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The Game Archaeologist: How to return to older games
January 12, 2013

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The Game Archaeologist Overcoming obstacles in returning to older games
Let's face it: It's just not that easy to either try out or return to an older MMO. It defies logic because you would think that these games would explicitly crave people to come play them, but it's almost like there's a chest-high wall topped with itchy fiberglass shreds warning people away. It's not impossible to surmount, of course, just inconvenient and a little daunting. And so we log back into World of Warcraft or (thrashes around for a random title) Champions Online instead.

However, this column doesn't care about them fancy games with their exclamation marks and free-to-plays, no sirree. We're all about the love for classic MMOs, and it would behoove us to consider supporting that which we love.

It's that time of year when I feel the call to return to one of my first MMO loves, Anarchy Online. After tangling with the account page, looking for a subscription variant that apparently no longer exists, and mentally adjusting to the extremely dated graphics, I started to wonder if it was even worth it. But a little perseverance paid off, and I wanted to share a few lessons learned about overcoming obstacles when it comes to diving back into the past.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: How to return to older games

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist: How to return to older games originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    ArcheAge lists Korean pre-order options for next week's launch
    January 12, 2013

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    ArcheAge lists Korean preorder options for next week's launch
    Things are moving fast for ArcheAge in Korea as the title barrels down the final stretch to launch. The title is currently wrapping up open beta testing in the region and recently revealed that it will be releasing on January 15th there with a subscription model. Now we have a glimpse as to what XLGAMES is preparing in terms of pre-order options thanks to the official Korean website.

    While the translation is never perfect, it looks as if the various pre-order packages include game time (including bonus days), commemorative coins, items, buffs, and even a "sky boat." There's a limited amount of time to take the studio up on this offer, so if you're in the region and interested, definitely give it a look sooner rather than later.

    [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]

    MassivelyArcheAge lists Korean pre-order options for next week's launch originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Tattered Notebook: Why I came back to EverQuest II
    January 12, 2013

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    The Tattered Notebook Why I came back to EverQuest II
    When I log into EverQuest II after a long absence, I feel a little bit like a world-weary vagabond who's finally earned a rest. I see myself -- or my avatar, at least -- dropping his luggage on a familiar front porch and surveying the surroundings he vividly remembers despite months (sometimes years) of travel abroad.

    There's a fine coating of dust on the furniture. The neighborhood has a bunch of new rules and as many new neighbors. All in all, though, the spires of Freeport and its refurbished waterfront are a welcome sight. EQII has always been the one MMO that I return to without fail; it's also the one that I've played the most, now that Star Wars Galaxies is gone.

    This time around, I'm coming back not for an expansion or a new feature (although there are plenty of both in the world's deepest themepark) but rather for the need for a little MMO stability. And hey, I'd be lying if I said I'm not partly motivated by the promise of EQNext.

    Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Why I came back to EverQuest II

    MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Why I came back to EverQuest II originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Mog Log: (Over)analyzing the Final Fantasy XIV trailer
      January 12, 2013

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      The Mog Log header by A. Fienemann
      Sadly, January 7th did not see the release of the new Final Fantasy XIV benchmark. It did, however, see the release of both the beta tester application and the full trailer for the new version, both of which are relevant to the interests of any Final Fantasy XIV fan. The trailer is likely of greater interest, seeing as how most current fans are likely already flagged as Legacy players and thus don't need to apply for testing, but the point is that both are out there.

      Of course, the new opening movie is the only piece of information we've had about the game for a little while, but it seems worth analyzing and examining even on its own merits. No, I'm not talking about speculating as to whether or not the guy on the horse who looks exactly like Odin is in fact Odin or not (spoiler, doy). I want to talk about what this means for the lore, what the overall effect is, and whether or not this monster of a trailer succeeds at what it's meant to do.

      Continue reading The Mog Log: (Over)analyzing the Final Fantasy XIV trailer

      MassivelyThe Mog Log: (Over)analyzing the Final Fantasy XIV trailer originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Storyboard: Hint, hint
        January 11, 2013

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        Sometimes I don't really have a theme. Sometimes I do. Guess which this week is!
        During the last several months of Final Fantasy XIV, my main character did the unthinkable: She went to work for her old mentor alongside the Garlean Empire. Everything she was doing outside of personal ventures, up to and including rejoining the mercenary company she had previously helped found, was based around collecting information. She had quite the dossier by the time she was finished, too, having flushed out a number of secrets regarding both Eorzea's defensive plans and the Ala Mhigan resistance.

        Not that anyone knew this because it simply never came up.

        Part of how I screwed this one up came down to both my choice of roleplaying groups and my own work-based schedule in the game. But another part of this was the simple fact that I didn't make it clear quickly enough just what she was up to. I dropped some hints here and there, but they were lost in a rush of other events, and as a result that whole subplot never got explored, which is a shame, especially because I like to think I'm usually pretty good at dropping hints and getting others to catch on. So as I reflect on what I did wrong, let's talk about how to do it right.

        Continue reading Storyboard: Hint, hint

        MassivelyStoryboard: Hint, hint originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Daily Grind: What MMO are you embarrassed to admit you play?
          January 11, 2013

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          Thanks to WoW Insider for this epic screenshot of a pandaren and a reindeer jumping for joy. Epic.
          One of the silly questions I posed the Massively staff during our end-of-2012 awards was about embarrassing MMOs that we play. But we didn't publish the answers, partly because we couldn't come to any consensus. Glitch took my vote; browser games are still looked down on, no matter how creative they are. Among the other writers, Clone Wars Adventures cropped up, as did RuneScape, Free Realms, Habbo Hotel, and Star Stable. It wasn't just "kids games" making the cut, either. Mike lamented the fact that World of Warcraft is a "punch line" in the community and that "serious" MMO players can't play it. Jef said Lord of the Rings Online makes him want to shower after he logs out, while Patrick argued that Champions Online's apparent lack of developer resources makes for a sad experience.

          But the other reason we didn't publish our responses was that most of us just aren't deeply embarrassed about playing anything. As Eliot put it,
          If you're playing an MMO, you have absolutely zero ground to make fun of someone else for playing another MMO. This is something that really gets under my skin, the idea that some games are somehow cooler than others. MMOs are just plain fun, and there's no reason to be embarrassed by anything you like to play. I'm happy when anyone finds a fun game, even if it's a game I'm personally not fond of. Follow your bliss, people, and hold your heads high.
          So where do you stand? Are you embarrassed to play a certain MMO, and if so, what is it?

          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: What MMO are you embarrassed to admit you play? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Second Wind: Vanguard
          January 11, 2013

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          Second Wind Vanguard
          Welcome ladies, gentlemen, and small, furry creatures from Alpha Centauri to the premiere edition of Second Wind, where we'll be taking you through the annals of time to revisit some of the past's greatest (and not-so-greatest) MMOs to see how they hold up today. In this installment, we'll be checking in on Sony Online Entertainment's Vanguard.

          Here's a quick backstory for you: Vanguard originally launched in January of 2007 when Massively was still months away from its inception, and it was a mess. Bugs as far as the eye could see! Believe me -- I know because I was there. I played Vanguard at launch and lasted about a month before I grew tired of the never-ending parade of bugs and glitches and left. In the six years since Vanguard's launch, it's been sort of the red-headed stepchild of SOE's stable of MMOs. Content updates have been few and far between, and most patches the game has received have been (sorely needed) bug fixes. And of course, the game ended up going free-to-play back in August of last year.

          Now, six years after my first foray into Telon, I decided to jump back into Vanguard to give the game a fresh look. Did I find a diamond in the rough or just a big lump of neglected coal? There's only one way to find out: Follow me past the cut!

          Continue reading Second Wind: Vanguard

          MassivelySecond Wind: Vanguard originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            WoW Cinder Kitten fundraiser garnered over $2.3 million for Superstorm Sandy relief
            January 11, 2013

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            WoW cinder kittens fundraiser garnered over $23 million for Superstorm Sandy relief
            No stranger to assisting those in need after natural disasters, Blizzard announced its latest round of fundraising via a cash shop pet in the beginning of November -- this time a Cinder Kitten to benefit those affected by Superstorm Sandy. And World of Warcraft players responded with an abundance of generosity, snapping up the fiery feline and raising a total of more than $2.3 million USD. All of the proceeds from the pet purchase were given to the American Red Cross to support its ongoing relief efforts in the areas affected by the superstorm. As Blizzard says, "Thanks to everyone who made a difference."

            [Thanks to Chris for the tip!]

            MassivelyWoW Cinder Kitten fundraiser garnered over $2.3 million for Superstorm Sandy relief originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten MMORTS titles
            January 11, 2013

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            Chromebook picture
            Last week I introduced you to my newest device, the Samsung Chromebook. Yes, that's the official way to refer to the newest $249.00 Chromebook, according to my contact at Google. I have pined after one for a while, but the price point finally became too tempting and I nabbed one at my local Best Buy. Why? Why didn't I just spit out a few more bucks and get a "real" laptop or netbook, one that runs Windows 7 or 8? Well, it runs silently and almost without heat. It's essentially a keyboard attached to an 11-inch tablet that runs Flash. The Chromium OS is very secure, and it auto-updates every six weeks.

            But you're here to read about games. This week I am going to talk about the MMORTS genre and why it works so well on the Chromebook. I'll list 10 of my favorites -- a drop in the bucket for all the MMORTS games out there, but these are easily some of the best and run well on the Chromebook. Stay tuned for future columns, where we'll look at even more Chromebook-friendly MMOs and pseudo-MMOs as well.

            Continue reading MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten MMORTS titles

            MassivelyMMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten MMORTS titles originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Learn to live in a State of Decay with Undead Labs' new survival guide
              January 11, 2013

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              Oh god oh god oh god oh god
              There's a lot to consider when you're stuck in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Do you have enough food? Will your shelter hold up against the endless legions of undead? Do you have enough of that ammo that makes zombie heads explode? Thankfully, Undead Labs is here to help make State of Decay players' transitions to the post-apocalypse as simple as possible.

              The studio has released a day-by-day survival guide written from the viewpoint of characters within the game's universe. The guide provides a flavorful look at some of the features players will be utilizing to survive in State of Decay. Players will learn how to construct a defensible stronghold, how to scavenge for supplies, and of course, how to defend themselves against zed onslaughts. It's quite a read, but a very worthwhile one for anyone who would prefer to remain on the side of the living in the war against the undead.

              MassivelyLearn to live in a State of Decay with Undead Labs' new survival guide originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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