Virtual World News
Fallen Earth state of the game talks 1.9.2, economics, and more
August 11, 2011
Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play, Post-Apocalyptic, Dev Diaries, Sandbox
The good news is that "the heavy lifting is over" in terms of the account and services migration to GamersFirst. Croall says that the Fallen Earth team is a smidge over halfway through the entire transition process, so for now it'll still cost you a few bucks to log in and get your post-apocalyptic sandpark fix.
Croall spends some virtual ink talking about this month's fast travel/1.9.2 patch, and she also goes into a bit more detail on the combat changes that came with it. Finally, she touches on the game's second anniversary (yeah, it's been two years already!), which happens next month and will also herald some economic changes designed to make the game's well-regarded crafting system pack a little more punch. There's more too, but much of it is farther down the development pipeline, and we highly recommend heading to the official Fallen Earth dev blog to check it out.
Fallen Earth state of the game talks 1.9.2, economics, and more originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The Perfect Ten: Why Elves are the scourge of MMOs
August 11, 2011
Filed under: Fantasy, Races, Humor, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous
As the axiom goes, where there is fantasy, there are Elves. Blame J.R.R. Tolkien for popularizing a race of what used to be cookie and Santa helpers. Almost overnight Elves became in vogue in geek culture, and efforts to root them out with flamethrowers have been in vain. Any fantasy MMO that is announced is required, by some arcane law that can only be broken with the blood of a virgin god, to include Elves as a racial choice -- or, if the developers are feeling particularly sadistic, more than one choice. Wood, night, blood, dark, light, mystical -- take your pick. There are plenty of Elves for everyone!
Well, I'm not having it. Elves don't get a free pass on my watch, and I'm not afraid to stand up to the powerful Pro-Elf lobby and nail my 10 theses as to why Elves suck on the doors of this blog. Consider your pointy ears on notice, you woodland freaks -- the jig is up!
Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Why Elves are the scourge of MMOs
The Perfect Ten: Why Elves are the scourge of MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Bombshell: End of Nations to be free-to-play
August 11, 2011
Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, War, Free-to-play, MMORTS
Trion's Dave Luehmann hopes this will give End of Nations a competitive advantage when it launches: "Being able to offer a premium game such as End of Nations for free sets us apart in this industry. At Trion, we strive to innovate online gaming while emphasizing the delivery of the best core gameplay experience available. Our decision to release End of Nations as a AAA free-to-play title is guided by these principles."
Trion will be offering an optional subscription package and a game store to enhance players' experience. The store will sell customization and convenience items, and Trion has clearly stated that it will not be selling "pay-to-win items" through it.
During our hands-on impressions from last year, we noted that the title was probably not best suited for a monthly subscription, so it's good to see Trion freeing the game from that business model. End of Nations will be available to players at this month's Gamescom.
Bombshell: End of Nations to be free-to-play originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The past, present, and future of the Guild Wars 2 Sylvari
August 11, 2011
Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Guild Wars 2, Races
Jeff talks quite a bit about the history and origin of the Sylvari, touching on several elements that can be found in the current Guild Wars game, such as Ventari, Ronan, and familiar enemies and locations. He also presents some insight into the race's lifestyle, varying personalities, rulers, and more. Finally, he looks at some of the challenges facing the Sylvari, both from within and without.
Check out the new video below along with new media from the Sylvari starting area, and read Jeff's full entry at the ArenaNet Guild Wars 2 page.
Continue reading The past, present, and future of the Guild Wars 2 Sylvari
The past, present, and future of the Guild Wars 2 Sylvari originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Captain's Log: Resistance might actually be futile
August 11, 2011
Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Captain's Log
Hello, computer (and players)! They're mean, they're green(ish), and they are of a collective mind... they are the Borg, and resistance is futile. As most of you know, the Federation's most feared enemy plays a major part in Star Trek Online, and while the Borg are the current endgame "baddie," players find themselves on a daily basis in situations that force them to avoid assimilation. Be they in Deep Space Encounters (DSEs), Special Task Forces (STFs), or random explore missions, the Borg are out there and planning an invasion into the Alpha Quadrant. Bad news, Captains -- their plans are about to come to realization.
Later this month, the Borg Fleet Intercepts are scheduled to commence, and as the Borg take up their offensive stance, players of all ranks are going to be called to the front lines. Since this is the first "global combat event" the game has ever had (not including one during beta), players are excited to see what is in store and what they're up against. Luckily, being a member of Section 31, I was able to gain access to some secret intelligence that contains the Borg's plans, and Captain's Log is about to let you in on them so you know how to organize your counterattack.
Ensign, warp 10! Let's prepare our readers for the impending invasion...
Continue reading Captain's Log: Resistance might actually be futile
Captain's Log: Resistance might actually be futile originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
New predictions for SWTOR sales: 3M units!
August 11, 2011
Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, Star Wars: The Old Republic
Gamasutra reports that Cowen and Company originally predicted sales of the Star Wars MMO to be approximately 1.5 million units with subscription retention at about 1 million players. However, Cowen and Company has now increased that prediction to 3 million unit sold in the first year with 2 million steady subscribers. With EA taking few other risks this season, it spells high hopes for anyone investing in the game developer. However, if anyone is keeping score at home, that number is still below the 4.7 million sales of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm -- though it's quickly catching up.
New predictions for SWTOR sales: 3M units! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Total Recall IP snagged by MMO studio SEE Virtual Worlds
August 11, 2011
Filed under: Entropia Universe, MMO industry, News items, Planet Calypso
Planet Michael creator SEE Virtual Worlds has announced that it is now the proud owner of even more well-known intellectual properties. The studio now owns the rights to Men in Black 3, Total Recall (the remake, bleh), Asterix, War of the Worlds, and Waterworld.
Whether the studio will turn these properties into MMOs as well, however, remains to be seen. CEO Martin Ballas said only, "These properties are tied to memorable moments and incredible characters that players are going to interact with in future SEE-created digital and online interactive video games." See Virtual Worlds, however, has purchased Planet Calypso for a staggering $6 million, which could hint at a possible Total Recall-themed online destination. Before long, you just may be able to hop online and shout at your party, "Get your ass to Mars!"
Whether the studio will turn these properties into MMOs as well, however, remains to be seen. CEO Martin Ballas said only, "These properties are tied to memorable moments and incredible characters that players are going to interact with in future SEE-created digital and online interactive video games." See Virtual Worlds, however, has purchased Planet Calypso for a staggering $6 million, which could hint at a possible Total Recall-themed online destination. Before long, you just may be able to hop online and shout at your party, "Get your ass to Mars!"
Total Recall IP snagged by MMO studio SEE Virtual Worlds originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Behind the Mask: Heroes vs. heroes
August 11, 2011
Filed under: Super-hero, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, Champions Online, Behind the Mask
Because most CO players are more casual players (in the sense that they don't plan builds and tend to pick powers that are "fun" or "cool"), they often get quite upset when they are defeated by an optimized PvP build. Most players I know tend to assume that the FoTM builds are unbeatable and that the only way to beat them is to join them.
Experienced PvPers know that this just isn't the case. It is true that an optimized PvP build is a necessity, but the actual optimization can take on many forms. There are dozens of effective "win buttons" in Champions' PvP out of a couple hundred powers. Out of dozens of possible kill methods, picking one and supplementing it with logical choices and personal flavor is a snap.
Continue reading Behind the Mask: Heroes vs. heroes
Behind the Mask: Heroes vs. heroes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
One Shots: I got a fever
August 11, 2011
Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Guild Wars 2, One Shots
The quest is called "More Cowbell." Eurus has a magical cowbell that will ward off the plague, but he was attacked and dropped it in a nearby bed of blue oysters. If you accept the quest to find it for him, talking to him again will trigger his plea: "Please, Cantha is rife with plague and the only inoculation is my blessed cowbell!" The only cure is more cowbell, so off you go to find it.We're celebrating pop culture in our MMOs this week. Developers sneak references in all over games, whether it be via NPCs, quests, or items, and we want to see your favorites. Grab a screenshot, tell us a bit about what it is, and send it to oneshots@massively.com. We'll be featuring the best of these all week.
When you succeed, the quest reward text says "It is often said among my people that a great reaver guides us all to the next life, digging through the sky of jade and leading the dead to the great, wide sea in the stars. With this cowbell, I will show them that we have no need to fear the reaver.""
It's also time to start thinking about next week's One Shots theme, and we'll be revisiting an old favorite: environments. Snap a screenshot of your favorite MMO vista and send it in, and we'll feature it on One Shots next week!
One Shots: I got a fever originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The Guild Counsel: Why The Raid is worth seeing
August 11, 2011
Filed under: World of Warcraft, Guilds, Endgame, Opinion, The Guild Counsel, Miscellaneous
But is the mixed review simply the cynical gamer at his best, or is it legit? In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll take a closer look at The Raid, and I'll explain why I think it's definitely worth seeing.
Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Why The Raid is worth seeing
The Guild Counsel: Why The Raid is worth seeing originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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