Virtual World News
Filed under: Super-hero, Contests, Free-to-play, Champions Online
Cryptic is hosting a Design-a-Villain contest wherein players can whip up a fearsome foe of their very own. The top five submissions will make it into the game in the form of Alerts villains that everyone will fight. The top villain will be used in a 10-man Alert while the others will be relegated to other roles in the future.
Any players, including free ones, may participate. To do so, you'll need to make an outfit for the villain in the Champions' costume creator, then come up with a name, back story, power set, and minion type. Bring your best game, for you may only enter twice.
[Thanks to The Grand Nagus for the tip!]
Champions Online gives you the chance to design an in-game villain originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Champions Online
Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Post-Apocalyptic, Crafting
The game's first beta build boasts a dozen new dungeons, dynamic weather effects, and vehicles that consume gasoline and feature both weapon and armor mounting capabilities. Oh yeah, there's crafting too, and a player-run economy that includes weaponsmith, armorer, and engineer professions as well as various specializations. Sound interesting? If so, you can register for beta at the official site.
[Source: gamigo press release]
Grimlands closed beta features new dungeons, crafting revamp, and more originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, Interviews, Free-to-play
"By allowing a well made game like PSO to be accessible [to] more people, we felt that we had a chance to teach people that 'This is what online RPGs are supposed to be like,'" Sakai said. "There is nothing that requires payment that will take away from the intrinsic game experience if they are not purchased."
The devs have limited Phantasy Star Online 2's microtransactions to areas that are less likely to see abuse from players willing to trade cash for an in-game advantage over others. These areas include player room upgrades, more storage space, and trading features.
Sakai sees Sega as a pioneer in this regard: "I honestly think that Sega is the only maker that is willing to go this far. Even if we fail, if we can get people to say 'They were five years ahead of their time' then I'll have no regrets. I believe that there's meaning in the challenge itself."
'No regrets': Sega defends Phantasy Star Online 2's F2P model originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Kotaku
Filed under: Historical, Real life, Business models, MMO industry, News items, War, Free-to-play, World of Tanks
It's not enough for Wargaming.net, though, so the company is shipping its brand of lobby-based World War II tank action to southeast Asia this week. The game is coming to Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, and it's bringing its arsenal of more than 150 armored vehicles with it.
Local support, distribution, marketing, and operational concerns are in the hands of SEA Gaming. World of Tanks originally launched in March of 2011 as the first game in a planned trilogy of World War II-based action titles.
[Source: Wargaming.net press release]
World of Tanks launches in southeast Asia this week originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, DUST 514, Dev Diaries, Sandbox
CCP is bringing its sci-fi sandbox design chops to the shooter space, and the company has broken down its dynamic battlefield concept in a new DUST dev blog. Each DUST planet will be divided into separate districts (which are basically large territories that contain resources and infrastructure needed to control the world). While planetary landscapes remain static, these districts can vary quite a bit from one deployment to the next, based on what has happened in previous engagements and based on player placement decisions in regard to battlefield equipment.
Memorizing the maps won't give you a huge advantage, CmdrWang says, because you may find a new choke point or structure clogging up your previous short-cut. Read more about DUST's emergent battlefield play at the official PlayStation blog.
DUST 514 dev blog outlines dynamic battlefield mechanics originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: PlayStation blog
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Browser
Kingdoms are meant to add an important strategic resource to the game -- players are responsible for the defense of their cities, forcing a balance between gaining new ground and protecting what's already there. Players will also be granted a variety of different heroes, mounts, and pets, all of which have unique development paths to give player forces a unique flair. No word yet on when the game will go into general release, but potential players can register for the upcoming closed beta on the official site.
[Source: Aeria Games press release]
Aeria Games announces their new MMORTS: Dragon Crusade originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Browser
Requiem originally launched in 2008 and is best known for its mature setting and a monster-spawning mechanic that varies the challenge level based on the in-game time of day. The game also makes use of the Havok Physics Engine to power its "action-packed" 3-D combat. More info on the streaming service and the game proper can be found on the Requiem website.
[Source: Gravity Interactive press release]
Requiem: Momento Mori now streaming to your browser originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Browser
Kingdoms are meant to add an important strategic resource to the game. Players are responsible for the defense of their cities, forcing a balance between gaining new ground and protecting what's already there. Players will also be granted a variety of different heroes, mounts, and pets, all of which have special development paths to give player forces a unique flair. There's no word yet on when the game will go into general release, but potential players can register for the upcoming closed beta on the official site.
[Source: Aeria Games press release]
Aeria Games announces its new MMORTS, Dragon Crusade originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Sci-fi, Launches, MMO industry, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic
BioWare is making a standard and deluxe version of its story-based MMO available both online and via select retailers (the former must be purchased through EA's Origin platform). Subscriptions are available in one-, three-, and six-month varieties. Hit up the official SWTOR website for a full list of countries where you can buy the game.
[Thanks to Sgt Barone for the tip!]
SWTOR is launching in the Middle East and select European countries today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Announcement
Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Mobile
The class wields pistols and rapiers, and NetDragon describes the resulting gameplay as the "most fiery, action-packed combat" in Conquer Online. The expansion pack is currently free if you download Conquer Online HD in the iPad App Store.
[Source: NetDragon press release]
Continue reading Conquer Online expansion includes new pirate class
Conquer Online expansion includes new pirate class originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.