Virtual World News
Perpetuum putting player-built settlements on new test server tomorrow
May 10, 2012
Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Perpetuum, Sandbox
PBS, or player-built settlements, are exactly what they sound like. They're also a part of Avatar's bid to strengthen Perpetuum's control and capture mechanics, which should give players and clans something to fight for beyond bragging rights.
Be sure you have an active sub if you want to check them out on the test server tomorrow. Avatar also says that you'll also want to set up a separate installation (i.e., don't load the test client over an existing Perpetuum install).
Perpetuum putting player-built settlements on new test server tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Dev blog
LotRO's Fornost 'joining the modern MMO world'
May 10, 2012
Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Patches, Previews, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries, Dungeons
The third instance ever created for Lord of the Rings Online will be chopped up from its current super-long state to four manageable dungeons. The devs said that it was designed from an EverQuest mindset of long dungeon crawls, but so much has changed over time and most players no longer have the time or effort to conquer it.
With Update 7, Fornost will turn into four element-themed six-person dungeons. Each of these dungeons should take well less than an hour to complete and scale from level 30 to 75 with two tiers of difficulty. The team's reworked positioning, bosses, and quests to reflect the upgraded experience. For those who might miss the old Fornost, the team says that playing all four instances back-to-back will replicate the grand tour that it used to be.
LotRO's Fornost 'joining the modern MMO world' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Fornost dev diary
WildStar Wednesday discusses quality of life
May 10, 2012
Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, News items, Dev Diaries, WildStar
Mobility is key when you're adventuring on an exciting frontier planet. Taking this to heart, WildStar developer Carbine Studios is building in some quality of life improvements to speed Settlers along their way.
All players traveling on roads in WildStar will benefit from a speed boost, whether they're on a noble steed or going afoot. Executive Producer Jeremy Gaffney mentions that, more than just cutting down on travel time, this allows developers to plan on players running into each other as they travel through the world as well as aiding in the design of exploration-driven content and proper timing of encounters. If players are really gung-ho about speed and being (profitable) good Samaritans, they'll have opportunities to add new taxi points to remote areas, pitch a vendor stall to sell mounts to lowbies, and set up speed-boosting machines at outposts, among other player-driven additions. Hopefully, this means that the more folks are in an area, the more luxuries are available -- or you can be the pilgrim running out into the wilds to spur on the advance of civilization.
Speaking of running out into the wilds, we know no one likes doing that only to get called in 15 minutes later to pick up a new quest. Players' communicators are a big part of the accessibility of the world in WildStar. Many quests can be picked up and turned in via comm call, freeing players from the drudgery of having to actually track people down. To sum up, Gaffney listed the goals of this design approach. "Focus on the fun parts of the game. Eliminate tedium. Keep the challenge in there for advanced gamers. Overall, let you play the way you want to play."
All players traveling on roads in WildStar will benefit from a speed boost, whether they're on a noble steed or going afoot. Executive Producer Jeremy Gaffney mentions that, more than just cutting down on travel time, this allows developers to plan on players running into each other as they travel through the world as well as aiding in the design of exploration-driven content and proper timing of encounters. If players are really gung-ho about speed and being (profitable) good Samaritans, they'll have opportunities to add new taxi points to remote areas, pitch a vendor stall to sell mounts to lowbies, and set up speed-boosting machines at outposts, among other player-driven additions. Hopefully, this means that the more folks are in an area, the more luxuries are available -- or you can be the pilgrim running out into the wilds to spur on the advance of civilization.
Speaking of running out into the wilds, we know no one likes doing that only to get called in 15 minutes later to pick up a new quest. Players' communicators are a big part of the accessibility of the world in WildStar. Many quests can be picked up and turned in via comm call, freeing players from the drudgery of having to actually track people down. To sum up, Gaffney listed the goals of this design approach. "Focus on the fun parts of the game. Eliminate tedium. Keep the challenge in there for advanced gamers. Overall, let you play the way you want to play."
WildStar Wednesday discusses quality of life originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: WildStar Wednesday
MechWarrior Online unloads six preview videos
May 10, 2012
Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, Game mechanics, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, MechWarrior Online
Aside from a variety of gameplay footage (clearly unpolished but still encouraging), the videos give some insight into the game's design goals. Rather than following the route of the classic MechWarrior games that placed the heaviest 'Mechs at the top of the food chain, MechWarrior Online wants all machines to have a place on the battlefield depending on player style and battlefield objectives. But why read about it when you can watch it in action just past the break? After all, that way you're learning the same information and watching giant robots shoot at each other.
Continue reading MechWarrior Online unloads six preview videos
MechWarrior Online unloads six preview videos originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Via: Rock Paper Shotgun
World of Warcraft unveils cross-realm zones
May 10, 2012
Filed under: World of Warcraft, Betas, Fantasy, News items
One common issue with MMOs is that certain zones become sparsely populated as the playerbase outlevels them or skips them in favor of newer, more exciting zones, which can lead to frustration for players who want or need to complete group content in those zones. Blizzard is aiming to nip that problem in the bud with a new feature coming to the World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria beta: cross-realm zones.
The feature does exactly what it says on the tin: When a zone is underpopulated, the players in that zone will be given the option to form a group with players from a select pool of realms (presumably the server's battlegroup) with whom they can run about and quest as usual. In addition to treating underpopulation, the new feature will allow overpopulated zones -- such as new race starting zones -- to be split into multiple instances to prevent overcrowding. It will also allow players to group with their RealID friends just as they would for a cross-realm dungeon, so players who want to level up with friends on other realms should be quite pleased with the addition. Between this new feature and Guild Wars 2's guesting, the days of being separated from your cross-server friends might just be numbered. The full details on the new feature can be found at the official World of Warcraft site, so if you're wondering how this newfangled technology is going to work, just head on over and check out the handy FAQ.
The feature does exactly what it says on the tin: When a zone is underpopulated, the players in that zone will be given the option to form a group with players from a select pool of realms (presumably the server's battlegroup) with whom they can run about and quest as usual. In addition to treating underpopulation, the new feature will allow overpopulated zones -- such as new race starting zones -- to be split into multiple instances to prevent overcrowding. It will also allow players to group with their RealID friends just as they would for a cross-realm dungeon, so players who want to level up with friends on other realms should be quite pleased with the addition. Between this new feature and Guild Wars 2's guesting, the days of being separated from your cross-server friends might just be numbered. The full details on the new feature can be found at the official World of Warcraft site, so if you're wondering how this newfangled technology is going to work, just head on over and check out the handy FAQ.
World of Warcraft unveils cross-realm zones originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Fallen Earth trimming up the game experience for new players
May 10, 2012
Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Culture, Game mechanics, News items, Free-to-play, Post-Apocalyptic, Dev Diaries
The change that will have the biggest impact on everyone in the game will be the consolidation of several gear slots, meaning that players will no longer have to scrounge for corresponding pieces when starting out. The addition of sector chat and a beacon leading toward the nearest garage will help players find others and receive aid as needed. And the team is looking ahead to future improvements as well, all in the hopes that your first moments in Fallen Earth are fun enough to convince you to stay.
Fallen Earth trimming up the game experience for new players originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Pathfinder Online's technology demo gets soundly kickstarted
May 10, 2012
Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Sandbox
But maybe you're one of the backers already. If you're still eager for more information on the game, the weekly developer blog has gone live, discussing the rationale behind the Kickstarter project and some of the future steps of the game's production. You can also take a peek at details behind the upcoming tabletop book available for backers, which might help motivate you to donate if you haven't already.
[Thanks to Nick for the tip!]
Pathfinder Online's technology demo gets soundly kickstarted originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The Summoner's Guidebook: Getting out of Elo hell
May 10, 2012
Filed under: PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, Guides, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook
At the higher ratings, matches tend to improve in overall quality despite the smaller pool of players. It is virtually impossible to maintain 1600 Elo or above (top 10%) without being somewhat decent at the game. While weaker players can occur in any matchmaking level, they are still two advanced players who know the game. At 1300 Elo (top 50%), there's a very large chance that a matchup inequality is an intermediate player battling an opponent who has no clue what he is doing.
Elo hell is extremely frustrating because nothing worse is having your chance at winning taken out of your hands and put in the hands of a terrible player.
Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Getting out of Elo hell
The Summoner's Guidebook: Getting out of Elo hell originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The Guild Counsel: Saluting Scott Andrews on five years of valuable guild advice
May 10, 2012
Filed under: Guilds, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous, Anniversary
Whether you've just heard of Officers' Quarters or you're a longtime fan, let's look at a few reasons Scott Andrews deserves a tip of the hat and a hearty salute.
Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Saluting Scott Andrews on five years of valuable guild advice
The Guild Counsel: Saluting Scott Andrews on five years of valuable guild advice originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The Daily Grind: Are virtual worlds still important?
May 09, 2012
Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Second Life, The Daily Grind, Virtual worlds, Miscellaneous
From Habitat to The Sims Online to Second Life, there have been many attempts at constructing vibrant, community-driven virtual worlds that would draw in players looking to create dual lives that were flashier and more fantastic than their real lives. These games once were heralded as the wave of the future, but it seems as if that wave has since moved on to bashing things with their +4 Clubs of Exquisite Suffering.
So what say you: Are virtual worlds still important? Are we trying to return to the concept by embracing sandbox principles? Are they best left to wither and die in the annals of history?
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: Are virtual worlds still important? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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