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[RIFT's patch 1.8: Infernal Dawn goes live]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/rifts-patch-1-8-infernal-dawn-goes-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/rifts-patch-1-8-infernal-dawn-goes-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/rifts-patch-1-8-infernal-dawn-goes-live/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Screenshot -- RIFT
Maelforge and Laethys better be watching their backs because RIFT's patch 1.8: Infernal Dawn is now live, and players are now able to head into the eponymous Infernal Dawn raid to lay the smack down on the pair of dragon-gods. On top of that, the patch will be ringing in a new world event known as the War of the Wanton Maw, which will presumably involve players fighting back against Maelforge's Wanton cult and Laethys' Golden Maw.

If you're a less combative type, don't worry. Infernal Dawn is also bringing some more relaxing activities in the form of two new tradeskills. Those looking to spend a calm day on the water can bait a hook and spend an afternoon fishing, while those who want to rough it in the great outdoors can craft food and shelter with the new survival skill. For the full details on what this monumental patch is bringing to the game, just head on over to the official forums to check out the patch notes yourself. Oh, and if you're curious about what you're going up against, just click on past the cut for a look at Maelforge and Laethys in the official Infernal Dawn trailer.

Continue reading RIFT's patch 1.8: Infernal Dawn goes live

MassivelyRIFT's patch 1.8: Infernal Dawn goes live originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.8fantasyinfernal-dawnlaethysmaelforgepatchpatch-1.8patchesraidraidsriftrift-literift-planes-of-telaratriontrion-worldswar-of-the-wanton-mawworld-eventworld-eventsWed, 18 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A new invasion is hitting Star Trek Online's test server]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/10/a-new-invasion-is-hitting-star-trek-onlines-test-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/10/a-new-invasion-is-hitting-star-trek-onlines-test-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/10/a-new-invasion-is-hitting-star-trek-onlines-test-server/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

That probe is double-parked, too.
There has never been a shortage of stories about the Borg assimilating a culture, but it's rare for the race to actively invade a planet. But that's exactly what's happening on Star Trek Online's test serve: Defera undergoing a large-scale invasion by the Collective. Players in both the Federation and the KDF are tasked with fighting back against the Borg in a variety of different settings across the planet to help test out this new large-scale event.

Running for two hours once started, the event is currently being activated frequently enough so that players can consistently test all of the new elements introduced. If simply taking part in the push to prevent the Borg from getting a foothold isn't enough, the event also offers players new items as mission rewards, drops, and craftables. It should be an interesting event for players to explore in full on the test server, and it serves as another example of the game taking the war against the Borg up another notch.

MassivelyA new invasion is hitting Star Trek Online's test server originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crypticcryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdynamic-eventseventsf2pfree-to-playin-game-eventspatchespath-to-f2pst-onlinestar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestotesttrek-onlineupdatesworld-eventsThu, 10 Nov 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The joys of scripting the apocalypse: A behind-the-scenes look at Fallen Earth]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/06/the-joys-of-scripting-the-apocalypse-a-behind-the-scenes-look-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/06/the-joys-of-scripting-the-apocalypse-a-behind-the-scenes-look-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/06/the-joys-of-scripting-the-apocalypse-a-behind-the-scenes-look-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth
What's it like to have a post-apocalyptic landscape as your writing canvas? According to Marie Croall, it's pure heaven. Fallen Earth's lead designer opened up to Rock, Paper, Shotgun about the joys of writing and designing the myriad of quests for the game, as well as the free-to-play transition, plans for PvP, and the dynamic world events.

Croall is part of a slimmed-down team of 12 developers who currently develop Fallen Earth's content. Saying that the team is always trying to "push the envelope" when it comes to the stories told, she notes that each area contains the imbued spirit of each writer: "I worked on a lot of the conflict towns early on and we knew that this was a place for people to kill each other, so a lot of the missions ended up being really thinly veiled insults."

One of the aspects of Fallen Earth that Croall loves is how crazy the team can get. In one instance, the team decided to redo the starter town of Boneclaw by dropping a missile right into it. "We killed off all the players that were there, all the NPCs, and left it as a radiation zone for a good two months, while we made the new town. We flat out nuked it because it wasn't doing what we wanted it to do. Boom!"

While Fallen Earth skirts the line between sandbox and theme park, Croall says the team is devoting a great deal of resources to beefing up the former. "The more features we add, the more ways for players to drive themselves, it makes the world better, it makes it feel like what we saw it as," she said.

MassivelyThe joys of scripting the apocalypse: A behind-the-scenes look at Fallen Earth originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boneclawf2pfallen-earthfree-to-playgamers-firstinterviewloremarie-croallnukepvprock-paper-shotgunsandboxstoriesstorystorytellingworld-eventswriterwriterswritingSun, 06 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth developer blog talks territory control and world events]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/fallen-earth-developer-blog-talks-territory-control-and-world-ev/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/fallen-earth-developer-blog-talks-territory-control-and-world-ev/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/31/fallen-earth-developer-blog-talks-territory-control-and-world-ev/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Honey, the door blew shut. And locked itself.
The conversion to free-to-play has gone live, but there are more changes in store for Fallen Earth. A new developer blog entry has just been unveiled, discussing two of the bigger features in store for the game -- world events and territory control. The former will be dynamic content that appears at random, with multiple events able to feed upon one another and create some changing landscapes for players to explore.

Territory control, by contrast, will start off in a single region north of Blaine. The region will have a total of 13 different control points for factions to hold, with six of them out in the open and seven in more fortified locations. There will be notable rewards for players holding these objectives, including resource nodes, increased experience gain, and improved death toll. It should certainly lead to some interesting battles in the wasteland as players fight over the region's spoils.

MassivelyFallen Earth developer blog talks territory control and world events originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogsdev-blogsdeveloper-blogdynamic-contentdynamic-eventsfactionsfallen-earthfegamersfirstpatchespreviewspvpterritory-controlworld-eventsMon, 31 Oct 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Trion releases RIFT Endless Adventure trailer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/trion-releases-rift-endless-adventure-trailer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/trion-releases-rift-endless-adventure-trailer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/18/trion-releases-rift-endless-adventure-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

RIFT - Endless Adventure trailer
As we inch closer to some big MMO releases in the latter stage of the year (and on into 2012), Trion is looking to keep RIFT firmly established in the minds of gamers everywhere. To that end, the company has just released a new two-minute trailer called Endless Adventure. The clip highlights all of the big bullet-point features (raids, world events, PvP, etc.), and shows a smattering of gameplay footage from each.

The trailer also focuses on the flexibility afforded by RIFT's soul system, and though the huge, blocky fonts and bright text colors are somewhat distracting when paired with the game's lovely visuals, the clip does a good job of summing up RIFT for the uninitiated (or the unsubscribed). See for yourself after the break.

[Source: Trion press release]

Continue reading Trion releases RIFT Endless Adventure trailer

MassivelyTrion releases RIFT Endless Adventure trailer originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classesendless-adventurefantasygame-mechanicsgameplay-footagepvepvpraidsriftriftssoul-systemsoulstrailertriontrion-worldsvideowarfrontsworld-eventsTue, 18 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: A six-month retrospective]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-six-month-retrospective/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-six-month-retrospective/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-six-month-retrospective/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Rift invasion
About a year ago I was on a little show called The Rift Podcast with Arithion, Desi, and Trion Community Manager Cindy Bowens. It's hard to believe, but at the time, there was just a trickle of buzz surrounding RIFT and only a few details were available about the game. We're now six months into release, and it's worth taking a look back at some of the memorable moments for RIFT from beta and beyond. There have been many changes in-game, and while the ride wasn't always smooth, it's surprising how much has been added in game in such a short time.

In this week's Enter at your own Rift, we'll journey back to beta and look at some of the peaks and valleys as it reached its six-month milestone.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: A six-month retrospective

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: A six-month retrospective originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cindy-bowensenter-at-your-own-riftfeaturedhammerknellkaren-bryanplanar-attunementretrospectiveriftrift-connectrift-invasionsriver-of-soulsscott-hartsmantriontrion-worldsworld-eventsWed, 12 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth launches F2P, postpones world events]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/fallen-earth-launches-f2p-postpones-world-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/fallen-earth-launches-f2p-postpones-world-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/fallen-earth-launches-f2p-postpones-world-events/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth
Fallen Earth has barreled over the falls today into the wild rapids of free-to-play, opening up the game for anyone who wants to experience what the post-apocalypse tastes like (slightly leathery). Current subscribers will find that their accounts have been upgraded to Commander-level status, and all previous subscribers and purchasers of the game will have a brand-new Spiked Chopper waiting for them by the end of the week.

As part of the F2P launch, patch 2.0 has hit the servers, and with it came several changes and hotfixes. Loot drop rates from mobs have been increased and crafting has been tweaked as GamersFirst continues its efforts to rebalance the economy. In a new dev blog, GamersFirst discusses what's going on with the economy and why these changes are taking place. The primary reason that the devs are monkeying with this system is to get players interacting more and to introduce an element of challenge for crafters.

Unfortunately, the world events that were scheduled to go live today have been postponed until next week, following the discovery of several bugs and performance problems.

MassivelyFallen Earth launches F2P, postpones world events originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingeconomyeventsf2pf2p-launchfallen-earthfefree-to-playgamersfirstin-game-eventspatchpatch-2.0relaunchspiked-chopperupdateworld-eventsWed, 12 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RIFT's Ashes of History world event begins tomorrow]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/rifts-ashes-of-history-world-event-begins-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/rifts-ashes-of-history-world-event-begins-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/11/rifts-ashes-of-history-world-event-begins-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

RIFT title image
Since RIFT's release, the developers at Trion Worlds have staged frequent world events and mini-events to add some variety to the game. A brand-new Ashes of History world event kicks off tomorrow, putting players against the elemental forces of earth and fire. The event begins as disease-spreading Golden Maw cultists discover artifacts in the sea of Telara and begin plotting to use them for their own ends.

The world event opens up new daily quests for players to try out, and participants will be able to collect a rare Magma Opal currency from frequent rift events and invasions. The opals can be spent on rare equipment, companion pets and an exclusive Ash Strider mount.

Gallery: RIFT Ashes of History event

MassivelyRIFT's Ashes of History world event begins tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ashes-of-historyeventeventsgallerygolden-mawmagma-opalnewsriftriftstelaratriontrion-worldsworld-eventworld-eventsTue, 11 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Preparing for the apocalypse (again): GamersFirst on Fallen Earth's F2P shift]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/preparing-for-the-apocalypse-again-gamersfirst-on-fallen-eart/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/preparing-for-the-apocalypse-again-gamersfirst-on-fallen-eart/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/06/preparing-for-the-apocalypse-again-gamersfirst-on-fallen-eart/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth
Today was my last day in Fallen Earth. My subscription ran out, so I was cut off from everything: glorious crafting, expansive exploration, black humor, and gas mask fashionware. Fortunately, my adventures will resume on October 12th, when Fallen Earth officially makes its transition to a hybrid free-to-play/subscription model.

Like many current players and potential clones, we are understandably curious about the implications and (pardon the pun) fallout from such a fundamental shift in the business model. Will F2P be the savior of this niche game? What's being done to prepare for the change? To answer these questions and more, we talked to Joseph Willmon, an associate game director for GamersFirst.

Massively: How are you preparing your servers for the added influx of free-to-play tourists?

Joseph Willmon: We're still wrapping up some of the final stages of settling the Fallen Earth servers into their new homes at GamersFirst, so soon they'll be as optimized as we want them to be. We're lucky in that Fallen Earth was designed from the ground up to support lots of people playing -- we'd have to blow all estimates out of the water really quickly in order for population to be an issue, which wouldn't be such a bad problem to have!

Continue reading Preparing for the apocalypse (again): GamersFirst on Fallen Earth's F2P shift

MassivelyPreparing for the apocalypse (again): GamersFirst on Fallen Earth's F2P shift originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinapbcross-promotionf2pfallen-earthfefeaturedfree-to-playgamersfirstgmhazmatinterviewjoe-willmonjoseph-willmonlive-eventspvpsandboxscavengersubscriptiontransitionveteranveteran-rewardswardrobeworld-eventsThu, 06 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth dev diary talks economic changes, world events, and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/20/fallen-earth-dev-diary-talks-economic-changes-world-events-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/20/fallen-earth-dev-diary-talks-economic-changes-world-events-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/20/fallen-earth-dev-diary-talks-economic-changes-world-events-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth - cooking
Earlier today we told you about the Fallen Earth devs answering a few of your free-to-play questions. Now it's time to dive a bit further down the rabbit hole courtesy of this month's state of the game update.

Producer Marie Croall checks in with us to talk about the game's two-year anniversary celebration, which includes "PvP, PvE, and RP components." She also says that the event will be run at EU- and US-friendly times (though said times aren't specified as of yet).

In terms of game updates, the major portion of the September recap concerns the ongoing economic changes. Inconsistencies dealing with recipe and component rarity have been dealt with, and the dev team has "redone the placement of most of the nodes in the game" to make the rarer nodes more of an incentive to enter PvP-enabled areas. Finally, Croall says that the release of the new world event system has been bumped back to coincide with the free-to-play conversion on October 12th. Grab your favorite wasteland beverage and read all the details at the official Fallen Earth dev blog.

MassivelyFallen Earth dev diary talks economic changes, world events, and more originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingdev-blogdev-diaryeconomic-changeseconomic-tweakseconomyfallen-earthgamersfirsticarusicarus-studiosmarie-croallpatchespost-apocalypticrare-recipesrarityrecipessci-fiState-of-the-gameupdatewastelandworld-event-systemworld-eventsTue, 20 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tibia summer update features new world quests, tutorial]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/tibia-summer-update-features-new-world-quests-tutorial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/tibia-summer-update-features-new-world-quests-tutorial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/07/tibia-summer-update-features-new-world-quests-tutorial/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Quick, name a few of the world's oldest MMORPGs! Now, name a couple that are still running. Chances are most of you chimed in with Ultima Online, EverQuest, or maybe even Meridian 59. You're correct of course, but there's another title that released in 1997 that's still going today.

That title is Tibia, and the 2-D fantasy game from CipSoft GmbH has just announced a world-changing summer update. World quests are "highly complex missions which can only be accomplished if dozens or even hundreds of Tibia players cooperate," according to a new press release.

The new quests add another level to Tibia's conflict-driven dynamic that sees players and guilds war with one another for years at a time, as the battlefield will now extend further into the open world and likely result in competition for quest objectives. Tibia is also offering a new quest line for newbs. The comprehensive tutorial series leads new players through various gameplay tasks and offers a concise yet thorough introduction to one of the genre's longest-running titles.

MassivelyTibia summer update features new world quests, tutorial originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cipsoftf2pfantasyfree-to-playmissionsmmo-industrynewb-questspress-releasetibiatutorialworld-eventsworld-questsThu, 07 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: The no-quest challenge]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/08/enter-at-your-own-rift-the-no-quest-challenge/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/08/enter-at-your-own-rift-the-no-quest-challenge/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/08/enter-at-your-own-rift-the-no-quest-challenge/#commentsFiled under: , ,

OK, I know you all probably want to talk about the news that addons are coming to RIFT, but the truth is that it's not that big of an issue for me. My feelings on addons are that I'm for them if they enhance the game and encourage player creativity, but I'm against them if they reduce players to mere statistics in the eyes of others (GearScore) or are absolutely necessary to tackle the game's content.

So if you feel passionate about this topic, I give you leave to vent more about it in the comments below, but as for me and mine, we're going to look at quests today. More specifically, not doing them.

Now, I generally like quests. They give me a feeling of accomplishment (as I am fond of checking off items from my to-do lists in real life), the stories are occasionally interesting, and they give nice boosts to leveling. But I've come to realize something interesting about RIFT that might run under the radar of most: Quests are superfluous to the game. Well, at the very least, they're optional and not the mandatory tasks that most modern MMOs make them out to be.

So I had a thought. What about playing RIFT without questing at all -- taking on a "no-quest challenge" of sorts? Is it not only possible but fun too? Hit the jump and we'll examine this from all the angles.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: The no-quest challenge

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: The no-quest challenge originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dungeonsenter-at-your-own-riftfeaturedfedexinstancesinvasionskill-ten-ratslfglfg-toolno-quest-challengeplanar-essencesplanaritepvpquestquestingquestsriftrift-planes-of-telarariftsrulesettriontrion-worldswarfrontwarfrontsworld-eventsworld-of-warcraftwowzone-wide-eventsWed, 08 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost Pages of Taborea: Where's the fun with world events?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/09/lost-pages-of-taborea-wheres-the-fun-with-world-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/09/lost-pages-of-taborea-wheres-the-fun-with-world-events/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/09/lost-pages-of-taborea-wheres-the-fun-with-world-events/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Borrowing a lesson from one of Justin's Road to Mordor articles, I decided to tackle Runes of Magic's world events. I'm talking about those repeatable events sprinkled around the world, events we'll be getting a lot more of when Chapter 4 hits, events anyone can jump into for fun and profit. It's the fun-vs.-profit scenario I want to look at.

Recently, the memento rewards on world events were nerfed. This comes after a lot of drama over players who were going AFK in droves to collect large numbers of the shiny coins to buy purple statted gear from the Black Codex vendors. My only concern with the events is that players can go AFK. Large groups of players, whose soul intention is to go AFK, block people who actually want to play and (dare I say) enjoy the events. However, there are still discussions surrounding the loot aspect of events.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: Where's the fun with world events?

MassivelyLost Pages of Taborea: Where's the fun with world events? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 May 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-codexcontenteventsfeaturedfrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactivejeremy-strattonlost-pages-of-taboreamementomementospearl-collectorromrunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmentworld-eventsMon, 09 May 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth state of the game talks combat tweaks, progress towns, and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/fallen-earth-state-of-the-game-talks-combat-tweaks-progress-tow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/fallen-earth-state-of-the-game-talks-combat-tweaks-progress-tow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/02/fallen-earth-state-of-the-game-talks-combat-tweaks-progress-tow/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's the beginning of another month in the wasteland, and that means that in addition to scavenging for scrap metal and dodging ginormous prairie chickens, denizens of Fallen Earth are heading to the game's official website to check out the latest state of the game address.

Much of producer Marie "Aro Sei" Croall's letter concerns progress towns, Alpha County, and combat tweaks. While we've previewed progress towns before, there is an interesting nugget in this month's letter that details a new form of related currency. Croall calls it "a PvE form of death toll" and explains that it is intended to reward players for capturing and building one of the three progress towns.

She also takes the time explain the changes to minimum skill levels, which is an important consideration when it comes to players spending their hard-earned stat points. Finally, there's a bit of discussion about post-Alpha County development plans including an objective system and potential world events. Check out all the details at the Fallen Earth website.

MassivelyFallen Earth state of the game talks combat tweaks, progress towns, and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 May 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alpha-countyaro-seifallen-earthgame-mechanicsicarusicarus-studiosmarie-croallminimum-skillsobjective-systempost-apocalypticproducers-letterprogress-townssci-fistat-pointsstate-of-the-gameworld-eventsMon, 02 May 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Is it better for devs to try and fail than never to have tried at all?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/23/the-daily-grind-is-it-better-for-devs-to-try-and-fail-than-neve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/23/the-daily-grind-is-it-better-for-devs-to-try-and-fail-than-neve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/23/the-daily-grind-is-it-better-for-devs-to-try-and-fail-than-neve/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Recently, two of the MMOs that I'm playing -- RIFT and Lord of the Rings Online -- both experienced rather lackluster events. In RIFT, the much-anticipated final phases of its first world event fizzled out so quickly that several players never saw it at all, and LotRO players have their ire up over the grind and mechanics associated with the fourth anniversary event.

In reading the forum comments and comments here on Massively, I started to wonder: Is it better for devs to try and fail than to have never tried at all? Obviously, it's best to try and succeed, but that's not always the case (or the question for today).

Are we as a community too harsh and unforgiving toward developers when we feel that a promised feature or event hasn't lived up to its potential? Are the flaws and failed attempts worth the experimentation? Would you rather have developers trying new things -- even if they don't always work out great -- than to just not do them at all?

Let us know what you think; there's a lot of meat to chew on this bone!

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: Is it better for devs to try and fail than never to have tried at all? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developersdevseventsfailin-game-eventslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroopinionriftsucceedtdgthe-daily-grindworld-eventsSat, 23 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Cry me a river]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/20/enter-at-your-own-rift-cry-me-a-river/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/20/enter-at-your-own-rift-cry-me-a-river/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/20/enter-at-your-own-rift-cry-me-a-river/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Yep. That was the sum of my experience with Phase 2 and 3 of RIFT's world event this past weekend. I was unable to log in early to stake my place for the fireworks (I was over in Lexington watching the Red Coats and the Minute Men putting on their own fireworks show). As I learned later from guildmates, it wouldn't have helped even if I were on early, since Trion Worlds took down the servers just before the event, causing a mess of sharpened elbows and broken keyboards as people frantically tried to log back in.

It was a white hot mess, and no one will argue that fact. But there are a few interesting observations that can be made from this rather bleak moment. Read on for a look at what Alsbeth's finale can tell us.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Cry me a river

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Cry me a river originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alsbethelrarenter-at-your-own-rifteqeq-iieq2eventeverquestEverQuest-2everquest-iifeaturedriftrift-planes-of-telarariver-of-soulsscott-hartsmantriontrion-worldsvanguardVanguard-Saga-of-Heroesworld-eventworld-eventsworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 20 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RIFT's endgame detailed in 18-minute video]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/19/rifts-endgame-detailed-in-18-minute-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/19/rifts-endgame-detailed-in-18-minute-video/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/19/rifts-endgame-detailed-in-18-minute-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Much has been written about RIFT in regard to the title's first 20 levels, its soul system, and the titular rifting mechanics. Endgame has remained something of a mystery up to this point, but a new article (and an accompanying 18-minute video) at G4TV has conspired to shed a little light on the proceedings.

RIFT's endgame features both 10- and 20-man raid types. Trion calls the 10-man exterior raids "on-demand rifting," and in a nutshell, the encounters function similarly to the game's public quest system. The main raid group initially opens the rift and deals with the resulting enemies. Random players can also join, and the more who do, the harder the content becomes. What about loot? Only members of the rift-opening group are eligible; late-comers will receive tokens and cash. The 20-man raid experienced by G4 was an interior instance named Greenscale's Blight, which featured a more traditional setup in that there was a lockout timer and no provisions for public participation.

RIFT will feature five unique raid types at launch, with more unlockable instances scheduled for post-release. These raids will open up via world events, and they're not progression-based, "meaning you don't have to do the 10-man exterior rift raids in order to try out the 20-man ones."

Hit the jump for the full video.

[Thanks to Puremallace for the tip!]

Continue reading RIFT's endgame detailed in 18-minute video

MassivelyRIFT's endgame detailed in 18-minute video originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10-man20-manendgamefantasygreenscales-blightlockout-timersplanes-of-telarapublic-raidsraidingraidsrifttrailertriontrion-worldsvideoworld-eventsSat, 19 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Rikti return to City of Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/the-rikti-return-to-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/the-rikti-return-to-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/the-rikti-return-to-city-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If you've played City of Heroes, you know who the Rikti are -- the dangerous race from beyond our dimension who invaded and nearly destroyed Paragon City. Over time they've slowly become less of a threat, but they've never truly left, and amidst all the talk of Praetorian invasion they've decided to remind heroes and villains alike who they're dealing with. That's right, it's time to get ready for another brawl for the fate of humanity as the full-scale Rikti Invasion returns to the live servers.

Paragon Studios has announced that the invasion will commence at 9:00 a.m. PDT on November 4th and last until midnight PDT on November 7th, giving players ample time to take part in the battle against the invaders. While lesser invasions have happened from time to time, the full-scale invasion has been on hiatus for a while, but it remains one of the more popular server events. And if you're a new player to City of Heroes, it's your chance to see one of the biggest enemy groups in the game face-to-face. Fair warning, however -- despite what the header might suggest, most of the Rikti do not simply wish to dance at the tailor.

MassivelyThe Rikti return to City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backstorycity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxenemy-groupsin-game-eventslive-eventslorencsoftparagonparagon-studiosriktirikti-invasionserver-eventsupcoming-eventsworld-eventsMon, 25 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online brings back live events with Tyrannis]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/eve-online-brings-back-live-events-with-tyrannis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/eve-online-brings-back-live-events-with-tyrannis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/eve-online-brings-back-live-events-with-tyrannis/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Read that title for a second. No, you're not dreaming and you haven't stepped into a time machine and emerged on April 1st. EVE Online is finally bringing back live in-game events that players can participate in. Any player old enough to have participated in EVE's live events should be as giddy in their seats as I am right about now. In years gone by, CCP ran short sequences of events that pushed an important storyline arc in the game's fiction. Developers would take on the roles of key figures in the story, acting their part according to a guideline script.

The idea that if you were in the right place at the right time you could become embroiled in a terrorist plot or find yourself in the midst of an epic battle between NPC factions was as intoxicating back in 2005 as it is today. This is sure to be a huge boost not just for EVE's role-playing community but for the everyday player that wants to get involved in the great stories of New Eden.

Skip past the cut for more details.

Continue reading EVE Online brings back live events with Tyrannis

MassivelyEVE Online brings back live events with Tyrannis originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 May 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aurorabreakingccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineeventeventslive-eventlive-eventstyrannisworld-eventworld-eventsTue, 11 May 2010 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Celebrating real holidays virtually]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/03/the-daily-grind-celebrating-real-holidays-virtually/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/03/the-daily-grind-celebrating-real-holidays-virtually/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/03/the-daily-grind-celebrating-real-holidays-virtually/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


My American sources tell me this is a long weekend for you folks across the pond. Something about independence from Blighty a few hundred years ago. Essentially an excuse to let off fireworks, have BBQs, enjoy the fine weather and skive off work. Good on you. It seems like lots of MMOs are using it as an excuse to take the real celebrations in-game. For example, World of Warcraft has the Midsummer Fire Festival which concludes tomorrow with a bunch of snoozing goblin guards and a whopping fireworks display. Likewise, Lord of the Rings Online has one festival with four different names.

Given the fact the games are created by humans, it's no surprise the in-game festivals of all our favourite MMOs share a little in common with actual celebrations in real life. However they can also be handy for people too far away to meet up this 4th of July, most often troops on active duty or family members and friends separated by thousands of miles or even continents. So are any of you out there planning to eschew real celebrations in favour of meeting up with your guildies in-game? Are you going to travel around to see the fireworks or, if you play, WoW raid an enemy city. Do you prefer celebrating such events in-game? Do you mark them on your calendar and anticipate them as much as their real world counterparts? Do you wish the developers would expand world festivals to take account of more important holidays?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Celebrating real holidays virtually originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fireworksfourth-of-julyin-game-eventin-game-eventslord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinemidsummer-fire-festi...midsummer-fire-festivalsummerfestworld-eventsworld-of-warcraftFri, 03 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Gaming Iconoclast: A side of PlanetSide]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/18/the-gaming-iconoclast-a-side-of-planetside/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/18/the-gaming-iconoclast-a-side-of-planetside/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/18/the-gaming-iconoclast-a-side-of-planetside/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

"Come on, you apes! Do you want to live forever?"
- Unknown WWI platoon Sergeant, as quoted in the epigraph of Starship Troopers, Robert Heinlein

This sort of chaos, of being flung into the maw of an overwhelming and relentless foe, very succinctly sums up the jovial insanity of Massively's foray into PlanetSide's world-event realm as so-called Black Ops. Replete with frenetic action, us-versus-the-world attitude, and the ever-so-helpful seismic and meteoric stylings of a GM eavesdropping on our Skype chat, TGI hopes that our incursion into PlanetSide's universe provided an entertaining distraction to the folks for whom it's been a long-time daily driver.

Our efforts could politely have been called "lambs to the slaughter." They could less-politely be visualized as a well-worn combat boot meeting a sensitive part of TGI's anatomy, perhaps the one he sits upon, repeatedly and with great vigor.

It was glorious.

Continue reading The Gaming Iconoclast: A side of PlanetSide

MassivelyThe Gaming Iconoclast: A side of PlanetSide originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2kgamesbioshockblizzard-entertainmentbungiebungie-studiosepic-gamesfeaturedhaloid-softwarejoystiqfeaturesplanetsidepvepvpquake-3soesonythe-gaming-iconoclastunreal-tournamentworld-eventsworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 18 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively interviews Kate Paiz of Dungeons and Dragons Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/massively-interviews-kate-paiz-of-dungeons-and-dragons-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/massively-interviews-kate-paiz-of-dungeons-and-dragons-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/massively-interviews-kate-paiz-of-dungeons-and-dragons-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


Dungeons and Dragons Online continues to plough on as a successful (to its players, at least) little MMO based on the official, original pen-and-paper board game. Just off the release of Module 6 and the recent second anniversary of the game, Massively got to interview their senior producer Kate Paiz. She talked to us about the upcoming Module 7 (including a little tip that lower level players will enjoy), the main goals of her dev team as Wizards of the Coast heads toward the release of the pen-and-paper game's fourth edition, and, oh yeah, that Penny Arcade comic that Ms. Paiz featured prominently in.

The interview starts right after the break, so grab your masterwork Vorpal blade, your +4 Shield of Blocking, and wade on in by clicking below.

Continue reading Massively interviews Kate Paiz of Dungeons and Dragons Online

MassivelyMassively interviews Kate Paiz of Dungeons and Dragons Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ddoddo-module-6ddo-module-7ddo-module-8ddo-second-anniversarydungeons-and-dragons-onlinefeaturedinterviewinvasionjoystiqfeatureskate-paizmarketplace-tentmassivelymodule-6module-7penny-arcadeshavarathworld-eventsMon, 31 Mar 2008 07:30:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Were you there when...]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/18/one-shots-were-you-there-when/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/18/one-shots-were-you-there-when/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/18/one-shots-were-you-there-when/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Ahh, bragging rights. In-game events give us the ability to say "I was there when..." We've almost all seen one larger world event at some point in our gaming lives. The above World of Warcraft picture, as my personal example, was from the night that Ahn'Quiraj opened on my server. While there were most definitely huge server crashes, we braved the worst of it and saw our way through to wind up staring at an enormous collection of Anubisath, poised and ready to stomp our faces in. (For the record, they did exactly that a few moments later -- but what can you expect from a Mage, a Priest and a Druid attacking them for fun?)

As we're looking for more One Shots submissions, I hereby challenge you, good readers -- send in your bragging rights screen shots and stories! Were you there when Morpheus walked among us in The Matrix Online? Do you have screens of when Luclin came in EverQuest? Were you around for the opening of the Dark Portal in WoW? Send them along to us at oneshots@massively.com, and you could find your screen-shot and story featured here for all to see!

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: Were you there when... originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Nov 2007 14:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anubisathbragging-rightseqeverquestfeaturedluclinmxoserver-firststhe-matrix-onlineworld-eventsworld-of-warcraftwowSun, 18 Nov 2007 14:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Do world events matter?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/07/do-world-events-matter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/07/do-world-events-matter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/07/do-world-events-matter/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Is Chris Metzen chasing the impossible dream?

In a recent interview, Blizzard's Vice President of Creative Development apologized for the game play choices made by the developers in the first expansion to the highly popular World of Warcraft. He stated the game play in The Burning Crusade "had a lot of high-concept ideas, high-concept environments, but other than some really nice moments, there was nothing really personal about it." Its no secret that the Burning Crusade was a let down for a lot of WoW players, who hoped for the epic highs and lows of the pre-expansion world.

Are developers trying to rewrite the formula when they release expansions, or should they stick to the tried and true? Can they continue to tell the stories of their worlds, holding players rapt in their narratives, and coming up with interesting and unique encounters, or should it always be more of the same?

Continue reading Do world events matter?

MassivelyDo world events matter? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ahn'qirajblizzardChris-Metzenexpansionsfeaturedfuture-expansionsgame-designmmo-industryworld-eventsworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingWed, 07 Nov 2007 15:30:00 EST