Virtual World News
We recently saw an article posted about EQII tradeskills, and another announcing the new Hero's Edge items, which give you a leg up in the game and are supposedly there because of majority support for them in a recent in-game poll. On top of that, we're knee-deep in the EQII dungeon maker contest, which pits players against each other to see who can make the best player-made dungeon in the Poet's Palace map. But what trumped all that this week was the announcement of SOEmote, a new feature that lets you add animations to your character and change your voice in chat to match your toon. What is SOEmote and is it a good addition to the game? This week's Tattered Notebook will examine both questions!
Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Why SOEmote is good for gaming
The Tattered Notebook: Why SOEmote is good for gaming originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous
But what about you? Do you feel that the popularity of the iPad and other mobile devices is driving just another nail in the coffin of print media for tech and gaming news, or will there always be a place for it on your coffee table?
Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!The Daily Grind: Do you subscribe to offline gaming publications? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Trailers, Video, Events, real-world, Launches, MMOFPS, Massively Event Coverage, Defiance
The trailer shows more of Defiance's gameplay, including an arkfall event that will be one of the cornerstone of the game's experience. The narration in the trailer is performed by the show's star Grant Bowler.
We also learned that both Defiance the TV show and Defiance the MMO will simultaneously launch in April 2013.
Check out the trailer after the jump, and stay tuned as we get our hands on the first-ever public demo of this game at E3 next week.
[Source: Trion Worlds press release]
Continue reading Defiance to launch April 2013, shows off E3 trailer
Defiance to launch April 2013, shows off E3 trailer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Business models, Game mechanics, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Opinion, Free-to-play, DUST 514, Sandbox, World of Warplanes, The Firing Line
OK, some stuff still matters, namely the interesting shooter news that happened this past week. Join me after the jump for a recap.
Continue reading The Firing Line: Zomg it's almost time for PlanetSide 2 edition
The Firing Line: Zomg it's almost time for PlanetSide 2 edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, News items, Miscellaneous
The website cites multiple anonymous sources who say that 38's situation wasn't helped by Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee. "Once things went bad, Chafee's office started leaking any information it could to make 38 Studios look like it had been a bad deal. Unfortunately, a lot of these leaks involved partial and complete misinformation," the source said.
Another source dispelled notions of excessive spending at the shuttered studio. "I can say that the company didn't spend money extravagantly at all. We didn't have giant statues in the halls, or supercomputers with 30-inch monitors at every desk. We had what we needed to work on the game and that was it," the source tells Gamasutra.
Former 38 Studios employees defend Schilling, talk political misinformation originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Gamasutra
Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, The Elder Scrolls Online
Firor mentions that the game will release simultaneously on PC and Mac, but ZeniMax has no plans for a console version. Sage talked a bit about the progression system, which, while level-based, does feature skill-based advancement as well. In the current build, characters gain experience in skills that are slotted. Sage also mentions that you do get better with weapons as you wield them, though the gain is not 100 percent usage-based.
There's also a bit of discussion about art style, camera modes, and the decision to MMOify the Elder Scrolls IP. "We're making an MMO, we're unapologetic about that. This is the Elder Scrolls MMO. It's not Skyrim, Skyrim already exists and you can go play Skyrim. We're making the MMO version of the Elder Scrolls, and with that comes some conventions that are different from a console RPG," Firor says.
ZeniMax devs 'unapologetic' about making Elder Scrolls MMO originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Game Informer
Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Roleplaying
"Any game that calls itself a roleplaying game absolutely needs this feature. For other games, it's just a really good idea that your players will want. Pick a character. Pick a class. And then be that character instead of just being yourself. That's what a roleplaying game is supposed to be," SOE producer Dave Georgeson explains.
Head to PCGamer for the full interview and a tech demo video.
SOEmote tech brings live facial expressions, voice to EverQuest II avatars originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: PCGamer
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play
Webzen is also showing off Arctic Combat, a new online FPS set on the frozen tundra of World War III. Check in with Massively next week as we'll be on the ground in Los Angeles to bring you all the latest MMO news and views.
[Source: Webzen press release]
Webzen gearing up for C9 PvP tourney, Witchblade reveal at E3 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Trailers, Video, New titles, PvP, MMORTS
The trailer shows gameplay between the Liberation Front and the Shadow Revolution in a game-show-death-match style that ends with some interesting commentary on nuclear weapons.
You can check the video out for yourself after the cut below, and watch for our E3 interview with Trion on all of their current and upcoming games next week.
Continue reading End of Nations E3 trailer shows off more gameplay
End of Nations E3 trailer shows off more gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Miscellaneous, Anniversary
The theme this year is "Where the Old Meets the New," thrown in celebration of the defeat of the Demon Satan Morroc, and the discovery of the New World.
Sound like fun to you? Then head over to the game's main site to sign up or visit their Facebook page to join the community.
[Source: Gravity Interactive press release]
Ragnarok Online celebrates its 9th anniversary in style originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.