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[Undead Labs brings Class3 to (un)life with CryENGINE 3]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/undead-labs-brings-class3-to-un-life-with-cryengine-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/undead-labs-brings-class3-to-un-life-with-cryengine-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/19/undead-labs-brings-class3-to-un-life-with-cryengine-3/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Following last week's dev diary featuring Undead Labs' art director Doug Williams and his talk on the "heart of horror," the most recent dev diary from the studio shifts in a more technical direction. In particular, executive producer Jeff Strain focuses on the game's engine. Even more particularly, he announces that the tentatively named Class3 will be running on the powerful CryENGINE 3.

Of course, the devs over at Undead Labs are quite familiar with the traditions of the internet and anticipate shouts of "pics or it didn't happen" with a lovely screenshot from an early version of the game. But wait, there's more! Call now and you'll receive not just a single screenshot, but an entire video! Just click past the break and check out an early version of Undead Labs' Class3 in action, then skip on over to the dev blog to read the full entry.

Continue reading Undead Labs brings Class3 to (un)life with CryENGINE 3

MassivelyUndead Labs brings Class3 to (un)life with CryENGINE 3 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>class3consolecryenginecryengine-3cryengine3engineenginesjeff-strainundead-labsvideovideosxbox-360xbox-live-arcadezombiezombiesFri, 19 Aug 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Undead Labs art director talks about the heart of horror]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/undead-labs-art-director-talks-about-the-heart-of-horror/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/undead-labs-art-director-talks-about-the-heart-of-horror/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/undead-labs-art-director-talks-about-the-heart-of-horror/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Undead Labs - Class3 zombie concept art
So what is art direction and why is it important to video games in general and MMORPGs in particular? That's a good question, and sadly one that can't be answered in a brief news post. What we can do, though, is point you to some worthwhile reading on the subject. Today's lesson comes courtesy of Undead Labs and Doug Williams.

Williams serves as the art director on the firm's upcoming zombie apocalype Xbox Live Arcade MMO (currently codenamed Class3), and while you might expect him to spend time talking about gory effects or the best way to render blood and brains in a dark environment, Williams actually spends a good portion of the latest Undead Labs blog post talking about something called "Faded Americana."

"Faded Americana really resonates with me because there are many analogies between the style and a zombie apocalypse. In both cases, you see society hanging onto the ghosts of its past," Williams explains. The concept goes a long way towards explaining Undead Labs' decision to set the game primarily in a small town environment, and Williams has quite a few interesting anecdotes relating to influential games as well as the challenges inherent in separating the new game from the stack of zombie-themed entertainment products that have swarmed over the popular consciousness in recent years.

MassivelyUndead Labs art director talks about the heart of horror originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>art-directionclass3consoleconsolesdev-blogdev-diaryfaded-americanahorrorhorror-mmosmall-town-americaundead-labsxboxxbox-livexbox-live-arcadezombie-apocalypsezombiesMon, 15 Aug 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[It's Friday I'm in lab: Undead Labs opens its doors to you]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/16/its-friday-im-in-lab-undead-labs-open-their-doors-to-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/16/its-friday-im-in-lab-undead-labs-open-their-doors-to-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/16/its-friday-im-in-lab-undead-labs-open-their-doors-to-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

"Monday the world can fall apart / Tuesday, Wednesday they eat my heart / Oh, Thursday my chainsaw doesn't start / It's Friday I'm in lab."

We're reminded of the immortal words of The Cure as we watch this neat behind-the-scenes glimpse into the inner workings of Undead Labs. Ever wonder what it might be like to actually go to work and spend your whole day creating a post-apocalyptic zombie world? And get paid for it? Watch these devs and feel the bitter sting of envy at the back of your neck.

While the video doesn't go into depth about Undead Labs' as-yet unnamed MMO or the XBLA game the studio is developing, it does offer tantalizing sights such as sheets of concept art, in-game building models, and even a brief bit of man-vs-zombie mayhem. And there are few things more surreal than witnessing a room full of businessmen and women seriously discussing zombie behaviors.

You can watch the full video after the jump!

Continue reading It's Friday I'm in lab: Undead Labs opens its doors to you

MassivelyIt's Friday I'm in lab: Undead Labs opens its doors to you originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 16 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behind-the-scenesfriday-im-in-lovejeff-strainthe-cureundeadundead-labsvideoxblaxbox-live-arcadezombiezombie-apocalypsezombie-behaviorzombie-mmoSat, 16 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nexon's Dungeon Fighter Online coming to Xbox Live Arcade]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/nexons-dungeon-fighter-online-coming-to-xbox-live-arcade/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/nexons-dungeon-fighter-online-coming-to-xbox-live-arcade/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/24/nexons-dungeon-fighter-online-coming-to-xbox-live-arcade/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The MMO console line-up just got a bit bigger thanks to the folks at Nexon and Softmax. The latter is porting the former's Dungeon Fighter Online beat-'em-up to the Xbox Live Arcade delivery platform, where the title will boast a freemium business model (meaning you download the client for free and pay for items and upgrades).

Nexon and Microsoft are splitting localization duties as the game will be released in eight languages worldwide. The console title -- Nexon's first -- will be exclusive to the 360. DFO features six character classes (with subclasses available at level 18) and further advancement possible at level 48 via an awakening quest.

[Thanks to Prime Synergy for the tip!]

MassivelyNexon's Dungeon Fighter Online coming to Xbox Live Arcade originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consoleconsole-mmoconsolesdfodungeon-fighterdungeon-fighter-onlinef2pfantasyfree-to-playmicrosoftnexonxblxblaxbox-360xbox-livexbox-live-arcadeThu, 24 Mar 2011 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The MMO Report: Not so baggy edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/04/the-mmo-report-not-so-baggy-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/04/the-mmo-report-not-so-baggy-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/04/the-mmo-report-not-so-baggy-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's a short week this week on The MMO Report as Casey has some traveling to do and G4TV's writing cast of usual suspects is off doing something... perhaps hunting for Keyser Soze. Nonetheless, even with a shorter video than normal, this week's episode is jam-packed full of the interesting news, speculation, and snarkiness we've come to expect from The MMO Report.

First up, Casey takes a look at 5th Cell's upcoming Xbox Live Arcade game, Hybrid, and wonders if this console game actually might qualify as an MMO. Since nobody outside of the studio has gotten his mitts on Hybrid as yet, we'll have to wait and see. (If it is what he thinks it is, we totally agree with his ending comment.) From there, it's all eyes on Star Wars: The Old Republic as Casey talks about BioWare's flashpoint instance plans and how that will work with the different story choices available. Next up, it's a nod to our story about the recently announced zombie MMO by JetStream Studios, UnDead Online. Finally, it's the news that brings all the Guild Wars 2 fans to the yard: Guardians!

So, for all the news, all the snark, and 100% less Uncle Casey's mailbag than regular shows, pop behind the break and check out this week's edition of the MMO Report. You can also catch it every Thursday on G4TV.

Continue reading The MMO Report: Not so baggy edition

MassivelyThe MMO Report: Not so baggy edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>5th-cellcasey-schreinerconsoleconsolesfifth-cellg4g4tvhybridthe-mmo-reportxbox-360xbox-live-arcadeFri, 04 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Undead Labs reveals first release title, and it's not the zombie MMO [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/undead-labs-reveals-first-release-title-and-its-not-the-zombie/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/undead-labs-reveals-first-release-title-and-its-not-the-zombie/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/03/undead-labs-reveals-first-release-title-and-its-not-the-zombie/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Back in November 2009, ArenaNet co-founder Jeff Strain left the company to create a new development studio named Undead Labs. His plans included the development of a zombie-survival console MMO, an idea that has had fans of zombie apocalypse games excited ever since. In August 2010, Undead Labs graced the news once again when four more of ArenaNet's developers left to join the new studio and work on the upcoming zombie MMO. It wasn't long until we began to see the first details released of the impending zombie apocalypse, with a huge section in EGM Magazine. Most notable was the revelation that the game would be a console-only open-world sandbox.

Undead Labs unveiled its first officially planned release title today, and fans of the upcoming zombie MMO won't be disappointed. While the company's first release won't be the zombie MMO we all want so badly, the studio plans to first release a smaller-scale online zombie survival game on XBox Live Arcade. This game, code-named "Class 3" for now, will showcase the gameplay, setting and technology that will be used to develop the as-yet untitled zombie MMO. The team at Undead Labs plans to then use the game as a kind of training ground to help develop better gameplay experiences for the MMO that will follow. Although that means we'll have to wait a while to get our hands on that zombie-survival sandbox world we've all been dreaming of, the result should be a game that appeals more to players.

Jeff Strain, founder of Undead Labs, released the following statement: "Our mission is to create original online games that truly feel at home on the console platform, and Xbox 360 is a fantastic platform for online console gaming. We plan to create an ambitious open world XBLA game and use its gameplay, setting, and technology as the foundation for a full online world game."

[Update: Jeff Strain's also released a tongue-in-cheek "Rude Q&A" on Undead Labs' blog. It discusses the team's plans and goals for the new game as well as aims to stave off any misconceptions about both upcoming titles.]

MassivelyUndead Labs reveals first release title, and it's not the zombie MMO [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consoleconsole-mmohorrorjeff-strainopen-worldsandboxundeadundead-labsxblaxboxXbox-360Xbox-Live-Arcadezombiezombie-mmoThu, 03 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft partners with Ankama Games to bring Wakfu to Xbox Live Arcade]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/18/microsoft-partners-with-ankama-games-to-bring-wakfu-to-xbox-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/18/microsoft-partners-with-ankama-games-to-bring-wakfu-to-xbox-live/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/18/microsoft-partners-with-ankama-games-to-bring-wakfu-to-xbox-live/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


If you have heard of Dofus or Wakfu, then you've heard of Ankama Games, the people Microsoft has just turned to for a new Xbox MMO-esque game. In their partnership announced today, Ankama will be bringing a new title, Islands of Wakfu, to Xbox Live Arcade late next year. Islands of Wakfu will keep the current cartoon style of Dofus and Wakfu, but utilize a more adventure/beat-'em-up style instead of the top down tactical style. Also, it's going to be more of a team play game, where two players work cooperatively together, rather than a full on MMO. The game promises to be set in the same universe as Ankama's other games and reveal new information about the world itself.

So it's not a full on MMO, but the offer certainly does open the doors of hope. Having a known MMO developer working on Xbox Live Arcade titles with their unique IP may herald other game developers to do the same. Who knows, we might end up with a Wakfu MMO on the arcade anyway!

[via TenTonHammer]

MassivelyMicrosoft partners with Ankama Games to bring Wakfu to Xbox Live Arcade originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ankamaankama-gamesarcadebreakingdofusf2pfree-to-playislands-of-wakfumicrosoftnew-titleswakfuxbox-360xbox-livexbox-live-arcadexbox-mmoxbox360Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Marketing in virtual worlds: which company gets around the most?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/marketing-in-virtual-worlds-which-company-gets-around-the-most/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/marketing-in-virtual-worlds-which-company-gets-around-the-most/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/24/marketing-in-virtual-worlds-which-company-gets-around-the-most/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

These days we're becoming used to seeing advertising pop up in all aspects of daily life. A lot of the free games out there are only free because of the deals that have been made with various marketing companies. To get a good overview of the advertising in virtual worlds, Kzero created a table that shows companies and the games they are represented in, with an accompanying write-up.

The study shows that Toyota is the most "adventurous" marketer, shopping themselves out in five different MMOs. I recall that they also had a game available on Xbox Live Arcade until the end of 2007 called Yaris, which was free to download, and thankfully free to delete, as it was nothing more than a giant ad for the launch of the car by the same name. It looks like Toyota is definitely switched on to marketing to the gaming audience. On the games side of things, Second Life and Gaia have the dubious honor of being the home to the most advertising. Clicking on the table above will take you through to the bigger version at Kzero.

[Via Virtual Worlds News]

MassivelyMarketing in virtual worlds: which company gets around the most? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisinggaiain-game-adskzerolinden-labmarketingsltoyotaxblaxbox-live-arcadeyarisThu, 24 Jan 2008 21:00:00 EST