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Dragon's Prophet boasts new EU website, gameplay video
February 21, 2013

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Manage your dragon colleci
You'd naturally expect an MMO called Dragon's Prophet to concern itself with dragons, and Runewaker's upcoming free-to-play title will indeed allow you to discover, capture, and tame over 300 of the mythical beasts.

The game boasts a new European community website, which itself boasts a sparkly new gameplay video that shows the dragons in action. "The dragons not only differ in appearance but also offer different types of movement: Some can be used to fly, some are experts at gliding, others don't have wings at all and some are even capable of diving underwater," according to Infernum, the title's European publisher. "Each dragon possesses an individual skillset containing passive, active and supporting abilities. For example, a flying dragon could be capable of healing, providing buffs, and engaging in melee combat.

Players manage their dragon collections via a personal lair, from which it will be possible to teach new skills to your scaly companions or send them out to collect resources. You can learn more about the game by viewing the video after the cut.

[Source: Infernum press release]

Continue reading Dragon's Prophet boasts new EU website, gameplay video

MassivelyDragon's Prophet boasts new EU website, gameplay video originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Massively's comprehensive preview of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
    February 21, 2013

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    There's always a new adventure over the horizon.
    Final Fantasy XIV is doing something that has never been done before. After launching to poor reception, the MMO appointed a new producer and director, Naoki Yoshida, who has been working tirelessly for two years to rebuild the game from the ground up. The launch version shut its servers down in November of last year, and since then players have been eagerly awaiting the release of the game's revitalized relaunch, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.

    In preparation for this relaunch, Yoshida spent the last week and a half touring the globe and meeting with the press to show off FFXIV in all its glory. After playing the game since launch and writing about it for three years, I was glad to attend the event and see the full spectrum of what the game has to offer in its relaunch. And there's a lot to be said about the game as a whole. It's the sort of thing that can't be contained in just one article or two.

    So how about half a dozen? And a trio of videos to accompany the new benchmark program?

    Continue reading Massively's comprehensive preview of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

    MassivelyMassively's comprehensive preview of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Stahl: Star Trek Online is Perfect World's 'best-performing game'
      February 21, 2013

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      Stahl - Star Trek Online is Perfect World's 'best-performing game'
      How successful is Star Trek Online? It's Perfect World's top performer according to producer Dan Stahl. It's hard to know exactly what top performer actually means since, like most MMO studios, PW keeps its user data under heavy guard, but a recent forum post by Stahl shed a bit of light on the situation.

      "STO is the best-performing game for Perfect World Entertainment and is enjoying month-after-month increases in new captains," he wrote. How much money those captains are spending is unclear, but given that Perfect World's game roster includes Champions Online, RaiderZ, Torchlight II and its predecessor, and various other long-running MMORPGs, STO's growth is nothing to sneeze at.

      [Thanks to The Grand Nagus for the tip!]

      MassivelyStahl: Star Trek Online is Perfect World's 'best-performing game' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Massively Exclusive: A closer look at WildStar's Cassians
      February 21, 2013

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      In love with their own reflections? Probably.
      WildStar doesn't shy away from giving its races plenty of personality. The introduction to the Dominion as a whole is given by character Malvolio Portius, and just a few moments of dialogue makes it very clear what sort of person he is. The latest entry on the original site features a mock-interview with the character that at once sheds more light on the character and provides more handy reference points about how Cassian humans think of themselves.

      Of course, there's more going on behind the scenes, and Malvolio's perspective on things is rather one-sided. (Not to mention smarmy.) To get a little more detail on the Cassian humans from a more neutral perspective, we had a chance to ask lead narrative designer Chad Moore a few questions about the Cassians and the Dominion as a whole. You'll have to wait a little while to learn more about the Draken and the Mechari, but the Cassians alone certainly feature elements that Malvolio won't discuss.

      Continue reading Massively Exclusive: A closer look at WildStar's Cassians

      MassivelyMassively Exclusive: A closer look at WildStar's Cassians originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Pathfinder dev blog rolls up its sleeves and digs into crafting
        February 21, 2013

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        Pathfinder dev blog rolls up sleeves and digs into crafting
        If you've been looking forward to an involved crafting system, Pathfinder Online is happy to oblige. In the most recent dev blog, the game's proposed system is laid out in great detail, from gathering the resources to the final product.

        In a nutshell, gear (the majority of which will be player-crafted) will be the final result of many steps involving different skill sets, with the creator's skill rating at each step contributing to the final quality rating. Each step -- harvesting or salvaging, refining, crafting, and enchanting -- can only achieve a quality rating equal to the level of either the starting materials or the creator's skill, whichever is lower.

        The blog also gives players an update on how Kickstarter rewards will be disseminated. For full details on both this and the entire crafting process, check out the the full blog.

        MassivelyPathfinder dev blog rolls up its sleeves and digs into crafting originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Fallen Earth introduces new coresuit armor, free respecs
        February 21, 2013

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        Fallen Earth introduces new coresuit armor, free respecs
        Reloaded Productions has thrown a bone to Fallen Earth players who have been getting rolled by PvPers with powerful G.O.R.E. weapons. There's some new player-crafted armor in town called a Stage 3 Coresuit which uses procs to increase survivability in both PvP and PvE.

        Fallen Earth's latest patch also features revamped Gamma radiation-powered mutation skill lines as well as two free character respecs for everyone.

        [Source: Reloaded Productions press release]

        MassivelyFallen Earth introduces new coresuit armor, free respecs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Think Tank: The curse of IP-driven MMOs
          February 21, 2013

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          With thanks to Sera Brennan for the ancient image <3
          Whenever a new MMO with a popular IP is announced, there's a palpable sense of dread in the Massively virtual offices. Multiply that dread by a thousand if the IP is being overused in other media or the game is being produced by a studio with a reputation for churning out junk. Whether we're talking Star Wars, Dungeons and Dragons, Game of Thrones, or even gaming-centric IPs like The Elder Scrolls or Final Fantasy, that wariness is understandable. We've all been burned before.

          But even still, not all of the members of the Massively staff allow an IP to unduly influence their opinions about the MMOs themselves. In today's Think Tank, let's discuss just how cautious we are about MMOs saddled or boosted by popular IP-driven settings. Are they a boon or a curse?

          Continue reading The Think Tank: The curse of IP-driven MMOs

          MassivelyThe Think Tank: The curse of IP-driven MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            SWTOR's Legacy Achievement system detailed
            February 21, 2013

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            SWTOR's Legacy Achievement system detailed
            Curious about Star Wars: The Old Republic's upcoming Legacy Achievement system? If so, we recommend looking at Darth Hater's extensive breakdown of the feature slated to appear in the game's Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion.

            Achievements are divided into seven categories (companions, flashpoint, legacy, location, operations, PvP, and space). As you might guess from the name, the system is also tied to SWTOR's Legacy mechanic which means that it ultimately encompasses all of the characters on a particular account.

            MassivelySWTOR's Legacy Achievement system detailed originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Guild Wars 2 puts the 'guild' back in play with new group missions
            February 21, 2013

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            Guild Wars 2 puts the 'guild' back in play with new group missions
            Next week's update to Guild Wars 2 will do its darndest to get players to group up via new guild missions. These missions, which can be done with guildies or friends, are a new type of PvE experience for the game that offer special challenges that take place in the persistent world.

            There are several types of unlockable guild missions, including bounty hunting, exploration, coordinated challenges, races, and puzzles. Players can earn new features for their guild and garner personal rewards by participating.

            ArenaNet released a video to show off the new guild mission system, and it's unlocked by clicking on the green button below. Ready? Set? Go!

            Continue reading Guild Wars 2 puts the 'guild' back in play with new group missions

            MassivelyGuild Wars 2 puts the 'guild' back in play with new group missions originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The Guild Counsel: Making guilds fun
            February 21, 2013

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            The Guild Counsel Making guilds fun
            Last week, we looked at common traps that guild leaders should avoid, and the one word that came up the most in comments was "fun." Let's face it, when people think of guild leadership, the last thing they think of is fun. And the replies echoed that sentiment.

            Guild leadership is often described as a job, although I don't agree with that sentiment. And being in a guild is also seen as work, which I understand, but I don't think that has to be the case. Guilds sometimes take themselves too seriously, and while focus is important for progress, it doesn't mean guilds have to stamp out fun.

            In this week's Guild Counsel, I'd like to look at how guilds can in fact be fun, and why even the most hesitant gamer should consider giving them a try.

            Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Making guilds fun

            MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Making guilds fun originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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