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[Aion's Rallying the Troops event begins Feb 27th]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/25/aions-rallying-the-troops-event-begins-f/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/25/aions-rallying-the-troops-event-begins-f/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/25/aions-rallying-the-troops-event-begins-f/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Aion screenshot
If the recent news about Aion's upcoming conversion to free-to-play has sparked your interest or you had left previously but want to pop back in for a little look-see, NCsoft is offering the perfect opportunity to do just that! Starting February 27th, Rallying the Troops will allow Daevas and Daevas-to-be to jump into the stunning world of Atreia for free, getting a head start on preparing for the much anticipated 3.0 patch, Ascension.

Each player, whether new, returning, or currently subscribed, will receive bonuses during that time, including double XP, a 30% boost in AP, and crucible insignias. New recruits need only make an account to begin playing a free extended trial. Returning veterans will play for free through March 12th. All those currently serving, along with the returning veterans, will benefit from more medals and relic loot drops from fortresses.

As an added incentive, everyone who subscribes by March 12th will receive a free set of Daevanion armor. If you have ever had the desire to check Aion out, there is no time like the present... starting Monday, of course.

MassivelyAion's Rallying the Troops event begins Feb 27th originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3.03.0-patchaionaion-3.0aion-crucibleaion-gameAPascensionCrucibleDaevanion-armordouble-xpdouble-xp-weekenddouble-xp-weekendseventnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionpatchpatch-3.0rallying-the-troopsveteransSat, 25 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: F2P and vet rewards and bears, oh my!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/wings-over-atreia-f2p-and-vet-rewards-and-bears-oh-my/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/wings-over-atreia-f2p-and-vet-rewards-and-bears-oh-my/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/wings-over-atreia-f2p-and-vet-rewards-and-bears-oh-my/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Wings Over Atreia header image
OK, so maybe there aren't really any bears. Wait, I take that back -- there are maybe sorta bears... at least alluded to! Polar bears, to be exact. No really, work with me here: What Winter Festival, Atreian or otherwise, doesn't conjure up images of polar bears? We just won't get into the whole dancing bears thing. What we will get into this week in Wings Over Atreia, however, are musings about a few topics of interest that are swirling around lately, most notably Aion's upcoming conversion to free-to-play in Europe, the changes to the veteran reward system, and the aforementioned Winter Festival (sans dancing bears).

Quick quiz now: Other than involving Aion, what else do these three subjects have in common? Give up? Time. While this column usually delves into single topics at a time, the fact that two of these are time-sensitive necessitates that they share face-time, else the news most relevant to Daevas would become obsolete. The third is less time-sensitive but more time-relevant.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: F2P and vet rewards and bears, oh my!

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: F2P and vet rewards and bears, oh my! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-crucibleaion-gameaparenasCrucibleCrucible-Coliseumdredgionf2pf2p-conversionsfeaturedfestivalsfortressesfortsfree-to-plaync-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionopinionpvppvp-arenapvp-arenaspvp-gearvet-rewardsveteran-rewardsveteran-rewards-programveteransvetsWings-Over-Atreiawinter-festivalMon, 30 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online outlines the next several veteran rewards for players]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/star-trek-online-outlines-the-next-several-veteran-rewards-for-p/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/star-trek-online-outlines-the-next-several-veteran-rewards-for-p/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/star-trek-online-outlines-the-next-several-veteran-rewards-for-p/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Military organizations force you to buy new ships to command, unless you've been around a really long time. Then they'll give you a free one eventually.
There's still no definite date on the conversion to free-to-play for Star Trek Online, but the game is quickly approaching its 700th day of operation -- which is important. The game's veteran awards are provided for players in 100-day increments, meaning that the point is fast approaching when the players will be owed a new reward. So it makes sense that the latest Path to F2P blog discusses the next four veteran rewards and explains another upgrade to the reward for 600 days.

The 600-day reward will change to a free token at level 51 (Vice Admiral) allowing players to pick a free ship, something that is currently the case but is being changed with the upcoming patch. This veteran reward means long-time players will still be eligible for a free ship, a benefit that should help assuage at least some of the issues seen with the payment model shift. The subsequent rewards range from new Android bridge officers to free respec tokens, all of which should make long-time players rather pleased.

MassivelyStar Trek Online outlines the next several veteran rewards for players originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogcrypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdeveloper-blogf2pfree-to-playpath-to-f2pplayer-rewardsrewardsst-onlinestar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestotrek-onlineupdatesveteran-rewardsveteransMon, 07 Nov 2011 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom's Craig Morrison on SWTOR and MMO industry advances]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/funcoms-craig-morrison-on-swtor-and-mmo-industry-advances/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/funcoms-craig-morrison-on-swtor-and-mmo-industry-advances/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/26/funcoms-craig-morrison-on-swtor-and-mmo-industry-advances/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Craig Morrison
Funcom's Craig Morrison is one of the more outspoken MMO devs on the planet, and the Age of Conan game director has weighed in with a lengthy personal blog update that reflects on the state of the industry, the future, and the impending success of Star Wars The Old Republic.

Morrison, who goes by the handle Silirrion on Funcom's various forums, touches on the freight train that is SWTOR as well as why MMO veterans have been getting the cold shoulder from development companies in recent years.

Vets are "yearning for the next advance in technology at a time when the industry itself is still refining the experience offered by the first generation of games," he says. "The formula for an MMO is still pretty much the same, in terms of structure, as it was a decade ago, and that frustration at a perceived lack of progress is what fuels a deal of the complaints."

Is there any hope for the future, though? Morrison seems to think so, but he's not holding his breath on a timeframe. "I also think that those advances the veterans yearn for will come, and the genre will become more dynamic and community focused again, but maybe not in the near future, and almost certainly not with the upcoming generation of games," he writes.

MassivelyFuncom's Craig Morrison on SWTOR and MMO industry advances originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbiowarecraig-morrisonea-biowareelectronic-artsfuncommmo-industtrymmo-veteransmmo-vetsopinionsilirrionstar-wars-mmostar-wars-the-old-republicveteransMon, 26 Sep 2011 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The Uncle Owen paradox]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/the-soapbox-the-uncle-owen-paradox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/the-soapbox-the-uncle-owen-paradox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/the-soapbox-the-uncle-owen-paradox/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

This week, the venerable Star Wars Galaxies celebrates its eighth year of existence. I was there in the beginning -- before the beginning, in fact. I did what a lot of you early SWG players probably did: I had a guild and a guild city, multiple accounts, a booming business as a chef, and a character who could entertain and fight. Even then, we realized how different SWG was from its immediate predecessors like EverQuest and Dark Age of Camelot. We'd returned to the earlier age of Ultima Online, of persistent worlds (as the term was used back then). It was more a world than a game, and in it we could roleplay whatever we liked, to a point. Nowadays, we'd call it a sandbox.

Old-school MMO gamers know well that the sandbox is under attack. Some will blame it on EverQuest, some on World of Warcraft, some on the free-to-play phenomenon. Among the Massively commenters, there's a large contingent of gamers who consider SWG's own NGE to be the beginning of the end of the classic sandbox. I can't say they're wrong when it comes to the philosophy governing new MMOs, but the sandbox isn't dead yet.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The Uncle Owen paradox

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The Uncle Owen paradox originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingeighth-anniversaryfeaturedgalaxiesgame-developmenthaters-gonna-hatejohn-smedleylucasartsluke-skywalkernew-game-enhancementsngenostalgiaopinionpersistent-worldpre-ngepwsandboxsmedleysoapboxsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgtcgthe-soapboxthemeparktrading-card-gameuncle-owenuncle-owen-experienceveteranswhinersTue, 21 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Trek Online reveals 500-day veteran rewards]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/star-trek-online-reveals-500-day-veteran-rewards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/star-trek-online-reveals-500-day-veteran-rewards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/10/star-trek-online-reveals-500-day-veteran-rewards/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It seems every game in the genre today has to hand out some kind of veteran reward as a thank-you for players who decide to stick around, and Cryptic's Star Trek Online is no different. So far up to the 400-day mark, STO players have been granted a variety of nifty items: titles, respecs, ship slots, costume pieces, skill point boosts, and at 400 days, even a new vanity ship. Now the 500-day rewards have been unveiled. Players who manage to play the Cryptic sci-fi MMO for that long will receive 250 emblems to spend as they please, an extra ship slot, two costume pieces, and the title "Relentless."

If you want to join in on the discussion and argue about whether or not these are worthy rewards, head on over to the official STO forum thread. Otherwise, congratulations to everyone who has racked up 500 days of playtime in STO. Yes, I mean both of you.

MassivelyStar Trek Online reveals 500-day veteran rewards originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-two-of-youcrypticcryptic-studiosstar-trek-onlinestoveteran-rewardsveteransveterans-rewardsTue, 10 May 2011 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Should newbie rewards match veteran rewards?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/03/the-daily-grind-should-newbie-rewards-match-veteran-rewards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/03/the-daily-grind-should-newbie-rewards-match-veteran-rewards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/03/the-daily-grind-should-newbie-rewards-match-veteran-rewards/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Star Trek Online fans got a little testy when it looked like new players would get the game for less with twice the free time. And you can't exactly blame them -- after all, it's hard enough being an early adopter for a new MMO, and you expect to suffer through a few bugs with the knowledge that you're in on the ground floor. MMOcrunch went so far as to call it a pre-order penalty, arguing that for every reward that new players get, veteran players should get something in exchange.

It's a nice philosophy, and one that games like City of Heroes have adopted in earnest with a reward program for veterans, plus new bundle packs of the game for new players. On the other hand, World of Warcraft offers nothing much to veteran players while the cover price of the game keeps going down, and that hasn't particularly impacted its sales. What do you think? Should there be an even distribution of rewards for the newcomers and the old standbys? Or is it more important to entice new players, and the old players should enjoy the extra time they've spent in the game thus far?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Should newbie rewards match veteran rewards? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxnewbie-rewardsprice-dropsstar-trek-onlinestotdgthe-daily-grindveteran-rewardsveteransworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 03 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PlanetSide veteran remembers the Battle of Forseral]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/09/planetside-veteran-remembers-the-battle-of-forseral/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/09/planetside-veteran-remembers-the-battle-of-forseral/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/09/planetside-veteran-remembers-the-battle-of-forseral/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

PlanetSide doesn't get much attention these days. It didn't get much attention when it was fresh on the market either. It has always seemed like a clunky, not-quite-right prototype for what a massively-multiplayer-first-person-shooter could be. But some folks remember their time spent there quite fondly, including Rock, Paper, Shotgun's Quintin Smith.

A few days ago he wrote up an article about how veterans of the game fondly share war stories, and then provided his own epic tale. It's a great story that shows how players with good humor can turn a game-crushing bug into the gaming experience of a lifetime.

The story resembles the Battle of Thermopylae; one nation is forced (by a bug) to the brink of annihilation. It's interesting because it's presumably the one time any faction in PlanetSide was faced with the possibility of complete and final loss of a war that's rigged to be impossible to lose (or win). We recently brought up the question of stakes in PvP, so this new RPS article is topical! Amusingly, the article is also not entirely dissimilar to our own PlanetSide experience.

MassivelyPlanetSide veteran remembers the Battle of Forseral originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>300battle-of-thermopylaefpsmemoriesmmofpsplanetsidepvpquintin-smithrock-paper-shotgunrpssoestakesterran-republicterranstrveteransTue, 09 Sep 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Veteran EverQuest 2 players weigh in on Heroic Runnyeye]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/22/veteran-everquest-2-players-weigh-in-on-heroic-runnyeye/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/22/veteran-everquest-2-players-weigh-in-on-heroic-runnyeye/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/22/veteran-everquest-2-players-weigh-in-on-heroic-runnyeye/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

This past Tuesday, EverQuest 2 saw yet another major Game Update go live. GU 46 introduced the fantastic Void Storms live event, and offered max level players some brand-new content: a Heroic version of the Runnyeye dungeon. By now some of EQ2's enthusiastic adventurers have had a chance to plumb the depths of Runnyeye, and the response is varied.

Raiding veteran Kendricke of the Clockwork Gamer site views the labyrinth, which is aimed squarely at getting newly-dinged 80th-level characters into dungeon-crawling, as a good experience. He argues that it's not that the new instance is easy - it's just that it requires a raider's mindset. Even a small group can clear the dungeon, but if they don't have the right frame of mind it's going to be a challenge. Meanwhile Stargrace at MMO Quests is a bit more dismissive. In her words, as long as you cure status effects as they're dropped onto players the dungeon is very easy. She was also underwhelmed by the loot that dropped. Both bloggers, though, enjoyed the encounter's scripted events. Everyone can agree: bringing lore-heavy combat to the masses has to be a good thing.

MassivelyVeteran EverQuest 2 players weigh in on Heroic Runnyeye originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dungeonsendgameeq2eq2-gu-46everquest-2heroic-runnyeyesoesony-online-entertainmentveteransSun, 22 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Player vs. Everything: Gaming with a disability]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/player-vs-everything-gaming-with-a-disability/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/player-vs-everything-gaming-with-a-disability/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/28/player-vs-everything-gaming-with-a-disability/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Stephanie Walker was a gamer who had never expected to have to deal with a disability. She was 23 at the onset of her condition, a college student who also worked a full-time job. She liked to spend the little free time she had unwinding online. Initially resistant to the idea of playing EverQuest, Stephanie quickly discovered that slaying virtual orcs and bandits while joking around in party chat was surprisingly fun. It was a great way to keep in touch with long-distance friends and burn some stress after a long day. She didn't have a lot of time to play, but she was good at it when she did.

While working at her job one day, Stephanie noticed that her right hand and leg had fallen asleep. When she tried to get up to walk the sensation off, she realized that something was seriously wrong -- the entire right side of her body had just stopped working. Stephanie was rushed to the hospital, and the diagnosis was confirmed the following morning: she had multiple sclerosis, and she would have to deal with it for the rest of her life. Overnight, everything changed. She went from being someone who spent 20 hours per day away from home to someone who really never left. Moving around within her house required an enormous effort on her part. Even feeding herself had become a challenge. The little things, like not being able to get online and chat with her friends (something she really enjoyed) just made her situation that much more painful.

Continue reading Player vs. Everything: Gaming with a disability

MassivelyPlayer vs. Everything: Gaming with a disability originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>able-gamersaccessibilityblizzardcontrollerscraftingdisabilitydisableddisabled-accessdisabled-gamereverquestfeaturedflying-labfuncomgame-designguild-warsjoystiqfeaturesmultiple-sclerosisperipheralsplayer-vs-everythingsoftwaresoldiersoldiersveteransworld-of-warcraftMon, 28 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes fans to honor real world heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/city-of-heroes-fans-to-honor-real-world-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/city-of-heroes-fans-to-honor-real-world-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/city-of-heroes-fans-to-honor-real-world-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Never let it be said that gamers don't have heart. In honor of the upcoming Veteran's Day on November 12th, a spirited group of City of Heroes players on the Virtue server will be holding an in-game event to recognize the exceptional deeds of some real-life do-gooders; not only the men and women fighting overseas, but also the firefighters and police officers who keep us safe at home. There will be guest speakers (including a special keynote speaker that organizer Dwarfstar didn't want to reveal to us at this time), both in character and out, talking about what the day means to them, as well as an open forum for whomever is inclined to show up.

For those not on the Virtue server or who are unable to make it, The Cape Radio will be providing coverage of the event, including inspirational music and some additional comments. Make sure to log-in at 8 PM EST on the 12th if you want to take part in the festivities.

MassivelyCity of Heroes fans to honor real world heroes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroesCoXheroesthe-cape-radioveteransveterans-dayThu, 08 Nov 2007 08:52:00 EST<![CDATA[CoX veteran perks revealed at long last]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/cox-veteran-perks-revealed-at-long-last/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/cox-veteran-perks-revealed-at-long-last/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/10/29/cox-veteran-perks-revealed-at-long-last/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

City of Heroes lead designer, better known as Positron, has lifted the curtain on the new 42 month Veteran reward going live in Issue 11. I know the suspense is killing you, so we'll defer to Positron himself.

"We are going with a 'Recall Team' Veteran power, usable once every 30 minutes. We like this as a Vet Reward because it is a nice perk we can give our Veteran players that shouldn't make players who don't have it feel left out. The power can be used only once every 30 minutes, and this can't be reduced by Hasten or other recharge reducing methods. This makes it very handy in certain situations, but obviously not required by any stretch of the imagination."

There we have it! We'll find out more about the 45 month reward after Issue 11 goes live (which shouldn't be long, it's already pre-loaded) and we get closer to the actual 45 month mark.

MassivelyCoX veteran perks revealed at long last originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Oct 2007 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxissue-11positronpowersveteranveteran-powersveteransMon, 29 Oct 2007 21:45:00 EST