Massively

Not So Massively: Error 37, hero spotlights, and the Torchlight II beta

Brendan Drain — Mon, 21 May 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Trailers, Video, Bugs, Game mechanics, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Not So Massively, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III

Well-known World of Warcraft guild Method secured a world first kill on Diablo III's Skeleton King in inferno mode just a few days after launch but was beaten to the game's completion by a single person. Players have been in outrage all week as server instabilities and login difficulties plagued the game's launch.

League of Legends revealed upcoming champion Darius this week and announced huge client updates that seem set to double the game's frame rate. Blacklight: Retribution released a new Netwar game mode, combining capture the flag and control point gameplay. Heroes of Newerth released its new support hero Riftwalker, Dota 2 released classic hero Treant, and Rise of Immortals took a close look at melee damage-dealer Tzai. Upcoming MOBA Smite will be entering closed beta at the end of the month, and Torchlight II's beta will soon end for the last time.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Error 37, hero spotlights, and the Torchlight II beta

Not So Massively: Error 37, hero spotlights, and the Torchlight II beta originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 nets 500K Facebook likes, releases Destiny's Edge art to celebrate

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 14 May 2012 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Screenshots, Guild Wars 2

ArenaNet continues to roll out the rewards for being well-liked this week. Guild Wars 2 crossed the half-million Facebook like barrier, and as a result, the studio released a new epic piece of art for its fans.

The picture is of Destiny's Edge, the adventuring group that features so prominently in Guild Wars 2, facing a rather fearsome foe: The Shatterer. According to the Facebook page, this is actually an in-game screenshot that's been "embellished" by ArenaNet artist Daniel Dociu. As with the other pictures that it has released, ArenaNet has made this image available as a high-resolution version as well.

This art release comes at an auspicious time, as Guild Wars 2 is diving into a seven-hour beta stress test starting today at 2:00 p.m. EDT.

Guild Wars 2 nets 500K Facebook likes, releases Destiny's Edge art to celebrate originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brace yourself: The Guild Wars 2 stress test is coming

Elisabeth Cardy — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, News items, Guild Wars 2

The ArenaNet team is rallying the troops for a Guild Wars 2 stress test this coming Monday. While the existence and details of the test were already known, Rubi Bayer has added a note to participants to the game's Facebook page. The goal of the stress test is to see how the servers handle concentrated activity, so she gave a few tips on how best players can help the company during the short test. No simulation or prediction can ferret out as many problems as letting thousands of players loose on a game, so Rubi encouraged players to pile on the servers, find bugs, and be patient as they, well, find bugs.

The test will run on Monday, May 14th, from 2:00 p.m. EDT to 9:00 p.m. EDT, and will be available to pre-purchasers only. One nice treat is that although the company has mentioned character wipes between beta weekend events, players will still have their darling creations from BWE1 to run around with. Get ready to flood the servers on Monday. Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war. Fly, my pretties!

Brace yourself: The Guild Wars 2 stress test is coming originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mike O'Brien: Guild Wars 2's beta weekend 'overwhelming'

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Guild Wars 2, Dev Diaries

Mike O'Brien said that the result of Guild Wars 2's initial public beta weekend was "overwhelming in more ways than one." ArenaNet's president took the time to write up a short blog post reflecting on the outcome of the past beta weekend and the reasoning behind this coming Monday's surprise stress test.

According to O'Brien, while the feedback from the event was quite positive, the team had to struggle with unexpected demand for the game. Even after the management temporarily turned off the ability for players' ability to pre-purchase the title through ArenaNet, the game's 48 servers couldn't contain the influx of testers and beta tourists.

It wasn't just a PR stunt, however. "This was definitely a real beta, designed to find problems, gather player input, and learn what work still needs to be done before we ship the game," O'Brien stated.

The team is anticipating a bigger crowd with the next beta weekend, which is why it's running a seven-hour stress test on May 14th to test new changes.

Mike O'Brien: Guild Wars 2's beta weekend 'overwhelming' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 hosting a surprise stress test next Monday

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, real-world, Previews, News items, Guild Wars 2

Are you in withdrawal after the last Guild Wars 2 testing weekend? Feeling the need to get back in the game, even if it's just for one night? If so, you're in luck, as the team has just recently announced that the game will be performing a surprise stress test on Monday, May 14th between 2:00 p.m. EDT until 9:00 p.m. EDT. It's a chance to log back in, play for a bit, and get more of a taste for the game over those seven hours.

Worth noting is that the stress test is only for pre-purchasers, but beyond that there are no specific test requirements -- you can continue using the characters you created during the beta weekend. Players may experience some slight performance issues, since the purpose is to try and alleviate issues before the next beta weekend rolls around. So if you've pre-purchased the game, get ready to head back to Tyria in less than a week's time.

Guild Wars 2 hosting a surprise stress test next Monday originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diablo III roars into an open beta weekend

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, in-game, Diablo III

Flex those mouse-clicking fingers, compadres -- it's demon-hunting time! This weekend, Blizzard is blowing the doors off Diablo III's beta, allowing any and all (well, those with a Battle.net account, that is) to come try out this upcoming action RPG.

The open beta weekend begins at 3:00 p.m. EDT today and lasts until 1:00 p.m. on Monday, April 23rd. During the beta, all five classes will be available, but players will be limited to a level 13 cap as they give the game a whirl.

To access the Diablo III open beta, you'll need a valid Battle.net account and a BattleTag. Despite playing in the open beta, participants won't be able to post in the beta forums and won't receive Beta Bucks to spend.

Asian players in Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau will be part of not this stress test but rather a separate invitation-only closed beta test starting on April 23rd.

Diablo III roars into an open beta weekend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frogster planning TERA Europe stress test today

Jef Reahard — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, in-game, MMO industry, New titles, News items, TERA

Ready for another TERA Europe beta test? You're in luck because Frogster is hosting one later today (at 2:00 p.m. EST, to be exact). The Velika server is being stress-tested, and Frogster is raising the player cap in order to see what happens when large numbers of people attempt to log in at once.

TERA Europe community manager Raven says that "you might experience lag or other issues" and that "this test is not intended to offer you a normal gameplay experience." If you're OK with that -- and you feel like volunteering your time -- head to the official forums to learn more (and set your alarms accordingly).

If you're wondering about TERA's American client, En Masse Entertainment sent word that last night's pre-test dress rehearsal "went swimmingly."

Frogster planning TERA Europe stress test today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WAKFU releasing February 29th, stress test coming this weekend

Jef Reahard — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Sandbox

It's a big weekend for WAKFU fans. The free-to-play fantasy sandbox from Ankama has announced the worldwide release date (February 29th) in a posting on the game's official website. The team picked the leap year date on purpose as a way of cementing WAKFU's reputation for doing things "that little bit differently."

The devs have also released a new video diary focusing on the game's monsters and PvE gameplay.

Finally, there's a stress test going on this weekend to help Ankama prepare for the upcoming launch. Make sure you log in on Saturday and Sunday to help out (and to get your apprentice cloak bonus item)!

Continue reading WAKFU releasing February 29th, stress test coming this weekend

WAKFU releasing February 29th, stress test coming this weekend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SWTOR beta participants log one meeeeellion hours of testing

Jef Reahard — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

If it seemed like everyone and their dog got in on last weekend's Star Wars: The Old Republic beta event, well, they did. BioWare invited tens of thousands of Star Wars fans to the TOR testing party, and probably a few Star Trek fans and the blue glowy spirits of dearly departed Jedi Knights as well. The mass invites are designed to strain the servers prior to the game's December 15th launch date, and BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk says this is just the beginning.

"One crazy number is we had over a million hours of testing over the weekend. It was a huge test, and there are even bigger ones coming. The key thing is for us to take those learnings, apply them and make the service really stable. We're happy with the game," Zeschuk told Eurogamer.

Zeschuk and his BioWare cohorts aren't exactly raising pinkies to lips like an overconfident supervillain, though. "Everyone's cautiously optimistic. We're all very paranoid," Zeschuk said, before going on to explain how BioWare will carefully control TOR's launch availability to ensure a smooth experience.

SWTOR beta participants log one meeeeellion hours of testing originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Black Prophecy stress testing U.S. servers this weekend

Jef Reahard — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Events, in-game, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Black Prophecy

Black Prophecy may have debuted in Europe a couple of months back, but the free-to-play sci-fi title is still sitting on the launch pad here in the States. The date is drawing closer, though, as gamigo is gearing up to stress test the game's American servers beginning Thursday, May 26th.

The publisher is also offering an unspecified launch-day gift to players who log in and test from May 26th through May 29th. If you were part of the recent closed beta events, you're cordially invited to help break the servers this weekend, and you should be receiving an official email summons if you haven't already. You'll need your closed beta account credentials, which can be looked up under your gamigo master account if you've forgotten.

You'll also want to grab the American beta client and have a look at what's changed via the official forums.

Black Prophecy stress testing U.S. servers this weekend originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 May 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE invites everyone to come Mass Test

Larry Everett — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Patches

Every time we hear of a massive battle in EVE Online, we are reminded of how incredible the game is. EVE has continued to separate itself from the other MMOs by being able to handle an exorbitant number of players in a single area. This unbelievable feat is most likely attributed to the rigorous testing from the Q&A team and dedication of the EVE fans. This week, you can help out the CCP development team by participating in Mass Testing.

Mass Testing is CCP's way of gathering a multitude of players in one area to grade server performance before launching new content to the live server. The team checks trend-data, streamlines high-priority changes, and gains critical player feedback. This week's test focuses on the Carbon UI and server remapping.

If you would like to take part in this week's Mass Testing, hop on Singularity at 4 p.m. EDT on Thursday 28th. Remember, this is a stress test, so invite everyone you know! Your grandma has an EVE account, right?

EVE invites everyone to come Mass Test originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TERA community play event coming in March

Jef Reahard — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, News items, TERA

After a brief sojourn to celebrate the Korean launch of Bluehole Studio's TERA, it's back to the grind for the En Masse Entertainment team tasked with bringing the fantasy action MMO to western shores. January saw En Masse achieve a significant milestone in relation to the game's final server hardware configuration, and the focus is now shifting towards a community play event tentatively scheduled for March.

The event will serve two purposes: a test of the new hardware and an opportunity for players and people flitting about the periphery of the TERA community to get an updated look at the game. Event participants will be noticeably free of NDAs, so we're expecting a good bit of new TERA info and impressions over the next little while.

En Masse will host a second event "a couple of months later," this time focusing on account management and support systems, with the North American beta to follow. Said beta will be "a multi-part odyssey" according to the official TERA website.

TERA community play event coming in March originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Attend Gods & Heroes stress test, shave a CEO's head

Larry Everett — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, in-game, New titles

How committed are you to your projects? Will you stay up late at night working? Give up weekends? Shave your head? Well, that's just how dedicated the Gods & Heroes CEO Anthony Castoro is to the upcoming stress test for the mythological MMORPG. The Heatwave Interactive chief offered a challenge to the fans and staff: If they are able to get 3000 concurrent players in the stress test, he would shave his head bald. (An artist's rendering is above -- oh, wait, that's a screenshot, never mind.) The stress test will take place this Saturday, December 18th from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

This MMO pits Roman warriors against the wicked Telchine gods to gain renown with the gods of Olympus. And if you're looking to get in on the beta action or just like to see people shave their heads, you can rush over to the Gods & Heroes official website to sign up. Email invites to the stress test are still being sent.

Also, don't miss the Massively hosted chat with key member of this development team on Tuesday, December 21st 7 p.m. EST via Ustream.

Attend Gods & Heroes stress test, shave a CEO's head originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's hosting a live chat with Gods & Heroes developers

Larry Everett — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, real-world, New titles, Livestream

Gods & Heroes is the MMORPG based on Roman mythology being developed by Heatwave Interactive. This exciting MMO pits you against the Telchine gods, who have started a heavenly war with the Olympic gods. While defending Rome against this crushing fallout, you attempt to gain favor with the gods of Olympus.

Highlight Tuesday, December 21st at 7 p.m. EST on your calendar. Massively is helping to host a developers chat on Ustream. Key members of the Gods & Heroes development team will be there to answer your questions. They only have an hour to talk, so we would like to give you an opportunity to submit your question ahead of time. There are a few ways to get your question in early so it is more likely to get answered: post on the forums, send a tweet via Twitter, comment on the G&H Facebook page, or simply comment below.

For more information on the game itself or to sign up for beta testing opportunities, be sure to visit the official website, and we will see you on Tuesday!

Massively's hosting a live chat with Gods & Heroes developers originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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G-Star 2010: Bluehole devs talk TERA payment model, launch date

Jef Reahard — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, real-world, Interviews, New titles, News items, TERA

If you're a TERA fan, chances are you're anxiously awaiting the smorgasbord of news sure to come out of this week's G-Star convention in Korea. Bluehole Studio has a large presence there of course, and thanks to the TERAfans website, we have an interesting translation of an interview with Bluehole CEO Kang-Suk Kim and developer Hyung-Kyu Park.

The duo discusses everything from TERA's pending stress test (happening soon after G-Star) and upcoming open beta, to the decision to steer clear of the free-to-play payment model. "We can't say that TERA was made specifically for a subscription-based model, but we thought a lot about what the game was worth to players. We came to the conclusion that a monthly subscription would allow players to enjoy the game most easily. We are not interested in cash shops or partially making the game a pay model like some MMORPGs out there," Kim said.

The interview also sheds a tiny bit of light on the game's political system, a feature that has been hinted at over the past several months but has, so far, lacked any definitive explanation. "The political system will be added in the [open beta test]. The political system is actually end game content so it won't really be active until the game's launch," Park said.

Check out the full interview at TERAfans, and also bear in mind that this is a fan-made translation.

G-Star 2010: Bluehole devs talk TERA payment model, launch date originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gods & Heroes stress test this Saturday

Jef Reahard — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, News items

Development on the resurrected Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising MMORPG is moving right along, as Heatwave Interactive has announced a stress test for the beta client this Saturday (November 6th) from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm CST. If you haven't already, head to the official website to apply for the beta and your chance to get a sneak peek at the game as well as contribute feedback to the developers.

Gods & Heroes puts players in the role of an ancient Roman hero tasked with braving monsters and directing minions in a colossal battle to save Rome from the nefarious Telchine gods. Minotaurs, cyclops, and other classic mythological monsters will test your mettle as you build a legendary heroic character and seek favor with the Olympian gods.

Gods & Heroes stress test this Saturday originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Need For Speed World races its last warm-up lap in a stress test

Larry Everett — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sports, Events, in-game, New titles, Need for Speed World

Need For Speed World is preparing for starting flag! Today and tomorrow, the developers of this highly anticipated action MMO are rounding the final lap with a stress test. And you are invited! This free-to-play action-racing persistent world closed its beta last week with high marks among fans, and, per the norm, developers need to test the server capacity.

The race to stress EA's servers begins July 13th at 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EDT), and the checkered flag flies on July 14th at 5 p.m. PDT (8 p.m. EDT). To celebrate this special event, all rental restrictions have been lifted. That means even at level 1 you can rent any car you would like. This is your chance to test drive that Porsche that you could only ogle during beta testing. As an added bonus, each player will receive 8000 SpeedBoost power-ups. Also, if you are one of the top five racers in the Community Sprint Race Competition for car tiers 1, 2 and 3, the starter pack is yours for free. This packaged upgrade to your account sells for $19.95 in the EA Store and allows you to progress beyond level 10 and obtain a Toyota Corolla AE86.

Drive on over to world.needforspeed.com now for your last chance to feed your Need For Speed before the game's official launch!

Need For Speed World races its last warm-up lap in a stress test originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mortal Online gearing up for stress test

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, News items, Mortal Online

The last bit of news we heard about the upcoming Mortal Online was the sad news that the launch had been pushed back to early this year. Luckily, today's news is significantly happier for fans of the game, even if you're not currently in the beta. The official word from community manager Maerlyn is that they're beginning a limited open beta early next week: specifically, a stress test of the game's servers. They want to get as many people online as humanly possible, and that means anyone with an account set up can log in -- beta tester or not.

Maerlyn emphasizes that the event is not meant as an "entertainment" event, although it still promises to be fun -- most likely meaning that those of you hoping to run around unrestrained will be slightly curtailed. The stress test will follow the deployment of a brand new patch to the game, although the content and updates of that patch are as of yet undisclosed. Still, any Mortal Online fans looking forward to the open beta -- or to the release of the game -- should be more than a little excited. Keep a close watch on the official forums for the announcement of exact dates and times.

[ Thanks to George for the tip! ]

Mortal Online gearing up for stress test originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Come test Earth Eternal tonight, get a special beta gift

Krystalle Voecks — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, Casual, Earth Eternal, Giveaways

There's nothing we love here at Massively more than giving our devoted readers the chance to get into betas whenever we can. That's why when Sparkplay Media contacted us today to ask if we could help them fill their servers to bursting with gamers who were interested in their upcoming anthropomorphic fantasy game Earth Eternal, we knew just what to do. So, we asked for a bunch of beta keys to give out! They were all too glad to give us a large bundle, which we've now set up on our beta key server for you to grab.

But if free beta keys weren't fun enough, Sparkplay decided to make the deal even more interesting by offering a very special beta item available to any and all testers who log in tonight at 5PM Pacific (8PM Eastern). All you have to do is play some Earth Eternal and help them push the servers hard. Testers who show up and give them a hand during that time-frame will get a special "Beta Beast" Earth Eternal banner to display. So if you've been curious about this casual-friendly fantasy MMO, then be sure to go snag one of the beta codes and pop by tonight at 5PM Pacific to lend a hand.

Come test Earth Eternal tonight, get a special beta gift originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dungeons and Dragons Online stress test tonight

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Betas, Fantasy, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Contests, New titles, News items, Free-to-play

If the cry of, "Stress test this evening!" isn't enough to get you into the servers, how about, "Free Dungeons and Dragons Online!" Does that work for everyone? No? How about, "Win ATI Radeon HD 4890 cards!" Now do I have your attention?

This evening, starting at 8 PM Eastern time and going until 11 PM, will be the DDO stress test party! Turbine has some new hardware that they're looking to push to the limits, and to do that you need people. Lots of people.

The stress test will be occuring on the new Lamannia server, which requires a different client than the usual one. This also requires that you be enrolled in the Dungeons and Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited beta test. The full instructions on what all of that means can be found over at the DDO forums, however, so you're not left entirely in the dark.

Staying online gives you more chances to win one of the five ATI cards, or perhaps one of the ten DDO posters signed by the development team. Even if you don't win, there's still going to be sneak peeks at some of the new stuff coming to DDO and you can have a fun night with friends. Many friends. Lots and lots of friends. All packed into one server. Fun times!

Dungeons and Dragons Online stress test tonight originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallen Earth hosting Texas invasion in-game event

Kyle Horner — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fallen Earth, Events, in-game, New titles, News items

Come Saturday, July 25th, we hope those of you in the Fallen Earth beta (or looking to get in by then) have some spare time. The Fallen Earth team is planning to host an atypical stress test in the shape of an in-game event -- Texas Invasion: A Clan Challenge. Here's the hook: Players have been asked to help fortify the Grand Canyon Province and raise up arms against invading Texans. This can be done by seeking out Texan encampments, where players can scavenge for valuables, kill invaders or craft to earn points.

Doing any and all of these things earn players points, and the player with the most points will earn the title Defender of the Province. Aside from sounding cool, this title also comes with a prize pack consisting of an Nvidia GeForce GTX 260 videocard, a Fallen Earth messenger bag and a Fallen Earth t-shirt. The prizes aren't solely individual, however, as clans will be tallying up points during the event. Clan points come from individual players and the most successful clan gets to claim in-game notoriety via a commemorative -- and we're assuming in-game -- monument, complete with the name and date of the event.

Oh, and apparently this winning clan will also earn a week-long takeover of the Fallen Earth website. Talk about an ego boost! Check out the official announcement for further details -- such as the scheduled hours for the event and how clans not already in the beta can join up now and compete as well.

Fallen Earth hosting Texas invasion in-game event originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallen Earth stress test now open to all

William Dobson — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, New titles

The Fallen Earth stress test that is being run through Fileplanet (which we reported on a few days ago) has had the "subscriber-only" restriction lifted. Because of this, those that were on the fence about paying for the beta will now only need to register for a regular Fileplanet account to get into the game -- a much easier decision to make, we're sure you'll all agree.

If you do want to give the Fallen Earth stress test a go at the new bargain price of 'free', sooner is better than later, as there is a limited amount of promotional keys to be given away (you can get them here). Check out the Fallen Earth Stress Test FAQ for more information about this phase of testing.

[Thanks, Aetrix.]

Fallen Earth stress test now open to all originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallen Earth stress test begins this Tuesday, June 23rd

William Dobson — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, New titles

A stress test for Fallen Earth will begin on Tuesday the 23rd of June, giving the masses a chance to get into the game -- that is, if they're Fileplanet subscribers. Participation is only available to Fileplanet subscribers and subscribing does cost money, so it's not exactly an "open" test, but it should let a lot more people into the game than the closed beta before it.

The game client can be pre-loaded ahead of the stress test launch, and computer specification info has been provided so that you can make sure that your rig is up to scratch:

Minimum Specifications:
CPU: Intel P4 2.8 GHz or equivalent
RAM: 1 GB for XP, 2 GB for Vista
Video Card*: nVidia GeForce 6600/ATI Radeon X1300
RAM (dedicated): 256 MB

Recommended:
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.33 GHz or equivalent
RAM: 2 GB for XP, 3 GB for Vista
Video Card*: nVidia GeForce 8800GTS/ ATI Radeon 3870
RAM (dedicated): 512 MB

Now the question remains for those who aren't already Fileplanet subscribers but want to try out Fallen Earth: are you willing to fork up the cash?

[Thanks Brian!]

Fallen Earth stress test begins this Tuesday, June 23rd originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dragonica's closed beta test isn't closed anymore

Seraphina Brennan — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, New titles, Free-to-play, Dragonica Online

Europe's cute side-scrolling MMO isn't hiding behind a closed beta test anymore! Now the entire Dragonica fanbase can jump into the game with no beta key required as the game moves into stress testing until May 22nd, the original scheduled end of the beta test.

To go along with the influx of community members, the game's GMs have announced that they will be hosting PvP rooms on the 19th and the 20th so they can "meet" more members of the community. Why shake hands when a lightning bolt would do instead, right?

All that's now required for the Dragonica beta test is simply an account with gPotato, the overseeing game portal that is hosting Dragonica. Once you've acquired one of those, you can hop in to download the game without any difficult barriers blocking your way.

Dragonica's official release is still planned for June 2009, and it looks like they're certainly going to meet their deadline with this quick shift into the next phase of beta.

Dragonica's closed beta test isn't closed anymore originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 May 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Darkfall's release date announced (for real this time)

Shawn Schuster — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, New titles, News items

After an initial release date announced last month as January 22nd, the Darkfall Online team has clarified their plans a bit and re-assigned a new launch date of February 25th, 2009. Of course the date of January 22nd won't be completely trashed, as they plan to begin a trial on that date, allowing thousands of people to stress test the servers and test the game's features before launch.

A pre-order will be made available in mid February which will give those players priority for early access to the game, including the possibility of a staged launch, due to the overwhelming interest in the game so far. They plan to release more information on this pre-order, North American player access and system specs very soon. Stay tuned!

[Thanks Jacob!]

Darkfall's release date announced (for real this time) originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vastpark to publically release its tools on April 10th

Akela Talamasca — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, Game mechanics, New titles, Crafting, News items, Virtual worlds, Vastpark

For those of you who have been hankering after more toys to play with, Vastpark has announced the date for release of its tools as April 10th. What's included in the release? From the press notice:

Browser: Similar to what we used during the stress test, but with a little more polish.
Asset Publisher: Publish your content online to use in the creator.
VastServer: Add real-time multiuser interaction, includes the source code.
Creator: Improved function and shiny new interface

In addition, the 22nd of April will see the next stress test: 'In the StressTest #1 we gave you Dark Park and Shed42. This time we're reworking Shed42 into multiple chat-zones and we've got plans on adding a bit of interactivity and individuality. This will be the first test of our new MetaWSS index. What does the MetaWSS index do? Find out more at the test. Also, during the test we will be making a public announcement concerning some exciting ways you will be able to interact with the index.'

Sounds technical and sexy! We can't wait to see what the world will do with Vastpark!

Vastpark to publically release its tools on April 10th originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Requiem: Bloodymare closed beta period extended

William Dobson — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Horror, New titles, News items, Requiem: Bloodymare

It looks like the closed beta for Requiem: Bloodymare did not in fact end on the 26th of March as was originally planned -- it's still been going on. A post on the official forums informs us that the closed beta period has been extended until the 17th of April, so that the game can be tidied up before the unwashed masses join the fray in stress testing. Those keen to get in on the gory action will need to wait just a bit longer for this next phase to begin.

[Via MMORPG.com]

Requiem: Bloodymare closed beta period extended originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metaplace's new stress test: Uberspace

Akela Talamasca — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bugs, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, PvP, News items, MetaPlace, Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Virtual worlds

Raph Koster's baby, Metaplace, will be undergoing another stress test this Saturday, March 8th, at 12 PM PST. Uberspace, a space-shooter, is the game they'll be using to test 'scalability, bandwidth, and instancing within a multiplayer space.'

Some have thought that we may have been a bit too hard on poor ol' Raph with our coverage of his GDC presentation, but bear in mind that we're tough on things because we only want the best to succeed. If you would like to be part of the stress test, get on over to Metaplace on Saturday and blast your friends. It's free and clear for everybody to try!

Metaplace's new stress test: Uberspace originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Metaplace to stress test its platform

Akela Talamasca — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bugs, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, MetaPlace, Browser, Virtual worlds

Raph Koster's Metaplace app is getting closer and closer to workable reality every day. This Friday at 5 PM PST, they'll be stress testing their platform by gathering as many people as they can to play one of their puzzle games called Wheelwright. The idea is to see if the underlying technology can sustain a large number of users at the same time.

It's exciting to see these baby steps happen and feel that one is part of something potentially huge. And if Raph is prescient, Metaplace will be merely the beginning of a revitalization of what the Web can be, the next step in multi-user, multi-site interactivity. I'm eager to see how it all works out, but can anything live up to this level of hype?

[Thanks, Steve!]

Metaplace to stress test its platform originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PotBS stress testers can now set sail in the closed beta

Samuel Axon — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:14:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Historical, Pirates of the Burning Sea, New titles, News items

If you signed up at FilePlanet for the Pirates of the Burning Sea stress test, you might be pleased to hear that Flying Lab Software has given all stress tester accounts access to the closed beta now that the stress test is drawing to a close.

The Flying Lab Software team had already announced that they would be inviting anyone who reached level 5 by the end of the stress test into the closed beta, but since almost everyone met that goal, they apparently decided it'd just be easier to bring every single stress test account in. If you didn't sign up for the stress test, you're out of luck, but hey, at least you can read our PotBS crafting hands-on!

As for the rest of you; go on ye no-good pirate scoundrels! Set sail on the burning sea in search of gold to loot, grog to drink, and bugs to report!

PotBS stress testers can now set sail in the closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pirates of the Burning Sea stress test, pre-orders

Elizabeth Harper — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Events, in-game

We've got exciting news from the the high seas (otherwise known as our favorite upcoming pirate-themed game, Pirates of the Burning Sea). First up, there's a stress test scheduled to start tomorrow and last until Sunday, so for those of you curious about the game, head over to FilePlanet to sign up. And next on the agenda, game pre-order boxes have become a reality! Head over to your local Best Buy, Fry's, EB Games/GameStop, or CompUSA to make sure you have your pre-order reserved -- and set yourself up with two weeks of pre-launch playtime (with the ability to keep your character after launch), a vanity pet, a unique sword, and a game soundtrack CD.

Pirates of the Burning Sea stress test, pre-orders originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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