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[Celebrate the launch of Tribes: Ascend with a new weapon on us]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/celebrate-the-launch-of-tribes-ascend-with-a-new-weapon-on-us/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/celebrate-the-launch-of-tribes-ascend-with-a-new-weapon-on-us/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/celebrate-the-launch-of-tribes-ascend-with-a-new-weapon-on-us/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Tribes: Ascend Spinfuser
To celebrate the launch of Hi-Rez Studios' Tribes: Ascend today, we're giving away a special in-game weapon that will either help new players gain some ground or act as a boost for current players who have yet to unlock the gun.

This special medium Spinfusor just for the Soldier class. You can check out the full image of the weapon after the cut.

To claim your Spinfusor, simply grab a code from our giveaway page and use the in-game menu to select "Extras" then "Redeem Promotion." Enter in your code and you're all set!

GET YOUR KEY

Continue reading Celebrate the launch of Tribes: Ascend with a new weapon on us

MassivelyCelebrate the launch of Tribes: Ascend with a new weapon on us originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>contestcontestsgiveawaygiveawayshi-rezhi-rez-studiossoldierspinfusertribestribes-ascendThu, 12 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Firing Line: Why you should be playing Tribes: Ascend]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/the-firing-line-why-you-should-be-playing-tribes-ascend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/the-firing-line-why-you-should-be-playing-tribes-ascend/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/24/the-firing-line-why-you-should-be-playing-tribes-ascend/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Firing Line - Tribes open beta edition
Skiing! Jetpacks! Pew pew!

Yes, kids, Tribes: Ascend is officially in open beta, and that means you no longer have an excuse. Hi-Rez Studios threw open the doors this morning, and despite the fact that the game's closed beta exceeded all expectations and hosted over 300,000 players since its November kickoff, there's always room for more.

Continue reading The Firing Line: Why you should be playing Tribes: Ascend

MassivelyThe Firing Line: Why you should be playing Tribes: Ascend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>air-arenaarena-deathmatchbetablood-eaglecapture-the-flagctfdeathmatchdiamond-swordfeaturedfiring-linefirst-impressionsfpshi-rezhi-rez-studiosimpressionslava-arenaludicrous-speedmultiplayer-shooteronline-shooteropen-betapathfinderrabbitsci-fisentinelshazbotshootersoldierspeedthe-firing-linetodd-harristribestribes-ascendtribes-betatribes-beta-impressionstribes-open-betaFri, 24 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar's Bartle-inspired paths offer players unique and shared content [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/16/wildstars-bartle-inspired-paths-offer-players-unique-and-shared/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/16/wildstars-bartle-inspired-paths-offer-players-unique-and-shared/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/16/wildstars-bartle-inspired-paths-offer-players-unique-and-shared/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

WildStar
Jeremy Gaffney recently opened up on the connection between WildStar's Paths and Richard Bartle's famous breakdown of playstyles. While Gaffney admits that WildStar drew inspiration from Bartle's categories, the team has tuned the four paths -- Explorer, Soldier, Achiever and Builder -- to fit the devs' vision for the game.

No matter which path you pick, Gaffney promises that there will be something meaningful for you to be doing at all times. The important part is that the game has a deliberate balance between path-specific activities and universal ones: "What we do is we take 70% of the world, and that's a mix of all the styles, and then about 30%, depending on the zone, swaps over and that's about you and about your path. So, as an Explorer you have your normal mix of stuff, but then an extra chunk on top of it that's all about exploring."

People from different paths have many ways, reasons, and incentive to interact as they progress through the zones. Gaffney says that WildStar will "pile on the layers" to keep players involved and active. He also assured fans that all paths will have plenty to do in the endgame so that the journey doesn't come to a crashing halt.

[Update: Carbine also released another WildStar Wednesday this afternoon; it features some community discussion all about events in MMOs.]

MassivelyWildStar's Bartle-inspired paths offer players unique and shared content [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achieverbartle-testbartle-test-of-gamer-psychologybuildercarbinecarbine-studiosexplorerJeremy-Gaffneyncsoftpathsrichard-bartlesoldierwildstarzonesWed, 16 Nov 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2011: WildStar panel discusses playing with paths the Bartle way]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/27/pax-2011-wildstar-panel-discusses-playing-with-paths-the-bartle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/27/pax-2011-wildstar-panel-discusses-playing-with-paths-the-bartle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/27/pax-2011-wildstar-panel-discusses-playing-with-paths-the-bartle/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

I'm lost at sea, don't bother me, I've lost my way.
Before Gamescom, WildStar was nothing more than a title without a hint of what the game would actually promise. But now that the game is being shown off, the combination of a unique aesthetic with a promise of uniquely focal gameplay has gotten a lot of people interested. The visuals, of course, have already been well-displayed by the trailers and preview shots, so this year's panel at PAX 2011 focused instead on the other half of the equation: the paths.

The panel began with a brief viewing of the game's cinematic trailer to kick things off, followed by an explanation of the game's core design philosophy. As the team from Carbine Studios (Jeremy Gaffney, Eric DeMilt, and Mike Donatelli) put it, most games are built with a basic set of design assumptions that push players in a fixed direction determined by the designers. WildStar was built from the ground up to let players enjoy the game when they want to, with whomever they want, and most importantly however they want. The paths are the key to that system -- multiple overlaid playstyles that ensure you have your own play experience no matter what class or race you pick.

Continue reading PAX 2011: WildStar panel discusses playing with paths the Bartle way

MassivelyPAX 2011: WildStar panel discusses playing with paths the Bartle way originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bartles-typescarbinecarbine-studioseric-demiltexplorerjeremy-gaffneymike-donatellincsoftnewspathspaxpax-2011pax-primepax-prime-2011player-typesplaystylespreviewsreal-world-eventsscientistsettlersoldierwildstarwsSat, 27 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gods & Heroes dev blog talks class balance, lifts NDA]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/gods-and-heroes-dev-blog-talks-class-balance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/gods-and-heroes-dev-blog-talks-class-balance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/04/gods-and-heroes-dev-blog-talks-class-balance/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Hot on the heels of its GDC updates, Heatwave Interactive has released a new dev blog detailing further aspects of Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising. The mythological MMORPG boasts four unique character classes (the Priest, the Soldier, the Gladiator, and the Mystic), and today's dev blog offers a look at a few class-specific issues through the eyes of senior content designer Todd Bailey.

Bailey discusses how the Soldier and Gladiator differ despite the fact that both focus on close-range melee combat. He also talks about why the Scout and Nomad classes won't be available at launch. "The honest answer is that the Nomad was completely overpowered as a class and just felt like it was the catch-all for abilities that didn't go anywhere else," Bailey explains. He also says that combat tuning and balancing is an ongoing process, noting that the overall combat feel is much improved even though a few new wrinkles have been introduced during the tweaking process. Head to the official Gods & Heroes website for the full dev diary.

In still other G&H news, Heatwave has officially dropped the game's NDA, so beta players can now freely talk about the title here and elsewhere!

MassivelyGods & Heroes dev blog talks class balance, lifts NDA originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classesdev-blogdev-diaryfantasygladiatorgods-and-heroesgods-and-heroes-rome-risingheatwaveheatwave-interactivemysticmythologyndanda-droppriestsoldiertodd-bailyFri, 04 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gods & Heroes details classes and releases new screenshots]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/gods-and-heroes-details-classes-and-releases-new-screenshots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/gods-and-heroes-details-classes-and-releases-new-screenshots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/gods-and-heroes-details-classes-and-releases-new-screenshots/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The devs at Heatwave Interactive have given Gods & Heroes fans a bit more information to mull over as they wait anxiously for the title's debut. In a press release dated earlier this morning, Heatwave detailed the game's four character classes and released an accompanying batch of screenshots.

While the classes don't stray too far from MMORPG norms, it's nonetheless instructive to see exactly what the game has in store. First up is the Gladiator, who, as you might surmise, exists to do massive melee damage at close range. The Soldier is your basic tank archetype, responsible for juggling aggro and taking a beating for his friends. The Mystic is Gods & Heroes' answer to ranged DPS, while the Priest is, crazily enough, the main healer.

You can get a full rundown on Gladiators, Soldiers, Priests, and Mystics at the game's main website, and don't forget to check out the new screens below.

Gallery: Gods and Heroes

MassivelyGods & Heroes details classes and releases new screenshots originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classesfantasygallerygladiatorgods-and-heroesheatwaveheatwave-interactivemysticmythologypress-releasepriestscreenshotssoldierThu, 17 Feb 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Mask: Semper Fidelis]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/behind-the-mask-semper-fidelis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/behind-the-mask-semper-fidelis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/behind-the-mask-semper-fidelis/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

This week on Behind the Mask, we're going to discuss the Soldier, Champions Online's modern weapons expert. The Soldier is a step down from the proposed Marine Archetype in that it only has eight weeks of basic training, unlike the Marine's 13.5 weeks, and the quality of a Soldier's training and discipline is inferior in almost every respect.

The proposed Marine Archetype includes two powers at level 1: Beatdown and Assault Rifle. The Marine's Beatdown has a 100% chance of putting an opponent into a blood choke on hit, while his Assault Rifle fires three-round bursts and kills the enemy instantly. The Marine also uses the "Hard Charger" role, which gives it infinite energy and infinite health. After all, Marines never quit and Marines never die. These elements are balanced by the Marine-exclusive Navy travel power, which gets the Marines to where they need to go within three to five weeks, most of the time.

The Soldier is just inferior in every respect to a battle-hardened Marine, but these weekend warriors have enough training to hold their own with undisciplined civillian heroes and their fancy tights.

Continue reading Behind the Mask: Semper Fidelis

MassivelyBehind the Mask: Semper Fidelis originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aint-ready-for-marines-yetarchetype-systembehind-the-maskchampions-onlineclass-guidecocrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-studiosf2pfeaturedsemper-fidelissoldiersoldier-archetypespray-and-prayThu, 17 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: Archetype discussion -- the Soldier]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/storyboard-archetype-discussion-the-soldier/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/storyboard-archetype-discussion-the-soldier/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/12/storyboard-archetype-discussion-the-soldier/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Welcome to this week's installment of Storyboard, in which I'm starting off what I am tentatively hoping to keep as a semi-regular series. For all the previous discussion of characters that don't work, we haven't touched upon any that do work. And considering we've all sat there trying to think of any sort of hook for our characters, it's useful to have some stock types to draw from. I'm going to take a look at some of the more common stock types, how and why they work in a variety of settings, and what sort of touches you can add to make a character stand out.

Of course, the first archetype we're looking at doesn't stand out. In fact, he excels at being a part of something larger, a cog in a machine whose only purpose is death. He's fighting for Stormwind, he's fighting for Bastok, he's fighting for the UFP -- he's the universal soldier, and he really is to blame. So why not cue up some appropriate background music, and take a look at the soldier as an archetype.

Continue reading Storyboard: Archetype discussion -- the Soldier

MassivelyStoryboard: Archetype discussion -- the Soldier originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armiesarmycharacter-archetypescharacter-creationcharacter-rolesconflictdutyfeaturedideasmilitariesmilitaryopinionroleplayingrolesrpsoldiersoldiersstoryboardwarFri, 12 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: Shopping for your skirmish soldier]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/21/the-road-to-mordor-shopping-for-your-skirmish-soldier/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/21/the-road-to-mordor-shopping-for-your-skirmish-soldier/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/21/the-road-to-mordor-shopping-for-your-skirmish-soldier/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Every Friday, The Road to Mordor brings you the latest in Lord of the Rings Online news, guides and analysis.

Breaking up, as the song goes, is hard to do -- but sometimes very, very necessary. I'll admit that I have recently settled into a bit of a skirmish funk, firing up a session here and there merely for the XP and the privilege of filling my bags with 576 different types of marks (seriously, Turbine, couldn't we switch from this confusing British-like currency to something more streamlined, like the Euro?). When I couldn't find a partner for a skirmish, the sessions seemed like a drag, and even though I dutifully stabbed my way through them, I grew to resent their length and my death-prone Herbalist soldier.

It wasn't until the other day that a friend challenged my choice of soldier, and in so doing, freed me up for a more enjoyable skirmish experience. "Why are you sticking with the Herbalist?" he asked. I shrugged -- I thought that's what you picked when you were DPS-y and lacked a lot of self-heals. After doing a bit of research on the forums, I made the switch from the decaf healbot to 100% caffeinated Archer goodness, and I couldn't be happier. Pew pew, stab stab, win win.

The choice of a soldier companion for skirmishes may be the tipping point between a painful slog and a joyful battle, as it was in my case. If you're still trying to figure out which soldier might work best with your class, then hit the jump and see what other players recommend you try.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Shopping for your skirmish soldier

MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Shopping for your skirmish soldier originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archerbannerguardburglarcaptainchampioncomboduofeaturedguardianherbalisthunterif-you-read-these-tags-you-have-excellent-eyesightlord-of-the-rings-onlinelore-masterlotrominstrelprotectorrune-keepersageskirmishskirmish-solidersoldierturbinewardenwarriorFri, 21 May 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stargate Worlds: We're still kicking, the pics prove it]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/stargate-worlds-were-still-kicking-the-pics-prove-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/stargate-worlds-were-still-kicking-the-pics-prove-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/16/stargate-worlds-were-still-kicking-the-pics-prove-it/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


It's been a long, difficult road for Stargate Worlds -- a game that has been mired in financial woes for quite some time. Now and again we do get to report some positive news about the sci-fi MMO, but it's clear that Stargate Worlds isn't out of the woods quite yet. Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment recently made an announcement to the game's fan community, thanking them for their support through tough times. CME stated, "We know you expect nothing less than the AAA content in Stargate Worlds our development team is working hard to give you along with some additional exciting news we will be revealing very soon! We want to thank everyone for their continued support and passion for Stargate Worlds and we can't wait to show you more of what we've been cooking up over here."

As to what they've been working on, Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment released some new screenshots of the armor and weapons for the Goa'uld, Jaffa, Soldier, and Scientist classes. CME explains, "Each of these armor sets will have unique traits that make them ideal for certain situations. As players become familiar with each world and the various environments they will encounter, they will discover which sets of armor best suit their play." The most recent Stargate Worlds images can be seen at the top of the gallery on the SGW Community Site.

Gallery: Stargate Worlds Screenshot Gallery

MassivelyStargate Worlds: We're still kicking, the pics prove it originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armorcheyenne-mountain-entertainmentclassescmegoauldjaffammo-industrysci-fiscientistsgwsoldierstargatestargate-worldsweaponsMon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Player vs. Everything: Gaming with a disability]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/player-vs-everything-gaming-with-a-disability/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/player-vs-everything-gaming-with-a-disability/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/player-vs-everything-gaming-with-a-disability/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Stephanie Walker was a gamer who had never expected to have to deal with a disability. She was 23 at the onset of her condition, a college student who also worked a full-time job. She liked to spend the little free time she had unwinding online. Initially resistant to the idea of playing EverQuest, Stephanie quickly discovered that slaying virtual orcs and bandits while joking around in party chat was surprisingly fun. It was a great way to keep in touch with long-distance friends and burn some stress after a long day. She didn't have a lot of time to play, but she was good at it when she did.

While working at her job one day, Stephanie noticed that her right hand and leg had fallen asleep. When she tried to get up to walk the sensation off, she realized that something was seriously wrong -- the entire right side of her body had just stopped working. Stephanie was rushed to the hospital, and the diagnosis was confirmed the following morning: she had multiple sclerosis, and she would have to deal with it for the rest of her life. Overnight, everything changed. She went from being someone who spent 20 hours per day away from home to someone who really never left. Moving around within her house required an enormous effort on her part. Even feeding herself had become a challenge. The little things, like not being able to get online and chat with her friends (something she really enjoyed) just made her situation that much more painful.

Continue reading Player vs. Everything: Gaming with a disability

MassivelyPlayer vs. Everything: Gaming with a disability originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>able-gamersaccessibilityblizzardcontrollerscraftingdisabilitydisableddisabled-accessdisabled-gamereverquestfeaturedflying-labfuncomgame-designguild-warsjoystiqfeaturesmultiple-sclerosisperipheralsplayer-vs-everythingsoftwaresoldiersoldiersveteransworld-of-warcraftMon, 28 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa Rage nerf, free respec for all]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/tabula-rasa-rage-nerf-free-respec-for-all/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/tabula-rasa-rage-nerf-free-respec-for-all/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/27/tabula-rasa-rage-nerf-free-respec-for-all/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

After Tabula Rasa forums and general chat have been flooded with rumors of an impending nerf to the Soldier's Rage ability. The discrepancy between the buff to damage Rage gives in practice, what it says in the tooltip, and what the designers originally intended has been the cause of a lot of speculation and debate. As it exists, you get a 105% buff to damage on the first pump alone, an extraordinary boost to damage for one paltry ability point. Destination Games' lead designer Paul Sage has finally put the conversation to rest today, announcing that an impending patch will be put on the PTR soon that will nerf Rage back into the realm of reality.

The fix will make Rage a fast cast ability (it currently has a two second casting time) and has modified the buffs as follows:
  • Rage 1: 30% damage self buff
  • Rage 2: 30% damage buff w/squad members
  • Rage 3: 40% damage self buff - 10% resist bonuses
  • Rage 4: 40% damage buff w/squad members
  • Rage 5: 50% damage buff w/squad members - 10% resist bonuses
Players will all receive a free respec in accordance with the change. Needless to say, we're quit excited to see how this change will work out when it goes live. Maybe we'll see more specialists!

MassivelyTabula Rasa Rage nerf, free respec for all originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingdestination-gamesnerfpaul-sageptrragesoldiertabula-rasaTue, 27 Nov 2007 09:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan's Guardian put under the microscope]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/12/age-of-conans-guardian-put-under-the-microscope/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/12/age-of-conans-guardian-put-under-the-microscope/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/12/age-of-conans-guardian-put-under-the-microscope/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Following on the heels of their report on the Dark Templar, TTH has another interview with Funcom product director Jørgen Tharaldsen, this time focusing on Age of Conan's Guardian class. The Guardians are part of the soldier archetype, their most prominent characteristic being the full plate armor that they bring with them to battle. To quote Tharaldsen, "Guardians are the unassailable rock upon which the waves of battle break." They go on to discuss how Guardians are more than just the AoC equivalent of WoW's prot-specced Warrior; they can switch up their maneuvers on the fly, exploiting enemy weaknesses by taking higher DPS approaches as the situation calls for.

We had hoped that they would choose to mix up the class list a bit more for this running feature. It feels a little redundant for them to be talking about two of the primary tanking classes so close together, when there are other interesting classes like the Bear Shaman or Ranger that they could throw in to add some variety to the gameplay mechanics they discuss. Oh well.

MassivelyAge of Conan's Guardian put under the microscope originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanAoCfuncomguardianJørgen-TharaldsensoldiertanksTTHMon, 12 Nov 2007 16:45:00 EST