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MMO Week in Review: The era of the MMOFPS
November 25, 2012

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MMO Week in Review - PlanetSide 2
At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week, you've come to the right post.

Some games boost their level-grinds for launch, but PlanetSide 2 did the opposite this week. Massively celebrated SOE's MMOFPS sequel with a launch roundup and a quirky impressions piece, while the studio itself released the requisite explosion-packed launch trailer.

More of Massively's top MMO stories from this past week are tucked behind the break.

Continue reading MMO Week in Review: The era of the MMOFPS

MassivelyMMO Week in Review: The era of the MMOFPS originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Nov 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Daily Grind: Would you want an MMO for a gift?
    November 24, 2012

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    It's too small and I can't return it.
    We're into the part of the year when everyone's thinking about giving gifts. But for all that I like receiving games as gifts, I'm not all that happy at the thought of getting an MMO for a gift. It's kind of like someone buying you a pet -- sure, it's a nice gesture, but it's also going to ask for a lot of your time and effort in the future. This isn't something you pick up and leave alone for an extended period of time.

    On the other hand, sometimes MMOs can make wonderful gifts. I bought a friend a copy of City of Heroes in years past to help introduce him to one of my favorite games. Several of my friends wound up in World of Warcraft because I originally volunteered to purchase the game.

    So what do you think? Would you like to get an MMO for a gift this holiday season? Or do you think MMOs are really something you should buy for yourself?

    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: Would you want an MMO for a gift? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Nov 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      WRUP: Maybe the zombies are on to something edition
      November 24, 2012

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      My brother asked me what the tastiest part of a brain would be as I wrote this. I never thought about it before. Now I am.
      Look, I'm not a zombie. I've never really considered myself zombie-curious, either. But now I look at diagrams of brains, and I have to wonder what it is that zombies see that I don't. Maybe there's something to the whole brain-eating thing? They seem happy enough. Sure, they're mindlessly shambling toward living flesh and trying to devour it, but really, am I all that much better for most of the day? I just shamble toward my computer.

      They've got a much more active lifestyle, is what I'm getting at. Maybe it's a brain thing.

      Leaving everyone to chew on that for a while, it's time for this week's installment of WRUP, in which the Massively staff relates their weekend plans. Also, today we find out what everyone on staff is thankful for outside of the continued non-existence of a zombie apocalypse. So find our answers past the cut, and let us know what you're up to in the comments.

      Continue reading WRUP: Maybe the zombies are on to something edition

      MassivelyWRUP: Maybe the zombies are on to something edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Nov 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Road to Mordor: Sandbox features that would serve LotRO well
        November 24, 2012

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        The Road to Mordor Sandbox features that would serve LotRO well
        The tug-o-war in the MMO community between the virtues of sandbox vs. themepark designs looks like it's starting to result in a muddy heap in the middle: the sandpark. Personally, I think there are wonderful aspects of both designs (and drawbacks too), and a marriage between the two could offer more player freedom and creativity while keeping it structured and balanced.

        So I've been thinking about Lord of the Rings Online in regard to this and how it might benefit from a greater number of sandbox features in the future. I mean, on one hand we have one of the most "on rails" PvE games out there, but on the other hand there are seeds of great player freedom. Elements like the music system, the Winter-home theater, Hytbold, and the quite robust crafting system all serve to take us a step beyond the themepark.

        But what if LotRO took a few more steps toward sandboxy goodness? Seeing as how the original vision for the game was to make it a pure sandbox, I think that's not too farfetched a question. Here are several sandbox features that I think if married to the game would add to its appeal and variety.

        Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Sandbox features that would serve LotRO well

        MassivelyThe Road to Mordor: Sandbox features that would serve LotRO well originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Nov 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          The Mog Log: The story so far (and yet to come) in Final Fantasy XIV
          November 24, 2012

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          The Mog Log header by A. Fienemann
          I have several friends who don't play Final Fantasy XIV but still saw the trailer ending the first version. After all, it's been hard to miss. Almost every single person has said the same thing: "It was awesome. I have absolutely no idea what was going on with any of it, but it looked really cool."

          This isn't just because Final Fantasy XIV isn't in their rotations. Final Fantasy games are usually dense pieces of work, filled with references back and forth that make sense only if you know all of the players involved and have a solid understanding of the game's magical whoosits. If you've missed some steps along the way to the ending trailer, it's easy to watch and not understand what actually went down, and even if you did, there were some parts that could be really easily missed.

          So let's take a step back and look at the story so far. It's not the same as playing through the story for the past two years, but it should at least clarify what in the world happened.

          Continue reading The Mog Log: The story so far (and yet to come) in Final Fantasy XIV

          MassivelyThe Mog Log: The story so far (and yet to come) in Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            My Little Pony megamod cutsifies World of Tanks
            November 24, 2012

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            My Little Pony megamod cutsifies World of Tanks
            My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, a relatively new TV show that's garnered a huge geek audience, is now invading the most non-pony of places: World of Tanks. Modder RelicShadow has combined several of his and others' modifications for WoT into a definitive 5GB overhaul package. The result? A ground-up transformation of World of Tanks in which ponies pervade every inch of the battlefield.

            "I was playing this game well before I became a fan of Friendship is Magic," RelicShadow explained. "My newfound interest lead me in search of potential mods for it. After all was said and done and I had my big pile of mods, I decided I might as well be the one to make [the megamod] happen."

            The conversion package includes 90 audio tracks, renamed nations, new achievements, pony tank skins, and rainbows out the wazoo. Reportedly, it is a somewhat tricky to get the mod to work correctly, and RelicShadow recommends that no other mods are installed in addition to this one.

            If you're interested in this powerful pony mod, you can either download it here or check out a video of the voice changes after the break.

            Continue reading My Little Pony megamod cutsifies World of Tanks

            MassivelyMy Little Pony megamod cutsifies World of Tanks originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Nov 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The Tattered Notebook: Experiencing experience in EQII
            November 24, 2012

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            The Tattered Notebook Experiencing experience in EQII
            It's time to talk about experience. No, not the experience that comes from immersing yourself in a virtual world and creating memorable moments. I'm talking about the numerical value assigned to the various things you do in game, the kind of experience everyone wants and never has enough of.

            EverQuest II underwent a recent change in how experience is awarded, and it got me thinking about experience in general in our MMOs. How far have we come when it comes to the experience reward system, and will we ever arrive at a system that satisfies everyone?

            Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Experiencing experience in EQII

            MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Experiencing experience in EQII originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Nov 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Newest Darkfall dev blog shows off Unholy Wars' streamlined UI
              November 24, 2012

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              Newest Darkfall dev blog shows off Unholy Wars' streamlined GUI
              In any game, a clunky, unintuitive UI can hamper players' ability to enjoy a game. But in a game like Darkfall where mere moments can be the difference between life and death, a bad interface can be a deal-breaker. In the latest dev blog, Coordinating Designer Tork Shaw explained some of the changes coming to Unholy Wars to give the game a fast-paced UI that won't impede combat.

              The video portion of the blog demonstrated some of the new features, including the new radial menu, which Shaw called "a whole new way to interact with the game." He said, "It allows for much more action-based combat, so players who are familiar with FPS games or action-combat games will be much more at home playing Darkfall." The new UI will allow also players to switch between the different roles, such as from warrior to caster, at will.

              The dev blog also offers more details on the feat system (which rewards players for acts of bravery, skill, exploration, or development) as well as the new personal and clan currencies. You can read more on these changes in the dev blog and preview the new UI in the video after the break.

              [Thanks to Bartillo for the tip!]

              MassivelyNewest Darkfall dev blog shows off Unholy Wars' streamlined UI originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Nov 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              ArcheAge Chinese beta begins May 2013
              November 24, 2012

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              Live ArcheAge stage presentation reveals the date for the Chinese beta
              Yesterday, we brought you the new ArcheAge trailer that XLGAMES originally planned to debut at the Tencent Games Carnival 2012; lucky for us, it released early. Today, we can see the entire live stage presentation the studio put on at the carnival. In addition to the trailer, attendees were treated to costumed actors representing four different classes and at least two different races plus live music and additional gameplay footage.

              Next, XLGAMES devs took the stage, and using the names of registered fans in China for the countdown, they announced that the Chinese beta will begin in May 2013. Sadly, there are no subtitles for those of us not fluent in Chinese, but feel free to share if you can translate, and check out the full presentation after the break.

              Continue reading ArcheAge Chinese beta begins May 2013

              MassivelyArcheAge Chinese beta begins May 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Nov 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              The Daily Grind: Do sunsetted games owe us refunds?
              November 23, 2012

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              The Daily Grind Do sunsetted games owe us refunds
              When Tiny Speck announced last week that Glitch would be shutting down come December 9th, the studio simultaneously did something that few closed MMOs do: It offered refunds. Sure, some companies have offered free game time or bonus cash-shop currency for their other games, but that's usually small consolation. NCsoft grudgingly provided refunds for unused timecards and long-term recurring subs when it set City of Heroes' closure date, but virtually no one provides a complete refund of all the subscription money you ever paid for the game.

              On Black Friday, it seems as if half the world is out shopping, looking for a good deal and with money on the brain, so today's an appropriate day to ask: Do sunsetted games owe us refunds? And if you were offered one, would you take 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: Do sunsetted games owe us refunds? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Nov 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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