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[E3 2011: Hands on with RIFT's 1.3 update]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/09/e3-2011-hands-on-with-rifts-1-3-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/09/e3-2011-hands-on-with-rifts-1-3-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/09/e3-2011-hands-on-with-rifts-1-3-update/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

With patch 1.2 fading in the rearview mirror, RIFT players have turned their attention to the incoming patch 1.3 due on June 22nd. Titled Waves of Madness, the update will kick off a new world event and add an additional tier of endgame content in the form of an additional raid.

We got the opportunity to dive into 1.3 early at E3, all while a petite seven-foot-tall dev perched on our shoulder and gave us running commentary. Patch 1.3's crown jewel is a 20-person raid in the ancient fortress of Hammerknell, which was built by folks who thought it'd be a smashing idea to cram evil spirits into runes and then use that as the foundation. Sounds to us a lot like building a summer camp on top of a desecrated native burial ground, but we're sure these architects had good intentions.

Surprise, surprise, the spirits started to ooze out into Hammerknell and tore up the place. To make matters worse, Hammerknell is the prison of a water dragon -- and the water plane started to come to its rescue. So the Dwarves decided to treat it like an illegal toxic dump by sealing up the fortress, whistling innocently, and conveniently forgetting it until another raid area was needed.

But it's not as simple as just unlocking the front door and marching in to claim some loot! Hit the jump as we walk you through the process of down-and-dirty archaeology!

Continue reading E3 2011: Hands on with RIFT's 1.3 update

MassivelyE3 2011: Hands on with RIFT's 1.3 update originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.310-man-raid10-person-raid20-man-raid20-person-raidcharacter-transfersdeathdwarfdwarvese3e3-2011featuredguild-bankshammerknellJornarupatch-1.2patch-1.3previewpreviewsraidregulosriftrift-planes-of-telarascottytelaratriontrion-worldswaterworld-eventThu, 09 Jun 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Would you like to be under the sea?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/26/the-daily-grind-would-you-like-to-be-under-the-sea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/26/the-daily-grind-would-you-like-to-be-under-the-sea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/26/the-daily-grind-would-you-like-to-be-under-the-sea/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The ocean is one of the only alien environments left on our slowly turning planet, and even though it's all around us, it remains a frontier. Which makes it odd that with the number of MMOs focused on creating new worlds, there's virtually nothing that takes a dive beneath the waters. Champions Online and World of Warcraft both have extended areas in which players explore beneath the waves, but as a setting the ocean remains largely underutilized. And it could very well be a ripe ground for ideas, settings ranging from steampunk to science fiction beneath unfamiliar waters.

Of course, the obvious reason is that human beings are generally not very good at exploring the ocean depths, due to our lack of gills and inability to withstand crushing water pressure. But it's still worth asking -- would you play an MMO set largely or completely underwater? Would you enjoy the change of atmosphere and environment that comes with such a radical shift in setting? Or do you think it's an idea that sounds neat but would ultimately be far more trouble than it's worth?

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

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Would you like to be under the sea? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 May 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>designoceanoctopusopinionseatdgthe-daily-grindwaterzonesThu, 26 May 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ultima Online's high seas move into open beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/25/ultima-onlines-high-seas-move-into-open-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/25/ultima-onlines-high-seas-move-into-open-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/25/ultima-onlines-high-seas-move-into-open-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It's difficult for an MMO to be any longer in the tooth than the venerable Ultima Online, a game whose presence and launch has defined much of the genre for years. But the game hasn't stopped updating or running through its long history -- in fact, the game is expanding yet again in the near future. The High Seas booster pack, a mini-expansion for the game, has just gone into open beta, complete with a new dedicated forum and FAQ for players looking forward to an array of nautical adventures.

When the booster goes live, every Ultima Online player will benefit from enhanced boat movement. Players who purchase the $15 expansion, however, will also receive a plethora of oceanic improvements, including improved ship combat, paintable boats, fish markets, and NPC ship combat allowing you to attack both pirates and merchant vessels. Add in new ship types, and players will be well-served on their nautical ventures by the expansion. You can take part in the open beta now, or just keep your eye on the main forums for discussion of the experience.

MassivelyUltima Online's high seas move into open beta originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabeta-testbioware-mythicboatseaea-mythicelectronic-artsexpansionfaqhigh-seasim-on-a-boatmini-expansionmythicmythic-entertainmentoceanopen-betaseaship-combatshipsultima-onlineuowaterSat, 25 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How realistic do you like your games?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/21/the-daily-grind-how-realistic-do-you-like-your-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/21/the-daily-grind-how-realistic-do-you-like-your-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/21/the-daily-grind-how-realistic-do-you-like-your-games/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


In real life, if you've not noticed, we don't have hit points. Getting stabbed by a sword once is pretty much crippling if not outright fatal. Fall too far and you don't suffer some uniform amount of damage across your whole body -- you frequently wind up breaking your legs or your spine, and it can be a slow and painful recovery process if you ever recover. We can't wander through the world without ever bothering to eat, drink, or sleep, and when you get shot to death, there will not be a fresh clone waiting to get you back into the action. In the interests of being polite, we'll not even mention the usual lack of other important facilities.

We accept that there's going to be some degree of unreal mechanics in a video game, of course, but that doesn't mean that some of us don't want the game to stick fairly close to the real world. By the same token, though, some of us take the Mystery Science Theater 3000 mantra to heart -- it's just a game, and it's not all that important if it makes real-world sense in sticky parts. Where do you fall on the scale? Do you like your games fairly realistic, fairly unrealistic, or do you not care so long as the game itself is still fun?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How realistic do you like your games? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>damagefallen-earthfefoodgame-mechanicshealthhit-pointshpinjuriesinjuryrealismrealism-in-gamesreality-in-gamessimulationsleeptdgthe-daily-grindwaterMon, 21 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Building MMO landscape scenes, part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/23/building-mmo-landscape-scenes-part-2/#commentsContinue reading Building MMO landscape scenes, part 2

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

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


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

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

Continue reading Building MMO landscape scenes

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanbillboardengineeverquest-2everquest-iigraphicsheightmaplakelandscapelightinglodlord-of-the-rings-onlineoceanplantsriversceneryscenictechnologyterrainterrain-renderingtexturestreeswaterworld-of-warcraftMon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DCUO interview alludes to Aquaman issues]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/05/dcuo-interview-alludes-to-aquaman-issues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/05/dcuo-interview-alludes-to-aquaman-issues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/05/dcuo-interview-alludes-to-aquaman-issues/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

In a recent interview with MTV Multiplayer, DC Universe Online's creative director, Jens Anderson, defends the seemingly "simple" powers of Aquaman, while stating that there are no water-based powers in the game at the moment. "Aquaman is a badass," Anderson made clear. "And he's really, really powerful. People don't give him credit because they think he just talks to fish but he's more than that." This sentiment is taken as far as having "Aquaman Wednesdays" at the SOE Austin studios where DCUO is being developed.

If Aquaman can't swim and speak with the fishies, then what good will he be in the game? "Well, Aquaman is a founding member of the [Justice League of America] and the JLA are a huge factor in our game," Anderson explained. "And so the JLA will be a broader roster than it was in its initial launch way back in the day, but it will also have the core members; so Aquaman will be included in that, for sure. And it will be the Aquaman, not the new Aquaman."

MassivelyDCUO interview alludes to Aquaman issues originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aquamandc-universe-onlinedcuojens-andersonsoe-austinsony-online-sntertainmentwaterThu, 05 Feb 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: One day my ships will come]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/27/one-shots-one-day-my-ships-will-come/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/27/one-shots-one-day-my-ships-will-come/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/27/one-shots-one-day-my-ships-will-come/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


One of the things many people have remarked on Warhammer Online's launch is the look of water in the game. Perhaps it may seem a small, immaterial thing to some, but creating good-looking water in video games requires a fair amount of work to achieve. Today's One Shots was sent in to us by Skurmish of Karak-Eight-Peaks, who captured this great image while looking out to sea. He notes that it was "just a quick screenie taken on the shores of Nordenwatch. I thought it was a striking shot." It most certainly is, Skurmish.

If you're fond of the look of your world, why not show off what you think is awesome about it? We accept screenshots from all MMOs - from small indie studios to huge companies. Just email your screenshot to us at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the game and location it comes from. We'll do the rest.

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: One day my ships will come originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eamythicnordenwatchone-shotsrenderingscreenshotscreenshotsskurmishwarwarhammer-onlinewaterTue, 27 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft's graphics engine to be upgraded incrementally]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/world-of-warcrafts-graphics-engine-to-be-upgraded-incrementally/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/world-of-warcrafts-graphics-engine-to-be-upgraded-incrementally/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/world-of-warcrafts-graphics-engine-to-be-upgraded-incrementally/#commentsFiled under: , ,


In the wake of a series of comments by Blizzard reps hinting at an eventual overhaul of World of Warcraft's graphics engine, Worldofwar.net contacted Lead Producer J. Allen Brack for clarification. Brack responded by describing specific changes to the engine that will be in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion, and then by making a pretty major revelation about the nature of the overhaul.

According to Brack, Blizzard will be making the changes bit-by-bit rather than all at once. "We're taking an iterative, organic approach to graphics upgrades," he said, "going feature by feature as opposed to thinking in terms of an overall new graphics engine."

As for the WotLK changes: those will include a new shadow engine, some new shaders for "even better looking terrain, as well as cool ice effects," and an increased view distance to make those expansive Northrend wastelands look, well ... expansive. He also noted that new water effects will be coming in "a future content update or expansion."

[Via WoW Insider]
One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft's graphics engine to be upgraded incrementally originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardbrackengineexpansionexpansionsgraphicsicej-allen-brackoverhaulshadersshadowsview-distancewaterworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingThu, 28 Aug 2008 19:30:00 EST