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[MIT developing educational MMO funded by Gates Foundation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/22/mit-developing-educational-mmo-funded-by-gates-foundation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/22/mit-developing-educational-mmo-funded-by-gates-foundation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/22/mit-developing-educational-mmo-funded-by-gates-foundation/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

MIT logo
Is gaming the answer to the math- and science-related apathy plaguing American school kids? Some folks at MIT think so, and a new press blurb outlines how the institute is developing an MMO designed to further science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

"In contrast to the way that (STEM) is currently taught in secondary schools -- which often results in students becoming disengaged and disinterested in the subjects at an early age -- educational games like the one to be developed give students the chance to explore STEM topics in a way that deepens their knowledge while also developing 21st-century skills," the release says.

The title is being developed in collaboration with Filament Games, and MIT's Eric Klopfer says that it will be a powerful educational tool. "This genre of games is uniquely suited to teaching the nature of science inquiry," he explains, "because they provide collaborative, self-directed learning situations. Players take on the roles of scientists, engineers and mathematicians to explore and explain a robust virtual world." The project is being financed by a $3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

MassivelyMIT developing educational MMO funded by Gates Foundation originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bill-and-melinda-gates-foundationbill-gateseducationeducational-mmoengineeringeric-klopferfilament-gamesfoundationkidsmathematicsMiscellaneousmitmmo-industrysciencestemtechnologySun, 22 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: Ten terrific titles for this nifty new netbook]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/mmobility-ten-terrific-titles-for-this-nifty-new-netbook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/mmobility-ten-terrific-titles-for-this-nifty-new-netbook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/mmobility-ten-terrific-titles-for-this-nifty-new-netbook/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Inspiron Duo picture
I mentioned this new gaming toy of mine last week, and it finally arrived. I immediately loved how it felt and weighed. Sure, there are lighter netbooks, but many of them feel more fragile. This Inspiron Duo has a rubberized edging to it, and the flip-screen feels snappy but firm. I was happy right away. It's a higher-quality netbook with a decent-quality tablet included.

After I tweaked it and purged it of bloatware, I had to get some games going on it, and not just casual Facebook games but real MMOs. I spent a few days going through my list of titles to see which ones would work on the netbook and how many will work well with the touchscreen. I wanted games that would give a normal netbook fits but not lag excessively. Note that my netbook's screen is 1366x768, while the cheapest ones out there are normally 1024x600. Adjustments might need to be made there. I came up only with 10 games for now, but expect more in the future.

Click past the cut to see the list!

Continue reading MMObility: Ten terrific titles for this nifty new netbook

MassivelyMMObility: Ten terrific titles for this nifty new netbook originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mystical-landbeau-hindmanf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpglitchgolden-agegunshineillyriadinspiron-duomabinoginadirimnetbooknetbook-gamesnetbook-mmosNexonnexon-americapuppet-guardianpuzzle-piratestechnologyUltima-Onlinewizard101Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Time dilation and the war on lag]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/02/eve-evolved-time-dilation-and-the-war-on-lag/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/02/eve-evolved-time-dilation-and-the-war-on-lag/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/02/eve-evolved-time-dilation-and-the-war-on-lag/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
When EVE Online launched back in 2003, it quickly gained a following of over 40,000 subscribing players. With around 5,000 solar systems for players to explore, those players spread themselves throughout the galaxy rather than gathering in one place. Players would often come together to trade or make war, but the server generally kept up with the action. As the number of subscribers rose, the size of the average PvP fleet increased and CCP upgraded the EVE server to handle the additional load. 2005 saw EVE's subscriber numbers explode from just over 50,000 to around 100,000 players. Server upgrades suddenly didn't cut it any more, and lag began to set in during large fleet battles.

Ever since then, CCP has waged a largely unseen war against the impossibility of keeping all of EVE's players in one single-shard universe. Holding on to that core ideal that's made EVE the successful sandbox game it is today, developers have pursued every avenue in the fight against lag. While funding research into Python's Stackless IO and constantly optimising code, CCP built the biggest supercomputer in the games industry to house New Eden's growing population. With over 400,000 players now inhabiting the same world and a typically weekly peak concurrency of over 50,000 characters, CCP has been forced to develop some big guns in the war on lag.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at some of the biggest developments CCP has made in the war on lag, including the new Time Dilation feature that literally slows down time to let the server catch its breath.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Time dilation and the war on lag

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Time dilation and the war on lag originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-atroposccp-eveccp-gamesccp-veritascutting-edgeeveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedhardwarelagmmo-industryrad-game-toolsserverserverssupercomputerteam-gridlocktechnologytelemetrythin-clienttime-dilationwar-on-lagSun, 02 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Astronaut: Moon, Mars, and Beyond developer talks educational mission]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/01/astronaut-moon-mars-and-beyond-developer-talks-educational-mi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/01/astronaut-moon-mars-and-beyond-developer-talks-educational-mi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/01/astronaut-moon-mars-and-beyond-developer-talks-educational-mi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Astronaut: Moon, Mars, and Beyond - ISS
Astronaut: Moon, Mars, and Beyond has been in the news a lot lately, but just who are the folks behind the educational MMO from NASA and Project Whitecard? A new piece at Gamasutra sheds a bit of light on that as well as a few more details about the project as a whole.

"I'm originally a developer," says Project Whitecard CEO Khal Shariff. "I thought, 'oh, I could be a developer for the rest of my life, or I could start my own company.'" That company has some pretty lofty goals for its first MMO, including reaching out to millions of kids worldwide and getting them interested in STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

"We are dedicated to using game technology to do things that, when somebody interacts with the game, it maybe leaves the world better or leaves somebody smarter," Shariff says.

MassivelyAstronaut: Moon, Mars, and Beyond developer talks educational mission originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>astronautastronaut-moon-mars-and-beyondeducationeducationalengineeringfamilyinterviewskhal-shariffkidsmathematicsmmo-industrynasaproject-whitecardreal-worldsciencespace-mmostemtechnologyThu, 01 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New interview with Undead Labs' Jeff Strain covers technology and fun]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/new-interview-with-undead-labs-jeff-strain-covers-technology-an/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/new-interview-with-undead-labs-jeff-strain-covers-technology-an/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/21/new-interview-with-undead-labs-jeff-strain-covers-technology-an/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Console MMO fans, rejoice. We have a new interview with Undead Labs' Jeff Strain on the studio's upcoming Xbox 360 titles. The two titles, code-named Class3 and Class4, are an Xbox Live Arcade title (which will allow the studio to test their technology and give players a taste of what's to come) and an open-world MMORPG, respectively.

Throughout the interview, Strain touches on a few important subjects, such as Class3 and how it is helping the team develop and prepare for Class4. He also mentions that the team's concern with Class4 is not with the fact that it's a server-hosted online world, but ensuring that said server-hosted online world is fun to play. Although it's a somewhat short interview, it's certainly worth the read for any zombie fan anticipating Undead Labs' upcoming titles.

MassivelyNew interview with Undead Labs' Jeff Strain covers technology and fun originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>class-3class-4class3class4consolefast-zombies-are-better-than-slow-zombiesinterviewjeff-straintechnologyundead-labsxboxxbox-360zombiezombiesThu, 21 Jul 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Codemasters denies picking up APB]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/07/codemasters-denies-picking-up-apb/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/07/codemasters-denies-picking-up-apb/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/07/codemasters-denies-picking-up-apb/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

If you were holding out hope that the defunct urban crime MMO All Points Bulletin would be resurrected courtesy of the folks at Codemasters, Eurogamer has a little bit of cold water to throw on your fire. David Solari, Codemasters Online general manager, minces no words in a recent interview.

"We have not picked up APB, I can answer you definitively," he said.

Rumors circulated that the publisher might be picking up the pieces of the shuttered MMO, left scattered by the closing of Realtime Worlds, when former RTW community manager Ben Bateman updated his LinkedIn profile to reflect his new job at Codemasters. Epic Games has also been rumored as a potential salvager, and Solari says that someone will inevitably pick up APB's assets, if only for the innovative tech. "If they don't pick up the game then they will pick up the technology for sure, because the avatar and character customisation technology is incredible. Something will definitely be done to preserve that," he muses.

MassivelyCodemasters denies picking up APB originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinall-points-bulletin-gameapbben-batemancodemastersdefunctepic-gamesgame-closingmmo--industryRealtime-WorldsRealTimeWorldsrumorstechnologySun, 07 Nov 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: So, what does "MMORPG" mean?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/08/free-for-all-so-what-does-mmorpg-mean/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/08/free-for-all-so-what-does-mmorpg-mean/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/08/free-for-all-so-what-does-mmorpg-mean/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

As a reader of Massively, you should have a pretty good idea what MMORPG means. Not just what it stands for, but what it feels like, looks like, and behaves like. The problem is, despite common definitions, the games keep coming in different shapes and sizes -- and from all over the world. While I receive many comments about the Western coverage that Massively features, I would only be doing half my job if I reported on only the latest half a dozen games to break the multi-million-dollar budget mark in America.

The world is a smaller place, especially now. And across the world there are MMORPGs that are being played and enjoyed in many different ways. There are PvP games, games that place players into instance after instance with only a handful of other players, all while offering the potential to hang out with thousands of other people. Is an instanced combat game still an MMO? How about a game like Mabinogi, which maintains a persistent world, but is broken into several invisible channels for players to skip in to and out of?

This is impossible, but I think I will try to define exactly what MMO means -- now, in this current market.

Continue reading Free for All: So, what does "MMORPG" mean?

MassivelyFree for All: So, what does "MMORPG" mean? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmandefining-mmosdefinitionsfeaturedfree-for-allfriends-listguild-warslarpmabinogimassivemassivelymassively-multiplayermassively-multiplayer-onlinemassively-multiplayer-online-gamemassively-multiplayer-online-gamesmmommorpgmobile-gamesmultiplayerphonesreal-liferoleplayroleplayingsocializationsocializingtechnologyterminologywesternWed, 08 Sep 2010 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Share and enjoy in City of Heroes with the Praetorian Clockwork!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/share-and-enjoy-in-city-of-heroes-with-the-praetorian-clockwork/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/share-and-enjoy-in-city-of-heroes-with-the-praetorian-clockwork/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/05/share-and-enjoy-in-city-of-heroes-with-the-praetorian-clockwork/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Greetings, fine consumer! You appear to be the sort of discerning individual highly anticipating the upcoming expansion for City of Heroes, much like several of your friends in [SUBJECT_HOMETOWN_HERE]. Going Rogue will be releasing on August 17th, available online or at [SUBJECT_RETAILER_HERE], but perhaps you'd like an opportunity to see some of the most useful automatic companions available before the fact? If so, today is your lucky day, because you have the unprecedented opportunity to take a look at the details behind the Clockwork, the latest and greatest release from Neuron Technologies Unlimited!

Featuring voice recognition, a shiny chrome finish, and over nine thousand home maintenance routines, the Clockwork offer an unparalleled level of safety and security for the entire family. These super-toys last all summer long, with a self-replenishing power source and ample maintenance facilities. And if one of your neighbors challenges the bright new future being assembled by Emperor Cole, you'll be happy to note that all Clockwork are equipped with the best possible threat neutralization capabilities available. Further information, including ordering details and a full description of how you and your robot can share and enjoy your lives, can be found at the official site for City of Heroes.

MassivelyShare and enjoy in City of Heroes with the Praetorian Clockwork! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adversariesandroidscity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcomputerscovcoxenemiesenemy-robotsexpansionsgoing-roguegrloyalistparagonparagon-studiospraetoriapreviewsresistancerobotstechnologyThu, 05 Aug 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE devblog peeks behind the Tranquility curtain]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/16/eve-devblog-peeks-behind-the-tranquility-curtain/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/16/eve-devblog-peeks-behind-the-tranquility-curtain/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/16/eve-devblog-peeks-behind-the-tranquility-curtain/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ever wanted to know the inner workings of CCP Games' Tranquility server cluster? You're in luck, as CCP Yokai has posted a behind-the-scenes look at both the current and soon-to-be upgraded version of EVE Online's live server setup. In a dev blog at the official EVE website, Yokai fills us in on the hefty blade server configurations as well as cooling concerns and the upcoming migration.

"TQ has morphed and adjusted over the years as much as EVE Online has. It's gotten to the point [where] a couple of cabinets simply don't handle it anymore. So, this first step is to move TQ to a bigger place. We'll still be in the same datacenter and connecting to you from multiple networks to ensure the best performance, but this time with a lot more space and power and room to grow," he writes.

Yokai goes on to illustrate how the new setup will provide added physical space, power, and data capacity. Check out the full article at the official site.

MassivelyEVE devblog peeks behind the Tranquility curtain originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blade-serversccpCCP-Gameseveeve-onlinehardwareserversspecstechnologytranquilitytranquility-serverWed, 16 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Building MMO landscape scenes, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes-part-2/#commentsContinue reading Building MMO landscape scenes, part 2

MassivelyBuilding MMO landscape scenes, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanbillboardengineeverquest-2everquest-iigraphicsheightmaplakelandscapelightinglodlord-of-the-rings-onlineoceanplantsriversceneryscenictechnologyterrainterrain-renderingtexturestreeswaterworld-of-warcraftMon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Building MMO landscape scenes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


Landscapes have been a staple component of almost every MMO in recent memory. With the exception of some sci-fi titles, most MMOs take place on the land of some imagined island or continent. Some use stylised fantasy landscapes that run smoothly on even low-end computers while others have managed almost photo-realistic visuals at the cost of performance. But have you ever thought about what's going on behind the scenes in your favourite MMO? Most of us don't think about how the computer is actually drawing the terrain we run around on. We don't give much thought to the different ways each MMO renders the water in lakes, rivers and oceans. And just how does your computer render so many trees and plants without grinding to a halt? As part of my masters degree in computer science, I got to grips with a number of these techniques and found it a fascinating thing to learn about. Now when I play a new game or see MMO screenshots, I can't help but think about what the computer is doing in the background and how particular visual effects could have been achieved.

In this technical article, I talk about some of the components of an MMO landscape scene and a few of the techniques used in creating the graphics behind them.

Continue reading Building MMO landscape scenes

MassivelyBuilding MMO landscape scenes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanbillboardengineeverquest-2everquest-iigraphicsheightmaplakelandscapelightinglodlord-of-the-rings-onlineoceanplantsriversceneryscenictechnologyterrainterrain-renderingtexturestreeswaterworld-of-warcraftMon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: Final Fantasy XIV is a good, good thing pt. 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/05/anti-aliased-final-fantasy-xiv-is-a-good-good-thing-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/05/anti-aliased-final-fantasy-xiv-is-a-good-good-thing-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/05/anti-aliased-final-fantasy-xiv-is-a-good-good-thing-pt-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


The real beauty of all of this is that a Final Fantasy game is never truly a sequel. Each world that they create in the series is unique and tells its own story. They don't copy the same battle system from game to game, they're always looking to innovate, and they're always pushing their own boundaries. The "Final Fantasy" name is more of a pedigree than it is a continuous set of works.

With all of that in mind, we can be sure that 14 and 11 will be different enough to work side by side. For these guys, it's not about the grind -- it's about the story. I think we can be certain that the new world we're about to explore will be very different than Vana'diel and follow a completely different line of thought with a new twist on their own battle system.

It's not about an MMO

If there's any point that makes me want this game the most, it's the fact that this game isn't being developed to be an MMO. This game is being developed to be a Final Fantasy title. I may have lost you on that, so let me explain.

When many developers begin to approach their new MMO, they approach it as an MMO. They look at it and think about the grind, the world, the interactions, and the other titles in the market. They stare at World of Warcraft for hours and analyze the market so they can capture their audience. Because of this, all games seem to follow this "MMO formula." Grind, level, grind, level, grind, level, endgame. Emphasis is being put on the game and not on the experience.

Final Fantasy XIV is not being developed from the perspective of an MMO -- it's being developed from the perspective of a Final Fantasy console game that just happens to be online. When you pick up Final Fantasy XI, you feel the presence of an MMO, but you also feel the presence of a Final Fantasy game. Storylines, adventuring, characters, and a rich world all seem to pop to the forefront. Even the battle system, which is an MMO battle system, screams Final Fantasy because of the way abilities, camera angles, and party dynamics work.

This is what our genre needs. We do not need to make another MMO for the sake of making another MMO. We're done with MMOs. We want games that feature a massively multiplayer online component. Instead of breaking the Final Fantasy series apart so it fits into the context of an MMO, we're breaking MMO components apart to fit in the context of Final Fantasy. It will feature systems that are unlike any other MMO because they don't come from another MMO -- they come from Final Fantasy.

Two other games are attempting to do this right now -- Star Wars: The Old Republic and All Points Bulletin. Part of the reason we're all excited for these two is because they don't look to be another MMO for MMOs sake. SWTOR is grabbing from Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect's playbook. APB is grabbing from GTA's playbook.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a very, very good thing.
Colin Brennan is the weekly writer of Anti-Aliased who owns Final Fantasy XI for way too many platforms. When he's not writing here for Massively, he's rambling on his personal blog, The Experience Curve. If you want to message him, send him an e-mail at colin.brennan AT weblogsinc DOT com. You can also follow him on Twitter through Massively, or through his personal feed.

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: Final Fantasy XIV is a good, good thing pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinapbbiowareffxiffxivfinal-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivgame-designgraphicsrealtime-worldssequelssquare-enixstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortechnologyFri, 05 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New SDXC cards to allow for greater MMO portability]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/10/new-sdxc-cards-to-allow-for-greater-mmo-portability/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/10/new-sdxc-cards-to-allow-for-greater-mmo-portability/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/10/new-sdxc-cards-to-allow-for-greater-mmo-portability/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Massively multiplayer online games tend to take up less space on your hard drive than your standard PC game, as the bulk of the data is stored on farms of servers that power your MMO of choice. However, despite the fact that most of the underlying magic is happening far away from your own screen, MMO clients still take up a number of gigs of space, as laptop users who regularly play different titles know all too well. But since an MMO client is really just an access point then, there's no reason why it has to be tied to any one machine or location, particularly if you're on the go for much of the time.

While the typical solution for some MMO gamers with a preference for portability is to keep their game clients on a portable drive (myself included), even these small drives are beginning to look downright clunky compared to some of the other options available, or soon-to-be available.

Continue reading New SDXC cards to allow for greater MMO portability

MassivelyNew SDXC cards to allow for greater MMO portability originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam-holiskycapacitycesclientclientsconsumer-electronics-showengadgetfantasyon-the-goopinionportabilityportablesdsdxctechnologyworld-of-warcraftwowwow-insiderSat, 10 Jan 2009 18:00:00 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[AGDC08: The meaning of life in EVE Online really is 42 (no joke)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/agdc08-the-meaning-of-life-in-eve-online-really-is-42-no-joke/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/agdc08-the-meaning-of-life-in-eve-online-really-is-42-no-joke/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/agdc08-the-meaning-of-life-in-eve-online-really-is-42-no-joke/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Last week at AGDC we had the chance to sit in on a number of really interesting panels. One that was near and dear to our tech-loving, MMO-playing hearts was the Wednesday-finale entitled "The Server Technology of EVE Online: How to Cope With 300,000 Players on One Server." Presented by CCP CTO Halldor Fannar Guðjónsson, it was an in-depth look at the way EVE Online is constructed from 'the back end'. They've talked before about their backend elements, about their decision to go with Microsoft's SQL Server and Stackless Python. Halldor offered a number of new elements in last week's talk, though, touching on the world-girding supercomputer network that keeps New Eden flying.

While much of the talk was highly technical in nature, one fun element we took away was the mathematical nature of the EVE Online galaxy. When 'putting the universe together', the designers had to make a few fundamental decisions. How would it happen? On what level would the universe be simulated? What method would they use to make planets? Today we have a short clip of the talk, touching on those very subjects. Despite the depths to which most EVE players know their game world, we're betting you might learn something new about the depths of space, as created by CCP. Read on for the details.

Continue reading AGDC08: The meaning of life in EVE Online really is 42 (no joke)

MassivelyAGDC08: The meaning of life in EVE Online really is 42 (no joke) originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agdcagdc-2008ccpeveeve-onlinefeaturedsolar-systemstechnologyThu, 25 Sep 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New DirectX 11 details emerge]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/new-directx-11-details-emerge/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/new-directx-11-details-emerge/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/23/new-directx-11-details-emerge/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Not many MMOs take advantage of the DirectX 10 API and its instruction sets but that's not stopping progress on DirectX 11. The new DirectX version will work on Vista and future versions of the Windows operating system dubbed Windows 7. Yesterday, at Gamefest -- Microsft's XNA conference, the conglomerate disclosed some upcoming key components that the new technology will possess.

There's full support, and compatibility with DirectX 10 and 10.1 hardware, and this support extends too new DirectX 11 hardware. A new compute shader technology will open a GPU's capabilities to coincide as a parallel processor. More optimized power as multi-threaded resource handling will increase performance on multi-core machines. That's great since 8-core processors are not far-off from market sale. The last technical DirectX 11 feat announced is support for tessellation, a big fancy term that more or less makes your graphics smoother and prettier when viewed close-up. It could be a year or more before a MMOG takes full advantage of DirectX 11's capabilities. For example early DX10 adopters that play MMOGs are still waiting for Age of Conan's DX10 client.

MassivelyNew DirectX 11 details emerge originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>directxdirectx-10directx-11directx10directx11dx10dx11gamesfest-2008graphic-shadersgraphicsmicrosofttechnologyvideovideo-technologywindowswindows-operating-systemWed, 23 Jul 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[38 Studios to use NaturalMotion's Morpheme engine]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/38-studios-to-use-natural-motions-morpheme-engine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/38-studios-to-use-natural-motions-morpheme-engine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/38-studios-to-use-natural-motions-morpheme-engine/#commentsFiled under: , ,

38 Studios, the star-studded development studio working on a mysterious MMO codenamed Copernicus, has announced that it will use an animation engine called Morpheme. Morpheme has also been used in EVE Online and Heavenly Sword. Its creator is a company called NaturalMotion, which also created the related and acclaimed Euphoria engine used in Grand Theft Auto IV and the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

Jon Laff, 38 Studios' chief technology officer, was quoted in the press release saying, "Morpheme allows us to create very high-quality character animations quickly, cutting down on a lot of intensive animation design and implementation time." Uh, good! Wouldn't want you to pick middleware that slows you down instead!

So for those who are keeping track: Copernicus now uses BigWorld, Unreal Engine 3, and Morpheme. It's got the trifecta!

Massively38 Studios to use NaturalMotion's Morpheme engine originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>38-studiosanimationbigworldcopernicusengineeuphoriajon-laffmiddlewaremorphemenatural-motionnaturalmotiontechnologyunreal-engine-3Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft licenses texture software used in Xbox Live Arcade games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/24/ncsoft-licenses-texture-software-used-in-xbox-live-arcade-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/24/ncsoft-licenses-texture-software-used-in-xbox-live-arcade-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/24/ncsoft-licenses-texture-software-used-in-xbox-live-arcade-games/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Allegorithmic, the creator of a procedural texture production tool called ProFX, announced that NCsoft has licensed its product. ProFX produces highly compressed textures that are "tiny, typically a few kilobytes" in size. Those textures are expanded and generated on the fly from that data by the system's processor as needed. That means file sizes are very small, but visual quality is maintained. The tech is therefore popular with companies developing games for the Xbox Live Arcade, the Xbox 360's digital download marketplace for bite-sized, casual gaming experiences.

NCsoft plans to use the technology in the future development of MMOs for PCs and the PlayStation 3 console. That choice might imply a comparatively small scope for those projects. ProFX is perfectly suited for games downloadable through the PlayStation Network store (Sony's answer to the Xbox Live Arcade), so this is another clue that NCsoft's PS3 games might be PSN releases instead of AAA Blu-ray titles.

It's by no means definitive though; NCsoft might have just been looking for a way to bring down patch sizes. So move along now!

MassivelyNCsoft licenses texture software used in Xbox Live Arcade games originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allegorithmicdevelopmentenginelicensencsoftplaystation-3playstation-networkprofxps3psnspeculationtechnologyxbox-liveTue, 24 Jun 2008 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Making/Money: MUDflation IG vs. IRL]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/making-money-mudflation-ig-vs-irl/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/making-money-mudflation-ig-vs-irl/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/making-money-mudflation-ig-vs-irl/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

We have tackled the subject of mudflation tangentially a few times of late. It seems to have suddenly become the economic buzzword of MMOs. We have all experienced it. We have come to expect, if not accept, it as part of the games we love to play. And though Wikipedia, in its infinite wisdom, has dubbed it an in-game only phenomenon, I posit a different approach to looking at this occurrence.

Mudflation is an immediate devaluation of previously owned items due to the gain or release of newly available items. This is not unlike technological advance in that the release of the latest new toy makes all others somewhat obsolete. The differences here are the perceived need for the item, the amount of devaluation, and the time frame in which this occurs.

Continue reading Making/Money: MUDflation IG vs. IRL

MassivelyMaking/Money: MUDflation IG vs. IRL originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advancesbleeding-edgedeflationeconomicsexpansionsfeaturedgearinflationitemsjoystiqfeatureslootmaking-moneymudflationpvepvppvp-gearshinytechnologyFri, 13 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Study says 90% of virtual worlds don't last 18 months]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/study-says-90-of-virtual-worlds-dont-last-18-months/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/study-says-90-of-virtual-worlds-dont-last-18-months/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/study-says-90-of-virtual-worlds-dont-last-18-months/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A study released by Gartner, a large research firm based in Connecticut, claims that 90% of all "business forays into virtual worlds" fail within 18 months.

According to the study, most businesses focus too much on expensive and unnecessary technology such as powerful physics engines, and don't pay enough attention to the demands and interests of users actual or potential. This is not surprising to us; savvy MMO developers will talk your ear off about how multi-million dollar graphics are at best a red herring and at worst a harbinger of doom.

On the other hand, the study also said that by 2012, 70% of all organizations will be using virtual worlds, and that those endeavors will more successful because businesses will have learned exactly what to expect and will plan development accordingly.

[Via Worlds in Motion]

MassivelyStudy says 90% of virtual worlds don't last 18 months originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 May 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessdevelopmentfailuregartnergraphicsphysicspredictionpredictionsresearchstudytechnologyvirtual-worldsworlds-in-motionSat, 17 May 2008 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan zone preview is smooth as silk]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/16/age-of-conan-zone-prevew-is-smooth-as-silk/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/16/age-of-conan-zone-prevew-is-smooth-as-silk/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/16/age-of-conan-zone-prevew-is-smooth-as-silk/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Ten Ton Hammer has a new zone preview video from FunCom developers Jørgen Tharaldsen and Jason Stone. This particular video is from The Maze, a tantalizing small team instance from Aquillonia. What we are seeing is running at a very smooth 40 frames per second while the game engine is loading well out of visual range. That's just another nail in the coffin of our concerns, which is a very good thing to bury.

Aside from technical milestones, we've got to admit that the bog creatures (or pond demons?) seen in the video are quite cool. It's good to know that these instanced areas are getting a lot of attention, as we all know how people love running quests with their tight knit groups. Age of Conan is definitely one of the prettier massively games coming out this year, we can't deny our sudden drool-begotten stares of the scenery reflected in ponds.

MassivelyAge of Conan zone preview is smooth as silk originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocfuncomjason-stonejørgen-tharaldsenpreview-videotechnologyten-ton-hammerWed, 16 Jan 2008 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Welcome to the World of Treecraft]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/11/welcome-to-the-world-of-treecraft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/11/welcome-to-the-world-of-treecraft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/11/welcome-to-the-world-of-treecraft/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Science Daily reports that a Stanford computer scientist named Vladlen Koltun has produced a program that allows both amateur and professional creators of virtual worlds to select from countless possible types of trees (all modeled based on scientific research) and to customize those trees based on their own needs.

The program is cleverly called Dryad, and Koltun and his associates hope that it will be one of the first steps towards making the development of believable 3D online spaces an achievable goal for creative types without enormous budgets. Koltun said that there is a very small community of 3D modelers skilled in creating objects like trees, and that the rarity of the skill is partly responsible for a lull in the progression of user-generated virtual worlds.

So, if you are planning on making a 3D MMO, you can use the program for free at the Stanford website. Maybe then your army of expensive employees can be smaller! It's also just fun to play with.

MassivelyWelcome to the World of Treecraft originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3d-modelingartdevelopmentdryadstanfordtechnologytreesvladlen-koltunFri, 11 Jan 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Trinity: New graphics engine calls for a video card checkup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/eve-trinity-new-graphics-engine-calls-for-a-video-card-checkup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/eve-trinity-new-graphics-engine-calls-for-a-video-card-checkup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/eve-trinity-new-graphics-engine-calls-for-a-video-card-checkup/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Traders, Smugglers, Pirates, Miners, Capusuleers from every walk of life! Today marks a momentous occasion in the EVE Online universe. At approximately 6PM PST the EVE servers will be brought down and fitted for the new EVE: Trinity expansion. The downtime is estimated to last 24 hours, which means this is probably our last heads up beforehand to train a time appropriate skill in advance. The amount of new content is intense as Trinity is EVE's biggest expansion ever: New ships, tweaks, tutorials, new everything, and of course, the grand-daddy of Trinity's enhancements: The long-awaited graphical overhaul featuring EVE's new graphic engine dubbed Trinity 2. Confused yet? All that matters is that every ship, stargate, and station remodeled to sweet perfection.

There is a downside, and that is not everyone will be able to enjoy the new radical graphics. Players who do not have a Shader Model 3.0 or DirectX9c compliant video card will be left in the space dust with the classic client. EVE players with DirectX9c and video cards that support Shader Model 3.0 will be able to use the shiny new doodad client. The important thing is everyone can still play EVE Online regardless or not your rig meets the requirements to run the new graphics. What is SM 3.0 and how the hell do you know your video card supports it? To answer that, with the help of the EVE forums, I have compiled the necessary information to help you find out.

Continue reading EVE Trinity: New graphics engine calls for a video card checkup

MassivelyEVE Trinity: New graphics engine calls for a video card checkup originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aticcpccp-gamesdirectxeveeve-onlineeve-trinityexpansiongraphicsnvidiashader-modelsm3sm4technologytrinityvideo-cardsTue, 04 Dec 2007 18:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Why Second Life belongs at Massively]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/28/why-second-life-belongs-at-massively/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/28/why-second-life-belongs-at-massively/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/28/why-second-life-belongs-at-massively/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Or: Why gamers and virtual worlders should care about each other.

We're shy of a month in to Massively's existence, and one of the more persistent bits of feedback we continue to receive regards the inclusion of Second Life content on a site about MMOs. There are really two questions to answer here:
  1. Does Second Life coverage belong on Massively at all?
  2. Is the amount of Second Life content disproportionate to its mindshare?
I will herein state a claim for a definitive yes on point 1, and readily admit that point 2 is arguably a matter of taste. Maintaining editorial balance surrounding all of the many, varied games we cover is an ongoing process, and we've selected a suite of "core games" based on many factors including subscriber/member numbers, overall buzz and mindshare in the industry, and input from a secret algorithm I would love to call "interestingness" if it weren't already taken. We are proud to offer in-depth Second Life coverage as one of those core current titles.

Overall, we're taking a broad definition of the concept of MMO here at Massively. While the majority of our coverage concerns traditionally "gamer"-oriented titles like City of Heroes, Tabula Rasa, Lord of the Rings Online et al, we're also providing both news and feature content surrounding more casual, often browser-based titles like Dofus, Runescape, and Flyff. Despite popular perception as niche titles, some of these games are rivaling the big dogs in terms of membership and hours played. In an industry toying with the idea of whether or not Facebook is an MMO and witnessing Google almost surely building one, we see projects like MetaPlace further blurring the lines between web-based social networking and Gaming with a capital G. In the middle of those two trends -- hardcore and casual games getting mashed up, and MMOs and the web getting mashed up -- sits Massively; and we're excited to be covering it all as it happens.

Continue reading Why Second Life belongs at Massively

MassivelyWhy Second Life belongs at Massively originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Nov 2007 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesseditorialentertainmentfeaturedgaming-industrymassivelymediaMMOstechnologyvirtual-worldsWed, 28 Nov 2007 07:30:00 EST