescity-of-villainsclassic-mmocmacocohconanconsoleconsolescovcoxcrypticcryptic-studiosdc-universedc-universe-onlinedcuoeden-eternalf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomfuncomhands-onhistoricalhyboriancsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiosperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentplaystation-3playstation3pollpollsps3pvppwereaders-choicesandboxsci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentstar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestosuperherosuperheroestanktanksturbineturbine-entertainmentunchainedvotevotingwarwargaming.networld-of-tankswotWed, 18 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week five]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-five/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-five/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/11/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-five/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

DAoC
As I headed into my final week of playing Dark Age of Camelot, I found myself thinking about Warhammer Online more often than not. That shouldn't be surprising, really, as both games were made by Mythic and share a focus on RvR. I suppose it's because I finally hit a point in the game when DAoC started to emulate experiences I had in WAR, and thus a comparison between the two began to unfold.

While I'm sure plenty of folks who played DAoC went on to WAR, I'm curious whether there are many like me who went through the games in the reverse order. I may not be a veteran DAoC player after a few weeks in the game, but I certainly have a mountain of experience in WAR, and it intrigues me to be able to identify the connections between the two.

So as I plundered the battlefields of DAoC this week, I started to examine the game through the lens of a WAR vet to see whether I could spot the traits each game had in common and which traits each game handled better than the other.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week five

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week five originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecamelotchoose-my-adventureclassic-mmocmadaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsendless-trialfantasyfeaturedhands-onmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyopinionpollpollspvpreaders-choicervrvotevotingwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineWed, 11 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week four]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-four/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-four/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-four/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

DAoC
By participating in Choose My Adventure, I'm starting to realize that this column is perhaps one of the most meta projects that we do here on Massively. It's not just a popularity contest between games (although it begins that way) nor a mere hands-on play-through of a title. Instead, it's a bizarre combination of one person led by hundreds of puppet masters with the added layer of forging a path as a complete newbie so that others who follow in my wake may learn from my mistakes.

But with all of you as my puppet masters, I have the added pressure of not wanting to let any of you down. I know that last week some of you were disappointed with my progress (or lack thereof) and could identify dozens of things I was just doing flat-out wrong. That's another layer to this experience, I think: It gives experienced vets the chance to see the game through virgin eyes and to pass down sage advice that they themselves wish they had gotten right out of the gate.

So this past week was all about taking in your advice and attempting to execute it to the best of my ability. Some of it worked, and some did not, but the end result was a series of Dark Age of Camelot play sessions that were far less frustrating -- and even, dare I say, intriguing?

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week four

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week four originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DAoC
Frustrating and boring: These are two words that don't bode well for any MMO, and yet that's exactly what my Dark Age of Camelot experience this past week was.

Now, granted there's always an adjustment period with new MMOs, and I like to think of myself as a fairly patient person. I know that sometimes it might be a matter of minutes or understanding to flip "frustration" into "joy" and "boring" into "addictive," which is why it's good to stick games out until you're sure that the issue isn't with you playing the game wrong or being ignorant of what makes it work.

That said, if I wasn't covering DAoC for this column but was just trying it out for myself, I certainly would not have subscribed after finishing the 14-day trial. New player journey or no, I found more aggravation than fun this past week and kept wondering to myself, "When does it start to get good? Where's all that great stuff players are telling me about? And as a Troll, how much lotion do I need to get my skin feeling silky soft?"

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week three

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week three originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarecamelotchoose-my-adventureclassic-mmocmadaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsendless-trialfantasyfeaturedhands-onmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyopinionpollpollspvpreaders-choicervrvotevotingwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineWed, 28 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week two]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-two/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

DAoC
Some of you probably know that I first got into the blogging scene with my Warhammer Online blog Waaagh! Back then in early 2008, I was a veritable Mythic and PvP newbie, and I spent a good portion of the lead-up to the game's release reading up on Dark Age of Camelot. I figured that, after all, WAR would be built on the foundation of DAoC. In a way, it both was and wasn't.

The one thing I never did was actually play DAoC. Older MMOs can be quite intimidating; they have deep-rooted communities and tomes of updates and history, and they were more rough around the edges. Rough in their cores, too, if we're being honest. So the intimidation factor kept me away until this past week, when Massively readers sent me on a quest to Camelot for the first time in my life.

Last week readers voted on the character I was to roll. An impressive 82% of you said to check out the realm vs. realm ruleset and roll a a Midgard (43.2%) beastly (40.8%) hybrid (43.3%) character. After reading some of the recommendations in the comments, I ended up making a female Troll Skald on a traditional server. She may be lumpy and bulky, but I took a shine to her right away.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week two

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week two originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcamelotchoose-my-adventureclassic-mmocmadaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsendless-trialeqeq1everquestf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playhands-onmidgardmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyopinionpollpollspvpreaders-choiceron-swansonrvrskaldsoesonysony-online-entertainmenttrollvotevotingwarwarcraftwarhammerwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 21 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week one]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-one/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-one/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-one/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

DAoC
Hol. Ee. Crap.

Seriously, folks, I don't know how it usually goes down in CMAtown, but I've never experienced a week of my life when I was literally watching strangers decide my destiny -- and go neck-and-neck in the process. After thousands and thousands of votes, it all came down to a difference of... three. Really.

Three MMO communities caught wind of last week's poll regarding the game I'd be playing and writing up over the next several weeks. Dark Age of Camelot players fought valiantly against Anarchy Online fans for the privilege of this column's focus, often times trading spots for first and second place. The City of Heroes community got into the game late and racked up several hundred votes in an attempt to secure the win, but ultimately it came down to a last-minute brawl in which DAoC garnered three measly votes more than AO, which means I'll be heading off to Camelot starting next week.

With the insane voting over a game at an end, today begins the real fun: You get to roll my character for me. Join me as I lay out just how this is going to work with DAoC's crazy setup.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week one

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week one originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure
Sooner or later, it had to happen. After years of resisting peer pressure from my fellow Massively writers, disapproving looks from old ladies on the bus, and two strongly worded op-ed columns in The New Yorker, I've finally capitulated to join the ranks of the few... the loud... the CMAers.

It's a scary thought, putting the fate of my gaming time into your hands, but so be it. Life is about getting out of your comfort zones, then realizing why those zones were so comfortable in the first place and racing right back to them. But before I reclaim my own destiny, I must navigate this dark valley of capricious voters.

I guess it's tradition to kick off a new series by giving y'all the chance to pick my new game of choice, and so until Sunday, you can attempt to dictate to me which title you'd like to see in the spotlight for the next couple of months. I thought long and hard about what games I was OK with trying and ended up with a list that fell into one of three categories: the old-school, the modern F2P wave, and the promising Asian imports. Read on to see the possible paths for my future, and choose wisely -- I'm counting on you!

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Insert cartridge

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Insert cartridge originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atari-2600choose-my-adventurecmafeaturedhands-onopinionpollpollsreaders-choicevotevotingWed, 07 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Mainland in black]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/choose-my-adventure-mainland-in-black/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/choose-my-adventure-mainland-in-black/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/choose-my-adventure-mainland-in-black/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

These changing headers worked out well. I'm doing this again next time.
One of the comments from last week's Choose My Adventure suggested that I must not be enjoying Ryzom all that much. That isn't entirely accurate, but it would be accurate to say that the charm of the starter island has worn out its welcome and then some, which wouldn't surprise anyone, given that last week's poll wound up in a decisive victory for leaving the island and heading out to the mainland. And while there may have been some business left unfinished there, I'm not one to ignore the rule of the polls.

And so it was that Corlede obeyed the will of the people and headed off for the Zorai city. Once there, I set about the important business of getting Corlede outfitted, taking some advice, and assembling a team to plant an idea inside the head of a talking lion meant to represent a well-known religious figure. Or something like that.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Mainland in black

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Mainland in black originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armorchoose-my-adventurecmacolumnenvironmentsexplorationexploringfeaturedgame-mechanicshands-onjourneyingopinionpollpollsreaders-choiceryzomthe-saga-of-ryzomvotevotingwinch-gate-propertyWed, 22 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Quest rhythm]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/choose-my-adventure-quest-rhythm/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/choose-my-adventure-quest-rhythm/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/choose-my-adventure-quest-rhythm/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Not pictured: Corlede being tied up by Zorai cavalry and insisting that they call her Dances with Bodoc.
Questing is an essential part of MMOs. You can say that players should be the ones crafting stories in games, not the developers, but quests provide you with structure and guidance. Even if you can create all sorts of stories on your own, it helps to know what the world is supposed to be like and how to set your own objectives. Not to mention the fact that having some sort of pointer is massively useful when you start playing.

So it makes sense to take a good look at the questing in Ryzom, even though the game definitely veers toward the "sandbox" side of the fence. Plus, questing won the poll last week, so even if I thought quests were categorical garbage, that would still be my destination. I can't run you through all of the quests that I've done in the game, but one in particular lent itself to a narrative, albeit in a somewhat disjointed form.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Quest rhythm

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Quest rhythm originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anecdoteschoose-my-adventurecmacolumndesignfeaturedhands-onhumoropinionpollpollsquestquestingquestsreaders-choiceryzomvotevotingwinch-gate-propertyWed, 15 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Atys refugee blues]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/choose-my-adventure-atys-refugee-blues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/choose-my-adventure-atys-refugee-blues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/choose-my-adventure-atys-refugee-blues/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Being able to animate your character during creation is a nice touch.
Last week's polls were enough for me to get started in the world of Ryzom over the weekend, so I took my first steps back into the game that I haven't played for quite some time. I still remembered how some of it worked, thankfully, but there were a lot of elements that I'd almost completely forgotten. And while I'm still knee-deep in the starter area, I've played enough to at least get some starter impressions.

But let's make this a full narrative, yes? When we left off, the group verdict was that I would be starting out as a Zorai with the Magic starter package based off of a female Shakespearean tragic character. And thus, with only a little extra effort, Corlede was born into the world of Ryzom. The character creator offers a variety of features, allowing you to select your character's build in fine detail but offering a strange lack of certain other options. There are also some odd constraints on character types -- you find yourself always locked within a certain general band of height, for instance, so there are no really tall Trykers.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Atys refugee blues

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Atys refugee blues originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choose-my-adventurecmacolumncolumnsculturedirectionfeaturedgame-mechanicshands-onlevelingopinionoverviewpollpollsreaders-choiceryzomstartingstarting-areathe-saga-of-ryzomvotevotingwinch-gatewinch-gate-productions-limitedWed, 01 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: So long, Lineage II]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/choose-my-adventure-so-long-lineage-ii/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/choose-my-adventure-so-long-lineage-ii/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/11/choose-my-adventure-so-long-lineage-ii/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Screenshot Lineage 2
I'm here at the end of the line. Six weeks and 48 levels brings me to the close of my time on Choose My Adventure with Lineage II. It became a little grindy toward the end, but that's due to my inability to find a group, something that's important in order to experience some of the content. When I began this little adventure, I knew nothing of Lineage II. I'm walking away a regular player who's looking forward to trying out the numerous PvP options. I wanted to finish this ride with a bang, and I was lucky enough to be ending after a siege weekend.

Lineage II has some rather involved sieges and other PvP content that should please many players at mid- to high-level. I was a litle confused at first, but I was able to use the broadcast crystal to watch some siege gameplay. This final farewell covers a lot of PvP in the game, so buckle up!

Gallery: CMA: Lineage 2

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: So long, Lineage II

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: So long, Lineage II originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choose-my-adventurecmaf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgalleriesgallerygoddess-of-destructionhands-onjeremy-strattonlineage-2lineage-iincsoftncsoft-westopinionpath-to-awakeningpollpollsreaders-choicescreenshotscreenshotsvotevotingWed, 11 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: How Lineage II feels to a Western newcomer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/choose-my-adventure-how-lineage-ii-feels-to-a-western-newcomer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/choose-my-adventure-how-lineage-ii-feels-to-a-western-newcomer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/04/choose-my-adventure-how-lineage-ii-feels-to-a-western-newcomer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Lineage 2 screenshot
We're down to the wire for Lineage II's Choose My Adventure, with one more week to go. My Abyss Walker quickly rushed to the 40s, at which point leveling has slowed down considerably. I've talked about pets, explored (only a fraction of) the countryside, and touched on crafting and other features. What else could we possibly talk about?

I haven't really shared a lot of my experiences with my character class or how the class-transfers and skills affect my overall enjoyment of Lineage II. My third class-transfer is set in stone thanks to your poll choices and the game mechanics; now that I'm an Abyss Walker, I'm locked-in to become a Ghost Hunter, which makes sense. Ghost Hunter is melee, like my Abyss Walker. I can't really jump ship at this point and go ranged. So let's look a little more at my character, what the future could hold for him in terms of more class-transfers, and my opinions on non-situational combat and how that makes the game feel to me.

Gallery: CMA: Lineage 2

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: How Lineage II feels to a Western newcomer

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: How Lineage II feels to a Western newcomer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choose-my-adventurecmaf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgalleriesgallerygoddess-of-destructionhands-onjeremy-strattonlineagelineage-2lineage-iincsoftncsoft-westopinionpath-to-awakeningpollpollsreaders-choicescreenshotscreenshotsvotevotingWed, 04 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Post-Christmas update]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/choose-my-adventure-post-christmas-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/choose-my-adventure-post-christmas-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/choose-my-adventure-post-christmas-update/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

A turkey and ham coma, family soiree, and the biggest calendar holiday of the year have left my Lineage II escapades a wee bit smaller this week, but not without some fun happenings. Speaking of holidays, I hope everyone had a terrific one!

Random events, miraculously revived dead pets, more amazing scenery, and lots of killing are on deck in today's Choose My Adventure. It turns out that I am terrible at raising my pet wolf and even got into an accidental scuffle with another player that left her pet dead and me even deader. I returned to the Path to Awakening because that's what you voted for last week. I've also neared the end of the uber-fast leveling cycle via quests and am turning to grinding for the majority of my experience gain. The fun-level has yet to dip for me; there's higher level gameplay I'm really hoping to dip my dagger into, and I'm curious to see what level I can reach by the end of this trip. As always, check out the extensive gallery and livestreams, and tune in to MV Guide to see when my next livestream will be.

Gallery: CMA: Lineage 2

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Post-Christmas update

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Post-Christmas update originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choose-my-adventurechristmascmacraftingf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgalleriesgallerygoddess-of-destructionhands-onjeremy-strattonl2lineagelineage-2lineage-iincsoftncsoft-westopinionpath-to-awakeningpollpollsreaders-choicescreenshotscreenshotsvotevotingWed, 28 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Exploration week]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/choose-my-adventure-exploration-week/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/choose-my-adventure-exploration-week/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/choose-my-adventure-exploration-week/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Lineage 2 screenshot
From desert wastelands and salty shorelines to plateaus and ocean floors, I've been busy traveling in Aden, and I've seen but a glimpse of the entire continent. Last week, you voted for me to stray from the Path to Awakening and explore the world in Lineage II, and I've been having a blast doing just that.

I discovered a monster racetrack, ran into raid bosses in the middle of nowhere, discovered a vast undersea temple, and so much more. I've also added 47 more screenshots to the gallery, uploaded a walkabout video, and have another livestream this week. We still aren't done yet. There are more chances for you to decide my fate in this week's Choose My Adventure.

Gallery: CMA: Lineage 2

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Exploration week

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Exploration week originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choose-my-adventurecmaf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgalleriesgallerygoddess-of-destructionhands-onjeremy-strattonl2lineagelineage-2lineage-iincsoftncsoft-westopinionpath-to-awakeningpollpollsreaders-choicescreenshotscreenshotsvideovideosvotevotingWed, 21 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Lineage II by a landslide]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/07/choose-my-adventure-lineage-ii-by-a-landslide/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/07/choose-my-adventure-lineage-ii-by-a-landslide/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/07/choose-my-adventure-lineage-ii-by-a-landslide/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Lineage 2
It was no contest from the get-go. Lineage II took an early lead in last week's poll and firmly held on to it. Color me shocked. I really thought that a few of the entries would be closely tied. Some contestants recently added some juicy content releases, but Lineage II crushed them, and all the others, by getting 1,320 votes. The runner-up, Black Prophecy, only managed to secure 299 votes.

All its servers going F2P and the release of Age of Discovery weren't enough to put EverQuest II in the running. The F2P population boom in DC Universe Online's and its recent Lightning Strikes update weren't enough to create competition. Nope. The allure of Lineage II's F2P mode and the launch of the Goddess of Destruction expansion were just too much for voters to pass up.

Now it's your turn to start steering my course in the lands of Lineage II. Race, class, gender and my first class-transfer are all on the table.

I've tried to make voting as easy and clear as possible, but given how each race, and gender determine which classes you can choose from, you should make an effort to understand how all the choices work. Here's one example: Voting Dwarf and then Mystic is wasting a vote because Dwarves can only be Fighters, and it skews the results for those who are voting for a race that can be Mystics. You'll see what I mean.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Lineage II by a landslide

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Lineage II by a landslide originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choose-my-adventureclassclassescmaf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgendergoddess-of-destructionhands-onjeremy-strattonkamaellineagelineage-2lineage-iincsoftopinionpollpollsraceracesreaders-choicetruly-freevotevotingWed, 07 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The overwhelming power of community]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/the-overwhelming-power-of-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/the-overwhelming-power-of-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/04/the-overwhelming-power-of-community/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

"Without you, none of this would be possible!"

While this saying is true for most things in the entertainment industry, it's mandatory for MMOs. A single-player game can make that initial retail box sale and never worry about keeping anyone happy after that, if they don't want to. Sure, most single-player game developers understand that they want their customers to be happy in case there's a sequel or future downloadable content, but for the most part, they can do alright with a relatively low maintenance developer-community relationship.

Of course this isn't true at all for MMOs. The community makes an MMO. You can have the most immersive, gorgeous game with the perfect PvP and roleplaying capacities, but it still needs to appeal directly to a community. It doesn't matter what community, but it just needs to have a role and find that niche with people who are looking for that specific itch to be scratched. This isn't going to happen with advertising alone.

Continue reading The overwhelming power of community

MassivelyThe overwhelming power of community originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionfeaturedfrogsterfrogster-americamassively-metancsoftopinionreaders-choiceReaders-Choice-Awardsrunes-of-magicMon, 04 Jan 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's End-of-the-Year Reader's Choice Awards]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/03/massivelys-end-of-the-year-readers-choice-awards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/03/massivelys-end-of-the-year-readers-choice-awards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/03/massivelys-end-of-the-year-readers-choice-awards/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The end of 2009 is almost upon us, and Arthur C. Clarke's dreams are all about to come true in less than a month. It's been an interesting year for MMOs, including everything from Tabula Rasa's official closure to the launch of LotRO's second paid expansion. While it's inevitable that the Massively staff all have their own favorite games in several different categories, we figured it would be best to get the readers involved this year.

So we've compiled a series of polls (found after the jump) in which you can vote for your favorite games of 2009 in 10 different categories. The poll choices consist of some aspect of games or expansions that launched this year, so don't expect to see older games on these lists. With almost 50 online games launching in 2009, we chose to only include a maximum of 10 for each category.

At the end of the month, we'll compile the results into one post, letting everyone know what the Massively readers think is the best of the best (or worst). So you have plenty of time, but the deadline for votes is December 31st at 11:59pm EST!

Continue reading Massively's End-of-the-Year Reader's Choice Awards

MassivelyMassively's End-of-the-Year Reader's Choice Awards originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009awardsend-of-the-yearmassively-metareaders-choiceThu, 03 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PC Gamer Top 100 list: vote for your favorite MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/04/pc-gamer-top-100-list-vote-for-your-favorite-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/04/pc-gamer-top-100-list-vote-for-your-favorite-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/04/pc-gamer-top-100-list-vote-for-your-favorite-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Last week, PC Gamer launched their Top 100 website where readers can vote on their favorite PC games of all time. The PC Gamer staff already chose their own top picks, but now it's our turn to not only tell the world which games are our favorites, but we also have the chance to win a pretty sweet gaming computer in the process

So this is where we plead with you, the MMO players to make your voices heard. Let's let the world know that our genre is where it's at, and we are very passionate about what we play. We can't just sit back and let Half Life 2 or something from the GTA series win, we need to see some World of Warcraft, some Guild Wars, some Lord of the Rings Online and some EVE Online up there. Let our voice be heard! Viva la revolucion! Or something.

MassivelyPC Gamer Top 100 list: vote for your favorite MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pc-gamerreaders-choicetop-100voteMon, 04 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST