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[Choose My Adventure: Atys refugee blues]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/choose-my-adventure-atys-refugee-blues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/choose-my-adventure-atys-refugee-blues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/choose-my-adventure-atys-refugee-blues/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Being able to animate your character during creation is a nice touch.
Last week's polls were enough for me to get started in the world of Ryzom over the weekend, so I took my first steps back into the game that I haven't played for quite some time. I still remembered how some of it worked, thankfully, but there were a lot of elements that I'd almost completely forgotten. And while I'm still knee-deep in the starter area, I've played enough to at least get some starter impressions.

But let's make this a full narrative, yes? When we left off, the group verdict was that I would be starting out as a Zorai with the Magic starter package based off of a female Shakespearean tragic character. And thus, with only a little extra effort, Corlede was born into the world of Ryzom. The character creator offers a variety of features, allowing you to select your character's build in fine detail but offering a strange lack of certain other options. There are also some odd constraints on character types -- you find yourself always locked within a certain general band of height, for instance, so there are no really tall Trykers.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Atys refugee blues

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Atys refugee blues originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choose-my-adventurecmacolumncolumnsculturedirectionfeaturedgame-mechanicshands-onlevelingopinionoverviewpollpollsreaders-choiceryzomstartingstarting-areathe-saga-of-ryzomvotevotingwinch-gatewinch-gate-productions-limitedWed, 01 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Destination - Apocalypse now]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/choose-my-adventure-destination-apocalypse-now/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/choose-my-adventure-destination-apocalypse-now/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/choose-my-adventure-destination-apocalypse-now/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

So my bags are packed (what exactly do you pack for an apocalypse? I vote toothbrush, regardless!) and I'm setting out for the Lake Tahoe region. Yup, our itinerary is set -- Xsyon has won the hearts of the readers for this next escapade in the Choose My Adventure series. I find this kind of exciting, as I grew up frequenting this area out here in the real world and look forward to seeing it represented in the game.

Now, I have a confession to make: I watched the vote carefully. Too carefully. OK, I was obsessed with it! I don't think I can even tell you how many times I clicked refresh in one day; it was quite addicting to watch the numbers creep up as the readers cast their votes. And since six weeks of my life was on the line, I had a vested interest in the outcome. At least, that's how I tried to rationalize my maniacal refreshing. Xsyon commanded the lead straight off, but Pirates of the Burning Sea had a good showing and maintained a solid second place throughout the contest. Four games kept running neck-and-neck: DC Universe Online, Earthrise, EVE Online, and LEGO Universe. I admit to rooting some for the underdogs as well -- each game has special and unique features I would enjoy delving into. Think about it: Can you imagine life as a LEGO? But in the end, no one could topple the promise of a vast wasteland filled with mutants and an empty canvas for players to fill in.

So now that we have the setting, all we need is the character. Unlike many games, Xsyon demands that you pick things such as your crafting skills at character creation, so please forgive the number of polls attached to this week's article.

Head on past the cut to learn a bit about Xsyon and vote to make me build the CMA creature of your bidding!

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Destination - Apocalypse now

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Destination - Apocalypse now originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocalypseapocalypticcharacter-creationcharacter-customizationcharacterschoose-my-adventurechoose-my-adventure-mj-guthriechoose-my-adventure-xsyoncmacraftingcrafting-skillsfeaturedjordi-grau-davismutantmutantsmutatemythicalmythical-creaturesnotorious-gamespollpollspvpSandboxsandbox-experiencesandbox-mmoskillsstarting-areastarting-locationterraformingtotemstribesweaponsXsyonxsyon-earth-2012xsyon-preludeWed, 02 Mar 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's your favorite starting zone?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/17/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-starting-zone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/17/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-starting-zone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/17/the-daily-grind-whats-your-favorite-starting-zone/#commentsFiled under: , ,

No matter where we end up in our MMOs -- the hardcore end game raider, the PvPer, the trade chat troll -- we all share the same starting points: a delivery room at Warhammer Mercy Medical. No, wait, I mean that we all magically start our existence as fully grown adults who already possess advance combat training (just like real life, amirite?), and for whatever reason, we begin our story in the same spots as everyone else in the world.

Perhaps we should be calling these starter zones "Mommy"?

In any case, what's your favorite starting zone out of all the MMOs you've played? What evokes the strongest sense of nostalgia, provides the smoothest leveling experience, showers you with wondrous atmosphere and tells the best story?

Some MMOs add newer starter zones long into the lifespan of the game, forcing players to choose between the creaky "old" newbie areas and the spiffy golden eggs that the devs just laid. As a bonus question, do you prefer these newer starting areas to the original ones?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's your favorite starting zone? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>newbie-areanewbie-zoneopinionstarter-areastarter-zonesstarting-areastarting-zonestdgthe-daily-grindwarhammer-mercy-medicalWed, 17 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New DC Universe Online Inside the Studio video answers more questions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/24/new-dc-universe-online-inside-the-studio-video-answers-more-ques/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/24/new-dc-universe-online-inside-the-studio-video-answers-more-ques/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/24/new-dc-universe-online-inside-the-studio-video-answers-more-ques/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

One of the things we love about DC Universe Online is the way Game Director Chris Cao and Creative Director Jens Andersen take time out of their undoubtedly busy schedules to answer questions that come in on the DC Universe Online Facebook page. The newest update to their Inside the Studio videos offers up another pile of questions asked by the community, with some amusing results.

From starting areas (Metropolis for metahumans, Gotham for technophiles, China Town for magical-origin characters), to the availability of regular street clothes (short answer: yes), and even questions about anthropomorphic animal heads, Cao and Andersen cover some really interesting ground. Pop by the DC Universe Online Facebook page to check out the full video -- and be sure to leave your questions for the developers while you're there!

MassivelyNew DC Universe Online Inside the Studio video answers more questions originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anthropomorphic-animal-headschris-caodcdc-comicsdc-universedc-universe-onlinedcuofacebookinside-the-studiojens-andersenoriginspowerssoesony-online-entertainmentsqueaking-one-past-marketingstarting-areastreet-clothingsuper-herovideoFri, 24 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Proper PAX preparation prevents poor PAX performance]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/31/hyperspace-beacon-proper-pax-preparation-prevents-poor-pax-perf/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/31/hyperspace-beacon-proper-pax-preparation-prevents-poor-pax-perf/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/31/hyperspace-beacon-proper-pax-preparation-prevents-poor-pax-perf/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Welcome once again to your guide through everything Star Wars: The Old Republic, which is soon to be released by EA-BioWare. Larry Everett presents the Hyperspace Beacon.

Deborah Shin, the Marketing Manager for Star Wars: The Old Republic told TOROcast at E3 that PAX was going to be the game's biggest event of the year. When I heard that announcement about a month and a half ago, I decided that I would have to make it to this event. Prior to that I was willing to let others do the reporting while I snagged some stories at home. I want Massively to be your source of SWTOR news, so how could I not go to the biggest SWTOR bash of the year?

This week's agenda is quite simple in scope, but a bit more complicated in execution. I hope to give you a very brief overview of what we know of our favorite game going into PAX, followed by a few directions I could go with information gathering. Ultimately, I want the fan's opinion. What information do you want to see come out of this fan-tastic exposition? Follow me after the jump, where I break down the possibilities.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Proper PAX preparation prevents poor PAX performance

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Proper PAX preparation prevents poor PAX performance originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alexander-freedBioWareclassesdeb-shindeborah-shinE3eaelectronic-artsend-gameendgamefeaturedLucasArtspax-2010pax-prime-2010Playable-Racesplayable-speciesracesSDCCspace-combatspeciesStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicstarting-areastarting-questsstarting-zoneswtorthe-old-republictorTOROcastWar-zonesTue, 31 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Facefirst into Praetoria]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/25/a-mild-mannered-reporter-facefirst-into-praetoria/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/25/a-mild-mannered-reporter-facefirst-into-praetoria/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/25/a-mild-mannered-reporter-facefirst-into-praetoria/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's finally here, and I have to admit, it's a little weird to realize it. After I spent the better part of half a year focusing on Going Rogue, the expansion has been released and is totally playable. To have the game sitting in front of me (metaphorically) after it's become such a huge part of my professional life is almost too daunting. I almost didn't even want to fire up the launcher to...

OK, yeah, that part isn't fooling anyone. Getting to play around a bit while it was in beta to see how it would play was nice, but I couldn't get myself into City of Heroes fast enough to start leveling a Loyalist and going to town on the new side of town. At the end of the day, I'm just a player like everyone reading this column, and the game I got to play on Monday evening made me very happy indeed. There's a lot to see and do, and I've tried to recap some of the disconnected thoughts in this week's column. And as a bonus, there's a sad announcement at the end! It's like a bonus, anyway.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Facefirst into Praetoria

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Facefirst into Praetoria originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alignmentalignment-systemcity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxexpansionexperiencefeaturedgame-mechanicsgoing-roguegrheromission-mechanicsmissionsparagonparagon-studiospraetoriaroguestarting-arcsstarting-areavigilantevillainWed, 25 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A peek at Gridania and Ul'dah in Final Fantasy XIV]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/17/a-peek-at-gridania-and-uldah-in-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/17/a-peek-at-gridania-and-uldah-in-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/17/a-peek-at-gridania-and-uldah-in-final-fantasy-xiv/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Square-Enix has been as good as their word when it comes to obfuscating the details of Final Fantasy XIV, even through testing. Testers have been confined to the port city of Limsa Lominsa all through the beta phases, but last week Square gave a small hands-on to a handful of sites showing off the other two cities. FFXIVCore happened to be among them, and offers an extensive rundown of the experience in both Ul'dah and Gridania -- both of which are very different from the thoroughly-tested pirate-themed opening.

Gridania's opening takes place within the dense forests surrounding the city, with a crashed airship and a rather unexpected encounter with wolves. Ul'dah, on the other hand, features a great deal of pageantry being disrupted by the untimely freedom of a goobue. Both include certain common elements from the Limsa Lominsa opening, most notably the meteor shower and the disembodied voice, but the rundown indicates that players starting in different settings will have a memorable start to their adventures as well. That's good news for Final Fantasy XIV's future players, although perhaps a bitter pill for the testers not yet able to play these cities.

MassivelyA peek at Gridania and Ul'dah in Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabetasffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivgridaniahands-onlimsa-lominsapreviewssquaresquare-enixstartingstarting-areastarting-citiesstarting-experienceuldahTue, 17 Aug 2010 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Planet Calypso aims to attract new players with starting area]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/07/planet-calypso-aims-to-attract-new-players-with-starting-area/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/07/planet-calypso-aims-to-attract-new-players-with-starting-area/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/07/planet-calypso-aims-to-attract-new-players-with-starting-area/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Planet Calypso, the long-running real-cash economy MMORPG from First Planet Company and MindArk, will soon offer a new and dedicated starting area for new players. Previously, player colonists were at the mercy of the title's veteran residents and were thrown right into Planet Calypso's considerable learning curve with little in the way of an introduction.

Now, newbies can partake of the safe starting area (restricted to new players), learn the game's basics, and grab missions in the new Calypso Gateway. Players will hunt, mine, and craft using starter equipment on the secluded arrival island, and they will not be able to return once they've completed the tutorials and traveled to mainland Calypso.

Check out the official site for all the details.

MassivelyPlanet Calypso aims to attract new players with starting area originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>calypso-gatewayentropia-universefirst-planet-companymindarknew-playersplanet-calypsoproject-entropiastarter-areastarting-areaWed, 07 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Rising Tide continues to wash over Perfect World International]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/the-rising-tide-continues-to-wash-over-perfect-world-internation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/the-rising-tide-continues-to-wash-over-perfect-world-internation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/29/the-rising-tide-continues-to-wash-over-perfect-world-internation/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Will you be prepared when the tide rises and the seas give up their secrets? Well, if you check out this nifty trailer for Rising Tide -- the recently released expansion to Perfect World International -- that we've managed to get our hands on, you'll have a good head-start if you decide to wade in!

Featuring a brand new race -- the graceful, aquatic Tideborn, new starting areas for players to enjoy, and a whole pile of new challenges, the expansion offers players a great deal of new content for everyone. Perfect World International players are facing off against a whole new evil to rescue the underwater kingdom through three new explorable zones, 200+ new quests, 100+ new monsters, new gear, and more!

For those interested, be sure to check out the trailer behind the break, or pop over to the Perfect World International site for more details -- or to sign up! After all, there's no charge to take a dip in the Rising Tide.

Continue reading The Rising Tide continues to wash over Perfect World International

MassivelyThe Rising Tide continues to wash over Perfect World International originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>expansionf2pfree-to-playnew-raceperfect-worldperfect-world-internationalpwirising-tidestarting-areatide-borntidebornvideoThu, 29 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Starting out in Vana'diel: Going solo, tips for levels 1-10]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/starting-out-in-vanadiel-going-solo-tips-for-levels-1-10/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/starting-out-in-vanadiel-going-solo-tips-for-levels-1-10/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/starting-out-in-vanadiel-going-solo-tips-for-levels-1-10/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Hello again adventurers! Welcome back to Starting out in Vana'diel! Last time I promised that I would talk about getting levels 1-10 done and what you should do once you're done. While this probably won't be the most exciting column that will ever be written in this series, it is one of the most essential.

While not everything in Final Fantasy XI comes down to levels, they seem to be the main drive for any gamer who picks this game up. Plus, I know people really don't like grinds, but that's what levels 1-10 are going to be. I'm not going to sugar coat it -- these are the most painful levels of the game.

But, thanks to Fields of Valor and the exp bonus ring that you should have in your possession, things should go very smooth. (You didn't lose it since our first column, right?) Join me after the break, so we can get started on getting you to the magical level 10.

Continue reading Starting out in Vana'diel: Going solo, tips for levels 1-10

MassivelyStarting out in Vana'diel: Going solo, tips for levels 1-10 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>exp-bonusexp-chainfeaturedffxifinal-fantasy-xigroupingjoystiqfeatureslevel-10levelingstarting-areastarting-out-in-vanadielvalkurm-dunesTue, 17 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Making/Money: Conservation of Mass - Part 1]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/making-money-conservation-of-mass-part-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/making-money-conservation-of-mass-part-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/07/making-money-conservation-of-mass-part-1/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

This is the first in a series of articles theorizing on what a virtual economic system that had a finite number of resources might be like. I would like to impress upon you that everything expressed here is hypothetical. As far as I am aware at this time, there are no games currently being made with a system like this. Also, this is only one potential way that it could be done.

There have been several discussions amongst friends and fellow bloggers lately of what the economy of game with no ability to spontaneously create items might be like. Specifically, what if all of the resources, loot, and money in the game was there at the start and no more could be generated during gameplay than had been removed? In short, what if the law of Conservation of Mass was obeyed in a MMORPG?

Let's be clear about this - we're not talking about each character starting out with a set amount of gear or money that they would then have to use throughout their lifespan. This would be a server-wide amount of stuff. All players would have access to it provided that it was available. Once an item was "destroyed", either by dropping it or by selling it to an NPC, another item could become available.

Continue reading Making/Money: Conservation of Mass - Part 1

MassivelyMaking/Money: Conservation of Mass - Part 1 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gen Con is rolling along this weekend in Indianapolis, and Turbine is there showing off their upcoming release of Module 8 in Dungeons and Dragons Online. Massively dropped in on their show floor booth to see what they had to see and chat about the brand new character creation system coming to the game, as well as upcoming enhancements, including an increased level cap and maybe even a chance to see Khorvaire in DDO.

Our interview and demo starts after the break, and you can check out the pictures we got of the new content in the gallery below. Good things ahead for D&D fans, especially new players to the game.

Gallery: Gen Con DDO Gallery

Continue reading Massively catches up with Dungeons and Dragons Online at Gen Con

MassivelyMassively catches up with Dungeons and Dragons Online at Gen Con originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 16 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>character-creationclassesddo-druidddo-module-8druiddungeons-and-dragons-onlinefeaturedgen-congen-con-2008genconindianapolisjoystiqfeatureskate-paizmassively-featuressenior-producerstarting-areaSat, 16 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Player vs. Everything: Starting over]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/player-vs-everything-starting-over/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/player-vs-everything-starting-over/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/04/player-vs-everything-starting-over/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Most of us have spent a lot of time playing our favorite games. Chances are good that unless you're totally new to the MMOG world, you've got at least one character at some ridiculously high level, armed to the teeth, sitting on a big pile of gold amongst the trophies of your slaughtered foes. You might even be part of a guild and still play that character with your guildmates on a regular basis to go topple foes of ever-increasing power. It's good to be a dragon-slaying, world-destroying, gold-hoarding demigod of awesomeness.

That's why it's so tough to start over, sometimes. Whether it's rolling up an alt on your current game or picking up an entirely new game, it can be really frustrating to go from a bloodthirsty, battle-hardened warrior who wades into combat swinging an enormous, glowing two-handed sword to some level 1 nobody with a leather jerkin and a knife. All of your accomplishments on your old character seem pretty far away when level 3 wolves are having you for a light afternoon snack, and a brand new grind stretches out interminably before you. Is it any wonder why plenty of players don't even bother with having alts and stick to the game they like?

Continue reading Player vs. Everything: Starting over

MassivelyPlayer vs. Everything: Starting over originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>altsfeaturedgrindgrindingjoystiqfeatureslevelingnewbienewbiesplayer-vs-everythingstarting-areastarting-overWed, 04 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: The beach in Timorous Deep]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/one-shots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/one-shots/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/27/one-shots/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Today I thought I'd show off a spot that I've been in somewhat recently that hasn't been shown here as yet. This screenshot is of the newest starting area in Everquest II. Timorous Deep was introduced in the most recent expansion, Rise of Kunark, which introduced the Sarnak as a new playable race. The architecture is heavily Asian influenced, as is the art style for the design of the Sarnak race -- their heads certainly resemble more traditional Eastern dragons. In any case, it was certainly a lovely area to play through for a just-starting character, so I snapped a screenshot on my machine to share!

Have you seen a starting area or location in a game you've played that just looked really cool? If so, send those screenshots (and related quick info) to us at oneshots@massively.com. Your screens could be up here next for the world to see!

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: The beach in Timorous Deep originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eq2everquest-iiexpansionone-shotsrise-of-kunarksarnakscreenshotscreenshotssoestarting-areaWed, 27 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST