Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[New Firefall dev blog discusses raising the skill ceiling]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/24/new-firefall-dev-blog-discusses-raising-the-skill-ceiling/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/24/new-firefall-dev-blog-discusses-raising-the-skill-ceiling/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/24/new-firefall-dev-blog-discusses-raising-the-skill-ceiling/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Screenshot -- Firefall
The other day we talked about Red 5 Studios' new development philosophy for its upcoming MMOFPS, Firefall, and its decision to take things in a direction that's more focused on player skill than levels or gear. Today, the studio has released a new dev diary that expounds on this philosophy by discussing how it plans to make the game "approachable and exciting to players of all skill levels," while ensuring that it remains rewarding to the truly hardcore.

The post begins by taking a look at the game's core combat, which contains "a number of weapons and abilities that are lower-twitch and lower-skill," such as beam weapons, AoE abilities, and splash damage. The post goes on to discuss a number of potential solutions to these problems, such as changing the high-splash-damage plasma cannon into a gun that deals lower splash damage, but with devastating direct-hit damage. It's an interesting read for players who are looking for a bit more skill-based gameplay in their MMOs, and Firefall fans in general would do well to go check out the full post on the game's official site.

MassivelyNew Firefall dev blog discusses raising the skill ceiling originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not a farewell to arms, mind you. That would make the game kind of silly.
The team at Red 5 Studios has been working hard on making Firefall the best game it can be, and as it turns out, that happens to be a game without traditional levels. A new video blog featuring lead designer Scott Youngblood and development VP James Macauley drops the news that the level system is being discarded and replaced with a much more organic system for player growth.

Under the new system, players still earn EXP. That EXP will be spent on specific upgrades at a player's discretion rather than marking off specific levels, allowing you to unlock the upgrades that feel relevant in the order you want them. It also places less emphasis on levels in head-to-head matchups, something Macauley stresses is important to the team.

There's more than just the removal of levels at work, however; the development team is also overhauling crafting to be more complex and rewarding as well as developing a new system of equipment tiers to keep players advancing. The full diary just past the break only gives brief glimpses of several new systems, but Firefall fans should be quite happy with what's over the horizon.

Continue reading Firefall video blog says farewell to levels, hello to skill

MassivelyFirefall video blog says farewell to levels, hello to skill originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 May 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Firing Line - Hands on with Firefall's beta
I'm dying on the beautiful beach outside Firefall's starter town. As I lay bleeding from a hundred holes and generally making a mess of my shiny new bumble bee-colored battleframe, my avatar collapses to the sand and says the funniest thing I've heard in a while.

"Grandpa!"

This is delivered in his best rural Georgia twang, and it lessens the sting of my latest newbie move. The whole scene is Firefall in a nutshell: It's fun, frustrating, and funny all at once.

Continue reading The Firing Line: Hands-on with Firefall's beta

MassivelyThe Firing Line: Hands-on with Firefall's beta originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Firefall
"Who needs publishers any more? I certainly don't. I couldn't care less about them at this stage," said Red 5 Studios CEO Mark Kern. In a candid interview with Eurogamer, Kern ripped into both consoles and publisher-led models as relics on their way out the door.

Kern said that the pressure that publishers put on studios are death to the industry, resulting in either "an indie game or... a massive AAA, IP-backed sequel with derivative gameplay." He thinks that there's no middle ground, and it disturbs him how many studios fire staff right after a game launches.

Instead, the man behind Firefall believes that the free-to-play model puts the power back in the hands of the developers who then can concentrate on making games without having to kowtow to the publishers and distributors. "Look at Riot Games and League of Legends. They have more users than World of Warcraft does. That's crazy. And they don't have a publisher," Kern said.

Citing the expense and sluggish reaction of console development, Kern also predicts that mobile and PC gaming are on their way to take over the field. "Something has to change," he concludes. "Consoles, I believe, are dead."

MassivelyRed 5 Studios CEO denounces consoles and publishers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Firefall - Kinda hard to see at night
I spent some quality time with the Firefall beta build last weekend. One of the things I noticed is that the game's version of night bears more than a passing resemblance to actual night. As in, it's kinda dark and stuff. Helpfully, the devs at Red 5 Studios have provided flashlight functionality in the form of your X key (because the night is dark and full of terrors, according to the cheekily written patch notes on the launcher).

Anyway, it was a refreshing change from most of the MMOs nights I've experienced, which are basically MMO days with a blue lens filter. What about you? How dark do you like your MMO nights?

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 dark do you like your MMO nights? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively title image
Diablo III's open beta weekend was a huge success, giving developers the chance to stress test the servers that will be used when the game goes live in just over three weeks. Torchlight II teased fans this week with the release of its official opening trailer, which picks up the story from the end of the first game. Web series Extra Credits ran a special episode this week discussing Firefall's plan to let players work together to push back the map boundaries and unlock new content.

Rise of Immortals rolled out a new guild system in this week's patch and released its new area-effect tank immortal, Shard. Dota 2 added classic hero Brewmaster to the beta roster, and Bloodline Champions began preparing patch 2.4 with its new healer bloodline, Dryad. Wrath of Heroes released a hero spotlight video on melee fighter Bax Dreadtoof, and League of Legends highlighted some awesome fan-made art.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III open beta weekend edition

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III open beta weekend edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BOOM!
Last weekend we gave you a look at Red 5 Studios' upcoming MMOFPS, Firefall, and all of its glorious shooter action. What we didn't really take a look at, however, is the lore of the game. After all, why is everyone running around in crazy armor and shooting everyone else? And why is the last bastion of humankind on the planet a Brazilian island resort? The studio intends to answer some of these questions with today's release of the game's introductory cinematic.

And man, is it heavy. From the looks of things, humanity decided it was about time to try its luck with faster-than-light travel and failed miserably, causing a gargantuan starship to come crashing into the Earth... right on top of Brazil. But wait! If the starship crashed on Brazil, then why is it still around? Because the starship's wreckage, and the energy field it generates, is the only thing currently keeping the Melding at bay, leaving the surrounding area as the only currently inhabitable site on Earth. Could have been worse, I say; at least Brazil's pretty even after the apocalypse.

Continue reading Discover the origins of New Eden and the Melding in Firefall's opening cinematic

MassivelyDiscover the origins of New Eden and the Melding in Firefall's opening cinematic originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Firing Line - Shooter news roundup
Dude, there was a ton of big shooter news this week!

I mean, this isn't terribly unusual, particularly since the genre is expanding at a rapid rate, but when I've got to cut interesting items out of this column for length reasons, you know it's been an eventful few days.

Join me after the break for a recap on everything from Firefall to Defiance to John Romero and beyond.

Continue reading The Firing Line: Firefall, Defiance, John Romero, and more

MassivelyThe Firing Line: Firefall, Defiance, John Romero, and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screenshot -- Firefall
Last year at PAX Prime, I had the opportunity to get my hands on an early version of Red 5 Studios' upcoming MMOFPS, Firefall. The game's come a long way since then, having gone into closed beta shortly after PAX Prime.

As of Friday, the game's NDA has finally dropped, and I can finally tell you fine folks all about my experiences with the game's beta. For those of you somehow not in the know, Firefall is essentially two games in one. On the one hand, you have the title's open-world PvE content that sees players exploring the lands of New Eden in an attempt to find a way to fight back the destructive alien force known as the Melding. On the other, there's the competitive e-sports-esque PvP, which lets players test their skills against each another to see who's the best shot in New Eden. So how much has Firefall changed between PAX Prime '11 and PAX East '12?

Continue reading Ready, aim, Firefall: Impressions of the closed beta

MassivelyReady, aim, Firefall: Impressions of the closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively title image
It's that time of year again when we all forget to check our calendars and get suckered into believing outrageous April Fool's gags. This week's Not So Massively is a blend of yesterday's joke posts and the week's real news from games that aren't quite MMOs. League of Legends announced a joke 3-D mode, released the winners of the I Heart LoL contest, and delved into the game's North American playerbase as part of the ongoing world tour. Dota 2 added classic hero Lone Druid this week, and Firefall revealed its plans to scale up the beta soon.

Heroes of Newerth launched a new art contest and released its new mobile ganker Blitz, while Bloodline Champions laid on the April Fool's mischief with its Catch the Ranid game mode announcement and plans for a tournament with cheeseburgers for prizes. Rise of Immortals joined in the festivities with the announcement of its new immortal Karapyss the Crabomancer.

Blacklight: Retribution explained its datanode system and released a new troll face taunt, and Diablo III teased players with its joke Zergotchi authenticator. Diablo fansite Diablofans revealed changes to the upcoming game's Inferno mode and wrote a great April Fool's joke about releasing on the Wii. Path of Exile took a step closer to launch with a public stress test this weekend, and Torchlight II revealed the game's pets and announced that the latest build of the game will be playable at PAX East.

Continue reading Not So Massively: April fool's edition

MassivelyNot So Massively: April fool's edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively title image
This week's Torchlight II developer update visits the game's animation department, and Path of Exile reset all beta players' passive skills this week following the launch of patch 0.9.7. Blacklight: Retribution revealed some impressive usage statistics from its first few weeks of open beta, and Firefall showed off its impressive Mourningstar and Typhon costumes at gaming convention SXSW.

In the world of MOBAs, League of Legends released its new champion Lulu this week and published her official champion spotlight video. Dota 2 added classic hero Lycan and introduced a new private rating system to help players track which heroes they're good at playing. Finally, Wrath of Heroes has entered open beta and is already selling items in its cash shop.

Continue reading Not So Massively: MOBAs, shooters, and dungeon crawlers

MassivelyNot So Massively: MOBAs, shooters, and dungeon crawlers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively title image
Diablo III saw its clearest signs of release ever this week after a succinct tweet from Jay Wilson and the announcement that PvP is being cut from release in favour of getting the game out sooner. Firefall revealed its plans for attending events and trade shows this year and showed off its world-building tools and talent in an awesome new video devblog. Blacklight: Retribution continued its open beta with the release of a new map set in a laboratory during a virus outbreak. Developers also revealed the game's newest hero, Grendel the heavy weapons and explosives specialist.

It's been a slow week for news in the MOBA world, with developers pulling out all the stops for GDC 2012 and planning for upcoming events at PAX East 2012 and beyond. This week League of Legends announced that several of the game's classic skins will soon be retired and are available temporarily for a 75% discount. Riot Games detailed plans for its upcoming events at PAX East, and the IntelEM tournament finals went off without a hitch. The latest Dota 2 patch added a new passive bot difficulty mode that forces bots to stay in their lanes and introduced a series of balance tweaks.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III shows signs of release

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III shows signs of release originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Firefall - the view from Mushroom Island
It's March, which means it's high time for another Firefall video dev diary. Today's installment is all about (open) world-building, and unlike many of its shooter contemporaries, Firefall features a sprawling, accessible open-world map.

As world-builders Bobby Ross and Nick Keith explain, the game's jetpacks allow players to traverse vast distances and explore every little nook and cranny to their hearts' content. One example of Firefall's breadth comes courtesy of "Mushroom Island," a huge rock formation that's initially visible on your first drop-ship ride. Ross says that scaling the enormous formation is a reward in and of itself, with a spectacular view of the game's newbie area waiting at the top of the path.

Keith goes on to explain how Firefall integrates its PvP maps into the rest of the open-world design, primarily by giving non-combatants the option to stop over and watch arena matches and various conflicts in certain designated cities. Check out this and more via the full video after the break.

[Source: Red 5 press release]

Continue reading Firefall video diary talks open-world design, shows pretty vistas

MassivelyFirefall video diary talks open-world design, shows pretty vistas originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively title image
This week Diablo III's Bashiok caused a stir over a cheeky forum post asking a fan to lower his expectations of the upcoming title. He continues posting rampantly to the forum this week to defend recent game design decisions. Dota 2 delivered its first test build using its new deployment system, and Gaming With Gizmoh raised over $1,000 US for Child's Play with a 24-hour marathon of the beta. League of Legends took a look at its Filipino playerbase, while Heroes of Newerth was struck by a massive exploit that saw the European servers taken offline for days.

Web show Extra Credits teamed up with Red 5 Studios to offer its support for the studio's ambitious development plans for Firefall. The month-long Blacklight: Retribution open beta started today, with the introduction of three beta events with prizes and a new video tutorial for the Heavy Metal map. Rise of Immortals celebrated its first anniversary of unveiling the game to the public this week and offered a sneak peek of its creepy new Immortal Azcadelia. Finally, Torchlight II developer Patrick Blank talks about polishing content and delivers an update on where the team is in development.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III expectations, polishing Torchlight II

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III expectations, polishing Torchlight II originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgbashiokbattlenetblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotae-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgothic-fantasyheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolmmofpsmobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpatrick-mackeyperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvppwered-5-studiosriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgrunic-gamess2s2-gamessteamvalvevideozombie-studiosMon, 27 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: MOBAs, shooters, and dungeon crawlers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/not-so-massively-mobas-shooters-and-dungeon-crawlers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/not-so-massively-mobas-shooters-and-dungeon-crawlers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/not-so-massively-mobas-shooters-and-dungeon-crawlers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
League of Legends revealed Nautilus this week, continued its world tour with a look at the community in Singapore and Malaysia, and announced impending nerfs to Sona, Soraka and Vladimir. Dota 2 fans faced yet another week without updates as Valve was busy this week installing new servers. Bloodline Champions released a gameplay video of its new bloodline, Headhunter, and Rise of Immortals revealed that its next character will unexpectedly be a US marine. Upcoming FPS Firefall tackled the question of whether it's an MMO this week, while futuristic FPS Blacklight: Retribution released a new Intel Report video on its Piledriver map.

Diablo III revealed further details of the game's difficulty modes this week, confirmed a Q2 2012 release target, and launched the Battle.Net Balance service. We also discovered new map restrictions coming to the beta that will stop players from playing with the map permanently open. Torchlight II's website was overhauled this week, and Runic Games revealed that the game's beta will be starting soon. Dungeon crawler Path of Exile continued its own beta this week with patch 0.9.6 and showed just how complicated its passive skill tree is with a new calculator.

Continue reading Not So Massively: MOBAs, shooters, and dungeon crawlers

MassivelyNot So Massively: MOBAs, shooters, and dungeon crawlers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgbattlenetblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championscompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotae-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playfuncomgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesleague-of-legendslolmark-kernmax-schaefermmofpsmobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exileperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpoepvppwered-5-studiosriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrunic-gamesstunlockstunlock-studiosvalvevideozombie-studiosMon, 13 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Firefall video contest can get you to PAX East on Red 5's dime]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/firefall-video-contest-can-get-you-to-pax-east-on-red-5s-dime/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/firefall-video-contest-can-get-you-to-pax-east-on-red-5s-dime/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/firefall-video-contest-can-get-you-to-pax-east-on-red-5s-dime/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Firefall
Firefall is looking for a few aspiring video editors to shower with fame and fortune (mostly the fortune). If you have the skills and talent to cut together a captivating trailer for Firefall, you could be on the receiving end of a juiced-up laptop or a posh trip to PAX East.

In the Firefall Battleframe Trailer Challenge, Red 5 Studios is rewarding creative editors with a good eye for taking raw Firefall gameplay footage and shaping it into an exciting commercial for the game. Entrants are instructed to post these on YouTube, as Red 5 will take into account the likes and views of each video when making its final decision.

Videos have to be submitted by March 16th, at which time Red 5 will select the best three trailers for luxurious prizes. The first place winner will get a trip for two to PAX East -- along with hotel accommodations and $500 spending money. Second place nets a spiffy Alienware M14x laptop, and third place will enjoy a Firefall-themed ASTRO gaming headset.

MassivelyFirefall video contest can get you to PAX East on Red 5's dime originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alienwarealienware-laptopastroastro-headsetcontestf2pfirefallFirefall-Battleframe-Trailer-Challengefirefall-contestfree-to-playpax-eastpax-east-2012red-5red-5-studiosvideo-contestyoutubeMon, 13 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Firing Line: Controller wars edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/the-firing-line-controller-wars-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/the-firing-line-controller-wars-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/the-firing-line-controller-wars-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Firing Line - DUST 514 merc banner
Welcome back to The Firing Line, shooter fans. Some interesting stuff went down this week, much of it related to DUST 514. Even if you're not partial to what some have dubbed "the controller wars," there's still plenty of online shooter news for you to peruse after the cut.

Join me on the other side for a glimpse of Hawken, Firefall, and my PlanetSide character!

Continue reading The Firing Line: Controller wars edition

MassivelyThe Firing Line: Controller wars edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adhesive-gamesbetabetasccpccp-gamescontroller-warsdustdust-514dust-514-keyboard-mouseeve-onlinef2pfeaturedfirefallfirefall-betafiring-linefree-to-playhawkenkhang-lemark-kernmmo-shootermmofpsonline-shooteropinionplanetsideplanetside-2red-5red-5-studiosroundupsandboxsci-fishootershooter-roundupsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentthe-firing-lineFri, 10 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[You (yes, you) can expand Firefall's gameworld]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/you-yes-you-can-expand-firefalls-gameworld/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/you-yes-you-can-expand-firefalls-gameworld/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/you-yes-you-can-expand-firefalls-gameworld/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Firefall - power-gliding
Red 5 Studios is making a little marketing push for Firefall, and the first salvo takes the form of a new dev diary video starring CEO Mark Kern.

If you're not familiar with the game, this clip is a great place to start. Kern explains how Firefall is really two titles in one, with the first game being a ginormous open world featuring loads of PvE content. The second game is centered around Firefall's e-sport components, which include ranked leaderboard matches ranging from 5-on-5 to 15-on-15.

Kern also mentions the game's unique take on beta and launch. In basic terms, Red 5 implements feature sets, collects beta feedback, and iterates on down the line (as opposed to presenting a finished product for mass beta testing). This staged approach will also apply to the game's launch, and Kern says the game will be rolled out "organically" much like Google's Gmail service.

Finally, content expansion in Firefall will be player-driven. Cross-server cooperation will be necessary to craft MRU units that will expand the playable area from 10 square miles to an entire globe. Kern also touches on the trendy games-as-a-service mandate, and he says that as long as players are around to support Firefall, Red 5 will be around to generate new content. Watch the full video after the break.

Continue reading You (yes, you) can expand Firefall's gameworld

MassivelyYou (yes, you) can expand Firefall's gameworld originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betadev-diaryf2pfirefallfree-to-playmark-kernmmo-shootermmofpsmmotpsplayer-driven-contentplayer-generated-contentred-5red-5-studiossci-fishootertraileruser-generated-contentvideoThu, 09 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Firing Line: Thousand-player dogfights and more PlanetSide 2 conjecture]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/the-firing-line-thousand-player-dogfights-and-more-planetside-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/the-firing-line-thousand-player-dogfights-and-more-planetside-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/the-firing-line-thousand-player-dogfights-and-more-planetside-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Firing Line - PlanetSide 2 reaver
Welcome back to The Firing Line, boys and girls. Last week I talked at length about PlanetSide 2, and despite the fact that I'm apparently unqualified to do so according to some folks, I'm going to do it again this week.

How do ya like them apples?

Anyhow, that's not all I'm going to talk about, as a couple of other online shooters made news over the last seven days. Most of you know that I can't pass up the opportunity to mention Tribes: Ascend, and oh yeah, would you believe there's an aerial combat game that supports 1,000-player dogfights?

Continue reading The Firing Line: Thousand-player dogfights and more PlanetSide 2 conjecture

MassivelyThe Firing Line: Thousand-player dogfights and more PlanetSide 2 conjecture originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1000-player-dogfightair-combatair-warcosplaycrystal-grazianofeaturedfirefallfiring-linefpshi-rezhi-rez-studioslee-rehermanmasangmasang-softmmo-shootermmofpsopinionplanetside-2ps2red-5red-5-studiossci-fishootersoeSony-Online-Entertainmentthe-firing-linetop-gun-onlinetribestribes-ascendvideoFri, 13 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Firefall beta shutting down to protest SOPA]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/firefall-beta-shutting-down-to-protest-sopa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/firefall-beta-shutting-down-to-protest-sopa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/firefall-beta-shutting-down-to-protest-sopa/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Firefall beta screenshot
Gamers opposed to the controversial new SOPA legislation are somewhat limited in terms of voicing their displeasure. Game companies have a bit more visibility, and Red 5 Studios is making the most of it. On January 18th, the company will temporarily shut down the beta for its highly anticipated Firefall MMO shooter as a form of protest.

The lights will remain off for 24 hours, and Red 5 CEO Mark Kern has some strong words for the bill and those who support it. "We are extremely disappointed in this misguided legislation. We are also ashamed of the ESA for supporting a bill which is clearly not in the best interests of gamers or the game industry," he told ShackNews.

Kern went on to say that Red 5 has canceled its plans to attend this year's E3 "unless ESA reverses their stance."

MassivelyFirefall beta shutting down to protest SOPA originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betaclosed-betaf2pfirefallfirefall-betafree-to-playlegislationmark-kernmmo-shootermmofpsprotestsred-5red-5-studiossci-fishootersopastop-online-piracy-actFri, 13 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Free Steam games and promotional gifts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/not-so-massively-free-steam-games-and-promotional-gifts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/not-so-massively-free-steam-games-and-promotional-gifts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/not-so-massively-free-steam-games-and-promotional-gifts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
It's Christmas time, and what better way is there to celebrate than to smash some internet people to bits in your favourite MOBA? League of Legends leads the charge with a gift of 450 RP delivered to every nice player who hasn't been banned in the past two months, and it shows off upcoming champion Victor the Machine Herald. Heroes of Newerth gives all players two free Christmas alt avatars and has a limited-time offer to buy a pack containing every previously released hero for just $10.

Rise of Immortals takes part in Steam's Great Gift Pile promotion that gives you the chance to win discount coupons or free Steam games, and it releases an immortal spotlight on Kavashiir. CrimeCraft: Gang Wars also offers players a Steam prize for playing its festive Snow Brawl game mode. Firefall clarifies the beta process and reminds fans that the game will be "done when it's done," and Torchlight developer Runic Games announces a new armour design contest. Finally, of all the intellectual properties to be made into an online game, did you ever think Doctor Who would make the list? BBC Worldwide has released an open preview of Doctor Who: Worlds in Time, a team-based puzzle game by the makers of Puzzle Pirates and Spiral Knights.

Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other big online games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Free Steam games and promotional gifts

MassivelyNot So Massively: Free Steam games and promotional gifts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assistsbbcbbc-worldwidebrowsercompetitioncompetitive-gamingcontestcrimecrimecraftcrimecraft-gangwarsdotadr-whodr-who-worlds-in-timedungeon-crawlere-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfreefree-to-playheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolmobanewsnot-so-massivelynsmpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvpred-5-studiosriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprunic-gamess2s2-gamessteamthree-ringsthree-rings-designtorchlighttorchlight-iivideoviktorMon, 26 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Firing Line: American aircraft and a real-life shooter]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/the-firing-line-american-aircraft-and-a-real-life-shooter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/the-firing-line-american-aircraft-and-a-real-life-shooter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/the-firing-line-american-aircraft-and-a-real-life-shooter/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Firing Line - banner with shooter avatars
What's happening, shooter fans? Hopefully everyone's getting ready for a long holiday weekend filled with family, food, and gaming (of course). Several interesting online shooter nuggets came across my desk this week, including a deeper look at World of Warplanes, a Firefall beta clarification, and some sexy new DUST 514 details.

Also, would you believe a real-life -- and real, live -- online FPS featuring actual locations?

Continue reading The Firing Line: American aircraft and a real-life shooter

MassivelyThe Firing Line: American aircraft and a real-life shooter originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aerial-combatanton-sitnikovccpccp-gamesdust-514eve-onlinef6ffeaturedfirefallfiring-linegooglegoogle-mapsgoogle-shoot-viewgoogle-street-viewhellcathi-rezhi-rez-studioshitscanmmo-shootermmofpsmmotpsonline-shooteropinionp-39pool-worldwideprojectile-basedred-5red-5-studiosshootershootersthe-firing-linetribestribes-ascendwargaming.networld-of-warplaneswowpFri, 23 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Cosplay is serious business]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/not-so-massively-cosplay-is-serious-business/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/not-so-massively-cosplay-is-serious-business/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/19/not-so-massively-cosplay-is-serious-business/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
It's been a busy week in the land of online games that aren't quite MMOs, with League of Legends releasing its long-awaited champion, Ahri the Nine Tailed Fox, in a massive Christmas-themed patch. Fans of the game also clashed with Rioters this week over the advice given in a new champion spotlight video for recently revamped champion Gangplank. Recognising the importance of cosplay to Firefall fans, developers announced a new cosplay programme featuring professional cosplay artist Crystal Graziano and Hollywood effects artist Steve Wang.

Blizzard revealed its new Battle.net Battletag system this week, giving thousands of fans RealID flashbacks. The new system will allow cross-game communication between StarCraft, World of Warcraft, Diablo III and other titles without disclosing players' email addresses. Blacklight: Retribution's development continued at pace as the game adds European servers to its third round of closed beta. Brawl Busters saw its official release this week, and the first ever standalone MOBA, the 2009-released Demigod, finally made its way to Steam. Finally, Bloodline Champions hosted a new competitive online tournament and... a bakery contest?

Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other big online games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Cosplay is serious business

MassivelyNot So Massively: Cosplay is serious business originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgactivisionbattlenetblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championscompetitive-gamingd3demigoddiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotae-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playfuncomGas-Powered-Gamesgothic-fantasyleague-of-legendslolmmofpsmobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpvppwered-5-studiosriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrtsstardocksteamstunlockstunlock-studiosvideowarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 19 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Crytek team lead Ury Zhilinsky joins Red 5 Studios]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/crytek-team-leads-joins-star-studded-red-5-studios/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/crytek-team-leads-joins-star-studded-red-5-studios/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/crytek-team-leads-joins-star-studded-red-5-studios/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Firefall logo
Red 5 Studios announced today that former Crytek lead, Ury Zhilinsky, has been hired by the studio as Senior Graphics Programmer. Ury brings over 10 years of industry experience to the Firefall developer and has worked on projects such as Crysis 2 and the ever-impressive CryENGINE3.

Of the addition, Red 5 CEO Mark Kern said, "Ury's skill and experience make him an asset that any team would be happy to have, but it's his development philosophy that makes him a fit for the 'tribe'." Things seem to be looking up for Firefall, but we'll just have to wait and see how it turns out.

MassivelyCrytek team lead Ury Zhilinsky joins Red 5 Studios originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crytekf22firefallfree-to-playindustrymark-kernmmofpsred-5red-5-studiosury-zhilinskyFri, 09 Dec 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The MMO Report: Schreinercraft edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/the-mmo-report-schreinercraft-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/the-mmo-report-schreinercraft-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/the-mmo-report-schreinercraft-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The MMO Report
This week on The MMO Report, Casey covers South Korea's Cinderella Law, Firefall's attempts at class balance, and World of Warcraft's 4.3 patch. He also suggests that "it's beginning to look a lot like riftmas" in RIFT (groan) before announcing that in honor of Minecon and Minecraft's 240 million logins per month, he will soon begin work on "Schreinercraft, a graphically minimalist, open-source game where players build, create, and customize virtual beards for their avatars." He notes that he doesn't "have any programming experience, start-up capital, or a business plan," but he "love[s] money and would enjoy having more of it." Don't we all!

Finally, he dives into Uncle Casey's Mailbag and asks readers to mail him the story of their first MMO experience for possible inclusion in a future show.

All this and more in the full HD video behind the break!

Continue reading The MMO Report: Schreinercraft edition

MassivelyThe MMO Report: Schreinercraft edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balanceBlizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentcaseycasey-schreinercinderella-lawfirefallmineconminecraftmmo-reportnewsred-5red-5-studiosriftschreinercraftsouth-koreathe-mmo-reporttriontrion-worldsuncle-caseys-mailbagvideovideosWorld-of-WarcraftwowThu, 01 Dec 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Firefall video diary talks Medics, Assaults, and that dreaded balance word]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/22/firefall-video-diary-talks-medics-assaults-and-that-dreaded-ba/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/22/firefall-video-diary-talks-medics-assaults-and-that-dreaded-ba/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/22/firefall-video-diary-talks-medics-assaults-and-that-dreaded-ba/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Firefall - Assault battleframe
Mmm, Firefall.

Red 5 Studios is starting the Thanksgiving week off right with a delicious helping of video. The entree consists of David Williams talking a bit about class design and the balance challenges inherent in the title's battleframes (for the uninitiated, battleframes are the suits of power armor worn by Firefall's soldiers, and in gameplay terms they determine your class and combat role).

When it comes to the dreaded "B" word, Williams uses the game's Medic class as an example, and he says that Red 5 wants combat docs to be able to deal damage and fulfill the primary support role. This poses a problem, of course, because other classes (like the Assault) aren't able to do both. The Medic "needed to be fun, it needed to be threatening, but it also needed to be just below the offensive capabilities of an Assault," Williams explains.

See what else he has to say, and get a good look at Firefall in action, via the video after the break.

Continue reading Firefall video diary talks Medics, Assaults, and that dreaded balance word

MassivelyFirefall video diary talks Medics, Assaults, and that dreaded balance word originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assaultbalancebattleframesclass-balanceclassesdavid-williamsdev-diaryf2pfirefallfree-to-playmedicmmo-shooterred-5red-5-studiossci-fishootertrailervideovideo-diaryTue, 22 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Firing Line: All the shooter news that's fit to print]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/18/the-firing-line-all-the-shooter-news-thats-fit-to-print/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/18/the-firing-line-all-the-shooter-news-thats-fit-to-print/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/18/the-firing-line-all-the-shooter-news-thats-fit-to-print/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Firing Line - header graphic with various shooter avatars
Welcome back to The Firing Line, folks. I'm still putting out a few flames from last week's how-dare-you-call-this-an-MMO smackdown, and rather than fuel that particular fire by telling you that I've been playing a lot of World of Tanks (oh, did I say that?), I figured I'd take a high-level look at what's been happening with a few of the larger MMO shooters (and quasi-MMO shooters) over the last couple of weeks.

Despite my best efforts, we're still stuck with lore updates and insignificant PR when it comes to PlanetSide 2, though we did snag a few new screenshots recently. Things have also been quiet when it comes to Global Agenda and a few of my other favorite titles. Not to worry, though. Hi-Rez is moving right along with its Tribes: Ascend beta, and you can read about that and more in my news roundup after the break.

Continue reading The Firing Line: All the shooter news that's fit to print

MassivelyThe Firing Line: All the shooter news that's fit to print originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesdustdust-514featuredfirefallfiring-linegame-mechanicshi-rezhi-rez-studiosmmo-shootermmo-shootersmmofpsmmotpsopinionplanetside-2ps2pvpred-5-studiossci-fishootershooter-news-roundupshooter-roundupsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentthe-firing-linetribestribes-ascendFri, 18 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: It's major game update week]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/not-so-massively-its-major-game-update-week/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/not-so-massively-its-major-game-update-week/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/not-so-massively-its-major-game-update-week/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
This week, League of Legends revealed major upcoming changes to its mastery trees for competitive season two, which are due to go live with the Fizz patch ahead of upcoming tournaments. Heroes of Newerth continues its support of the game's competitive scene with the HoNWars League, which is open to players of all skill levels and will deliver hundreds of small cash prizes in countless categories. For fans of throbbing bass, a new Firefall trailer delivers a delightful blend of the game's Unreal Tournament style FPS gameplay and dubstep wub-wub.

Blizzard Entertainment recently revealed that all class abilities in Diablo III will deal damage based on weapon damage, with cast speed also coupled to weapon speed. The inspired move will make balancing weapons across all classes much easier. We also found out that the collector's edition will come with free in-game vanity perks like wings and armour dyes. Diablo-esque online action RPG Path of Exile releases its huge 0.9.3 beta patch today, providing new game areas and major gameplay system revamps. Finally, it's a massive news week for Rise of Immortals as it releases new European servers, a new immortal spotlight, and a developer video podcast about upcoming development.

Read on for this week's top news stories from popular MOBAs and other online games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: It's major game update week

MassivelyNot So Massively: It's major game update week originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabetasbiowareblizzardcollectors-editiondiablodiablo-3diablo-3-betadiablo-iidiablo-iiidiablo-iii-betadubstepfeaturedfirefallfpsgrinding-gear-gamesheroes-of-newerthhonhonwarshonwars-leagueleague-of-legendslolmasteriesmastery-systemmobanewsnot-so-massivelynsmpatchpatchespath-of-exilepetroglyphPetroglyph-Gamesred-5red-5-studiosrise-of-immortalsrois2-gamestrailertrailersupdatevideowrath-of-heroesMon, 14 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Firefall makes with the G-Star trailer explosions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/10/firefall-makes-with-the-g-star-trailer-explosions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/10/firefall-makes-with-the-g-star-trailer-explosions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/10/firefall-makes-with-the-g-star-trailer-explosions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Firefall
If you have two minutes to spare and a desire to become moderately pumped-up about Red 5's up-and-coming sci-fi shooter, then you could do far, far worse than to watch the G-Star trailer for Firefall.

There's no narrative behind it, mind you, but if you love eye candy, then you're in for a treat. Explosions, super-jumps, flights, weapons of all makes and models, snipe attacks, anti-aircraft batteries, and intense brawls are spliced together to give you a quick-and-dirty feel for the game.

Currently the game is in limited beta testing. You can watch the full Firefall trailer after the jump!

Continue reading Firefall makes with the G-Star trailer explosions

MassivelyFirefall makes with the G-Star trailer explosions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betafirefallfirefightg-starg-star-2011g-star-trailerlimited-betared-5red-5-studiostrailervideoThu, 10 Nov 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Firefall dev update talks beta progress, testing schedules]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/09/firefall-dev-update-talks-beta-progress-testing-schedules/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/09/firefall-dev-update-talks-beta-progress-testing-schedules/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/09/firefall-dev-update-talks-beta-progress-testing-schedules/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Firefall - vehicle screenshot
Wondering how Firefall is progressing as we inch closer to the end of the year? Wonder no more, as a new Red 5 dev blog sheds a bit of light on what's happening with everyone's favorite cel-shaded MMO shooter.

The dev team is currently focused on Firefall's open world experience, and said functionality is currently at the center of "a huge push for us this month," Red 5 says.

The dev blog also makes mention of the relatively limited access to beta, and says that players shouldn't worry if they haven't received invites yet. "It is definitely not a demo of the game. There are many times where testing is nothing but repeatedly banging your head against a wall while we watch the log files," Red 5 explains. The devs also plan to roll out more beta invites as infrastructure allows, with the process stretching "all the way into next year."

MassivelyFirefall dev update talks beta progress, testing schedules originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Not So Massively title image
It's been a quiet week in the land of MOBAs, with preparations underway for DreamHack Winter 2011 in Sweden later this month. Bloodline Champions will be running its $10,000 US Alienware tournament, and Dota 2 joins in with the $15,000 Corsair Vengeance tournament. Heroes of Newerth is due to host the conclusion of its $30,000 MSI Beat It tournament at DreamHack, and signups begin tomorrow for the $3,000 Kingston HoNor challenge.

League of Legends' second competitive season approaches, and with it comes a series of summoner spell changes designed to encourage a more aggressive playstyle. Unused summoner names from season one were deleted as part of a database cleanup, opening 460,000 old names for registration. Firefall celebrates Halloween this week with a pumpkin-carving community roundup special featuring a giant carved pumpkin made in Minecraft. As Blacklight: Retribution continues its closed beta, developers discuss the game's high-technology battlefield and introduce a grenade that makes your opponents bluescreen.

Read on for this week's top news stories from popular MOBAs and other online games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Competitive tournaments and bluescreen grenades

MassivelyNot So Massively: Competitive tournaments and bluescreen grenades originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blacklightblacklight-retributionbloodlinebloodline-championscompetitive-gamingdota-2dramhackdreamhack-2011dreamhack-wintereventsfeaturedfirefallfpsheroes-of-newerthleague-of-legendsmobanewsred-5-studiosriot-gamess2-gamesseason-2season-twospellsstunlock-studiossummonertournamentvalvevideozombiezombie-studiosMon, 07 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New interview with Tony Park talks about Firefall's post-release path]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/new-interview-with-tony-park-talks-about-firefalls-post-release/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/new-interview-with-tony-park-talks-about-firefalls-post-release/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/new-interview-with-tony-park-talks-about-firefalls-post-release/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Look! That guy's flying! Better shoot him.
Firefall, the upcoming MMOFPS from Red 5 Studios, is aiming at heating things up with a release in the very near future. But perhaps you're not in the beta and still want to hear more information about the game before it goes live. You're in luck, then, as there's a new interview out today for future players and general enthusiasts to examine. Tony Park, head of the Singapore office, talks about where the team hopes to bring Firefall in the days and months following release as well as the current state of the game.

Among the more interesting takeaways are the addition of a new class in the roster (the Dreadnaught) and talk about potential future e-sports participation within the game. Considering the activity level of e-sports in the eastern gaming world, it certainly makes sense that the team would have its eye on that as a potential future element of gameplay, especially with the game's setup lending itself to competitive play. While the release is just around the corner, it looks as if the game will still have plenty for players to anticipate even after launch arrives.

MassivelyNew interview with Tony Park talks about Firefall's post-release path originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>competitive-gaminge-sportsesportsf2pfirefallfree-to-playlaunchmmofpspreviewsred-5-singaporered-5-studiosshootersingaporesingapore-studiotony-parkupcoming-launchTue, 01 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Have you seen my bear Tibbers?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/not-so-massively-have-you-seen-my-bear-tibbers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/not-so-massively-have-you-seen-my-bear-tibbers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/not-so-massively-have-you-seen-my-bear-tibbers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
Following last week's League of Legends livestream, I joined Patrick Mackey this week in delivering a very positive first impression of the game. League of Legends officially turned two years old this week, and to celebrate, Riot Games has released the Birthday Surprise Fiddlesticks skin. Heroes of Newerth also released potentially overpowered agility carry Gemini this week, though the character is currently marked for early access and must be purchased. Bloodline Champions officially launches on steam this week, and all current and new players will receive a bonus gift to celebrate.

Diablo III fansite DiabloFans took a look at upcoming Book of Cain lore compendium, upcoming graphic novel Sword of Justice and the next Diablo novel. DiabloFans also takes a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Black Soulstone cinematic trailer. The game's predecessor Diablo II received a new patch this week aimed at eliminating RMT and spam bots, which has met with limited success. Finally, Firefall fires up its community coverage with the first of a new weekly community roundup.

Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other online games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Have you seen my bear Tibbers?

MassivelyNot So Massively: Have you seen my bear Tibbers? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-soulstoneblizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentblizzconbloodline-championsbook-of-caincinematicdeckard-caindiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidiablo-iii-betaf2pfeaturedFiddlesticksfirefallfree-to-playgeminiheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolnewsred-5red-5-studiosriot-gamesS2-Gamesstay-awhile-and-listenstunlock-studiossword-of-justicethe-ordertrailervideoMon, 31 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Livestreaming edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/not-so-massively-livestreaming-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/not-so-massively-livestreaming-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/17/not-so-massively-livestreaming-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Monday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Rise of Immortals, Bloodline Champions and more.

With over 200 viewers tuning in to watch last week's Path of Exile beta livestream, this week we'll be continuing the new tradition with our third Not So Massively livestream. Tune in to the Massively livestream channel on Friday, October 21st at 6 p.m. EDT to catch me and a few of the Massively staff playing incredibly popular MOBA League of Legends. Riot recently released a new champion spotlight on Teemo, one of the older champions and definitely the cutest.

This week, Bloodline Champions revealed details of upcoming bloodline Metal Warden along with an interesting photo contest to win one of several Metal Warden pre-order packs. Firefall developer Mark Kern showed off the Forge level editor this week and discussed the team's daunting goals for content scale. Rise of Immortals released a Halloween themed update along with new immortal Talia, and Blizzard announced a massive Diablo III beta key sweepstakes.

Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other online games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Livestreaming edition

MassivelyNot So Massively: Livestreaming edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-keybeta-keysbetasblizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentdiablodiablo-3diablo-3-betadiablo-IIIdiablo-iii-betaDominionfeaturedfirefallgrinding-gear-gamesHalloweenheroes-of-newerthleague-of-legendslivestreamLiveStreamingnot-so-massivelypath-of-exilepetroglyphred-5-studiosriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsS2-GamesvideovideosMon, 17 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[This Week In MMO: Night at the movies edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/this-week-in-mmo-night-at-the-movies-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/this-week-in-mmo-night-at-the-movies-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/07/this-week-in-mmo-night-at-the-movies-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This Week In MMO: Episode 63
This Week In MMO is all about movies: how some games compare to movies and which movies will be made into games. The BioWare doctors hinted at a Mass Effect MMO once again, but what does our panel of hosts think? Mike B, aka Fony of ZAM, believes that the Mass Effect intellectual property is very similar to the movie industry, such that Mass Effect can take a few years of downtime, then just like some movie remakes, bounce back even stronger as an MMO.

What about movies becoming MMOs? Jasmine Hruschak, of Gamebreaker's The Sanctum, is scared of any movie becoming a game. Traditionally, these platform conversions are disastrous, according to IRLJasmine. However, Gary Gannon agrees with Avatar director James Cameron's sentiments and believes that the world of the Nav'i could one day be comparable to the world of World of Warcraft.

Catch all this and more movie-to-MMO comparisons after the break on Gamebreaker.TV's This Week In MMO!

Continue reading This Week In MMO: Night at the movies edition

MassivelyThis Week In MMO: Night at the movies edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AvatarAvatar-MMOBioWareEAElectronic-Artsfirefallgary-gannonjames-cameronJasmine-Hruschakmark-kernmass-effectMass-Effect-mmoMike-Bred-5red-5-studiosRed5This-Week-In-MMOTWIMMOwebzenFri, 07 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The MMO Report: Taunting beta-testers edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/the-mmo-report-taunting-beta-testers-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/the-mmo-report-taunting-beta-testers-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/the-mmo-report-taunting-beta-testers-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The MMO Report
Welcome to another edition of The MMO Report, where everything's made up and the points don't matter. That's right, the points don't matter, just like those emails you got for the SWTOR beta. You're still not in it.

First up on the agenda is Blizzard, which recently announced that the Foo Fighters, long known for their connection to the gaming industry [citation needed], will be playing at BlizzCon. Information on the upcoming Titan, however, will not be making an appearance.

Meanwhile, Red 5 and Webzen have settled their legal dispute. Webzen came away with some healthy monetary compensation, while Red 5 gained global publishing rights to Firefall.

Next we go deep into the 'hood of APB: Reloaded, where the devs have been busy dropping banhammers on the thick skulls of the game's less savory sorts. Anyone found using exploits or hacks has been mercilessly dispatched by, we presume, a series of drive-by shootings.

Ragnar Tørnquist took the time to drop a few information bombs on fans of The Secret World, detailing the team's design philosophy and outlining how the game will place emphasis on lore and story.

And last, but certainly not least, we have the curious case of BioWare's misplaced emails. A number of players had their hopes raised and then contemptuously dashed by a survey email that asked them to tell BioWare what they thought of their time in SWTOR. Needless to say, a furious uproar ensued, as millions of voices suddenly cried out in anger and were not-so-suddenly silenced.

For the full MMO Report, complete with Uncle Casey's Mailbag, head on past the cut.

Continue reading The MMO Report: Taunting beta-testers edition

MassivelyThe MMO Report: Taunting beta-testers edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletin-reloadedapbapb-reloadedfirefallred-5red-5-studiosstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-mmo-reportthe-secret-worldtswvideovideoswebzenThu, 06 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Eurogamer Expo 2011 edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/03/not-so-massively-eurogamer-expo-2011-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/03/not-so-massively-eurogamer-expo-2011-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/03/not-so-massively-eurogamer-expo-2011-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
Welcome to Not So Massively, our weekly roundup of the top news from popular multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) and other multiplayer online games that aren't quite MMOs. Published every Monday, the column covers games such as League of Legends, Heroes of Newerth, Rise of Immortals, Bloodline Champions and more.

It's been just over a week since Eurogamer Expo 2011, where countless upcoming and released games were demonstrated to attendees and made playable on the show floor. While some of them neatly fell into singleplayer or MMO categories, action adventure Dark Souls and the beautifully zen Journey sought to blur the line between those categories more than any game I've seen to date. Both are singleplayer games in which other players can seamlessly enter your world during play, a fascinating concept that I'm now dying to dig into.

Red 5 resolved its dispute with Webzen this week, allowing Firefall to continue development unhindered by legal drama. Brawl Busters enters a new phase of closed beta, and we have a dump truck full of beta keys to give away. League of Legends reveals details of upcoming champions Xerath and The Nine Tail Fox, in addition to a new livestreaming site designed to collect money for gaming charity Child's Play. Rise of Immortals launched on Steam this week and released its first post-launch Immortal Trovoc, the Last Dragon. Finally, hints at a console version for Diablo III or console controls for the PC version have surfaced this week due to some cryptic forum responses by Blizzard staff.

In this week's Not So Massively, I give some first impressions of Dark Souls and Journey from Eurogamer Expo 2011 and delve into all the latest news from games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Eurogamer Expo 2011 edition

MassivelyNot So Massively: Eurogamer Expo 2011 edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Action-RPGblizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentbrawl-bustersdark-soulsdemons-soulsdiablo-3diablo-iiidialodungeon-crawlereurogamer-expoEurogamer-Expo-2011featuredfirefallfirst-impressionshands-onholy-crap-these-games-are-awesomeinnovationjourneyleague-of-legendslolmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelypetroglyphred-5-studiosriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsrpgthat-game-companyThatGameCompanyvideowebzenMon, 03 Oct 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Red 5 Studios and Webzen resolve legal dispute]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/29/red-5-studios-and-webzen-resolve-legal-dispute/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/29/red-5-studios-and-webzen-resolve-legal-dispute/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/29/red-5-studios-and-webzen-resolve-legal-dispute/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Firefall screenshot
Remember back in July, when Red 5 Studios was all like, "You're not advertising our upcoming game enough, Webzen!", and then Webzen was all like, "We gave you several million dollars, and we're still waiting for this game you said you're working on!"? Well, it turns out both parties have decided to put the whole thing behind them, and live happily ever after.

According to a press release, "Webzen will receive compensation for the prior development fees paid to Red 5 and also will share in future revenue generated from Red 5's game entitled Firefall for a certain period of time." This settlement will also give Red 5 complete global publishing rights to Firefall and relieve Webzen of all advertising involvement.

MassivelyRed 5 Studios and Webzen resolve legal dispute originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>disputefirefalllegalred-5-studiossettlementwebzenThu, 29 Sep 2011 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Firefall brings on Frag Dolls founder as head of e-sports division]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/20/firefall-brings-on-frag-dolls-founder-as-head-of-e-sports-divisi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/20/firefall-brings-on-frag-dolls-founder-as-head-of-e-sports-divisi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/20/firefall-brings-on-frag-dolls-founder-as-head-of-e-sports-divisi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Firefall
Firefall has made no bones about its desire to fill the niche of a competitive e-sports game, but the team's most recent update certifies its sincerity on the matter. Red 5 Studios announced in a press release today that Morgan "Rhoulette" Romine, founder of the all-female gaming clan the Frag Dolls, has joined the team to head up Firefall's e-sports division.

Red 5 CEO Mark Kern said of the decision, "We're thrilled to have Morgan join the Red 5 'Tribe' and know that with her caliber of experience and deep community roots, Firefall is poised to take the world of e-sports to the next level." Morgan herself has high hopes for the game's e-sport potential, claiming, "I believe this game has awesome e-sports potential because Red 5 is committed to creating a competitive experience that is as fun to watch as it is to play." So if you're the competitive type, keep your eye on Firefall as it gears up for launch.

[Source: Red 5 Studios press release]

MassivelyFirefall brings on Frag Dolls founder as head of e-sports division originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e-sportsf2pfirefallfrag-dollsfree-to-playmark-kernmmofpsmorgan-rominered-5red-5-studiosrhouletteTue, 20 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Firefall adds pets for you to cuddle... and kill]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/firefall-adds-pets-for-you-to-cuddle-and-kill/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/firefall-adds-pets-for-you-to-cuddle-and-kill/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/firefall-adds-pets-for-you-to-cuddle-and-kill/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Firefall
Just in case you thought Firefall was going to be nothing but guns, ammo, and models toting guns and ammo, Red 5 wants us to know that there's a softer side to the game for those who love fluff. Talking with Shacknews, Mark Kern revealed that the shooter MMO will include a pet system for grizzled combat veterans who can't bear to leave the base without the security of Rygel and Princess Pebbles.

Of course, this being a red-blooded shooter, Firefall's pet system can't stop with extended grooming and cuddles. "We had had to do little things to actually make it interesting," Kern explained. "Not only can you get a pet, but we're thinking that there's actually an item you can buy in the store to load your gun with special ammunition so you actually shoot the other guy's pet."

Red 5 will be hosting an upcoming promotion starting on Wednesday called Crystite Challenge that will give fans a chance to get into the beta and unlock a Penny Arcade "The Merch" pet.

"The Merch is awesome because he's all about merchandising and he fits with our item-based theme," Kern said. Firefall is currently in beta and gearing up for a December launch. Curious onlookers would do well to check out Massively's hands-on impressions of the title from PAX.

MassivelyFirefall adds pets for you to cuddle... and kill originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betaCrystite-Challengedie-pet-dief2pfirefallfree-to-playin-game-eventmark-kernmmo-shootermmofpspaxpax-prime-2011penny-arcadepetpet-systempetsprincess-pebblesred-5red-5-studiosryan seacrestrygelshacknewsshooterthe-merchvanity-petsMon, 19 Sep 2011 16:30:00 EST