Filed under: MMO Roundup

MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Nov 16th 2010 at 11:30AM

	*Massively interviews BioWare on SWTOR's crafting and PvP* Massively recently had the opportunity to visit LucasArts in San Francisco and talk to some of the BioWare developers who are hard at work on The Old Republic. Head over to Massively to see what the developers had to say!
	*Roll out! Transformers Online* going worldwide** Earlier this year, it was announced that NetDragon, a China-based development house, was working on an MMO adaptation of the Transformers franchise. Hasbro has recently confirmed that the game will not be region-locked to China. It will be receiving a multinational release.
	GamersFirst publisher purchases All Points Bulletin APB was shut down so fast after launch that it gave players whiplash. Many core fans thought the shutdown was undeserved and held out hope that it would make a comeback. Good news: it will!

Filed under: MMO Roundup

MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Nov 9th 2010 at 3:00PM

	The Top 10 weird staples of every fantasy MMO No matter how unique fantasy MMOs try to be, they all somehow manage to fall into the same tropes. Head over to Massively and read their Top 10 fantasy staples list. How many of them apply to your favorite games?
	Undead Labs: Current MMOs are "barely even games" Undead Labs has a new game designer, and he's come out swinging against the established MMO format. Richard Foge, who previously worked on God of War, SOCOM and Guild Wars, says he "loves the idea of MMOs" but isn't satisfied with the current market.
	*Bigpoint CEO says The Old Republic* will never be profitable** As a high-profile MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic is proving itself to be a big target for attack. Bigpoint, the German game developer that's working on Battlestar Galactica Online, stepped up to take a swing at the as-of-yet-unreleased title.

Filed under: MMO Roundup

MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Nov 4th 2010 at 9:00AM

	The largest battle ever held in EVE The battle is long over now, but early last week, EVE Online saw the largest single battle the game's community has ever seen. It grew naturally out of player actions and not a developer-organized event. Head over to Massively for details.
	Champions Online goes free-to-play In a surprising move, Champions Online executive producer Shannon Posniewski announced in his most recent State of the Game that Champions will be adopting a free-to-play model and introduce a streamlined character creation for free players. Will the transition to free-to-play serve Champions Online as well as it has Lord of the Rings Online or Dungeons and Dragons Online?
	Anti-Aliased: End of line The Joystiq network bids farewell to Massively's Sera Brennan and wish her luck in her new position at Turbine. Read her goodbyes in the final edition of her editorial column, Anti-Aliased. Good luck at Turbine, Sera!

Filed under: MMO Roundup

MMO Roundup: The last two weeks of Massively

by Alex Ziebart Oct 28th 2010 at 9:00AM

Sometimes you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? It's not all WoW, all the time! Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all of the other MMOs around -- past, present and future. Due to a slight BlizzCon interruption last week, this week we've picked the top posts of the last two weeks of Massively.

	The Soapbox: Don't hate the game, hate the copy The Massively staff's new editorial column, The Soapbox, kicks off with Eliot Lefebvre tackling the World of Warcraft clones plaguing the MMO genre. Someone is to blame for it -- but it isn't World of Warcraft.
	Blizzard's Pardo talks Bungie MMO Blizzard Entertainment's Rob Pardo recently discussed the possibility of Blizzard and Bungie sharing resources on a future MMO project. He also mentions how much he would love to play it!
	Zynga sued over Facebook privacy breaches Zynga and its stable of Facebook games have never exactly won the hearts of MMO fans, but they've managed to avoid a lawsuit up until now. Unfortunately for them, a class action lawsuit has been filed today seeking monetary relief for the unwarranted and undesirable release of private information.

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MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Oct 12th 2010 at 10:00PM

	*Questionable EVE* attack deals 30 billion ISK in damage** This week, a player by the name of Solarius became the unfortunate target of EVE's more ruthless player element. Solarius, CEO of Quantanamo Corporation, was running missions in high-security space in his Paladin when players destroyed his ship in a coordinated suicide attack. The losses amounted to 30 billion ISK, a $1,200 USD equivalent.
	SWTOR's Ilum a crystal-clear win for the Sith While Hoth may take the spotlight whenever someone wants to interview a winter-bound planet in the Star Wars universe, the scrappy planet of Ilum is out to make a name for itself. Star Wars: The Old Republic's 16th announced planet is a remote ball of ice that just so happens to be a major source of lightsaber crystals.
	Lord of the Rings Online's revenue doubles after going Free to Play According to Turbine, it's been a bonanza month for Middle-earth. At GDCO, the studio announced that revenues from Lord of the Rings Online have doubled in the past month since switching to a free-to-play hybrid model. What's even better is that Joystiq reports that LotRO has added a million new accounts over the last 30 days as well.
	*Massively interviews FFXIV's Sage Sundi and Yasu Kurosawa* At the recent New York Comic Con, Massively's Eliot Lefebvre had an opportunity to sit down with two of the names behind the newly released Final Fantasy XIV, the MMO that has potentially been Massively's most controversial for the last few months.

Filed under: MMO Roundup

MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Oct 5th 2010 at 6:00PM

	Anti-Aliased: How I mine for craft Minecraft is an indie phenomenon that recently took the gaming world by storm. Can MMO developers learn anything from it? Massively's Sera Brennan thinks so.
	TERA unveils archer and sorcerer gameplay videos Frogster has recently released a pair of new gameplay videos that show the PvE experience of TERA from the perspective of both an archer and a sorcerer. If you're a player that likes your ranged DPS classes and you've been waiting to see how TERA plays, these videos are for you.
	DC Universe Online fly-through gives you a hero's-eye view of Metropolis Previous footage from DC Universe Online showed bits and pieces of the game world. A street scene here and a rooftop battle there. In this Massively exclusive video, you get to experience a full flythrough of DCUO's Metropolis, not just bits and pieces.

Filed under: MMO Roundup

MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Sep 28th 2010 at 6:00PM

	First Impressions: Final Fantasy XIV If you haven't yet decided whether or not you would like to give Final Fantasy XIV a try, this one is for you. Massively's Eliot Lefebvre brings you his first impressions on the state of the game at launch.
	Newly "smuggled" information from Star Wars: The Old Republic Just when we think there isn't anything more that can be revealed about the smuggler class, BioWare proves us wrong. The Old Republic website recently launched a slew of screenshots, advanced class data and videos about Han Solo's favorite Republic class.
	World of Darkness confirmed; based on Vampire: The Masquerade "Some secrets are best taken to the grave ..." While the secret wasn't that closely guarded, we were waiting on the edge of our seats to hear the official word of CCP's World of Darkness this weekend. At The Grand Masquerade convention in New Orleans, the developers not only confirmed the project, but revealed that it is set in White Wolf's Vampire: The Masquerade setting.

Filed under: MMO Roundup

MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Sep 21st 2010 at 7:00PM

	A World of Warcraft player's guide to Final Fantasy XIV Are you a World of Warcraft veteran ready to take a break from the indomitable behemoth of the MMO scene? Are you looking to step out of Azeroth and into Final Fantasy XIV's Eorzea? There are some things you should know. This guide is for you.
	Fallout Online hints at The Church of Harold The new Fallout MMORPG is such a closely guarded secret that we know next to nothing about the game itself. Interplay is wisely putting the uncertainty surrounding the title to effective marketing use, with the latest example being a cryptic "Church of Harold" advertisement that recently surfaced on the company's website.
	Realtime Worlds announces the closure of APB APB Community Officer Ben Bateman broke the news early last week: "APB has been a fantastic journey, but unfortunately that journey has come to a premature end. Today we are sad to announce that despite everyone's best efforts to keep the service running, APB is coming to a close."

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MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Sep 14th 2010 at 3:00PM

	"You shall not pay!" declares Gandalf the White Lord of the Rings Online recently switched to a free-to-play model and has kicked its advertising campaign into overdrive. This brilliant ad puts a fun twist on Gandalf's most iconic line of dialogue. Does this make gamer nerds Balrogs? If you're intended to try the game now that it's free, don't miss Massively's comprehensive LotRO launch guide.
	SWTOR announces Han Solo's future home as a playable planet Corellia, the primary planet of the Five Brothers in the Corellian system, has recently been announced as the next planet for you to explore in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Who doesn't know Han Solo? This famous smuggler will be born on this pivotal planet in some 3,500 years after the in events in SWTOR, but that does not stop this luscious world from being an important spot in The Old Republic.
	Final Fantasy XIV's open beta has an announced conclusion The Final Fantasy XIV open beta hasn't been open long, and it won't be open much longer. The open beta testing phase is set to close on Sept. 19, so if you haven't tried it out yet, you're running out of time.

Filed under: MMO Roundup

MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Sep 7th 2010 at 4:00PM

	*HK-47 steals the show in PAX The Old Republic* trailer** It was starting to feel like forever since any new information had come out of The Old Republic's well-oiled marketing machine. Happily, a new video released at PAX 2010 has temporarily quenched the drought and simultaneously provided a glimpse into ground-based combat in BioWare's upcoming Star Wars opus. Come for the combat footage, stay for the cameo from everybody's favorite snarky droid.
	*PAX 2010: Guild Wars 2* hands-on** Guild Wars 2 is one of the most anticipated upcoming MMO releases, right alongside giants like Final Fantasy XIV and Star Wars: The Old Republic. This past weekend at PAX, Massively's Rubi Bayer had the opportunity to tackle the game head on with her own two hands.
	CCP unveils EVE Online's latest expansion EVE made its fair share of noise at PAX as well. In addition to a brand new trailer (embedded at the top of this post), CCP also officially announced its latest expansion, which will bring improvements to a number of areas of play.

Filed under: MMO Roundup

MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Aug 31st 2010 at 2:00PM

	*Teen kills disabled girl, plays DDO* to "forget"** On Aug. 17, 18-year-old Tyler Savage led police to the body of a developmentally disabled teenage girl, whom Savage admitted to killing then raping. After hiding the body, Savage went to a neighbor's house and logged in to Dungeons & Dragons Online. He claimed that playing DDO helped him to forget his crime, a crime to which he has since pleaded "not guilty."
	Final Fantasy XIV open beta date announced, new trailer released Final Fantasy XIV closed beta keys were a coveted item for a while, as fans sent in beta applications in the hopes of seeing the game's ups and downs firsthand. Square Enix promised to grant that wish for everyone very soon with open beta, announcing that it would begin in early September. It looks like things are ready a bit earlier than anticipated, as the latest news from FFXIV has an open beta start date of Aug. 31.
	Guild Wars 2 necromancer revealed This is not your ancestor's necromancer. Much like the ranger, the necromancer in Guild Wars 2 is bigger, badder and deadlier than her Guild Wars counterpart. Head over to Massively for screenshots, videos and descriptions of the cool new necromancer abilities and combat resources.

Filed under: MMO Roundup

MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Aug 24th 2010 at 9:00PM

	*NCsoft sued for making Lineage II* too darned addicting** Can a video game publisher be successfully sued for releasing a game that makes players want to play it compulsively? That's the question of the hour in the USA, as Lineage II player Craig Smallwood levied a $3 million negligence suit against NCsoft for making the game too addictive. Smallwood found himself playing the MMO for over 20,000 hours in the last five years, to the point where he is unable to function normally in real life -- and he claims it's NCsoft's fault for not warning him in advance.
	*New WAR40K* trailer introduces first playable race** The Warhammer 40K crew has released a new trailer introducing the game's first playable race: The Imperium of Man. Head over to Massively to check out the trailer and a gallery of screenshots.
	Final Fantasy XIV open beta set to begin "in early September" If you're a Final Fantasy XIV fan and didn't score a closed beta key in the past weeks, you've likely been poring over all of the testing news -- both good and bad -- to keep up with the progression of closed beta. There's nothing quite like seeing and experiencing it all firsthand, however, and soon you'll have the chance to do just that.

Filed under: MMO Roundup

MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Aug 17th 2010 at 7:30PM

	Heroes of EVE EVE Online isn't just crime and cruelty. For every low-life scammer trying to steal your hard-earned ISK, there are helpful individuals working to counteract scamming. For every war-mongering pirate preying on new players, there are hundreds of people willing to teach new players to defend themselves and stay safe. Head on over to Massively to learn more about these heroes.
	Baldur's Gate was almost an MMO At a recent GDC Europe panel for BioWare, studio founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk had some fun with the audience, reminiscing on what might have been. Baldur's Gate was originally envisioned as an MMORPG quite different from the title many gamers know and love.
	BioWare confirms Jedi advanced classes for The Old Republic BioWare has released the first bits of information on Advanced Classes for Star Wars: The Old Republic's Jedi Knight characters, confirming rumors that have been circulating for the past week. Advanced Jedi Knights come in two flavors -- Guardians and Sentinels, with the former seemingly filling the traditional tank role and the latter using dual lightsabers to pump out the damage.

Filed under: MMO Roundup

MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Aug 10th 2010 at 2:00PM

	EVE player destroys over $1,000 worth of game time Word of Warcraft players, imagine you were transporting goods from Stormwind to Booty Bay so you could sell them in the neutral auction house rather than the Alliance auction house. You were ganked en route, but instead of the simple corpse run that we know, everything you had in your bags either dropped for your opponent as spoils of war or were destroyed outright in the fight. Now imagine the goods you had in your bags were legitimately purchased with real money ... over $1,000 worth of real money.
	Star Wars: The Old Republic's space combat detailed in PC Gamer The Old Republic hopefuls were given a little scare when it was rumored that the game's space combat would be a completely on-rails experience. PC Gamer has published details since then assuring gamers that it will be a bit more robust than that, though still not a sandbox experience.
	Personality in Guild Wars 2: NPCs will give you pie Do you like pie? Do you want game NPCs to give you free pie? How about a free jar of bees? (Don't look so surprised; it's an excellent weapon.) It may sound funny, but free goodies from NPCs are all part of the personality system in Guild Wars 2. Build your reputation and win the love of the commonfolk or laugh as they cower in fear.

Filed under: MMO Roundup

MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively

by Alex Ziebart Aug 3rd 2010 at 4:00PM

	Richard Garriott wins lawsuit against NCsoft Over a year ago, Richard Garriott filed a lawsuit against his former employer, NCsoft. There was a lot of back and forth regarding who said what, but the crux of the suit was that Garriott claimed NCsoft terminated him, costing him millions, as he was forced to sell his stock options at a bad time. NCsoft claimed that the opposite was true: Garriott left voluntarily. Head on over to Massively for the nitty gritty on the court case.
	EverQuest II jumps on the free-to-play bandwagon Despite assurances as recently as last month that EverQuest II wouldn't be going free-to-play, Sony Online Entertainment recently announced that the game is doing just that ... sort of. EverQuest II Extended is slated for a beta launch on August 17th, and features a separate server set providing all of the game's original content via the insanely popular F2P business model.
	The Old Republic's Sin City has been announced: Nar Shaddaa What happens in Nar Shaddaa stays in Nar Shaddaa. How many unique locations can you fit in one one game? Well, according to the developers at BioWare, one more. Star Wars: The Old Republic is now up to 14 planets with the addition of this center for the criminal underworld.

Filed under: MMO Roundup

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