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 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[The Daily Grind: Do you prefer content celerity to quality?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/the-daily-grind-do-you-prefer-content-celerity-to-quality/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/the-daily-grind-do-you-prefer-content-celerity-to-quality/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/the-daily-grind-do-you-prefer-content-celerity-to-quality/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Cavell Glacier, photograph by Wing-Chi Poon
Gamers love to mock Blizzard Entertainment for the "glacial" pace of content updates to World of Warcraft. Patches and expansions seem to trickle out so slowly that players have time to unsub and resub multiple times between updates. Trion Worlds, on the other hand, seems determined to push RIFT patches through on a monthly basis, as if to show WoW how it's done.

And yet there are trade-offs to speed. All other things being equal, more time spent on content means more polished content. And content released at break-neck speed can wind up launching more quickly than subscribers can actually digest it, leading to players who find themselves lost and languishing in the wake of a game that's effectively lapped them. That leads us to today's Daily Grind topic. We often clamor for more content and faster updates, but is that really what players want? When it comes to your content, do you prefer celerity or quality?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you prefer content celerity to quality? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentbrianna-royce-tdgcontentexpansionopinionpatchriftspeedtdgthe-daily-grindtriontrion-worldsupdateWorld-of-WarcraftwowThu, 27 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Is your bandwidth too slow?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/23/the-daily-grind-is-your-bandwidth-too-slow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/23/the-daily-grind-is-your-bandwidth-too-slow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/23/the-daily-grind-is-your-bandwidth-too-slow/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A Series of Tubes
Pando Networks recently released a study measuring internet speeds all across the world. Not surprisingly, South Korea came out at the top of that list with an average download speed of 2,202 KBps.

To MMO gamers, our connection is our life. We don't enjoy a hiccup in the tubes, but it gives us a handy excuse when we die in PvP, right? Government restrictions, lack of proper infrastructure, and a general lack of technological understanding and foresight all contribute to the slow speeds that plague the rest of the civilized world.

So with this Pando study in mind, we'd like to conduct an informal study of our own among the greatest internet citizens of all time: the Massively readers. What's your internet speed? Is it too slow, too fast (impossible!), or just right for your gaming needs?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Is your bandwidth too slow? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bandwidthopinionpandopando-networksresearchseries-of-tubesspeedtdgthe-daily-grindFri, 23 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Upgrading to a PvP cruiser: Minmatar and Caldari]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/07/eve-evolved-upgrading-to-a-pvp-cruiser-minmatar-and-caldari/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/07/eve-evolved-upgrading-to-a-pvp-cruiser-minmatar-and-caldari/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/07/eve-evolved-upgrading-to-a-pvp-cruiser-minmatar-and-caldari/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Over the years, I've introduced several friends to EVE Online and tried to give them the best start possible. Offering a financial safety net for ship losses definitely helped a little, as did providing funding to back market experiments and manufacturing or research ventures. What I found helped most of all was to bring new players on quick PvP fleets and discourage them from gravitating toward mining or mission-running as their primary form of gameplay. The adrenaline rush of EVE PvP is something I've yet to find in another MMO, and it's the reason so many of us are hooked to the game. It only makes sense then to introduce new players to it as soon as possible.

Last month, I encouraged new players who might be starting out on their own to grab a few friends and similarly charge into PvP from day one. To follow up, the last two weeks' columns have been dedicated to getting new players into their first PvP frigate and upgrading to a cruiser, with emphasis on staying financially ahead of the inevitable ship losses. Last week we tackled Gallente and Amarr ships, with some cheap battle-tested setups for the Thorax, Vexor, Arbitrator and Omen that new players will be able to fly with only a few weeks of skill training.

In this week's EVE Evolved, we look at Minmatar and Caldari cruisers, with setups for the Stabber, Rupture, Blackbird and Moa and tips on saving your escape pod to minimise the cost of death.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Upgrading to a PvP cruiser: Minmatar and Caldari

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Upgrading to a PvP cruiser: Minmatar and Caldari originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blackbirdblastersccpccp-eveccp-gamesecmelectronic-warfareeveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedfittingmissilesmoanew-playernew-playersnewbiepiracypiratepvpruptureshieldship-fittingspeedstabbertankSun, 07 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's your favorite mode of travel?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/04/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-mode-of-travel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/04/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-mode-of-travel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/04/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-mode-of-travel/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

From the earliest days of video games, players have understood that there's a lot of ground to cover. Of course, you could always walk around like an animal, but most MMOs give you a variety of different ways to get from place to place. Aion lets you take to the sky on wings, City of Heroes lets you take to the sky on absolutely nothing if you like, and Guild Wars lets you just teleport wherever you want to go once you've visited at least once.

Whether you're hopping on a flight path in World of Warcraft, fueling up your ATV in Fallen Earth, or setting off at warp speed in Star Trek Online, it's still the same core concept -- going from point A to point B in the fastest and most stylish fashion possible. So what's your favorite way to fly, drive, or ride around your game of choice?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's your favorite mode of travel? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>efficiencyflyingmountsmovementon-the-road-againridingspeedtdgthe-daily-grindtraveltravel-abilitiestravel-methodsSat, 04 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: Raid wipe, now what!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/the-guild-counsel-raid-wipe-now-what/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/the-guild-counsel-raid-wipe-now-what/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/the-guild-counsel-raid-wipe-now-what/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Whether you're a guildleader or not, there's always one single moment that everyone dreads in an MMO: the wipe. It's caused sleepless nights, tons of gray hairs, and in some cases, the breakup of a guild. The first few seconds after a raid wipe resemble that scene from Speed:

"Pop quiz, hot shot. There are dozens of players attacking a mob, it's at one percent, your tanks drop, and you wipe. What do you do?"

If you've ever been Keanu Reaves on that out of control bus, read on for a few helpful tips on what to do when everything hits the fan.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Raid wipe, now what!

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Raid wipe, now what! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adviceeverquest-iiexperiencefeaturedguild-adviceGuild-counselguild-leadershipguild-managementguildskeanu-reevesraid-leaderraid-wipesraidingraidsspeedwipesThu, 10 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: Easy button]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/wings-over-atreia-easy-button/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/wings-over-atreia-easy-button/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/wings-over-atreia-easy-button/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

You young whippersnappers don't know how easy ya got it! When I was your level, we had to delve deep into the heart of KHQ to do our campaigns, uphill, both ways! And it wasn't no namby-pamby walk in the park, either -- you wiped multiple times just to get where yer going! Why, back in my day, we could go days, sometimes weeks without skills, trying to scrimp and save enough for the books.

There is no question about it: The Aion of today is much different than than the Aion of yesteryear. Heck, it's not the same game as last week! Yup folks, with each successive patch and update that NCsoft rolls out, the game we love (or love to hate, as the case may be) gets progressively easier. Patch 1.9 saw the addition of repeatable quests to ease the leveling curve; 2.0 brought more quests and higher kinah rewards from them; and Wednesday's 2.1 increased drop rates to astronomical levels. All good news, right?

Personally, I am leery of this seeming accelerated trend towards installing an easy button in the game, and I think that there are some serious repercussions to over-simplifying. Now, don't get me wrong -- I am all for lightening the load and eradicating flawed designs that have a fun factor of zero (hot heart of magic, anyone?), but at what point does making the game a bit easier go too far? While the game certainly shouldn't be a job in itself, do we really need to cater to the instant-gratification crowd by dumbing it down completely? I firmly believe in the old adage "you appreciate what you have to work for," and I think that spoon-feeding players is a bad idea that is going to come back and nip NCsoft in the... ankle.

Glide past the cut to explore for yourself the new easy buttons within Atreia.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Easy button

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Easy button originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.91.9-patch2.02.1aionaion-gameassault-on-balaureacampaign-questscampaignseasy-buttonfeaturedinstant-gratificationKHQkinahnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionQuestsrepeatable-questsspeedVerteronWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 22 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Places to go, questions to answer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/a-mild-mannered-reporter-places-to-go-questions-to-answer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/a-mild-mannered-reporter-places-to-go-questions-to-answer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/04/a-mild-mannered-reporter-places-to-go-questions-to-answer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's hard to believe that in just two weeks, all of the debates about whether or not Going Rogue will revitalize City of Heroes will be out of the land of theory and into the realm of practice. And while we've still got another week in the land of theory, right now we're taking a trip... well, still into the land of theory, but into the land of theories you asked for. Which is different, in a way! I have a hard time writing these introductions.

Haggs asked:
"...now that you're getting new lower-level content, why would you want to go through it as fast as you're going through the old content?"

It's not always a question of "want." Levels 1-20 in City of Heroes are not nearly as slow as the later levels -- they don't start to really feel long until you reach the 30s, but it's much faster to go from 1-20 than from 20-30 even if you're just playing casually. The flow of leveling appears to be tuned so that players will be able to hit a level of moderate competence fairly quickly, spend a bit of time fleshing out their powers, and then spend quite some time filing off any rough edges via the 40+ powers.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Places to go, questions to answer

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Places to go, questions to answer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitioncity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxdevelopmentdevelopment-timefeaturedgoing-roguegrlevel-speedlevelingleveling-speedmelissa-bianconcsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchesreward-programsspeedtask-forcestime-playedupdatesveteranveteran-rewardsyearsWed, 04 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Pick up and play]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/02/the-daily-grind-pick-up-and-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/02/the-daily-grind-pick-up-and-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/02/the-daily-grind-pick-up-and-play/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


As soon as you log on to City of Heroes, you can look up a randomly-generated mission via the newspaper or police scanner, dart off to the location, and most likely have it cleared out in fifteen minutes. A tank in World of Warcraft can log on, set themselves up via the dungeon finder, and often be done with a dungeon run before they finish their favorite episode of The Office. It's a far cry from a Dragoon in the heyday of Final Fantasy XI sitting in Jeuno for three hours without a party invitation. Say what you will about grinds, but the barrier to accessing content has never been lower.

The ability to pick up and immediately get moving in many MMOs has become quite a selling point, but there are players who feel that it rewards quantity and almost hyperactive runs through content rather than depth of play. What do you feel about systems to let players jump in as quickly as possible? Is it a major selling point you'd like to see more of, or a growing weakness that's turning persistent worlds into glorified lobbies?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Pick up and play originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessaccess-speedboredomcity-of-heroescohcontentdowntimeffxifinal-fantasy-xigrouping-speedlobbiesopinionpersistent-worldsspeedtdgthe-daily-grindwaitingworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 02 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Winterblink on EVE Online's Quantum Rise expansion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/25/winterblink-on-eve-onlines-quantum-rise-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/25/winterblink-on-eve-onlines-quantum-rise-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/25/winterblink-on-eve-onlines-quantum-rise-expansion/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Longtime players of EVE Online will be very familiar with the name 'Winterblink', or Michael Lastucka. He's the man behind years worth of contributions and commentaries linked to EVE, through the Warp Drive Active comic, the WDA podcast, and now he's a columnist at Massive Gamer Magazine as well.

His latest column, "Quantum of Polish" looks at the recent EVE expansion deployment and how it's changed the game. Lastucka points out some of the user interface changes that he finds beneficial. Visual representation of module cycles provide greater understanding of what's happening and weapon grouping allows players to switch between ammo types, and have a single 'fire' icon as well. But there's clearly more work to be done in terms of weapon/turret effects and some aspects of the UI, in order to reduce lag and improve performance.

Continue reading Winterblink on EVE Online's Quantum Rise expansion

MassivelyWinterblink on EVE Online's Quantum Rise expansion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gameseveeve-onlineexpansionsgame-mechanicsmassive-gamermassive-gamer-magazinemichael-lastuckanano-nerfopinionpvpquantum-risesci-fispeedspeed-nerfuiuser-interfacewarp-drive-activewdaweapon-groupingwinterblinkTue, 25 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Analogy explains PvP basics in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/analogy-explains-pvp-basics-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/analogy-explains-pvp-basics-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/analogy-explains-pvp-basics-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


PvP in EVE Online can take a while to become effective at, and there are a number of factors a player must consider -- both in terms of ship fittings and tactics used -- when engaging opponents. Speed, range, damage types, active tanking vs. passive tanking, when to engage and when to evade, are but a few things that need to be taken into account.

Given this complexity, there are players in the game who've recognized that there's a real need for PvP instruction in the game and offer services to that end. Agony Unleashed stands as EVE's premier PvP school, regularly offering courses that show players how to use a given type of ship to its deadliest potential. Baka Lakadaka, of Agony Unleashed, has written a piece for EVE Tribune called "A Tale of Three Waterpistols" that could be useful to a newer player trying to get a handle on PvP in EVE. Check out his article for a look at how tracking, speed, and optimal range are interrelated in EVE, through the easily-understood analogy between children (of different sizes) shooting waterpistols at one another, and the relative strengths and limitations of different ship types.

MassivelyAnalogy explains PvP basics in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agony-unleashedbaka-lakadakaccpccp-gamesdamageeveeve-onlineeve-tribunegame-mechanicsinstructionpvprangesci-fispeedtips-and-trickstrackingMon, 13 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online live dev blog on speed balancing, Wednesday Oct. 8]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/06/eve-online-live-dev-blog-on-speed-balancing-wednesday-oct-8/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/06/eve-online-live-dev-blog-on-speed-balancing-wednesday-oct-8/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/06/eve-online-live-dev-blog-on-speed-balancing-wednesday-oct-8/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

CCP Games is bringing back live dev blogs for EVE Online, this week's will deal with speed balancing. Developers Greyscale and Fendahl will be on-hand this Wednesday, October 8th at 20:00 GMT to address player questions about these changes. The dev blog will last roughly an hour, and will take place in EVE, in the "Live Dev Blog" channel.

If you're interested in getting your questions answered, you'll need to post in the thread linked to this live dev blog to get your questions on their list. Players are already firing away, asking if the speed changes are limited to the nano-nerf and adjustments of stasis webifiers/warp scramblers, or if more sweeping changes to game mechanics are on the horizon. If you want answers about the speed balancing, this is probably your best chance for the time being, unless CCP opts to come out with an updated dev blog following this event.

MassivelyEVE Online live dev blog on speed balancing, Wednesday Oct. 8 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-fendahlccp-gamesccp-greyscaledev-blogeveeve-onlinefendahlgame-mechanicsgreyscalelive-dev-blognano-nerfnerfpvpsci-fispeedspeed-balancingMon, 06 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Is EVE Online going soft?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/10/eve-evolved-is-eve-online-going-soft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/10/eve-evolved-is-eve-online-going-soft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/10/eve-evolved-is-eve-online-going-soft/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

EVE Online has always been regarded as one of the harshest MMOs on the market, with solid death penalties and a steep learning curve to its PvP. After five successful years, many players now fear that EVE's development has shifted in the opposite direction. It all started when the minutes of CCP's recent meetings with the Council of Stellar Management (CSM) were published on the official EVE forums. These notes showed CCP's position on the 27 separate issues the CSM brought to their attention. Discussion on the issues, ranging from Black Ops battleships to PvP aggression timers, was opened to the public exactly one month ago and CCP's position on them has been a topic of hot debate ever since.

Controversy:
Among the most controversy-laden issues on the table are two recent devblogs covering important balance changes slated for EVE's near future. The first major announcement was the infamous "nano nerf" that sparked off over 130 pages of highly charged debate. This was followed later by another devblog announcing major nerfs to suicide ganking. Combined with CCP Noah's recent comment suggesting that war declarations amount to griefing, many players are beginning to question the direction EVE's development is headed in.

Is EVE Online starting to go soft? In this article, I ask whether the development direction of EVE has changed and examine what it means for the game's future.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Is EVE Online going soft?

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Is EVE Online going soft? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedgankgriefingjoystiqfeaturesnanonerfpvprumorspeedsuicidewarSun, 10 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Player and developer interaction in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/09/player-and-developer-interaction-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/09/player-and-developer-interaction-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/09/player-and-developer-interaction-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

MMOs are constantly evolving games, from their earliest days as they're conceptualized to their final days when the servers shut down, forever. They evolve throughout their lifespan because they must. Players naturally pick up on ways to use the ever-changing game mechanics to best suit them, prompting the devs to either brand these tactics as an exploit or targeting them for rebalancing in a future patch. A case in point is the impending speed nerf in EVE Online, which is one of the biggest issues currently debated by EVE pilots.

But do players have the right to be this angry when the developers change the game? Jim Rossignol argues this point in "EVE Online and the Big Nerf": "EVE is basically a ongoing symbiotic process... perhaps this means the developer has to make some unpopular decisions for the good of the process as a whole. The relationship between player and developer is not one of equals, nor is it always at its best when it is entirely amiable." Do you agree with Rossignol on this -- and does paying that $15 a month entitle MMO players to pressure devs to change the game to fit their playstyle, or should MMO developers keep the game balanced as they see fit?

MassivelyPlayer and developer interaction in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Aug 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balanceccpccp-gamesdevdevelopereveeve-onlinegame-mechanicsjim-rossignolnerfopinionpvprockpapershotgunsci-fispeedspeed-nerfsubsubscriptionSat, 09 Aug 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How long should it take to reach the level cap?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/the-daily-grind-how-long-should-it-take-to-reach-the-level-cap/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/the-daily-grind-how-long-should-it-take-to-reach-the-level-cap/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/07/the-daily-grind-how-long-should-it-take-to-reach-the-level-cap/#commentsFiled under: ,

Yesterday Blizzard revealed that World of Warcraft's recruit-a-friend program will undergo some big changes. One of those changes: if you group with a friend whose account was signed up because you invited him or her to play, you'll both receive experience at 300% the normal rate.

Blizzard has already decreased the amount of XP needed to reach level 60. When Wrath of the Lich King launches, word has it that an even bigger slash will occur in the 60 - 70 range. How long will it take to 60, 70, or 80 now, we wonder? That probably depends on your personal playstyle. But the question of how long it ought to take to reach the endgame in an EverQuest/World of Warcraft-style MMO has been on our minds ever since Funcom made a statement about how many hours it wants people to invest to reach level 80 in Age of Conan.

What's the sweet spot for you? Do you want to get there as fast as possible, or is the journey to the top the real attraction?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How long should it take to reach the level cap? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>607080advancementage-of-conanblizzardcapendgameeverquestfuncomlevellevel-capleveling-upmax-outmaxed-outratesoespeedtdgthe-daily-grindworld-of-warcraftwrath-of-the-lich-kingThu, 07 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A look at EVE Online's combat basics]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/01/a-look-at-eve-onlines-combat-basics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/01/a-look-at-eve-onlines-combat-basics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/01/a-look-at-eve-onlines-combat-basics/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Jim Rossignol has become well-known in the game journalism scene, more recently as a regular contributor at RockPaperShotgun and the author of This Gaming Life. Along the way, he's become a veteran EVE Online player, and he's passing along some of that combat know-how to readers in a series of articles at Eurogamer. Rossignol is starting out slow with the first installment, easing readers into "the basic principles of killing people," but he'll progress to more advanced aspects of combat and conflict in EVE. Ultimately, he hopes to introduce players to the ambitions and tactics of New Eden's alliances, which can number well into the thousands of players.

In 'combat basics', Rossignol relates the basic principles of combat in EVE Online to the standard groupings of damage, tank, crowd-control, and healer that most MMO gamers are familiar with from other titles. He notes that these combat roles are quite different in EVE, as a given ship's module fittings give players a great deal of flexibility, but of course makes for a more complex PvP system. Rossignol touches on the idea that speed is king in EVE, and he's correct. Just keep in mind that the nano-era's days are numbered, a fact which Rossignol stresses as well. Have a look at Rossignol's combat basics, and his take on the ever-changing state of PvP in EVE Online.

[Via CrazyKinux]

MassivelyA look at EVE Online's combat basics originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online has evolved into a game where being fast and agile allows you to choose your fights, dictate range and thus control the course of the battle, disengage whenever you choose, and often move so quickly that you're largely unassailable. However, the era of the nano craze will soon be coming to a close, according to EVE Online developer CCP Nozh.

His latest dev blog addresses the insane velocities achievable, even by previously lumbering battleships, with combinations of speed modules, rigs, pirate implants and performance-boosting drugs. (For those less familiar with EVE or its more deviant aspects, you can in fact use and sell drugs in the game.) CCP Nozh outlined the dev team's design goals in stemming the speed crisis:

Continue reading Speed kills

MassivelySpeed kills originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Whether certain tactics and ship setups are balanced is a topic that's been constantly debated on the EVE Online forums for as long as I can remember. The argument itself is as old as EVE and is repeated daily on the forums like some kind of popular EVE Online screen play. The script of this play doesn't always follow the same format but the same roles are always filled by the players participating. On one side, we have people who think a certain tactic is unbalanced and should be fixed by CCP in a balance patch. On the other side, we have people who rely on the tactic being discussed that are afraid it might be changed. Everyone else with an opinion falls somewhere on the spectrum between these two extremes.

Not so long ago, the arguments were about nosferatu used on a Dominix being unbalanced and remote sensor dampeners being too powerful. Discussions about of these led to some re-balancing to help level the PvP playing field. The latest argument is about nano-fit ships and nano-gangs. The "nano" craze is a PvP ship fitting style and fighting strategy that favours speed over all else. Ships like the Sacrilege and the Ishtar which might normally be fitted with heavy tanks are instead fitted for high speed and agility. Rather than resist and repair damage, a ship with high speed and agility can evade enemy fire altogether. A nano-fit ship can orbit an enemy so quickly that the enemy's turrets can't track them and missiles deal tiny amounts of damage.

With some pilots claiming that viable counter-maneuvers exist to combat the nano craze and others calling it "easy mode for PvP", it's hard to know what to think. Read on while I delve into this controversial issue and draw some important conclusions.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The nano problem

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The nano problem originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 May 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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