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[Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week two]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-two/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/choose-my-adventure-dark-age-of-camelot-week-two/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

DAoC
Some of you probably know that I first got into the blogging scene with my Warhammer Online blog Waaagh! Back then in early 2008, I was a veritable Mythic and PvP newbie, and I spent a good portion of the lead-up to the game's release reading up on Dark Age of Camelot. I figured that, after all, WAR would be built on the foundation of DAoC. In a way, it both was and wasn't.

The one thing I never did was actually play DAoC. Older MMOs can be quite intimidating; they have deep-rooted communities and tomes of updates and history, and they were more rough around the edges. Rough in their cores, too, if we're being honest. So the intimidation factor kept me away until this past week, when Massively readers sent me on a quest to Camelot for the first time in my life.

Last week readers voted on the character I was to roll. An impressive 82% of you said to check out the realm vs. realm ruleset and roll a a Midgard (43.2%) beastly (40.8%) hybrid (43.3%) character. After reading some of the recommendations in the comments, I ended up making a female Troll Skald on a traditional server. She may be lumpy and bulky, but I took a shine to her right away.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week two

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Dark Age of Camelot, week two originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcamelotchoose-my-adventureclassic-mmocmadaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsendless-trialeqeq1everquestf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playhands-onmidgardmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyopinionpollpollspvpreaders-choiceron-swansonrvrskaldsoesonysony-online-entertainmenttrollvotevotingwarwarcraftwarhammerwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 21 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: Top 10 of '11]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/02/wings-over-atreia-top-10-of-11/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/02/wings-over-atreia-top-10-of-11/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/02/wings-over-atreia-top-10-of-11/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Wings Over Atreia header
Where in the Seraphim Lords did the year go? Daevas aren't the only ones who fly; time certainly has one powerful set of wings (though I haven't quite determined whether they are light or dark)! It's a bit hard for me to believe that a full year has come and gone. Yet even as I doubt, a cursory glance back over the past 12 months shows me I didn't Rip Van Winkle the time away.

In fact, much has transpired in Aion since 2011 rolled in. Between pining away for things to come and dreaming of things that may never be, chronicling the life and social scene of Atreia, offering guides and hints, and reporting on (sometimes surprise) announcements, Wings Over Atreia has covered a variety of topics over the past year. While each column is but one glimpse, together they show the evolution of our game.

Traipse past the break and down memory lane with me as we reminisce about Aion in the time-honored Massively tradition of top-10 lists.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Top 10 of '11

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Top 10 of '11 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-gamealter-egodaevas-of-our-livesdramafeaturedhousingmusicnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionrantrantsreal-liferoleplayroleplayersroleplayingtop-tentop-ten-listtrolltrollsWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 02 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: What's in it for me?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/wings-over-atreia-whats-in-it-for-me/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/wings-over-atreia-whats-in-it-for-me/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/wings-over-atreia-whats-in-it-for-me/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

That does it. No more Ms. Nice Wings. This time I am just going to unleash! Let my rant all hang out. Admittedly, I am not normally one to complain; I can see the good in most every situation, and I can roll with the punches like it's an Olympic event. But even my feathers get ruffled sometimes. It's true! And sometimes you just can't bite your tongue anymore or all you will have is a very sore tongue.

Now I know I am not a rant-master like Jef, but even fledgling ranters must begin somewhere. And this week, I found just such a place: immature, self-serving, can't-pull-their-thumbs-outta-their-ears-unless-there-is-something-in-it-for-them-gamers in Aion. You know the type -- those who think the world revolves around them. Those whose spoiled-rotten antics ruin groups and legions alike and who are the reason why many a block list is so full. They without whom drama would die a quick death and be a forgotten plague. They're the bane of chat channels everywhere -- they are the trolls.

Throw yourself past the cut for a look at some recent Aion tantrums and sure-fire ways to minimize the effects of blatant immaturity. Careful, though -- I cannot be held responsible for any resemblance to gamers near you.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: What's in it for me?

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: What's in it for me? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-gamebuffbuff-leaves-in-a-huffhuffdaevas-of-our-livesdramafeaturedgroup-dynamicsgroupinggroupsimmatureimmaturitync-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionrantrantsselfishselfishnesssiegesiegessingle-playersingle-player-gamestantrumtantrumsteamworktrolltrollsWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 04 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: Endgame = end of game?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/28/wings-over-atreia-endgame-end-of-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/28/wings-over-atreia-endgame-end-of-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/28/wings-over-atreia-endgame-end-of-game/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It happens. All good things must come to an end... except (hopefully) your favorite MMORPG. After all, the whole idea of the MMO is to keep going endlessly, right? To supposedly ever-evolve -- there is no final "win" that concludes the story as in single-player RPGs. However, what do you do when you hit the level cap and have "been there and done that" with everything in game? I guess that's the disadvantage of not having a sandbox; as much I love the graphics and my friends in NCsoft's Aion, there really is just a finite list of things to do.

Now before anyone gets up-in-arms or sneers "I told you so," no, I am not quitting and I haven't given up on the game. I still enjoy it. It just so happens that my mind zeroed in on the topic this week as I logged in over the course a few days and just stared at my screen, wondering what I wanted to do. While I was feeling under the weather a bit (which dampened my endurance and enthusiasm to complete any major dungeons), I started wondering about what there actually is to do in Aion after you reach and sit at maximum level for a while.

For me, the two things that keep me interested in my virtual worlds are the community and friends that I find in game as well as exploring and experiencing new things. One involves the company providing regular content updates; the other allows for player-created content. But once there is nothing left to explore or experience, friends can drift away... so what does that leave? Pondering this subject and watching the community around me actually brought up some expected -- and some not quite expected -- answers.

Join me past the cut to look at different ways Daevas spend their time in Atreia and how they keep their interest sparked.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Endgame = end of game?

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Endgame = end of game? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-gamealtaltsatreiabeshmundir-templecontentdark-portaleventsfeaturedgoalgoal-settinggoalsgoalsettinggroupingnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionpvpriftingrifting-changesskinssolosoloingsoloing-instancestrolltrollsudas-templeupdatesWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 28 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: Feeding trolls]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/24/wings-over-atreia-feeding-trolls/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/24/wings-over-atreia-feeding-trolls/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/24/wings-over-atreia-feeding-trolls/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

"WoW was the first MMO."
"WTF you --------- [bless the filter]."
"Your mom just left here."

Channel /3 will be the death of me. Or perhaps just my sanity. If not, then it may be the cause of some random homicides soon.

Although I had another topic all planned out (and already mostly penned), I had an about-face for this week's article. This subject is something that is always on the edge of my mind, and as of late, it has been more front and center. In fact, this week has seen discussions on the matter with friends, colleagues, legion-mates, and even my munchkins. The hot topic? Trolls.

Aion players know that /3 is the LFG (looking for group) channel, and occasionally you can actually find people looking for groups there! However, because it is the only server-wide channel, people mostly use it for any type of random chatter. And by chatter, I mean a range of sexual comments, preening, raging, and flat-out trolling. Granted, sometimes following along with /3 chatter is simply amusing, but oftentimes it becomes annoying or even outright offensive. In any case, it's hard to pick out anything of value through the fast-paced spam.

Now don't get me wrong; I am all for quips and banter and building a community, but it seems that the folks with any amount of consideration and class stay quiet for the most part. If we were to judge society off of universal chat channels, I think I would be all for large-scale nuclear annihilation; people treat others in virtual worlds like they wouldn't dream of vis-à-vis. Why is that? And what can we do to increase civility, decrease trolling, and improve gaming experiences overall?

Cross the bridge (don't stop to feed the trolls!) to explore these points with me and share some amusing trolling moments from your server! (Please keep it clean folks!)

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Feeding trolls

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Feeding trolls originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-gameblock-listdramafeaturedglobal-chatlfglfg-channellfgchannellooking-for-groupnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aiontrolltrollsvirtual-worldsWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 24 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blogger claims to be Mythic employee, tells "Why Warhammer Failed"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/blogger-claims-to-be-mythic-employee-tells-why-warhammer-faile/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/blogger-claims-to-be-mythic-employee-tells-why-warhammer-faile/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/13/blogger-claims-to-be-mythic-employee-tells-why-warhammer-faile/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If there's one thing the internet needs more of, it's drama.

OK, that's a giant lie. The stuff is everywhere, and the MMO industry is no exception. Here at Massively, we get tips about player and industry kerfuffles on a regular basis. It usually turns out to be either a minor conflict or some industry he-said-she-said, but every now and again something takes hold and causes enough of a stir to make everyone take notice.

The "Why Warhammer Failed" blog post from "EA Louse" is a perfect example. EA Louse claims to be a Bioware-Mythic employee who will be "dismissed from Bioware Mythic during the next round of layoffs EA coming this November," and he or she has a bone to pick. We've attempted to contact EA Louse to verify his or her identity, but at the moment there's no way to determine whether this person is legitimate or a random troll.

Either way, the post has gained an amazing amount of attention today -- including some from Mythic's former Director of Community Sanya Weathers. Sanya had quite a bit to say in response to EA Louse, and while the whole situation should be taken with a grain of salt rather than official EA news, it's still gained plenty of attention in the MMO blogosphere.

MassivelyBlogger claims to be Mythic employee, tells "Why Warhammer Failed" originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mythicblogdrama-llamaeaea-louseElectronic-Artsif-its-on-the-internet-its-clearly-truemythicrumorsanya-weathersstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortrollwarWarhammerWarhammer-OnlineWed, 13 Oct 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PAX 2010: Hands on with Rift: Planes of Telara]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/06/pax-2010-hands-on-with-rift-planes-of-telara/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/06/pax-2010-hands-on-with-rift-planes-of-telara/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/06/pax-2010-hands-on-with-rift-planes-of-telara/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The dungeon portal loomed ahead as a developer pushed a headset into my hands. "You heal," he said to me then moved on to the other four players standing next to me. "You tank. You three DPS. Don't worry too much; you're all a little over-leveled for this dungeon. Let us know when you're ready."

I hardly heard him as I frantically tried to memorize the full array of skills in front of me, rearranging my hotbar to put my heals up front and center. "Ohh, you're a druid," another Trion Worlds developer said over my shoulder. "They're fun -- they get a faerie pet that heals your team as well." I followed his pointing finger and clicked on the skill to summon what appeared to be a cross-breed between Tinkerbell and a Troll doll. Fun times.

The developer who pulled me into the live demonstration at PAX Prime took up his microphone and directed everyone around the booth to look up at the big screen and watch a team of total strangers jump into a mid-level dungeon. Welcome to Rift, I thought nervously. There's nothing like diving in head-first with your potential humiliation on public display.

Continue reading PAX 2010: Hands on with Rift: Planes of Telara

MassivelyPAX 2010: Hands on with Rift: Planes of Telara originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>captain-planet-and-the-planeteersclap-for-tinkerbellcyberpunkdimensionsdynamic-eventsdynamic-world-eventsfantasypunkfeaturedgoblinhands-oninterviewpaxpax-2010pax-primepax-prime-2010riftrift-planes-of-telarasoulstriontrion-worldstrollyarnosaurMon, 06 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Family: 17 internet safety tactics for gaming families]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/mmo-family-17-internet-safety-tactics-for-gaming-families/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/mmo-family-17-internet-safety-tactics-for-gaming-families/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/09/mmo-family-17-internet-safety-tactics-for-gaming-families/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family. From tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate niches for every family member, MMO Family offers you advice on MMO gaming of the family, by the family and for the family.

"Be careful, there's nasty stuff out there on the internet."

It's frustrating to hear this warning clarioned over and over again. We're gamers ourselves, after all. We know easily children can get in over their heads on the internet. "Be careful," intone the experts. "Watch carefully, and be very, very careful ..." But how? What must we be careful to do? To not do? What does "being careful" mean in actual practice? Specific online safety tactics - and putting them into practice without driving anyone crazy in the process - become an epic quest reward that always manages to stay two turn-ins out of reach.

As we mentioned last week, your main objective as the parent of a young MMO player is to remain figuratively logged in to their activity. When children are online, parents cannot afford to be figuratively AFK. We're not suggesting you pull up a chair and some popcorn to faithfully oversee kids' every move online. No child needs direct supervision to kill 10 rats (or pick 20 flowers or befriend 30 fairies or frag 50 enemies ...). But young gamers do need your boundaries and your guidance (as well as your feedback, your enthusiasm and your support). Just how strong the boundaries should be will depend on the age of your child and the game that they're playing. Apply common sense, based on your own MMO experience, along with these 17 tactics for safe online gaming.

Continue reading MMO Family: 17 internet safety tactics for gaming families

MassivelyMMO Family: 17 internet safety tactics for gaming families originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>authenticatorchat-channelchildrencode-of-conductcyberbullyingfamilyfamily-funfamily-gamingfeaturedguildshandlekidsmannersnetiquetteparental-controlsparentspasswordroutersafetysecuritystrong-passwordsupervisiontrollvirus-protectionvoice-chatFri, 09 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[AdventureQuest Worlds wedding attracts 11,000 guests]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/16/adventurequest-worlds-wedding-attracts-11-000-guests/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/16/adventurequest-worlds-wedding-attracts-11-000-guests/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/16/adventurequest-worlds-wedding-attracts-11-000-guests/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

How many people would you choose to attend your wedding? Some go for a smaller and more intimate setting with just a handful of people. Over at the other extreme, some folks shell out for 1000+ of their closest friends to enjoy their special moment. Want to take it even further? You could be like the couple from Missouri that just tied the knot and had 11,000 people sitting in on the ceremony. Of course, the catch is that the wedding took place in AdventureQuest Worlds, and their guests attended virtually. Their private wedding room was cloned, which allowed for thousands of gamers to experience the celebrations along with then.

The event was a success overall, and undoubtedly a lot easier to organize than a wedding of that scale would be in the real world. Weddings are notorious for the meticulous planning that comes before them, and equally for the little (hopefully inconsequential) things that tend to go wrong on the day. If we had to make a list of things we'd like not to happen during a loved one's wedding, "Troll raid" would be somewhere near the top. As fate would have it, Trolls did show up to raid the AQW wedding, but thankfully the guests took it in their stride, and cake was enjoyed by all.

MassivelyAdventureQuest Worlds wedding attracts 11,000 guests originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-quest-worldsadventurequest-worldsaqwartix-entertainmenttrolltroll-raidtrollsweddingwedding-cakeFri, 16 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: History in stone]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/06/one-shots-history-in-stone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/06/one-shots-history-in-stone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/06/one-shots-history-in-stone/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Things are quiet with the holiday weekend going on stateside, and many people are enjoying some time out and about. (In real life or virtual life.) In that spirit, we're bringing you a Lord of the Rings Online sightseeing find from Mandorak of EU Gilrain. He told us that this is one of the trolls from The Hobbit which was turned to stone. All we can say is that we're awfully glad he's not up and moving about; grumpy trolls are never fun to deal with.

Have you found an odd or interesting landmark on your travels? If so, snap a picture of it and send it to us at oneshots AT massively DOT com! Beyond that, we here at Massively hope that you've been enjoying the holiday weekend. We'll be back to our normal frenetic pace tomorrow with news and views from all over the MMOGscape!

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: History in stone originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>holiday-weekendlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsthe-hobbittrollturbineSun, 06 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Fireworks over the Bay]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/04/one-shots-fireworks-over-the-bay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/04/one-shots-fireworks-over-the-bay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/04/one-shots-fireworks-over-the-bay/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Today's One Shots is actually one from this blogger's personal archives. This Troll Rogue is enjoying the holiday fireworks in Booty Bay from World of Warcraft, taken before Burning Crusade was released. American MMOG-industry companies are off for the holiday weekend, and we are running on a skeleton crew as well. However, those of us still lurking around the offices are keeping an eye out for news for you.

In the meantime, we hope those of you stateside have a great (and safe) holiday with friends and family. To the rest of you out there, don't worry - we'll be back up to speed once we've had a chance to sleep off all the partying!

And hey, if you have the chance to snap some screenshots while enjoying in-game holiday events this weekend, send them in to us at oneshots AT massively.com! We'd love to see what you're up to.

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: Fireworks over the Bay originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>booty-bayfireworksholidayone-shotsroguescreenshotscreenshotstrollworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 04 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Fighting trolls on the internet]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/22/one-shots-fighting-trolls-on-the-internet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/22/one-shots-fighting-trolls-on-the-internet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/22/one-shots-fighting-trolls-on-the-internet/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Okay, so it's not the normal troll one might expect to see on a website... Unless, of course, you're coming to Massively, in which case, it could really be any one of a plethora of troll types! Today's One Shots troll, however, comes to us from Lord of the Rings Online, where this intrepid fellowship squared off to fight this fairly perturbed monster! Captain Finudir describes the scene for us:

From left to right: Robertolangoiz, our esteemed lore-master, is clearly checking his notes for the best way to take down this troll. Galoros, our hunter, happens to be our highest level fellow at the moment, so he is drawing the attention. Captain Finudir of Gondor assesed the situation after having ordered his herald Alamast to sneak around and cut down the troll at the knees. Meanwhile, the troll looks slightly annoyed, unaware that his about to meet an untimely death.

Huzzah, say we! We're all for the MMO crowd out there, fighting the good fight against trolls. (Present troll-rolling company excepted, of course.)

Do you have some great shots of combat, of you and your friends waging epic (and not-so-epic) battle? Perhaps you've got a hilarious screen of a wipe and a great funny story to go with it? Whatever your story is, we'd love to check it out. Just drop us a quick note and a screenshot to oneshots AT massively DOT com! Only please, no trolls unless they're the video-game graphic kind.

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: Fighting trolls on the internet originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>finudirlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotstrollturbineTue, 22 Apr 2008 14:10:00 EST<![CDATA[WoW laser etching impresses and inspires]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/15/wow-laser-etching-impresses-and-inspires/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/15/wow-laser-etching-impresses-and-inspires/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/15/wow-laser-etching-impresses-and-inspires/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Here's an example on how to take a really cool concept and make a bad choice. Not that we think the etching itself looks bad, but there are all sorts of other cool WoW designs the owner could have put on this Macbook. We certainly understand the meaning of putting the very image players see when entering World of Warcraft's uh, world, onto your machine. To be honest we were half-expecting to see a Horde or Alliance symbol when we first heard of this homebrewed homage. That being said, the skills of whoever etched this are quite impressive; can we resist saying level 325 etching skill? Nope, we can't.

If it were up to us, there would probably be something ridiculous on there like a bunch of Murlocs playing Poker or maybe some kind of breakdancing Troll.

MassivelyWoW laser etching impresses and inspires originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardallianceblizzardbreakdancinghordemacbookmurlocspokertrollworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 15 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Troll and Ranger PvMP reinstated again]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/troll-and-ranger-pvmp-reinstated-again/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/troll-and-ranger-pvmp-reinstated-again/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/troll-and-ranger-pvmp-reinstated-again/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Wee! The PvMP session play see-saw has flipped once more, and Lord of the Rings Online players can assume the form of the mighty Trolls and Rangers out in the 'Moors again. Community specialist Saffron made the announcement in the forums, but also included a warning that may just cause our fun little see-saw to rust over:

Please remember that running more than two Ranger or Troll sessions within 12 hours is considered an exploit and may be subject to disciplinary measures. Enjoy!

That's a fairly clear message for anyone who wants to mess around with session play in the future, but does that mean that people won't still try? Of course not.

MassivelyTroll and Ranger PvMP reinstated again originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ettenmoorslotromonster-playpvmprangersession-playtrollturbineWed, 20 Feb 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO's Troll and Ranger session play down yet again]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/17/lotros-troll-and-ranger-session-play-down-yet-again/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/17/lotros-troll-and-ranger-session-play-down-yet-again/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/17/lotros-troll-and-ranger-session-play-down-yet-again/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A note in Lord of the Rings Online's patcher hints that Troll and Ranger session play has been disabled, yet again. Sure enough, a post in the forums confirms the situation, so these giants of PvMP are unavailable once more. There isn't any explanation readily given, but looking at the Monster Play forums, a thread can be found with a response from a Turbine official in the first page: "An exploit was discovered that enabled sessions to be nearly limitless. It was decided that the sessions should be shut down."

Troll and Ranger session play has been taken out before, and another time after that. The second time they were disabled was actually due the exact same reason that they are now, which leaves you to wonder whether people had managed to continue the old exploit somehow, or whether there's an all new way to rip off the system. The best thing about the see-sawing status of PvMP session play is that I get to keep using my troll doll picture.

MassivelyLotRO's Troll and Ranger session play down yet again originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Feb 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lotromonster-playpvmprangersession-playtrollturbineSun, 17 Feb 2008 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Troll/Ranger PvMP disabled once more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/18/troll-ranger-pvmp-disabled-once-more/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/18/troll-ranger-pvmp-disabled-once-more/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/18/troll-ranger-pvmp-disabled-once-more/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A post on the official Lord of the Rings Online forums today announced that Troll and Ranger PvMP Session Play will be disabled for the second time. However, unlike last time, we've got a clearer idea about why they are being taken down.

Curse.com's developer tracker picked up on a forum thread where someone was complaining about an exploiting Ranger. Apparently this character was able to reset their Ranger timer to continue playing it as long as they wanted, as well as having the ability to despawn, even while people were attacking, and reappear elsewhere with replenished health. The official response to this post confirmed that the Trolls and Rangers will be disabled due to this.

As a lot of Turbine's staff have already left the office for the holidays, they have disabled the quests for now and will reinstate them once they have fixed the exploits.

MassivelyTroll/Ranger PvMP disabled once more originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Dec 2007 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>disabledlockedlotropvmprangersession-playtrollTue, 18 Dec 2007 20:40:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: To forum, or not to forum?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/07/the-daily-grind-to-forum-or-not-to-forum/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/07/the-daily-grind-to-forum-or-not-to-forum/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/07/the-daily-grind-to-forum-or-not-to-forum/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It seems like no matter where you go on this World Wild Web, you can't help but stumble across all manner of trolls. Out of game, you can hear the echoes of "qq moar nub" as they rampage around. Indeed, this is why we suspect some games are loath to spend man-hours creating and manning forums, such as Tabula Rasa's stance on them. As routinely surfing forums on the lookout for news is part of our job, we can't help but notice that some companies do a fantastic job of keeping their forums under control, such as the CoX team. Other forums such as the WoW official forums are an absolute epidemic of trolls that seem to be far more pronounced than just about anywhere else.

Now while we would definitely agree that the WoW forums undoubtedly suffer from more trolls due to sheer population density in comparison to other titles, we can't help but wonder... What would it be like if game companies opted to move all official forums to player-run and maintained setups and just popped in like Tabula Rasa has? Would it make more sense to do so and let the communities police themselves? Some of the player-run forums we read, such as different EQ, EQ2, and even WoW resources, seem to do a very good job of policing themselves and keeping the trolls to a minimum. There also isn't backlash into the games overall as they're completely separate. If you do something stupid on a player-run forum, you simply get banned more often than not. The trolls can't argue that they're a paying subscriber and deserve special treatment. (Not that it tends to hold a lot of weight on the WoW forums when you throw that around after a CM has gotten to you.) There are also generally lots of folks who will volunteer time just from the sheer love of the game, getting nothing in return save for a troll-free environment in which to talk about their favorite games.

So this morning we ask you. Is it better to let the players run the forums, or the game companies? Do you think that player-run forums tend to be, on the whole, better than official forums, or do you really think it depends on the title involved? Are there any benefits you see with one over the other, or does it all perhaps just come down to a question of official forums needing more staff to deal with the trolls in their communities?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: To forum, or not to forum? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CMcoxeqeq2forum-moderatorforumsgame-forumsofficial-game-forumsplayer-run-forumstabula-rasathe-daily-grindtrolltrollswowFri, 07 Dec 2007 08:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Downtime for LotRO will fix Troll and Ranger PvMP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/downtime-for-lotro-will-fix-troll-and-ranger-pvmp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/downtime-for-lotro-will-fix-troll-and-ranger-pvmp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/downtime-for-lotro-will-fix-troll-and-ranger-pvmp/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Lord of the Rings Online forums have spilled the beans on what will be getting fixed with the game's imminent update. The downtime will occur on December 6th, from 6:00AM (ET), and is expected to last until 12PM. This patch does not really contain any new content, however, one of the fixes will open up another option for PvMP players -- or rather, re-open.

The update should bring back the option to choose Trolls and Rangers in session play, which we reported on a few weeks ago when they were disabled. At the time, they did not say how long it would be before they were reintroduced, so it's good to see this feature back in the game before Book 12 is out. The question is, will there have been other tweaks to how they play, to address the balance issues many have been complaining about? Or, looking at this thread -- do people even want them back? The scale seems to tip heavily towards 'no', with the topic-creator keeping a tally: 12 for them, and 25 against.

Other notable fixes for this update include some DirectX 10 performance improvements with shadowing. Full pre-patch notes can be found after the break.

Continue reading Downtime for LotRO will fix Troll and Ranger PvMP

MassivelyDowntime for LotRO will fix Troll and Ranger PvMP originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>directx-10dx10lotropvmprangersession-playtrollupdateWed, 05 Dec 2007 20:00:00 EST