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[Exclusive Dev Diary: Designing the task forces for City of Heroes Issue 20]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/exclusive-dev-diary-designing-the-task-forces-for-city-of-heroe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/exclusive-dev-diary-designing-the-task-forces-for-city-of-heroe/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/31/exclusive-dev-diary-designing-the-task-forces-for-city-of-heroe/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

City of Heroes traditionally packs quite a lot into its large content patches, and Issue 20 looks to be no exception. Aside from the two new Incarnate Trials meant for endgame players, the update is going to see two new mid-level task forces added for players between levels 20-40. With one force for heroes and another for villains, everyone will have a chance to enjoy some new storytelling about the war against Praetoria outside of the earliest invasions.

But of course, new task forces don't just materialize out of thin air. It takes some hard work and a solid set of design principles to make them rewarding, something that Paragon Studios has been steadily improving since launch. John Hegner, Lead Mission Designer for City of Heroes, took the time to share with us what went into the construction of these new task forces and what they should mean for the player, so click on past the break for our exclusive developer diary on the design of the new content.

Continue reading Exclusive Dev Diary: Designing the task forces for City of Heroes Issue 20

MassivelyExclusive Dev Diary: Designing the task forces for City of Heroes Issue 20 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backstorycity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcoh-issue-20covcoxdev-diariesdev-diarydevelopmentfeaturedgroup-challengesgroup-contentincarnate-systemincarnatesissue-20john-hegnerlorencsoftnew-contentparagonparagon-studiospraetoriastorylinestrike-forcetask-forceThu, 31 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX East 2011: Shipping up to Boston with City of Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/pax-east-2011-shipping-up-to-boston-with-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/pax-east-2011-shipping-up-to-boston-with-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/pax-east-2011-shipping-up-to-boston-with-city-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's only fitting that PAX East 2011 would see another panel for City of Heroes, as last year's convention was the first time the team from Paragon Studios had been to the east coast. While this year's panel didn't see the many announcements and surprising new reveals of last year, it's good to see the team making the trek out to Boston once again in what fans can only hope will be a regular event.

As always, the line to get into the panel was gargantuan, with players lining up an hour before the panel doors opened for a seat in the relatively small theater. Once players had filed in and the room had settled down, it was time for a look at the past year or so for City of Heroes and at what players could expect for the near future, as well as the usual lively question-and-answer session.

Continue reading PAX East 2011: Shipping up to Boston with City of Heroes

MassivelyPAX East 2011: Shipping up to Boston with City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcontent-patchescovcoxcustomizationendgameendgame-systemfeaturedincarnateincarnate-systemissue-19issue-20nate-birkholzncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchespaxpax-2011pax-eastpax-east-2011ryan-rothstrike-forcetask-forcetia-parahuiupcoming-patchesupcoming-updatesupdatesMon, 14 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes offers an Issue 20 overview and development journal]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/city-of-heroes-offers-an-issue-20-overview-and-development-journ/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/city-of-heroes-offers-an-issue-20-overview-and-development-journ/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/01/city-of-heroes-offers-an-issue-20-overview-and-development-journ/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

PAX East is just around the corner, and it marks the second east coast appearance of the Paragon Studios team. Last year the developers had an upcoming expansion to preview, but this year nevertheless promises to still have plenty of revelations for the City of Heroes fans, starting with the new Issue 20 overview page available today. Aside from the two known Incarnate Trials, the page also previews two new task forces for characters in the 20-40 range as well as more respec trials available for heroes or villains who change alignment.

If the overview alone isn't enough to get you fired up for the upcoming Issue 20, the latest installment of the Intrepid Informer previews one of the new areas designed for the patch: a fortress made of lashed-together ships. Gilbert Martinez, one of the game's art leads, explains the process that led to creating an evocative new piece of scenery. City of Heroes players have plenty to look forward to in the near future, not the least of which being an upcoming patch with some pretty interesting content.

MassivelyCity of Heroes offers an Issue 20 overview and development journal originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcoh-issue-20covcoxdesigngilbert-martinezgroup-contenti20issue-20ncsoftnewsparagonparagon-studiospatch-previewpatchespaxpax-eastpax-east-2011raidsstrike-forcetask-forceTue, 01 Mar 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes launching the Strike Pack in February]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/city-of-heroes-launching-the-strike-pack-in-february/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/city-of-heroes-launching-the-strike-pack-in-february/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/city-of-heroes-launching-the-strike-pack-in-february/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

City of Heroes has been firing on all cylinders for this month's announcements, promising a great deal to come in the next few months. One of those promises was an addition to Issue 19's list of feature in a smaller update, and now that's been both dated and expanded upon. The Strike Pack is due out in early February, and it promises to give players both a chance to improve Incarnate abilities even further and more opportunities to gather the all-important materials for same.

According to Black Scorpion, starting with the launch of the Strike Pack, a single co-op Task Force (or a Strike Force and a Task Force) will be designated as a Weekly Strike Target, with characters earning double merits and a special Incarnate item for the first completion in a week. The Incarnate item is the key to unlocking the upper tiers of the Alpha Slot, which apply an effective level shift to your character, allowing said character to count as level 51 for purposes of hitting, missing, dodging, and so forth. Special badges are also promised for running the Weekly Strike Target multiple times, which should help keep City of Heroes active for everyone.

MassivelyCity of Heroes launching the Strike Pack in February originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>character-levelcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxincarnateincarnate-systemissue-19levellevelsncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchesstrike-forcestrike-packtask-forceweekly-strike-targetThu, 20 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The City of Heroes team against the Apex task force]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/15/the-city-of-heroes-team-against-the-apex-task-force/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/15/the-city-of-heroes-team-against-the-apex-task-force/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/15/the-city-of-heroes-team-against-the-apex-task-force/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

There are times when working with MMOs can be a bit of a mixed bag. You get some hate-filled feedback, you find that one of your major hobbies is now part of your job, and you're either a shill for the company or you're overly negative. And then there are times when you get to run the newest City of Heroes task force with the development team from Paragon Studios, and suddenly you remember why you got into the field in the first place.

It's one thing to be told over and over that a task force represents a new high-water mark for City of Heroes, and another thing entirely to start playing it and realize that it's pretty much exactly what was advertised. The first phase of fighting off the Praetorian invasion required fancy footwork, careful play, and learning encounters without being overly tedious. And even aside from that, it featured giant robots and the explanation of the flying swords from the Issue 19 trailer -- both things that turned out to be even more awesome than I had dared to hope.

Continue reading The City of Heroes team against the Apex task force

MassivelyThe City of Heroes team against the Apex task force originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apex-task-forcecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcontentcovcoxdeveloper-tourdevelopmentfeaturedhands-oni19invasionissue-19major-patchesncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchespraetoriapraetorianriktitask-forceupdatesMon, 15 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes dev diary: Dr. Aeon's Guide on How to Make a Proper Interdimensional Invasion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/27/city-of-heroes-dev-diary-dr-aeons-guide-on-how-to-make-a-prop/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/27/city-of-heroes-dev-diary-dr-aeons-guide-on-how-to-make-a-prop/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/27/city-of-heroes-dev-diary-dr-aeons-guide-on-how-to-make-a-prop/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

With the upcoming Issue 19, City of Heroes is bringing in the long-awaited Incarnate system, the first step in improving and honing the powers of characters who have already reached the level cap. Of course, that would be rather unbalancing if there wasn't something new to challenge the newly-empowered characters, but the whole invasion of Praetoria into Paragon City and the Rogue Isles should give even the new Incarnates something challenging to handle. Two task forces are being added to challenge characters that have reached the apex of power.

So how exactly does one craft a new invasion in City of Heroes? We were lucky to get a brand-new developer diary from Sean "Dr. Aeon" McCann detailing how the Apex and Tin Mage task forces came into existence, from the challenges it presented in design to the result of all that hard work. Take a look past the cut to check out the diary, wherein we get a full rundown of how one launches an interdimensional war. (In the game, at least. Actual aggression against other dimensions is not covered.)

Continue reading City of Heroes dev diary: Dr. Aeon's Guide on How to Make a Proper Interdimensional Invasion

MassivelyCity of Heroes dev diary: Dr. Aeon's Guide on How to Make a Proper Interdimensional Invasion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxdr-aeonexpansionsgoing-roguegrincarnateincarnate-systemincarnatesissue-19ncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchessean-dr-aeon-mccannsean-mccanntask-forceupcoming-patchesupdatesWed, 27 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes unveils the trailer for the Apex task force]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/12/city-of-heroes-unveils-the-trailer-for-the-apex-task-force/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/12/city-of-heroes-unveils-the-trailer-for-the-apex-task-force/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/12/city-of-heroes-unveils-the-trailer-for-the-apex-task-force/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

At the best of times, the task forces in City of Heroes resemble the huge crossover events of comics at their finest -- sprawling events covering multiple titles that give heroes and villains alike a chance to really show what they can do. And if there were ever an occasion for some truly impressive superhuman antics, it would be the invasion of Praetoria coming in Issue 19. Paragon Studios has released the trailer for the first of two major task forces, and it should give some idea of the scope of what awaits.

First shown at the New York Comic Con panel, the trailer features several shots showing the devastation wrought by Praetoria's machines of war, as well as the powers that heroes are unleashing to fight back. Some of these powers appear to be related to the Incarnate system, although the team was reluctant to definitively identify them as such. Take a look past the break for a sneak peek at what's coming next for City of Heroes, in all of its world-colliding glory.

Continue reading City of Heroes unveils the trailer for the Apex task force

MassivelyCity of Heroes unveils the trailer for the Apex task force originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apexapex-task-forcecity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcomic-bookscomicscovcoxgoing-roguegrmajor-eventncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchespraetoriapraetoriantask-forcetrailersupdatesvideovideosTue, 12 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes previews the coming Issue 19]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/city-of-heroes-previews-the-coming-issue-19/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/city-of-heroes-previews-the-coming-issue-19/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/city-of-heroes-previews-the-coming-issue-19/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

We've known about the bare basics of Issue 19 for a little while now, but City of Heroes players have just been treated to a new explosion of information about the game's next major content patch. And it promises to be quite a big update, with two new task forces, new events in Praetoria, and some alternate animations and auras that had not been previously announced. Several powers will now have a number of locations that can be used as a launching point, so you could fire your Radiation Blasts from your eyes, one hand, both hands, or other possibilities. More tip and morality missions are being added, as well as the option for characters who were not from Praetoria to enter the city.

It couldn't come at a better time, as Praetoria's infiltration and invasion are the center of the two new task forces. Overseen by Apex and Tin Mage, two important lore figures, the chains have characters face off against Praetors and uniquely Praetorian enemies to keep their world safe from Emperor Cole's designs. There are also new live events being added in Praetoria, such as a mass protest that heroes can take part in or help shut down. With the previously announced first Incarnate slot and the move of Fitness to inherent (with a slight clarification of unclear wording), the update promises to be an infusion of both content and systems for City of Heroes, so take a look at the official rundown for more.

MassivelyCity of Heroes previews the coming Issue 19 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alignment-systemalpha-strikeaurascharacter-aurascharacter-customizationcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcontactscovcoxcustomizationgame-updatesincarnate-systemincarnatesissue-19major-updatesmoralityncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchespraetorianspratoriapreviewstask-forcetask-forcestipsupdatesTue, 05 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: How the mighty have fallen]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/17/one-shots-how-the-mighty-have-fallen/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/17/one-shots-how-the-mighty-have-fallen/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/17/one-shots-how-the-mighty-have-fallen/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

While Going Rogue was initially set to go live today, those sneaky, sneaky folks at Paragon Studios let it go live last night to the delight of many City of Heroes fans. While today's screenshot doesn't really have much of anything to do with the expansion, it does spotlight one hero who sacrificed himself for the good of Earth and wound up an evil mutation thanks to the Rikti. This super-heroic image comes to us courtesy of @ChaoticSunder, who writes in:

"[Here's] a screenshot of Honoree, the Rikti secret weapon once known as Hero 1, confronting a group of meddling Earthers sent to prevent another glorious invasion. [This was taken during the] grand finale fight of a Lady Grey Task force in City of Heroes by the heroes of the Hyperion and Arc of Dawn supergroups. The recent graphics update helped make this painting-like, unretouched screenshot possible.

While you're out zooming around Paragon City or the Rogue Isles, why not snap a screenshot for us? We're all about the heroics! Email those in to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. Feel free to include your global handle, supergroup, etc. as well. We'll post it out here for everyone to enjoy and give you the credit.

Gallery: One Shots: Gallery II

MassivelyOne Shots: How the mighty have fallen originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescohcovcoxgoing-roguelady-grey-task-forcencsoftone-shotsparagon-studiosscreenshotscreenshotssuperherotask-forcetfTue, 17 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dabo, Klingon missions, and diplomacy heading for Star Trek Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/dabo-klingon-missions-and-diplomacy-heading-for-star-trek-onli/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/dabo-klingon-missions-and-diplomacy-heading-for-star-trek-onli/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/dabo-klingon-missions-and-diplomacy-heading-for-star-trek-onli/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

There are a lot of things to expect out of Star Trek Online, including things that weren't in the game at launch which made some people rather unhappy. The game has passed its three-month mark, however, and seems to be doing fairly well for itself with updates coming at a steady clip. Executive Producer Craig Zinkievich recently sat down for an interview in which he discussed some of the upcoming content for the game, including the ever-popular pastime of any Deep Space 9 occupant: Dabo, the nebulously-defined gambling game that involved large sums of money and attractive Bajoran attendants.

Beyond that, the staff is working on Memory Alpha and tweaking the difficulty of the special task forces, which they felt were just about right for the high end and a bit too difficult for the average player. They've also got the beginnings of plans for Season 2, including a raise to the skill point cap, Klingon Episodes, and a Federation diplomatic corps. The next update is tenatively scheduled for July. For more details on what the future is currently slated to hold for Star Trek Online, take a look at the full interview.

MassivelyDabo, Klingon missions, and diplomacy heading for Star Trek Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingcraig-zinkievichcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdabogamblinglevel-caplevel-cap-raisememory-alphaseason-2special-task-forcest-onlinestar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestotask-forcetrek-onlineupdatesFri, 07 May 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Issue 17 of City of Heroes goes live with launch trailer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/28/issue-17-of-city-of-heroes-goes-live-with-launch-trailer-embarg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/28/issue-17-of-city-of-heroes-goes-live-with-launch-trailer-embarg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/28/issue-17-of-city-of-heroes-goes-live-with-launch-trailer-embarg/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Today is a big day for City of Heroes. Not only is it the six-year anniversary of the game, with celebrations taking place both in-game and out, it's also the launch of the much-awaited Issue 17. Dubbed "Dark Mirror," the update features the graphical tweaks collectively known as Ultra Mode, as well as new story arcs and missions, improvements to Mission Architect, and a whole host of additional changes. It's also the release of the awaited Demon Summoning powerset, which is available to everyone who has prepurchased the upcoming Going Rogue expansion.

Behind the cut is the official trailer for the update, which should help whet the appetite of any fans anxiously awaiting the update to complete downloading. Aside from highlighting the visuals of Ultra Mode in real-time, it shows off some of the mission content, including the full-scale war against the Freakshow pictured above. There's also the doppelgangers and the Positron task force to show off -- and only a couple more months until the game's second major expansion. Click on past the cut to see the trailer, and enjoy the new changes that help keep City of Heroes fresh six years out.

Continue reading Issue 17 of City of Heroes goes live with launch trailer

MassivelyIssue 17 of City of Heroes goes live with launch trailer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxdark-mirrordemon-summoningdoppelgangersfreakshowgoing-rogueissue-17mission-architectparagonparagon-cohparagon-studioespatchespowersetstask-forcetrailersultra-modeupdatesWed, 28 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Captain's Log: Pros and cons of Season One]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/26/captains-log-pros-and-cons-of-season-one/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/26/captains-log-pros-and-cons-of-season-one/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/26/captains-log-pros-and-cons-of-season-one/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Hailing frequencies open. Testing. Is this thing on? Yes, Lieutenant, I'm pushing the-- ah! Greetings and salutations, fellow Starfleet officers! And a hearty nuqneH to all you Klingons out there. Welcome back to Captain's Log, the weekly Star Trek Online column here at Massively. After a few weeks of tuning down in Engineering, Captain's Log is back, shinier than ever, with a new captain at the helm. Now let's set sail before the admirals at Massively reassign me to replicator cleanup duty. You've never seen a mess until you've seen someone order haggis and Ferengi snail juice.

Federation and Klingon captains all over the galaxy have reason to rejoice. Thursday saw the release of Season One: Common Ground, one of the first really huge content patches for Star Trek Online. The patch introduces a bevy of features, including new fleet actions, a new task-force mission and more stuff for Klingons to do.

Continue reading Captain's Log: Pros and cons of Season One

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Pros and cons of Season One originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battle-cruiserbig-digborgcommon-groundcraig-Zinkievichcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studioscrystalline-entitycustomizationdeep-space-ninedrozanads9Federationground-assaultklingonktanconausicaanokretpatchpvepvpqonosragenraidisoderespecseason-oneseason-one-common-groundshanty-townspecial-task-force-missionsspecial-task-forcesst-onlineStar-Trek-MMOstar-trek-onlinestar-trek-online-season-onestar-trek-season-onestosto-common-groundsto-season-onesto-season-one-common-groundtask-forcethe-curetrek-onlineFri, 26 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Issue 17 details for City of Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/new-issue-17-details-for-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/new-issue-17-details-for-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/new-issue-17-details-for-city-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

If you play City of Heroes, you're looking forward to the upcoming Issue 17. We've heard some of what can be expected from the big pre-expansion drop, but much of it was cloaked in vague terms -- improvements that didn't have any hard data attached to them, like the promise of new missions and UI revisions. But the official site has put up a page on the coming features for the update, and it helps clarify some things we didn't know about, as well as offering some excellent news besides. And it promises the end of Positron's dreaded unending task force! (It'll still be there, but it will be split into two parts and improved all around.)

Continue reading New Issue 17 details for City of Heroes

MassivelyNew Issue 17 details for City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>altsanimationscity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcoh-issue-17contentcovcoxenhancementsgraphicsinfamyinfluencemailmission-architectmissionsparagonparagon-cohparagon-studioestask-forceWed, 24 Feb 2010 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XI implements the RMT PWNER version 1.337 to battle RMT]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/final-fantasy-xi-implements-the-rmt-pwner-version-1-337-to-battl/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/final-fantasy-xi-implements-the-rmt-pwner-version-1-337-to-battl/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/06/final-fantasy-xi-implements-the-rmt-pwner-version-1-337-to-battl/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


The Final Fantasy XI anti-RMT task force has always been very aggressive in their pursuit of gil farmers and gil sellers in the world of Vana'diel, but the latest task force update shows that they're about to get even more technological in their investigations.

Enter the RMT PWNER program, version 1.337. (No, we totally did not make that up.) This program can parse the many servers of FFXI for information regarding the buying and selling transactions of a character under suspicion of the task force. The program will then list all characters who have associated with that character's associates, and so on and so on. This way, the task force will be able to easily track all members of a supposed RMT group without doing all of the human legwork of tracking through endless log files.

Continue reading Final Fantasy XI implements the RMT PWNER version 1.337 to battle RMT

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XI implements the RMT PWNER version 1.337 to battle RMT originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-rmtfairyffxifinal-fantasy-xirmtrmt-task-forcesquare-enixtask-forceTue, 06 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XI anti-RMT squad drops the banhammer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/final-fantasy-xi-anti-rmt-squad-drops-the-banhammer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/final-fantasy-xi-anti-rmt-squad-drops-the-banhammer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/25/final-fantasy-xi-anti-rmt-squad-drops-the-banhammer/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Every few months Square/Enix lets loose a report from the anti-RMT squad they have on the Final Fantasy XI staff. These individuals are purposed with one goal: to keep the paths and streets of Vana'diel clear of monster-farming TOS-breaking gil-sellers. It's a thankless job, and even here on the site we've had people complain that it's not working. Still the reports come out, and still we see the company release word that they've dropped the banhammer on another few hundreds of individuals. It's a never-ending race, with the rats always one step ahead of the cat.

The most recent report seems to indicate their previous actions against farmers who focused on fishing have been somewhat successful. The also make mention of some anti-farming techniques implimented in the May update, with further techniques added in this most recent June update. Between these two they're hopeful named monster hunting will continue to decrease. They've also released some numbers on recent bannings, trying to give us a sense of how active the team has been. Movement enhancers look to be the most-affected group, with 400 cheaters kicked in the first month of June alone.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XI anti-RMT squad drops the banhammer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelsffxifinal-fantasy-xigilmicrotransactionsrmtrmt-squadsquare-enixtask-forceWed, 25 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Square/Enix's anti-RMT task force reports in]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/square-enixs-anti-rmt-task-force-reports-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/square-enixs-anti-rmt-task-force-reports-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/31/square-enixs-anti-rmt-task-force-reports-in/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Once again the crack team at Square/Enix dedicated to hunting down and eradicating the gold farmer has reported in. Final Fantasy XI has a particularly troublesome RMT problem, making communication to the playerbase on the issue critical. Recent reports have focused on strong initiatives with targeted crackdowns and mass bannings.

This latest post to the official FFXI site is really more of a status update, keeping players abreast of the most recent areas of concern. For example, the ever-present problem of hacked accounts and stolen items has been on the task force's mind for some time now. Thanks to recent changes, re-obtaining items should be a much faster process. As for particular activities, they're keeping a close watch on fish farming, the abusive hunting of Notorious Monsters, and "enhanced character movement" exploits; ie: speedhacking. The update also takes note of a few questions that have been directed to the team of late; full details are available on the site.

MassivelySquare/Enix's anti-RMT task force reports in originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 May 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>exploitffxifinal-fantasy-xihackrmtsquare-enixtask-forceSat, 31 May 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Final Fantasy XI anti-RMT task force strikes back]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/23/the-final-fantasy-xi-anti-rmt-task-force-strikes-back/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/23/the-final-fantasy-xi-anti-rmt-task-force-strikes-back/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/23/the-final-fantasy-xi-anti-rmt-task-force-strikes-back/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The anti-RMT task force run by Square/Enix is one of the most vigorous in the industry. Though it's debateable how effective measures like this are, it has to be reassuring to Final Fantasy XI players to know that there's someone on the case. Square has released a number of updates in its war on the goldfarmers, notifying the playerbase on a rash of online attacks that have hit the community recently. One article offers up preventative tips, and walks the reader through the process of verifying and recovering from an account hacking.

Another offers plenty of details on recent bannings, updates to a recent article outlining similar banning statistics. Since the last update roughly 600 players have been banned for using movement hacks, as an example. Roughly 2200 players have lost their accounts for botting, and another 1700 were caught participating in RMT activities. This last activity is the primary concern of the task force, which reports on its recent initiatives in a third piece. Illegal fishing and mining are in the group's future plans, and (as well) the report tracks the level of banning activity over the last year. Whether it's working or not, it's fascinating to see the fruits of their labor.

MassivelyThe Final Fantasy XI anti-RMT task force strikes back originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ffxifinal-fantasy-xihackrmtsquare-enixtask-forceWed, 23 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST