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WRUP: Revenge of the boxes edition
May 05, 2012

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It's more organized than this.
I was worried, rather legitimately, that when I moved into my new apartment, I would be facing an internet-free existence despite having called to set up a transfer two weeks prior. That worst-case scenario didn't come to pass. However, I am still sitting among a nightmarish pile of boxes that form corridors and alleyways through my space. Somewhere in those boxes is every important item that contributes to comfortable living. But at least I can clean that up while looking at cat videos.

Since I have the internet, I'm also able to type yet another inane introduction to WRUP, in which the Massively staff members discuss what they're up to over the next few days. We also give our impressions of the two most recent betas in five words -- or whatever other MMO-related topic strikes our fancy. So jump on down to see what we're up to for the weekend, and let us know your plans over the weekend in the comments!

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MassivelyWRUP: Revenge of the boxes edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise website jumps to life with new countdown timer
May 05, 2012

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Earthrise - website timer
Remember Earthrise, the post-apocalyptic sci-fi sandbox from Masthead Studios? The fledgling title shut down last February after a tumultuous year that included a rough launch and lukewarm (or worse) reviews.

Masthead originally intended to convert the subscription-based game to a free-to-play business model but opted to pull the plug entirely due to a lack of investor interest. As of today, though, there's a countdown timer on the official Earthrise website (as well as a new background graphic that shows off the game's sci-fi battle action).

Has Masthead found an investor after all, and is Earthrise making a comeback? We'll see in a little over five days, but feel free to speculate in the comments!

[Thanks to IMN for the tip!]

MassivelyEarthrise website jumps to life with new countdown timer originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Tattered Notebook: Reading the tea leaves of EQII's May update
    May 05, 2012

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    EQII golem
    The paint has barely dried on the Skyshrine Update, and already we're hearing tidbits about what's planned for this month. On Thursday, EverQuest II Producer Holly "Windstalker" Longdale announced a few highlights that players can expect to see in the May update. The monthly letters are always welcomed by players, and this one announces several changes that should shore up the foundation of the game even more. "More" and "new" are often used when it comes to update announcements, but if you heap too much on the very top, you need to go back and work through some of the older content and features to make sure they can support the burden.

    Read on for a look at the highlights, which bring a welcome change to Dungeon Maker fans, add a new tool that should make testers happy, and hint at changes to bring about more "low-impact" gameplay.

    Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Reading the tea leaves of EQII's May update

    MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Reading the tea leaves of EQII's May update originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Mog Log: The calcification of Final Fantasy XI
      May 05, 2012

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      The Mog Log header by A. Fienemann
      Over the last couple of months, I've been trying something different. As I mentioned back in my anniversary column, I spent a year trying out a strictly alternating format for Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV, but it wasn't working out to my satisfaction for a number of reasons. Backing off and focusing on the game with more activity seems to be working quite well (from my perspective, anyway), but it also means that I haven't really been discussing Final Fantasy XI much.

      This isn't entirely by coincidence, as the game itself hasn't changed much over the past several months. In an earlier column, I had mentioned that the roadmap made it pretty clear that if change was on the horizon, we wouldn't be seeing it until the new roadmap finally came out. And here we are, one new roadmap later. So what do I think? Is this the promised vision of the future, the prophecy to lead us all into a new era of joy and light across the game's continents?

      Continue reading The Mog Log: The calcification of Final Fantasy XI

      MassivelyThe Mog Log: The calcification of Final Fantasy XI originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Road to Mordor: Seven player events you must attend
        May 05, 2012

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        LotRO
        More than any other MMO I've played, Lord of the Rings Online seems to draw out player events like crazy. Maybe it's the setting, Tolkien's world-building, the renaissance fair outfits, or the disproportionately large RP crowd, but LotRO seems to be graced with far more of these kinds of player-driven initiatives than elsewhere.

        As such, today I wanted to scout around the forums and official calendar to highlight a few of the many, many events that festoon this great game of ours. These are great to check out, particularly when you're a little bored with the same-old, same-old of questing, raiding, skirmishing, or PvMPing. The ingenuity and spirit of these events is often quite infectious, and I never regret going to one once I make the effort.

        So check out seven great player events in LotRO, coming to a server near you!

        Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Seven player events you must attend

        MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Seven player events you must attend originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 05 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Daily Grind: How do you handle random party invites?
          May 04, 2012

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          Independent woman -- TERA
          I don't know why, but sometimes I get discouraged when a random person sends me a party invite while I'm in the middle of questing. I know it sounds odd, but when I'm not playing with my regular group of friends or guildies, I like to just play alone. When someone whispers me to ask if he can join me, I usually turn him down (politely!), but if I get a random party invite without so much as a hello, I simply ignore it.

          My own antisocial issues aside, I want to know how you feel about this topic. Do you think a random invite is a healthy way to find companions and possibly friends, or do you see it as an invasion of privacy while you're trying to quest?

          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: How do you handle random party invites? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Elder Scrolls Online announcement generates fan backlash
            May 04, 2012

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            The Elder Scrolls Skyrim - dragon attack
            We've yet to see even a hint of gameplay for the newly announced Elder Scrolls Online, but a good portion of the fan reaction to the news has been negative, according to a report at GamesIndustry.biz.

            The site says that many of the comments on Bethesda's blog were filled with despair at the prospect of an online title gobbling up development resources or otherwise impacting one of gaming's most beloved single-player franchises. A Bethesda moderator even chimed in to calm down the angst-ridden faithful. "The teams working on these games are separate. Todd Howard's team at BGS will keep doing the type of games they like making, and the ZeniMax Online team will focus on MMO games like this newly announced title," the spokesman said.

            ZeniMax is scheduled to release the game's first trailer at some point this morning.

            MassivelyElder Scrolls Online announcement generates fan backlash originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 May 2012 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            LotRO Update 7 to add new skirmish, revamp old content
            May 04, 2012

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            LotRO
            Even a good anniversary celebration can't delay Turbine from delivering the content through snow, rain, and volcanic ash from Mt. Doom. The team has posted an outline of Lord of the Rings Online's next content patch, Update 7, with word that it will go to the test server soon.

            Update 7: Shades of the Past promises to add a new endgame skirmish called Storm on Methedras. The skirmish will be free for VIP players and tasks groups of one to 12 players with taking on Saruman's ally, Gwyllion, in the Misty Mountains.

            The update will also contain two huge renovations to existing content. Turbine will be divvying up the massive Fornost dungeon into four scalable instances accessible from levels 30 on up. More importantly, the team is renovating great parts of Moria with better graphics and a smoother quest flow.

            MassivelyLotRO Update 7 to add new skirmish, revamp old content originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            ZeniMax reveals Elder Scrolls Online teaser trailer
            May 04, 2012

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            The Elder Scrolls Online teaser
            ZeniMax has unveiled the first trailer for its newly announced The Elder Scrolls Online MMORPG. There's no gameplay on offer at this early stage, and the clip itself is rather short. It's long on subtle bits of awesomeness, though, including a brief tease of the familiar Elder Scrolls melody and a glimpse of the game's logo (which features a telling three-part design to go along with the game's announced three-faction PvP).

            At this point, we're still in the dark about almost everything TESO-related. Will it be a sandbox? A themepark? A marriage of the two? How's the crafting, the character customization, and the questing? Your guess is as good as ours, so take a look at the clip after the break and let us know what you think in the comments.

            [Source: ZeniMax press release]

            Continue reading ZeniMax reveals Elder Scrolls Online teaser trailer

            MassivelyZeniMax reveals Elder Scrolls Online teaser trailer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 May 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              The Firing Line: Hands-on with Firefall's beta
              May 04, 2012

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              The Firing Line - Hands on with Firefall's beta
              I'm dying on the beautiful beach outside Firefall's starter town. As I lay bleeding from a hundred holes and generally making a mess of my shiny new bumble bee-colored battleframe, my avatar collapses to the sand and says the funniest thing I've heard in a while.

              "Grandpa!"

              This is delivered in his best rural Georgia twang, and it lessens the sting of my latest newbie move. The whole scene is Firefall in a nutshell: It's fun, frustrating, and funny all at once.

              Continue reading The Firing Line: Hands-on with Firefall's beta

              MassivelyThe Firing Line: Hands-on with Firefall's beta originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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