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Storyboard: Only good once
September 07, 2012

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Good to the first drop. And no further drops.
Truce Sokolov is a character I like to hold up as an example of how characters can take on lives of their own. She was created as more of a throwaway than anything, a Draenei Shaman whose main character trait was being kind of shy. Flash-forward a year, and she was my main character on the Alliance side of the fence, fleshed out into a strong and capable woman hamstrung by her lack of faith in herself and a resentment of her militaristic environment. She defined a large chunk of my roleplaying in World of Warcraft.

So I've tried to port her over to other games. And it has never worked.

To date, I've created about a dozen different Truces in different games, and absolutely every one of them has tripped at the starting gate. Or imploded on the launch pad. So as I sift through the wreckage of yet another incarnation of the character, it seems apropos to discuss characters that only work in a single incarnation no matter how hard you try.

Continue reading Storyboard: Only good once

MassivelyStoryboard: Only good once originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Guild Wars 2 fan site compromised, 11,000 game accounts affected
    September 07, 2012

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    Guild Wars 2 fan site compromised, 11,000 game accounts affected
    Ars Technica is reporting that 11,000 Guild Wars 2 accounts have been compromised after an attack on an unknown fan site.

    ArenaNet is emailing account holders who log in from new locations, and the company says that it received 8,500 hacking-related support requests last weekend and another 2,500-plus by Monday. The firm is also dishing out plenty of common sense advice, like "don't use the same email address and password for Guild Wars 2 that you've used for another game or web site."

    MassivelyGuild Wars 2 fan site compromised, 11,000 game accounts affected originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    DCUO video previews new Legends PvP
    September 07, 2012

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    DCUO video previews new Legends PvP
    DC Universe Online is getting ready for its fifth DLC pack, Hand of Fate. Along with utility belt attachments, new operations in the open areas of Gotham City and Metropolis, and new side quests, Hand of Fate will be bringing Doctor Fate and Felix Faust to Legends PvP. These inimitable fellows will bring sorcery to the Legends PvP character pool, and change things up with the ability to summon pets and minions. While not quite so offensively aggressive as other characters, these characters focus on a control-based, tactical approach to gameplay.

    Skip below the cut to get a shiny video introduction to heroic Doctor Fate and nefarious Felix Faust.

    Continue reading DCUO video previews new Legends PvP

    MassivelyDCUO video previews new Legends PvP originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Free LOVE for all!
    September 07, 2012

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    Free LOVE for all!
    Eskil Steenberg's solo MMO project is taking the next step of its journey, as LOVE is dropping all costs and going completely free. "After countless iterations, innovations, and experiments I think I have created something special," he wrote on LOVE's website. "LOVE has become a game unlike any other. Now I really think you should play it."

    Steenberg developed LOVE under his own steam and without funding, and he admits that both the creation of the game and its operation are costing him. To help cover the costs of this now-free title, he's asking fans to consider donations in exchange for a perked-up character.

    More than anything, he just hopes that players will give his creation a try: "If you take the time and have an open mind, you will find out why this is a labour of love."

    MassivelyFree LOVE for all! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    SWTOR expands free-to-play rewards
    September 07, 2012

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    SWTOR expands Cartel Coins rewards
    With the days until Star Wars: The Old Republic's conversion to free-to-play ticking down, BioWare is rounding out its reward system for current and former players.

    The studio announced that the players voted for the Party Jawa as a special reward that all current and previous subscribers will receive when the title goes F2P. The Party Jawa is an item that unleashes a fun-loving native of Tatooine who has nothing better to do than bring the festivities to you.

    BioWare's also expanded its reward chart to include purchasers of SWTOR's digital deluxe edition. Those players will receive 250 cartel coins to spend on rewards this fall.

    MassivelySWTOR expands free-to-play rewards originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    PAX Prime 2012: Undead Labs' State of Decay
    September 07, 2012

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    Screenshot -- State of Decay
    Everyone loves zombies, right? Apparently so because they're absolutely everywhere (like Miami, for instance), but we keep on lapping it up. Secretly, though, I think a lot of us are tired of the same old zombie games. After all, if you're one of the truly hardcore that has a zombie apocalypse plan that includes where you'll hole up, how you'll find weapons, what you'll eat, and so forth, it's a little disappointing that most games tend to focus solely on the zombie-shooting part of the zombie apocalypse (not that there's anything wrong with zombie-shooting).

    Undead Labs' upcoming MMO State of Decay might change all that.

    The game will take place in a persistent world where players are responsible for rounding up survivors, finding the necessary resources to build defenses and stay alive, and of course, fighting off the zombie hordes. Finally, those of you who have long debated the merits of going to the gun store vs. not going to the gun store in the event of an apocalypse can see whose plan works better. And what's more, at PAX Prime 2012, I got to sit down and play around with it myself, though not for nearly as long as I would have liked. Regardless, if State of Decay is on your radar -- and it should be -- then I'd be glad to tell you all about my 20-odd minutes with the title.

    Continue reading PAX Prime 2012: Undead Labs' State of Decay

    MassivelyPAX Prime 2012: Undead Labs' State of Decay originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      MMO Blender: Karen's kid-friendly game with grown-up appeal
      September 07, 2012

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      MMO Blender A kidfriendly game with grownup appeal
      I regularly explore the good, bad, and the ugly in kid-friendly MMOs, so I was eager to have a turn with the MMO Blender to see if I could concoct a game that would be appealing for kids but also have some features that should be standard in grown-up MMOs as well. There are a lot of MMOs out there that are aimed at a young audience, but I think the industry sometimes holds back and opts to make a game that's safe. The result of going safe, though, is that it's also not that compelling. Let's take a look at a few features that would make a (nearly) perfect kid-friendly MMO, one that might even be appealing to adults.

      Continue reading MMO Blender: Karen's kid-friendly game with grown-up appeal

      MassivelyMMO Blender: Karen's kid-friendly game with grown-up appeal originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Star Trek Online September Ask Cryptic on future content and cosmetic updates
        September 07, 2012

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        Because nothing says Star Trek like a Tholian watching the sunrise.
        It's the start of a new month, and that means a new Ask Cryptic for Star Trek Online. Executive Producer Daniel Stahl answers a wide array of player questions for this month, with questions that range from a timeframe on new KDF content (Season 8 at the earliest) to whether or not the game will do something to commemorate series creator Gene Roddenberry (on the table with the 1000 day veteran rewards coming shortly).

        Stahl also addresses the reason that the game's featured episodes vanished for a while. He explains that the team was too short-handed for a long time to develop multiple systems and updates in parallel. As the base behind Star Trek Online has expanded, the developers have moved toward having a more robust and multi-tiered development strategy once again. Players interested in the game can find all these answers and more in the full article.

        MassivelyStar Trek Online September Ask Cryptic on future content and cosmetic updates originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Betawatch: September 1 - 7, 2012
        September 07, 2012

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        Betawatch - City of Steam
        Happy Friday, Betawatchers! If you're into not-elves, you're going to love today's roundup.

        Steampunk fans, furbish up your browsers: City of Steam's closed beta is gearing up (pun intended) for November. Spandex more your thing? Try Marvel Heroes; its closed beta will begin on October 1st. How about sci-fi? End of Nations' third testing event began this morning, Otherland is initiating a second beta weekend, and PlanetSide 2 announced its beta promotions today as well.

        Finally, we added Xulu Universe last week, and now we've checked it out in person. It's in "sort of an open alpha," so you "sort of" can too.

        Check out the complete Betawatch list after the cut!

        Continue reading Betawatch: September 1 - 7, 2012

        MassivelyBetawatch: September 1 - 7, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          SOE Live puts out a call for player-run panels
          September 07, 2012

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          No, making everyone in the room listen to you explain your question for ten minutes during a Q&A session does not count as running a panel.
          Have you ever been sitting and watching a panel at a convention while thinking that you could totally host a panel yourself? Sony Online Entertainment seems inclined to agree with you. That's why this year's SOE Live event has halls set aside and time blocked off for player-run panels, during which you and your fellow players can get up on the stage and have the attention of your fellow attendees. If you've got something you'd like to present and you want in audience, here's your chance.

          Submitted panels will be subject to an approval process, as SOE is expecting a lot of interest. Panelists who are approved will be given an all-access pass for free and will be given a refund for any previously purchased pass. There are also a number of restrictions on content and hardware available: There's space for running a PowerPoint presentation, for example, but you'll need to bring your own laptop. If none of that scares you off, get thinking about your topic and see if you can hold the interest of a room as well as you think.

          MassivelySOE Live puts out a call for player-run panels originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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