Massively http://www.massively.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.massively.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://www.massively.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) support@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[MMObility: Let's make a mobile game, part two]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/mmobility-lets-make-a-mobile-game-part-two/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/mmobility-lets-make-a-mobile-game-part-two/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/mmobility-lets-make-a-mobile-game-part-two/#comments My MMO screenshot Last week I started working with Dave Toulouse, indie developer of Golemizer and Star Corsairs, to build our very own mobile MMO. For the sake of completing the project within the month of February, we kept our game designs simple and easy for anyone to play. The idea was not to create a state-of-the-art video game but instead to build a working framework that illustrated some of the basics of MMO design.

Ironically, my first column on the subject was received rather coolly when I consider my normal column response, but last week's responses taught me a valuable lesson about design: Players often want to talk about what is not possible rather than what is. Dave told me how his players often told him what they wished his games would achieve, without ever considering just how difficult it is to make a game.

Still, there were several great ideas in the comments section. I'm going to use those ideas to break down this week's update.

Continue reading MMObility: Let's make a mobile game, part two

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MMObility: Let's make a mobile game, part two originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> androidbeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-baseddave-toulousefeaturedgolemizerIOSMMObilitymobilemy-mmosmartphonestar-corsairs Beau Hindman Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Free for All: Comparing the payment models of Glitch and Ryzom]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/08/free-for-all-comparing-the-payment-models-of-glitch-and-ryzom/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/08/free-for-all-comparing-the-payment-models-of-glitch-and-ryzom/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/08/free-for-all-comparing-the-payment-models-of-glitch-and-ryzom/#comments Ryzom screenshot I thought it might be a cool idea to do a comparison of free-to-play models for my next few articles. As free-to-play has become more and more popular, cash shops and tiers of service have become much more important to how a player might enjoy or interact with a game. While the standard free-to-play model, the most popular one by far, is one that allows players to download a free client, has no subscription at all, and tacks on a cash-shop, the freemium variant is quickly becoming widespread. Freemium seems to be the model of choice for many Western games that were previously subscription-only.

The problem is that I do not really like the freemium model. I'm old-school, I guess. I enjoy the model that was imported to the States maybe eight years ago. A free client with a cash shop on top is all I need to steer my fun by. I'd rather skip any sort of tiered service as well.

There are exceptions to the rule, of course.

Continue reading Free for All: Comparing the payment models of Glitch and Ryzom

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Free for All: Comparing the payment models of Glitch and Ryzom originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmanbrowsercash-shopf2pfallen-earthfeaturedfree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiumftpgamersfirstglitchMicrotransactionsRyzomSandboxtiny-speck Beau Hindman Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Winner of Mabinogi's Merchant of Venice contest highlighted]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/winner-of-mabinogis-merchant-of-venice-contest-highlighted/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/winner-of-mabinogis-merchant-of-venice-contest-highlighted/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/winner-of-mabinogis-merchant-of-venice-contest-highlighted/#comments Mabinogi screenshot If you are familiar with the Mabinogi-hosted contest from November called The Merchant of Venice, California, then you know that the popular free-to-play developer and publisher Nexon asked players to participate in order to win a free trip to the company's California studios to play, relax and discuss the new content. The event celebrated the release of the Merchant of Venice update. The addition gave players the ability to literally transport goods across the lands of Mabinogi. Players gain levels, earn in-game cash that can be used to buy special items and weapons, and gain access to better items to be traded. All expansions in the popular free-to-play title are free.

Sayre, a player from the Mari server, was invited to meet the developers, tour the office and even give some advice about how to make the game better. He received a free Alienware computer, 500 USD in cash and three nights in a hotel right on Venice Beach! In order to qualify for the contest drawing, players were required to have reached merchant level 9 in each of the game's towns.

Click past the cut to watch an exclusive preview of the tour!

Continue reading Winner of Mabinogi's Merchant of Venice contest highlighted

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Winner of Mabinogi's Merchant of Venice contest highlighted originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmancontestexpansionf2pfree-to-playftpmabinogimerchant-of-venicenexonnexon-americavideo Beau Hindman Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: PlaneShift]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/05/rise-and-shiny-recap-planeshift/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/05/rise-and-shiny-recap-planeshift/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/05/rise-and-shiny-recap-planeshift/#comments PlaneShift screenshot As with many of the games I choose for this column, I am a bit lost as to how long the game has been in existence, what sort of time has passed since the game first began to allow players into its world, and what the exact state of the game currently is. With PlaneShift, a game that seems to have existed since I was 12 years old and has remained in some sort of testing or beta phase since then, I am even more unclear. Really, it shouldn't matter, but I can see the importance of knowing whether the game you are about to play is in testing or has even been released yet.

Without those key words, a player can become confused. Is this quest broken, missing parts, or just poorly designed? Is the game world empty because it's midnight or because the testing crowd is on at different times? I've heard from developers who keep their games in a beta state for years and years, and it usually means that they simply want a sort of explanation as to why the game feels incomplete. I say release it already and perhaps you'd attract more players anyway.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: PlaneShift

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Rise and Shiny recap: PlaneShift originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> acasherons-callbeau-hindmanbetaeqeverquestf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpIndieLiveStreamold-schoolplaneshiftrise-and-shinytwitch-tv Beau Hindman Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[MMObility: Let's make a mobile game, part one]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/mmobility-lets-make-a-mobile-game-part-one/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/mmobility-lets-make-a-mobile-game-part-one/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/mmobility-lets-make-a-mobile-game-part-one/#comments Wurm Online screenshot I thoroughly enjoy reading your comments, especially when the discussion turns to game design or suggestions for development. I decided it was high time that I sat down and experienced, even if just a little, how the design process goes. I've had plenty of peeks at different studios, but I wanted to know what it is like to actually make a game from basically beginning to end.

So for the next four weeks, I will be doing something special. I invited indie developer Dave Toulouse, maker of Golemizer and Star Corsairs, to help me in this journey. If you'd like to find out more about Dave, you can visit his official website, follow him on Twitter, or even read an interview I did with him a while ago. He really is the epitome of the indie spirit, and I am so thankful that he volunteered to do this with me.

The goal is to start with a basic idea and framework, and using input from our discussions and from reader comments, assemble a very basic working mobile MMO. So let's get started!

Continue reading MMObility: Let's make a mobile game, part one

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MMObility: Let's make a mobile game, part one originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> androidbeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedbrowser-based-mmodave-toulousedie2nitef2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpglitchgolemizerhardcoreillyriadIOSiphoneMMObilitymobilepollpollsstar-corsairswurm-online Beau Hindman Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Free for All: Old Second Life documentary still highlights truths]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/free-for-all-older-second-life-documentary-still-highlights-tru/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/free-for-all-older-second-life-documentary-still-highlights-tru/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/free-for-all-older-second-life-documentary-still-highlights-tru/#comments Second Life documentary screenshot So I was working on this week's Free for All last night when a buddy of mine asked me if I had seen a certain older Second Life documentary. I didn't think I had before, but it turns out that my usual record of consuming everything MMO still stands, and it was fun to re-watch the older documentary again for several reasons.

One of the most important things I noticed about the film was just how universal to MMO gaming the documentary was. The issues it brought up are still issues, the problems with virtual worlds are still problems, and the fact that any technology older than six months looks laughable on film is still true. It was also encouraging to see how well Second Life has aged since 2007, but it's slightly depressing to see just how horrible MMO documentaries can be at showing the entire picture.

Continue reading Free for All: Old Second Life documentary still highlights truths

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Free for All: Old Second Life documentary still highlights truths originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 2Lbeau-hindmanBlizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentdocumentariesdocumentaryf2pfeaturedfour-cornersfree-for-allfree-to-playftplinden-labphilip-rosedalesandboxsecond-lifeSLvideovideosvirtual-sexvirtual-worldsWorld-of-Warcraftwowyou-only-live-twice Beau Hindman Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Soapbox: Give indie a chance]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/the-soapbox-give-indie-a-chance/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/the-soapbox-give-indie-a-chance/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/the-soapbox-give-indie-a-chance/#comments Bumper sticker photo Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

It's a pretty cool thing to introduce readers to new games. It's especially cool when the new game I am showing them would otherwise have completely passed under their radar, mainly because they receive most of their gaming news from other sites or from the blueshirts at Best Buy. I find no greater satisfaction than when someone tells me, "I didn't think I would like a game like that." When a player who normally feels comfortable engaging only with standard mechanics like linear questing, class-based gameplay, or raiding finds himself obsessed with some odd browser-based strategy game, everyone wins.

Once that player gets hooked on one of my favorite indie titles, most of the hard work is over. The real challenge comes a few steps before that: getting the player to actually try the game in the first place. I've tried a lot of different tactics over the years, from using guilt or shame to acting as though only cool people play the game in question. Unfortunately, it feels as though the audiences have become increasingly resistant. I have to think that the recent crop of easily digestible AAA titles has not helped the situation at all.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Give indie a chance

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The Soapbox: Give indie a chance originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmanfeaturedgive-indie-a-chanceglitchindependentindependent-developersindependent-gamesIndiejohn-lennonriftRyzomsoapboxstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-soapboxtrion Beau Hindman Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[A Vanguard fifth anniversary year-in-review]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/30/a-vanguard-fifth-anniversary-year-in-review/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/30/a-vanguard-fifth-anniversary-year-in-review/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/30/a-vanguard-fifth-anniversary-year-in-review/#comments Vanguard screenshot It's that time again -- time to look back on a year of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes and see what changed and what stayed exactly the same. The game is now five years old, and the last year has been relatively exciting for the community. Vanguard is just one of those titles that seems to want to last forever. The playerbase is loyal, mature, and truly dedicated to this aging title. Will the players' efforts pay off?

We took a look back on the last year to see what the larger announcements were. There were some surprises and even updates (yes, actual updates to the game), something that is still affecting the community. While other games might publish monthly or even weekly updates, the Vanguard players are the camels of the greater MMO community and have learned to live off very little development fuel.

Bear in mind that as I type this, an update is being played through on the test server.

Continue reading A Vanguard fifth anniversary year-in-review

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A Vanguard fifth anniversary year-in-review originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> anniversarybeau-hindmanbirthdaycorpse-runningdeath-mechaniceqeverquestf2pfan-fairefeaturedfree-to-playftphardcorelive-gamerpatchesretrospectivesilium-grantsiliusSOESony-Online-EntertainmentupdatesvanguardVanguard-Saga-of-Heroes Beau Hindman Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: Urban Rivals]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/29/rise-and-shiny-recap-urban-rivals/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/29/rise-and-shiny-recap-urban-rivals/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/29/rise-and-shiny-recap-urban-rivals/#comments Urban Rivals screenshot I would like to start off by saying that Urban Rivals, a multiplayer collectible card game, is not an MMO. While I always try to play MMOs for this column, occasionally my "grab a random MMO, one that was recommended by a reader a while ago, and write about it" method needs some tweaking. I don't always get a chance to vet a game mainly because I want to go through the very first stages of play while streaming live on Mondays, so sometimes less-than-Massive games squeeze through. File this under Not So Massively.

Other than that, I found some neat design in the game. I didn't find anything that would just blow us away as gamers, but it has some cool ideas and artwork all the same. There's also the mobile version of the game to consider -- a universal app for the iPhone or iPad that allows for gaming anywhere.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Urban Rivals

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Rise and Shiny recap: Urban Rivals originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmanbrowser-basedcard-based-mmoCollectible-Card-GameEQ2EverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpLegends-of-Norrathlonmagic-the-gatheringplaneshiftstar-wars-pocketmodelsurban-rivals Beau Hindman Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[MMObility: The best Glitch apps and websites]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/27/mmobility-the-best-glitch-apps-and-websites/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/27/mmobility-the-best-glitch-apps-and-websites/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/27/mmobility-the-best-glitch-apps-and-websites/#comments Glitch database screenshot Glitch is a wonderful game, but it can be a bit confusing. The sheer number of items, places, and ingredients can make navigating the world of Ur difficult. I decided I needed some assistance living in the world of the giants. It took but one post on the forums before the helpful community overwhelmed me with choices. The developer of Glitch, Tiny Speck, made sure that players and third-party developers can have a go at making applications or websites that connect to the game's information and characters. I had no idea how many people had created some sort of app or website so far!

I started to try them all out, and as of the time of this writing, I have barely scratched the surface. There are apps or websites for almost anything you can think of. I have already found some that I really like, and I wanted to share them with you. Feel free to let me know which ones you like, and why, in the comments section.

Continue reading MMObility: The best Glitch apps and websites

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MMObility: The best Glitch apps and websites originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsbeau-hindmanf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpglitchglitchenMMObilitymobiletiny-speckwebsites Beau Hindman Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Free for All: Looking for experiences, not challenges]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/25/free-for-all-looking-for-experiences-not-challenges/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/25/free-for-all-looking-for-experiences-not-challenges/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/25/free-for-all-looking-for-experiences-not-challenges/#comments Wurm Online screenshot When I was around 20, I used to watch my girlfriend's younger brother play Nintendo games. It was a pretty intense scenario. He would become so angry when a boss fight took away one of his lives or when a leap at a moving platform would fail that he often chucked that poor controller at the wall. It happened again years later after we'd graduated to the internet and PC gaming. The strangest thing is that he would return to the challenge over and over until it either broke his will or his device or he finally conquered the challenge. I never quite got it. Surely such frustration sucked any enjoyment out of the entire process?

I tend to be more lazy when it comes to my digital adventure. I hate to repeat content, and I would rather leave the raiding and boss fights to those with more patience or to those who simply have a desire to win that matches their tolerance for frustrating situations. I would rather become a trader, crafter, roleplayer, explorer, or even adventurer in certain titles.

Just spare me the overwhelming challenges while I game.

Continue reading Free for All: Looking for experiences, not challenges

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Free for All: Looking for experiences, not challenges originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmancash-shopcode-clubf2pfeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-ftpjagexMicrotransactionsraidingrolf-janssonrunescapevindictuswizard-101wizard101wurm-online Beau Hindman Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: Thirst of Night]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/22/rise-and-shiny-recap-thirst-of-night/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/22/rise-and-shiny-recap-thirst-of-night/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/22/rise-and-shiny-recap-thirst-of-night/#comments Thirst of Night screenshot I love my MMORTS games, for sure. I've had to work on my ability to look at them with the freshest eyes that I can possibly muster, mainly because I see so many of them. It really is a genre of details. The gameplay in different titles is often almost exactly the same, but little details will set them apart. Thirst of Night, a new MMORTS by Kabam, tries hard to set itself apart from the pack, but does it do enough?

I also have to consider that, for many players, these experiences I go through every week are brand-new experiences. For a good number of people, the games I cover are their first or second ones. While it is hard for me to fathom, I have to keep that in mind. So while I saw a game this week that was lacking and tired in some areas, I know that those same areas would be pretty exciting to a new gamer.

Like I said, I'm working on it.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Thirst of Night

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Rise and Shiny recap: Thirst of Night originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpkabamlivestreammmortsrise-and-shinythirst-of-nighttwitch-tvurban-rivalsvideo Beau Hindman Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[MMObility: Two new MMOs, one tiny screen]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/20/mmobility-two-new-mmos-one-tiny-screen/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/20/mmobility-two-new-mmos-one-tiny-screen/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/20/mmobility-two-new-mmos-one-tiny-screen/#comments Elemental Knights Online screenshot You know what I love about discovering new mobile games? It's that moment when I realize they are actually pretty good and might give me some real MMO action on my smartphone. The biggest issue I have these days is separating the true MMOs from the social, multiplayer and singleplayer games that bombard the market. While I enjoy games from those genres, many of them arrive on my phone disguised as something else. Many of them even call themselves "MMOs" without having any real multiplayer interaction or persistence.

So you can imagine how happy I am when I find real, persistent MMOs that are available for my HTC Inspire Android phone and iOS. Yes, there are more of them out there than you might think. Let's take a look at a couple of new ones that I have found.

Continue reading MMObility: Two new MMOs, one tiny screen

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MMObility: Two new MMOs, one tiny screen originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> androidbeau-hindmanchibideep-space-nineelemental-knights-online-the-worldfeaturedfinal-fantasy-xiglitchIOSMMObilitymobilepocket-legendssmartphoneSquare-Enixthe-infinite-blackVendetta-Onlinewinlight Beau Hindman Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Free for All: A second look at Fallen Earth's free model]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/18/free-for-all-a-second-look-at-fallen-earths-free-model/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/18/free-for-all-a-second-look-at-fallen-earths-free-model/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/18/free-for-all-a-second-look-at-fallen-earths-free-model/#comments Fallen Earth screenshot I used to be head-over-heels in love with Fallen Earth. I was on an immersion kick and had even designed a set of rules that dictated how my character would "live" in the world. Fallen Earth provided me with a lot of great tools to become immersed, and it was the type of game that really stuck out from the pack. Of course, it also sported uglier character models than Lord of the Rings Online and was more brown than a bakery at the earlier levels, but it was neat.

I gave up on the title after a while and became too busy with other games to return. Then, the free-to-play version of the title came out. I still ignored it because of scheduling, but recently I have been returning to it. I am finding a lot of bugs and an overall lack of polish that I had forgotten about, but it's still a really cool game.

So how does the free version stack up to the subscription model? How free is it? Let's take a look.

Continue reading Free for All: A second look at Fallen Earth's free model

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Free for All: A second look at Fallen Earth's free model originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmancash-shopddodungeon-and-dragonseq2eqiiEverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfallen-earthfefeaturedfree-for-allfree-to-playftpg1gamersfirstlord-of-the-rings-onlineMicrotransactionspost-apocalypticsandboxwizard101 Beau Hindman Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Massively tours Fiesta's new Expedition to Adealia]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/15/massively-tours-fiestas-new-expedition-to-adealia/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/15/massively-tours-fiestas-new-expedition-to-adealia/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/15/massively-tours-fiestas-new-expedition-to-adealia/#comments Fiesta screenshot Who doesn't love checking out a game's new content? I love it, for sure. So I was more than happy to sit down and ride along with the developers of Fiesta as they showed off their new expansion, Expedition to Adealia. The tour wasn't all rainbows and kittens, that's for sure. I found myself surrounded by towering monsters, crazy children brandishing giant knives, and massive, fire-breathing boss-monsters. It was fun, but I had no idea this cute Anime title could be so hardcore!

Luckily for me, my hosts had the ability to heal or resurrect me when needed. I didn't do too shabbily, though, and I shot arrows like bullets, bringing down every mighty beast I came across. It was fun, yes, but a real slaughter. Well, for the monsters at least.

And for those of you who'd like to host your own dance party in the game, Outspark was kind enough to provide Massively with plenty of goodie bag codes to give away. To get this free item, head to the redemption page and enter the item code MassivelyFiesta. You have until the 31st of January to redeem it.

Journey on to see just what I found during my tour of the Adealia expansion!

Continue reading Massively tours Fiesta's new Expedition to Adealia

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Massively tours Fiesta's new Expedition to Adealia originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> adealiabeau-hindexpansionexpedition-to-adealiaf2pfeaturedFiestafiesta-onlinefree-to-playftphands-onhousehousingin-game-toursoutsparkplayer-housingtours Beau Hindman Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: Wakfu]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/15/rise-and-shiny-recap-wakfu/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/15/rise-and-shiny-recap-wakfu/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/15/rise-and-shiny-recap-wakfu/#comments Wakfu screenshot In June, I drove down to Austin, Texas, to once again participate in GDC Online. I do it every year if I can, and I love it. It's a smaller event when compared to the larger E3s and other conventions, but it is more personal and up-close. My favorite speaker at this last event had to be David Calvo from Ankama Games. When he first came out barefoot, I was honestly worried that the chat would be all about goofy, "deep" design techniques that had no real use in practice. In the end, his talk was deep but was really just asking developers to have fun and try new things. Yes, I know: new things. Crazy, huh?

If Wakfu is any proof, those design theories are put to practice every day at Ankama. Wakfu, for me, is a breath of fresh air in so many ways. Even though I am somewhat used to the design and art style, thanks in large part to playing the previous title Dofus, I still find myself loving how simply complex much of Wakfu is.

There are issues that come with complexity, however.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Wakfu

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Rise and Shiny recap: Wakfu originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ankamaankama-gamesbeau-hindmandavid-calvoDofusf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpglitchjagexLiveStreampreviewrise-and-shinyrunescapeRyzomsoeSony-Online-EntertainmentSquare-Enixstreamingthe-chronicles-of-spellbornthirst-of-nighttwitch-tvVanguard-Saga-of-Heroesvideowakfu Beau Hindman Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[MMObility: Some new gear, and some new news]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/13/mmobility-some-new-gear-and-some-new-news/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/13/mmobility-some-new-gear-and-some-new-news/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/13/mmobility-some-new-gear-and-some-new-news/#comments Razer screenshot It's been a pretty exciting time in mobile gaming this week. Not only am I finding more reasons to love minimal specs and portable gaming, but I see even more applications coming down the pike that will make mobile gaming even more exciting and possible. I envision a future in which cloud computing, storage and high-speed internet make devices thinner, lighter, and faster. Of course, this all depends on several factors from developers who might wish to take advantage of the technologies to companies that will provide the pipeline to us all.

In my opinion, it's not a matter of if but when this switch to portable, cloud-based gaming happens. It just makes sense when you look at all of the ways we have switched to a more cloud-based world. I write these articles through the cloud; I do my banking on a website that is hosted somewhere far, far away. If you've ever bought a product online, you have trusted the internet in more ways than one.

So let's take a look at some of the exciting new mobile goodies I discovered this week!

Continue reading MMObility: Some new gear, and some new news

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MMObility: Some new gear, and some new news originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Aigrindbeau-hindmancamel-gamesfacebookfeaturedfionagaming-tabletkabamlittle-empireMMObilityonlineOnLiveparallel-kingdomperblueproject-fionarazerthirst-of-nightwarspear-online Beau Hindman Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Massively interviews TwitchTV's Justin Kan]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/12/massively-interviews-twitchtvs-justin-kan/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/12/massively-interviews-twitchtvs-justin-kan/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/12/massively-interviews-twitchtvs-justin-kan/#comments TwitchTV screenshot If you've stayed up-to-date with Massively's livestreaming, then you know that we recently made the switch to TwitchTV to meet all of our streaming needs. There have been some bumps in the road along the way, but overall the experience has been wonderful. We've even added several new personalities to the mix and now stream fan favorites like APB: Reloaded, EVE Online and others.

Justin Kan, president of Justin.tv (of which Twitch is a part), sat down and answered several of our questions about the livestreaming service. Click past the cut to read the interview!

Continue reading Massively interviews TwitchTV's Justin Kan

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Massively interviews TwitchTV's Justin Kan originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> emmett-shearfeaturedinterviewinterviewsjustin-kanjustin.tvLiveStreamLiveStreamingstreamstreamingtwitch-tvtwitchtv Beau Hindman Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Free for All: The still-satisfying world of action MMOs]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/11/free-for-all-the-still-satisfying-world-of-action-mmos/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/11/free-for-all-the-still-satisfying-world-of-action-mmos/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/11/free-for-all-the-still-satisfying-world-of-action-mmos/#comments Vindictus screenshot Look, I'm a red-blooded American gamer. I even call it 'Merica. So it should be no surprise when I feel like getting down with a melee-based chop-'em-up or have the desire to leap, jump and bounce my way through countless levels. In other words, action. We 'Mericans love our action games. I have my particular favorites, for sure, and within that list are my favorites of favorites that get the nod for different reasons. Honestly I'm not into action-based games just for the challenge. I don't need to make repeated attempts at downing a boss to have fun. I enjoy the immediate response that an action game gives me. I love to click the mouse button and see my character's sword swing or gun fire. It's satisfying.

Of course, action games can have their drawbacks. Not only do they tend to produce a euphoric haze that can only be described as "stoner glare" and an open-mouthed state of hypnosis, but they can take a toll on delicate, drum-beaten wrists like mine as well. I take the good with the bad, I guess. Click past the cut and I'll let you know my favorite F2P action MMOs.

Continue reading Free for All: The still-satisfying world of action MMOs

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Free for All: The still-satisfying world of action MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> actionaction-mmobeau-hindmabrowser-baseddragon-nestdungeon-fighter-onlinef2pfeaturedffafpsfree-for-allfree-to-playftpjef-reahardjunebud-abmericanmilmommofpsNexonnexon-americaperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentrusty-heartsSide-scrollerspiral-knightsthe-firing-linethree-ringsvindictus Beau Hindman Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: The Kingdom of Loathing]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/08/rise-and-shiny-recap-the-kingdom-of-loathing/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/08/rise-and-shiny-recap-the-kingdom-of-loathing/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/08/rise-and-shiny-recap-the-kingdom-of-loathing/#comments The Kingdom of Loathing screenshot The Kingdom of Loathing is no new kid on the block. The hand-drawn indie hit has been around for nine years now. There are fansites and 24-hour radio stations dedicated to the game, and there are even conventions hosted in its honor! Needless to say, the game has a following. I knew that I would be stepping into a huge puddle of "snark" when I decided to take a look at the game this week. I knew darn well that I would be tested, that my limits as someone who cannot stand to chat with anyone who answers everything with the equivalent of "your mom" would be pushed and pushed hard. I had a feeling.

Surprisingly, I found some really charming aspects to the game. Unfortunately, the game didn't seem to share my enthusiasm for its quaint design. Because it's existed for nine years, I expected to find some fine-tuned stick figure gameplay, but the game seemed content with sort of rehashing the same stuff over and over. Of course, since this column is all about playing a game enough to form only a first impression, I did not reach the higher levels and might have missed something. I just wish the game would have been more confident in its delivery.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: The Kingdom of Loathing

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Rise and Shiny recap: The Kingdom of Loathing originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> asymmetric-publicationsbeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpkingdom-of-loathingLiveStreamrise-and-shinySquare-Enixthe-kingdom-of-loathingtwitchtwitch-tvwakfu Beau Hindman Sun, 08 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[MMObility: The argument for a time-limited server]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/06/mmobility-the-argument-for-a-time-limited-server/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/06/mmobility-the-argument-for-a-time-limited-server/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/06/mmobility-the-argument-for-a-time-limited-server/#comments Travian banner If there is one thing we MMO gamers love about our favorite games, it's the fact that they go on almost forever. Even when we log off, the virtual worlds we inhabit exist without us. Players continue to adventure, craft and explore the game world as we sleep. It's exciting, and it separates MMOs from the rest of the gaming flock. But what if the world ended? What if the ending of the world was part of the gameplay, an understood happening that marked not only the end of one chapter but the fresh beginning of another?

Time-limited servers end, just as I described. While I have not seen the mechanic much in "standard" MMOs, only appearing really in a handful of titles like A Tale in the Desert, there are quite a few MMORTS titles that use it. In fact, some of the most popular MMORTS games out there use time limits in their games. It would seem that many players enjoy the occasional destruction or closing of their worlds.

Would the mechanic work for other games? How can mobile gaming benefit from the short-term servers?

Continue reading MMObility: The argument for a time-limited server

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MMObility: The argument for a time-limited server originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> a-tale-in-the-desert-6aloriahbeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedfeaturedMMObilitymmortsmobiletime-limited-servertimed-servertraviantravian-games Beau Hindman Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The most popular Massively stories of 2011]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/04/the-most-popular-massively-stories-of-2011/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/04/the-most-popular-massively-stories-of-2011/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/04/the-most-popular-massively-stories-of-2011/#comments Popular picture When you consider the most popular debate subjects or recent conversational trends, you might think about politics or religion or even pop culture. So when the bloggers of Massively looked back on the previous year to take stock of which articles and categories were the most popular by pageview, we were surprised at the results. The year 2011 was unorthodox, and the list of the most popular posts reflects that.

There are some obvious topics, the ones any loyal reader of Massively would expect to see, but others represent a dramatic shift in the subjects and games readers most enjoyed reading and responding to.

So what were the most popular stories and categories of 2011? Onward!

Continue reading The most popular Massively stories of 2011

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The most popular Massively stories of 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> arenanetbetabetawatchBioWareBlizzardccpchoose-my-adventuredc-universe-onlinedust-514eve-onlineeverbloomExpansionsf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpGuild-Wars-2interviewjohn-smedleykingsisle-entertainmentLiveStreamlord-of-the-rings-onlinemists-of-pandariamonocle-gatencsoftPlaystation3riftSOESONYSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortitantrionturbinewizard101World-of-Warcraft Beau Hindman Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Free for All: A surprising evening of roleplay in RuneScape]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/04/free-for-all-a-surprising-evening-of-roleplay-in-runescape/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/04/free-for-all-a-surprising-evening-of-roleplay-in-runescape/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/04/free-for-all-a-surprising-evening-of-roleplay-in-runescape/#comments RuneScape screenshot Roleplay is often treated as the odd cousin of the MMO family. You know the kid I am talking about... your Aunt comes to visit and your mother tells you to hang out with him, and he ends up vomiting in your room. (Did it only happen to me?) The truth is that the odd cousin is often just misunderstood and generally a lot of fun. It might take a small leap of faith and perhaps some time, but roleplay can be a very rewarding experience.

RuneScape might not seem like a prime spot for roleplay. I hardly even heard of roleplay in the community, but I knew that the playerbase was made up of individuals from all age ranges. I thought of trying to find a good roleplay clan or trying to attend a roleplay event or two, but I didn't find the time to investigate. It began to look like roleplay was not something that happened in the game.

That was until last night. I stumbled upon some sort of spontaneous roleplay session, and it was mostly thrilling. I even interviewed a few players to see how the whole thing worked. Click past the cut and I'll tell you what I found out!

Continue reading Free for All: A surprising evening of roleplay in RuneScape

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Free for All: A surprising evening of roleplay in RuneScape originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedcasualEverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-playftpjagexLARPlarpingroleplayRolePlayingrunescapeSOESONYSony-Online-Entertainment Beau Hindman Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Soapbox: Bigpoint's cash-shop policies and why they are OK]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/03/the-soapbox-bigpoints-cash-shop-policies-and-why-they-are-ok/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/03/the-soapbox-bigpoints-cash-shop-policies-and-why-they-are-ok/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/03/the-soapbox-bigpoints-cash-shop-policies-and-why-they-are-ok/#comments Bigpoint sign Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

I have been tasked with explaining to Massively readers why I am OK with Bigpoint's very public policy on selling "advantages." I imagine that this will not be an easy task. After all, we gamers aren't much different than the rest of humanity in the way we tend to care about things that have little or no effect on us. We all have an opinion on "selling power," but I think it's high time that someone attempts to explain why it really isn't always power that Bigpoint is selling -- and why it would be fair even if it were.

I will attempt to stick to the specific topic of Bigpoint's policies, but much of what I say will probably apply to any game developer that sells practically anything for real world money. Yes, I am talking about those wonderful collector's editions and favorite cash-shop mounts. They all fall under the same category that Bigpoint's ships or special drones do.

Click past the cut and I'll explain why.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Bigpoint's cash-shop policies and why they are OK

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The Soapbox: Bigpoint's cash-shop policies and why they are OK originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> battlestar-galactica-onlinebeau-hindmanBigpointbrowserbrowser-basedcash-shopdark-orbitf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpsoapboxthe-soapboxunityzeus-drone Beau Hindman Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: 1100 AD]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/01/rise-and-shiny-recap-1100-ad/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/01/rise-and-shiny-recap-1100-ad/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/01/rise-and-shiny-recap-1100-ad/#comments 1100 AD screenshot 1100 AD is a new browser-based MMORTS that is published by Aeria Games. It's new to me, at least, even though I find a lot of the design and ideas behind the title to be pretty familiar. The truth is that the MMORTS genre is about as repetitive and ordinary as the standard MMO model. Players will come across the same concepts as they have seen in a score of other titles. It's sort of the quandry of the massively multiplayer player: You have to play a lot of games to find that one true gem.

Where does 1100 AD fall in the grand line of copycat MMORTS games? Well, it's hard to say within a week, especially since I have not experienced much of what the game might have to offer like massive wars, alliances or world-changing events. But I can comment on what I found so far in this short week of playing.

Click past the cut and I'll tell you!

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: 1100 AD

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Rise and Shiny recap: 1100 AD originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 1100-adaeriaaeria-gamesasymmetric-publicationsbeau-hindmanfeaturedkingdom-of-loathingmmortsopinionrise-and-shiny Beau Hindman Sun, 01 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[MMObility: The year in mobile]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/30/mmobility-the-year-in-mobile/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/30/mmobility-the-year-in-mobile/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/30/mmobility-the-year-in-mobile/#comments What a year, huh? We gamers have seen a lot of changes, but especially in the mobile market. New devices came and went, technologies spread out even further in the world, and MMO gaming established itself on the smallest screens possible. Of course, the mobile market is not as large as the standard MMO market, but it is definitely growing. As more devices appear, more players come to fill up the games.

Our phones are not what they used to be, even five years ago. They are now truly tiny and powerful computing devices that are always connected. A player can literally live all of his digital life on one small device. If we look at the laptop and netbook market, we see even more growth and power. All of these devices need games to play on them, and MMOs fit perfectly into the mobile lifestyle.

Click past the cut and I'll recap many of the best stories from Massively's mobile coverage!

Continue reading MMObility: The year in mobile

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MMObility: The year in mobile originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> androidbeau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedchromeconquer-onlineempire-onlinef2pfacebookfeaturedfleckfree-to-playftpGameloftglitchgraal-onlinehotdog-studiohphp-touchpadIOSipadiphoneMMObilitymobilenc-softOnLiveorder-and-chaos-onlinepocket-legendsself-aware-gamesshadow-citiesspacetime-studiosstar-legendsstewart-butterfieldtiny-speckworld-of-magicWorld-of-Warcraftyslandia Beau Hindman Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Free for All: The first annual Frindie Awards]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/28/free-for-all-the-first-annual-frindie-awards/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/28/free-for-all-the-first-annual-frindie-awards/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/28/free-for-all-the-first-annual-frindie-awards/#comments Welcome, fair readers, to the first annual Free for All Frindie awards. I'm hoping that these awards not only serve to point potential players to some great new games to try but illustrate my particular gaming tastes. Sometimes it's hard to explain to people just how I keep up with so many titles and still manage to stay loyal to my "home" games, games that I am simply in love with and return to pretty much every day.

So as you read my choices, bear in mind that these are based on my opinions from my year of gaming and from my list of favorites. It's also important to note that not all of my favorites were released this year. Some of them are downright ancient games compared to the rest of the young MMO market, but as long as they released a significant amount of content in 2011, I considered them. To me, expansions and a series of patches can equal a brand-new release. Some games release so much new content per year that they might as well have been released again.

So click past the cut to see my favorites from the market of free-to-play, indie and browser-based gaming. Be sure to leave your picks in the comments section!

Continue reading Free for All: The first annual Frindie Awards

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Free for All: The first annual Frindie Awards originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aeria-gamesbeau-hindmandie2niteeden-eternalf2pfeaturedfree-for-allfree-to-playfrindiefrindie-awardsfrindiesftpglitchjagexkingsisle-entertainmentmotion-twinpocket-legendsrunescapespacetime-studiosspiral-knightsthree-rings-designtiny-speckVendetta-Onlinewizard101 Beau Hindman Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Massively's MMO predictions for 2012: Beau Hindman]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/27/massivelys-mmo-predictions-for-2012-beau-hindman/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/27/massivelys-mmo-predictions-for-2012-beau-hindman/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/27/massivelys-mmo-predictions-for-2012-beau-hindman/#comments Beau HindmanI think that one of the most surprising movements to happen in 2012 will be the mass development of browser-based MMOs. Already the browser is the launcher of choice for millions and millions of gamers in games like RuneScape, Club Penguin, Battlestar Galactica Online and others, but we have also begun to see engines like Unity be pushed further and further into the development spotlight. HTML5 promises to grow as well, as more and more developers are realizing that the more accessible their game is, the more players they will have.

Not only are the building blocks of browser-based games becoming more widely used, but giants like Google are showing a great interest in using the browser for everything possible. They also have Chromebooks to sell, and what better way to sell them than to offer a selection of games that require no download or plugin?

If you look at the scary trend of data-capping in other countries and through many ISPs, you will quickly see just how much of a role tiny or no-download games will play. As some game clients grow larger and larger, browser-based gaming will guarantee that players can enjoy the same experience -- even graphically -- that they could in a massive client.

Browsers might not be king in 2012, but they'll be a prince. One day soon (I predict in five years) we will look back and giggle at how much space and time we dedicated to massive downloads. 2012 will start to show just how important the browser is to keeping MMO gaming alive.

Want more staff predictions for 2012? Pick a writer below:

Massively's MMO predictions for 2012: Beau Hindman originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Beau Hindman Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: Dungeon Fighter Online]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/25/rise-and-shiny-recap-dungeon-fighter-online/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/25/rise-and-shiny-recap-dungeon-fighter-online/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/25/rise-and-shiny-recap-dungeon-fighter-online/#comments Dungeon Fighter Online screenshot I'm glad that over the last week I found the time to finally get me some Dungeon Fighter Online by Nexon. I knew that it has quite the following, and I knew that it's supposed to be a blast, sort of like an 8bit Vindictus, but I was still surprised at a few things while I played. The game isn't what I thought it would be in several ways. NPCs have voices and hand out actual quests, the world is more open than I thought it would be, and the graphics feel snappy and fluid despite their primitive nature.

Don't get me wrong -- there is plenty that needs to be tweaked or fixed before the game smells of anything near perfection. Much of it is beyond the ability of the developers, but many of the problems with the game could be fixed relatively easy.

Click past the cut and I'll tell you what I thought during my time fighting in dungeons... online!

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Dungeon Fighter Online

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Rise and Shiny recap: Dungeon Fighter Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 8bitbeau-hindmandungeon-fighter-onlinef2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpmabinogiMapleStorymin-kimNexonnexon-americarise-and-shinySide-scrollervindictus Beau Hindman Sun, 25 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[MMObility: Simplifying design for the mobile market]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/23/mmobility-simplifying-design-for-the-mobile-market/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/23/mmobility-simplifying-design-for-the-mobile-market/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/23/mmobility-simplifying-design-for-the-mobile-market/#comments Whenever I write up something about a smartphone MMO, one of the most common complaints I hear is this: "If I wanted to play a game for several hours, I would sit at my gaming desktop." While this is true for many players, it is also true that games like Star Legends and Pocket Legends by Spacetime Studios have met with a lot of success. The developers were surprised to find that players were more than willing to sit for several hours while playing the games on their tiny screens.

Still, there is a lot of truth to the complaints about smartphone MMOs. An MMO is typically something a player wants to get lost in. We commonly refer to it as "immersion," but really we're just talking about being sucked into the ideas and design of a title. If you have found yourself daydreaming about a game while at work, you were "immersed."

I would argue that this type of deep immersion is very possible on the smaller screens of smartphones and tablets. However, in order to achieve it more commonly, developers might have to adjust many of their designs and theories. Click past the cut and we'll discuss it!

Continue reading MMObility: Simplifying design for the mobile market

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MMObility: Simplifying design for the mobile market originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appappsbeau-hindmanEQ2EverQuest-2everquest-iifallen-earthfeaturedfleckMMObilitymobilemobile-mmomobile-mmospocket-legendssmartphonesmartphone-appsmartphone-mmoSOEspacetime-studiosstar-legendstheres-an-app-for-thatwizard-101wizard101wizardblox Beau Hindman Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Free for All: Jagex answers more questions about nuking bots]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/21/free-for-all-jagex-answers-more-questions-about-nuking-bots/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/21/free-for-all-jagex-answers-more-questions-about-nuking-bots/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/21/free-for-all-jagex-answers-more-questions-about-nuking-bots/#comments RuneScape bot nuking screenshot Recently Jagex, maker of the mega-popular browser-based MMO RuneScape, bragged about the success of its Bot Nuking Day, an event of epic proportions that promised to rid the game of the thousands of bots that plague legitimate players. The proof is in the pudding, as they say, and any long-term player can now tell you that the effort seems to have worked. But for how long? Players have been promised a solution for a long time, so what makes Jagex think that the recently nuked will stay nuked?

I wanted to know more, and Daniel Clough, VP of RuneScape, was nice enough to answer several of my questions about the event. Did the nuking work as well as the team hoped? Will the bots stay dead? It didn't work in the Terminator, so why now?

Click past the cut for all of the answers!

Continue reading Free for All: Jagex answers more questions about nuking bots

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Free for All: Jagex answers more questions about nuking bots originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmanbot-nuking-daybottingbrowserbrowser-baseddaniel-cloughf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpinterviewinterviewsjagexjagex-game-studiosrunescape Beau Hindman Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Previewing the nuts and bolts of MechWarrior Online]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/21/previewing-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-mechwarrior-online/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/21/previewing-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-mechwarrior-online/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/21/previewing-the-nuts-and-bolts-of-mechwarrior-online/#comments MechWarrior screenshot MechWarrior Online might just be one of the most exciting titles to be announced in recent times. If you have ever played any version of the game or have ever enjoyed stomping around in the Battletech universe, you'll be happy to know that, yes, the new online game is actually being made. While the IP will soon turn 30 years old, it's still very popular. Some of us remember painting metal figures to place into our tiny lances, while others have fond memories of jumping and shooting, jumping and shooting, jumping and shooting.

Massively joined the press roundtable for the game this week and snagged some juicy information. We talked with Piranha Games' President Russ Bullock and Creative Director Bryan Ekman about how the development process is going, how their philosophies influence design, and how the game will actually play.

Click past the cut, and watch out for heat!

Continue reading Previewing the nuts and bolts of MechWarrior Online

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Previewing the nuts and bolts of MechWarrior Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> battletechbeau-hindmanboardgamebryan-ekmanf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpinterviewinterviewsmechmechsmechwarriormechwarrior-onlineminiaturespiranha-gamesruss-brown Beau Hindman Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: Pocket Legends and Star Legends]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/18/rise-and-shiny-recap-pocket-legends-and-star-legends/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/18/rise-and-shiny-recap-pocket-legends-and-star-legends/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/18/rise-and-shiny-recap-pocket-legends-and-star-legends/#comments Star Legends screenshot This week my job was a bit harder than it usually is. This week I had to revisit Pocket Legends and Star Legends, the entirety of the Spacetime Studios lineup, in order to catch the updates and differences since both games were recently adapted to play within the Chrome browser.

See, the device that you play an MMO on does make a difference. While I haven't found many players who have an issue with moving up to a finer machine with a larger screen, I almost always receive a few comments in any of my mobile MMO columns about the lack of fun involved with playing anything on a screen that will fit in your hand. While I understand the difficulty in downgrading your monitor size, the mobile market's reception of Pocket Legends surprised even the developer. People are playing it, for many hours, on screens that are very small.

But now we have the ability to play it in our browser. Does it make a difference in the experience? Click past the cut and I'll let you know.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Pocket Legends and Star Legends

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Rise and Shiny recap: Pocket Legends and Star Legends originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-baseddungeon-fighter-onlinefeaturedlivestreammobilemobile-mmonexonpocket-legendsrise-and-shinyside-scrollingsmartphonespacetimespacetime-studiosstar-legendsvideovideosWorld-of-Warcraft Beau Hindman Sun, 18 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Illyriad keeps players on edge with new live event]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/17/illyriad-keeps-players-on-edge-with-new-live-event/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/17/illyriad-keeps-players-on-edge-with-new-live-event/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/17/illyriad-keeps-players-on-edge-with-new-live-event/#comments Illyriad screenshot Who says MMOs don't have live events anymore? Triple-A titles, listen up: Your F2P brethren are doing what you won't. On Thursday, the citizens of Illyriad awoke to find that a massive rift had opened in the Northern section of the in-game map. A forum post later detailed the events and told of a mage from the Circle of Five who had recently been tampering with magical uses for the body parts of animals. Soon after, a blast was "felt by all for hundreds of miles in every direction." Scouts, armies and caravans were dispatched from curious cities. The next night, skeleton armies poured from the rift and attacked the investigators.

Illyriad is a free-to-play MMORTS that features city-building, resource management, deep strategy, free-for-all PvP, and a player-driven market. Thanks to HTML5, it works on any device. If dynamic live world events sound interesting to you, check the game out at the official site.

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Illyriad keeps players on edge with new live event originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-baseddynamic-eveneventf2pffa-pvpfree-to-playillyriadillyriad-gameslive-eventsmmortspvp Beau Hindman Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[MMObility: A first look at Conquer Online for the iPad and a giveaway]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/16/mmobility-a-first-look-at-conquer-online-for-the-ipad-and-a-giv/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/16/mmobility-a-first-look-at-conquer-online-for-the-ipad-and-a-giv/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/16/mmobility-a-first-look-at-conquer-online-for-the-ipad-and-a-giv/#comments Conquer Online screenshot Over the last few weeks, I've been checking out Conquer Online for the iPad. I don't really have anything to compare the game to because I never played the full PC version, but the mobile version I played felt a lot like a "real" full MMO. I logged in, made a character, and ran around the lands doing quests and leveling, just like in a normal client-based game. This should not be that surprising at this point in the world of mobile development. There have been several "real" MMOs made for the iPad and other devices. Celtic Heroes has been trying to achieve that classic look for a while now and has come pretty darn close. There's World of Midgard as well, made by the same developers who are releasing the cross-platform Lords at War very soon.

I was told that Conquer Online should feel a bit like Ultima Online on the iPad, but I'm not sure about that. Yes, it features the isometric view that we are all so familiar with in UO, but I don't think the comparison holds up beyond that.

Click past the cut and I'll break it down for you. Also, if you would like to receive a free super item pack for the game, you'll find it at the end of the article!

Continue reading MMObility: A first look at Conquer Online for the iPad and a giveaway

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MMObility: A first look at Conquer Online for the iPad and a giveaway originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 91-com91.combeau-hindmanconquer-onlinefeaturedgiveawaygiveawaysgrindIOSipadisometricMMObilitymobilemobile-mmpUltima-Onlineuo Beau Hindman Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Free for All: What F2P and indie games can learn from SWTOR]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/14/free-for-all-what-f2p-and-indie-games-can-learn-from-swtor/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/14/free-for-all-what-f2p-and-indie-games-can-learn-from-swtor/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/14/free-for-all-what-f2p-and-indie-games-can-learn-from-swtor/#comments SWTOR screenshot As I am sure you know by now, this is the launch week for a tiny game called Star Wars the Old Republic. Launch weeks for major titles are always fun around the Massively offices. The buzz is so thick in the air that you can almost feel it. Twitter, Facebook, blogs and forums are on fire with posts about the upcoming title, questioning what will happen in the higher levels or how the lore will pan out. It's exciting, for sure, even if you are not a fan. Fortunately, there is a lot to learn from this newest AAA launch.

Fans of indie or free-to-play games might think that SWTOR will have no effect on our worlds or influence over our favorite titles. I beg to differ. SWTOR is an MMO all the same, and its launch will have effects on the industry just like the last dozen major titles did. What does it mean for a tiny game that has been lovingly crafted by one designer? What can the world of free-to-play learn from this latest major release?

Click past the cut.

Continue reading Free for All: What F2P and indie games can learn from SWTOR

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Free for All: What F2P and indie games can learn from SWTOR originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmanBioWareBlizzardf2pfeaturedfree-for-allfree-to-playftpglitchjagexriftrunescapeRyzomstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortiny-specktrionWorld-of-Warcraft Beau Hindman Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: Fantasy Online]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/11/rise-and-shiny-recap-fantasy-online/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/11/rise-and-shiny-recap-fantasy-online/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/11/rise-and-shiny-recap-fantasy-online/#comments Fantasy Online screenshot This week I decided to check out Fantasy Online, an extremely indie browser-based MMORPG by Pixelated Games. I've had my eye on it for a while but hadn't yet taken a chance on it. I liked the 8bit style of the game, but to be honest there are so many 8bit stylings going on right now (could it be more hip?) that it sort of all blends together into one pixelated mess. I have a buddy who makes 8bit music, t-shirts have featured 8bit designs for a while, and entire generations of gamers who never played the original games that the style is based on are diving head-first into the world of primitive graphics. Let's just say it's very popular.

What are the advantages of making a game that looks like it came from 1985? Someone once pointed out to me that an indie developer might have an easier time making a game that doesn't require state-of-the-art graphics. Good point. 8bit is sort of instant indie cred, as well. Just ask Notch of Minecraft fame.

Fantasy Online is more than just 8bit graphics, though, so allow me to fill you in on the details. Click past the cut!

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Fantasy Online

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Rise and Shiny recap: Fantasy Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 11 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmanbrowser-basedf2pfantasy-onlinefeaturedfree-to-playftpindependentIndiepixelated-gamespocket-legendsrise-and-shinyspacetime-studiosstar-legendsWorld-of-Warcraftwow Beau Hindman Sun, 11 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[MMObility: Checking out 8Realms from Jagex]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/09/mmobility-checking-out-8realms-from-jagex/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/09/mmobility-checking-out-8realms-from-jagex/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/09/mmobility-checking-out-8realms-from-jagex/#comments 8Realms screenshot Jagex, maker of the very popular browser-based MMO RuneScape, has branched out into the world of the MMORTS. I call this a good thing, especially since I am such a fan of the genre. There are literally scores and scores of the strategy-based city builders out there. Many of them not only are similar to each other but offer nothing new, not even a slight twist in design. I have a few favorites like Illyriad, Golden Age, and Aloriah, so I was eager to jump into this new one, given that it is made by one of my favorite design studios.

8realms seems to sport a unique design. Players are asked to build up their cities and advance through different ages, from ancient times all the way up to the modern day. A trailer on the front page of the official website shows a commander admiring his army of sword- and spearmen, until suddenly a modern-day jet fighter nukes them to smithereens. All I could think was, "Is this game balanced?"

If you would like to join in on the fun along with me, you can join in VIP access by going to the official site and using the code MASSIVELY15 when prompted. Then come back and click past the cut to hear all about my experience!

Continue reading MMObility: Checking out 8Realms from Jagex

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MMObility: Checking out 8Realms from Jagex originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 8realmsbeau-hindmanbrowser-basedevonyfeaturedgolden-ageillyriadjagexministry-of-warMMObilitymmortsmobilerunescapesmartphone Beau Hindman Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[First Impressions: Jagged Alliance Online]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/08/first-impressions-jagged-alliance-online/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/08/first-impressions-jagged-alliance-online/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/08/first-impressions-jagged-alliance-online/#comments Jagged Alliance Online screenshot A short time ago, I posted my thoughts on UFO Online, one of the most exciting titles I found while at E3 this year. While I was there, I was given a tour of Jagged Alliance Online during the same sitting. Both games were thrilling in a "tiny army" sort of way, and both seemed to finally get what makes tabletop gaming and strategy games fun. UFO Online was more complex in some ways, and I found the beta to be further along than Jagged Alliance Online's, but I have had fun in both so far. I'm hoping that gamigo, the publisher of both titles, keeps getting them both right.

I still had some issues with Jagged Alliance Online, but it's hard to say whether these will be corrected during one of the following betas. So while it is my duty to report to you these issues, I want you to bear in mind the state of the current game. Fortunately the title seems far enough along that I got a real feel for what is coming.

War is coming.

Click past the cut and I'll give you the details.

Continue reading First Impressions: Jagged Alliance Online

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First Impressions: Jagged Alliance Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedbrowser-mmof2pfeaturedFirst-Impressionsfree-to-playftpgamigohands-onjagged-alliance-onlinejaommotbsTurn-basedTurn-Based-Strategyufo-online Beau Hindman Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Free for All: Checking out Rosh Online]]> http://www.massively.com/2011/12/07/free-for-all-checking-out-rosh-online/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/07/free-for-all-checking-out-rosh-online/ http://www.massively.com/2011/12/07/free-for-all-checking-out-rosh-online/#comments Rosh Online screenshot Recently I was asked to take a press tour for Rosh Online, a new "massive war" MMO from Ignited Games. Press tours can be a lot of fun. You get to chat with the developers and ask direct questions about specific things that are happening right then in front of you, and you get to hear detailed explanations about systems that might normally take a while to figure out while you explore deeper parts of the world.

The problem with jumping right into a game that you have never played before is that you can't really get an exact sense of what it is like to be a real, brand-new player. It's important to know how that feels so that it can be passed on to potential newbies. Either way, I enjoyed my time with Rosh Online, but I did have quite a few issues with it. I'm sure a lot will change over time, especially since this game is brand-new, but in the meanwhile I'll tell you all about it.

Click past the cut!

Continue reading Free for All: Checking out Rosh Online

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Free for All: Checking out Rosh Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aionbeau-hindmanf2pfeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiumftpguild-warsignited-gamesopinionPKpvprappelzrosh-onlinerosh-online-the-return-of-karosvelvet-rope Beau Hindman Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST Massively