Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Voice chat is the worst thing ever]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/the-soapbox-voice-chat-is-the-worst-thing-ever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/the-soapbox-voice-chat-is-the-worst-thing-ever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/the-soapbox-voice-chat-is-the-worst-thing-ever/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We're not friends, headset.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Part of me thinks that voice chat is a product of the miraculous and wondrous age we live in. I can still remember when the very idea of the internet seemed like a magical idea. I could search an entire world full of knowledge and ideas at once! The fact that video games have evolved into games where I can log in to a shared world and speak to someone in a real-time discussion is nothing short of astonishing.

Most of me, however, really just hates voice chat.

I've used voice chat extensively before, and I didn't like it then. I still don't like it now. And for all of the advantages it offers, I can't say it's something that I consider a positive addition to the MMO landscape any more than I'm happy about the widespread adoption of the colloquial term "toon." It might not be a cultural issue that needs to be addressed, but I really hate voice chat.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Voice chat is the worst thing ever

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Voice chat is the worst thing ever originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cultureeditorialfeaturedhumormumbleop-edopinionrantrantsskypesoapboxthe-soapboxventvoicevoice-chatTue, 20 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost Pages of Taborea: Test driving Magic Hub]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/12/lost-pages-of-taborea-test-driving-magic-hub/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/12/lost-pages-of-taborea-test-driving-magic-hub/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/12/lost-pages-of-taborea-test-driving-magic-hub/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Runes of Magic/Magic Hub image
I'm going to jump on this one before anyone else does. The company Overwolf developed a little application that provides MMO players with social networking, web, video and screenshot functionality without the need to alt+tab out of a game.

It's a lot like what Trion has built into RIFT, only in a third-party package, and Frogster partnered with Overwolf to provide a Runes of Magic-branded version called Magic Hub -- complete with RoM-specific buttons.

After some technical problems, I got Magic Hub to work and put it through its paces. There are other applications out there that provide a wide range of functionality for gamers, but since this one is customized for RoM, I thought I'd give my impressions.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: Test driving Magic Hub

MassivelyLost Pages of Taborea: Test driving Magic Hub originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookfeaturedfrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactivegmailimpressionintegrated-webintegrationjeremy-strattonlost-pages-of-taboreamagic-hubmsn-messengeropinionoverlayoverwolfromrunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmentscreenshotsskypesocial-networkingsteamthird-partythird-party-applicationstwittervideoyoutubeMon, 12 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: Survival on a desert island]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/26/mmobility-survival-on-a-desert-island/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/26/mmobility-survival-on-a-desert-island/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/26/mmobility-survival-on-a-desert-island/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

We've all played that age-old game of pondering what we might take with us on an endless trip to a desert island. What music would you bring? Whom would you bring with you? What food would you bring, if you could choose only one food? I've recently been thinking about this old game again, mainly because of my obsession with portability and all-in-one devices. Which device would I bring with me to that island, if I had to choose? (Let's forget the fact that I could just make a call or otherwise contact the authorities to rescue me off the island!)

The ultimate question is this: Which MMO would I bring installed on that device? Or, going a bit further, which apps or other downloads would I include? Once I started asking, my fantasy turned into somewhat of a challenge to myself: Could I survive a week without any access to a desktop at all? Could I write, play, and otherwise continue to do my job with only a pocket-sized device?

Join me past the cut and let's see what I might include on this trip.

Continue reading MMObility: Survival on a desert island

MassivelyMMObility: Survival on a desert island originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbeau-hindmanbrowserfeaturedgooglegoogle-docsillyriadiosMMObilitymobilemobilitymoving-playeroprahoprah winfreyOprahWinfreyouter-empirespandoraphonephonespocket-legendssketchbook-proskypesmartphonespacetime-studiosWorld-of-WarcraftyslandiaTue, 26 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rogers throttles World of Warcraft across Canada]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/27/rogers-throttles-world-of-warcraft-across-canada/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/27/rogers-throttles-world-of-warcraft-across-canada/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/27/rogers-throttles-world-of-warcraft-across-canada/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If you play World of Warcraft in Canada and were wondering why your connection seemed a bit slow, it turns out there may be a good explanation: Rogers Communications has been deliberately throttling the game across the country.

The telecommunications company has been trying to save on costs by slowing down internet speeds for customers who use various applications, such as Skype. Recently the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission conducted an inquiry that resulted in Rogers admitting that it targets WoW players by slowing down their connections while the game is being run.

Rogers said that it was Blizzard's use of BitTorrent to deliver updates that triggered the throttling, noting that customers who disabled this setting -- as well as any other peer-to-peer applications -- would not see a slowdown in speed. "Rogers will engage our customers to ensure they are aware of these recommendations, while continuing to work on a longer term solution," a spokesperson said.

MassivelyRogers throttles World of Warcraft across Canada originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bit-torrentblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcanadaCanadian-Radio-television-and-Telecommunications-Commissioncrtcfilesharingnet-neutralitypeer-to-peerrogersrogers-communicationskypethrottle-speedsThroughTheGadlingLensworld-of-warcraftwowSun, 27 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Win a developer's heart, win a date in Fallen Earth]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/14/win-a-developers-heart-win-a-date-in-fallen-earth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/14/win-a-developers-heart-win-a-date-in-fallen-earth/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/14/win-a-developers-heart-win-a-date-in-fallen-earth/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Are you feeling lonely today? Kind of understandable -- as much as we like to say that this is the most commercial and pointless holiday ever, it's still hard not to feel a pang of loneliness, especially if you're wandering the wasteland of Fallen Earth alone. But the day's not over yet, and if you can scrounge up enough poker chips, you might just be able to buy yourself a date for the night with a developer, albeit via Skype.

Yes, the development team behind Fallen Earth has decided to take the heart-ripping antics to the next level, placing the hearts of several developers on the Auction House for players to purchase. Winning a heart means winning a 10-minute date with the team member on Skype, and while you probably won't be asking what the other person is wearing, it's still a fun chance to get in on the spirit of the event. Besides, it's cheaper than roses, right?

MassivelyWin a developer's heart, win a date in Fallen Earth originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developersdevelopment-teamfallen-earthfallen-earth-llcfeicarusicarus-studiosin-game-eventskypestrange-eventsvalentines-dayvalentines-day-2011Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Alter-Ego: Working together is hard to do]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/29/alter-ego-working-together-is-hard-to-do/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/29/alter-ego-working-together-is-hard-to-do/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/29/alter-ego-working-together-is-hard-to-do/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Wake me up when chat is working.
The news earlier this week that DC Universe Online is now Sony Online Entertainment's best-selling game probably won't come as much of a surprise to anyone who has actually played it. There's an enormous amount of fun to be had in running through the game, and the storylines are incredibly well thought-out. However, for all that I personally love the game, there is one thing that I and many other people I've talked to find to be incredibly lacking, and in this case, it's something so integral to the MMOG experience as to essentially make or break parts of the game.

Essentially, what point is there to an MMO in which you can't really reliably interact with the other people you're playing with? It's also rather eye-opening just how much your enjoyment of a game like this can be impacted when you can't effectively talk to other people. As such, this week I'll look at several crucial problems with the DC Universe Online chat interface, as well as things that can be done to improve the overall experience.

Continue reading Alter-Ego: Working together is hard to do

MassivelyAlter-Ego: Working together is hard to do originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alter-egochatchat-problemscontrollerdc-comicsdc-universedc-universe-onlinedcuoissuesmmogmmorpgmmospgmumbleopinionrantskypesocial-interactionsocial-systemssoeSony-Online-Entertainmentteamspeakventrilovoice-chatvoipwhere-is-my-massively-multiplayerSat, 29 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Second Life racks up 1 billion voice minutes last month. Linden Lab announces new services]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/20/second-life-racks-up-1-billion-voice-minutes-last-month-linden/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/20/second-life-racks-up-1-billion-voice-minutes-last-month-linden/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/20/second-life-racks-up-1-billion-voice-minutes-last-month-linden/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Linden Lab has announced that it is currently averaging one billion voice-minutes per month. That's time actively engaged in a voice session, not just time spent with voice support enabled. That's quite a statistic. That puts Second Life's voice service right up there among the top VoIP providers, and around 12% of Skype. That's very impressive.

In the 18 months since voice was introduced, roughly 15 billion voice-minutes have been served, through Vivox's voice services for Second Life. Additionally there are new products/services. Some available from today, and some scheduled for later this year.

Continue reading Second Life racks up 1 billion voice minutes last month. Linden Lab announces new services

MassivelySecond Life racks up 1 billion voice minutes last month. Linden Lab announces new services originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avalinebetasbreakingbusiness-modelslinden-labsecond-lifeskypesl-slim-viewersmsvirutal-worldsvivoxvoicevoice-chatvoice-fontsWed, 20 May 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you use integrated voice chat?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/06/the-daily-grind-do-you-use-integrated-voice-chat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/06/the-daily-grind-do-you-use-integrated-voice-chat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/06/the-daily-grind-do-you-use-integrated-voice-chat/#commentsFiled under: ,

Integrated voice chat is becoming a default feature of many newer MMOs, and it's even been retrofitted into our older games, like EverQuest II and World of Warcraft. It's like power steering on a new car; you almost can't remember a time before it was standard. Games like Dungeons and Dragons Online were among the first to offer the feature, while others soon followed suit.

Personally, I find myself sticking with programs like Ventrilo or TeamSpeak to run my voice chat. Even in Lord of the Rings Online, I find myself turning off the IVC to use TeamSpeak with my kinship. So the important question here is: What do you prefer? Does integrated voice chat cause your game to lag, or any other performance problems? Do you just prefer Vent or TS (or Skype, or Xfire, etc) because you're used to it from before it became integrated? Let us know!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you use integrated voice chat? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiointegrated-voice-chatskypeteamspeakthe-daily-grindventrilovoice-chatxfireFri, 06 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RealXtend 0.3 released]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/realxtend-0-3-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/realxtend-0-3-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/realxtend-0-3-released/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The RealXtend team has released the latest version of their extended, viewer and opensim-based system code. This brings realXtend up to version 0.3.

The viewer sports new basic avatars (three), attachments direct to the avatar (rather than to a bone-based attachment point), prim sizes increased to 128 metres in any dimension, fixed assorted crash bugs and more.

The server code handles the support for these features, along with a bunch of bug-fixes, Skype support, inverse kinematics and variable avatar walk-speeds.

Continue reading RealXtend 0.3 released

MassivelyRealXtend 0.3 released originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bsdgplopen-sourceopensimpatchesrealxtendrealxtend-0.3second-lifesecond-life-viewerskypevirtual-worldsTue, 01 Jul 2008 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: In-game or private VOIP?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/02/the-daily-grind-in-game-or-private-voip/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/02/the-daily-grind-in-game-or-private-voip/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/02/the-daily-grind-in-game-or-private-voip/#commentsFiled under: , ,

One of the best things for many gamers who play in team settings (in PvP, in raids, etc.) is voice over IP (VOIP) software. Need to give out raid instructions? No longer do you need to waste time typing things out or boring people with long macros full of information. Now you can toss on a headset and away you go. Of course, you have your pick -- games like EVE Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online, and even World of Warcraft have introduced VOIP. However, the interesting thing we keep finding is how few people actually use it.

This morning we thought we'd do something of an unscientific poll amongst the readers just to see where the unofficial Massively reader thoughts lie on this. Some of us are figuring it will be against public in-game VOIP, others are warning them that it's generally cheaper than running a server, so they may be in for a surprise. You let us know -- do you use public VOIP, or private servers? If you don't use the in-game systems, why? If you hate private servers, what turned you off from them?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: In-game or private VOIP? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communicationddodungeons-and-dragons-onlineeveeve-onlineheadsetspvpraidingskypetdgteam-based-gamingteamspeakthe-daily-grindventrilovoipworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 02 Jun 2008 08:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Cinemassively: Machiniplex to hold Q & A for "Among Fables and Men"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/07/cinemassively-machiniplex-to-hold-q-and-a-for-among-fables-and-m/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/07/cinemassively-machiniplex-to-hold-q-and-a-for-among-fables-and-m/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/07/cinemassively-machiniplex-to-hold-q-and-a-for-among-fables-and-m/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

WarcraftMovies held a contest, The Fabled Few, last month. Among the winners was an outstanding piece by Dopefish, a World of Warcraft Machinimator. The film, "Among Fables and Men," weaves it's magic through the use of images and song. No text, voiceovers, or footage were involved, which makes it quite impressive!

Machiniplex, a collaborative effort between expert Machinimators Jason Choi, Ricky Grove, and Ingrid Moon, will be holding a screening of "Among Fables and Men" on Sunday, December 16th, at 1pm PST. These semi-regular meetups are small gatherings of Machinima enthusiasts and professionals alike. A question and answer session with the film's director will take place on Skype, followed by a showing of his film, which he will be remastering the audio for. If you are interested in attending, you can RSVP on the Facebook page for the event.

MassivelyCinemassively: Machiniplex to hold Q & A for "Among Fables and Men" originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>among-fables-and-menblizzardcontestsdopefishfacebookingrid-moonjason-choimachiniplexricky-groveskypethe-fabled-fewwarcraftmoviesworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 07 Dec 2007 12:30:00 EST