Virtual World News
Filed under: Fantasy, Asheron's Call, Events, real-world, Expansions, The Game Archaeologist
One of the privileges of writing The Game Archaeologist column here on Massively is that I get to watch over these classic MMOs as they marinate in maturity. Despite new titles being announced or released literally every day, these long-running games are the established old guard that have nothing to prove at this point. It's hard not to be a little in awe of that and gush at it.
So congratulations to Asheron's Call, one of the first batch of 3-D MMOs that hit the scene back in the late '90s, for reaching its 12th anniversary! How bizarre is it to think that Asheron's Call came out the same year that we were freaking out about Y2K, seeing how far George Lucas could fall with The Phantom Menace, and paying about $1.22 a gallon for gas in the U.S.? AC almost seems legendary when you realize how far back it stretches.
Join us as we sing the praises of Dereth and its citizens after the jump!
Continue reading The Game Archaeologist salutes Asheron's Call's 12th anniversary
The Game Archaeologist salutes Asheron's Call's 12th anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Asheron's Call
Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log
Hello, computer (and players)! Welcome to this week's edition of Captain's Log, brought to you by "Geko" Insurance. (And let's just say, you may want to purchase a policy). If you are a Star Trek Online player who watches Cryptic's official forums, you know that the game experienced an Occupy movement of its own this past weekend. Even if you don't frequent the forums, you may have seen some of the concerns raised through the #STO Twitter feed.
Over the weekend, players lashed out against some of the recent changes that have made their way to the Tribble test server. It may be surprising to some of you reading this, but the commotion was not related to the economy changes. The main concern is that some of the items for purchase in the C-Store are going to be changing from account-wide unlocks to per-character transactions. While I was a little perturbed at the thought too, I was happy to see that some of the misconceptions were cleared up once we got an official statement from one of the devs. But since there is a lot more to the story, let's take a look.
Ensign, warp 10! And don't forget to buckle your seatbelt...
Continue reading Captain's Log: A two-minute read could save you 15% or more on nerdrage insurance
Captain's Log: A two-minute read could save you 15% or more on nerdrage insurance originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Events, real-world, News items, Miscellaneous
And remember, this year's PAX Prime saw extreme numbers of fake badges being sold at the sold-out convention, so if you want to be sure to escape the scammers, buy your ticket early so you don't have to rely on scalpers later. To get your tickets, head on over to the PAX East official site.
PAX East tickets on sale now originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: PAX East 2012 official site
- Via: Joystiq
Filed under: Video, Opinion, Humor, Miscellaneous, MechWarrior Online
Hit the break for the full show!
Continue reading This Week in MMO: MechWarrior edition
This Week in MMO: MechWarrior edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: TWIMMO #68
Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play
The obvious question for players, of course, becomes "what about the stuff that I bought out of the cash shop?" If you still have remaining coins for the in-game store or unused cash shop items in your character's inventory, you are eligible for a refund by contacting the customer support center by November 22nd, with refunds being credited between the 23rd and the 24th. It's a sad whimper for the game's operation to end on, but at least players won't be left out in the cold with any unused money.
Alt1 Games shutting down Troy Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Shutdown announcement
Filed under: Polls, Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous
So I'd like to do a very unscientific poll, and I'm seeking your input. Read on for a look at a few factors that might affect the importance of guilds, and then let me know in the poll below -- are you in a guild?
Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Are you in a guild?
The Guild Counsel: Are you in a guild? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Trailers, Video, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play
The clip is taken directly from the game, and serves as an introduction for human characters. There's a bit of backstory relating to the history of the world and the pursuit of lime, as well as lots of idyllic long-shots featuring the game's beautiful scenery.
The new screens show a variety of activities including cooking and farming as well as a group of adventurers in full armor and some player housing. Check them out below and don't forget the video clip after the cut.
Continue reading Aeria releases new Lime Odyssey video, screenshots
Aeria releases new Lime Odyssey video, screenshots originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, Previews, News items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play
The newest Path to F2P blog outlines the means for players to use the exchange system, which works both ways -- players can look to buy dilithium or Cryptic Points and are able to browse the overall market and see what other players are offering or asking. It's not quite as simple as being able to swipe your credit card and then grab some in-game money, but it's certainly blurring the lines between real currency and game money.
Star Trek Online opens up testing for the dilithium exchange originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Path to F2P #16
Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Free-to-play, Massively Meta, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous
Today's column actually does feature a question on the oft-bandied term used to indicate a dislike for the free-to-play model, but it also features questions about our comment system and the unbearable lameness of not knowing the answer to questions. If you've got a question you would like answered in a future installment of the column, you can leave it in the comments or mail it to ask@massively.com. Winning will be implemented in a later build.
Continue reading Ask Massively: Paying-to-win edition
Ask Massively: Paying-to-win edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Galleries, Trailers, Video, New titles, News items
Closed beta registration has just begun on the official site, with a trailer and some early promotional artwork to help build excitement. The game promises to host several different play modes, as well as giving players the option to switch classes mid-combat while experimenting with a variety of different gear setups. If you're a fan of the genre, you might want to take a look at the trailer just past the cut and perhaps sign up for the beta now, rather than later.
Continue reading Beta registration opened for upcoming sci-fi MMOFPS Repulse
Beta registration opened for upcoming sci-fi MMOFPS Repulse originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.