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Final Fantasy XIV adding market and player search improvements
December 08, 2011

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Merlwyb, of course, can always find a party anyhow.
As the release of Final Fantasy XIV's next major patch approaches, more previews continue to go up for the various improvements it will bring. Two of the major promised features are the improvements to both the market wards and the introduction of a proper player search feature, both of which have been posted to the official site. The market wards will now include several pieces of functionality similar to the Final Fantasy XI auction house, including transaction histories and the option to buy direct from the search screen.

The player search feature, meanwhile, will allow players to flag themselves as looking for a party, indicating preferred classes and activities. Searchers will be able to sort results by a variety of criteria to help identify potential teammates. It should make assembling groups for larger content much simpler than it currently is, which should in turn encourage the community to take part in more challenging content. Neither system might seem like a revolution, but there's no doubt that both improvements will have a definite impact.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV adding market and player search improvements originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Guild Counsel: Stop teasing me!
December 08, 2011

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SWTOR
Let's face it: As thrilling as it can be to slay a dragon or blow up a spaceship, MMOs all have their fair share of dull moments at times. And when guildies get together, they can often resort to pranks, teasing, and all sorts of jokes in order to liven things up. That's often when you have some of your best memories in game, and I think it's part of what makes MMOs great.

But sometimes, jokes can fall flat, and what was supposed to be a funny moment ends up turning into major drama. In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll take a look at joking around and how to avoid a joke gone wrong.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Stop teasing me!

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Stop teasing me! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Win a life-size Cylon statue from Bigpoint and Battlestar Galactica Online
    December 08, 2011

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    Battlestar Galactica Online - life-sized Cylon statueBigpoint's in the news again this week, and for once the company is steering clear of microtransaction controversies. It seems as if there's a giveaway afoot, and Battlestar Galactica Online fans will be pleased to note that they have a chance to win a life-size Cylon statue (settle down guys, it's a Centurion, not a Number Six).

    The browser-based sci-fi MMO also features 15 new paint jobs for Cylon and Colonial ships, each of which may be purchased with real money or in-game credits.

    Bigpoint says more color schemes are on the way, and oh yeah, if you want a chance at the statue, you'll need to log in at least five times during the month of December. Head to the official BSGO forums for the official contest rules.

    MassivelyWin a life-size Cylon statue from Bigpoint and Battlestar Galactica Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The MMO Report: Hangover edition
    December 08, 2011

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    The MMO Report
    This week on The MMO Report, Casey stumbles in from the office Christmas party to report on Ubisoft's rumored triple-AAA Wii-U MMO, Marvel Universe Online's endless parade of character art, and the politics of Minecraft's design (psst... Minecraft -- sandbox? Yes. MMO? Not really!). He also jokes about Star Wars: The Old Republic's two million beta testers, suggesting that the number proves "nerds will flock to anything with a Star Wars or BioWare logo on the box." We're sure he speaks from personal experience.

    Finally, The Beard dips into Uncle Casey's Mailbag to recount some harrowing tales of MMO deflowering. Enjoy the full MMO Report past the cut!

    Continue reading The MMO Report: Hangover edition

    MassivelyThe MMO Report: Hangover edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Spacetime announces industry-first cross-platform implementation
    December 08, 2011

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    Pocket Legends wallpaper
    If you've ever wondered about the feasibility of cross-platform MMOs, Spacetime Studios is here to tell you that it's a reality. The company announced an industry first earlier today when it removed the barriers between players who use different devices and operating systems.

    The company's Pocket Legends and Star Legends mobile MMOs share a single global server, and access to said server is now open to users of desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets.

    "There have always been technical walls between players on different platforms," said CEO Gary Gattis. "Now, people are free to play on the device they choose with anyone, anywhere, anytime, whether they are at home or on-the-go."

    [Source: Spacetime press release]

    MassivelySpacetime announces industry-first cross-platform implementation originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      War of the Immortals' Slayers rock out with their blades out
      December 08, 2011

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      War of the Immortals
      As War of the Immortals continues the epic journey through beta, Perfect World Entertainment is trying its darndest to show that it plays no favorite among children. And by "children," we mean "classes."

      On tap for today is a spotlight on the Slayer class, which recently gave up knitting in favor of dishing out extreme pain and suffering. Wielding dual blades, the Slayer uses cunning tactics and sneaky magicks to get up close and personal before seeing how many tiny pieces it can make out of its enemy. On its off-hours, the Slayer likes to ride around on his direwolf mount and smash mailboxes with a baseball bat.

      You can see if the hyper-kinetic Slayer is your kind of fella by previewing the class trailer after the jump!

      [Source: Perfect World Entertainment press release]

      Continue reading War of the Immortals' Slayers rock out with their blades out

      MassivelyWar of the Immortals' Slayers rock out with their blades out originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        EverQuest II delays expansion launch overnight
        December 07, 2011

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        EverQuest II
        While today was supposed to be an exciting day for EverQuest II -- the launching of both its latest expansion Age of Discovery and game-wide free-to-play -- it has turned into a technical nightmare for the SOE crew. The game and website were pulled offline for maintenance in preparation for the launch, but what was supposed to be merely extended downtime grew longer and longer until EQII players had been waiting most of the day just to log in.

        Then, late tonight, EQII's Brasse posted the following on Facebook, informing the community that the expansion and F2P launch would have to wait until December 7th at the earliest:
        Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends and Trolls...

        We have just evaluated the status of the current update and have come to the conclusion that we can either unlock servers and risk broken content, or ensure that we provide the best experience possible and delay the update to tomorrow morning. We have to do it RIGHT. For all of you and for all of us.

        So please, bear with us, relax overnight, and let us sortie into the new day together. Community will be in office at 7:00am PST and will immediately review status and give you all an update. We are aiming for morning and working as hard as we possibly can.
        We'll be keeping our eyes on this situation as it develops.

        MassivelyEverQuest II delays expansion launch overnight originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        EverQuest II delays expansion launch overnight [Updated]
        December 07, 2011

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        EverQuest II
        While today was supposed to be an exciting day for EverQuest II -- the launching of both its latest expansion Age of Discovery and game-wide free-to-play -- it has turned into a technical nightmare for the SOE crew. The game and website were pulled offline for maintenance in preparation for the launch, but what was supposed to be merely extended downtime grew longer and longer until EQII players had been waiting most of the day just to log in.

        Then, late tonight, EQII's Brasse posted the following on Facebook, informing the community that the expansion and F2P launch would have to wait until December 7th at the earliest:
        Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends and Trolls...

        We have just evaluated the status of the current update and have come to the conclusion that we can either unlock servers and risk broken content, or ensure that we provide the best experience possible and delay the update to tomorrow morning. We have to do it RIGHT. For all of you and for all of us.

        So please, bear with us, relax overnight, and let us sortie into the new day together. Community will be in office at 7:00am PST and will immediately review status and give you all an update. We are aiming for morning and working as hard as we possibly can.
        [Update] A little later, she posted this:
        A final update this evening... Smed would like us to share that with the Platform Team working all night to complete the maintenance, we expect to be up at 10:00am PST.
        Stay tuned to this post for more information as it develops!

        MassivelyEverQuest II delays expansion launch overnight [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Daily Grind: Do MMOs coddle us too much in the early game?
        December 07, 2011

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        Aika
        As much as I loved playing RIFT this year -- and I truly did -- one of my biggest critiques happened to be something beloved by many. This was the fact that the early game was so skewed toward giving you everything all at once: access to mounts and all of your class souls (and several builds). As nice as it was for the moment, I soon realized that it robbed me of that strong desire I usually have to want to level and reach significant milestones in my journey, as marked by finally getting said mount or finally gaining access to new classes.

        The devs said that these changes were a result of player feedback, of which I have no doubt -- if you're going to ask players if they want everything as soon as they start a game, they're going to say "yes" whether it's a good idea or not. In practice, it felt like the game was coddling our new characters so much that we weren't put in much danger or had to struggle hard to gain these shiny toys.

        What say you? In your MMO of choice, does the game coddle newbies so much that it picks them up every time they stub their toes, is it a perfect balance of challenge and ease, or is it even too difficult? Is coddling a good thing to retain new players or is it bad for the game over the long haul?

        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 MMOs coddle us too much in the early game? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Spotlight on the Vahzilok
          December 07, 2011

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          A Mild-Mannered Reporter header by A. Fienemann
          A lot of the villains in City of Heroes started out as pretty nasty characters and only got worse from there. You can certainly justify why the Skulls feel the need to be a bunch of vandalizing thugs, sure, but it doesn't change the fact that the gang formed because a couple of thugs got to be top dog in the area. The Sky Raiders have always pretty much been out for piracy, the Circle of Thorns are one side of a battle of evil against evil, and the good acts that come out of Crey are more a testament to the size of the organization than anything.

          And then you have the organizations that started out with good intentions. Often times these groups still have good intentions, in fact -- it's just that they don't have good ways of executing them. So it goes with Dr. Vahzilok and his loose coalition of involuntary surgeons. Oh, sure, they're modern boogeymen on the streets of Paragon City, but their goals are noble -- a fact that's easy to forget when you're faced with zombie bombs.

          Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Spotlight on the Vahzilok

          MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Spotlight on the Vahzilok originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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