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[Massively Exclusive: Age of Wushu's launch trailer flips over the heads of the competition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/massively-exclusive-age-of-wushus-launch-trailer-flips-over-th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/massively-exclusive-age-of-wushus-launch-trailer-flips-over-th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/massively-exclusive-age-of-wushus-launch-trailer-flips-over-th/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Age of Wushu
Tomorrow, Snail Games USA will officially announce its newest title, Age of Wushu -- but we've got an exclusive sneak peek to share with you before that happens!

Sporting heavy Chinese themes and aesthetics, Age of Wushu is designed to allow players to pull off mystical, physics-defying martial arts moves like those you would see in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (or, really, any Kung Fu film).

The official trailer for the title, which you can see after the jump, showcases Age of Wushu's beauty and grace... as well as its lethal underpinnings. Characters attack in slow-motion while performing seemingly impossible Matrix-like jumps through space.

We'll be looking forward to seeing if the allure of fantastic martial arts will be enough to set Age of Wushu apart from the pack, but considering that the devs are promising that we can run up the sides of buildings, we suspect it might be one to check out no matter what. Plus, "wushu" is way fun to say.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Age of Wushu's launch trailer flips over the heads of the competition

MassivelyMassively Exclusive: Age of Wushu's launch trailer flips over the heads of the competition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-wushucrouching-tiger-hidden-dragonexclusivef2pfearlessfree-to-playkung-fulaunch-trailermartial-artsmatrixmovieslow-motionsnail-games-usathe-matrixtrailervideowushuThu, 05 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Which MMO are you sorry you missed?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-are-you-sorry-you-missed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-are-you-sorry-you-missed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/10/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-are-you-sorry-you-missed/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Matrix Online screenshot
Time is always against us, a wise man once said, and truer words were never spoken regarding the MMORPG genre. The glut of titles released over the last few years means that fans have some hard choices to make, and when those choices are coupled with the inevitable game closures, it's rare that even folks with huge amounts of free time have time enough to play everything.

And since we're speaking of time: If you spend enough of it reading and talking about our favorite genre, you'll inevitably come across a game that sounds right up your alley. If you're lucky, said game will still be available to you. If not, well, you might have the answer to this morning's Daily Grind question. Which MMO(s) are you sorry you missed?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Which MMO are you sorry you missed? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>culturegame-discussiongamer-discussionmaking-timematrix-onlineMiscellaneousmmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicsmxoopinionstar-wars-galaxiesswgtabula-rasatdgthe-daily-grindthe-matrixthe-matrix-onlinetimeWed, 10 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Your memories]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/24/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-your-memori/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/24/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-your-memori/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/24/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-your-memori/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

What can you trust when your memories are merely the by-product of intelligent machines tinkering with your brain? When you come right down to it, who's to say that our alleged recollections of The Matrix Online weren't just computer viruses uploaded into our cerebral cortexes -- and that the game never existed at all?

Real or not, The Matrix Online is in no danger of being forgotten. Whether it's because of the meta setting, the too-hip-to-stay-on-cows fashion, or the interactive stories, MxO never fails to evoke passionate testimonies. After speaking with developer Ben Chamberlain last week, today we're going to turn the tables on the players themselves to see what they have to say.

Was The Matrix Online really all that and a bag of computer chips? Was it merely a good-looking graphical chat room or something more? And how will it be remembered many years from now when we sit our grandchildren on our laps and tell them about how we took the blue pill? Or was it red... I can never remember!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Your memories

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Your memories originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agentben-chamberlainbluepillcommunityeye-socketsfeaturedfurious-angelshostile-servermachinesmachinistsmatrixMerovingiansmorpheusmxoNiobeplayer-storiespvprarebitredpillroleplayroleplayersrpseraphtestimoniesthe-game-archaeologistthe-matrixthe-matrix-onlinezionTue, 24 May 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Jamming with Ben 'Rarebit' Chamberlain]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-jamming-wit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-jamming-wit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/17/the-game-archaeologist-jacks-into-the-matrix-online-jamming-wit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

When we started into The Matrix Online month last week on The Game Archaeologist, one of the comments caught my eye. Massively reader stealthrider wrote:
Please, please do a tribute to Rarebit. MxO was his baby, and no one took its death worse than he.

He did everything for that game, much of it single-handedly. Everything from playing the canon characters and co-writing the story to fixing hundreds of bugs and even creating a new zone from scratch. Not to mention developing and implementing the story missions, new items, the RP item vendors, and pretty much everything else in MxO's final couple of years. He even implemented and moderated a player-created minigame as part of the official story.

He retired from game development in the months before MxO's shutdown. He was that dedicated to this game that he couldn't work on anything else afterward.

He's a god among developers, and he is as sorely missed as the game itself.
I think this sums up how many Matrix Online vets feel about Ben "Rarebit" Chamberlain. So instead of a mere tribute, we drove the MassivelyMobile over to Chamberlain's house (read: send a polite email request), and he graciously said he'd be glad to reminisce with us. So hit that jump to find out the last word on MxO from the dev who held it together!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Jamming with Ben 'Rarebit' Chamberlain

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist jacks into The Matrix Online: Jamming with Ben 'Rarebit' Chamberlain originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliens-versus-predator-2architectassassinben-chamberlainben-rarebit-chamberlainbluepillcinematicscommander-lockdevdeveloperfeaturedgrandmasterin-game-eventsinterviewkung-fulittle-nemolive-eventslive-events-teammatrixmatrix-onlinemissionsmonolithMonolith-ProductionsmorpheusmxooraclePaul-Chadwickrarebitredpillsoesony-online-entertainmentspystorystorylinethe-matrixthe-matrix-onlineWachowskiWinsor-McCayzionTue, 17 May 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: MMO cataclysms]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/07/the-perfect-ten-mmo-cataclysms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/07/the-perfect-ten-mmo-cataclysms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/07/the-perfect-ten-mmo-cataclysms/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Today sees the launch of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, which represents a destructive "reboot" button on the world of Azeroth. The old has been made new by virtue of fiery explosions that have rent the very earth in twain, and WoW gamers will have to find their footing all over again. As you might imagine, it's made one big-ass mess, which is compounded by the fact that there are no janitor classes in the game to sweep it up (the next hero class, perhaps?).

However, the notion of an in-game cataclysm is hardly the sole domain of Activision-Blizzard; on the contrary, large-scale apocalypses pop up all the time in MMOs. After all, nothing grabs the attention like the end of the world (but hey, you still feel fine)!

In a list that in no way is meant to capitalize on any expansions that may or may not be on the market, we're going to strap on our Kevlar suits, slather our arms with 1000 SPF sunblock, and take a brief tour of 10 worlds that have dated cataclysms -- and lived to tell the tale.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: MMO cataclysms

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: MMO cataclysms originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activision-Blizzardagent-smithapocalypsearenanetascalonazerothbanebig-bangblizzardc-storecataclysmchampionschampions-onlinechickenscity-of-heroescohcrypticcryptic-studioscrystal-warcrystal-war-revisiteddetroitelrondEverQuest-2everquest-iifacebookfallen-earthff11ffxifinal-fantasy-xigethguild-warsgwhumoricarus-studiosjack-emmertjohn-smedleykiller-virusklingonmaplestorymegatronmillennium-citymono-dohmonorailncsoftnew-game-enhancementsnew-jerseyngenorrathnuclear-warparagon-cityperfect-10perfect-tenpicardpost-apocalypticpost-searingquadavrex-the-sheepdogriktiromulansearingsoespace-invadersstar-trek-onlinestar-trek-the-next-generationstar-wars-galaxiesstarfleetstoswgtabula-rasathe-matrixthe-matrix-onlinethe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenvwheres-waldo-in-tagsWorld-of-Warcraftworld-of-warcraft-cataclysmzombiesTue, 07 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[11 days of in-game events for EverQuest's 11th birthday]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/16/11-days-of-in-game-events-for-everquests-11th-birthday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/16/11-days-of-in-game-events-for-everquests-11th-birthday/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/16/11-days-of-in-game-events-for-everquests-11th-birthday/#commentsFiled under: , ,


11 years ago, when Bill Clinton was still the U.S. President, The Matrix wowed moviegoers with bullet-time, dial-up Internet was the norm, and 3D online gaming was just in its infancy, bouncing baby EverQuest stepped into the world. It's amazing to see that this game is not only still around, but expanding constantly -- a fact that should encourage fans of this or any MMORPG. In honor of one of the longest-running 3D MMOs, SOE has announced 11 days of special in-game events for EverQuest.

Players are challenged to find a special gift for a wizard master, to rescue poor Miggles Mistflinger from a sad fate, party with the Community Team on St. Patty's Day, and take on mechanical nasties in a special raid. For Marketplace shoppers, SOE is offering a 25-50% discount on 11 items. Finally, they've invited everyone to join the EverQuest team for an exclusive USTREAM event on March 17, 2010 at 1:00pm PST.

Oh, and did we mention you can pick the game up on Steam for $2.50, and that it includes all 15 expansion packs? Even those who aren't EQ players have a chance to help celebrate.

Fans of EverQuest can also mosey over to the Facebook fan page for the game, where SOE has posted a large gallery of screenshots to celebrate 11 years of fantasy gaming.

Massively11 days of in-game events for EverQuest's 11th birthday originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>11th-anniversarybill-clintoneqeverquestfacebookmarketplacemiggles-mistflingersoesony-online-entertainmentSt.-Patricks-daythe-matrixunderfootustreamTue, 16 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Twice the bullets in CoH's dual pistols powerset video]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/twice-the-bullets-in-cohs-dual-pistols-powerset-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/twice-the-bullets-in-cohs-dual-pistols-powerset-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/02/twice-the-bullets-in-cohs-dual-pistols-powerset-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The newest Powerset heading to City of Heroes is coming from the Going Rogue expansion, and we've got a video showcasing it. Everyone loves shooting stuff in videogames, so we're pretty sure everyone will enjoy rolling a Hero, Villain, or Praetorian and busting out some crazy gun moves.

Actually, the way this Dual Pistols video is cut, you can tell someone is a fan of the Matrix and Equilibrium films. Plus, we're pretty sure the last power shown is basically full-on Gun Kata. Yeah, you'll probably want to check out the video for yourself. Find it after the break, as usual.

Continue reading Twice the bullets in CoH's dual pistols powerset video

MassivelyTwice the bullets in CoH's dual pistols powerset video originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescohdual-pistolsequilibriumexpansiongoing-roguegun-kataparagonparagon-cohparagon-studioesthe-matrixtrailervideoTue, 02 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: When MMOs die]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/04/the-daily-grind-when-mmos-die/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/04/the-daily-grind-when-mmos-die/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/04/the-daily-grind-when-mmos-die/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's a sad thing when an MMO gets switched off and all our hard played toons go to the great virtual world in the sky. This week it was the turn of The Matrix Online. It's rare for the better known MMOs, like Tabula Rasa, to go out with a bang. For most games, their death throes are just a whimper as they fade into obscurity. Big or small, when a game closes it's doors, it's an event which will being a tear to some players, even if most might have already gone to pastures new.

How do you cope when an MMO, specifically your MMO, dies? Imagine for a second, you've invested thousands of hours in characters, amassed a fortune in gold -- or whatever currency is hip right now -- and conquered the world literally. Personally, I firmly believe MMOs are not just about the world you exist in but also the people you play with. So, if you played The Matrix Online or Tabula Rasa, did you and your guild pick another game to try? Has game death prompted you to meet up in real life? Did you quit the moment the announcement of plug pulling came down from on high or were you there when the skies lightened and the end came? Tell us in the usual way by dropping your thoughts in the box below.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: When MMOs die originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ending-an-mmopulling-the-plugtabula-rasathe-daily-grindthe-matrixthe-matrix-onlineTue, 04 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Matrix gets new weapons, story missions, enemies]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/the-matrix-gets-new-weapons-story-missions-enemies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/the-matrix-gets-new-weapons-story-missions-enemies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/the-matrix-gets-new-weapons-story-missions-enemies/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SOE deployed Update 60 on The Matrix Online's servers this week. The update doesn't just fix bugs. It also marks the beginning of Episode 10.2 of the story, introduces some new enemies in Datamine, and adds a reward for players who complete live critical missions.

If you're looking to earn the new reward items (a consumable of some sort), said missions are scheduled every Thursday up through the 12th of June; the first of those occurred yesterday, but a recap has been published. The update also introduces a whopping 342 new level 50 weapon variants, some of which will drop during the high level critical missions.

We're glad to see that MxO is still ticking despite the announced departure of Paul Chadwick, the esteemed comic book writer who had worked on the story until recently.

MassivelyThe Matrix gets new weapons, story missions, enemies originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 May 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>datamineepisode-10.2live-critical-missionsmonolithmxopatchpaul-chadwicksoesony-online-entertainmentthe-matrixthe-matrix-onlinetmo-update-60update-60Fri, 16 May 2008 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Why Fantasy, and not Science Fiction, Part Eleventy-Billion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/23/why-fantasy-and-not-science-fiction-part-eleventy-billion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/23/why-fantasy-and-not-science-fiction-part-eleventy-billion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/23/why-fantasy-and-not-science-fiction-part-eleventy-billion/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

As my compadre Eli writes here, there is reasoning available that Fantasy MMOs have flourished due to there being a greater preponderance of Fantasy titles, in various media, upon which to draw inspiration to sustain an MMO. The lack of substantive Science Fiction titles of the time, therefore, leads to the correlating dearth of such MMOs. However, this argument only mentions in passing what I think is the more crucial element, which is this:

Fantasy titles are about the Hero's Journey, or the Epic. Science Fiction titles are about exploration of ideas. One of these story types makes for better adaptation to immersive gameplay. Guess which?

Now, I will back up a bit and acknowledge that as a blanket statement, what I said does not (and should not be considered to) cover every Fantasy or Science Fiction title everywhere. Clearly, Star Wars is the most well-known Epic SF story, but then again, Lucas based the plot almost entirely on Joseph Campbell's monomyth, which was itself formulated around the epic myths and stories of history. And perhaps one of the finest Fantasy titles ever written, John Crowley's Little, Big, uses Fantasy tropes to examine the idea of the complexity of human relationships, rather than one character's journey to overcome evil. But having made those concessions, let me make my case.

Continue reading Why Fantasy, and not Science Fiction, Part Eleventy-Billion

MassivelyWhy Fantasy, and not Science Fiction, Part Eleventy-Billion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blade-runnercyberpunkepiceve-onlineextrapolativefantasygeorge-lucasheros-journeyjohn-crowleyjohnny-mnemonicjoseph-campbelllittle-bigmax-headroommonomythneocron-onlinescience-fictionspace-operastarship-troopersstrange-daystabula-rasathe-matrixthe-terminatorworld-of-warcraftWed, 23 Jan 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soloist: Why I do it]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/the-soloist-why-i-do-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/the-soloist-why-i-do-it/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/19/the-soloist-why-i-do-it/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

After this post, I had it in mind to think through why I prefer to solo, and whether the reasons why are valid ones, given that I'm playing in a genre meant to provide a social experience. I'm going to try to list as many reasons as I can think of in favor of grouping and playing with buddies, and provide a counter-argument if I can. Bear in mind, this is not me telling you that you should go solo; this is just me trying to 1) explain why I do it, and 2) understand for myself whether my reasons hold water.

Enough said; excelsior!

Continue reading The Soloist: Why I do it

MassivelyThe Soloist: Why I do it originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Nov 2007 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agroAmericaArnold-SchwartzeneggerBeowulfBuckaroo-BanzaicamaraderieClint-EastwoodConnor-MacLeodconstitutionDae-sudo-it-yourselfEnter-the-DragonEric-DravenexcelsiorgroupmindgruntshealHong-Kong-CavaliersIndiana-JonesJames-BonJason-BourneJohn-McClaneJohn-RamboKing-ArthurKnights-of-the-Round-TableLeelone-wolfmassivelyMerry-MenmilitaryMystery-MenNeoOcean's-ElevenOldboyOnce-Upon-a-Time-In-ChinaOng-BakpresidentraidRbon-HoodRobin-Hoodsecond-life-insiderSnake-Plisskensolothe-Man-with-No-Namethe-MatrixTingwipeWong-Fei-HungMon, 19 Nov 2007 09:30:00 EST