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[The Daily Grind: How much time do you spend reading about games when not playing?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/the-daily-grind-how-much-time-do-you-spend-reading-about-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/the-daily-grind-how-much-time-do-you-spend-reading-about-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/the-daily-grind-how-much-time-do-you-spend-reading-about-games/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Congratulations -- by coming to Massively, you're already ahead of the average MMO player curve. No, really. Most people stop thinking about Guild Wars as soon as the game client is closed. But you're busy browsing a site for more news and opinions about the game. (Substitute another game as appropriate, naturally.) You're clearly invested in MMOs as a whole. The question then becomes just how invested you really are, because there's a lot of difference between browsing Massively idly during your lunch break and religiously scouring every site you can for the best possible character builds.

Maybe you just like reading opinions about a game, maybe you spend a little time every day reading about your games of choice, or maybe you try to make sure to assemble a laundry list of must-read blogs and sites about your favorite MMO. So which is it? Whether you play Ultima Online or Star Trek Online, how much time do you spend reading about your game outside of the actual game? Do you ever find yourself enjoying reading about the game more than the game itself?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How much time do you spend reading about games when not playing? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>culturefurther-readingopinionoutside-readingreadingsupplemental-readingtdgthe-daily-grindMon, 06 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What do you do during downtime in the game?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-do-during-downtime-in-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-do-during-downtime-in-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/06/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-do-during-downtime-in-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

MMOs, especially older ones, often suffered or benefited (depending on whom you asked) from having a somewhat more sedate pace of activities. Even in the most action-oriented games, there are periods of downtime, whether they come from travel times or waiting for the other two players in your party to come back from the bathroom. It's not enough time for you to think that you should just log off and do something else, but it is enough time that you start to find your attention wandering at least a little bit.

So what do you do during the brief downtime in an MMO? Do you read books while you wait for your World of Warcraft raid to get underway? Do you have the television on in the background while you play World of Tanks (preferably tuned to the History Channel)? Is it a simple matter of tabbing over to read another site while you warp around in Star Trek Online? Or do you just entertain yourself with emote spam, jumping, and various inventory toys?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What do you do during downtime in the game? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 May 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boredombrowsingdowntimehumorhurry-up-and-waitopinionreadingtdgtelevisionthe-daily-grindwaitingwatchingFri, 06 May 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A sneak peek at RuneScape's Return to Canifis novel]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/21/a-sneak-peek-at-runescapes-return-to-canifis-novel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/21/a-sneak-peek-at-runescapes-return-to-canifis-novel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/21/a-sneak-peek-at-runescapes-return-to-canifis-novel/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

At the end of this month, publisher Titan Books will be releasing the second installment in a new series of RuneScape novels. Return to Canifis tells the tale of a grim period in the city of Varrock's history. Citizens of Varrock are being kidnapped and killed by monsters from the corrupted lands of Morytania. An ancient prophecy also looms over the land, telling of a new king who will rule over Varrock and become lord of both the living and the dead. Fearing the prophecy's arrival, the King sends a band of adventurers to Canifis in the heart of Morytania.

Return to Canifis is the sequel to the earlier RuneScape novel Betrayal at Falador. This latest book in the series continues the story from the first book, but the author has been careful to keep the novel approachable for first-time readers. Here at Massively, we received an advance copy of the book to review and have been allowed to show our readers an exclusive chapter from the beginning of the novel. If you've been on the bench about whether to buy the novel, give our four-page prologue preview a read and decide whether you like what you see.

Read on to view the full prologue of RuneScape's Return to Canifis in four parts, complete with some exclusive author's commentary.

Continue reading A sneak peek at RuneScape's Return to Canifis novel

MassivelyA sneak peek at RuneScape's Return to Canifis novel originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookbrowsercanifisexclusivef2pfeaturedfree-to-playjagexlorenovelprologuereadingreturn-to-canifisreviewrunescapet-s-churchts-churchMon, 21 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RuneScape's Return to Canifis: First impressions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/runescapes-return-to-canifis-first-impressions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/runescapes-return-to-canifis-first-impressions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/runescapes-return-to-canifis-first-impressions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Last year, publisher Titan Books released the first in a new series of novels based on free-to-play MMO RuneScape. Betrayal at Falador was well-received, with our own Rubi Bayer thoroughly enjoying the novel's story and its author's writing style. Author T.S. Church has since completed work on the novel's sequel, Return to Canifis, which is due to release at the end of the month. Massively was given an advance copy of the book, so I've spent most of this week ploughing through its pages.

When Rubi reviewed the first novel in this series, she found the book very approachable despite her limited experience with RuneScape itself. Although I've played a lot of RuneScape, I'm at a similar disadvantage as I haven't read the first novel in this series. Because of this, I got a good insight into how the storyline of the book holds up on its own and how approachable the novel is to people who haven't read the first book.

Skip past the cut to read my impressions of RuneScape's Return to Canifis.

Continue reading RuneScape's Return to Canifis: First impressions

MassivelyRuneScape's Return to Canifis: First impressions originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookcanifisfeaturedjagexlorenovelopinionreadingreturn-to-canifisreviewrunescapet-s-churchts-churchFri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Second RuneScape novel "Return to Canifis" to be released this month]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/second-runescape-novel-return-to-canafis-to-be-released-this-m/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/second-runescape-novel-return-to-canafis-to-be-released-this-m/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/second-runescape-novel-return-to-canafis-to-be-released-this-m/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

In August of last year, Titan Books announced the beginning of a new series of novels set in the lands of free-to-play fantasy MMO RuneScape. The first novel, Betrayal at Falador, told a vivid tale from RuneScape's backstory using key characters from the game's lore and in-game quests. The book was well-received by both RuneScape veterans and new players just looking for a good read. Our own RuneScape novice Rubi Bayer had a blast reading the novel and being absorbed in the backstory of this popular browser MMO.

Fans of the first novel will be pleased to hear that its sequel, Return to Canifis, is due for release this month. The book will be in stores in the U.S. and Canada on March 22nd, with the UK release following on March 25th. Whereas the first book introduced the lore surrounding Falador, Return to Canafis takes the story to the city of Varrock. The citizens of Varrock are being stolen away to Morytania, the land of vampires, and the king sends an expedition to Canafis to get to the bottom of it. Stay tuned to Massively's RuneScape coverage this week for our in-depth review of the novel.

MassivelySecond RuneScape novel "Return to Canifis" to be released this month originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betrayal-at-faladorbookcanafisdoricfaladormorytanianovelreadingreturn-to-canafisrunescapevampiresvarrockMon, 14 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[DC Universe Online's developer reading list]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/dc-universe-onlines-developer-reading-list/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/dc-universe-onlines-developer-reading-list/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/dc-universe-onlines-developer-reading-list/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Whether or not you're a fan of DC Universe Online, the game clearly goes out of its way to make nods to comics that spawned the franchise. That naturally has to lead to a question -- what books has the team been reading? After all, it makes a lot of difference if the team is reading The Killing Joke when it comes to designing the Joker. Fortunately for all of us who know more about DC than may be entirely necessary, ComicsAlliance has unveiled the reading list for the game's development team, replete with all of the recommended books for getting a feel for the universe.

The resultant list has a number of expected entries (The Killing Joke is indeed among them) and a few unexpected ones, covering both recent events in the continuity and studies of individual character behaviors. It also contains a few surprising omissions and a couple of questionable inclusions, even with the caveats of the comics not being in continuity (Watchmen is an excellent book, but not really in the game's milieu). Still, even if you can find fault with some of the choices, it's certainly a good primer for what to expect from DC Universe Online's in-game continuity.

MassivelyDC Universe Online's developer reading list originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backstorycomic-bookscomic-readingcomicscontinuitydcdc-comicsdc-universe-onlinedcuolorereadingreading-listsoesony-online-entertainmentsource-materialWed, 19 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[E-ON Magazine issue 20 hits the shelves]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/e-on-magazine-issue-20-hits-the-shelves/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/e-on-magazine-issue-20-hits-the-shelves/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/24/e-on-magazine-issue-20-hits-the-shelves/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The magazine industry is a behemoth, catering to practically every hobby there is. No matter how obscure the hobby, you're sure to find a magazine on the shelf all about it. While there are plenty of magazines dedicated to gaming, only a few MMOs have their own dedicated magazines. Despite the rise in popularity of web-based publications, there's something special about having a physical magazine you can flip through. Since I am a massive nerdy fan of EVE Online, each issue of the quarterly E-ON magazine feels like a proper treat. The production values are very high, and it's pure EVE from cover to cover. The publishers even go so far as to include advertisements for EVE corporations and services rather than paid ads for other games or gaming services.

Issue 20 of the magazine was released last month, but the postal fairy decided I had been naughty and didn't deliver it until this week. I've spent the majority of today reading this magazine all about internet spaceships, and I've loved every nerdy moment of it. This quarter's issue has a strong focus on the impact of EVE's recent Tyrannis expansion and its planetary interaction feature. In addition to a guide on setting up planetary harvesting infrastructure, the magazine's editors ask whether Tyrannis was everything we hoped or a missed opportunity to breathe new life into the planets of New Eden. Other topics discussed in this issue include EVE's controversial Council of Stellar Management, the history of the alliance tournament, and a look at the new rebalanced supercarriers.

Skip past the cut for a breakdown of what you can expect in E-ON issue 20 and my impressions from reading it.

Continue reading E-ON Magazine issue 20 hits the shelves

MassivelyE-ON Magazine issue 20 hits the shelves originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blankstareccpccp-eveccp-gamese-oneoneveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedhands-onistvaan-shogastsuIstvaanShogaatsuloremagazinemagazinesmmm-publishingopinionplanetplanetary-interactionplanetsreadingrichie-shoemakertom-czerniawskityranniszapateroTue, 24 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you read the quest text?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/14/the-daily-grind-do-you-read-the-quest-text/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/14/the-daily-grind-do-you-read-the-quest-text/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/14/the-daily-grind-do-you-read-the-quest-text/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Serious question time. You guys ready? We hope you are, because we're about to do this.

Do you read the quest text?

We're not kidding. That's today's morning question. No better way to start your day than by having your favorite MMO news site ask you if you read the quest text. Now don't lie to us -- we know when you're lying thanks to that lie detector we installed in your keyboard. If you've found it and disabled it, don't worry, we put lie detector software in our comment box just for you.

So, tell us, do you skip right over it? Do you read it enough to get the gist? Or are you a writing fiend, taking the time to savor each and every word? Drop us a line and remember, we know.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you read the quest text? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dont-lie-to-us-we-watch-you-sleepquest-textreadingtextthe-daily-grindSat, 14 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Favorite activity to do at the same time as MMOing?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/25/the-daily-grind-favorite-activity-to-do-at-the-same-time-as-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/25/the-daily-grind-favorite-activity-to-do-at-the-same-time-as-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/25/the-daily-grind-favorite-activity-to-do-at-the-same-time-as-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Let's face it: there are times when playing MMOs that your full, undivided attention isn't really required. Maybe you're in a slow group or raid, or camping some rare spawn, or just online to keep an eye on the market. We're often left with enough mental capacity to start up a second activity. Here are some popular ones:

  • Reading a book
  • Watching television
  • Getting paperwork done
  • Browsing the internet
  • Playing another game
These are just some examples. Maybe you have something a little less common you like to do that you could share with the rest of us. Knitting? Making and flying paper planes around the room? Sorting M&M's by color? Let us know how you keep yourself occupied during the duller passages of gameplay.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Favorite activity to do at the same time as MMOing? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activitiesmultitaskingopinionreadingtdgtelevisionthe-daily-grindFri, 25 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not reading enough books these days? Here's how to play and 'read' at the same time]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/10/not-reading-enough-books-these-days-heres-how-to-play-and-rea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/10/not-reading-enough-books-these-days-heres-how-to-play-and-rea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/10/not-reading-enough-books-these-days-heres-how-to-play-and-rea/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you're anything like me, then you may find that the more engrossed you become in a particular MMO, the more your leisure time formerly spent on reading gets whittled away. Thankfully, our friends over at WoW Insider have come up with an excellent solution that doesn't involve helper monkeys, a secondary cyborg head, or time manipulation -- but feel free to go for any of these ideas too.

WI's fix for the problem is simple, but effective -- audiobooks. Sites like audible.com contain a large range of titles to choose from, and this way, instead of just listening to the same ambient sound collection replayed over and over during your next multiple-hour grind session, you could be catching up on the work of your favorite author. Aside from allowing you to keep up with your list of must-read books, you may even discover that what was previously a very tedious grind could become a lot easier, as your brain disengages from the repetitive in-game actions and focuses on your riveting audio novel.

So there you have it. Hopefully you didn't rush out to the pet shop after the first paragraph, and now have a practical way to keep on top of your reading while you play games. You can check out the full article at WI through the link below.

MassivelyNot reading enough books these days? Here's how to play and 'read' at the same time originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Nov 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audibleaudiobooksauthorbooksgrindgrindinglevelingreadreadingSat, 10 Nov 2007 10:00:00 EST