Virtual World News
Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-play
The guys touch on recent F2P conversions including DC Universe Online, EverQuest II, and Lineage II. Finally, there's a dip into the mailbag to answer some reader questions (and a bit of discussion about Bethesda's ubiquitous Skyrim title). Check out the complete show via the embed after the break.
Continue reading This Week in MMO: Sex with Firefall edition
This Week in MMO: Sex with Firefall edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Episode 70
Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, MMO industry, PvP, News items, Sandbox
Previously active accounts have been reactivated, and new players can sign up on the game's official website prior to rolling a character. Darkfall is set in the harsh realm of Agon, a huge medieval fantasy world filled with dungeons, dangerous mobs, and open PvP. The game also features full corpse-looting, crafting, and clan-based warfare.
Check out our Darkfall Choose My Adventure series for an in-depth look at the title's gameplay and community, and be sure to hit up the gallery below for the latest screenshots.
[Source: Aventurine press release]
Aventurine hosting free Darkfall weekend, quadruple XP originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Sci-fi, Previews, PvP, Star Wars: The Old Republic
At the recent fan site summit in Austin, TX, Star Wars: The Old Republic's Lead PvP Designer Gabe Amatangelo revealed nirvana for PvPers with Outlaw's Den. Outlaw's Den is a PvP free-for-all (FFA) area on Tatooine for players crazy enough to risk certain death to congregate, fight, and struggle for rewards.
Because there are no rules in the area, members from the same faction can harm -- and kill -- each other, and there are no restrictions on what goes on in that space. Apart from the excitement of "anything goes" PvP combat, Outlaw's Den sports several attractive elements that make it worth visiting, including top-tier crafting materials, vendors that sell rare mounts and social gear, an auction kiosk, and a pit reserved for to-the-death duels.
One of the most interesting aspects of Outlaw's Den is that even NPCs are susceptible to being killed, opening up the possibility for individuals and guilds to kill vendors in order to keep them out of others' hands. However, nobody can capture the zone, so the fighting will extend indefinitely.
SWTOR's Outlaw's Den is a hive of scum, villainy, and all-out PvP originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Red Rancor
Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Vanguard, Dungeons
In addition to a new thirteen-boss dungeon called the City of Brass, the devs are also cranking out overland raid bosses, removing the game's corpse recovery mechanics, and easing the leveling experience. There's also a blurb about increased drop rates and a "golden path" via the game's riftways that will guide players to the ideal adventuring areas for their level.
There's no date on all the goodies as of yet, but the post says that SOE is "getting close" to migrating the patch to Vanguard's test server. Head to the official forums to see for yourself.
Vanguard content update to feature new dungeon, golden path, and more originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Vanguard forums
Filed under: Real life, Trailers, Video, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Crime, MMOFPS, CrimeCraft, Miscellaneous
We bring this up because Vogster is readying its second major expansion, GangWars, which is scheduled to launch on December 5th. The update adds more of a traditional MMO feel to what is otherwise a lobby-based game. New territory wars mechanics are the culprit, and they allow gangs to own and control sections of the game's persistent Sunrise City environment.
Curiously, Vogster is also implementing a new quickplay system which offers access to CrimeCraft's "core gameplay features through a simplified interface that lets you shortcut RPG gameplay and get right to the action." CrimeCraft boasts 20 unique maps and 11 gameplay modes. Learn more about the game, and sign up for free, at the official website. Before you go, though, check out the territory wars trailer after the break.
[Source: Vogster press release]
Continue reading CrimeCraft expansion to feature persistent territory control, quickplay options
CrimeCraft expansion to feature persistent territory control, quickplay options originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, Patches, PvP, News items, Opinion, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, DUST 514, PlanetSide 2
Despite my best efforts, we're still stuck with lore updates and insignificant PR when it comes to PlanetSide 2, though we did snag a few new screenshots recently. Things have also been quiet when it comes to Global Agenda and a few of my other favorite titles. Not to worry, though. Hi-Rez is moving right along with its Tribes: Ascend beta, and you can read about that and more in my news roundup after the break.
Continue reading The Firing Line: All the shooter news that's fit to print
The Firing Line: All the shooter news that's fit to print originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, MMO industry, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Dungeons
BioWare VP Greg Zeschuk posted the announcement just minutes ago on the forums:
As of now, the non-disclosure portion of our Game Testing Agreement is officially lifted. While all players must still accept the Game Testing Agreement, from this point on testers may now freely talk about their experiences this past weekend in the game, as well as post screenshots and gameplay videos of their testing experiences. We encourage you to come join us on the official Star Wars[TM]: The Old Republic[TM] Forums to share your experiences!If all that wasn't exciting enough, the dev team also released articles covering the flashpoint Bringing Down the Hammer, the book, The Art and Making of The Old Republic, and the Legacy system, which allows for a family last name shared across characters.
The Star Wars: The Old Republic community site will have a copy of this message on the forums and it will also appear in the Patcher. Players may not talk about nor reprint posts from our testing forums as they are still fully covered by the confidentiality portions of our Game Testing Agreement. And all players who want to participate in the upcoming Beta Test Weekends still have to accept all terms of the Game Testing Agreement. So, other than that, free feel to talk about and share your experiences in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Star Wars: The Old Republic lifts NDA, Bothan spies spared further deaths originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Post-Apocalyptic
Consider today your education, then, as the team behind the post-apocalyptic L.A.W -- Living After War released a whole crate of images with the intent of showing us how the iterative process works. In the gallery below you can check out different versions of the same buildings, vehicles, and mobs at various stages of their making. From sketches to concept art to in-game models, these screens are a great crash course in understanding how involved the development team has to get to make these games a reality.
[Source: ProSiebenSat.1 press release]
Post-apocalyptic L.A.W takes us from sketches to art to screen originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Super-hero, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Champions Online
The Champions website says that Comic Series are designed to take you on an "exciting adventure in which you'll encounter new creatures and environments, all the while playing through an intriguing story." The new Whiteout series is accessible to players at level 11 or higher, and on top of the new narrative you'll get special issue rewards and item drops as you progress.
New Champions Online Whiteout comic series content debuts originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Comic Series details
Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play
According to the clip, Eve is bent on avenging her kingdom's destruction and restoring its former glory. To do so, she relies on player-controlled robotic guardian troops and a couple of seductively titled job classes. Though we don't rightly know what exactly Code Exotic: Mistress of Destruction or Code Architecture: Master of Guardian Nasods means, they sure do sound cool.
We do know that Eve is coming out on November 23rd, so you've got just under a week to go until you're able to unleash her particular brand of melee whoop-ass on Elsword's various mobs. Don't forget to watch the vid after the break.
[Source: Kill3rCombo press release]
Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Elsword reveals new Eve playable character
Massively Exclusive: Elsword reveals new Eve playable character originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.