Virtual World News
Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play
The article covers several of the pieces of confusion regarding NCsoft's management of the shutdown and the perceived ambiguity about the financial side of the decision. Lackey also emphasizes in her quotes that she and other City of Heroes fans will not stop until they have exhausted every option to resurrect the game. NCsoft is clearly feeling the pinch considering the news of recent layoffs, but it looks as if the company is losing the image war on several fronts as well.
Korea Times quotes Mercedes Lackey calling City of Heroes closure 'unethical' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Dec 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: The Korea Times
Filed under: Sci-fi, Patches, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Guides, Hyperspace Beacon
As many of you are aware, I am not a fan of vertical progression in MMOs overall, especially in PvP. I have issued many gripes and even stood on a soapbox proclaiming how it's bad. It's not that I don't want players to have a sense of gain as they play the game, but a purely vertical progression system (in which stats only ever get bigger) invites the dreaded power creep. And as I said on my soapbox, power creep is not good for players or designers. So when Schubert talked about flattening out stats, I was excited. Finally, SWTOR is stepping away from a vertical progression system!
Update 1.6 brings multiple changes to PvP specifically. The new warzone, Ancient Hypergates, is probably the biggest. But for today, the most important change is the elimination of the Battlemaster tier of PvP gear and the introduction of Elite War Hero gear. What does this do to the overall feel of PvP, and are these changes enough to soften the heart of the MMO gamer?
Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR Update 1.6 PvP progression
Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR Update 1.6 PvP progression originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, The Daily Grind, Sandbox
What do you think? Is there a particular class, system, or MMO mechanic that you'd like to see become an MMORPG standard?
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 obscure mechanic should become a standard MMO feature? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Massively Meta, Livestream, Miscellaneous, The Stream Team
While you relax and enjoy your lull, The Stream Team will treat you to a bit of beta action, some heroic antics, plenty of shooting, and possibly even the final moments of one title. Then, if you can muster the energy for it, share your favorite relaxation ritual. Can you guess one of mine?
Continue reading The Stream Team: Lull in the storm edition, December 3 - 9, 2013
The Stream Team: Lull in the storm edition, December 3 - 9, 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Events, in-game, PvP, Sandbox
Third place was determined in a best-of-three match series, where Goggle Internet Crime Fighters topped the Expendables. Congratulations to the winners! For more details on how the tournament played out, see EVE Evolved's in-depth look and watch the matches in their entirety on CCP's own3D channel.
Asine Hitama's Team claims top prize in EVE Online New Eden Open originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Crafting
And when, exactly, is that official release?
"It's getting down to the wire now in terms of the release window, so we are currently working hard to bring the first Dragon's Spine updates to the live servers before the holidays. In all honesty it is very tight right now, and as we write this we can't say for certain which side things will fall on," Morrison explains. He also touches on the status of the crafting revamp and post-Dragon's Spine PvP updates, though the nature of the latter is very much up in the air at this point.
Age of Conan's Dragon's Spine content on test servers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: November update
Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Patches, PvP, Warhammer Online, News items
In the patch notes released last Friday, Mythic Entertainment detailed the unification of RvR currencies, outlining the specific conversion rates and RvR reward distribution. It also announced the addition of a new novelty vendor (where players can spend those newly acquired war crests on special experience, renown, or influence gain buffs) along with other equipment and merchant changes.
Today's Warhammer Online update unifies RvR currency originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Patch notes
Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Bugs, Game mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-play, Wings Over Atreia
Most likely, one of your first thoughts when you hear the word exploit is that it's a trick that takes advantage of some bug for personal gain. That thought is often followed by images of a banhammer. It makes sense; you are gamers, after all. Now, whether you regard exploits with admiration or with unbridled loathing is a matter of personal opinion. But does it have to be one or the other, or can it be both? It depends on the actual use of the word itself.
Thanks to a recent foray into Lower Udas Temple, exploits have been at the forefront of my mind lately. I have noticed that we actually use both definitions of the word for a variety of situations in Aion, yet we also ascribe the negative connotation to many of them. But is this warranted -- couldn't some actions simply be ingenious examples of problem-solving, or must they all be considered ban-worthy abuse? If the former, where do you draw the line?
Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Are Aion exploits ingenuity or abuse?
Wings Over Atreia: Are Aion exploits ingenuity or abuse? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Business models, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, News items, Free-to-play, Xsyon, Post-Apocalyptic, Sandbox
Previously, Xsyon offered a free trial server, but weekly wipes prevented folks from really experiencing parts of the game. Now, without any cash commitment, new players can game alongside everyone else on the main server. F2P also allows any survivors who left the chance to come back and reestablish themselves in the Tahoe Basin before the game moves to its next phase, Apocalypse.
As with many F2P options, there are some limitations, especially regarding the formation and management of tribes. For instance, players without paid access can neither form tribes nor count toward membership totals in existing tribes, thereby preventing individuals and groups from artificially padding tribe counts to enlarge tribe borders. For more details on restrictions, check out the official list.
Xsyon offers a free-to-play option originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Official announcement
Filed under: Sci-fi, Anarchy Online, Events, in-game, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries
One of the more interesting features of the new game engine is that it gives the developers the ability to both import old art assets and create brand-new ones for the game. "Since AO is huge, for most assets we don't have time to remake them," Williams explains. "The new player experience, for example, has all new assets. Most things won't."
He also mentions that the team is finalizing some issues regarding the upcoming server merge and that this winter's holiday content will go live in the game next week.
[Thanks to David for the tip!]
Anarchy Online moves forward with graphics overhaul and server migration originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Monthly development update