Virtual World News
Blizzard renames Blizzard DotA to Blizzard All-Stars
May 11, 2012
Filed under: News items, Legal, Miscellaneous, MOBA
It sounds like a little matter until you remember that Warcraft III was the source of the map that spawned this game type, leading to both companies developing competing versions of a sequel. Blizzard All-Stars currently has no release date, while DOTA 2 is due out sometime next year and is currently in beta testing. Luckily, the terminology is only being changed on the corporate side, meaning players are free to continue discussing the games as they would have anyway.
Blizzard renames Blizzard DotA to Blizzard All-Stars originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Via: Joystiq
Brace yourself: The Guild Wars 2 stress test is coming
May 11, 2012
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, News items, Guild Wars 2
The ArenaNet team is rallying the troops for a Guild Wars 2 stress test this coming Monday. While the existence and details of the test were already known, Rubi Bayer has added a note to participants to the game's Facebook page. The goal of the stress test is to see how the servers handle concentrated activity, so she gave a few tips on how best players can help the company during the short test. No simulation or prediction can ferret out as many problems as letting thousands of players loose on a game, so Rubi encouraged players to pile on the servers, find bugs, and be patient as they, well, find bugs.
The test will run on Monday, May 14th, from 2:00 p.m. EDT to 9:00 p.m. EDT, and will be available to pre-purchasers only. One nice treat is that although the company has mentioned character wipes between beta weekend events, players will still have their darling creations from BWE1 to run around with. Get ready to flood the servers on Monday. Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war. Fly, my pretties!
The test will run on Monday, May 14th, from 2:00 p.m. EDT to 9:00 p.m. EDT, and will be available to pre-purchasers only. One nice treat is that although the company has mentioned character wipes between beta weekend events, players will still have their darling creations from BWE1 to run around with. Get ready to flood the servers on Monday. Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war. Fly, my pretties!
Brace yourself: The Guild Wars 2 stress test is coming originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Guild Wars 2 Facebook
Storyboard: Why roleplaying is worth the trouble
May 11, 2012
Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Roleplaying, Storyboard, Miscellaneous
I've covered a lot of topics in this column that circle around that topic. I've talked about why roleplaying is important and how you can roleplay without tears, but I've never touched the central question, something that was brought to mind recently by a fellow Massively writer. Why even bother with roleplaying?
The usual answer is a shrug and a self-evident "because it's fun," but that's more a dismissal of the question than a functional response. That's not a good thing because there's a case to be made against roleplaying. Your character doesn't have an impact on the game world. Your roleplaying is, in the context of the game itself, irrelevant. The game doesn't care why your character wears weaker gear than normal; it just downgrades your stats and makes your life harder. You derive no benefit and wind up losing a lot of time for social interactions that are prone to drama and arguments. So why bother?
Continue reading Storyboard: Why roleplaying is worth the trouble
Storyboard: Why roleplaying is worth the trouble originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
EVE Online: Inferno website goes live
May 11, 2012
Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Game mechanics
The brand-new website has information on EVE's 17th expansion, including details on the graphics update, the war declaration system, the mercenary marketplace, the unified inventory, and more. According to the website, "Inferno invites new players with a lower barrier to entry, empowers veterans with more control over their wars, and entices combatants of all types with advanced new weaponry."
Our own EVE Online columnist Brendan has been busy covering the expansion, with analysis on Inferno's mining system and the PvP revamp.
EVE Online: Inferno website goes live originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Inferno website
The Secret World's skill system detailed in new video
May 11, 2012
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Horror, Trailers, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, The Secret World
The ability wheel breaks everything down into one of three categories: melee, magic, or ranged. Each is subdivided a further three times into different types of weapons (blood magic, blades, rifles, etc.). Technically you can learn every ability in the game, but you can only equip 14 at a time (seven active and seven passive), and you're also limited to equipping two weapons simultaneously. Your 14 abilities, when paired with your weapons of choice, make up your build, and half the fun in The Secret World is trying out all the possible permutations.
Learn more after the break, and don't forget to check out our Secret World press beta impressions while you're at it.
Continue reading The Secret World's skill system detailed in new video
The Secret World's skill system detailed in new video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Gamespot
MapleStory celebrates its seventh anniversary with experience bonuses and cake monsters
May 11, 2012
Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, MapleStory, Events, in-game, News items, Free-to-play
Do you feel lucky, MapleStory players? You should, because Nexon is celebrating the game's lucky seventh anniversary, and the studio is passing the good fortune on to the players with a series of in-game events and double experience weekends.
For the duration of the month, players will be treated not only to double experience and drops every weekend, but they'll also be able to take part in events such as the Maple Rising Star Contest, which requires players to complete tasks to show support for their favorite NPC contestant. And of course, no anniversary would be complete without a visit from the deliciously vicious Cake Boss monster, which combines a challenging battle and a tasty treat into one mutant monstrosity. To put the icing on the proverbial cake, Nexon has released a short anniversary trailer that recaps the major MapleStory events of the past year, so put on your party hats and join the festivities after the cut.
[Source: Nexon America press release]
For the duration of the month, players will be treated not only to double experience and drops every weekend, but they'll also be able to take part in events such as the Maple Rising Star Contest, which requires players to complete tasks to show support for their favorite NPC contestant. And of course, no anniversary would be complete without a visit from the deliciously vicious Cake Boss monster, which combines a challenging battle and a tasty treat into one mutant monstrosity. To put the icing on the proverbial cake, Nexon has released a short anniversary trailer that recaps the major MapleStory events of the past year, so put on your party hats and join the festivities after the cut.
[Source: Nexon America press release]
MapleStory celebrates its seventh anniversary with experience bonuses and cake monsters originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
TERA prepares for political machinations
May 11, 2012
Filed under: Fantasy, Events, in-game, News items, TERA, Dev Diaries
If you've thought that a bit of political campaigning and intrigue was all that was missing from your complete enjoyment of TERA, have we got good news for you. It's almost time for the vanarch election wheel to start a-turnin', so start polishing your speeches!
Players elected to the vanarch position will reign for three weeks over their province. Vanarchs get to turn their whimsy into mandate by setting and collecting taxes and choosing which specialty shops to open up. They'll also be accruing fame (or infamy) for themselves and their guilds. Of course, not just anyone is worthy to rule o'er the masses: In order to be eligible, candidates must be the leader of a level three guild with at least 20 members, must have reached at least level 50 on their character, and must pay a fee of 3,000 gold and 100 Catharnach Awards.
Sound like you? Registration for vanarch candidates opens up on Friday, May 18th, at 9:00 p.m. EDT and runs 'til Friday, May 25th, at 9:00 p.m. EDT. After registration week comes a week of voting, and then three weeks of sweet, sweet power. Registration for the following reign opens up in the second week of the on-going vanarch's office, so if you're interested in getting to the top and staying there, you don't have a lot of time to rest on your laurels.
If the mantle of power isn't made for your shoulders but you still want to flex your political muscle, be sure to vote! Each game account gets one vote per continent on a given server. Are your fingers itching for a ballot? Next week TERA's game guide will be updated with some more juicy details on the political system. Knowledge, after all, is power.
Players elected to the vanarch position will reign for three weeks over their province. Vanarchs get to turn their whimsy into mandate by setting and collecting taxes and choosing which specialty shops to open up. They'll also be accruing fame (or infamy) for themselves and their guilds. Of course, not just anyone is worthy to rule o'er the masses: In order to be eligible, candidates must be the leader of a level three guild with at least 20 members, must have reached at least level 50 on their character, and must pay a fee of 3,000 gold and 100 Catharnach Awards.
Sound like you? Registration for vanarch candidates opens up on Friday, May 18th, at 9:00 p.m. EDT and runs 'til Friday, May 25th, at 9:00 p.m. EDT. After registration week comes a week of voting, and then three weeks of sweet, sweet power. Registration for the following reign opens up in the second week of the on-going vanarch's office, so if you're interested in getting to the top and staying there, you don't have a lot of time to rest on your laurels.
If the mantle of power isn't made for your shoulders but you still want to flex your political muscle, be sure to vote! Each game account gets one vote per continent on a given server. Are your fingers itching for a ballot? Next week TERA's game guide will be updated with some more juicy details on the political system. Knowledge, after all, is power.
TERA prepares for political machinations originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Innaugural Election Details
Betawatch: May 5 - 11, 2012
May 11, 2012
Filed under: Betas, MMO industry, Betawatch, Miscellaneous
City of Steam has announced an alpha test for July, while Storybricks is accepting alpha signups for its alpha demo right now. Compounding the season's MMO drama is Phantasy Star Online 2, which is aiming to open up its beta early this summer.
The Secret World, with its 1,000,000 beta signups, is is kicking off its first beta weekend starting today. Meanwhile, Glitch's epic beta housing patch is finally upon us, World of Warcraft has unveiled cross-server grouping in the Mists of Pandaria beta, and Guild Wars 2 announced a surprise stress test for pre-purchasers this coming Monday.
Finally, if you're bored this weekend, why not check out Diablo III-rival Path of Exile? Tipsters Don and James report it's holding a public stress test starting right as this post is published at 8 p.m. EDT tonight.
The full Betawatch roundup lies in wait behind the break.
Continue reading Betawatch: May 5 - 11, 2012
Betawatch: May 5 - 11, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Guild Wars 2 hosting a surprise stress test next Monday
May 10, 2012
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, real-world, Previews, News items, Guild Wars 2
Worth noting is that the stress test is only for pre-purchasers, but beyond that there are no specific test requirements -- you can continue using the characters you created during the beta weekend. Players may experience some slight performance issues, since the purpose is to try and alleviate issues before the next beta weekend rolls around. So if you've pre-purchased the game, get ready to head back to Tyria in less than a week's time.
Guild Wars 2 hosting a surprise stress test next Monday originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Facebook posting
The Daily Grind: What's your preferred camera distance?
May 10, 2012
Filed under: Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous
Some games limit you to intimate over-the-shoulder shots, while others give you such a huge range on your camera that you can pull it waaaay back and effectively grant yourself the equivalent of a top-down strategy-game view.
For today's Daily Grind, we want to know where you fall on the camera placement spectrum. Do you zoom way out, way in, or are you one of those odd first-person ducks? In a nutshell, what's your preferred camera distance?
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!The Daily Grind: What's your preferred camera distance? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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