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 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Norrathian Notebook: Landmark celebrates Year 0 anniversary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/02/03/norrathian-notebook-landmark-celebrates-year-0-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/02/03/norrathian-notebook-landmark-celebrates-year-0-anniversary/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/02/03/norrathian-notebook-landmark-celebrates-year-0-anniversary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

I've got to admit, it's a bit weird to be celebrating an anniversary before an actually launch; you can't exactly say "Happy first birthday!" if it hasn't been born yet! But Landmark found a way to make it work, celebrating Year Zero with fans this past weekend. The sandbox opened its alpha doors on January 31st, 2014; all that players could do at that point was gather and build a bit. Since then, the game has expanded its features, adding more building stuff, water and caves, combat, deeper caverns and mobs to fill them, and still more building stuff. Development has definitely come a long way in the last 12 months, so there is certainly reason to revel in the festivities. Of course there's still much more work to be done, but why not take a moment and party in honor of Landmark's progress. Who doesn't like a party?

Continue reading Norrathian Notebook: Landmark celebrates Year 0 anniversary

MassivelyNorrathian Notebook: Landmark celebrates Year 0 anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Feb 2015 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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¥ title image
By now, you will have heard that Massively is being shut down along with Joystiq and countless other blogs run by AOL. That unfortunately means this will be my final article for Massively and marks an end to the nearly seven-year run of the EVE Evolved column, which now holds over 350 articles on topics ranging from ship fittings and opinion pieces to guides and expansion breakdowns. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your readership and to express just how much playing EVE Online and writing for you really have impacted my life.

I've been asked by so many people over the years for tips on breaking into the games industry as a journalist or MMO blogger, but the truth is that I lucked into this gig. When a post on the EVE Online news page said that some site called Massively was hiring an EVE Online columnist, I almost didn't bother applying. I was a prolific forumgoer back then and had written some guides for EON Magazine and my own blog, but I wanted to get into game development and had very little confidence in my writing ability.

What I didn't know then was that writing for Massively would help improve my writing skills immeasurably and even help give me the confidence to launch my own game development studio. Massively gave me a platform on which to talk about EVE Online and an eager audience to share my game experiences with, but it turned into something much more profound. There have been low points dealing with trolls and organised harassment and tough times with budget cuts, but there have also some incredible experiences like attending the EVE Online Fanfest, investigating monoclegate, watching CCP redeem itself in the eyes of players, and collaborating with some of the best writers in the games industry.

In this final edition of EVE Evolved, I look back at the start of the EVE Evolved column, break down my top ten column articles of all time, and try to put into words how much this column has meant to me over the years.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The end of EVE Evolved

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The end of EVE Evolved originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Feb 2015 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brendan-drainccpccp-gamesclosurecolumnconsoledustdust-514endeoneon-magazineeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedfly-safefpshistoryjames-eganjoystiqloremassively-metammofpsno-i-have-something-in-my-eyenyphuropinionopinion-pieceplaystationplaystation-3predestinationps3rantrantssandboxsavejoystiqsci-fishawn-schustershootershutdownsoapboxsunsetthe-soapboxtop-tenSun, 01 Feb 2015 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX South 2015: Life is Feudal revives the good ol' MMO feel]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/pax-south-2015-life-is-feudal-revives-the-good-ol-mmo-feel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/pax-south-2015-life-is-feudal-revives-the-good-ol-mmo-feel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/pax-south-2015-life-is-feudal-revives-the-good-ol-mmo-feel/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The good ol' MMO feel
When the assignment for Life Is Feudal came to me, I questioned why I was covering a game that really didn't seem to be an MMORPG in my eyes because of its separate servers and the survival feel of the setting. It felt to me initially that I was covering another DayZ, one set in a medieval era and no zombies. But as I found out at this year's PAX South, I was completely wrong.

Interestingly, I didn't find out what kind of mistake I made from the head honcho of Bitbox, Vladimir Piskunov. I found out from someone who has been playing for a long time and was invited to play at the Life Is Feudal booth. His name is Bill, and he's the "superfan" who demoed the game for me. He explained the ins and outs of the mechanics until I started having Ultima Online flashbacks. We discussed the skill system and trekked around the world, and then reminded me that LiF will eventually be an MMORPG. And I could certainly see how. If sandboxes are your thing as they are mine, then maybe this game is up our alley.

Continue reading PAX South 2015: Life is Feudal revives the good ol' MMO feel

MassivelyPAX South 2015: Life is Feudal revives the good ol' MMO feel originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAX Panel
On Friday, Alex Albrecht from ZergID and formerly of the Totally Rad Show headed up a PAX South panel about the social side of MMOs, inviting Patrick Mulhern from Lorehound, Jenesee Grey from Camelot Unchained, and me to join to discuss community in MMOs and why it's seemed so absent in recent years. Meg Campbell from YouTube moderated the panel discussion, calling us the PAX MMO guild.

I admit that I considered naming this piece, "How Star Wars Galaxies did everything right and World of Warcraft did everything wrong" because I am obviously biased. But I really was completely surprised at how much SWG came up during the panel. Many former Galaxies players will tell you that there was a lot about that game that was pure crap, but when you talk about the social implementations of SWG, there just aren't many games that compare.

Continue reading PAX South 2015: Why aren't MMOs more social?

MassivelyPAX South 2015: Why aren't MMOs more social? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Jan 2015 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I missed the whole Minecraft craze. I was stupidly grinding my virtual life away in various MMORPGs, plus I couldn't get past Minecraft's so-fugly-it's-hip aesthetic. No matter, though, because Space Engineers takes Minecraft's core concepts and dolls them up with pleasing visuals, a nifty near future sci-fi setting, and addictive gameplay that's much more than the sum of its parts.

Continue reading MMO Burnout: Engineers in spaaace

MassivelyMMO Burnout: Engineers in spaaace originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>burnoutco-opfeaturedjef-reahardmmo-alternativesmmo-burnoutopinionprivate-serverssandboxsci-fisingle-playerspace-engineersSun, 25 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Norrathian Notebook: Five reasons to support EQ Next and Landmark]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/norrathian-notebook-five-reasons-to-support-eq-next-and-landmar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/norrathian-notebook-five-reasons-to-support-eq-next-and-landmar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/24/norrathian-notebook-five-reasons-to-support-eq-next-and-landmar/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

I like Landmark and am looking forward to EverQuest Next. There, I said it. It should be no surprise. And as such, I certainly have a vested interest in how these games fare throughout their development and launch. I want to see them succeed. But the thing is, so should you -- whether or not you actually want to play them.

Unfortunately, it seems all too fashionable lately for folks to tear something down instead of build it up. So often when I'm following the discussions about EQ Next and Landmark, I hear plenty of reasons why folks don't like the games, and the reasons frequently have nothing to do with the games themselves. Detractors are going on about longstanding gripes and grudges instead of judging the games on their own merits (a practice that the whole world could certainly do without). Amid all the scathing comments I've heard directed at SOE for slights real and imagined, one recently gave me pause and made me reflect on the reasons that supporting these two MMO endeavors is worthwhile.

Continue reading Norrathian Notebook: Five reasons to support EQ Next and Landmark

MassivelyNorrathian Notebook: Five reasons to support EQ Next and Landmark originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Jan 2015 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Untitled Game, better known as TUG, is one of the many recent titles that have earned a small crowdfunding fortune by shouting the word "sandbox" as loud as the internet will allow. The game's initial Kickstarter campaign raised $293,000; launching on Steam's Early Access marketplace helped Nerd Kingdom rake in an unspecified amount of additional dollars. The studio had a bold plan for an open-world, innovative crafting MMORPG, and it appeared as though players were ready to pay for it.

Things haven't gone so swimmingly since then. Funding issues in late 2014 forced the studio to lay off around half of its staff. Many MMO industry followers have been wondering whether the project will ever be released or it's just another crowdfunded pipe dream.

I took a look at TUG on the show floor at PAX South 2015 and talked to COO Brennan Priest about crowdfunding, layoffs, and killing things with axes. The one thing I can say for sure is that there is definitely a game here, and it seems as if it could be a good one.

Continue reading PAX South 2015: The Untitled Game is whatever you want it to be

MassivelyPAX South 2015: The Untitled Game is whatever you want it to be originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Citizen
Star Citizen is such a big fancy deal that instead of having a panel or booth at PAX South 2015, Cloud Imperium booked a theater down the street and hosted 10 straight hours of forums and chit-chats with backers. That's right: There wasn't enough room in the PAX convention hall to accommodate all the Star Citizening Star Citizens needed to Star Citizen, so they had their own one-day mini-convention dedicated just to their game of choice.

One has to respect a development team willing to spend the entire day with its community (for a nominal fee, of course). I'm sure Star Citizens were absolutely amped to pay the same amount of money as a PAX day pass to hang out with CI all day. Unfortunately, I attended only the evening town hall with Chris Roberts, which I would describe as impenetrable to anyone without a license to pilot one of Star Citizen's $350 ships.

I did take some notes. I will try to parse them here.

Continue reading PAX South 2015: Notes from a Star Citizen town hall

MassivelyPAX South 2015: Notes from a Star Citizen town hall originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elite: Dangerous
Readers of the Choose My Adventure column may remember that I spent the month of September smuggling beer, shooting NPCs, and dodging space rocks in Frontier Developments' Elite: Dangerous. Though the game was in early beta, I found lots to do and lots to love about the space simulator that isn't that other space simulator. Realistic physics, challenging flight controls, and beautiful design work made the game stand out to me as unique and promising (other Massively staffers seem to agree), and I've revisited it since and enjoyed it every time.

Thus, I jumped at the chance to check Elite out again at PAX South 2015, this time with the experience enhanced by a rad HOTAS setup and the ever-so-popular Oculus Rift. Guided by producer Eddie Symons, I bluffed my way through a combat demo and discovered that when it comes to shooting things in space, being able to look and fly separately is a great thing indeed.

Continue reading PAX South 2015: Hangin' with Frontier, playin' Elite on the Oculus Rift

MassivelyPAX South 2015: Hangin' with Frontier, playin' Elite on the Oculus Rift originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Jan 2015 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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h1z1
What would video game purgatory look like? After spending an afternoon wandering aimlessly across a mostly-deserted countryside, I'd have to say that H1Z1's early access build fits the description of limbo perfectly. I even smacked into a wall of grey nothing that bordered the eight square kilometers of play space and wondered whether it might be more interesting in that haze than back among the living dead.

H1Z1, as SOE will emphatically tell you, is not anywhere near to being done. Features are missing, placeholder art is everywhere, and there isn't a female character to be seen. It's only just playable on a larger scale, and yet the studio felt fit to open hundreds of servers (and take in thousands of dollars) so that the early crowd could sate its curiosity. There's no NDA, either, which means that the studio definitely wants people to chat the game up, whether good or bad. I'm happy to oblige.

Continue reading First Impressions: H1Z1 is more boredom than terror

MassivelyFirst Impressions: H1Z1 is more boredom than terror originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved title image
The MMO genre is defined by the online interactions of thousands of players, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the single-shard sandbox of EVE Online. While it's possible to play EVE solo, it's the players who make most of the game's meaningful content, and it's only in your emergent interactions with other players that I think the game truly comes to life. Some time ago, I wrote about the importance of CCP supporting EVE's power players, the corporation owners, fleet commanders, and event organisers who give the rest of us something fun to do. Now it looks like CCP is starting to deliver that support, with developers currently looking at updating EVE's archaic corp management tools.

CCP Punkturis recently asked corporation owners for a list of the most annoying "little things" they'd like to see fixed with the corporation management interface and was instead flooded with requests for big features and complete overhauls. Developers later confirmed on The o7 Show that at least one highly requested big feature is definitely on its way: CEOs will soon be able to switch off friendly-fire between corp members. The threat of corporate infiltrators attacking corp members has been a massive barrier preventing corps from recruiting new players, so its removal is good news for everyone (except spies). So now that corporation management is finally back on the drawing board, what other features do corp owners need?

In this edition of EVE Evolved, I look at a few ideas for corporation tools and features that would make EVE a better place for everyone.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Rebuilding EVE's corporation tools

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Rebuilding EVE's corporation tools originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Jan 2015 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Writing about early access games is the suck. I guess it's something I'll have to get over, though, given how early access is now launch, how alpha is the new beta, and how gamers are lining up to pay big money for ideas.

With that out of the way, let's talk a bit about my first steps in The Repopulation. It's an appropriately ambitious sci-fi sandbox from scrappy indie studio Above & Beyond Technologies. As you might expect, it's somewhat rough at the moment. I see it carving out a successful niche for itself in the future, though.

Continue reading Massively hands-on: Let's talk about The Repopulation

MassivelyMassively hands-on: Let's talk about The Repopulation originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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the war z
Infestation Survivor Stories (previously known as The War Z) Executive Producer Sergey Titov has penned a post-mortem on Gamasutra about the game's launch in 2012, noting how inviting the comparison to DayZ worked against the project.

"That said, The War Z was a terrible choice of name, as it naturally invited comparisons between our game and DayZ," Titov admitted. "We made a big mistake in not listening to the vocal minority of our community who thought the name was terrible [...] Beyond not listening to the community, we were also very arrogant in our public communications. We should have taken more care to communicate how and why this was not a DayZ clone, citing specific differences in both design and conception. Instead of saying to ourselves 'Oh well, haters gonna hate!' we should have tried to understand where the hate was coming from and address it."

Another key mistake that Titov and his team made was engaging in an "arms race" to get The War Z to Steam before DayZ, which resulted in its being yanked from that platform due to misrepresentation of the existing game features. Even with these missteps, Titov said that Infestation sold 2.8 million copies, and of those, over half logged at least 50 hours of playing time apiece.

You can read Massively's hands-on impressions of this title from 2013.

MassivelyInfestation producer: The War Z was a 'terrible choice of a name' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Jan 2015 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's the end of that magical time of year: When gigglegibber goblins wrap up their gift-giving and the tinsel, lights, and even the holiday quests get packed up for the year. It's the end of Frostfell 2014 for the EverQuest Franchise; EverQuest's celebration ended yesterday and EverQuest II's ends today. Players will have to wait another 12 months to dive back into the festivities. If we're really lucky, we'll also experience the holiday anew in EverQuest Next come December!

As Frostfell comes to a close, I am left thinking about the holiday and all its trimmings. It's truly a great one. Perhaps one of the most wonderful. What makes it so special each year? And what might it be like in the coming years, especially in EQN? Let's take a look at the history of Frostfell, check out this year's additions, and speculate about the holiday's presence in Next.

Continue reading Norrathian Notebook: Frostfells of EverQuests past, present, and Next

MassivelyNorrathian Notebook: Frostfells of EverQuests past, present, and Next originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Emily-Tayloreqeq-2eq-iieq-nexteq-next-landmarkeq1eq2eqiieqneqn-landmarkeqnexteqnleverquesteverquest-2everquest-iieverquest-nexteverquest-next-landmarkf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playFrostfellfrostfell-wonderland-villageJon-Carakerlandmarknorrathnorrathian-notebookopinionsandboxsoesonysony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookThu, 08 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pathfinder Online's Ryan Dancey on early adopter experience bonuses]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/pathfinder-onlines-ryan-dancey-on-early-adopter-experience-bonu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/pathfinder-onlines-ryan-dancey-on-early-adopter-experience-bonu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/pathfinder-onlines-ryan-dancey-on-early-adopter-experience-bonu/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pathfinder Online
On yesterday's Massively Speaking podcast, Justin and I discussed Pathfinder Online's plans for granting its earliest and most loyal players what seems to be the ultimate character bonus: an experience edge over everyone else, forever. I'll let the Pathfinder Online dev post Hard is Fun! explain verbatim:
Our game uses a unique real-time based XP system. Characters gain XP through the passage of time, not through being logged in. So the characters that are created in the first month will be the characters with the most XP for all time. A special perk will be in effect that backdates XP to the start of Early Enrollment for the first month so no matter when you purchase an account, if you create a character in Month 1, you'll have that maximum XP.
Usually games with offline experience systems also have either a hard cap or a diminishing returns mechanic to avoid the core "sandbox problem" -- that those who get to the sandbox first perpetually have the most power because they claim all the best toys (and so on). But as written, the Pathfinder Online system seems to exacerbate rather than fix that problem by promising "pioneers" more power in the form of permanently more experience.

Suspecting there was more to the plan, we asked Goblinworks' Ryan Scott Dancey to explain just how it plans to balance its concessions to early backers with its presumed desire to attract newbie players in the more distant future. He's done so, in detail, for us today.

Continue reading Pathfinder Online's Ryan Dancey on early adopter experience bonuses

MassivelyPathfinder Online's Ryan Dancey on early adopter experience bonuses originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backerscrowdfundingearly-enrollmentexperiencefantasyfeaturedgoblinworksinterviewinterviewspathfinderpathfinder-onlinepnpryan-danceyryan-scott-danceysandboxsandparkWed, 07 Jan 2015 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Fitting the Confessor for PvE and PvP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/04/eve-evolved-fitting-the-confessor-for-pve-and-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/04/eve-evolved-fitting-the-confessor-for-pve-and-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/04/eve-evolved-fitting-the-confessor-for-pve-and-pvp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
December was a great month for EVE Online players, with the Rhea update opening new wormhole systems for the first time since 2009, updating the star map and all ships with amazing new visuals, and advancing the Sleeper storyline with mysterious cloaked structures appearing all over EVE and Sleeper NPCs making incursions into normal space. The update also brought us a ship-carrying freighter called the Bowhead and the first of a new line of tech 3 tactical destroyers called the Confessor. While every race will eventually get its own tech 3 destroyer, the Amarr Confessor was the first to be released due to the Amarr winning a research race player event.

Tactical Destroyers are a completely new class of ship in EVE with the ability to transform between three different combat modes in the middle of a fight to adapt to changing circumstances. Defense Mode boosts armour resistances and reduces the ship's signature radius, Propulsion Mode increases the ship's speed and agility, and Sharpshooter Mode increases turret optimal range and boosts the ship's sensors. With Confessor prices having now dropped below the 100 million ISK mark and more pilots finishing the skill training required, people have started figuring out some interesting ship setups for it.

In this edition of EVE Evolved, I check out a few of the Confessor setups players have devised so far and look at what makes this transforming terror tick.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Fitting the Confessor for PvE and PvP

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Fitting the Confessor for PvE and PvP originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Jan 2015 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gameseveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedsandboxsci-fiSun, 04 Jan 2015 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Norrathian Notebook: Landmark's two-week PvE checkup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/01/norrathian-notebook-landmarks-two-week-pve-checkup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/01/norrathian-notebook-landmarks-two-week-pve-checkup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2015/01/01/norrathian-notebook-landmarks-two-week-pve-checkup/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Happy New Year! It makes sense to start this new year off by talking about a new game, right? And let's face it, after the fabled PvE content update, Landmark feels like a new game! This massive addition to the core of the sandbox has been live for two weeks now; that means two weeks of spelunking, salvaging, and more often than not, surviving. While it's true we got a preview of the update back on the day, that peek involved neither the cavern system nor crafting. And it certainly didn't contain nearly enough time! So now that I've had the chance to canvass the caverns, play with particle emitters, kills various critters, and concoct some new crafted items, how is it? How are things in the not-just-about-building game doing? Do these new systems offer more staying power as the closed beta continues on? Let's give Landmark its two-week PvE checkup!

Continue reading Norrathian Notebook: Landmark's two-week PvE checkup

MassivelyNorrathian Notebook: Landmark's two-week PvE checkup originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-testbeta-testingeqeq-2eq-iieq-nexteq-next-landmarkeq2eqiieqneqn-landmarkeqnexteqnleverquesteverquest-2everquest-iieverquest-nexteverquest-next-landmarkf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playlandmarknorrathnorrathian-notebookopinionpgcplayer-generated-contentpvepve-checkupPvE-updatesandboxsoesonysony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebooktestingthe-tattered-notebookThu, 01 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stick and Rudder: This is not an Elite: Dangerous review]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/28/stick-and-rudder-this-is-not-an-elite-dangerous-review/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/28/stick-and-rudder-this-is-not-an-elite-dangerous-review/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/28/stick-and-rudder-this-is-not-an-elite-dangerous-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

One of these days I'll get back to writing Star Citizen-flavored words in this space. Right now, though, Elite: Dangerous is a thing that I've been playing, and please ya'll, put down your pitchforks.

It is possible -- and even healthy -- to like and support both of these titles. This is not space Capulets vs. space Montagues but rather the beginnings of a new sci-fi sandbox age. Elite's not quite where I would like it to be at this early hour, but it's still a fine piece of work that's salvaged a thoroughly regrettable MMO year.

Continue reading Stick and Rudder: This is not an Elite: Dangerous review

MassivelyStick and Rudder: This is not an Elite: Dangerous review originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Dec 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dangerousdavid-brabeneliteelite-dangerouselite-dangerous-reviewelite-reviewfeaturedfrontierfrontier-developmentsinternet-spaceshipkickstarterreviewsandboxsci-fishipspacespace-simspaceshipsspacesimstar-citizenstick-and-rudderthis-is-not-an-elite-reviewSun, 28 Dec 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Shroud of the Avatar's Richard Garriott and Starr Long on how SOTA wins at player-generated content]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/26/garriott-and-long-show-how-shroud-of-the-avatar-wins-at-player-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/26/garriott-and-long-show-how-shroud-of-the-avatar-wins-at-player-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/26/garriott-and-long-show-how-shroud-of-the-avatar-wins-at-player-g/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Garriott and Long show how Shroud of the Avatar wins at player-generated content
When you sit down to talk with Portalarium's Richard Garriott and Starr Long about Shroud of the Avatar, you hear much more than can possibly fit in just one article! Even though its currently in development, there's a lot to this title. Last week's Some Assembly Required focused on the upcoming sandbox's community aspect; as promised, this week's edition delves into SotA's amazing player-generated content capabilities. It's not surprising that PGC would be so prevalent in-game when these two devs have emphasized the importance of making a living, breathing, immersive world for players. When you get a great community together and then give it tools and freedom to create, what happens is phenomenal. As Long put it, "It's really humbling for me and the team to see what these players are willing to do... what they're doing with what we're giving them."

Read on, my friends, and see why Shroud of the Avatar may very well be the reigning king of the PGC hill even before it actually releases! (There might be a few morsels about upcoming development thrown in as well.)

Continue reading Shroud of the Avatar's Richard Garriott and Starr Long on how SOTA wins at player-generated content

MassivelyShroud of the Avatar's Richard Garriott and Starr Long on how SOTA wins at player-generated content originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Dec 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avatarcrowdfundingfantasyfeaturedgame-mechanicsinterviewinterviewskickstarterking-of-pgclord-britishopinionpgcplayer-contentplayer-generated-contentrichard-garriottsandboxsarshroudshroud-of-the-avatarsome-assembly-requiredSOTAstarr-longFri, 26 Dec 2014 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: EVE Online vs. Elite: Dangerous]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/21/eve-evolved-eve-online-vs-elite-dangerous/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/21/eve-evolved-eve-online-vs-elite-dangerous/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/21/eve-evolved-eve-online-vs-elite-dangerous/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
Like many EVE Online players, I grew up playing early sci-fi games like Elite and its sequel Frontier. In fact, CCP's recently released stats on the distribution of ages within the EVE community shows a peak around 29 years old, meaning that most players grew up in that same gaming era. A big part of what initially drew me to EVE Online was the prospect of playing the same kind of massive trading and space exploration game with other people, and for over 10 years it's scratched that sci-fi sandbox itch. I've watched EVE grow from a relatively unknown game with around 40,000 subscribers and laggy cruiser skirmishes into a vast game where thousands of players wage war for territory, profit, or just the adrenaline rush of PvP with something valuable on the line.

Now that Elite: Dangerous is finally here, I want to see whether it can scratch the same sandbox itch as EVE and to what extent the two games can be compared. Both feature customisable ship fittings, open-world PvP with a criminal justice system, and real financial loss on death, for example, but the end result is two very different gameplay styles. And both also have that same intoxicating notion of exploring the unknown and try to make you feel like you're in a living world, but they take very different approaches to world design, content, and travel. Elite may not be a full-fledged MMO, but with a sandbox made of 400 billion procedurally generated stars and an open play mode that seamlessly merges players' games together, does it matter?

In this edition of EVE Evolved, I compare my experiences in Elite: Dangerous to my experiences in EVE Online and look at their differing strategies with regard to server model, active and passive gameplay, and the new player experience.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: EVE Online vs. Elite: Dangerous

MassivelyEVE Evolved: EVE Online vs. Elite: Dangerous originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Dec 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've waited a long time for the chance to have our faces eaten off by vicious monsters in Landmark, and now that opportunity is almost here! After a bit of delay, the infamous PvE patch is heading into our favorite sandbox today. This is seriously going to be a game-changer. Of all the patches throughout the whole year, this one is the biggest -- surpassing the August PvP update and even the original alpha launch, at least according to Creative Director Dave Georgeson. And he's not kidding! I got to check out Landmark's new mobs, linking and triggering, armors, props, and more with Georgeson and Senior Producer Terry Michaels. I didn't think it was possible to be even more excited for this patch, but I am! Can I hear a squeeeee?!

Oh, and for everyone who is waiting anxiously for EverQuest Next news, here's a tidbit from Georgeson you might enjoy:
When we get to those game mastering systems [after the start of the year] that means we are working on EQN full time. Because those are the systems we need for EQN, and that's what we're building when we're building those game mastering tools. So we're so close to transitioning the team almost entirely to EQN, and then we'll take the elements that we build for EQN and port them over into Landmark, but our focus will shift almost entirely to EQN after the new year.

Continue reading Landmark's PvE arrives today; SOE shifts to EQ Next full-time in 2015

MassivelyLandmark's PvE arrives today; SOE shifts to EQ Next full-time in 2015 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Dec 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eqeq-2eq-iieq-nexteq-next-landmarkeq2eqiieqneqn-landmarkeqnexteqnleverquesteverquest-2everquest-iieverquest-nexteverquest-next-landmarkf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playinterviewinterviewslandmarknorrathnorrathian-notebookopinionpgcplayer-generated-contentsandboxsoesonysony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookWed, 17 Dec 2014 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The Sleepers are coming!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/07/eve-evolved-the-sleepers-are-coming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/07/eve-evolved-the-sleepers-are-coming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/07/eve-evolved-the-sleepers-are-coming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
Ever since the announcement of 100 new wormhole systems and the unique Thera wormhole hub system, some interesting things have been going on in EVE Online. A new star appeared in the night sky and began rapidly growing in brightness like a supernova, and curiously, the light from that star was able to be seen from every star system in New Eden simultaneously in clear violation of the laws of physics. Two days prior to the event, Sansha's Nation were seen scattering from an Incursion site and leaving the area without using wormholes, hinting that something big was happening in their home system. Combined with the intruiging story of Thera, this has had even non-roleplayers scrambling through the EVE lore to come up with theories about what's to come.

Players slowly set apart picking the mystery to pieces, conducting a galaxy-wide search to find the origin of the bright star and sending people into the test server to get clues. The mystery intensified when players discovered that the star was likely near or within restricted Jove space, and soon after they began finding strange cloaked structures throughout known space. While observing these structures, players even found that an all-new form of Sleeper NPC called the Circadian Seeker was periodically warping into the site and using some kind of scanning beam on the cloaked structure. All of this comes in anticipation of the public release of the Rhea patch on Tuesday 9th, which will introduce hidden Sleeper sites in known space and kick off the arms race to discover tech 3 destroyers.

In this lore-heavy edition of EVE Evolved, I look at everything we know of EVE's new Sleeper storyline event and try to figure out how it all fits together.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The Sleepers are coming!

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The Sleepers are coming! originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Dec 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a0apocryphaccpccp-gamescircadian-seekercircadian-sleeperclassic-mmoeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionfantasyfeaturedincursionjovejove-directoratejovianl1lineagelineage-1loremysteryncsoftnpc-storylineo1patchpreviewrheasandboxsci-fiseylinnseyllinSleepersleeperssony-online-entertainmentstarstarsstorylineterranupdatewormholewormholesSun, 07 Dec 2014 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost Continent: Yep, F2P sucks for ArcheAge]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/05/lost-continent-yep-f2p-sucks-for-archeage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/05/lost-continent-yep-f2p-sucks-for-archeage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/12/05/lost-continent-yep-f2p-sucks-for-archeage/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Thus far I've put up with quite a lot of crap in my quest to like ArcheAge. There was the launch debacle in which no one realized that many millions of people will show up and expect a working service if you yell "come play for free!" Then there was the Auroria debacle, in which no one cared about server accessibility during a competitive launch event.

And of course there's ArcheAge's easily exploitable code, the ramifications of which include hacks, cheats, and bot-related problems that continue to be visible to anyone taking Trion's really-guys-it's-only-a-tiny-minority spin with a grain of salt.

Finally, there's the grossly intrusive monetization plan that prevents subscribers from playing certain parts of the game unless they spend additional money in the cash shop. ArcheAge has a comically long list of problems, but it's this last one that's finally wearing me down.

Continue reading Lost Continent: Yep, F2P sucks for ArcheAge

MassivelyLost Continent: Yep, F2P sucks for ArcheAge originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Dec 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaarche-agearcheagecolumnf2p-sucks-for-archeagefantasyfeaturedfree-to-play-sucks-for-archeagejake-songkorealost-continentpvpsandboxsandparktriontrion-worldsxl-gamesxlgamesFri, 05 Dec 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Living and dying in the Elite: Dangerous gamma build]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/30/living-and-dying-in-the-elite-dangerous-gamma-build/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/30/living-and-dying-in-the-elite-dangerous-gamma-build/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/30/living-and-dying-in-the-elite-dangerous-gamma-build/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Elite: Dangerous
When we last looked at Elite: Dangerous during August's Choose My Adventure, the game was in a barebones beta format with just a few of its promised eventual features. Frontier Developments' crowdfunded space-sim certainly brought a lot to the table with its pretty graphics, realistic flight physics, and down-to-the-details sim structure, but anyone not interested in running courier missions or blowing up other ships was probably left wanting.

Now, however, Elite is a different beast. Just two weeks from final official launch, Elite is in what Frontier Developments is calling the "gamma" stage. It's as close to the finished version of the game anyone is going to get until launch on December 16th. So naturally, I took another dive in Elite to see what exactly has changed.

Continue reading Living and dying in the Elite: Dangerous gamma build

MassivelyLiving and dying in the Elite: Dangerous gamma build originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Nov 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-testbeta-testingdangerousdavid-brabeneliteelite-dangerousfeaturedfrontierfrontier-developmentsgammahands-oninternet-spaceshipkickstarterlaunchlaunch-daylaunchessandboxsci-fispacespaceshipstestingSun, 30 Nov 2014 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost Continent: Why so impatient with ArcheAge?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/30/lost-continent-why-so-impatient-with-archeage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/30/lost-continent-why-so-impatient-with-archeage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/30/lost-continent-why-so-impatient-with-archeage/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

It's kinda silly, but I feel like giving up on ArcheAge. It's silly because the game launched in mid-September and we're currently in November. The fantasy sandpark does have more than it's share of problems, but logically I know that it's way, way too early to start piling dirt on its imaginary corpse.

That said, there are so many MMOs clamoring for my attention nowadays that the idea of being patient with one of them is almost laughable. I'm not alone here, either, as many gamers I know look for the first available reason to leave an MMO and cross it off their to-do list, simply because they're wired to complete tasks and the ginormous glut of games long ago passed the point of overwhelming.

Continue reading Lost Continent: Why so impatient with ArcheAge?

MassivelyLost Continent: Why so impatient with ArcheAge? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaarcheagearcheage-rantclassic-mmocolumnfeaturedgalaxiesgamehoppersimpatientjake-songkids-these-dayskorealost-continentpatiencerantsandboxsci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgswgotriontrion-worldswhy-so-impatient-with-archeagexlgamesSun, 30 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Interview: Burning Dog on Origin of Malu's do-over]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/30/massively-interview-burning-dog-on-origin-of-malus-do-over/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/30/massively-interview-burning-dog-on-origin-of-malus-do-over/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/30/massively-interview-burning-dog-on-origin-of-malus-do-over/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

When last we heard of the the indie sandbox Origins of Malu, Burning Dog Media had gone back to the drawing board for a do-over. The studio switched game engines, effectively starting the development process over again (again). But despite what some fans may fear, that isn't nearly as bad as it sounds! In fact, it's rather good news because players will be getting a far better game, and they won't have to wait very long to get it.

I sat down with Producer Michael Dunham to talk about the changes and get a look at the progress the team has made.

Continue reading Massively Interview: Burning Dog on Origin of Malu's do-over

MassivelyMassively Interview: Burning Dog on Origin of Malu's do-over originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Nov 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>burning-dogburning-dog-mediafeaturedinterviewinterviewsmichael-dunhamoomoriginsorigins-of-malurelease-stagessandboxsci-fantasysci-fistagessteamunrealunreal-engineSun, 30 Nov 2014 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Perfect Ten: Mobile apps to enhance your MMO lifestyle]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/29/perfect-ten-mobile-apps-to-enhance-your-mmo-lifestyle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/29/perfect-ten-mobile-apps-to-enhance-your-mmo-lifestyle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/29/perfect-ten-mobile-apps-to-enhance-your-mmo-lifestyle/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We're living in the age of smart phones, when there are more cell phones than there are people on this planet. I can't go anywhere without seeing people constantly whipping out their little rectangular companions for the constant stream of information, social connection, and Candy Crush interludes.

While MMOs aren't making great headway on these devices, in part due to the limited input scheme, several wise studios have made good use of the mobile market to give players a way to keep in touch with their games even while AFK. Today we're going to count down, count up, and count sideways 10 official mobile apps that will enhance your MMO lifestyle.

Continue reading Perfect Ten: Mobile apps to enhance your MMO lifestyle

MassivelyPerfect Ten: Mobile apps to enhance your MMO lifestyle originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionandroidappauthenticatorblizzardblizzard-entertainmentconsoleconsolesdust-514entropiaentropia-universeeqeq-2eq-iieq-nexteq2eqiieqneverquesteverquest-2everquest-iieverquest-nexteverquest-worldsf2pfallen-earthfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivfree-to-playgoogle-authenticatorgoogle-playhumoriosituneslandmarkmmo-appsmobilemobile-appneocomopinionp10perfect-10perfect-tenriftrift-mobilerounduprunescapesandboxsoesonysony-online-entertainmentsquaresquare-enixstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tentop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listtwo-step-authenticationvirtual-tycoonwarcraftwizard101wizardbloxworld-of-warcraftwowSat, 29 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: What does Thera mean for EVE?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/23/eve-evolved-what-does-thera-mean-for-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/23/eve-evolved-what-does-thera-mean-for-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/23/eve-evolved-what-does-thera-mean-for-eve/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
If you've been keeping up with the recent news updates on EVE Online, you've probably heard about the upcoming Rhea update scheduled for December 9th. This mega patch will introduce the new tech 3 Tactical Destroyer ship class, Sleeper incursions into normal space, hands-on WASD flight controls, and 101 new wormhole systems (including 25 that are limited to small ships). The new wormhole systems have had all of their planets shattered by an as-yet unknown stellar phenomenon, and clues as to what transpired there will be hidden in the rubble. This infusion of new content and story will mark the first time the wormhole storyline and gameplay have been significantly expanded in over four years.

Each of the new shattered star systems is guaranteed to have at least one outgoing wormhole leading to normal space at all times, increasing the likelihood that pirates will catch you exploring or farming them. And since these systems won't have any in-tact moons, you won't be able to put up a permanent starbase to retreat to if hostiles appear. I'm pretty excited for exploring this new lawless frontier, but it's a unique shattered star system called Thera that I'm most looking forward to finding. Thera will be the first and only wormhole system to have fully kitted NPC stations and will serve as neutral ground for anyone who wants to live there. It's been described as the Mos Eisley of EVE, a permanent home to pirates, PvP corps, and smugglers looking to make some quick ISK.

In this edition of EVE Evolved, I look at how the Thera system could revolutionise EVE for a lot of players and where the EVE storyline could go as a result.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: What does Thera mean for EVE?

MassivelyEVE Evolved: What does Thera mean for EVE? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Nov 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's really hard not to be all giddy and excited about the introduction of AI to Landmark; it's quite literally going to be a game-changer. Some might even argue a game-maker! Only one other feature, combat, comes close to the impact that this system will have on the sandbox. Even then, combat doesn't rival it; it complements it. In truth, it will be an early Christmas present for all those players who've been waiting as patiently as possible for this next step: Monsters are slated to be released into the wild on December 10th. I am sure I mirror the sentiments of many when I say the Storybricks system just can't get here soon enough!

Before you get your hopes up too high, know that this first iteration of the AI system does not include the much-anticipated storytelling features that players will have access to on their personal claims. Those will come in time. But that doesn't diminish the magnitude of what is coming in just a few short weeks. The introduction of mobs will truly be the big bump that makes Landmark an actual MMORPG in the eyes of the world as opposed to "just a building game," an inaccurate description the game's had a hard time shaking. And did I mention, I can't wait?! If you are fairly new to following Landmark, you may not know what all the excitement is about. Let me share that with you.

Continue reading Norrathian Notebook: Landmark's AI will be a game-changer

MassivelyNorrathian Notebook: Landmark's AI will be a game-changer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Nov 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bringing-the-game-to-lifedave-georgesoneqeq-2eq-iieq-nexteq-next-landmarkeq2eqiieqneqn-landmarkeqnexteqnleverquesteverquest-2everquest-iieverquest-nexteverquest-next-landmarkf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playlandmarkmobsmosntersnorrathnorrathian-notebookopinionpgcplayer-generated-contentsandboxsoesonysony-online-entertainmentstorybricksStorybricks-aitattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookThu, 20 Nov 2014 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost Continent: Lucking into a breezy ArcheAge bungalow]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/16/lost-continent-lucking-into-a-breezy-archeage-bungalow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/16/lost-continent-lucking-into-a-breezy-archeage-bungalow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/16/lost-continent-lucking-into-a-breezy-archeage-bungalow/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

My ArcheAge avatar is pretty fortunate. Last Friday night he became the proud owner of a breezy bungalow, which is that big bamboo marine house that you've probably seen in screenshots, videos, and the like.

The bungalow's blueprint costs a whopping 300 gilda stars -- i.e., no small amount for a guildless guy like me who mostly duos his way through Haranya. I'd managed to save 250 of the character-bound gilda by doing various dailies over the past several weeks, but I had a few days to go before I'd finally be able to afford the plans. How did I come up with the balance ahead of schedule, not to mention the boat load of materials required to actually build the house? That's an interesting story, and it's another example of how ArcheAge's mechanics are a necessary breath of fresh air in a stale genre.

Continue reading Lost Continent: Lucking into a breezy ArcheAge bungalow

MassivelyLost Continent: Lucking into a breezy ArcheAge bungalow originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaaquafarmarcheagearcheage-housingbreezy-bungalowcolumnfeaturedhousingjake-songkorealost-continentmarine-houseplayer-economyplayer-housingsandboxtradingtriontrion-worldsxlgamesSun, 16 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Working As Intended: Niche MMOs vs. the everything box]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/14/working-as-intended-niche-mmos-vs-the-everything-box/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/14/working-as-intended-niche-mmos-vs-the-everything-box/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/14/working-as-intended-niche-mmos-vs-the-everything-box/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Umzugskarton by HornM201
The MMO industry has lately focused on niche titles, niche communities, niche gameplay. It's not one particular niche, mind you. It's lots of different niches, all being catered to in different titles: PvPers, sadistic gankers, raiders, dungeoners, roleplayers, crafters, explorers, achievers, soloers, storygoers, casuals, hardcores, builders, destroyers, the I'm-skipping-class-for-a-week-to-play-games kids, the I've-got-five-minutes-what-can-I-play parents. There's an MMO or two out there for pretty much every one of us -- and for almost no one else.

So we dutifully buy the one that beckons directly to us, one of these small-minded "MMOs" that offer rewards for a certain playstyle or two but wilfully disregard every other imaginable playstyle. We applaud these games for having the guts to embrace being "niche" because we are convinced that having lots of little niche games is diversity.

And then we wonder where all the players are.

Continue reading Working As Intended: Niche MMOs vs. the everything box

MassivelyWorking As Intended: Niche MMOs vs. the everything box originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>editorialedward-castronovaeverything-boxfeaturedguildguildsmana-obscuranicheniche-mmoniche-mmosnichenessop-edopinionrantrantssandboxstar-wars-galaxiesterra-novaultima-onlineuoworking-as-intendedFri, 14 Nov 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Clone upgrades and skill loss are gone!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/09/eve-evolved-clone-upgrades-and-skill-loss-are-gone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/09/eve-evolved-clone-upgrades-and-skill-loss-are-gone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/09/eve-evolved-clone-upgrades-and-skill-loss-are-gone/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
While the player activity stats might suggest otherwise, the past few years have been a real rennaisance for EVE Online. Developers have gone back and iterated on dozens of old game features that were starting to show their age, and some of them have been pretty huge. The war declaration and criminality overhauls in 2012 were fundamental changes to core gameplay that had been stagnant for almost a decade, and the recent industry and warp acceleration changes were equally fundamental shifts. These were all features we had previously been told were essentially off-limits for iteration because they relied on undocumented legacy code from 2003, and none of the programmers wanted to poke that sleeping beast.

Now it seems that no idea is off-limits, and developers aren't afraid to challenge fundamental parts of EVE's original design that may not make sense today. This week's Phoebe update revisited capital ship force projection for the first time since the ships were added in 2004, for example, and it removed the 24-hour skill queue limit that CCP insisted on adding in Apocrypha. In Thursday's episode of The EVE Online Show, developers announced the next big legacy feature to be put on the chopping block in the game of progress: As part of December's Rhea release, clone upgrades and skill point loss on death will be completely removed from the game.

In this edition of EVE Evolved, I look at the problems caused by the cloning system, why it needs to be removed, and what could possibly replace it.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Clone upgrades and skill loss are gone!

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Clone upgrades and skill loss are gone! originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Nov 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ArcheAge fandom is hard. It was initially hard because of the waiting. Consider that we've known of the game's existence since 2010 and that some of us have been playing it in various incarnations since 2011, which is a full three years -- and dozens of gameplay changes -- prior to its official North American launch.

Now that we're past said launch, the difficulty has shifted to watching Trion (or is it XLGAMES?) do its best to destroy a promising title via a series of clownshoes decisions.

Continue reading Lost Continent: It's getting harder to like ArcheAge

MassivelyLost Continent: It's getting harder to like ArcheAge originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Nov 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaarche-agearcheageauroriaauroria-launchclownshoescolumnconnectivityfantasyfeaturedincompetencejake-songkorealost-continentpvprantsandboxsandparktriontrion-clownshoestrion-worldsxl-clownshoesxl-gamesxlgamesFri, 07 Nov 2014 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost Continent: This is how you go off the rails in ArcheAge]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/02/lost-continent-this-is-how-you-go-off-the-rails-in-archeage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/02/lost-continent-this-is-how-you-go-off-the-rails-in-archeage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/11/02/lost-continent-this-is-how-you-go-off-the-rails-in-archeage/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Are you an ArcheAge tire-kicker who's wondering how to go "off the rails" and trade the game's questpark level grind for some of that downhome sandbox flavor? I'm here to tell you that it's as easy as deciding that you really want to do it.

There's no magic button or pre-scripted path, though, because the game is sorta sandboxy.

Continue reading Lost Continent: This is how you go off the rails in ArcheAge

MassivelyLost Continent: This is how you go off the rails in ArcheAge originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Nov 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaarcheagearcheage-craftarcheage-guidesarcheage-professionsarcheage-questingarcheage-salvagingarcheage-treasure-huntingcolumnfeaturedguideshow-to-play-a-sandboxhow-to-play-sandboxesjake-songkorealost-continentlost-continent-guidesnon-combat-gameplaynon-linearnon-linear-gameplayoff-the-railssandboxthis-is-how-you-go-off-the-rails-in-archeagetriontrion-worldsxlgamesSun, 02 Nov 2014 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Why I Play: ArcheAge]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/30/why-i-play-archeage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/30/why-i-play-archeage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/30/why-i-play-archeage/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Addicted may be too strong a word when talking about my relationship to ArcheAge... but not by much! Have I logged in every day since the early access? Do I look forward to logging in? Have I said, "I'll go to bed right after I plant a couple more things" only to find more hours have slipped by before I finally do sleep? Do I get excited about the next trade run? Have I set alarms to wake up to try and nab a prime piece of land? Have I had dreams about ArcheAge when I sleep?

The answer to all of these is yes.

ArcheAge may not have everything I have ever wanted in a game (entertainment classes should be a requirement), but it checks more than a few of my boxes. I haven't had this much fun throwing myself into a game in a very long time. I look forward to each play session, and I tend to spend hours in game each day enjoying whatever I happen to be doing, be it sailing, trade runs, sneaking into enemy territory, or even just staring at my plants waiting for them to grow.

Continue reading Why I Play: ArcheAge

MassivelyWhy I Play: ArcheAge originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Oct 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaarche-agearcheageeditorialfantasyfeaturedmassively-metametanostalgiaop-edopinionpvpsandboxsandparktradetriontrion-worldswhy-i-playxl-gamesxlgamesThu, 30 Oct 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Could permadeath work in EVE?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/26/eve-evolved-could-permadeath-work-in-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/26/eve-evolved-could-permadeath-work-in-eve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/26/eve-evolved-could-permadeath-work-in-eve/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
Permadeath has been one of the most contentuous features in online gaming since as far back as I can remember. The feeling of permanently losing a character you've spent months training up and playing with because of a single mistake or lag spike would be horrifying to most people, yet the idea continues to intrigue both players and developers. Diablo II's Hardcore mode is probably the most successful permadeath mechanic in an online game to date, separating the hardcore players onto a different server so that they develop their own game economy and leaderboard. Several MMOs have experimented with permadeath servers or mechanics over the years, but they're almost always reverted as failures.

In a recent presentation at EVE Vegas 2014, EVE Online developer CCP Rise discussed the idea of permadeath characters as something he's wanted to add to the game for the past few years. This is particularly problematic for EVE as the game uses passive time-based skill training and the whole game takes place on one massive shard. The hardcore players would need to have enough incentive to risk their characters' lives on a daily basis, their abilities would have to be balanced with non-hardcore players, and abuse of the system to suicide gank players would need to be handled. But if those problems are tackled, is it possible that there's a place for permadeath in EVE?

In this edition of EVE Evolved, I look at how permadeath could be added to EVE Online without disrupting the rest of the game.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Could permadeath work in EVE?

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Could permadeath work in EVE? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 Oct 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fifteen years ago, I was floundering around southern Florida in a rudderless post-graduation haze. I rented this dinky apartment across US1 from the University of Miami, and my summers were equally divided between a series of forgettable jobs and a series of lengthy fishing excursions around the Keys and out into the Atlantic.

The fishing was basically something to do; I didn't dislike it, but neither did I wake up thinking wow, I can't wait to get that gooey chum all over my shorts and bake in the sun for 10 hours.

Now, in an odd but enjoyable art-imitating-life moment, I'm revisiting the experience in ArcheAge.

Continue reading Lost Continent: Living a fisherman's life in ArcheAge

MassivelyLost Continent: Living a fisherman's life in ArcheAge originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Oct 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaarche-agearcheagearcheage-fishingarcheage-fishing-guidearcheage-guidecolumncraftingfantasyfeaturedfishingjake-songkorealost-continentpvpsandboxsandparktradingtriontrion-worldsxl-gamesxlgamesyes-we-know-youd-play-if-it-wasnt-open-pvpFri, 24 Oct 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Norrathian Notebook: Landmark's latest patch packs an armored punch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/16/norrathian-notebook-landmarks-latest-patch-packs-an-armored-pu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/16/norrathian-notebook-landmarks-latest-patch-packs-an-armored-pu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/16/norrathian-notebook-landmarks-latest-patch-packs-an-armored-pu/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Norrathian Notebook: Landmark's latest patch packs a punch
Wowsers! While we knew that September was a month of bug squashing and that meatier content updates would return to Landmark, this latest one seems extra juicy. It could just be that everything feels like a feast after a famine, but I think it's more than that -- and not just because it took multiple posts to announce the changes. Besides being tantalized with a bunch of new goodies right now, I get the impression that we are in for regular doses of content, content, and more content as the dev team revs up for open beta. And these changes are also glimpses into the ongoing development of EverQuest Next. Who doesn't love that?

As it is, I am pretty excited to delve into this content update, Armor? Appearance slots? Additional weapon abilities? Ability to template the movers, flingers, and stuff? Lava?! Heck, yah -- serve it up.

Continue reading Norrathian Notebook: Landmark's latest patch packs an armored punch

MassivelyNorrathian Notebook: Landmark's latest patch packs an armored punch originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Oct 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armorbuilding-materialseqeq-2eq-iieq-nexteq-next-landmarkeq2eqiieqneqn-landmarkeqnexteqnleverquesteverquest-2everquest-iieverquest-nexteverquest-next-landmarkf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playheroic-movementLandmarklavanorrathnorrathian-notebookopinionpgcplayer-generated-contentsandboxSOEsonysony-online-entertainmenttattered-notebookthe-tattered-notebookupdateweaponsThu, 16 Oct 2014 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Fixing EVE's player activity]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/12/eve-evolved-fixing-eves-player-activity/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/12/eve-evolved-fixing-eves-player-activity/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/12/eve-evolved-fixing-eves-player-activity/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
It's been a sort of running gag in EVE Online throughout the years that players spend inordinate amounts of time docked in stations and spinning their ships around in the hangar, but this is oddly close to the truth. Those of us who have been hooked to EVE for years know just how intense the game can get at its most frantic and how incredible it is to be present for historic events and important PvP battles, but those moments are rare, and there's typically a lot of downtime between periods of activity. For every PvP battle fought, incursion fleet formed or wormhole op organised, players often have to spend hours in stations or in space amusing themselves or doing busywork.

With gamers now spreading their increasingly limited free time across a growing catalogue of online games, some EVE players log in for only a few minutes per day to queue skills, chat with corpmates, and see if anything interesting is happening. The recent announcement that the upcoming Phoebe release will contain infinite length skill queues has some players concerned that people will lose the motivation to pop their heads into New Eden each day and see what's going on. Since the best sandbox gameplay is emergent in nature, just getting players to log in so they're available to take part in something awesome when it happens is extremely important.

In this edition of EVE Evolved, I ask whether EVE is in trouble due to its recent decline in player activity, look at the impact of people with just a few hours per week to play, and suggest a new app idea that could help solve all of those problems.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Fixing EVE's player activity

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Fixing EVE's player activity originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Oct 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apiapocryphaappapplicationccpccp-gameschatconcurrent-usersdotae-sportsesportseveeve-evolvedeve-offlineeve-onlinef2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgraphlauncherleague-of-legendslolmobaopinionpvpriotriot-gamessandboxsci-fisteamsubssubscriberssubscriptionsubscriptionsthird-partythird-party-applicationsSun, 12 Oct 2014 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost Continent: Carebearing your way through ArcheAge]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/10/lost-continent-carebearing-your-way-through-archeage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/10/lost-continent-carebearing-your-way-through-archeage/http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/10/10/lost-continent-carebearing-your-way-through-archeage/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

ArcheAge is, in part, an open PvP MMORPG. "In part" is the key phrase there, and I've had a few people ask me if it's possible to play XL's sprawling sandpark opus without getting ganked or otherwise forced into an ill-fitting playstyle.

Not only is it possible, but PvE has made up the overwhelming majority of my gameplay for the past month.

Continue reading Lost Continent: Carebearing your way through ArcheAge

MassivelyLost Continent: Carebearing your way through ArcheAge originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Oct 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaarcheagearcheage-carebeararcheage-pvearcheage-tradecarebearcarebearing-your-way-through-archeagecolumncraftingfeaturedgankgankingjake-songkorealost-continentpvesandboxtrade-runstradingtriontrion-worldsxlgamesFri, 10 Oct 2014 11:00:00 EST