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[RIFT devs on Russian revolution, improved itemization, and solo success]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/rift-devs-on-russian-revolution-improved-itemization-and-solo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/rift-devs-on-russian-revolution-improved-itemization-and-solo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/rift-devs-on-russian-revolution-improved-itemization-and-solo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

RIFT
RIFT Live Producer Hal Hanlin and Systems Producer Adam Gershowitz were flagged down by fansite Magelo to tackle a grab bag of various questions about the game, including the process of injecting this title into the hearts of the Russian populace. According to Hanlin, the Russian release of RIFT was "very smooth," and he credits Trion Worlds' partner in the region, GFI, with assisting in that.

Even as itemization improvements continue to roll into RIFT, the devs state that they're constantly monitoring damage output. For the next patch, Warriors will see a buff to their DPS as attack power will be tweaked to boost the pain.

Hanlin promises that "soloable content is very important to us" and pointed at the success of Instant Adventures and the Chronicles of Telara as proof that Trion has responded to the desire for such content in the game.

The devs touch on small details from the recent patch and their vision for expert dungeons as well.

MassivelyRIFT devs on Russian revolution, improved itemization, and solo success originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Adam-Gershowitzbuffchronicles-of-telaragfihal-hanlininstant-adventuresinterviewriftrift-russianrussiarussianrussian-versiontriontrion-worldswarriorsMon, 06 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Iron Pine Peak Curtain falls: RIFT launches in Russia]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/the-iron-pine-peak-curtain-falls-rift-launches-in-russia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/the-iron-pine-peak-curtain-falls-rift-launches-in-russia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/the-iron-pine-peak-curtain-falls-rift-launches-in-russia/#commentsFiled under: , ,

RIFT
Earlier this year we heard that RIFT would be bridging US-Soviet relations in a way unseen since Rocky Balboa stood toe-to-toe with Ivan Drago in '85. Today that dream has become a reality, as RIFT is now live across Russia.

This follows a string of beta tests and language localization for the title in the region. To make this happen, Trion Worlds partnered up with Belver, which will operate the MMO in the area. Russian fans can now check out a localized edition of the RIFT website in their native tongue.

Next up on RIFT's worldwide tour? The game is headed to South Korea "sometime next year."

[Source: Trion Worlds press release]

MassivelyThe Iron Pine Peak Curtain falls: RIFT launches in Russia originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>belvardragoi-must-break-youivan-dragolaunchlocalizationriftrockyrocky-ivrussiarussiantriontrion-worldsThu, 15 Dec 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Tanks hits 74,536 peak concurrent users on one server]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/06/world-of-tanks-hits-74-536-peak-concurrent-users-on-one-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/06/world-of-tanks-hits-74-536-peak-concurrent-users-on-one-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/06/world-of-tanks-hits-74-536-peak-concurrent-users-on-one-server/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

When it comes to smashing expectations, one MMO that's certainly delivering is Wargaming.net's upcoming title World of Tanks. The game isn't even in release yet, and already it has been pushing out some impressive numbers. Last week, Wargaming.net confirmed that over one million accounts had been registered for its closed beta. That milestone figure is a huge increase over last month's 700,000 registered accounts. The majority of the interest in WoT so far has been in the Russian version of the game, which boasts over 70% of the total accounts registered. It's not surprising that the latest big number to make its way to us from the World of Tanks team comes from the Russian server.

Yesterday, the peak concurrent user number on the Russian server reached a whopping 74,536. Wargaming.net is calling this a new world record for the maximum number of users playing concurrently on the same game server. In the past, CCP Games has claimed a world record for EVE Online based on the peak concurrent users in a single game universe without the use of sharding or instancing. Although 74,536 beats EVE's latest personal record of 60,453, it's known that Second Life broke the 75,000 barrier in 2008 and peaked at just under 90,000 concurrent users in the same game universe the following year. If World of Tanks keeps growing at the rate it is, however, it seems set to eventually top that total and potentially secure a world record of its own.

MassivelyWorld of Tanks hits 74,536 peak concurrent users on one server originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>closed-betapcupeak-concurrent-usersrussiaRussianworld-of-tanksWorld-RecordwotThu, 06 Jan 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Allods Online previews the next big patch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/02/allods-online-previews-the-next-big-patch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/02/allods-online-previews-the-next-big-patch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/02/allods-online-previews-the-next-big-patch/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The next big patch for Allods Online is due to hit the live servers on July 7th, and it's bringing a slew of changes along with it. We've heard rumbles about several of them, including the removal of the Fear of Death effect (along with the associated cash shop awkwardness) and a few player-presented suggestions. Still, it's good to know the full extent of what's coming around the bend, which is why the team behind the game has published both a full list of the patch changes as well as an FAQ regarding some of the larger switches.

A few of the changes are a bit baffling -- the game now supports addons, but the documentation being released is still in untranslated Russian. Several additions are also subtle but welcomed, such as changes to the patronage system to remove the option for accelerating the process via the cash shop. There seems to be a general path toward taking the absolute necessity out of the cash shop, so if you were still feeling burned by the original cash shop woes, it might be worth the time to take a look at the new patch notes for Allods Online and see if there's something to spark your interest. (Or you could just take a dip with the Massively team to get into the action again.)

MassivelyAllods Online previews the next big patch originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addonsallodsallods-onlineallods-patch-1.1.0astrum-nivalcash-shopdocumentationf2pfear-of-deathfree-to-playgpotatopatchpatch-notespatchesrussianupdatesFri, 02 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Confirmed exploit allows EVE players to sneak up on unsuspecting victims]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/confirmed-exploit-allows-eve-players-to-sneak-up-on-unsuspecting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/confirmed-exploit-allows-eve-players-to-sneak-up-on-unsuspecting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/confirmed-exploit-allows-eve-players-to-sneak-up-on-unsuspecting/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

A nasty exploit has raised its ugly head in EVE Online this week, allowing players to prevent themselves from showing up in the local chat channel. Unless you're in a wormhole system, this channel is meant to show a list of every pilot in the system and must update instantly when a player jumps in. In the deep nullsec regions, the local channel is the primary way a player will know if he's safe or not. If you're alone in the channel, there's nobody else logged on in the system that can attack you. If an enemy fleet rolls by, you'll see a list of names suddenly appearing in the channel and know it's time to get to a safe place. If a pilot were able to somehow hide himself from the local channel, he could sneak up on unsuspecting victims without them knowing he's there.

Skip past the cut for an investigative look at this unsettling development.

Continue reading Confirmed exploit allows EVE players to sneak up on unsuspecting victims

MassivelyConfirmed exploit allows EVE players to sneak up on unsuspecting victims originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexploitfeaturedgoose-hypocrisylol-internetsmacromacrospvprussianthe-monkeysphereThu, 22 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE spaceships artfully designed into nature]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/14/eve-spaceships-artfully-designed-into-nature/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/14/eve-spaceships-artfully-designed-into-nature/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/14/eve-spaceships-artfully-designed-into-nature/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Regardless of whether or not you play EVE Online, this is something you have to see -- especially if you're a lover of either science fiction or pretty things.

This Russian blog has a whole lot of cool spaceships from EVE Online that have been turned into all sorts of cool pieces of art. And yes, not all of them are necessarily "nature" art, but most are more or less -- with the major exception of a robot and alien from, er, Aliens. There's one that's even a sneaker! Although, we're personally fans of the apple, eagle and Star Wars images. They come in wallpaper format for your laptop or desktop and honestly, there's not too much more to say about them besides praise them. Mmm.... beautiful wallpapers.

MassivelyEVE spaceships artfully designed into nature originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artccpeveeve-onlineoegrussianstar-warswallpaperThu, 14 Jan 2010 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Allods Online taking sign-ups for closed beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/allods-online-taking-sign-ups-for-closed-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/allods-online-taking-sign-ups-for-closed-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/allods-online-taking-sign-ups-for-closed-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


gPotato has announced that Allods Online is just about to enter its closed beta phase of testing, and there is now a sign-up form available for those interested in getting involved. The upcoming free-to-play title is being developed by Russian studio Astrum Nival, who are responsible for localizing and publishing a number of online games for the Russian market, as well as developing Heroes of Might and Magic V (though they were known as Nival Interactive at that time, the core team is now part of Astrum Nival). With Allods Online, the team hopes to create a game that stands out in the free-to-play arena due to its high production values -- with a US$12 million budget to work with, they certainly have the opportunity to achieve this goal. It is based on a popular Russian single player RPG called Allods (or Rage of Mages internationally).

So what's the game actually about? Here's the developer's rundown: "Allods Online is a free full blown MMORPG set in a fantasy space opera universe with player-built and player-controlled space battleships, creating a new dimension of co-operative game play. Join one of the 2 factions at war in the deep storyline by choosing from one of the 28 classes available." If this has you wanting to find out more, then make sure to visit the game's site and sign up for the closed beta. It's set to begin in the next couple of weeks, with further invites being sent out in waves after the initial batch. There are also some incentives for players who reach certain levels during the test. Head past the break to see a trailer explaining a little bit about the title's battleship gameplay.

Continue reading Allods Online taking sign-ups for closed beta

MassivelyAllods Online taking sign-ups for closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allodsallods-onlineastrum-nivalbattleshipsbetasclosed-betafree-to-playrussiansci-fispace-operaWed, 26 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lord of the Rings Online launches in Korea and Russia]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/23/lord-of-the-rings-online-launches-in-korea-and-russia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/23/lord-of-the-rings-online-launches-in-korea-and-russia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/23/lord-of-the-rings-online-launches-in-korea-and-russia/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Turbine has issued an announcement regarding the regional availability of their number one title. Just ahead of Lord of the Rings Online's second birthday, the folks over in Russia and Korea are now able to join in the Tolkien-inspired fun with new localized versions of the game. Pictured above are the logos for the two new regions, Korean on top and Russian underneath. Noticeably, the Korean logo is in the Mines of Moria format that we've all become used to now, whereas the Russian logo takes after the original logo from vanilla LotRO (Shadows of Angmar). We aren't sure whether this means that Korea's LotRO is Moria enabled and Russia's is not. Perhaps a couple of our readers could translate the sub-headings and shed some light on the issue (and yes, they did! See the comments for info).

Korean company NHN is handling their region's version following a deal from December of 2007, and IT Territory made a similar agreement to bring the game to Russia in January of 2008. Both of these companies made statements emphasizing their high expectations for the success of LotRO in their respective markets, but the real test of that begins now.
.

MassivelyLord of the Rings Online launches in Korea and Russia originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>it-territoryittkoreakoreanlocalizationlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromines-of-morianhnrussiarussianturbineThu, 23 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online extending reach into Russia and Japan]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/03/eve-online-extending-reach-into-russia-and-japan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/03/eve-online-extending-reach-into-russia-and-japan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/03/eve-online-extending-reach-into-russia-and-japan/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


The sci-fi massively multiplayer online title EVE Online is very much a game of galactic conquest. In that spirit of world domination, CCP Games has been working on establishing the title's presence in both Russia and Japan. EVE developer CCP Caedmon is part of the company's localization team, and has written a dev blog titled "Machine Translation's Bad, M'kay?", dealing with CCP's efforts to reach out to Russian and Japanese gamers.

Both Japanese and Russian localizations of the EVE client are now up on the Singularity test server. By all indications, the Russian client's localization is further along, as CCP Games opened up the client for public testing in 2008. However, they're interested in pushing ahead with Japanese localization as well. CCP Caedmon writes, "We know there is a highly dedicated community of Japanese players out there who have been with EVE since the early days and we are excited to hear your feedback."

For more on the status of EVE Online as it applies to other markets, see CCP Caedmon's "Machine Translation's Bad, M'kay?".

MassivelyEVE Online extending reach into Russia and Japan originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccp-caedmonccp-gamesdev-blogeveeve-onlinejapanjapaneselanguageslocalizationrussiarussiansci-fisingularitytest-servertranslationTue, 03 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WAR to invade Russia]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/war-to-invade-russia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/war-to-invade-russia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/15/war-to-invade-russia/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Okay, that's a pretty sensational headline, so we're not going to waste any time at all here. WARHAMMER ONLINE. Yep, a computer game. Not the bad kind of war. The people of Russia will get to enjoy a new game -- we're not in the business of reporting on emerging world conflicts. A fully localized version of WAR will be released in Russia on the 5th of February in three versions: a barebones jewel case package that includes the game and a key for an account with 14 days play-time; a limited edition pack with metal casing, a Russian user manual and 30 days play-time; and a collector's edition that has the perks we've seen in other regions, and is limited to 5100 copies.

Brand new servers will be opened up for the incoming Russian players. Better yet, they will be locally based, and so will the region's customer support. Apart from that, there's not really much more to say here -- in fact, we're going to call it right now before the temptation to use the "In Soviet Russia..." line takes over. Welcome to the WAR, comrades.

MassivelyWAR to invade Russia originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-reckoningeaelectronic-artsmythicmythic-entertainmentrussiarussianwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineThu, 15 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Conan will start speaking Russian later this year]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/conan-will-start-speaking-russian-later-this-year/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/conan-will-start-speaking-russian-later-this-year/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/31/conan-will-start-speaking-russian-later-this-year/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Funcom today announced a partnership with huge Russian developer/publisher 1C Company to localize Age of Conan for the Russian-speaking market. All text and voices in the game will be translated to Russian, and 1C will provide customer support and community services to the Russian community. There will also be a Russian server. This is all due in Q4 of this year.

The English language version of the game has already been released in Eastern Europe, and it's done pretty well. All the marketing hype quotes in the press release stress that the game will be a massive success when available in the native tongue of the region. We're not going to make any predictions about that, but this is probably good news either way if your native language is Russian and you're already playing the game.

MassivelyConan will start speaking Russian later this year originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1c1c-companyage-of-conanaoceastern-europefuncomlanguagelocalizationq4russiarussianserverThu, 31 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Legend: Legacy of the Dragons becomes first Russian MMO to get English translation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/legend-legacy-of-the-dragons-becomes-first-russian-mmo-to-get-e/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/legend-legacy-of-the-dragons-becomes-first-russian-mmo-to-get-e/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/legend-legacy-of-the-dragons-becomes-first-russian-mmo-to-get-e/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


European publishing company Waygate Publishing Limited has issued a press release to announce a new, free-to-play browser MMO called Legacy: Legend of the Dragons, which has now gone live. They say that theirs is the first Russian MMO to receive an English translation, and the decision to bring it over was due to its popularity in its home market.

Part of this popularity is apparently because of the game's combat system, which is fully animated in its 2D engine, whilst keeping system requirements low. Players join one of two factions, and can participate in PvE, PvP, professions and questing. The game's free-to-play system is supported by microtransactions, with players able to "invest as much, or as little as they like." The press release provides a link to the game's new website for those who want to learn more, or give it a try.

[Via PlayNoEvil]

MassivelyLegend: Legacy of the Dragons becomes first Russian MMO to get English translation originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2dIT-territory-llclegacy-legend-of-the-dragonsmicrotransactionsrussiarussianwaygate-publishing-limitedMon, 21 Jan 2008 20:10:00 EST