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[GDC 2012: Publishing heavies weigh in on F2P conversions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/11/gdc-2012-publishing-heavies-weigh-in-on-f2p-conversions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/11/gdc-2012-publishing-heavies-weigh-in-on-f2p-conversions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/11/gdc-2012-publishing-heavies-weigh-in-on-f2p-conversions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

GDC 2012 logo
Like it or not, free-to-play is rapidly coming to dominate every corner of the gaming industry. While that's good on the surface, it also blurs the line between business and design, and it creates a lot of tension for both consumers and developers who are increasingly faced with the challenges inherent in separating monetary decisions from gameplay decisions.

One of the more interesting GDC 2012 round-tables featured Sony Online Entertainment executive producer Dave Georgeson, NCSoft publishing director Steve Levy, Perfect World VP John Young, GamersFirst monetization director Joe Willmon, and Digi-Capital Limited managing director Tim Merel, all of whom convened for a mind-meld on successfully migrating subscription games to F2P.

As you would expect, the panel was heavy on business-speak, but it also featured plenty of insight into the pricing phenomenon that has become the rule rather than the exception.

Continue reading GDC 2012: Publishing heavies weigh in on F2P conversions

MassivelyGDC 2012: Publishing heavies weigh in on F2P conversions originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelsconconferenceconventiondave-georgesondesignf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgame-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-2012gamersfirstgdcgdc-2012grindjoe-willmonjohn-younglootmmo-industrymonetizationncsoftopinionpanelsperfect-world-entertainmentpolishing-a-turdpwesci-fisoeSony-Online-Entertainmenttim-merelwesternizationSun, 11 Mar 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC 2011: Massively takes on TERA's Smuggler Hideout, and Brian Knox teases the political system]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/gdc-2011-massively-takes-on-teras-smuggler-hideout-and-brian/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/gdc-2011-massively-takes-on-teras-smuggler-hideout-and-brian/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/03/gdc-2011-massively-takes-on-teras-smuggler-hideout-and-brian/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Ah TERA, you're such a tease.

And we're not just talking about your skimpy outfits, oh no. Your political system, your endgame, your Westernized (whatever that means) makeover... all of these have conspired to leave us breathless with anticipation.

Fortunately, we were able to take TERA for a spin at this week's GDC 2011. Along with help from a PUG comprised of En Masse Entertainment staffers, we ventured deep inside the game's Smuggler's Hideout, battling BAMS (En Masse shorthand for big-ass monsters) and checking out the title's streamlined UI and spiffy combat mechanics. Join us after the cut for a brief recap of the demo as well as an interview with producer Brian Knox during which we (politely) demanded a definition for the much-discussed concept of Westernization.

Continue reading GDC 2011: Massively takes on TERA's Smuggler Hideout, and Brian Knox teases the political system

MassivelyGDC 2011: Massively takes on TERA's Smuggler Hideout, and Brian Knox teases the political system originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-combatblueholebluehole-studiobrian-knoxdemoen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasygame-developers-conferencegdcgdc-2011grindinterviewpolitical-systemsmugglers-hideoutteratera-onlinetrailersvideowesternizationThu, 03 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[TERA interview attempts to decipher "westernization"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/28/tera-interview-attempts-to-decipher-westernization/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/28/tera-interview-attempts-to-decipher-westernization/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/28/tera-interview-attempts-to-decipher-westernization/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Uh oh, it's time for the W-word again. Last week's entry in the TERA Race and Class series purported to explain En Masse Entertainment's definition of westernization. The vaguely worded nature of the press release raised more questions than answers, though, and the folks over at ZAM recently caught up with En Masse producer Brian Knox in an attempt to put some meat on the westernization bones. Knox's insights steered clear of specifics, instead focusing on a general definition as En Masse sees it.

"Westernization refers to our process of adapting a game to fit the Western market. In some cases, text localization and new marketing assets are all that are needed. Other times, specific game mechanics and features require tweaking for the market," he says.

So what exactly does that mean for TERA? It's anyone's guess at this point, and it could be as simple as text translations or as complex as class differences or a softened XP grind. We'll keep our eyes peeled for more details.

MassivelyTERA interview attempts to decipher "westernization" originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoBlueHolebluehole-studiobrian-knoxen-masseen-masse-entertainmentevasivefantasykorean-mmoprteratera-onlinethe-w-wordtranslationw-wordwesternizationFri, 28 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[En Masse discusses TERA westernization]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/18/en-masse-discusses-tera-westernization/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/18/en-masse-discusses-tera-westernization/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/18/en-masse-discusses-tera-westernization/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Westernization.

It's a word that gets thrown around quite a bit in regard to TERA discourse. Whether it's the latest producer letter or a fan forum discussion, there's no getting away from the "W" word when it comes to En Masse Entertainment's work on TERA. As part of the latest Race and Class series update, En Masse spends a bit of time hinting at what westernization means before indulging us with some new info regarding the Baraka and Popori races.

We've also got a look at the Archer class, including a nifty new video, so join us after the cut for all the details.

Gallery: TERA Race and Class series

Continue reading En Masse discusses TERA westernization

MassivelyEn Masse discusses TERA westernization originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yes, TERA news is coming in from overseas, lots of it in fact. That said, En Masse Entertainment's Brian Knox cautions us to take the translations and suppositions with a grain of salt.

First up is TERAfans checking in with another translation of an article by Bluehole Studio's community manager Mr. Blue. This time around, Blue details TERA's advanced skill system and discusses item stats, the newly added glyph system, racial abilities, and PvP skills. There's a ton of info to sort through, including nifty screenshots direct from the Korean client.

The only problem is that some of this stuff might not make it into the western client (or might look very different) according to Knox. In a blog post on the official TERA website, he warns against taking all of the translation news from the recent G-Star gaming convention at face value. "Our fans do a great job of translating articles very quickly but the fact is there will be differences -- in terminology, game play mechanics, and services provided by the publisher -- between the western release and NHN's release of TERA. With these translations there will certainly be some misinterpretation, and we will do our best to react and clarify to the community," he writes.

Why all the secrecy? Knox chalks it up to the challenges of releasing a global product, and the need for local distributors to get their share of timed exclusive marketing information.

MassivelyTERA Korean beta news rolls in, Knox talks translation and marketing originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabrian-knoxclosed-betaen-masseen-masse-entertainmentenhanced-skillsfantasyg-starglyphskorean-betaskillsteratera-onlinewesternizationTue, 02 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bluehole Studio's TERA westernization team interviewed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/19/bluehole-studios-tera-westernization-team-interviewed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/19/bluehole-studios-tera-westernization-team-interviewed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/19/bluehole-studios-tera-westernization-team-interviewed/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Inevitably, one of two things happens when we post a story about TERA's westernization. First, folks compare it to Aion (and the general consensus is usually that it will be similarly grindy). Second, people bring up Brian Knox, currently an En Masse producer who formerly worked as an NCsoft producer responsible for bringing Aion to western audiences. Happily, TERAfans has brought us information rather than speculation about TERA's journey overseas, in the form of a lengthy interview translation with members of Bluehole Studio's Korean localization team.

The article, translated from the Korean original, touches on the challenges inherent in bringing a game to the North American market that values story presentation a bit more than the game's native Asian audience. "The English version really takes priority for the game's story. NA players consider a game's story a portion of the game's content. With that in mind we are currently working on how we can best convey TERA's story. For example, the story cannot just be told through simple text, but with many background stories for the NPCs and zones," says Young-Kwang Kim.

The piece also makes clear that the job of westernization is much more than simply translating quest text into the appropriate language. Whether you're talking about the German, Japanese, or American markets, Bluehole's team is especially mindful of what it terms "culturalization" as opposed to localization. "It is true that we are careful about cultural differences more than anything. TERA's localization is more than a simple translation, word for word. We want to make it easier for players around the world to understand the game without hitting cultural walls," says Hee-Soo Lee.

Head over to TERAfans for the full interview.

MassivelyBluehole Studio's TERA westernization team interviewed originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlueHolebluehole-studioculturalizationen-masseen-masse-entertainmentlocalizationteratera-onlinewesternizationyoung-kwang-kimTue, 19 Oct 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TERA's David Noonan talks story, gameplay]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/teras-david-noonan-talks-story-gameplay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/teras-david-noonan-talks-story-gameplay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/16/teras-david-noonan-talks-story-gameplay/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

TERA was one of the big winners at this year's E3, and the action fantasy MMORPG continues to ride that wave with a set of newly released video interviews taped on the show floor. TheGameNet's Nadine Heimann interviews lead writer David Noonan, who drops a few interesting nuggets about TERA's gameplay and story.

For starters, Noonan clears up a question many fans have had regarding Westernization and the game's plot. Despite the fact that the majority of TERA's development is happening at Bluehole Studio in Seoul, South Korea, the game's quests will have a distinctly American flavor since Noonan spends one week out of every month traveling to the far east to collaborate directly with Bluehole's designers.

He also points out that the game's quests will feature upwards of two million words, and that players could play through the TERA's lengthy storyline twice without repeating any quest content.

Check out the full interview on YouTube, and don't forget to watch the shorter "personality" piece as well.

MassivelyTERA's David Noonan talks story, gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bluehole-studiodavid-newnane3-2010en-masseen-masse-entertainmentinterviewlorenadine-heimannstoryteratera-onlinethegamenetvideowesternizationyoutubeFri, 16 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Interviews: A look into Jade Dynasty's Ascension expansion with Andrew Brown]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/09/massively-interviews-a-look-into-jade-dynastys-ascension-expan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/09/massively-interviews-a-look-into-jade-dynastys-ascension-expan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/09/massively-interviews-a-look-into-jade-dynastys-ascension-expan/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

As we mentioned on Friday, Jade Dynasty is getting a brand new expansion and we the inside scoop for you. This Thursday is the release of the free update, but you don't have to wait that long to find out the story on the game's new Ascension system, brand new race, and new pet features.

We sat down with Jade Dynasty's American product manager, Andrew Brown, and talked with him about the update. Not only did we find out exactly what's in the expansion, but we also got a glimpse into how the game is made and how much control American audiences have over the features in a Chinese MMO.

Continue reading Massively Interviews: A look into Jade Dynasty's Ascension expansion with Andrew Brown

MassivelyMassively Interviews: A look into Jade Dynasty's Ascension expansion with Andrew Brown originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andrew-brownascensionexclusiveexpansionfeaturedinterviewjade-dynastymassively-interviewpatchperfect-world-entertainmentskybladesocial-featureswesternizationMon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Five things content writers learned while westernizing Aion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/five-things-content-writers-learned-while-westernizing-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/five-things-content-writers-learned-while-westernizing-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/five-things-content-writers-learned-while-westernizing-aion/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In a developer journal over at MMORPG.com, NCsoft Content Writer David Noonan waxes on five things he and the "Aion Westernization Army" learned while stripping Aion down to its narrative essence and building it back up again. It was no easy task taking what was basically a fully-fledged successful Korean MMO and repackaging it for a totally different audience.

It seems as though the writing team took the task seriously. In a game populated by over 2,500 quests, there's bound to be some repetitiion and uncreative storytelling going on but Aion's writers aren't simply giving in to the status quo. Your character's primary campaign quests may deliver the bulk of the narrative, but tons of other pieces are strewn about for players to discover that will be picked up by chatting with various NPCs. Based on this article, they seem to have taken a strategic approach to storytelling in the game. Story isn't shoved down your throat, but it is there if you are perceptive and take the time to actually read it. While many will surely plough ahead to reach the level cap as fast as possible, many others will stop to smell the roses. NCsoft wants to reward those flower-sniffers with a rich story experience.

MassivelyFive things content writers learned while westernizing Aion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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