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[EVE Evolved: The day that EVE Online died]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/26/eve-evolved-the-day-that-eve-online-died/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/26/eve-evolved-the-day-that-eve-online-died/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/26/eve-evolved-the-day-that-eve-online-died/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

I think it's safe to say that this week has been an unmitigated disaster for CCP Games. Following last week's $99 license fee fiasco for third-party developers, CCP Zulu managed to claw back some player support with a segment addressing the issue during the alliance tournament. This week CCP followed up with the release of Incarna 1.0 and its long-awaited captain's quarters. Players logged in to walk around their private rooms and check out the various cosmetic items available for purchase in the new microtransaction store.

It didn't take long for people to realise that something was fundamentally wrong with the prices on the Noble Exchange. At around $40 for a basic shirt, $25 for boots, and $70 or more for the fabled monocle, items in the Noble Exchange were priced higher than their-real life counterparts. As players made some noise about the ridiculous prices, an internal CCP newsletter all about the company's microtransaction plans was purportedly leaked. In it, plans to sell ships, ammo, and faction standings for cash were revealed, plans that strictly contradict previous promises on gameplay-affecting microtransactions. Shortly afterward, all hell broke loose as a private internal memo from CCP CEO Hilmar was leaked to the press.

In the past few days, I've been contacted by dozens (if not hundreds) of concerned EVE players who are afraid that the game they love is coming to an end. I've even been in contact with an insider who is scared of the risks CCP is taking with the jobs of over 600 employees in four countries, scared enough to leak internal documents and emails. In this week's colossal EVE Evolved, I delve into EVE's latest controversy and shed some light on the biggest community flashpoint since the T20 developer corruption scandal.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The day that EVE Online died

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The day that EVE Online died originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bluescreenCaptains-quartersccpccp-eveccp-gamescommunicationcqcrasheveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-gateeve-mmorpgeve-onlineeve-radioexpansionexpansionsexpectation-managementfearlessfeaturedgpuincarnaleakleaked-memomacrotransactionsMicrotransactionsmiscommunicationmonoclemonocle-gatemonoclegatenewsnewsletternexnoble-exchangepredictably-irrationalprice-anchorradiosystem-requirementsSun, 26 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online dropping support for old CPUs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/17/eve-online-dropping-support-for-old-cpus/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/17/eve-online-dropping-support-for-old-cpus/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/17/eve-online-dropping-support-for-old-cpus/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

An inevitable consequence of EVE Online's periodic graphical upgrades is that support for old graphics cards and computers has to be dropped. The last major change to EVE's system requirements removed support for graphics cards lower than a Shader Model 2.0 standard. A very small number of players were affected by the change, and the dropping of support for old shader models gave CCP the freedom they needed to keep EVE's graphics above par.

When tomorrow's Incursion 1.10 patch goes live, EVE's minimum system requirements will see another increase as support for Pentium 3, Athlon XP and older CPUs will be withdrawn. The decision to withdraw support for these old processors comes as a result of internal testing on the expansion codebase. Some of the new third-party libraries being used in the patch were found to be causing a crash when starting the client on systems with CPUs that that don't support the SSE2 instruction set. The likely culprit is the new APEX PhysX library set, a crucial part of the Incarna clothing simulation process, which was recently updated to an SSE2 standard.

CCP estimates that this change will affect less than 0.3% of users, meaning just over 1,000 players will need to upgrade their systems if they wish to continue playing. Unsupported processors date back to the summer of 2003 or earlier, making most of the affected systems older than EVE itself. With the revelation of just how old those processors are, the response from players has been generally neutral. CCP Zulu apologised on the forum for the extremely short notice of the announcement on tomorrow's change, stating that he was bringing players this news as it happened.

MassivelyEVE Online dropping support for old CPUs originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apexccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-zulucpueveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionexpansionsincursionpatchphysxprocessorsse2system-requirementsMon, 17 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard unveils Cataclysm system requirements]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/blizzard-unveils-cataclysm-system-requirements/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/blizzard-unveils-cataclysm-system-requirements/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/blizzard-unveils-cataclysm-system-requirements/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Conventional gaming wisdom holds that World of Warcraft is such a lean, mean GPU-conserving machine that it will run on everything from a 386 to a scientific calculator from the early 1970s. Rumor has it that there are even some punch-card computers and difference engines that will run Blizzard's game with a bit of tweaking.

Sadly, those days are numbered, as the forthcoming Cataclysm expansion is planning to destroy not only the world of Azeroth, but also any thoughts you may have had of running WoW on your older Mac or PC hardware. The official system requirements for the new expansion have been released, and -- skipping right over the minimums -- we find that the recommended setup is a dual-core CPU, 2 GB of system memory, and a graphics card with vertex and pixel shading capability. While it's not exactly state of the art, it may necessitate a bit of an upgrade if you're still puttering along with your Burning Crusade or vanilla WoW equipment.

Check out all the details courtesy of our friends at WoW Insider.

MassivelyBlizzard unveils Cataclysm system requirements originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>azerothblizzardcataclysmcataclysm-wowdifference-engineexpansionhardwarehardware-upgradesystem-requirementsupgradeWorld-of-WarcraftwowWed, 20 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Mog Log: Layers upon layers of questions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/31/the-mog-log-layers-upon-layers-of-questions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/31/the-mog-log-layers-upon-layers-of-questions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/31/the-mog-log-layers-upon-layers-of-questions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

There's a lot coming down the pipeline for fans of both Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XI. And there are a lot of questions to be asked, even though not all of them quite mirror those of your beloved author. (Those questions are generally shouted at the sky, insinuating it can hear me and that it needs to give me a beta key.) But while I'm not busy staring at a harsh, uncaring sky, I can certainly offer you a fair number of answers.

hatri1181 asks:
"I scored really low on the benchmark, but my system beats the living hell out of the min specs. Does that make any sense to anyone else?"

Yes. The benchmark isn't totally accurate, as many people were screaming as soon as it was released, and it features several odd points. Points such as being sponsored by one of two major GPU manufacturers, and highlighting the most congested areas of gameplay with no options to turn settings down, only up -- the sort of things that have resulted in people being fully capable of running the benchmark and having scores telling them they could not.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Layers upon layers of questions

MassivelyThe Mog Log: Layers upon layers of questions originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benchmarkbenchmark-applicationconsolesfeaturedffff11ff14ffxiffxivfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivfree-trialfree-trialsopinionpartyparty-formingparty-mechanicspcquest-auto-complete-9000squaresquare-enixsystem-requirementssystemstrialsverisimilitudeSat, 31 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The system requirements of Final Fantasy XIV]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/22/the-system-requirements-of-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/22/the-system-requirements-of-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/22/the-system-requirements-of-final-fantasy-xiv/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's an open secret that Final Fantasy XIV is going to be quite intensive on computers. Even with the release of the official benchmark program, no one has been quite sure how accurate the test is for gauging performance. (The fact that the benchmark focuses on performance during congested periods of gameplay isn't helping.) If you've been fretting because your computer got a low score on the official benchmark, or just because you prefer having hard data instead of loose guidelines, then you're in luck -- the team at FFXIVCore has the official system requirements.

Although the recommended system requirements are still going through revision, even the minimums are on the beefier side. They're nothing unreasonable, but those with older machines that manage Final Fantasy XI will need to take stock and invest in some upgrades. On the other hand, if you scored just fine on the benchmark, you'll be happy to know that there are also a bevvy of new screenshots available in the same post. Keep your eyes peeled as we get closer to Final Fantasy XIV's release, as there's little doubt the team at Square-Enix will be tweaking the code for optimal performance.

MassivelyThe system requirements of Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benchmarkffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivofficial-benchmarksquaresquare-enixsystemsystem-requirementsThu, 22 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV news from between the lines]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/11/final-fantasy-xiv-news-from-between-the-lines/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/11/final-fantasy-xiv-news-from-between-the-lines/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/11/final-fantasy-xiv-news-from-between-the-lines/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

With all of the flurry of new information surrounding Final Fantasy XIV, it's understandable that some things can get missed in the hubbub. (For instance, the team behind the game has had an official Twitter feed running since the 30th... albeit one that's been largely silent on news.) Eorzeapedia, one of the larger fan sites for the game, has put together a helpful compilation of some of the little bits and pieces that have surfaced recently.

Some of the news has been seen in detail elsewhere, such as new information regarding some of the heretofore unseen disciplines. Other pieces are small, but still enlightening, such as the fact that the Playstation 3 version of the game is being held back largely due to RAM issues. We also learn that instanced dungeons are in the works along with notorious monsters, taking both from more recent design and the classic setup of Final Fantasy XI. If you're hungry for more Final Fantasy XIV tidbits, take a look at the roundup.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV news from between the lines originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivinstanced-dungeonsinstancesnotorious-monstersofficial-twitterplaystation-3ps3squaresquare-enixsystem-requirementstwitterSun, 11 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Mog Log: For bidden knowledge]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/26/the-mog-log-for-bidden-knowledge/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/26/the-mog-log-for-bidden-knowledge/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/26/the-mog-log-for-bidden-knowledge/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

It's easy to get jaded about Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV at times, right up until you open your eyes and see how immense the worlds of both games can really be. The scope and the sweep of both games is dwarfing. One human being could spend quite a bit of time studying them to try and internalize all of the available knowledge. And I found the guy who did precisely that and stole his notes, so I can answer your questions about both games today. Isn't that special?

egobrane asked:
"What's with people crying about huge system requirements [for the benchmark]?"

Not everyone has a hugely powerful computer, and there are a lot of fans of Final Fantasy XI who would probably like to be able to dive straight into Final Fantasy XIV. The problem is that the former has been around for eight years, and the latter is just now coming out. That's leaving aside the fact that FFXI's American release came a year and a half after the Japanese release, which meant that a computer that could run the game well was that much cheaper.

Continue reading The Mog Log: For bidden knowledge

MassivelyThe Mog Log: For bidden knowledge originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 26 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addonschains-of-promathiacope3expansionsfeaturedffff11ff14ffxiffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivopinionsquaresquare-enixsystem-requirementsupdateswings-of-the-goddesswotgSat, 26 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XIV launches benchmark application]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/15/final-fantasy-xiv-launches-benchmark-application/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/15/final-fantasy-xiv-launches-benchmark-application/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/15/final-fantasy-xiv-launches-benchmark-application/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Curious as to whether or not your computer will be able to handle Final Fantasy XIV? We're due for an exclusive interview with Square-Enix in the very near future at E3, but that's focusing on game mechanics and story details. Luckily, much like Final Fantasy XI before, Square has made an official benchmark program available for prospective players. But it's more involved than its predecessor, allowing you to select from any of the game's races as well as supporting a test for high-definition displays.

The download itself is being hosted on NVIDIA's site, at a fairly reasonable 172 megabyte download. Once you have the program downloaded (and DirectX 9.0c installed, but that's more or less a given in this day and age), it runs without any complications and produces a numerical score after it runs through tests. Anything above a score of 1500 will be able to run the game just fine, but a look at the official rundown is well worth the time -- to see how much upgrading you'll have to do before Final Fantasy XIV's launch if nothing else.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV launches benchmark application originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>benchmarkbenchmark-programdirectxe3e3-2010ffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivnvidiasquaresquare-enixsystemsystem-requirementssystem-testtestingTue, 15 Jun 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online system requirements revealed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/11/star-trek-online-system-requirements-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/11/star-trek-online-system-requirements-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/11/star-trek-online-system-requirements-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It looks like most people won't have a whole lot to worry about when it comes to the system requirements for Star Trek Online, unless of course you couldn't play Champions Online. Actually, that's a pretty good measuring stick in one way, since both games run on the Cryptic engine. Although, there is a useful rule of thumb when considering performance.

The lower your display resolution, the higher your graphics settings. Or in other words, if you're running a laptop and float somewhere between the minimum and recommended specs then it's likely your game will look rather good. Why? Most laptop displays have native resolutions lower than what you'll get on a 21 inch desktop monitor. If you are running a desktop and find yourself wondering what your most important upgrade is when preparing for an upcoming game, the answer is usually a new videocard.

Find the full system requirements after the jump.

Continue reading Star Trek Online system requirements revealed

MassivelyStar Trek Online system requirements revealed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataribreakingchampionschampions-onlinecrypticcryptic-studiosdesktoplaptopminimumrecommendedstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestosystem-requirementsWed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE minimum system requirements raised for Dominion expansion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/24/eve-minimum-system-requirements-raised-for-dominion-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/24/eve-minimum-system-requirements-raised-for-dominion-expansion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/24/eve-minimum-system-requirements-raised-for-dominion-expansion/#commentsFiled under: , ,


CCP Games periodically raises system requirements for EVE Online when they feel those minimum requirements are holding the game back. This is going to happen with this winter's Dominion expansion when players will need Windows XP Service Pack 2 to run the EVE client. The game will be getting a graphics update that includes a new look for some of EVE's planets and the Chromium powered in-game browser will require that XP users step up to at least Service Pack 2.

No hardware system requirement increases have been announced, just the need for players to update to Service Pack 2. This will only affect 0.4% of the game's Windows XP users, according to EVE dev CCP Explorer in his latest dev blog. CCP Games will also officially begin supporting Windows 7 with Dominion.

MassivelyEVE minimum system requirements raised for Dominion expansion originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccp-explorerdev-blogdev-blogsdominioneve-onlineexpansionssci-fisystem-requirementswindows-xpThu, 24 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[System requirements revealed for Champions Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/07/system-requirements-revealed-for-champions-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/07/system-requirements-revealed-for-champions-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/07/system-requirements-revealed-for-champions-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Cryptic today revealed the minimum and recommended specs for Champions Online and they contain some happy and interesting surprises. Happy, because the overall requirements are fairly low, especially if you're the kind of person who plays MMOs on any sort of regular basis. Interesting, because for a game coming out a little under two months before Windows 7 hits retail, there's strangely no mention of support for the new Microsoft operating system.

We know that the current beta runs on Windows 7, but that's true of many older games released in the Vista era. Given the low upgrade prices currently being offered and the positive buzz surrounding the new OS, there'll probably be a decent amount of early adopters come October 22nd. Still, beyond that small curiosity, we'd have to say the required and recommended specs for Champions Online are definitely good. As an added bonus, this makes another delay beyond September highly unlikely -- as does the announced open beta, we suppose.

Check out the minimum and recommended system requirements after the break.

Continue reading System requirements revealed for Champions Online

MassivelySystem requirements revealed for Champions Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataribetabreakingchampions-onlinecrypticcryptic-studiosmicrosoftoctoberopen-betaseptembersystem-requirementssystem-specswindows-7Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth stress test begins this Tuesday, June 23rd]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/22/fallen-earth-stress-test-begins-this-tuesday-june-23rd/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/22/fallen-earth-stress-test-begins-this-tuesday-june-23rd/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/22/fallen-earth-stress-test-begins-this-tuesday-june-23rd/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


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!]

MassivelyFallen 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.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>early-accessfallen-earthfileplanetfileplanet-subscriberstress-testsystem-requirementsMon, 22 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Minimum specs and new screens for Jumpgate Evolution revealed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/02/minimum-specs-and-new-screens-for-jumpgate-evolution-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/02/minimum-specs-and-new-screens-for-jumpgate-evolution-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/02/minimum-specs-and-new-screens-for-jumpgate-evolution-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


With the month of March behind us and April in full effect, June continues to creep closer and closer. This is of deep significance for anyone awaiting the release of NetDevil's Jumpgate Evolution, as is today's announcement of the game's minimum hardware requirements.

If this was a game of limbo, we'd have to say that NetDevil just won this month's tournament by creating one of the most technically limber MMOs we've seen in quite some time. How will the game actually look at lower setting has yet to be seen, although space games tend to scale down pretty well. We're also interested to see what the recommended specs look like, but for now you can consider us very impressed.

Check out the minimum requirements just beyond the cut.

Gallery: Jumpgate Evolution Gallery

Continue reading Minimum specs and new screens for Jumpgate Evolution revealed

MassivelyMinimum specs and new screens for Jumpgate Evolution revealed originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcodemastersgazillion-entertainmentjgejumpgatejumpgate-evolutionjunenetdevilsystem-requirementsThu, 02 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively interviews Champions Online's lead designer Randy Mosiondz]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/20/massively-interviews-champions-onlines-lead-designer-randy-mosi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/20/massively-interviews-champions-onlines-lead-designer-randy-mosi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/20/massively-interviews-champions-onlines-lead-designer-randy-mosi/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Massively recently had the chance to speak with Champions Online's intrepid lead designer, Randy Mosiondz. Topics included are the game's unique brand of action-combat (and how it differs from other games), a substantial achievement system, new mission structure and even what new and exciting travel powers would be featured come launch time.

We hope you enjoy the interview, and be sure to watch Massively for even more great Champions Online information in the near future!

Gallery: Champions Online Main Gallery

Continue reading Massively interviews Champions Online's lead designer Randy Mosiondz

MassivelyMassively interviews Champions Online's lead designer Randy Mosiondz originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actionatarichampionschampions-onlinecombatcryptic-studiosfeaturedjoystiqfeaturesrandy-mosiondzsystem-requirementsTue, 20 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP Games not abandoning older hardware users in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/19/ccp-games-not-abandoning-older-hardware-users-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/19/ccp-games-not-abandoning-older-hardware-users-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/19/ccp-games-not-abandoning-older-hardware-users-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


CCP Games definitely had a few EVE Online players up in arms last week, with their announcement that they'll be dropping the Classic graphics client as of the next expansion. While Machariel battleships no longer being that gorgeous black is clearly the only serious issue with that decision (only half-kidding), the fact that they were considering dropping support for older hardware drew a substantial amount of response from the player community. CCP's proposed two part plan was to:

1. Drop Classic (and ShaderModel 1) with the Apocrypha expansion launch on March 10, making ShaderModel 2 the minimum system requirement to run the game with "Premium Lite" graphics.

2. As of the Winter expansion 2009, drop ShaderModel 2 support, making ShaderModel 3 the minimum spec to run EVE, with full Premium graphics.

Well, the players have spoken, and based upon this response CCP is moving ahead with step one -- dropping Classic, ShaderModel 2 will be the minimum needed as of March 10th -- and NOT step two. That is to say, CCP is holding off on phasing out machines that can't handle ShaderModel 3.

Continue reading CCP Games not abandoning older hardware users in EVE Online

MassivelyCCP Games not abandoning older hardware users in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaccpccp-gamesccp-zuluparkclassic-graphicseveeve-onlineexpansionsforumsgraphicshardwareminimum-system-requirementsmmo-industrypremium-graphicssci-fishader-model-2shader-model-3specssystem-requirementsMon, 19 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Masthead Studios CEO discusses Earthrise's sandbox philosophy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/11/masthead-studios-ceo-discusses-earthrises-sandbox-philosophy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/11/masthead-studios-ceo-discusses-earthrises-sandbox-philosophy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/11/masthead-studios-ceo-discusses-earthrises-sandbox-philosophy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


It looks like the sci-fi MMO genre is going to experience quite an influx of new titles in the months and years to come. Beyond the more standard sci-fi MMOs we've reported on in the past, one that's caught our attention at Massively is the upcoming post-apocalyptic title, Earthrise. It seems that beta testing is going to begin "in autumn", as confirmed by Masthead Studios CEO Atanas Atanasov in an interview with Polish MMO-centric gaming site The Art of MMO.

While the interview brought to light some interesting revelations about Earthrise as a sandbox MMO, it also nailed down some details such as the system requirements to run the title: minimum requirements are 2 GHz CPU, 1024 MB RAM and 256 MB VRAM video card supporting shader model v3.0, according to Atanasov. But the interview also gives confirmations about guild-based PvP (which Atanasov refers to as 'Guild-vs-Guild' or 'GvG'), character advancement, and the roleplaying opportunities he sees being available to players in the Earthrise sandbox. Check out the entire English version of the interview over at The Art of MMO for more on this title.

MassivelyMasthead Studios CEO discusses Earthrise's sandbox philosophy originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atanas-atanasovbetabetasbulgariaearthrisegame-mechanicsguild-vs-guildguildsgvginterviewinterviewsmasthead-studiosmmo-industrynew-titlesplay-earthrisepost-apocalypticsandboxsci-fisofiasystem-requirementsTue, 11 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How low do system requirements need to be?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/11/the-daily-grind-how-low-do-system-requirements-need-to-be/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/11/the-daily-grind-how-low-do-system-requirements-need-to-be/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/11/the-daily-grind-how-low-do-system-requirements-need-to-be/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King system requirements were announced earlier this week, and they weren't really much higher than those of The Burning Crusade. WoW's impossibly low system requirements have always been part of its recipe for success -- a recipe past and present competitors would do well to learn. But on the other hand, part of the PC gaming culture is the constant race to new graphical frontiers. Many hardcore gamers upgrade their PCs every year or so to keep up with the latest advancements. Sure, they're the minority -- but they're the base for almost any 3D PC game.

How would you describe the optimal balance? Should MMO developers err on the side of accessibility, or graphical showmanship? How high is too high when it comes to system requirements, and how low do games need to reach to make sure they're accessible enough to the masses?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How low do system requirements need to be? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessibilityage-of-conandiscussiongraphicshardwareminimum-requirementsminimum-specsopinionrecommended-specssystem-reqssystem-requirementssystem-specstdgtechnologythe-daily-grindvanguardworld-of-warcraftSat, 11 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online minimum system specs revealed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/30/warhammer-online-minimum-system-specs-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/30/warhammer-online-minimum-system-specs-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/30/warhammer-online-minimum-system-specs-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Do you like graphics wot be shiny? If so, then you're in luck! Mythic Entertainment has just released the minimum system requirements for running Warhammer Online when it (supposedly) releases sometime this September. They don't look to be very high, although the minimum two gigabytes of RAM for Windows Vista users isn't very surprising. All of the newer games on Vista seem to be asking for that, so if you're running that operating system we hope you've got the RAM already. If you don't have sufficient robot algae memory (that's what RAM stands for, right?), at least buying some more of the stuff shouldn't break your bank or anything.

The only thing left is the recommended requirements, which probably aren't going to be too shocking. We're expecting to see a 256MB videocard or better recommendation and probably a mid-level dual-core CPU. You can check out the entire list after the break, if you're so inclined.

Continue reading Warhammer Online minimum system specs revealed

MassivelyWarhammer Online minimum system specs revealed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaelectronic-artsminimum-system-requirementsmythic-entertainmentsystem-requirementsvistawarwarhammerwarhammer-onlinewindowswindows-vistaWed, 30 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online sale on Steam, this weekend only]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/eve-online-sale-on-steam-this-weekend-only/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/eve-online-sale-on-steam-this-weekend-only/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/07/eve-online-sale-on-steam-this-weekend-only/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Steam is having a weekend sale which includes the sci-fi MMO EVE Online, now offered for $9.99. The Steam sale pricing ends on Monday, June 9th. If you're interested in giving EVE Online a go, then grab it on Steam now. That's not a bad way to burn $10 and 6 gigs of hard disk space, take it from a convert to the game. And of course you'll get the free Empyrean Age expansion that CCP Games is rolling out on June 11th. Check out Steam's EVE page -- where they're also offering a free 21-day trial -- and who knows, maybe we'll see you in the galaxy of New Eden soon. Just don't get too attached to that ship...

Via Gaming Today

MassivelyEVE Online sale on Steam, this weekend only originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesempyrean-ageeveeve-onlineexpansionnew-edensalesci-fishipsteamsteam-poweredsystem-requirementsSat, 07 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Vanguard producer discusses the state of the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/vanguard-producer-discusses-the-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/vanguard-producer-discusses-the-state-of-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/20/vanguard-producer-discusses-the-state-of-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

In an interview with Allakhazam, Vanguard producer Thom Terrazas talked about how his game is going right now, how it is currently being improved, and improvements that can be expected for the future. Allakhazam wasn't afraid to ask the tough questions, bringing up the game's less-than-stellar launch, and asking Terrazas to pinpoint the areas that have held back Vanguard until now.

Terrazas admits that the performance and system requirements of the game during the launch period lost them a lot of players, but promises that these issues are well behind them now, with a lot of optimization to the client. His advice is to get in the game and join a guild, and promises that his team listen do the community and make updates accordingly. But with the next generation of MMOs already upon us, is it too late for Vanguard to recover?

MassivelyVanguard producer discusses the state of the game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 May 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communitylaunchoptimizationsystem-requirementsterrazasthom-terrazasvanguardvanguard-saga-of-heroesTue, 20 May 2008 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: How to pick the MMO for you]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/anti-aliased-how-to-pick-the-mmo-for-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/anti-aliased-how-to-pick-the-mmo-for-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/anti-aliased-how-to-pick-the-mmo-for-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Let's be honest for a moment - there are a ton of MMOs out there. We have everything from fantasy, to dystopian future, to fantasy, to horror, to fantasy, to pirates, to fantasy, to sci-fi, and even all the way down to fantasy. While this is great for people who love choice, this is a complete nightmare (or should I say Bloodymare, ha ha, gaming puns) for anyone who's new to the genre or wants to start off with a fresh game that's different from what they're playing.

How do you separate the good from the bad? How do you know if you'll stick to a game? You don't want to gamble with an expensive game only to find out that you totally hate it and wish it would burn in the deepest depths of hell. (I'm looking at you, Risk Your Life.) So, do you rely on what your friends tell you or what reviewers tell you?

In my opinion, no one knows you except you. So when you sit down and want to pick the right game the first time, here's a few pointers and suggestions to get you started.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: How to pick the MMO for you

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: How to pick the MMO for you originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 May 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4chanage-of-conanalbatross-18anarchy-onlineaocblizzardccpcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovdragonrealmseaeb-gameseveeve-onlineeverquesteverquest-2featuredfinal-fantasy-xiflagship-studiosfuncomgamestopguild-warsgwhellgatehellgate-londonhgljoystiqfeaturesl2lineage-2listerinelord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromaplestorymortal-kombatncsoftnewbiesnexonphantasy-star-universepirates-of-the-burning-seapirates-of-the-caribbeanplanetsideplayonlinepotbspotcopsurunescapesimutronicssoesony-online-entertainmentsquare-enixsystem-requirementstabula-rasaturbineturbine-entertainmentultima-onlineunreal-tournamentvanguardworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 14 May 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Player vs. Everything: Choking on graphics]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/player-vs-everything-choking-on-graphics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/player-vs-everything-choking-on-graphics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/player-vs-everything-choking-on-graphics/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I managed to get my hands on an Age of Conan beta key this morning, so off I went to excitedly download the client. I'm a big fan of Robert E. Howard's original pulps, and I've been looking forward to the grim and gritty world of Hyboria for a while now. Most of what I've read about it so far has been very positive (with a few notable exceptions due to some of the design choices). Our own write-up of the overall beta experience from Michael Zenke was very encouraging with regard to the combat, gameplay, and feel of the world. Overall, it seems like there's a lot to be excited about. There's just one glaring issue that everyone seems to be having: the graphics are choking their machines.

This isn't a new phenomenon. It seems like every new game on the market in the last few years wants to beat our poor, 1-3 year old computers into lifeless heaps of rubbish with their outlandish and ridiculous system requirements. Even World of Warcraft, a game celebrated for its accessibility and ability to be run on older machines, wasn't that way at launch (though it was substantially better than its major competitors at the time, EverQuest 2 and City of Heroes). However, this strategy of supercharged visuals has made things hard for a number of games. Vanguard in particular suffered a lot of criticism for having ridiculous system requirements when it launched, and that's just one example. Given that people would like to actually be able to play these games, why on earth do game designers insist on shoving next-gen graphics down our throats when the vast majority of us have last-gen machines (or worse)?

Continue reading Player vs. Everything: Choking on graphics

MassivelyPlayer vs. Everything: Choking on graphics originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 May 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessibilityage-of-conancity-of-heroescomputercomputerscriticismeverquest-2featuredgraphicsgraphics-cardhardwarehardware-salesplayer-vs-everythingsystemsystem-requirementstabula-rasavanguardworld-of-warcraftFri, 02 May 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan gets new ground]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/16/age-of-conan-gets-new-ground/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/16/age-of-conan-gets-new-ground/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/16/age-of-conan-gets-new-ground/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We're sure that when you think of Age of Conan, you think about ground texture optimization. If that's not the first thing that pops into your head, it should be. All right, so maybe it shouldn't be, but it's still rather important -- we promise. If you don't believe us, just go check out the new AoC developer blog at 1up.com for proof.

We have to admit to being skeptical ourselves until we saw the before and after screenshots. Not only does the ground art look much better, it also takes up less system resources -- which is always a huge plus. We wonder if this kind of dedication goes into the other visual aspects of Age of Conan.

Would we rather see talk about some other topics? Sure, but it's always nice to see some examples of how Age of Conan has been optimized to run smoother. With the release date only a couple months away, the stream of information continues to grow -- with an exception for the occasional trickle now and then.

[via RPGDot]

MassivelyAge of Conan gets new ground originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1upaocfuncom-age-of-conangame-optimizationground-texturessystem-requirementstexturesSun, 16 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan FAQ reveals system requirements]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/age-of-conan-faq-reveals-system-requirements/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/age-of-conan-faq-reveals-system-requirements/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/age-of-conan-faq-reveals-system-requirements/#commentsFiled under: , ,


If you've been waiting with bated breath (much like us) for Funcom to finally release the recommended and required system specs for Age of Conan, then you'll be pleased to hear that the wait is finally over. It's about time too, we were starting to look into the cost of flying to Norway and raiding their offices Barbarian-style. Then when we thought about it, the cost of double-sided great axes and authentic moleskin trousers was just too much when combined with the plane ticket.

It all works out in the end, since you can find the much-awaited required specs after the break.

Continue reading Age of Conan FAQ reveals system requirements

MassivelyAge of Conan FAQ reveals system requirements originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbarbarianbreakingfaqfuncomgreat-axesystem-requirementsFri, 07 Mar 2008 17:11:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: To upgrade or not]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/the-daily-grind-games-that-make-you-upgrade-your-machine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/the-daily-grind-games-that-make-you-upgrade-your-machine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/the-daily-grind-games-that-make-you-upgrade-your-machine/#commentsFiled under: ,

Anyone who has spent any time around Massively is most likely aware of the One Shots column we run daily that showcases many different user-submitted screenshots like the one above. One of the things that strikes me in running it from day to day is how completely different games look from one person's screenshots to the next person's. Obviously, this comes down to things like hardware, whether or not they're running DX10, and the like.

For today we'd like to ask you this -- would you, or have you ever upgraded your entire machine just to play one game? Perhaps you just turn your graphics down to the lowest setting and get by? Alternately, do you not mind if you're required to turn everything down, or do you feel like you're not able to enjoy the game as much? With WoW being so system-resource friendly, is it wise to try to push into games that have much higher system requirements -- or do developers risk cutting themselves off from part of the new-MMO player market?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: To upgrade or not originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredgraphicssystem-requirementstdgthe-daily-grindWed, 05 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jumpgate Evolution site launches]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/jumpgate-evolution-site-launches/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/jumpgate-evolution-site-launches/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/jumpgate-evolution-site-launches/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Netdevil has launched the website for Jumpgate Evolution, their new space combat MMO expected out in 2008. The site features some new info about the game, new screenshots, a little bit of flash video, and forums for the community.

I'm not quite sure how much of this is new to hardcore JE followers, but I do note that the forums feature spaces for the "Octavian," "Quantar," and "Solrain" nations, so it looks like those will be the three nationalities available at game launch. Unfortunately, the game info page is pretty vague, but it does have System Requirements on there, and they are forgiving to say the least-- you won't need a top-of-the-line rig to fly this galaxy.

If you're hungry for more Jumpgate info, make sure to give our interview with the producer a read as well. The game is currently taking signups for a beta, and it's due out in the second half of next year.

[Via VW]

MassivelyJumpgate Evolution site launches originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>jumpgate-evolutionnetdeviloctavian-quantarsolrainsystem-requirementswebsiteWed, 19 Dec 2007 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jumpgate Evolution producer sets vision for accessibility]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/jumpgate-evolution-producer-sets-vision-for-accessibility/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/jumpgate-evolution-producer-sets-vision-for-accessibility/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/jumpgate-evolution-producer-sets-vision-for-accessibility/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Accessibility is a big buzz word in the MMO industry right now. After some hardcore titles failed to gain traction, a lot of people are thinking that spending millions of extra dollars to make cutting edge games that only 5% of gamers can or will pay doesn't make a lot of sense.

Among those people is NetDevil's Hermann Peterscheck, Producer of Jumpgate Evolution. He recently wrote up a dev journal post at MMORPG about accessibility. First he talks about making games that are, to quote Einstein, "as simple as possible, but not any simpler." Then he talks about hardware requirements as a barrier to entry.

Looks like NetDevil plans to be conservative on both counts so as to reach a broad market. But that doesn't necessarily mean Jumpgate Evolution will be shallow. Peterscheck uses Chess as an example of a game that takes 20 minutes to learn but potentially a lifetime to master.

MassivelyJumpgate Evolution producer sets vision for accessibility originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessibilitychessdev-journalgame-designgame-mechanicshardwarehermann-peterscheckjumpgatejumpgate-evolutionmmorpgnetdevilsystem-requirementsWed, 05 Dec 2007 15:30:00 EST