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World of Darkness creative director talks design and the MMO mainstream

Jef Reahard — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, News items, World of Darkness, Sandbox

A new interview at Gamasutra posits that CCP is gunning for mainstream success with its upcoming World of Darkness MMO. The EVE Online developer has cornered what's left of the hardcore sandbox market, so now it's looking to marry EVE's emergent gameplay with more familiar MMO staples. "The way to drag people in will be traditional themepark-style PvE play. Once players get into the setting, they'll see the appeal of the sandbox play," says WoD creative director Reynir Hardarson.

Despite the concessions to mainstream accessibility, EVE's influence on World of Darkness will be more than superficial. "The live-action roleplayers of the Vampire the Masquerade tabletop game play this way," Hardarson explains. "It's really about politics and power plays."

Why don't more MMO developers try their hand at sandbox mechanics? Hardarson says designing for emergent play is difficult because you can't test it. It's worth it, though, because MMOs that hand-hold and limit players to a linear path miss the point. "I'm not a five-year-old. If I want to go in the cave and I want to die, that's my problem," Hardarson says.

World of Darkness creative director talks design and the MMO mainstream originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dark Legends aims to make your vampire sparkle with a weapon giveaway

Brianna Royce — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Contests, New titles, Free-to-play, Browser, Mobile, Giveaways, Promotions

We posted yesterday that Dark Legends, the latest in a line of F2P mobile and browser-friendly MMOs from Spacetime Studios, is now officially up and running on Android systems and Chrome browsers. Today, Spacetime has a present for all you would-be vampires out there: a pair of rockin' weapons called Devastation Maces.

To grab yours, start up the game and either log into your existing account or create a new one. Make sure you're playing the character whom you want to receive the weapons because you can only grab these once per account! Zip through the tutorial missions and then head to the Spacetime Nexus from the main lobby screen. There, on the bottom right of your screen, you'll see a button for enterting a promo code. Enter the code massively20120410 and find your maces waiting for you in your character's inventory.

The code has unlimited uses, so everyone who wants one can use it, but do note that it will expire eventually, so snag that gift sooner rather than later. Many thanks to Spacetime Studios -- have fun!

Dark Legends aims to make your vampire sparkle with a weapon giveaway originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dark Legends goes live for Android and Chrome

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Launches, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Browser, Mobile

So you like vampires? It's kind of a thing these days. Maybe you like vampires so much that you really want to play around with some vampiric content on your mobile device. That's for the best, as Spacetime Studios has released Dark Legends today. Building off the success of the studio's previous mobile/browser titles (Pocket Legends and Star Legends), the newest game allows players to take on the role of a bloodsucking monster of the night.

The game is currently available in the the Google Play Store and the Chrome app store; it won't be available in the iOS app store for a few more weeks. Like previous offerings, it's free-to-play, and you can log in from separate devices to play both on the road and at home. Unlike previous games, this one is definitely not aiming for the family market, being a fair bit more overtly violent and bloody. Still, if you feel the urge to rampage through dark alleys while you are walking through said alleys in real life, Dark Legends has you covered.

[Update: We've clarified that the game is not yet available for Apple users. Sorry for the confusion!]

Dark Legends goes live for Android and Chrome originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The MMO Report: Shut up about Mass Effect edition

Brianna Royce — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, MMO industry, Humor, The MMO Report, Miscellaneous

This week on The MMO Report, Casey tells everyone to stop whining about Mass Effect 3's ending, laments the loss of the "online" part of Warhammer 40K: Dark Millennium Online, touches on the World of Darkness keynote, and outlines The Secret World's preorder plans. He also reveals the identity of one of TERA's key voice actors: Michael Hogan (of Battlestar Galactica fame), who will play Samael in the final game. Finally, he pulls one measly letter from the mailbag and debates which class he represents in TERA.

Enjoy the full MMO Report after the cut!

Continue reading The MMO Report: Shut up about Mass Effect edition

The MMO Report: Shut up about Mass Effect edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Speaking Episode 194: Bookah bookah!

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, Star Trek Online, Vanguard, Guild Wars 2, Massively Meta, Humor, World of Darkness, Massively Speaking, Runes of Magic, Miscellaneous

Massively Speaking Episode 194 welcomes aboard resident Star Trek Online expert Terilynn Shull to talk about Tribbles and bits and why Star Trek doesn't have more "The Fly" incidents involving the transporter and local flora or fauna. Captain Archer would have been vastly improved by beaming him into a badger.

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes.
[RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator.
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.
Listen here on the page:

Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 194: Bookah bookah!

Massively Speaking Episode 194: Bookah bookah! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Darkness presented at EVE Fanfest 2012

Brendan Drain — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: EVE Online, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, World of Darkness, Sandbox

Ever since CCP Games merged with White Wolf, it has been developing the World of Darkness MMO. The game is nowhere near complete, and fans worried that last year's heavy layoffs at the Atlanta office had slowed the game's production. We haven't heard much about World of Darkness since then, but today at the EVE Online Fanfest, a few new details were revealed. Attendees were shown some early in-game footage of a city and given a mix of information we already knew and snippets of new information.

CCP wants to draw in the largely female World of Darkness fanbase. The game will have a focus on fashion, and CCP will control the theme of that fashion rather than letting players design their own clothes. The game will be based in the Vampire: The Masquerade universe, with an initial focus on vampires before the introduction of the other factions. Vampires will use human blood as a currency; it will be the resource they'll compete over, making human cities the central locations they will inhabit. When mages and other character types are released, they will compete for different resources.

The game will have a single-shard world, with sandbox territorial warfare for control of cities mirroring EVE Online's nullsec warfare. Developers investigated using real cities for the game but found that "real cities were generally boring." Presenters told fans that the team will "be using stylised versions, but they will be named after real cities." Each city will be lorded over by a player prince, who will under rare circumstances be potentially subjected to permadeath. The world's original vampire clans will be available on release, and CCP confirmed that it won't be using vampire generations as a form of leveling system but instead will be doing something different with it.

World of Darkness presented at EVE Fanfest 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dark Legends' teaser trailer is to die for

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Trailers, Video, Free-to-play

We've gotten our first glimpse at the world of Spacetime Studios' Dark Legends, and it certainly sets a different tone than the mobiile MMO developer's past efforts. In this teaser trailer, a haunting rendition of House of the Rising Sun plays as blood flows back up and into the mouth of a delighted vampire.

Slated for release in the first quarter of this year on iOS, Android, and Chrome, Dark Legends is all about the supernatural underbelly of society. Players will choose a society of vampires to join and go forth to battle nasties like werewolves and zombies.

You can watch the trailer after the jump!

Continue reading Dark Legends' teaser trailer is to die for

Dark Legends' teaser trailer is to die for originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview confirms World of Darkness dev team, predicts DUST 514 sales

Brendan Drain — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: EVE Online, Interviews, MMO industry, News items, World of Darkness, DUST 514

When CCP Games laid off 20% of its worldwide staff back in October of last year, the World of Darkness dev team bore the brunt of the cuts while DUST 514 continued on course for its launch later this year. In an interview over at TenTonHammer today, CCP's new Chief Marketing Officer, David Reid, joined CEO Hilmar Petursson to discuss the development of both games. Hilmar reveals that a team of 60 developers are currently working on WoD, and that DUST 514 will be playable at this year's EVE Online fanfest event in March.

Despite acknowledging that the entire PlayStation Network comprises a total of 60 million users, Reid asserts that DUST will bring "tens of millions of people that play shooters on PSN into the New Eden universe," going on to make the bold statement that "EVE could be the biggest game in the world at the end of 2012" as a result. Reid also claims that "EVE Online is the only game in the West that has shown consecutive growth year after year," a statement that's sure to upset RuneScape developer Jagex and others. The statement also comes with a slightly bitter note as this year EVE may have lost its record of continual subscription growth during the summer drama.

Interview confirms World of Darkness dev team, predicts DUST 514 sales originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chris McDonough talks about the development of the World of Darkness

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Video, Interviews, News items, World of Darkness, Miscellaneous

With layoffs having hit CCP, there's been a lot of apprehension about whether or not World of Darkness would continue in development or suffer a quiet death. But a recent interview with Senior Producer Chris McDonough makes it clear that the title is still very much in development and very much following in the footsteps of its older brother, EVE Online. Both games will share the single-shard setup, and McDonough states that several technologies developed for World of Darkness have been incorporated into EVE Online (something many players suspected about player avatars from the beginning).

McDonough also talks in depth about turning the game into an MMO, claiming that a pen-and-paper game naturally translates into an MMO better than other properties because of the lack of iconic characters who players wish to play. The challenge, of course, is bringing over some of the feel of a tabletop setting into an online environment, with McDonough explaining that several of the computer games such as Vampire: The Masquerade -- Bloodlines have been used as a point of common reference. Click past the break to see the full interview.

Continue reading Chris McDonough talks about the development of the World of Darkness

Chris McDonough talks about the development of the World of Darkness originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unveiled: The Supernatural trailer shows off gameplay, customization [Updated]

Jef Reahard — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Trailers, Video, MMO industry, New titles, News items

Unveiled: The Supernatural recently made its way onto our radar screen, and a new trailer from last week's G-Star convention offers the first real look under the game's hood. While we've seen plenty of screenshots, renders, and a cinematic, the new clip indulges in a few fly-through shots as well as some glimpses of avatar and outfit customization.

Toward the end of the video we also get to see both solo- and group-based PvE, as well as the requisite neck biting and heart-stabbing that are part and parcel of every vampire title. Check out the full clip after the cut.

[Update: Maverick Studios reached out to us to let us know that this isn't an official trailer: "It is not a publicly released gameplay trailer from G-star; it is a prototype video made more than a year ago by eight developers who were constructing their vision of Unveiled: The Supernatural."]

Continue reading Unveiled: The Supernatural trailer shows off gameplay, customization [Updated]

Unveiled: The Supernatural trailer shows off gameplay, customization [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maverick details Unveiled: The Supernatural's progression system

Jef Reahard — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Galleries, Screenshots, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items

A few days ago we told you about Unveiled: The Supernatural, a new horror MMORPG from South Korea's Maverick Studios. Today we've got a bit more info for you, as the development team has released an official press blurb along with a gaggle of screenshots.

The press release touches on everything from the game's setting (the modern day real world, including New York City and the Hatra ruins in Iraq) to the races and progression mechanics.

Unveiled features hunters, vampires, witches, and werewolves as its playable races, and a classless progression system that involves spending mastery points as you level. Each character can have ten separate mastery trees (weapons, psychic, paranormal, magic, and many more). Inside each tree, you can learn up to ten powers, and you may also stumble across rare items called essences that allow your character to acquire a native power trait of another race.

Finally, Maverick says that the game will be PvP-focused, and the press blurb mentions race vs. race, guild vs. guild, and team vs. team variants. We'll bring you more on the game as it becomes available. In the meantime, have a look through the concept art and screenshot gallery below.

[Source: Maverick press release]

Gallery: Unveiled: The Supernatural

Maverick details Unveiled: The Supernatural's progression system originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Isometric DarkEden vampire MMO enters closed beta

Jef Reahard — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Horror, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play

Quick, name a vampire-themed MMORPG other than CCP's long-awaited World of Darkness. If you said DarkEden, you get a gold star. The isometric hack-and-slash game debuted way back in 1997 and while none of its various versions really caught on in the western market, that's not stopping Ignited Games from attempting to reanimate the game for a modern audience.

The game features three races and "distinctive gameplay mechanics and methods for character progression such as the vampire's need to drink blood to gain experience points," according to a new press release. DarkEden's closed beta phase is currently live, and you can sign up for a chance to test at the game's official website.

[Source: Ignited Games press release]

Isometric DarkEden vampire MMO enters closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maverick Studios working on Unveiled: The Supernatural horror MMO

Jef Reahard — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Miscellaneous

Apparently CCP and Funcom aren't the only development firms working on horror MMOs with sexy graphics. Upstart Maverick Studios has been slaving away on Unveiled: The Supernatural since 2009, and the game features four races (hunters, witches, vampires, and werewolves) in addition to some sort of skill-based advancement system.

MMO Culture recently posted a few screenshots as well as some Unveiled concept art, and there's even a trailer floating around the intertubes that offers a glimpse into the game's brooding aesthetic (but sadly no gameplay footage). Can Unveiled satisfy our blood-lust for a horror MMO now that World of Darkness seems further away than ever? It's too early to tell, but you can bet that we'll be keeping an interested eye on Maverick Studios. Head past the break to check out the trailer.

Continue reading Maverick Studios working on Unveiled: The Supernatural horror MMO

Maverick Studios working on Unveiled: The Supernatural horror MMO originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Exclusive: World of Darkness interview

Chris Rippee — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Culture, Events, real-world, Interviews, New titles, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage, World of Darkness, Miscellaneous

The 2011 Grand Masquerade in New Orleans is over, and the monsters have all gone home. In their wake, we're left with a series of exciting revelations relating to the upcoming World of Darkness by CCP Games. While it's only in pre-production, it has already sent fans of the World of Darkness setting into a frenzy of anticipation. The new details only give rise to more questions, however, and speculation has run rampant, especially given how radically CCP's new game departs from the standard MMO model. Thankfully, Massively has some answers.

Shane Defreest, the Community Developer for CCP North America and White Wolf Publishing, was kind enough to take the time out of his hectic schedule to answer a few of our questions relating to the game. He sheds a bit of light on World of Darkness, discussing the choice of setting, player factions and playable clans, the business model, and how he views the experience of the game. Enjoy!

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: World of Darkness interview

Massively Exclusive: World of Darkness interview originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP reveals World of Darkness details to bloodthirsty fans

Justin Olivetti — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Events, real-world, PvP, Massively Event Coverage, World of Darkness

Details about CCP's World of Darkness are popping out of White Wolf's The Grand Masquerade in New Orleans this weekend, and they're definitely worth draining for every last sweet drop of... information. While the game is still in pre-production -- and as such, nothing is set in stone -- the devs weren't hesitant to dish out a lot of the ideas and features that they hope will make this the best vampire MMO to date.

It's CCP's desire to emulate LARPing (live-action roleplaying) as much as possible with World of Darkness, with plenty of metaplots running inside the game and without. Players will begin as a mortal human who can make the choice to become a kindred (vampire) or stay mortal for the duration of their characters' lives. There's a very real danger that characters might experience "final death" -- permadeath -- if they take too many risks. If you get in over your head, you can retreat to your character's Haven for safety.

The entire game will take place at night and on one server, and CCP is definitely aiming it toward the hardcore set. Nudity, gore, and insanity effects are all par for the course.

If players push outside of the acceptable boundaries too often, they'll lose "humanity" points and could become flagged for constant attack by other players and NPCs. Play your cards right and you may become the prince of the city. The game will change over time with dynamic events, and CCP promises that there will be real consequences for player decisions.

Look for our World of Darkness interview with CCP coming later this week.

[Thanks Pilgrim for the tip!]

CCP reveals World of Darkness details to bloodthirsty fans originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Moonlight Online launching by the end of 2011

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Galleries, Launches, Moonlight Online

All right, fang gang, prepare to get your vamp on -- Moonlight Online is coming to a PC or coffin near you by the end of 2011.

Moving to capitalize on the final Twilight films, IGG announced that Moonlight Online will be launching its own version of vampires and werewolves before too long. Moonlight Online isn't just about well-worn horror concepts, but fresh ideas as well, such as strategic empire building, epic love stories, combat on the move, and fantastic creatures.

According to the forums, there will also be dynamic weather patterns that will shape the game world, throwing zones from a blizzard to an idyllic summer day as the seasons progress.

If you haven't already, make sure to sink your teeth into our dev diary, which gives a good overview of the game. We also have our very first look at in-game screenshots of Moonlight Online, which you can view in the gallery below!

Gallery: Moonlight Online

Moonlight Online launching by the end of 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: Why Elves are the scourge of MMOs

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Races, Humor, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous

Astute readers of Massively or my personal blog Bio Break are probably quite familiar with my blatant prejudice against all things Elf. I hate Elves and everything for which they stand. And nowhere does this hatred blossom more brightly than in the fertile fields of MMOs.

As the axiom goes, where there is fantasy, there are Elves. Blame J.R.R. Tolkien for popularizing a race of what used to be cookie and Santa helpers. Almost overnight Elves became in vogue in geek culture, and efforts to root them out with flamethrowers have been in vain. Any fantasy MMO that is announced is required, by some arcane law that can only be broken with the blood of a virgin god, to include Elves as a racial choice -- or, if the developers are feeling particularly sadistic, more than one choice. Wood, night, blood, dark, light, mystical -- take your pick. There are plenty of Elves for everyone!

Well, I'm not having it. Elves don't get a free pass on my watch, and I'm not afraid to stand up to the powerful Pro-Elf lobby and nail my 10 theses as to why Elves suck on the doors of this blog. Consider your pointy ears on notice, you woodland freaks -- the jig is up!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Why Elves are the scourge of MMOs

The Perfect Ten: Why Elves are the scourge of MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: City of Eternals

Beau Hindman — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Screenshots, Opinion, Hands-on, Humor, Rise and Shiny, Livestream

City of Eternals is somewhat of an enigma to me. I've heard of it off and on through the last few years. I've seen it before, and it doesn't seem as though it has changed much, if at all. I am familiar with it just because I have been covering games for a long time, yet I've never really checked it out. Sure, I poked my head into it through Facebook once or twice, but to be honest, I didn't really like what I saw. I am all about independent, different-looking, or not-so-pretty games... heck, if I weren't, I'd have nothing to play but bloated "AAA" grindfests.

But there's just something about the skinny-jean, pleather-wearing vampire scene that I cannot stand. My wife is into True Blood, the campy, vamp-heavy, naked-people festival that shows on the HBO network, but at least the show has fun with it and builds up interesting characters. City of Eternals seems to be stuck in that cheesier area of vampire fandom, though.

Still, I played it over the last week and started to enjoy it a bit, for a few different reasons. Click past the cut and I'll tell you about it.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: City of Eternals

Rise and Shiny recap: City of Eternals originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 26 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TQ Digital announces Edge of Night expansion for Eudemons

Matt Daniel — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, News items, Free-to-play

TQ Digital has announced the upcoming expansion to its free-to-play MMORPG Eudemons, titled Edge of Night, and boy is it going to suck. We mean that in the most literal sense, as the new update will add Vampires to the game's ranks. The Vampire will be the fourth class to join Eudemons' world of Cronus, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Warrior, Mage, and Paladin (somehow we think the Vampire may have some contention with the latter).

Details on this new class are virtually nonexistent at this point, but TQ Digital promises a slew of information leading up to the release of the new update. Of course, there's really only one truly pressing question regarding the matter: Will the Vampires sparkle? We sure hope not. Players thirsty for new information on the new class can sink their fangs into some Vampire-related lore and artwork while they wait for more news on the official site.

TQ Digital announces Edge of Night expansion for Eudemons originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IGG reveals new Moonlight concept art

Jef Reahard — Wed, 18 May 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Galleries, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Moonlight Online

Not enough vampire-themed MMOs in your life? Take heart, as IGG is looking to fill that particular niche with a new free-to-play game called Moonlight Online. The title has been under development for the last three years, and according to a new press notice, the development team is aiming pretty high.

"The game will prominently feature themes of romantic renaissance and gothic apocalypse, from moving, epic love stories to spectacular seasonal landscapes," enthuses the press release. IGG is also pointing to the game's realistic 24-hour timekeeping system and its "strategic empire building and property management" functionality as harbingers of incredibly diverse gameplay.

While we don't have any screenshots or video footage as of yet, IGG has released a couple of new concept art shots that serve as atmospheric barometers (and they're appropriately gothic and creepy). Have a look courtesy of our Moonlight gallery below.

Gallery: Moonlight Online

IGG reveals new Moonlight concept art originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 May 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Second RuneScape novel "Return to Canifis" to be released this month

Brendan Drain — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Lore, MMO industry, News items, RuneScape, Free-to-play

In August of last year, Titan Books announced the beginning of a new series of novels set in the lands of free-to-play fantasy MMO RuneScape. The first novel, Betrayal at Falador, told a vivid tale from RuneScape's backstory using key characters from the game's lore and in-game quests. The book was well-received by both RuneScape veterans and new players just looking for a good read. Our own RuneScape novice Rubi Bayer had a blast reading the novel and being absorbed in the backstory of this popular browser MMO.

Fans of the first novel will be pleased to hear that its sequel, Return to Canifis, is due for release this month. The book will be in stores in the U.S. and Canada on March 22nd, with the UK release following on March 25th. Whereas the first book introduced the lore surrounding Falador, Return to Canafis takes the story to the city of Varrock. The citizens of Varrock are being stolen away to Morytania, the land of vampires, and the king sends an expedition to Canafis to get to the bottom of it. Stay tuned to Massively's RuneScape coverage this week for our in-depth review of the novel.

Second RuneScape novel "Return to Canifis" to be released this month originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forsaken World closed beta opens up to all

Krystalle Voecks — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, News items, Free-to-play

Perfect World Entertainment's upcoming fantasy vampire MMO, Forsaken World, has decided to throw the definition of closed beta out the window and do its own thing. Phase 4 of the game's "closed" beta officially opens the doors to anyone who is curious to try the game out, whether or not he has a beta code -- or even signed up to test before.

The new phase 4 portion of the beta test also marks Forsaken World's addition of two brand-new PvE servers, Storm and Legion. Also included in this newest phase is an auction house system, enabling a player-driven economy and greater availability of tradeskill materials to those who enjoy crafting. Along with this, the level cap has raised to 60, and there are 10 realms per server for players to wander through. Those curious can check out the phase 4 patch notes or sign up for an account and download the game from the Forsaken World site.

Forsaken World closed beta opens up to all originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EverQuest II reveals new Freeblood race lore

Jef Reahard — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Expansions, Lore, News items, Free-to-play

There's a brand new race coming to EverQuest II this winter, and SOE has all the juicy lore details in a post on the game's official website. Freeblood vampires will be available to EQII Live subscribers and EQ2X gold and platinum members beginning in February as part of the Velious Winter Rewards program. A quick read-through of the fine print reveals that players must qualify for both the December and January rewards to be eligible for the Freeblood race (and ice wolf mount) that make up the February rewards. Both prerequisites require an active subscription and an account in good standing.

If you're having trouble waiting until February, the Freebloods will be available for purchase via the Station Store later this month. In the meantime, SOE has provided some fairly meaty lore for you to sink your teeth into, and it's available at the official website.

EverQuest II reveals new Freeblood race lore originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TERA creeps us out with a monster movie

Larry Everett — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Video, New titles, TERA

En Masse Entertainment has presented beautiful render after beautiful render of its highly anticipated action MMO TERA. We've seen revealing armor sets, robust cities, thunderous monsters, and creepy villains. The vampires of Popolion were pretty freaky when we showed them off a couple of weeks ago, but when coupled with the silent-film motif, the evil chills cause your body to shudder.

Who doesn't like the classic monster movies? Bela Lugosi's Dracula is still the best. To say Happy Halloween to the fans of TERA, the developers have put together their own version of a spine-tingling monster movie. Don't miss the baby-dolls with cleavers, clowns with sinister sneers, and, of course, the vampires with top hats. Follow after the break for the full video, and prepare to be TERA-ized.

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TERA creeps us out with a monster movie originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vindictus open beta off to an early start

Jef Reahard — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Vindictus

Looking to get a head start on some F2P dungeon-crawling, vampire staking, and goblin smashing? It's your lucky night, as Nexon America has let us know that the Vindictus open beta has left the terminal a bit ahead of schedule.

The festivities include the game's newly accessible third episode, the aforementioned new mobs, and a new dungeon (Ainle), which you can enter from boat dock three. Inside, you'll encounter a town overrun with fireball-flinging undead and assorted underworld minions, many of which can be picked up and used as thrown weapons thanks to the game's Source Engine physics.

In addition to the new content, early access beta players will be able to retain their characters, rank, and loot when Vindictus officially launches later this month. Check out more of our Vindictus coverage, including video of the game's grappling moves, or head over to the official web site for more info.

Vindictus open beta off to an early start originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TERA shows off scary vampires

Jef Reahard — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, New titles, News items, TERA

While it can be said that TERA's female avatars are occasionally guilty of vamping it up, particularly when strutting around the high-fantasy world in their stiletto heels and supervixen armor, actual bloodsucking immortals weren't something we initially pictured in Bluehole Studio's upcoming title. That said, fantasy MMOs have featured them before, notably in EverQuest II's Bloodline Chronicles adventure pack, and TERA looks to continue the tradition of undead MMO mobs as evidenced by the latest Screenshot of the Week featurette.

The folks at Bluehole and En Masse Entertainment are putting a unique spin on the usual creature-of-the-night motif, as the official website says the vampirs were "once peaceful residents of Popolion and [its] environs, [but have since] gone insane and resumed their former blood-sucking ways."

Check out the news blurb on the TERA website and the new images in our gallery below.

Gallery: TERA Screenshots of the Week

TERA shows off scary vampires originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vindictus is moving into (fully) open beta in North America

Krystalle Voecks — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Galleries, Screenshots, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Vindictus

Are you part of the masses eager to get your hands on a Vindictus beta key? Well, we have good news for you! Nexon has let us know today that its highly anticipated free-to-play hack-and-slash action-adventure how-many-hyphens-can-we-get-in-a-sentence game, Vindictus, will be heading to a true open beta status in North America on October 13th. So, sure, you could continue spending time trying to track down a key, or you could simply relax and get ready for the doors to open on the game in a couple of weeks.

As part of the opening, Nexon is going to be adding in the dungeon of Ainle, which will offer players new challenges in the form of fireball-throwing vampires and goblins intent on destruction. Nexon has also said that players will have to do everything they can to stop these new invaders, including "hurling the corpses of their defeated enemies at the attacking mobs." Also, players will have a chance to check out the fishing system as a way to enjoy some downtime and potentially land some nifty loot. You know, if you can pry yourself away from hacking everything to bits. If you aren't in the beta, we have a handful of new screenshots for your eyes below.

Gallery: Vindictus Gallery

Vindictus is moving into (fully) open beta in North America originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IGG planning great things for combat in Moonlight Online

Rubi Bayer — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, News items, Free-to-play, Moonlight Online

Moonlight Online is expected to launch at the end of the year, and we're slowly getting more information on the game. The latest information from IGG gives a few hints about what we can expect from combat.

While it's light on specifics, we do know that Moonlight Online "utilizes DOTA-like tactical elements in combat, so gamers can have their characters cast spells and use abilities in while in motion (limited by a cooldown time)." Transformation will be a big part of Moonlight Online, with characters gaining some impressive stat boosts in their alternate forms. Werewolves will receive buffs to attack power and HP, and vampires in bat form will be faster, more agile, and have a spell power boost.

You can find more details about IGG's take on the vampire vs. werewolf conflict on the Moonlight Online forums.

IGG planning great things for combat in Moonlight Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Who's your MMO mistress?

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, Browser, The Daily Grind

Many in MMO circles look down on what they consider to be the second-class citizens of online gaming: browser-based MMOs. In fact, just about every time that we post a news article about a browser MMO here on Massively, it's inevitable that someone will pish-posh the game on the general principle that "all browser MMOs suck."

Yet that attitude overlooks one of the key demographics of browser MMO players: us. It's not uncommon for many of us to be stuck with a non-gaming computer for a good chunk of time, i.e. at "school" and "work" and "in the Batcave." While we may not talk about it in mixed company out of fear of being ostracized, I believe many of us have an on-the-side MMO that feeds our addiction when we're away from our main gaming rig.

Whether it be on Facebook, a browser or even on a mobile device, what MMO do you visit on the sly when you can't access the real thing? Have you spent time doodling around in City of Eternals, RuneScape or even Pocket Legends when your boss isn't looking? Who's your MMO mistress?

The Daily Grind: Who's your MMO mistress? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IGG introduces vampire MMO Moonlight Online

Beau Hindman — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, New titles, Moonlight Online

Have you been dying to recreate your favorite scenes from the Twilight series? Well me neither, but I would like to fly around kicking butt and avoiding the sunlight. This is good, being that IGG announced Moonlight: Online today. Players will soon be able to control Vampire characters as they jump, fly and climb through supernatural environments that will be rendered using a cutting edge game engine. Players have also been promised that the game will feature plenty of outlets for their creativity. Could this mean the game will feature a lot of customization for characters?

The game will also feature the ability to create and destroy entire empires with superpower abilities, all while declaring war on the Werewolves! Sounds to us like a pretty nice combination of pale, powerful and destructive -- just like we like it. Details are promised over the next weeks and months, so keep en eye out here. The game is slated for release at the end of 2010.

IGG introduces vampire MMO Moonlight Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Forsaken World to offer non-sparkly vampires

Krystalle Voecks — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Forsaken World

Fantasy -- check. Elves -- check. Vampires? Yes, indeed! Perfect World Entertainment's new MMO, Forsaken World, is not only full of the normal fantasy trappings you'd expect such as elves, dwarves, and men made of stone, but they've also got a race of vampires known as the Kindred. As one scrolls through the classes available on the MMO teaser site, there's also a vampire class in the mix. (We wonder if that's actually a class choice, or more a designation to explain the Kindred's powers.)

While Forsaken World has only just been announced, the beta sign-ups are already open. Their shiny new site is also chock full of interesting information from the lore of the world, through to races, classes, and even a pretty cool looking trailer that we snagged a copy of and embedded behind the break for you to check out. We'll certainly be keeping our eye on it as more news come out because let's face it -- vampires (especially the non-sparkly ones) don't suck. Err. Well, not that way. You know what we mean.

Continue reading The Forsaken World to offer non-sparkly vampires

The Forsaken World to offer non-sparkly vampires originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Want to sink your teeth into a vampire MMO? Massively can help!

Shawn Schuster — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Horror, New titles, Free-to-play, Browser, Giveaways, City of Eternals

With the recent popularity of movies like Twilight, it seems that the folks at Ohai have timed the announcement of their new vampire MMO just right. City of Eternals is a browser-based MMO set in the world of modern vampires. It is completely free-to-play and is currently in its private alpha testing stage. According to the developer, "You can choose your Vampire look and fighting style, explore a massive city with dozens of story quests, combat instances, and standalone missions. You will learn to harvest valuables and craft useful items, customize your own home, and choose your path to becoming the ultimate Vampire."

If that genre appeals to you, and you'd be interested in alpha testing the game, head on over to their invite page where they have 100 invites reserved for the Massively readers. Each person who gets into this alpha will receive 100 "ohais", which are their own form of virtual currency in the game that will cost real money once the game launches.

Want to sink your teeth into a vampire MMO? Massively can help! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The world is safe: Twilight MMO not a confirmed project

Seraphina Brennan — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items

Thanks to some astute Joystiq commenters and a MySpace photo of a newspaper article, it seems we might all breathe a collective sigh of relief. The Twilight MMO isn't an official, confirmed project as of yet.

The current Twilight: The Video Game is being created by Brandon Gardner, a student of game design from Blountstown, Florida. BrainJunk Studios currently consists of a volunteer staff, all working together on the concept of a Twilight game. Currently, Gardner is still studying with Westwood College Online, seeking out a bachelor's degree in game design as he works on his pet project.

So, in conclusion, we're all temporarily spared... at least for the time being.

The world is safe: Twilight MMO not a confirmed project originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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