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 Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - Age of Conan turns four, looks to Star Wars Galaxies for inspiration
The last time I did an anniversary retrospective for Age of Conan, we had a recent expansion, some new dungeon content, and several class revamps fresh on our minds. The year before that, we had the earth-shaking combat and itemization changes. This past year, the major development was, of course, the switch to a freemium business model, followed closely by the game's first adventure pack.

Join me after the break for a quick rundown on the last 12 months as they happened in Hyboria, as well as an anniversary interview with game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison that sheds a bit of light on the crafting revamp.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-craftingage-of-conan-star-wars-galaxiesage-of-conan-unchainedanniversaryanvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-interviewsanvil-of-crom-specialanvil-of-crom-specialsaocaoc-anniversaryaoc-craftingaoc-interviewaoc-unchainedclassic-mmoconancraftingcraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgalaxieshyboriainterviewinterviewsopinionsandboxsci-fisilirrionsoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgswgothe-anvil-of-cromThu, 17 May 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Are cash-shop lotteries a black mark on MMOs?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/12/the-daily-grind-are-cash-shop-lotteries-a-black-mark-on-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/12/the-daily-grind-are-cash-shop-lotteries-a-black-mark-on-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/12/the-daily-grind-are-cash-shop-lotteries-a-black-mark-on-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Public lottery kiosk in Japan
Western players gripe about random number generators, especially when it comes to cash shops. Many of us rebel against paying for lockboxes in Star Trek Online, TCG cards in the now-defunct Star Wars Galaxies, and super-packs in City of Heroes because we want to buy a thing, not a chance at a thing.

Apparently, the idea annoys at least one government too. Earlier this week, rumors began swirling that the Japanese government might crack down on social games that employ "konpu gacha" -- essentially a crafting mechanic that requires a succession of lottery-esque random rolls. To gather the random and rare items you need to craft the gizmo you really want, you wind up spending tons of real cash on a bunch of stuff you don't. Sound familiar?

I'm not a fan of legislative meddling in how fools and their money are parted, but I'm still wondering what you all think. Are these kinds of cash-shop tricks fair play, or do you think the genre would be better off without them?

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: Are cash-shop lotteries a black mark on MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgcash-shopcity-of-heroescohcrafting-lotterydaily-grindgachajapankampu-gachakampugachalockboxeslotterymicrotransactionopinionstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-galaxiesstosuper-packswgtcgtdgthe-daily-grindtrading-card-gameSat, 12 May 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Miraluka]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/hyperspace-beacon-holocron-files-miraluka/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/hyperspace-beacon-holocron-files-miraluka/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/hyperspace-beacon-holocron-files-miraluka/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Miraluka
As I mentioned in my Why I Play Star Wars: The Old Republic piece, Dark Forces and Jedi Knight were two of the Star Wars video games I enjoyed most. Obviously, this was before Knights of the Old Republic. In Jedi Knight, the main antagonist was Jerec. Although it's never mentioned where Jerec comes from or even what species he was, his most distinguishing feature is the cover over his eyes. At the time, players thought it was a type of cybernetic implant similar to that worn by Geordi LaForge in Star Trek: The Next Generation. It wasn't until the Tales of the Jedi comic book series that we learned that Jerec and others are a part of the Force-seeing humanoid species known as the Miraluka.

If you choose to play a Jedi Knight or a Jedi Consular (or if you have 1.5 million credits to unlock it through the Legacy system), you can play as a Miraluka. I have been fascinated by this species since Jerec of Jedi Knight and Shoaneb Culu in the Tales of the Jedi after that. So this week, let's talk about this captivating species, its culture, its connection to the Force, and what its role is during the time of The Old Republic.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Miraluka

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Holocron Files -- Miraluka originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alpheridiesbiowareclassic-mmocultureeaelectronic-artsfeaturedgalaxiesholocron-fileshyperspace-beaconjedi-consularJedi-KnightJerecKatarrlucasartsmiralukaopinionroleplayroleplayingsandboxsci-fiShoaneb-Culusoesony-online-entertainmentspeciesstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswgoswtorthe-old-republictorVisas-MarrTue, 08 May 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Why I play Star Wars: The Old Republic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/why-i-play-star-wars-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/why-i-play-star-wars-the-old-republic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/why-i-play-star-wars-the-old-republic/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

SWTOR
I believe I'm like most people when I say that I cling to nostalgia. I love it when parts of my adolescence are made into movies or video games. Yes, despite it being an explode-y Michael Bay movie, I loved Transformers, and I can't tell you how many times I watched Lord of the Rings when Peter Jackson adapted J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece into a blockbuster. But despite Ghostbusters' status as my favorite single movie of all time, the original Star Wars trilogy had more impact on my childhood than anything else in my life. I still get childhood chills when I think about it.

From the music to the action figures, I loved them all. I still have a picture of me at six years old riding an AT-AT. Yes, even at six, I knew exactly what an AT-AT was. And although I called a lightsaber a light-saver, I grew up with Star Wars entrenched in my psyche. It was only natural that when the video games revolving around the series came out, I would take up that cause. You guys remember the crazy wireframe Death Star trench arcade? You'd better believe I was there playing that.

When Star Wars entered the MMO space, I was there with bells on. But it's not just this longing to recapture my childhood that propels me to that galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: The Old Republic. The spice addiction runs quite a bit deeper.

Continue reading Why I play Star Wars: The Old Republic

MassivelyWhy I play Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hellgate Tokyo
Maybe I'm alone in this, but my jaw just dropped when I came home this past week to see that Massively posted the news that Shadowbane is coming back to life. Granted, it's only going to happen in China, but still, that's pretty incredible. Shadowbane's been in the ground for three years now, and if I had to pick an MMO that deserved resurrection, this particular one would be farthest from my mind (no offense if you liked the game; it's just that there are so many others that are even more worthy).

But how can this not give you hope? Many of us have lost an MMO we loved or at least had a decked-out character populating the character select screen, and the thought of that game coming back against all odds is a goosebump-rising one. It may also smack of justice served, as some MMOs fail not because of faulty gameplay but because of mismanagement by the studio, complex legal wrangling, or bad marketing.

Today let's look at a few examples of dead MMOs that were brought back to life and what this may mean for the future of the industry. Zombie MMOs! Not, you know, MMOs with zombies.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: When dead MMOs come back to life

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist: When dead MMOs come back to life originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-reloadedapbapb-reloadedapbrchangyouclassicclassic-mmoclassic-mmosclassicsclone-wars-adventurescrimediablodiablo-clonef2pfallen-earthfantasyfaxion-onlinefeaturedflagshipfree-realmsfree-to-playfrogsterg1galaxiesgame-archaelogistgamersfirsthanbitsofthellgatehellgate-globalhellgate-londonhellgate-tokyojohn-smedleylego-universemythosmythos-europemythos-globalnostalgiaopinionPirates-of-the-Burning-Seapvprebootredbanaresurrectionrevivalsandboxsci-fishadowbanesoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgswgot3t3funtabula-rasathe-game-archaeologistthe-matrix-onlinevanguardzombie-mmozombiesTue, 01 May 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Advice from a master]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/hyperspace-beacon-advice-from-a-master/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/hyperspace-beacon-advice-from-a-master/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/hyperspace-beacon-advice-from-a-master/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: Advice from a master
I had the pleasure of playing Star Wars Galaxies with Brian "OddjobXL" Rucker for at least five years before his unfortunate passing last week. We never met in person, but he was a great influence on my life despite my having only recently found out what he looked like. One of the great things about the internet is that personality really shines through when you don't have a preconceived notion of who someone is based on how he looks. Brian was one of those people whose personality stood out from the rest of the community because of the stories he created and wisdom he imparted to others.

When he played SWG, he posted quite a bit as Mandash Grim on the Starsider Galaxy roleplay website; when a good chunk of those players decided to give Star Wars: The Old Republic a go, he moved with them to SWTOR-RP. On this forum, he talked about how SWTOR influenced RP, even though it was not exactly the way he envisioned it.

It's hard to summarize in a thousand words his gaming philosophies, which had such an influence on me, but I'd like to highlight a few key things he wrote that I believe summarize his feelings on something everyone reading this column probably loves: Star Wars MMO storytelling.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Advice from a master

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Advice from a master originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebrian-ruckerclassic-mmocommunityeaelectronic-artsfeaturedgalaxieshyperspace-beaconlucasartsoddjob-xloddjobxlopinionroleplayingrpsandboxsci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswgoswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 24 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Prolific MMO blogger Brian 'OddjobXL' Rucker passes away]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/prolific-mmo-blogger-brian-oddjobxl-rucker-passes-away/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/prolific-mmo-blogger-brian-oddjobxl-rucker-passes-away/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/prolific-mmo-blogger-brian-oddjobxl-rucker-passes-away/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Rucker's SWG avatarThe MMO roleplaying community lost one of its most prolific authors this week as Brian "OddjobXL" Rucker passed away at the age of 48.

Rucker maintained a blog called The Roleplayer's Redoubt on MMORPG.com, and he was also featured in Massively's The Game Archaeologist, where he talked at length about MUDs, MUSHs, and Star Wars Galaxies.

Massively columnist Larry Everett remembers Rucker as "a very prominent member of both of my websites and a personal inspiration to me as a gamer, writer, and roleplayer." Rucker, known as Cap'n in SWG circles, covered roleplaying in dozens of disparate MMO titles. He also offered plenty of sage advice for both newbs and veterans alike.

[Thanks to Laura for the tip.]

MassivelyProlific MMO blogger Brian 'OddjobXL' Rucker passes away originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Perfect Ten
When a beloved friend, family member, hero, or role model dies, we feel the pain of that loss and grieve in many different ways. Part of that grieving and healing process is often entails those left behind constructing some sort of tribute to the dearly departed. Sometimes this comes in the form of a shrine of flowers, sometimes it's the establishment of a charity, and sometimes it's creating an in-game memorial that thousands if not millions of people will see over the course of years.

So while death and illness are depressing topics to dwell upon, I find the many MMO tributes that studios and even gamers have erected to be inspiring and a celebration of individual players' lives. With the help of my fellow Massively staffers, I researched 10 wonderful in-game tributes that serve to honor the lives of fellow gamers.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionahab-wheathoofAnthony-StarkArmando-Ossexbiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcamelotCaylee-Dakcity-of-heroescity-of-villainsclassic-mmocohcovcoxcoyoted-and-dDak-Krausedanieldaniels-questdaocdark-age-of-camelotdave-arnesonddodnddungeons-and-dragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlineeaelectronic-artsEmilyeqeq1everquesteverquest-iiezraezra-chattertonezra-wheathooff2pfantasyfeaturedFrank-Campbellfree-to-playfreedomgalaxiesgary-gygaxhumorjeff-freemanJesse-Moraleskylelord-britishlunar-festivalmake-a-wishmake-a-wish-foundationmatthew-braggmemorialMichel-Koitermythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyncsoftopinionp10paragonparagon-studiosperfect-10perfect-tenphoenixpvpribbitribbitRobert-Bridenbeckerrounduprvrsandboxsci-fishrinesoesonysony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiessuperherosuperheroesswgswgothe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenTony-Starktop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listtributeturbineturbine-entertainmentultimaultima onlineuowarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Nobody's hero]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/23/the-soapbox-nobodys-hero/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/23/the-soapbox-nobodys-hero/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/23/the-soapbox-nobodys-hero/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Heroes (which would make an awful MMO, btw)
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

We're not heroes, at least in the ubiquitous Hollywood sense. We're teachers and janitors and businessmen, and we may occasionally be heroic in the eyes of our kids or our colleagues, but rarely are we celebrated beyond a tiny circle of family and friends.

Games can meet this emotional need, at least temporarily, and that's a major reason they've become such a booming business over the last couple of decades. We get to be Kratos for a couple of hours, or fem-Shepard or a thousand other pixelized pariahs -- until we set foot in an MMORPG, that is.

Software companies sell pre-packaged heroism in ways that book publishers and filmmakers can only dream of, and it doesn't really matter that it's fake heroism or impersonal heroism crafted on an assembly line and shipped out to millions of consumers. Shouldn't it matter, though, when it comes to MMORPGs?

Continue reading The Soapbox: Nobody's hero

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Nobody's hero originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-heroclassic-mmodesigneditorialeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iif2pfake-heroismfakeryfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgalaxiesgame-designheroismlucasartsmmo-designmmo-fakerymmo-heroesmmo-industrymmo-narrativemmo-storynancy-mcintyrenobodys-heroop-edopinionpessimistic-soapbox-is-pessimisticrantrantssandboxsci-fisoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardsoesonysony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgswgothe-soapboxthemeparkFri, 23 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do exclusive in-game event items annoy you?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/the-daily-grind-do-exclusive-in-game-event-items-annoy-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/the-daily-grind-do-exclusive-in-game-event-items-annoy-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/the-daily-grind-do-exclusive-in-game-event-items-annoy-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies - 2010 Galactic Gathering painting
I was looking longingly at an ad for EVE Online's Fanfest a few minutes ago. I say longingly because it's a bit late to be booking airfare to Iceland for a couple weeks hence, to say nothing of getting off work. The event seems like a good time, though, and the icing on the cake is the in-game swag that CCP distributes to attendees.

Sony Online Entertainment does something similar for its annual Fan Faire shindig, and I remember tons of exclusive items on display in the virtual homes of Star Wars Galaxies fans who made the annual pilgrimages to Las Vegas.

It's bad enough that I never made it to Fan Faire, but it was infinitely worse that I wasn't able to get my collection-obsessed paws on rare no-trade paintings and whatnot (yeah, first-world problems, yada yada). What about you, morning crew? Do exclusive in-game event items rub you the wrong way?

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 exclusive in-game event items annoy you? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesconsoledaily-grinddustdust-514eveeve-onlinefan-fairefanfestfanfest-2012fanfest-rewardsfeaturedfpsinternet-spaceshipsmmofpsopinionplaystationplaystation-3ps3real-world-eventssandboxsci-fishootersoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesswagswgtdgthe-daily-grindThu, 15 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Making sense of Legacy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/hyperspace-beacon-making-sense-of-legacy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/hyperspace-beacon-making-sense-of-legacy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/hyperspace-beacon-making-sense-of-legacy/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: Making sense of Legacy
Last week, I spent some time in Austin, Texas, at BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic studio. One of the many things I saw was the Legacy System. Although it's a great tool, it is far from the good storytelling device it's intended to be. But perhaps we can make some sense out of it.

The Legacy leveling system begins when one of your characters completes chapter one. Without revealing too many spoilers, I can say that chapter one ends in a non-planetary quest just after the main Alderaan quest line. Based on the average, your character should be level 32 when this happens (or if you're like me, you were level 30 and a friend helped you pass the final stage). At this point, you begin to gain legacy levels, which Lead Systems Designer Damion Schubert says cap at level 50 currently (that's 50 legacy levels, not 50 combat levels).

Until last week, we were uncertain what the legacy levels would actually give us. Thanks to the latest SWTOR video, we now know that the Legacy System provides rewards ranging from ship customization items to species unlocks. I won't be able to talk about all the Legacy additions in this article, but I can hit the highlights.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Making sense of Legacy

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Making sense of Legacy originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Repopulation screnshot
GDC literally has a little of everything, from indie developers to major studios, from free-to-play games to shooters to arena battles to retro to family... there really is something for everyone. As a massive fan of sandboxes myself, I was pleased to get to spend so much time with Above and Beyond Technologies' lead dev and co-owner Josh Halls and artist Kevin Grove as they demonstrated some of the features in their upcoming title, The Repopulation. (And I would have even spent longer if I could have!)

While I had a monopoly on the team's attention, I had the chance to see some of the customization available to characters, both in appearance and gear, as well as get the lowdown on the world building element. We actually walked through the building of a nation, a feature that will make many a sandbox fan giddy! Although Josh was quick to point out that only a few items were available at this point in development, there was certainly enough to get a feel for the system. And I am looking forward to it!

Continue reading GDC 2012: The Repopulation demonstrates world-building elements

MassivelyGDC 2012: The Repopulation demonstrates world-building elements originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Some Assembly Required header
Creativity. It is expressed in so many ways in so many mediums. Art, literature, architecture, music, performance... I love it all, conventional and unconventional. Heck, I revel in it! Why do you think my work and recreation include gaming?

Wait, gaming?! You betcha!

Beyond the artistry of the developers, MMORPGs offer outlets for player creativity in a variety of ways. I am not ashamed to admit that the primary reason I delve into MMORPGs is not for the gameplay but to explore and experience the creative expression of others (and to express some of my own as well). In fact, finding and sharing that very creativity by championing and highlighting player-generated content is precisely what Some Assembly Required is about.

Between (or in lieu of) the hacking, the slashing, and the plundering, players seize proffered tools in myriad virtual realms to build works of art, pen masterpieces, construct edifices, compose melodies, and take the stage, all within the pixeled confines of a virtual world. Unfortunately, not all games have adequate tools for such creative expression. While inspired players can make do if they must, having supporting features exponentially enhances a game (and positively affects retention). Thankfully, some games provide a few standard-setting features that -- in my opinion -- should be included in every game on the market. Here are six of those must-have features.

Continue reading Some Assembly Required: Six must-haves for creative expression

MassivelySome Assembly Required: Six must-haves for creative expression originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appearance-slotsbookbookscreativitydecoratingdungeon-makeremotesEQ2EverQuest-2everquest-iifeaturedgame-mechanicshousingopinionperformancepgcplayer-booksplayer-contentplayer-generated-contentplayer-housingplayer-written-booksquest-builderroleplayRolePlayingrpsandboxsarSOEsome-assembly-requiredSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-galaxiesswgterraformingvanguardwritingxsyonxsyon-preludeFri, 02 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: There's no such thing as a miracle MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/the-soapbox-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-miracle-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/the-soapbox-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-miracle-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/the-soapbox-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-miracle-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

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

They're out there, in every forum, in every comment section, and across the blogosphere. They number in the thousands if not tens of thousands (just spitballing here), and they all share three common traits. One, they're discontented with any and all current MMOs; two, they love to gripe about said discontentment to anyone who will listen; and three, they have a grand hope that a particular upcoming title will finally break the discontentment code to become the be-all, end-all MMO for them.

The miracle MMO, if you will.

This is going to be the MMO that will right all wrongs. It will shift paradigms, break us out of whatever rut we're supposed to be in, and make us all fall down on our knees in gratitude that we have the privilege of living in such a grand age as this.

So let's cut to the chase: There's no such thing as a miracle MMO, and there never will be -- except in your mind. If you can come to terms with that, you'll be a lot happier as a gamer.

Continue reading The Soapbox: There's no such thing as a miracle MMO

MassivelyThe Soapbox: There's no such thing as a miracle MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredguild-wars-2gw2jesus-mmomiraclemiracle-mmoopinionrantstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorthe-soapboxvanguardTue, 28 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Clever ideas]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/23/the-perfect-ten-clever-ideas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/23/the-perfect-ten-clever-ideas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/23/the-perfect-ten-clever-ideas/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
I'm a sucker for a good, clever idea. You know the type: the ideas that make you slap yourself on the forehead and shout, "Why didn't I think of that first?" Or for the less humble of us out there, "Why, I did think of that first! But I got lost on the way to the patent office and I'm pretty sure that someone stole my dream journal to pilfer my genius notions!"

While critics point their fingers at the MMO industry and proclaim it a barren wasteland of innovation, there are quite a few awesome -- if small -- ideas that bubble up in MMO and move the genre forward. Maybe they're teeny-tiny baby steps; maybe they're giant hopscotch leaps over the six-spot with the rock in the middle. But these ideas can and have had the power to change how these games are made and played.

So this week I'm saluting 10 clever ideas, both large and diminutive, as a reward for a job well done!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Clever ideas

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Clever ideas originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aoe-lootaoe-lootingarea-of-effect-lootingcity-of-heroesclever-ideascohdiplomacydiplomacy-systemdoffdoodlingdungeon-finderduty-officer-systementertainereveeve-onlineexamplarexemplaringfeaturedglitchguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw2listlistsminimapoverflow-serverperfect-10perfect-tenriftsidekicksidekick-systemsidekickingstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicstoswgswtorterathe-perfect-10the-perfect-tentome-of-knowledgevanguardwarwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 23 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Achievement Unlocked: A look at the Guinness world records of online gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/achievement-unlocked-a-look-at-the-guinness-world-records-of-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/achievement-unlocked-a-look-at-the-guinness-world-records-of-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/achievement-unlocked-a-look-at-the-guinness-world-records-of-on/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We're just over a month into the new year, and already we've got plenty to look forward to: The Secret World is expected to hit in April, TERA will follow shortly in May, and Guild Wars 2 will be out... sometime this year (we hope). But before we all start looking toward the future, let's take a moment to look back at some of the gaming achievements of the past.

Thanks to the handy-dandy Guinness Book of World Records 2012: Gamer's Edition, we've got a quick compendium of MMO-related records from the past year and then some, so if you're at all interested in the shortest-lived MMO to date or the longest time anyone's spent playing MMOs from inside a crate, join us as we take a stroll down memory lane to take a look at some notably (in)famous MMO achievements.

Continue reading Achievement Unlocked: A look at the Guinness world records of online gaming

MassivelyAchievement Unlocked: A look at the Guinness world records of online gaming originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-reloadedapbapb-reloadedcataclysmcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxdc-universe-onlinedcuoeveeve-onlinefantasy-westward-journeyfeaturedfree-realmsgamer-editiongamers-editiongaming-recordsguinnessguinness-book-of-world-record-gamers-edition-2012guinness-book-of-world-recordsguinness-book-of-world-records-2012-gamers-editionguinness-world-recordsincarnalord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromark-hamill-is-the-best-jokerplanet-calypsorecordssee-virtual-worldssoesony-online-entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorthe-old-republictorultimaultima-onlineuowayne-longworld-of-warcraftworld-of-warcraft-cataclysmworld-recordswowWed, 15 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's the highest sub fee you'd pay?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/the-daily-grind-whats-the-highest-sub-fee-youd-pay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/the-daily-grind-whats-the-highest-sub-fee-youd-pay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/the-daily-grind-whats-the-highest-sub-fee-youd-pay/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

RuneScape
While recording the podcast last week, Rubi, Justin, and I discussed RuneScape's subscription fee, which is soon to increase to a whopping... $8. Eight bucks doesn't seem like much to me, but I remember when Ultima Online increased its monthly fee from $10 to $13 -- players were pretty upset. "How dare an old game ask for more money?" seems to be a common refrain.

But if the game is good enough, why wouldn't we pay what it's worth to us, no matter its age? Consider Fallen Earth, which offers, as its highest subscription tier, a $30-per-month plan. I might pay $30 a month for a really awesome MMO (or to resurrect one I'm fond of). But what's the limit? $50? $100? What's the highest sub fee you'd pay -- and what would you expect out of the game for that price?

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 the highest sub fee you'd pay? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgeaElectronic-Artsf2pfallen-earthfree-to-playg1gamersfirstjagexjagex-game-studiosMythic-EntertainmentopinionrunescapesoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiessub-feesubscriptionsubscription-tierswgtdgthe-daily-grindultima-onlineuoMon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What mob type is too cute to kill?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-daily-grind-what-mob-type-is-too-cute-to-kill/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-daily-grind-what-mob-type-is-too-cute-to-kill/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/the-daily-grind-what-mob-type-is-too-cute-to-kill/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SWTOR
In Star Wars Galaxies, it was the Gubbur. In Star Wars: The Old Republic, it's the Bantha. In World of Warcraft, it's those weird flower-monsters called Lashers. Every game has a super cute mob that I just feel horrible killing. Sometimes I suspect that the devs are purposely adding adorable things to MMOs and asking us to kill them just to mess with our heads in the service of some sort of Milgram experiment. Or maybe it's just meant to put us in our place out of pure revenge: "Flame my game on the forums, will you? Here's a zone full of fluffy Vorpal Bunnies that can one-shot you. Eat it, suckers!"

So what say you? What MMO creature is simply too cute to kill?

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 mob type is too cute to kill? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banthabiowareBlizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentbrianna-royce-tdgdaily-grindeaElectronic-Artsgubburlashermilgram-experimentmobmob-typeopinionrevengesoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtortdgthe-daily-grindthe-old-republictorvorpal-bunnyWorld-of-WarcraftwowSat, 04 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: On MMO negativity]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/the-soapbox-on-mmo-negativity/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/the-soapbox-on-mmo-negativity/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/the-soapbox-on-mmo-negativity/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

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

Last week I was given a link to an op-ed piece at Thade's place, and in lieu of posting a comment there, I figured I'd do it on the Soapbox and hopefully generate some discussion (and traffic) for all concerned.

In a nutshell, Thade questions whether MMO pundits actually like MMOs, and he comments on a perceived rise in negativity amongst what are assumed to be fans of the genre.

I don't know if the blogosphere has taken a turn toward the negative, but if so, there's a pretty simple explanation for it. The games have changed, and the old guard who grew up with MMOs (and are willing/able to devote time to blogging about them) have to try a little bit harder to enjoy themselves as each new title gets further and further from what they like. That's OK, though, and it's also OK -- and even essential -- for the disaffected to speak up.

Continue reading The Soapbox: On MMO negativity

MassivelyThe Soapbox: On MMO negativity originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggingblogospherechangecriticismcriticsdo-you-even-like-mmosdo-you-even-like-video-gamesfeaturedindiana-jonesmmo-bloggingmmo-industrymmo-negativitynegativitynuking-the-fridgeopinionpositivitypunditrypunditsrose-colored-glassessoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorthe-old-republicthe-soapboxthis-suckstorTue, 17 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Raph Koster: Immersion is not a core game virtue]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/raph-koster-immersion-is-not-a-core-game-virtue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/raph-koster-immersion-is-not-a-core-game-virtue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/raph-koster-immersion-is-not-a-core-game-virtue/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies - Cantina gambling
Yeah, you read that right, virtual world fans. One of the more celebrated sandbox MMORPG developers is apparently throwing in the towel when it comes to immersion. Raph Koster wrote what can only be termed a lament on his personal blog today, saying that "immersion does not make a lot of sense in a mobile, interruptable world."

Koster characterizes immersion as a style whose time has come and gone, and he concludes that games are no longer for dreamers due to their far-reaching popularity. "I mourn the gradual loss of deep immersion and the trappings of geekery that I love," Koster writes. "I see the ways in which the worlds I once dove into headlong have become incredibly expensive endeavors, movies-with-button-presses far more invested in telling me their story, rather than letting me tell my own."

Whether you agree with him or not, it's a sobering read coming from one of the chief creative forces behind Star Wars Galaxies and Ultima Online.

MassivelyRaph Koster: Immersion is not a core game virtue originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>at-least-it-has-a-karateka-screenshotcasualdepressingdesignhardcoreimmersionkosterMiscellaneousopinionraph-kosterroleplaysandboxstar-wars-galaxiesswgultima-onlinevirtual-worldsFri, 13 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Leaderboard: Free-form space combat vs. on-the-rails shooter]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/leaderboard-free-form-space-combat-vs-on-the-rails-shooter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/leaderboard-free-form-space-combat-vs-on-the-rails-shooter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/leaderboard-free-form-space-combat-vs-on-the-rails-shooter/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Leaderboard
If mankind's exploration into outer space has taught us anything at this point, it's that sooner or later we're going to need to strap big guns on our bubbles of life support and blast each other out of the cosmos. It's already a prevailing theme among MMOs, with titles like EVE Online, Star Trek Online, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Black Prophecy, and Battlestar Galactica Online allowing us to jump forward a few hundred years of technological growth so we can have some space shootin' fun.

As of late there seems to be two camps developing regarding MMO space shooters. With the advent of SWTOR, some are warming up to the cinematic on-the-rails style of its space combat game. Tunnel shooters allow for a more scripted -- and potentially more exciting -- experience, and this type of combat has a long history in single-player games dating back to Starfox and before.

Of course, the other camp just loathes rail shooters, much preferring the ability to fly anywhere one wants and engage in combat on one's own terms. The freedom of this style of space combat appeals to the inner individualist who doesn't want to conform to what everyone else is doing.

In which camp have you struck your tent? Are you for free-form space combat or on-the-rails shooters? Let your vote be heard after the jump!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Free-form space combat vs. on-the-rails shooter

MassivelyLeaderboard: Free-form space combat vs. on-the-rails shooter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlestar-galactica-onlineblack-prophecydo-a-barrel-rolleveeve-onlinefeaturedfree-form-flightfree-form-space-combatleaderboardon-the-railson-the-rails-shooterpollpollsrail-shooterspace-combatstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-galaxesstar-wars-the-old-republicstarfoxstoswgswtortunnel-shootervotevotersvotesMon, 09 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: Favorite moments from the Massively livestream]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/the-guild-counsel-favorite-moments-from-the-massively-livestrea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/the-guild-counsel-favorite-moments-from-the-massively-livestrea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/the-guild-counsel-favorite-moments-from-the-massively-livestrea/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SWG final moments
I'm sure you know about Massively's ever-expanding video channel. But what you might not know is that over the past year, I've done a little MMO walkabout, sampling as many different games as I could on my character Mmognaut. What I was particularly interested in was branching out and getting to know the communities that make these games what they are, and the Massively livestream was a great way to do that while giving the viewers a chance to experience it too.

Through livestreaming and Twitch TV, I've had a great opportunity to explore dozens of MMOs over the past year, often with my co-host Jeremy Stratton. In my weekly column here, I often focus on common issues that happen within a guild, but I've also looked at MMO communities on the whole, and that should include the community that's grown here at Massively. What's really neat is that there's an overlapping at times during these shows, where the in-game communities of the MMO we're showcasing mesh with the Massively community, and it's made for some fantastic moments. Join me in this week's Guild Counsel as I look back over my favorite moments from the past year.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Favorite moments from the Massively livestream

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Favorite moments from the Massively livestream originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allodsallods-onlineclone-wars-adventurescommunitycrafting-critterscwadarek-connoledc-universe-onlinedcuoderek-cannoleeq-2eq-iieq2eqiiEverQuest-2everquest-iifallen-earthfeaturedflyffflyff-world-championshipg1gamersfirstgpotatoguild-counselinvictusjeremy-strattonlivestreamlydia-popemassively-livestreamrabidfishsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgtony-jonestwitch-tvvanguardVanguard-Saga-of-HeroesvindictuszatoziaThu, 05 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Most significant MMO stories of 2011]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/the-perfect-ten-most-significant-mmo-stories-of-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/the-perfect-ten-most-significant-mmo-stories-of-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/the-perfect-ten-most-significant-mmo-stories-of-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
2011 was an odd duck of a year for MMO news. A huge chunk of the year felt devoid of significant releases, but that was mitigated somewhat by the major launches of RIFT and Star Wars: The Old Republic. Titles got shoved back to 2012 or beyond, MMOs that we thought never would go free-to-play did, and the industry continually surprised us with revelations, ideas, and controversy.

So in my last Perfect Ten of 2011, I put together the 10 most significant MMO stories of the year. Ten seems like an awfully small number for such a great big field, so I had the rest of the staff members chime in with their nominations just to make sure I wasn't too off-base with any of these.

It was a whopper of a year, and Massively was there for all of it -- the ups, the downs, the queues, and the QQs. It's time to wrap it up with a pretty bow and dedicate it to the history museum!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Most significant MMO stories of 2011

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Most significant MMO stories of 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20112012aionataribiowareccpccp-gameschampions-onlinecity-of-heroescrypticcryptic-studiosdaocdark-age-of-camelotdc-universe-onlinedcuoeve-onlineeverquesteverquest-iif2pfallen-earthfeaturedfree-to-playglobal-agendajagexkung-fu-pandaleague-of-legendslistlistslucasartsmists-of-pandariamonoclegatemythicpandaperfect-tenperfect-worldriftrunescapesoesonysony-hacksony-online-entertainmentstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorthe-agencythe-perfect-tentriontrion-worldswarhammer-onlineworld-of-darknessworld-of-warcraftwrath-of-heroesThu, 29 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars Galaxies bequeaths a memory book to fans]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/star-wars-galaxies-bequeaths-a-memory-book-to-fans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/star-wars-galaxies-bequeaths-a-memory-book-to-fans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/star-wars-galaxies-bequeaths-a-memory-book-to-fans/#commentsFiled under: , ,

SWG
Still in mourning and/or shock over Star Wars Galaxies' sunset? Kicking yourself in your rear for never checking out the game while it was still alive? Then Sony Online Entertainment has one last gift for you: a Star Wars Galaxies memory book packed with the game's legacy.

And this isn't a brief "So long and thanks for all the fish" pamphlet, either. The memory book is a whopping 253 pages of information and screenshots documenting the title's eight-year run. Former players and MMO historians can expect to read up on the game's timeline, planet, species, professions, space, ships, housing, cities, the Galactic Senate, the trading card game, the Galactic Civil War, and "The End."

The book immortalizes the near-total Rebel victory in the game with these parting words:
The explosions marking the Empire's end could be seen across the galaxy in the skies above the planets, and the celebrations that followed were unmatched. Peace reigned as Star Destroyers and dark lords became memories of another era, of a time long past, of galaxies long gone.

Gone, but not forgotten.
You can view or download the entire PDF on the official site.

MassivelyStar Wars Galaxies bequeaths a memory book to fans originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>closuregalactic-civil-warlegacymemoriesmemory-bookobligatory-hgttg-referencesoesony-online-entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-galaxies-memory-booksunsetswgswg-memory-bookThu, 22 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[[Updated] On the ninth day of giveaways, GamersFirst gave to me...]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/on-the-ninth-day-of-giveaways-gamersfirst-gave-to-me/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/on-the-ninth-day-of-giveaways-gamersfirst-gave-to-me/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/on-the-ninth-day-of-giveaways-gamersfirst-gave-to-me/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

I have altered the Wasteland. Pray I do not alter it further.
[UPDATE: All winners have been selected and contacted. Thanks to everyone who entered!]

On the ninth day of giveaways, GamersFirst gave to me... nine SWG mementos!
On the eighth day of giveaways, Enjin gave to me... eight guild-wide gifts!
On the seventh day of giveaways, NCsoft gave to me... seven years of memories!
On the sixth day of giveaways, GamersFirst gave to me... six retail packs!
On the fifth day of giveaways, Trion gave to me... five subscription codes!
On the fourth day of giveaways, Nexon gave to me... four pet items!
On the third day of giveaways, Wargaming.net gave to me... three premium years!
On the second day of giveaways, BioWare gave to me... two warring factions!
On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP!

Your eyes do not deceive you: GamersFirst is making an encore appearance on Massively's 12 Days of Giveaways. Furthermore, today's entry in the list does in fact say "Star Wars Galaxies mementos." The team at GamersFirst loves MMOs just as much as the rest of us and wanted to add a little something to our virtual gift pile to remember SWG by.

Therefore, we've got nine Fallen Earth prize packages, each containing a Supreme Commander Mask and a Lava Stick. When paired, the items bring a little Vader to the Wasteland. All you have to do to enter is get a little creative. Leave your best Star-Wars-style battle cry in the comments below -- with a Fallen Earth Wasteland twist. Check our contest rules below for eligibility, enter by the deadline of tomorrow, December 22nd, at 5:00 p.m. EST, and good luck!

CONTEST FAQ OFFICIAL RULES

Massively[Updated] On the ninth day of giveaways, GamersFirst gave to me... originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12-days-of-giveaways-2011contestcontestsf2pfallen-earthfree-to-playg1gamersfirstgiveawaygiveawaysstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgWed, 21 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE's John Smedley expresses regrets over SWG mishaps]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/soes-john-smedley-expresses-regrets-over-swg-mishaps/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/soes-john-smedley-expresses-regrets-over-swg-mishaps/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/21/soes-john-smedley-expresses-regrets-over-swg-mishaps/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies
Star Wars Galaxies may be no more, but its legacy lives on in memories, discussion, and hindsight analysis. Sony Online Entertainment's John Smedley had a frank talk with Industry Gamers in which he owns up to the mistakes of how the studio handled the title, particularly surrounding the much-maligned Combat Upgrade and New Game Enhancements.

What would Smedley do if he could go back and give it another try? His first regret is launching the game before the space combat system was done, and his second is that SOE didn't talk and listen to its players more. "We would have encouraged more in-depth discussion with the community surrounding the idea of any game modifications," he said.

Smedley is highly optimistic for the studio's future, particularly in its fervent belief in the free-to-play business model: "We think that 'Free to Play, Your Way' is our future. Giving players choices is the theme of how we're moving forward as a company, which means greater flexibility for our player base."

MassivelySOE's John Smedley expresses regrets over SWG mishaps originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Farewell SWG
At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. Miss a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week? You've come to the right post.

MMO closures don't happen all that often, and those that die tend to do so in a fireball of bankruptcy and layoffs not long after launch rather than through peaceful contact negotiations after almost a decade of successful operation, but Star Wars Galaxies joined the latter group this week, sunsetting its servers on Thursday night. If you missed the finale, you can catch up with our recorded livestream of the last hour of the game and our sandbox column's touching eulogy. And there's always that other Star Wars game...

Join us past the break for a glimpse of this week's other top MMO stories.

Continue reading MMO Week in Review: Into the sunset

MassivelyMMO Week in Review: Into the sunset originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>joystiqmassively-metametaroundupstar-wars-galaxiessunsetswgtop-storiesweek-in-reviewweekly-recapweekly-roundupwow-insiderSun, 18 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Global Chat: December 11-17, 2011]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/18/global-chat-december-11-17-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/18/global-chat-december-11-17-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/18/global-chat-december-11-17-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

SWG
Welcome to this week's Global Chat! We love hearing what you have to say at Massively, and we love it even more when we can share the best comments with all of our readers. Massively staffers will be contributing some of their favorite comments every week, so keep an eye out every Sunday for more Global Chat!

It was a crazy busy week with so much to talk about, and while we could go all over the map with reader comments, we're going to focus on one last goodbye today. Follow along after the break for our readers' fondest farewells to Star Wars Galaxies.

Continue reading Global Chat: December 11-17, 2011

MassivelyGlobal Chat: December 11-17, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aerynnebasmatijohcommenterscommentsfeaturedglentendoglobal-chatjealouspirateopinionrick1975soeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiessunsetswgSun, 18 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Some Assembly Required: One last jump to lightspeed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/some-assembly-required-one-last-jump-to-lightspeed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/some-assembly-required-one-last-jump-to-lightspeed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/some-assembly-required-one-last-jump-to-lightspeed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies - Tatooine twin sunset
Eulogizing Star Wars Galaxies is difficult. In fact, I've written some 2,200 articles since signing on with Massively a couple of years ago, and none of them has come close to being as painful as this particular wall o' text.

The fact that I even used the word eulogy in reference to a video game says it all, really. Join me after the cut for as brief a remembrance as I can manage.

Continue reading Some Assembly Required: One last jump to lightspeed

MassivelySome Assembly Required: One last jump to lightspeed originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>closingcraftingeconomyeuologyfeaturedgame-closinghousingopinionplayer-contentplayer-generated-contentsandboxsci-fiserver-closingserver-shutdownshutdownsoesome-assembly-requiredSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-mmosunsetswgtradeskillingwe-will-miss-you-swgFri, 16 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final SWG producer's letter thanks community]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/final-swg-producers-letter-thanks-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/final-swg-producers-letter-thanks-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/16/final-swg-producers-letter-thanks-community/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies - YT2400 Blue Harvest over Mos Eisley
Community was one of many things that set Star Wars: Galaxies apart from your average MMO, and Sony Online Entertainment's Tony "Teesquared" Tyson took a moment to thank the game's faithful in what serves as the final producer's letter for the shuttered sandbox title.

Tyson touches on several highlights including housing, crafting, entertaining, and space-sim mechanics that were unique to SWG, and he ultimately concludes that the game "was, and will always be, a meaningful and memorable part of my life, an experience I'll treasure and share with anyone who wants to hear a good story."

SOE launched SWG on June 26, 2003 and powered down the servers one final time early this morning.

MassivelyFinal SWG producer's letter thanks community originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communitycraftinghousingproducers-lettersandboxsci-fishutdownsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentspacestar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-mmoswgteesquaredtony-tysonFri, 16 Dec 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Guild Counsel: What if the game leaves you?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/the-guild-counsel-what-if-the-game-leaves-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/the-guild-counsel-what-if-the-game-leaves-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/the-guild-counsel-what-if-the-game-leaves-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

SWG sunset
In previous Guild Counsel columns, we've tackled the issue of players leaving their guilds or even their games, but what about when the game leaves you? Recently, this has become an issue that, sadly, we're seeing more and more often, with announced closings of MMOs and even studios.

This week, Star Wars Galaxies' eight-year-plus run will come to an end, and the servers will shut down at midnight EST tonight. I saw a terrific tribute video made by Kyranna Mythina from the Starsider server, and I wanted to get some thoughts about the game and its closing. Read on for Kyranna's best memories of the game as well as thoughts about the end... and where to go from there.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: What if the game leaves you?

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: What if the game leaves you? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classic-mmofeaturedgalaxiesgame-closureguildguild-counselguildskaren-bryanopinionsandboxsci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgswgothe-guild-counselThu, 15 Dec 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How will you say farewell to SWG?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/the-daily-grind-how-will-you-say-farewell-to-swg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/the-daily-grind-how-will-you-say-farewell-to-swg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/the-daily-grind-how-will-you-say-farewell-to-swg/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies screenshot
Star Wars Galaxies' final day is here. Since last June's announcement that SOE's Star Wars game would be shut down on December 15th, the sandbox fans on the Massively staff have grown ever more sad, and the early arrival of Star Wars: The Old Republic has seemed like salt in the wound. For my part, I can hardly stand to log in without lamenting all the MMO design achievements that will be lost when the servers go dark.

And yet log in I will because a game only has one ending. Some of our writers will be chronicling the last hour on a livestream; others will be hanging out in social centers like Mos Eisley to watch the twin suns set. I'm planning to join a few guildmates near the location of our first guild city, formed just over eight years ago. What about you, readers? Where will you be at the end -- how will you say farewell to SWG?

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: How will you say farewell to SWG? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgclassic-mmogalaxiesopinionsandboxsci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiessunsetswgswgotdgthe-daily-grindThu, 15 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE gears up for Star Wars Galaxies' closing events]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/soe-gears-up-for-star-wars-galaxies-closing-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/soe-gears-up-for-star-wars-galaxies-closing-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/13/soe-gears-up-for-star-wars-galaxies-closing-events/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies - Jumping to lightspeed
A long time ago, in a game industry far, far away, there was an MMORPG called Star Wars Galaxies. It made a lot of people happy (and sad), hung around for eight plus years, and is now being forced into an early retirement by the next big thing.

Before it rides off into the twin sunset, SWG is holding a series of farewell events. According to the patch notes for today's update, the Galactic Civil War score will be frozen on Wednesday, December 14th at midnight EST, at which time Jabba's event kicks off near the Sarlacc Pit in the deeps of the Tatooine desert

Three more events will begin at server restart on Thursday, December 15th, sometime around 7:00 a.m. EST: one near the Research Outpost on Endor, one in the Nub Shanda zone of Coronet, Corellia, and one in the city of Theed on the planet Naboo.

Massively's Karen Bryan and the rest of the SWG-fans among the Massively staff will be livestreaming the final countdown on the Starsider server on Thursday, starting at 11 p.m. EST. Join us as we reminisce about and salute this groundbreaking sandbox.

MassivelySOE gears up for Star Wars Galaxies' closing events originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Goodbye SWG -- thanks for everything
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively TV.

Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During our streamed events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, streaming is subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.)

You'll notice a hefty lineup, some new faces, and some special events in this week's MV Guide. Joining us will be some brand-new members of the MV TV livestream team, so make sure you stop in while they're live and give them a welcome!

Follow along after the jump to see what's on this week's schedule.

Continue reading MV Guide: December 12-18, 2011

MassivelyMV Guide: December 12-18, 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-empires-onlinebiowareccpCCP-Gameschampions-onlineclone-wars-adventurescwad3dc-universe-onlinedcuodiablo-3diablo-iiieqiieve-onlineEverQuest-2everquest-iifeaturedffxivfinal-fantasy-xivgaia-onlineherotopial2lineage-2livestreamlivestreamingmv-guidemv-tvncsoftperfect-worldpocket-legendspoptropicapwesoeSony-Online-Entertainmentsquare-enixstar-legendsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorwhirledMon, 12 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you favor random quests?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/the-daily-grind-do-you-favor-random-quests/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/the-daily-grind-do-you-favor-random-quests/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/10/the-daily-grind-do-you-favor-random-quests/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies
One of Star Wars Galaxies' content quirks, borrowed heavily from Anarchy Online, is the random quest. If you tire of themepark questlines, you can trek over to a mission terminal and ask it to generate a random kill-10-rats quest for you. In SWG's prime, these quests were terribly annoying; no one really wants to spend all of his time leveling up by taking missions to destroy a gubbur lair over and over and over. Thank goodness for this new era of individual, scripted quests brought on by World of Warcraft, right?

Well, not necessarily. More than once, I (and some our our forum-goers) have been irked at hand-written quests in WoW-esque games. They're usually trite and transparent, and the quest-givers rarely have good reason to entrust me with their tasks. We're still getting kill-10-rats quests -- we just have to click through a bunch of lame dialogue first.

What do you think? Do you prefer pre-scripted, one-off, linear quests, or do you long for the simplicity and honesty of random quest generation?

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 favor random quests? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Anarchy-Onlineaobrianna-royce-tdgkill-ten-ratsmissionmission-terminalopinionquestquestsstar-wars-galaxiesswgtdgthe-daily-grindWorld-of-WarcraftwowSat, 10 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Some Assembly Required: SWG housing extravaganza]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/some-assembly-required-swg-housing-extravaganza/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/some-assembly-required-swg-housing-extravaganza/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/09/some-assembly-required-swg-housing-extravaganza/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Some Assembly Required header
The sunsetting of Star Wars Galaxies. Beyond the obvious, that statement holds more meaning for me, something deeper and more personal. See, throughout my years in SWG, I would often stop whatever I was doing just to sit and watch the Tatooine suns set. Honestly. Just a simple act of sitting upon the plateau -- sometimes alone, sometimes with friends -- quietly watching one of the universe's greatest pleasures inside an MMO. It was amazing to me how vibrant this galaxy was, filled with so many little details that breathed life into it in a way that I think is still unmatched. Details such as sunsets made the world real, but what really made it "home" was the housing.

Few, if any, games can claim the mastery of housing that Galaxies attained. Quite frankly, it is still the standard by which I measure housing. And there is almost no way to sum it up and do it justice in one short article. Despite this challenge, Some Assembly Required dedicates this 12th issue to immortalizing (and hopefully prodding future developers to emulate) one of the greatest housing systems ever and highlighting the very thing that made this great feature phenomenal: incredible player ingenuity and creativity.

But don't just take my word for it. A number of readers joined in and sent in screenshots of and waypoints to these expressions of creativity. So step on over the threshold for our tribute in word and image to SWG housing and the player creativity it engendered.

Continue reading Some Assembly Required: SWG housing extravaganza

MassivelySome Assembly Required: SWG housing extravaganza originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-buildingcreativitydecoratingfeaturedgalleriesgalleryhouseshousinghousing-tourpgcplayer-creativityplayer-generated-contentsandboxscreenshotscreenshotssoesony-online-entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-mmosunsetswgswg-sunsettourFri, 09 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist and the Classic MMOs in November]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/06/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-classic-mmos-in-november/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/06/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-classic-mmos-in-november/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/06/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-classic-mmos-in-november/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Anarchy Online
It's seemed like every time I turned around in November, a spritely old-timer of an MMO was showing that it wasn't quite out of the running just yet. I mean, heck, we actually got word of a big change to Battleground Europe, prompting millions to throw their hands up and exclaim, "World War II Online is still actually online? Holy donkeys!"

In a way, I think these older MMOs get a free pass to escape the craziness of having to compete with more modern titles, and as such, they're more confident in their position and freer to pursue whatever is best for the game. You know, instead of trying to ape World of Warcraft (which probably aped them first in the great circle of apes).

So what's been going on with our favorite classic MMOs last month? Let's cast our UltraVision[TM] back on the events of November to see what's been up with four games and their communities.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Classic MMOs in November

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the Classic MMOs in November originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-tale-in-the-desertanarchy-onlinebattleground-europeColin-Craggcommunityfeaturedfuncomrunescapesantaleetstar-wars-galaxiesswgtale-viteppythe-game-archaeologistworld-of-warcraftworld-war-ii-onlinewowTue, 06 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars Galaxies updates players on the end]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/star-wars-galaxies-updates-players-on-the-end/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/star-wars-galaxies-updates-players-on-the-end/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/star-wars-galaxies-updates-players-on-the-end/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

And yet somewhere, even after the servers shut down, a twi'lek will be dancing.
December 15th. That's not the end of the world -- it's the end of multiple worlds because it's the day that Star Wars Galaxies will have its last hurrah followed by silence. But there are still a couple of weeks left, and considering that one of the game's big pushes has been the Galactic Civil War, we think it's only fair for the ending of the game's service to be accompanied by the ending of the war with a decisive victory.

On December 14th, at 9:00 p.m. PST (midnight EST), the Civil War scoreboards will close, with a final winner declared overall. This will be accompanied by server restarts, followed by a number of optional battles and skirmishes in the 15th. So spend the next two weeks getting ready for the last push to grab all the marbles because when the shutdown comes on December 15th, the war will be over... for good.

MassivelyStar Wars Galaxies updates players on the end originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ending-eventseventsgalactic-civil-wargalaxies-shutdowngame-endinggcwpvpshutdownsoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswswgupdatesThu, 01 Dec 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Ways to prepare for the coming of SWTOR]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/24/the-perfect-ten-ways-to-prepare-for-the-coming-of-swtor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/24/the-perfect-ten-ways-to-prepare-for-the-coming-of-swtor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/24/the-perfect-ten-ways-to-prepare-for-the-coming-of-swtor/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
Welcome to a very special edition of The Perfect Ten, the column that my two toddlers contribute to with their awe-inspiring counting abilities! With last week's dropping of Star Wars: The Old Republic's NDA, the internet has exploded with information, testimonials, and poorly spelled flamewars between the camps of believers and non-believers alike. It's a good time to be alive, eh?

In the spirit of the NDA drop and the upcoming December 20th launch -- less than a month! -- I've put together a list of 10 excellent ways that a SWTOR fan can prepare him or herself for the coming MMOcalypse. I totally understand that it can be frustrating to be waiting for an anticipated game launch, feeling impotent with your inability to speed up time. However, taking action in other ways can help with the wait and make us feel like we're being productive. That's what I'm here for today.

It's OK, there's no need to thank me. I get Light Side points for this.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Ways to prepare for the coming of SWTOR

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Ways to prepare for the coming of SWTOR originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-new-hopebetabiowarecomic-bookcomic-booksfeaturedguildknights-of-the-old-republicKnights-of-the-Old-Republic-2kotorlight-sidelistlistsmoviesndanovelizationsnovelsperfect-tenpre-orderreturn-of-the-jedistar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorthe-art-and-making-of-the-old-republicthe-empire-strikes-backthe-perfect-tenThu, 24 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars Galaxies patch features air-to-ground combat]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/17/star-wars-galaxies-patch-features-air-to-ground-combat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/17/star-wars-galaxies-patch-features-air-to-ground-combat/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/17/star-wars-galaxies-patch-features-air-to-ground-combat/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies - YT2400 cockpit
Sony Online Entertainment continues to twist the knife update Star Wars Galaxies despite the fact that it's closing down in less than a month. The latest patch brings the annual Wookiee Life Day celebration back to the live servers.

Interestingly -- or perhaps, maddeningly -- the update also adds the ability for ground-based avatars to engage starships maneuvering in planetary atmosphere (and vice versa). If you've ever wanted to mow down a column of stormtroopers with the business end of your X-Wing's laser cannons, now's your chance. It might take a few practice runs, though, as SOE's patch notes indicate that ground-based suits of armor can mitigate ship gun damage.

In any event, you've got a little over three weeks to try it out, and you can read the full patch notes on the official SWG forums.

MassivelyStar Wars Galaxies patch features air-to-ground combat originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>air-to-groundatmospheric-flightdeath-from-aboveground-to-airpatchsandboxsci-fisoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesswgThu, 17 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST