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[The Road to Mordor: Six wonders of the newbie world]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/11/the-road-to-mordor-six-wonders-of-the-newbie-world/#comments LotRO As I reported last week, I've recently rerolled as a Hobbit Minstrel in an effort to refresh my attitude toward the game, to get a different perspective, and to continue my series in which I go through all of the single-player quests in the game.

It's been, in a word, smashing.

Having been away from the tamer lands of Eriador for so long, I had forgotten the charm and serenity that these lowbie areas exude. Plus, it's always fun leveling up a brand-new character, since there are plenty of goals and ways to develop your character that your level-capped toons have long since surpassed.

As I've been plugging away at Bree-land quests, I began to make a mental list of exactly what's so special about the low-level game in Lord of the Rings Online. The mental list became an actual one, and after a period of milling and refining, I've baked it into a nice loaf of observations to share with you.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Six wonders of the newbie world

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The Road to Mordor: Six wonders of the newbie world originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> beginnerbeginner-zonesbreebree-landcharacter-advancementered-luinf2pfeaturedfree-to-playhobbithobbitslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolowbielowbie-zonesnewbienewbie-zonesthe-road-to-mordorthe-shireturbineturbine-entertainment Justin Olivetti Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Fallen Earth's Global Territory Control creates a singular faction to rule them all]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/fallen-earths-global-territory-control-creates-a-singular-facti/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/fallen-earths-global-territory-control-creates-a-singular-facti/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/fallen-earths-global-territory-control-creates-a-singular-facti/#comments Fallen Earth The GamersFirst crew is back with a closer look at one of the exciting PvP features that's being created for Fallen Earth: Global Territory Control. The idea behind GTC is that the devs wanted a comprehensive system that would track faction dominance in PvP across the entire game world.

Global Territory Control takes in data from Conflict Towns, Faction Control Points, and open PvP areas, crunches the stats, and spits out a single point rating that shows how well (or forehead-slappingly bad) each of the game's six factions is doing. The new system will go into place for the entire game except for Sector 1, and you'll have to be level-appropriate for the zone to contribute to your faction's GTC score.

If a faction earns enough points, then an insanely nice buff is handed out as a reward -- but only one faction can have it at any time. The buff increases the speed of crafting and harvesting and also improves the gain of random AP, Death Toll, faction points, and XP.

This system is still being prepped for a future update.

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Fallen Earth's Global Territory Control creates a singular faction to rule them all originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> conflict-townsdeath-tolldev-diaryf2pfactionfaction-controlfaction-control-pointsfallen-earthfefree-to-playgamersfirstglobal-territory-controlgtcpreviewpvp Justin Olivetti Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Darkfall specializes magic schools, replaces death with limbo system]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/darkfall-specializes-magic-schools-replaces-death-with-limbo-sy/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/darkfall-specializes-magic-schools-replaces-death-with-limbo-sy/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/darkfall-specializes-magic-schools-replaces-death-with-limbo-sy/#comments Darkfall Aventurine continues its trek toward Darkfall's game revamp, aka Darkfall 2.0, and in a new producer letter, Tasos Flambouras drops a few interesting info nuggets to tide loyal players over until the job is done.

He states that the team is retuning each of the game's eight schools of magic so that each one feels more unique and focused. For example, air magic will be specialized to do more damage in close quarters against fewer targets, while fire magic will excel at long-distance AoE attacks.

The team also thinks it has figured out this pesky "death" problem by coming up with a more interesting limbo system. The way it works is that when players are taken down, they have a choice between either respawning back at a bind stone or waiting for a timer to count down to zero and initiate a respawn on the spot. If players opt to endure the limbo period, they can re-equip their characters from their bank boxes.

Aventurine continues to hire on new team members for the project, including a designer who will facilitate communication between devs and the community.

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Darkfall specializes magic schools, replaces death with limbo system originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aventurinebankbank-boxesdarkfalldarkfall-2.0death-penaltydeath-systemdev-diarylimbolimbo-systemmagicmagic-schoolsproducer-letterproducers-letterrespawnschools-of-magicTasos-Flambouras Justin Olivetti Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[LotRO's buried treasure resurfaces in a new dev diary]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/lotros-buried-treasure-resurfaces-in-a-new-dev-diary/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/lotros-buried-treasure-resurfaces-in-a-new-dev-diary/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/lotros-buried-treasure-resurfaces-in-a-new-dev-diary/#comments LotRO Deep under the soil of Middle-earth are riches galore, and only the Dwarves know where to dig. Fortunately for players, the Dwarves are totally fine with interlopers coming along to try their luck at finding a bit of buried treasure -- and they've even made an event out of it.

While we previously saw a test run of the Buried Treasure event in Lord of the Rings Online, Turbine's put forth a dev diary that indicates we should be seeing more of it fairly soon. The event challenges players to flock to a treasure field, grab some picks, and get diggin' for booty. There's a strategy behind it that utilizes trained animals and dowsing sticks to find the best goods, although treasure hunters can just start digging randomly as well.

The treasure will vary in size and quality, ranging from special mounts and cosmetic gear to more picks and barter tokens. While players can earn picks in-game through a repeatable quest, Turbine will also be selling them through the LotRO store for those who want to speed up their winnings.

The dev diary posted several pictures of the nifty rewards that can be mined and states that the event is "seasonally agnostic," coming and going at various times during the year.

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LotRO's buried treasure resurfaces in a new dev diary originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> buried-treasureburied-treasure-eventcosmeticcosmetic-outfitdev-diaryeventf2pfree-to-playin-game-eventlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-storemountoutfitoutfitspickstreasure-hunter-picktreasure-huntingtreasure-hunting-pickturbineturbine-entertainment Justin Olivetti Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[LotRO struts the runway for Fashion Week]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/lotro-struts-the-runway-for-fashion-week/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/lotro-struts-the-runway-for-fashion-week/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/lotro-struts-the-runway-for-fashion-week/#comments Fashion Week Are you more into looking good in Lord of the Rings Online than defeating the very heart of evil? Then Turbine's got a special week planned just for you. Starting today and going through the 16th, Fashion Week will be blazing through LotRO.

LotRO's cosmetic system allows players to assemble their own outfit looks independent of slotted gear and has become a popular feature in the game ever since its inception. Through Fashion Week, Turbine will call on the best-dressed to strut their stuff in the hopes that in-game CMs will see them and award special titles.

Also included in the week will be fashion-themed lotteries and a screenshot contest in which the best entries will be voted upon by the community. To give players inspiration, Turbine links to three game outfit blogs -- Lotro Fashion, Lotro Stylist, and Cosmetic Lotro -- and has given each of the blogs special codes to hand out for free in-game dyes.

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LotRO struts the runway for Fashion Week originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> contestcosmeticcosmetic-outfitsf2pfashionfashion-systemfashion-weekfree-to-playlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotteryoutfitoutfit-systemscreenshot-contestturbineturbine-entertainmentwardrobe Justin Olivetti Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[EVE Online's time dilation keeping game in sync]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/eve-onlines-time-dilation-keeping-game-in-sync/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/eve-onlines-time-dilation-keeping-game-in-sync/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/eve-onlines-time-dilation-keeping-game-in-sync/#comments EVE Online Leave it to one of the most popular MMO studios to figure out how to control time -- and do so successfully. Through technical wizardry, CCP did just that when it released a time dilation feature into EVE Online last month to reduce lag during massive space battles.

So far, it's working great, according to CCP Veritas. In a new blog post, he shows off graphs and recounts recent events that show how "TiDi" (as he calls it) is successfully slowing down in-game time to keep player commands and on-screen action in sync.

"In all cases, it has kicked in appropriately when the server node has become overloaded, keeping things running responsively and sanely," he writes. "In both huge fights [shown on the graphs], the module response time was kept under one second for the vast majority of the action, which is a tremendously large improvement over the 20, 40, 600 seconds we'd sometimes see in fights of this scale."

EVE Online has also made a few quality of life improvements to EVE Gate, including a better login system, a navigation menu tied in with the rest of the site, and a way to quickly zip to dev posts on the forums.

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EVE Online's time dilation keeping game in sync originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ccpccp-gamesccp-veritaschartsdev-diarydev-postdouble-stuffseveeve-gateeve-onlineeve-stuffsgraphsso-many-stuffs-you-cant-comprehend-it-alltiditime-dilationtriple-stuffs Justin Olivetti Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: MMO prisons]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/the-perfect-ten-mmo-prisons/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/the-perfect-ten-mmo-prisons/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/the-perfect-ten-mmo-prisons/#comments Perfect Ten Prisons Chillin' in the clink. Spending time in stoney lonesome. Thrown into the slammer. Checking in to the big house. Doing (perfect) 10 to life in the hole. Learning the ropes in juvie.

Prison: The only fun thing about it is the slang that people have come up to describe it. And while you may never actually want to spend any time in the crowbar hotel in real life, chances are you've already done so in MMOs. Jails are an ever-popular locale in online gaming, and they almost always deal with an epidemic of escaped -- yet still milling around casually -- prisoners.

So in today's Perfect Ten, we talked to the warden and got you a special glimpse into pixelated pokeys, if only to scare you straight. No more exploits and bots for you, young man or woman!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: MMO prisons

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The Perfect Ten: MMO prisons originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> age-of-conanaocarkhamarkham-asylumbelsavisbrickstownchampions-onlinecity-of-heroesclinkcocohconanconan-the-barbariandc-universe-onlinedcuoeqeverquestfallen-earthfeaturedffxifinal-fantasy-xigm-jailgm-prisoniron-towerjailkingman-prisonlistlistsmmo-prisonsperfect-10perfect-tenprisonprisonsstar-wars-the-old-republicstockadesstronghold-prisonswtorthe-iron-towerthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenultima-onlineuoworld-of-warcraftwowzigziggurat Justin Olivetti Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The world of World of Warcraft recreated in Minecraft]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/the-world-of-world-of-warcraft-recreated-in-minecraft/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/the-world-of-world-of-warcraft-recreated-in-minecraft/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/the-world-of-world-of-warcraft-recreated-in-minecraft/#comments Minecraft Minecraft players are well-known for their insane, over-the-top LEGO building projects, but one may have all the rest beat. A player named Rumsey is in the process of recreating the entire world of Azeroth from World of Warcraft inside the game, and while it's not completed quite yet, it's already incredibly impressive.

Rumsey says that he had to cheat a little: Instead of placing every single block by hand, he wrote a piece of software that helps to automate the process of making full-scale version of the world. He's recently completed one continent -- Kalimdor -- and has plans to do the others as well as all of WoW's dungeons. He says that the only problem he's run into is Minecraft's height limit of 128 blocks, so he's had to employ mods to get around that.

When the project is complete, Rumsey has hopes that it will be hosted online for tourists to visit this much blockier version of their favorite WoW stomping grounds.

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The world of World of Warcraft recreated in Minecraft originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> azerothcustom-softwarefunnyhumorinsane-projectskalimdorlegolego-bricksminecraftminecraft-blocksmodelmodsrecreationrumseyworld-of-warcraftwow Justin Olivetti Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Warhammer Online encourages murder most foul]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/08/warhammer-online-encourages-murder-most-foul/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/08/warhammer-online-encourages-murder-most-foul/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/08/warhammer-online-encourages-murder-most-foul/#comments Warhammer Online In the happy, carebear world of Warhammer Online, we've reached the time of year when the clouds break to let in a ray of sunshine that warms the souls of all it touches and sprinkles hearts with... oh, forget it. It's Murder-o-Rama, aka the Night of Murder.

Mythic's annual WAR bloodfest centers around players attempting to appease a gruesome Elf god by taking out contracts on each other's lives. From February 9th through the 22nd, players will try to complete Tome of Knowledge tasks by completing "Marked for Death" quests and killing those with a dripping red skull-and-crossbones over their heads.

The rewards are worth the effort, though, with items like Lobbin' Noggins, Khaine's Caress, and a fun pike sporting your opponent's head that you can slam down next to a defeated foe. It's the yearly holiday your mother always warned you about, but you never listened then and you're probably not going to start now.

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Warhammer Online encourages murder most foul originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> carebearea-mythiceventin-game-eventmurdermurder-markmythicMythic-Entertainmentnight-of-murderwarwarhammer-online Justin Olivetti Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Funcom debunks The Secret World launch date rumor]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/08/funcom-debunks-the-secret-world-launch-date-rumor/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/08/funcom-debunks-the-secret-world-launch-date-rumor/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/08/funcom-debunks-the-secret-world-launch-date-rumor/#comments The Secret World Could we finally have a specific launch date for The Secret World? Yes, but more accurately, no.

While hopeful fans clung to possible news that Funcom had confirmed an April 24th launch date, the studio has issued a statement saying that this was "an internal production date" that was mentioned at a recent press event, and doesn't necessarily reflect the actual release date for the title:
Funcom has become aware of postings in various media stating that commercial launch of the online game The Secret World has been set to 24 April 2012. This date was communicated at a press event in the Funcom offices in Oslo today -- as an internal production date.

Funcom has previously announced the launch month for the game to be April 2012 and wants to stress that there is currently no change or update on the expected time for commercial launch of The Secret World. The company will announce the release date at a later stage through a stock notice and a formal press release when the date has been set.
The studio recently wrapped up a week dedicated to the Illuminati faction and revealed one of the game's spooky settings, Blue Mountain.

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Funcom debunks The Secret World launch date rumor originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aprilapril-releaseapril-release-datebetablue-mountaindebunkdebunkedfuncomilluminatilaunchlaunch-datereleaserelease-daterumorthe-secret-worldtsw Justin Olivetti Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do children have a place in MMOs?]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/08/the-daily-grind-do-children-have-a-place-in-mmos/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/08/the-daily-grind-do-children-have-a-place-in-mmos/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/08/the-daily-grind-do-children-have-a-place-in-mmos/#comments World of Warcraft Today's discussion topic needs a smidge of clarification. I'm not asking you whether or not real-life kids should be playing MMOs, as plenty already do and it's great to be raising a future crop of gold farmers and extreme fashion designers.

What I am asking is whether child NPCs have a place in MMOs. When you think about it, most of our virtual worlds are nearly devoid of anyone under the age of 18 (except if you're in certain Asian titles where it seems like nobody, including yourself, has hit puberty yet). Whole cities are bustling with merchants and kings, yet not a single child is to be seen. If there are kids, they tend to be in place for a one-time unique quest or a special event, such as World of Warcraft's Children's Week.

But with all of the war, slaughter, and volatile situations, is it a good thing that someone has whisked these kids off to safety? Would MMOs be more questionable with their content if a kid was to come stumbling along while you were skinning a boar or decapitating an Orc leader? Or would these worlds be more believable and immersive if the whole range of ages was represented?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

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The Daily Grind: Do children have a place in MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> childrenchildrens-weekfeaturedkidkidsopinionpubertytdgthe-daily-grindunderageworld-of-warcraftwowyouthyouths Justin Olivetti Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The players]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/the-game-archaeologist-dials-up-phantasy-star-online-the-player/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/the-game-archaeologist-dials-up-phantasy-star-online-the-player/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/the-game-archaeologist-dials-up-phantasy-star-online-the-player/#comments PSO Blue Burst After last week's foray into the colorful world of Phantasy Star Online, I knew I had to step it up for a great follow-through. That's why I got in touch with three excellent MMO bloggers who have long histories with PSO and were more than eager to share their perspective on this unique game world!

The Game Archaeologist: Who the heck are you and how did you first get into Phantasy Star Online? What class and race did you play?

David: I'm David Lambert, but many people know me better as Branick, host and producer of the LOTRO Academy podcast. I first got into Phantasy Star Online with the original Dreamcast release, which I picked up only about two weeks after it came out. I actually had eight different characters (I bought six VMUs in addition to the two I already had specifically for this purpose), but I definitely favored the HUcast. I wasn't big on using techniques, and the HUcast had the highest attack power in the game.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The players

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The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The players originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> blue-burstchristmascity-of-heroesdavid-lambertdiablodiablo-clonediablo-iidreamcastdreamcast-web-browserexploitexploitingexploitsfeaturedffxifinal-fantasy-xigamecubegamesharkhackinginterviewlotro-academymagmagspatrickPhantasy-Starphantasy-star-onlinephantasy-star-online-2phantasy-star-universePhantasy-Star-Zeropsopsuroguerogue-likessegasoexboxyeeboYeebo-Fernbottoms-MMO-Love-In Justin Olivetti Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Star Trek Online unpacks Cardassian mystery boxes]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/star-trek-online-unpacks-cardassian-mystery-boxes/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/star-trek-online-unpacks-cardassian-mystery-boxes/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/star-trek-online-unpacks-cardassian-mystery-boxes/#comments Star Trek Online While last December's red gift boxes proved controversial in the Star Trek Online community, Cryptic has stated that they were incredibly profitable and that it will continue to produce similar "treasure chest" items that require real-world money to acquire. True to its word, the studio will release a new batch of Cardassian Lock Boxes this Thursday as standard, free drops -- but opening them is going to cost you.

The lock boxes contain one random reward inside that ranges from insanely rare (in this case, a Cardassian Galor-class starship) to trivially common (such as consumables) and everything in-between. While the boxes will be attained and traded like any other in-game loot, they can only be opened with a special Master Key purchased in the C-Store. Master Keys will go on sale for 100 CP apiece or 10 for 900 CP.

Other potential prizes in the Cardassian Lock Boxes include Tribbles, Hortas, shuttles, Deep Space Nine costumes, and duty officer packs.

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Star Trek Online unpacks Cardassian mystery boxes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cardassiancardassian-grab-bagcardassian-lock-boxcardassian-lock-boxescrypticcryptic-studiosf2pfree-to-playgalor-classgalor-class-starshiplock-boxmaster-keymystery-boxesred-gift-boxstar-trek-onlinesto Justin Olivetti Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[EVE Online jazzes up website, opens CSM application process]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/eve-online-jazzes-up-website-opens-csm-application-process/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/eve-online-jazzes-up-website-opens-csm-application-process/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/eve-online-jazzes-up-website-opens-csm-application-process/#comments EVE Online If EVE Online's website were a teenage girl in a movie -- and we're not for a moment suggesting that it's not -- today is the day she'd go through one of those peppy makeover montages and ultimately reveal the beauty that was there all along (just in hiding -- stupid glasses). The new design is up for the world to see, sporting a sleek sexiness along with an interesting ticker relating the latest and greatest from the game. CCP is hoping that the redesign will come off as more "user friendly" for newbies.

In other EVE news, CCP will begin accepting applications tonight for the Council of Stellar Management (CSM). The process is quite involved: Players will apply until the 22nd, after which nominations will be pulled from the list and then community voting will commence. If you're interested in becoming a major voice of the community by advising CCP in EVE's development, then you'd do well to check out the list of candidacy qualifications and get your app in on time!

[Thanks to Xilmar for the tip!]

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EVE Online jazzes up website, opens CSM application process originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> candidacyccpccp-gamescouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmeveeve-onlinemakeover-montagenominationsredesignvotingwebsitewebsite-redesign Justin Olivetti Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Massively Speaking Episode 185: Bree-to-play]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/massively-speaking-episode-185-bree-to-play/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/massively-speaking-episode-185-bree-to-play/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/massively-speaking-episode-185-bree-to-play/#comments Massively Speaking Massively Speaking Episode 185 marks the debut of the Justin and Bree show as the microphone is passed on to a new generation. Many Bothans died to bring you this broadcast, so show some respect, you scruffy-looking nerfherder! Today we talk about RIFT's new trial, MMO anniversaries, and why Star Wars: The Old Republic may not be dying fast enough for everyone's taste.

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

Get the podcast:
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Listen here on the page:



Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 185: Bree-to-play

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Massively Speaking Episode 185: Bree-to-play originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> eaeverquest-iihumormassively-metamassively-speakingpodcastpodcastingpodcastsriftrunescapestar-trek-onlinestar-wars-the-old-republicvanguard Justin Olivetti Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST Massively Massively Speaking Episode 185 Massively.com Staff 58:25 podcasts <![CDATA[Derek Smart's Line of Defense shows off battle environments]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/derek-smarts-line-of-defense-shows-off-battle-environments/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/derek-smarts-line-of-defense-shows-off-battle-environments/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/derek-smarts-line-of-defense-shows-off-battle-environments/#comments Line of Defense Last year we got our first look at Line of Defense, a new MMOFPS from Derek Smart and his team at 3000AD. The title is looking good so far and the devs are certainly eager to show off their progress. As such, 3000AD delivered five brand-new screenshots showcasing the environments and outfits that players will experience, including desert and snowy terrains.

Line of Defense takes place in the same game universe as Smart's Battlecruiser 3000AD series, and promises to deliver "open-world FPS mayhem" from the depths of the ocean to the heights of space and everything in-between. You can check out the new screenies in the gallery below, and make sure to catch up on our Derek Smart interview about Line of Defense if you haven't already!

[Source: Evolve PR press release]

Gallery: Line of Defense screens

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Derek Smart's Line of Defense shows off battle environments originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 3000adbattlecruiser-3000adderek-smartevolve-prf2pfpsfree-to-playgalleryline-of-defensemmofpspicturesprpr-firmpublic-relationsscreenshots Justin Olivetti Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Battle.net Balance boots up]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/battle-net-balance-boots-up/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/battle-net-balance-boots-up/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/battle-net-balance-boots-up/#comments Battle.net Diablo III may not be out yet, but that's no good reason not to be filling up your virtual coffers for the day that it hits the streets! Blizzard has thrown the switch on Battle.net Balance, activating its online payment service that allows players to charge up their Battle.net funds to purchase various Blizzard game services.

The new Balance system can be used to buy World of Warcraft game time (although you can't set up a recurring subscription with it), in-game pets and mounts, paid account services in WoW such as character transfers, digital copies of Blizzard titles, and the opportunity to buy and sell items on Diablo III's auction house. It's important to note that not all regions will be able to participate in Diablo III's real-money transactions, however.

Once real money has been funneled into Battle.net Balance, it cannot be converted back into cash. Blizzard does state that in some regions, players will have an option to get cash back on Diablo III auction sales via PayPal. The company also mentioned that there is a cap on how much any player can have in his or her Balance account and that there are potentially region-specific expiration dates for Balance funds.

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Battle.net Balance boots up originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> battle.netbattle.net-balancebattlenetd3diablo-3diablo-iiidiiigame-timemicrotransactionsmountmountspaypalpetpetsreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtsubscriptionsvirtual-walletworld-of-warcraftwow Justin Olivetti Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[RIFT devs on Russian revolution, improved itemization, and solo success]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/06/rift-devs-on-russian-revolution-improved-itemization-and-solo/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/06/rift-devs-on-russian-revolution-improved-itemization-and-solo/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/06/rift-devs-on-russian-revolution-improved-itemization-and-solo/#comments RIFT RIFT Live Producer Hal Hanlin and Systems Producer Adam Gershowitz were flagged down by fansite Magelo to tackle a grab bag of various questions about the game, including the process of injecting this title into the hearts of the Russian populace. According to Hanlin, the Russian release of RIFT was "very smooth," and he credits Trion Worlds' partner in the region, GFI, with assisting in that.

Even as itemization improvements continue to roll into RIFT, the devs state that they're constantly monitoring damage output. For the next patch, Warriors will see a buff to their DPS as attack power will be tweaked to boost the pain.

Hanlin promises that "soloable content is very important to us" and pointed at the success of Instant Adventures and the Chronicles of Telara as proof that Trion has responded to the desire for such content in the game.

The devs touch on small details from the recent patch and their vision for expert dungeons as well.

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RIFT devs on Russian revolution, improved itemization, and solo success originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> Adam-Gershowitzbuffchronicles-of-telaragfihal-hanlininstant-adventuresinterviewriftrift-russianrussiarussianrussian-versiontriontrion-worldswarriors Justin Olivetti Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Leaderboard: Mining vs. woodcutting]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/06/leaderboard-mining-vs-woodcutting/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/06/leaderboard-mining-vs-woodcutting/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/06/leaderboard-mining-vs-woodcutting/#comments Leaderboard Oh, don't you scoff at today's topic. I can hear you, harrumphing with seeming impatience at what you consider to be activities beneath your stature. Perhaps the idea of putting in an honest day's hard work in an MMO is abhorrent to you -- after all, that's why you have servants, right? But there are those of us who know the value of soil, stone, and wood.

So today we turn our gaze away from manslaughter and onto gathering natural resources. In most MMOs, two harvesting professions come almost standard with any title: mining and woodcutting (or, if you're feeling Monty Pythonish, lumberjacking). Which is more noble and more worthwhile to pursue?

Mining has the appeal of precious metals and the near-universal utility of these resources in a wide range of crafting recipes, but one must not underestimate how essential wood is. After all, can you imagine swords without hilts, ships without hulls, or campfires that had to resort to burning dung every night in lieu of a better fuel source? Inconceivable!

Get your hands dirty today and vote on the better career path for the burly outdoorsman or woman!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Mining vs. woodcutting

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Leaderboard: Mining vs. woodcutting originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> craftingfeaturedforestingharvestingim-a-lumberjack-and-thats-okleaderboardlumberjacklumberjackingminingmonty-pythonopinionpollvotevotersvotingwoodcutting Justin Olivetti Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Road to Mordor: A fresh start]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-start/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-start/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/04/the-road-to-mordor-a-fresh-start/#comments LotRO I don't know about you, but sometimes I fall into the trap of forcing myself to do something in a game because I feel internally obliged to do it. Somewhere along the line, "setting a goal" became a Bataan Death March that absolutely had to be accomplished before I'd allow myself to do what I truly wanted. In my case, it was the stubborn determination to get through the remainder of Rise of Isengard's content even though I had slowed to slogging through it, feeling burned out on my Lore-master after well over a year of constant play on the character.

So I sat back and re-evaluated. My reasoning for finishing Isengard was to make sure I was at the top of the game and could evaluate any new high-level content that came along for you guys, which was a noble reason. But the truth was that in so doing, I was playing something that was leeched of enjoyment for the time being and really needed to be put aside. Once I realized that, the solution was obvious.

A fresh start. That's what I wanted: a completely fresh start to the game. Hey, it's still (sort of) a new year, so why not? And once I gave myself permission to do that, my adventures in Lord of the Rings Online brightened up considerably.

I might be weird in this, but I absolutely love starting over from scratch in long-term games from time to time, even though it means scrapping (or putting aside) a whole heap of achievements and the effort spent acquiring them. This week I'm going to look at my fresh start with LotRO and why it has me buzzed to log in for the first time this year.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: A fresh start

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The Road to Mordor: A fresh start originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> do-overf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfresh-startgladdenlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrominstrelrestartriders-of-rohanrise-of-isengardstart-overstarting-overthe-road-to-mordorturbineturbine-entertainmentvirtuevirtues Justin Olivetti Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA['Just getting started': Scott Hartsman rallies the RIFT faithful for 2012]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/just-getting-started-scott-hartsman-rallies-the-rift-faithful/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/just-getting-started-scott-hartsman-rallies-the-rift-faithful/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/just-getting-started-scott-hartsman-rallies-the-rift-faithful/#comments RIFT "What an amazing year it has been," begins Scott Hartsman in his one-year state of the game report for RIFT. Citing Trion Worlds' ability to "think about MMOs a little bit differently than everyone else," Hartsman recalls the mountain of accomplishments of the previous year, including the seven major content updates leading up to the recent Update 1.7 and the RIFT Lite service.

The best part? "We're just getting started," he exults.

Hartsman identifies the "key themes" of the team's 2012 focus, including playing with other people, improving the soul system, leaping forward in PvP, coming up with new ways to interact with the game world, and expanding RIFT's endgame. The interactions theme is intriguing, especially considering his phrasing: "When we say interact, we mean both interacting with the game in non-combat ways, and interacting from out of game entirely."

The letter dives into more specifics with each of these themes before culminating in a promise of even more surprises to come later this year.

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'Just getting started': Scott Hartsman rallies the RIFT faithful for 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 1.7dev-diaryproducers-letterpvpriftrift-litescott-hartsmansoul-systemstate-of-the-gametriontrion-worldsupdate-1.7 Justin Olivetti Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Champions Online 'ambitiously' re-itemizing the game]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/champions-online-ambitiously-re-itemizing-the-game/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/champions-online-ambitiously-re-itemizing-the-game/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/champions-online-ambitiously-re-itemizing-the-game/#comments Champions Online As the groundhog pops up to see his shadow, so too do the devs of Champions Online pop up with their monthly UNTIL Field Report, dishing out the plans and proposed future updates for the game. This month's report is rather lengthy and kicks off with a promise about upcoming "ambitious" re-itemization of all items and rewards in Champions.

Currently in testing and on deck for the near future is a '90s Iron Age costume set, alerts, zone balancing, and a look at why them women folk walk so dang funny (apparently arms and legs are moving out of sync on female characters). Players also have a new travel power -- Distortion Acrobatics -- and specialization trees to look forward to.

There's also some good information in the report as to why some features and concerns have yet to move from low to high priority, such as the "lukewarm" feedback of team duels and the difficulties of balancing XP gifting.

As the next update for Champions Online nears, Cryptic promises a more in-depth series of dev diaries detailing the changes.

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Champions Online 'ambitiously' re-itemizing the game originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> champions-onlinecocrypticcryptic-studiosdev-diaryf2pfree-to-playiron-ageitemizationpatchpreviewre-itemizationtest-servertestinguntil-field-reportupcoming-patchupdate Justin Olivetti Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[LotRO video rock stars could win fame, glory, and Turbine Points]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/lotro-video-rock-stars-could-win-fame-glory-and-turbine-points/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/lotro-video-rock-stars-could-win-fame-glory-and-turbine-points/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/lotro-video-rock-stars-could-win-fame-glory-and-turbine-points/#comments LotRO Do you consider yourself a rock star within your MMO? Do men and women swoon upon your approach? Does a soundtrack ring out exalting your triumphs with every step you take? Do you carry a Sharpie around at all times to autograph body parts? Then you probably have an ego problem or something.

For everyone else, A Casual Stroll to Mordor is calling on creative talents to come up with fun "I am a rockstar" videos for Lord of the Rings Online -- and the site is willing to pay handsomely for the best efforts. Players are tasked with making a rock star-themed commercial, which can be any shade of serious or funny, and submitting it for a chance to win in-game store cash. Two Turbine Point cards, valued at 2500 and 1500 TP, are up for the first and second place winners.

Entries for the contest are due by February 17th. There are several rules for prospective video-makers, so head on over to CSTM for the full details.

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LotRO video rock stars could win fame, glory, and Turbine Points originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> a-casual-stroll-to-mordorcontestcstmf2pfree-to-playi-am-a-rock-stari-am-a-rockstarlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromake-a-videosharpieturbineturbine-entertainmentvideo-contest Justin Olivetti Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[EverQuest II players prepare to pay it forward tomorrow]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/everquest-ii-players-prepare-to-pay-it-forward-tomorrow/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/everquest-ii-players-prepare-to-pay-it-forward-tomorrow/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/everquest-ii-players-prepare-to-pay-it-forward-tomorrow/#comments Pay it Forward We here at Massively always have a soft spot in our otherwise cold and calculating hearts for players who take the initiative to help a fellow gamer out in a fun and creative way. So we couldn't let a story slip by about how a group of EverQuest II vets are planning to shower newbies with gifts and goodies in the hopes of fostering a better server community.

Jayne on EQII's Freeport server is helping to organize the return of the Pay It Forward player event, an activity that apparently got a lot of great responses the last two times around. What is Pay It Forward?
It's a day when adventurers and crafters come together to donate crafted goods, items rotting away in your bank, plat, rares, masters... you name it... to young adventurers, asking only that they perform some random good deed for a complete stranger in return.
He's asking that interested participants meet at the crafting area on the Isle of Mara tomorrow, February 4th, at 4:00 pm EST with gifts to hand out to low-level players.

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EverQuest II players prepare to pay it forward tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> eq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iif2pfree-to-playfreeportgiveawaygoodie-bagsin-game-eventisle-of-marajaynepay-it-forwardpay-it-forward-3player-eventsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentthe-man-they-called-jayne Justin Olivetti Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[WAKFU puts out a call for (paying) pioneers]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/wakfu-puts-out-a-call-for-paying-pioneers/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/wakfu-puts-out-a-call-for-paying-pioneers/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/wakfu-puts-out-a-call-for-paying-pioneers/#comments WAKFU With WAKFU's launch rapidly approaching later this month, the information is pouring forth fast and furious from this free-to-play title. One of the biggest questions that players have at this stage is just how a game is going to make its money, and in the case of WAKFU, Ankama is certainly hoping that the experience is fun enough to warrant a regular subscription.

If you're already on board with the WAKFU philosophy and wish to subscribe for a premium membership, then Ankama has a few great pre-launch offers for you. By signing up for three, six, or 12-month plans, you can net yourself plenty of in-game items as well as the esteemed title of "WAKFU Pioneer."

Ankama has also published a helpful chart illustrating the differences between the F2P and subscription plans -- such as whether or not you can become an eco-terrorist (we kid you not). Other differences include the ability to own a home vs. set up an in-game shop, how many professions you can master (six vs. 16), and whether or not you can run for office.

[Thanks to Derek for the tip!]

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WAKFU puts out a call for (paying) pioneers originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ankamabonusbusiness-modeleco-terrorismeco-terroristsf2pf2p-matrixfree-to-playlaunchofficepioneerpoliticspre-launchpre-launch-offerpre-orderpre-order-bonuspre-order-plansubsubscriptionsubscription-bonussubscription-chartwakfuwakfu-pioneer Justin Olivetti Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The 2800 invade Star Trek Online -- and we have on-the-scenes footage]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/the-2800-invade-star-trek-online-and-we-have-on-the-scenes-fo/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/the-2800-invade-star-trek-online-and-we-have-on-the-scenes-fo/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/the-2800-invade-star-trek-online-and-we-have-on-the-scenes-fo/#comments STO "Forge alliances... or all will be lost."

If those words don't give you chills of anticipation, then perhaps you need to take a gander at the video for the brand-new featured episodes coming soon to Star Trek Online. Titled "The 2800," the video begins by showing an invasion fleet popping out of a wormhole as the Federation and Klingons scramble to respond.

During this story, the Jem Hadar will be staging a massive attack upon Deep Space Nine, and it's up to players to warp in and save the game.

The 2800 will debut in the game on Saturday, February 11th, following this weekend's second anniversary celebration. You can watch the full video after the jump!

Continue reading The 2800 invade Star Trek Online -- and we have on-the-scenes footage

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The 2800 invade Star Trek Online -- and we have on-the-scenes footage originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> crypticcryptic-studiosdeep-space-nineds9f2pfeatured-episodefree-to-playjem-hadarpatchperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpreviewpwestar-trek-onlinestothe-2800trailervideo Justin Olivetti Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[City of Heroes asks, 'Will you be my super-Valentine?']]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/02/city-of-heroes-asks-will-you-be-my-super-valentine/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/02/city-of-heroes-asks-will-you-be-my-super-valentine/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/02/city-of-heroes-asks-will-you-be-my-super-valentine/#comments City of Heroes It's hard to believe that it's already February and that spring is now within striking distance. City of Heroes feels the season coming on strong, which is why it's bringing back its Spring Fling holiday event from February 8th through the 27th.

The event this year will be a mix of the old and the new. Returning from the past are tangles with Arachnos, quests to fetch underwear for Eros, and a smackdown of Snaptooth. New for the 2012 season are a couple of additional missions for the restless hopeless romantic in all of us -- Widow in Red and Valentines -- with accompanying badges.

The former quest will have players looking into the love life of Lord Recluse (Match.com has no entry for "super-villain," much to his dismay), while the latter will send heroes all across the game world looking for valentines to deliver or redirect. The Valentines missions reward players with temporary powers such as Arrows of Romance and Arrows of Jealousy.

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City of Heroes asks, 'Will you be my super-Valentine?' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcoverosf2pfree-to-playgoing-roguein-game-eventlord-reclusematch.comncsoftparagonparagon-studiosspring-flingspring-fling-2012valentinevalentinesvalentines-day Justin Olivetti Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Play three Nexon MMOs, get this car]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/02/play-three-nexon-mmos-get-this-car/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/02/play-three-nexon-mmos-get-this-car/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/02/play-three-nexon-mmos-get-this-car/#comments Nexon Hat Trick Contest Did that grab your attention? Nexon is sure hoping it did, as the company is in the throes of its "Get a Hat Trick!" promotion. For the next month and a half, players who dive into Vindictus, Dragon Nest, and Dungeon Fighter Online and get to level 20 in all three games will have a shot at several nice prizes -- including the above 2012 BMW M3. So, in effect, just by playing MMOs, you could be netting yourself one of the sweetest rides in town.

While Nexon has already handed out awards for the third and fourth place winners, there are still prizes left for aspiring gamers. First of all, everyone who gets a hat trick (as defined by achieving level 20 in the above three titles) will be treated to $20 worth of in-game items. Additionally, three players will get an Alienware Aurora desktop computer, and 30 people will win $50 "Karma Koins."

As for the Beemer, the prize will only be unlocked if 30,000 players achieve hat tricks by March 15th -- and even then, only one car will be given away after that. So good luck and may the game be with you!

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Play three Nexon MMOs, get this car originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 2012-bmw-m3alienwarealienware-aurorabeemerbmwbmw-m3contestdragon-nestdungeon-fighter-onlinef2pfree-to-playget-a-hat-trickgiveawayhat-trickkarma-koinsnexonnexon-americapromotionvindictus Justin Olivetti Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Massively Exclusive: Lime Odyssey premieres the Muris opening cinematic]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/02/massively-exclusive-lime-odyssey-premieres-the-muris-opening-ci/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/02/massively-exclusive-lime-odyssey-premieres-the-muris-opening-ci/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/02/massively-exclusive-lime-odyssey-premieres-the-muris-opening-ci/#comments Lime Odyssey When trying to describe the Muris, one of three races for Aeria Games' Lime Odyssey, the phrase "cute as a button" pops into mind more than once. The Muris are a diminutive, "mischievous" people who spread chaos and giggles wherever they go. Players who choose a Muris character will have access to all four of the game's classes, and will begin their journey in the town of Pripet in the Shimmering Island.

We have a treat for you today: the world-exclusive premiere of the Muris introductory cinematic as well as several new screenshots of these bite-sized troublemakers!

Lime Odyssey is scheduled to release sometime in 2012.

Gallery: Lime Odyssey Core Gallery

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Lime Odyssey premieres the Muris opening cinematic

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Massively Exclusive: Lime Odyssey premieres the Muris opening cinematic originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aeria-gamesbetacinematicexclusivef2pfree-to-playgallerylime-odysseymassively-exclusivemurismuris-cinematicmuris-raceopening-cinematicscreenshotstrailervideo Justin Olivetti Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[World of Tanks invades America in Update 7.2]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/02/world-of-tanks-invades-america-in-update-7-2/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/02/world-of-tanks-invades-america-in-update-7-2/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/02/world-of-tanks-invades-america-in-update-7-2/#comments World of Tanks Watch out America -- your soil is no longer safe from the rampaging treads of World of Tanks! Wargaming.net announced the forthcoming 7.2 update for the game which includes a US twist: an American map called Live Oaks, US tank destroyers, and updates to two of the top-tier American heavy tanks.

Update 7.2 will be arriving in the first quarter of this year, and also contains an Italian map (Campania), an integrated tutorial to help newbies get a handle on the game, and 20 new crew skills.

Lead Game Designer Mike Zhivets is all aglow over 7.2: "We are always happy to introduce new features and game content to our community. Many more new exciting features are on their way and will be introduced in the nearest updates."

You can check out the diesel action in the trailer after the jump!

Continue reading World of Tanks invades America in Update 7.2

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World of Tanks invades America in Update 7.2 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 7.27.2-updateamericacampaniaf2pfree-to-playlive-oaksMike-Zhivetspatch-7.2tank-destroyerstrailerupdate-7.2usvideowargaming.networld-of-tankswot Justin Olivetti Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[BioWare goes bounty hunting for great guild leaders]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/bioware-goes-bounty-hunting-for-great-guild-leaders/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/bioware-goes-bounty-hunting-for-great-guild-leaders/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/bioware-goes-bounty-hunting-for-great-guild-leaders/#comments SWTOR Aboard the Empire's great warship BioWare Austin, the Star Wars: The Old Republic community team has put a bounty on passionate leaders for the first SWTOR Guild Summit on March 4th through 6th. The summit is designed to facilitate direct communication between guild leaders and the developers as well as provide a lucky few with an advance sneak peek at some upcoming features.

The best thing about the summit is that any qualifying guild leader interested in helping to shape the game's future can apply to be a part of the summit. The official website has an application form up, although those who want to be considered for the summit need to fill it out by February 10th.

BioWare stated that it has already invited some guilds and that the remainder of the summit will be invite-only due to the limited size of the event. It's important to note that while the event itself is free, attending leaders have to assume the responsibility for transportation, room, and board.

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BioWare goes bounty hunting for great guild leaders originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> biowarebioware-austinea-biowareguildguild-leaderguild-leadersguild-leadershipguild-summitguildsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorswtor-guild-summit Justin Olivetti Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[See League of Legends' Ziggs in action -- he'll blow you away]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/see-league-of-legends-ziggs-in-action-hell-blow-you-away/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/see-league-of-legends-ziggs-in-action-hell-blow-you-away/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/see-league-of-legends-ziggs-in-action-hell-blow-you-away/#comments League of Legends It's Ziggs week at League of Legends as Riot Games pours out the love for this hexplosives-flinging gremlin. A new Champion Spotlight video gives a good overview of this character, highlighting Ziggs' bomb-happy skills and key strategies for success. If being a Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs at Midnight appeals to your playstyle, check out the video to see if Ziggs is your soulmate.

As part of the Ziggs celebration, there are two new skins for him in the store -- Major Ziggs and Mad Scientist Ziggs -- as well as a special skin for Poppy (Scarlet Hammer Poppy).

Check out the Champion Spotlight video after the cut and make sure to read up on Ziggs in our previous coverage of this new character!

Continue reading See League of Legends' Ziggs in action -- he'll blow you away

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See League of Legends' Ziggs in action -- he'll blow you away originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> champion-spotlightchampion-spotlight-videof2pfree-to-playhexplosiveshexplosives-expertleague-of-legendslollol-storemidnight-bomber-what-bombs-at-midnightnew-skinsriotriot-gamesskinsstorevideoziggsziggs-patch Justin Olivetti Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What do you like to see on MMO websites?]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-like-to-see-on-mmo-websites/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-like-to-see-on-mmo-websites/ http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-like-to-see-on-mmo-websites/#comments DAoC During my time with Massively and as a gamer, I've visited scads of official MMO websites. And I can say, incontrovertibly, that no two of them had the same features and focus. Some were extremely easy to navigate while others were almost indecipherable without the Staff of Ra to guide me. Some were more about flash while others were loaded with content. And some, to my never-ending dismay, still lack an RSS feed which I cannot fathom in this day and age.

But enough about my journeys -- I want to hear about your own thoughts on MMO websites. What do you like to see when you visit one? Are the aesthetics important to you, or are you more concerned with specific features? Are these websites more for first-time visitors curious about the game or should they cater to players looking for news and updates about their favorite titles?

For bonus points, provide a link below to (in your opinion) the best-designed MMO website!

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

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The Daily Grind: What do you like to see on MMO websites? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> aestheticsdaocdark-age-of-camelotfeaturedmmo-websitemmo-websitesnewsopinionrssrss-feedstaff-of-ratdgthe-daily-grindwebsitewebsites Justin Olivetti Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[EverQuest Mac fans fight for survival; SOE responds]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/everquest-mac-fans-fight-for-survival-soe-responds/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/everquest-mac-fans-fight-for-survival-soe-responds/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/everquest-mac-fans-fight-for-survival-soe-responds/#comments EverQuest Mac While many players are celebrating the announcement of EverQuest's upcoming free-to-play transition, there is one EQ community that was crushed by the news. The small but dedicated fanbase of EverQuest: Macintosh Edition found out that with F2P, EQMac and its one server would be sunsetted on the same date.

EQMac fans have begun to stage a campaign to save their favorite game, but it looks like there will be no budging SOE's mind on the matter. SOE President John Smedley took to the forums today to answer specific questions about the shutdown. "It breaks my heart to have to do this," he laments, before admitting that it's a done deal. Smedley cites the fact that the codebase is so ancient that only one SOE programmer knows how to work it, the player population is too small, and SOE was never that "proud" of the version.

However, Smedley promised that he will run a poll to see if there's enough interest in a Mac port of the current version of EverQuest. If the response is big enough, he says, the company will consider doing it. Meanwhile, the game will be available for current players free of charge until the March 29th shutdown. SOE has a celebration planned for its final hurrah.

EQMac came out in 2003 and was unique for remaining "frozen in time" in the years since, receiving no further active development or expansions. We will be covering this game and its shutdown more in-depth in a future Game Archaeologist column, so stay tuned.

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EverQuest Mac fans fight for survival; SOE responds originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appleeqeq-forumseqmaceverquesteverquest-macintosheverquest-macintosh-editionf2pforumsfree-to-playjohn-smedleymacmac-editionmac-portmac-versionpollshutdownsmedleysoeSony-Online-Entertainmentsunsetsunsetting Justin Olivetti Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:30:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Dutch Supreme Court declares RuneScape theft a real-world crime]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/dutch-supreme-court-declares-runescape-theft-a-real-world-crime/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/dutch-supreme-court-declares-runescape-theft-a-real-world-crime/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/dutch-supreme-court-declares-runescape-theft-a-real-world-crime/#comments Dutch Supreme Court Is stealing a virtual good deserving of a real-world criminal sentence? According to a recent ruling by the Dutch Supreme Court, the answer is "yes."

The court recently upheld a ruling of a criminal case in which teens attacked another youth and forced him at knifepoint to relinquish his possessions in RuneScape, including an in-game amulet and knife.

The incident happened in 2007, and a lower court convicted the two thieves in 2009. One of the defendants then appealed to the country's supreme court on the grounds that the stolen goods "were neither tangible nor material and, unlike for example electricity, had no economic value."

However, the judges declared that these virtual items had value because they represented "time and energy invested" to acquire. The thieves were sentenced to 144 hours of community service.

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Dutch Supreme Court declares RuneScape theft a real-world crime originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> criminal-casedutch-supreme-courtin-game-theftjagexlegallegal-rulingrsrulingrunescapesupreme-courtthefttheiveryvirtual-items Justin Olivetti Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Allods Online cheekily promotes Game of Gods expansion]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/allods-online-cheekily-promotes-game-of-gods-expansion/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/allods-online-cheekily-promotes-game-of-gods-expansion/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/allods-online-cheekily-promotes-game-of-gods-expansion/#comments Allods Online Say what you will about Allods Online; at least it has a sense of humor when it comes to its own publicity. While most MMOs would use the opportunity of an upcoming major patch for a serious, percussion-heavy trailer fraught with sword swinging and landscapes, Allods decides to go... another way.

We don't want to spoil it, so suffice it to say that it begins with an epic confrontation between an ogre and a hermit crab that might well go down in history as one of the most nail-biting battles of the minds.

The trailer is a promotion for Allods' upcoming Game of Gods expansion and includes brief glimpses into the update's new features -- including the not-at-all prancing Bard. (Bards rule, by the way.)

You can watch the full trailer after the jump!

Continue reading Allods Online cheekily promotes Game of Gods expansion

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Allods Online cheekily promotes Game of Gods expansion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 3.0.0allodsallods-onlinebardbards-rule-ba-ba-booeyexpansionf2pfree-to-playgame-of-godsgpotatohermit-crabogretic-tac-toetrailerupdatevideo Justin Olivetti Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[DDO 'prequel' update prepping community for the expansion]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/ddo-prequel-update-prepping-community-for-the-expansion/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/ddo-prequel-update-prepping-community-for-the-expansion/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/ddo-prequel-update-prepping-community-for-the-expansion/#comments DDO Prequels are generally bad, bad things that your mother warned you about but you didn't believe her until you saw The Phantom Menace. Occasionally, however, there is the rare exception, such as Dungeons & Dragons Online's Update 13, which Turbine is billing as the prequel to this summer's Menace of the Underdark expansion pack.

Update 13: Web of Chaos has a generous portion of goodies for all players in the form of three new free quests. These quests include tackling a uppity cult, freeing a prisoner from captivity, and battling the nefarious Spinner of Shadows itself.

Also coming with DDO's next update will be a few additional store options, cosmetic pets, and the ability to unlock level 7 veteran status. The latter acquisition will allow you to make a new level 7 adventurer right out of the gate and can either be purchased with real money or in-game favor.

You can read up on Update 13 and the expansion pack in our recent interview with Turbine.

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DDO 'prequel' update prepping community for the expansion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> adventure-packcosmetic-petsddodungeons-and-dragons-onlinef2pfree-to-playfree-updatemenace-of-the-underdarkpatchprequelspinner-of-shadowsthe-phantom-menaceturbineTurbine-Entertainmentupdateupdate-13web-of-shadows Justin Olivetti Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The highlights]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/the-game-archaeologist-dials-up-phantasy-star-online-the-highli/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/the-game-archaeologist-dials-up-phantasy-star-online-the-highli/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/the-game-archaeologist-dials-up-phantasy-star-online-the-highli/#comments Phantasy Star Online The Dreamcast was a brief but shining aberration in the gaming world. Coming along years after Sega had fallen out of its position as a top-runner in the console market, it represented the company's big attempt to reclaim its former glory. While it failed to succeed in that respect and ultimately closed up shop in 2001 (ending Sega's interest in the console market), the Dreamcast became a gaming cult favorite responsible for some of the most innovative titles ever made. Games like Jet Grind Radio, Space Channel 5, and Shenmue have remained fan favorites long after the Dreamcast's demise, which shows the legacy that these dev teams left behind.

But perhaps the Dreamcast's greatest gift to the gaming world wasn't crazy taxis or space dancing but a surprisingly forward-looking approach to online gaming. In 2000, the Dreamcast took the first steps to bringing an online console RPG to market, and while it wasn't a true MMO, it certainly paved the way for titles like EverQuest Online Adventures and Final Fantasy XI.

It was bold, it was addictive, and it was gosh-darned gorgeous. Ladies and gentlemen: Phantasy Star Online.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The highlights

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The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> blizzardblue-burstchuchu-rocketconsole-mmodiablodial-updialupdreamcasteqoaeverquest-online-adventuresfeaturedffxifinal-fantasy-xigamecubeIsao-Okawajapan-game-awardjet-grind-radiomonster-hunterphantasy-star-onlinephantasy-star-online-2Phantasy-Star-Online-ver.2phantasy-star-universepsopso2psusegaShenmuesonicsonic-adventuressonic-teamsonic-the-hedgehogsonicteamspace-channel-5Takao-Miyoshithe-game-archaeologistthird-worldxboxyuki-naka Justin Olivetti Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[A sneak peek at Guild Wars 2's PvP Scholar armor [Updated]]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/a-sneak-peek-at-guild-wars-2s-pvp-scholar-armor/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/a-sneak-peek-at-guild-wars-2s-pvp-scholar-armor/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/31/a-sneak-peek-at-guild-wars-2s-pvp-scholar-armor/#comments Guild Wars 2 Admit it: You aren't always out just for the thrill of the experience -- you want the bling-bling to go with it. A shopping spree, with your sword playing the role of "credit card" and each corpse a potential bonanza of fashion acquisitions. That's okay; we're not here to judge you.

In fact, if fancy armor gets your motor running, Guild Wars Insider has a treat for you: two pictures of Guild Wars 2's PvP Scholar armor set modeled by a majestic Norn Elementalist. While the armor may not maximize skin coverage, the detail and design is certainly fetching.

These pictures were taken inside of the PvP lobbies, which are breathtaking environments all to themselves. The picture on the left was taken in the Battle of Khylo lobby.

ArenaNet has been rolling out the news of Guild Wars 2's PvP system ever since Gamescom last year.

[Thanks to Seven for the tip!]

[Update: Guild Wars Insider has posted up additional screenshots of PvP, pets, and even more armor.]

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A sneak peek at Guild Wars 2's PvP Scholar armor [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> anetarenanetarmorbattle-of-khylogamescomguild-warsguild-wars-2guild-wars-insidergw2norn elementalistNornElementalistpvppvp-armorpvp-lobbyscholar-armorscreenshots Justin Olivetti Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST Massively <![CDATA[Leaderboard: Mechanized vs. monster mounts]]> http://www.massively.com/2012/01/30/leaderboard-mechanized-vs-monster-mounts/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/30/leaderboard-mechanized-vs-monster-mounts/ http://www.massively.com/2012/01/30/leaderboard-mechanized-vs-monster-mounts/#comments Leaderboard Unless you're stuck in the invisible wall, no jumping, running-with-your-hands-flopping-about hell of Guild Wars, chances are you've gotten the opportunity to pick up a mount or two in an MMO. It's one of the ways that MMOs are so superior to the real world: There are no driver tests, no insurance policies, no (usually) gas. You just plop down some money and the vendor looks the other way while you go off-roading in a major metropolitan area.

But it wouldn't be a Leaderboard if we didn't force you to choose between your '67 Mustang and your pet Tauntaun, and so it shall be. In the world of mounts, there are two categories: the mechanized and the monsters. Vehicle mounts may be more rare due to fantasy's dominance over the genre, but they're still there and quite popular for the set that doesn't appreciate staring at horse doody all the live-long day. Then again, the fantastic creatures that have served as animal mounts are unceasing in variety as they are in style.

So what shall it be? Will you plug Old Yeller and go with your motorcycle, or will you mothball your favorite dune buggy in favor of Seabiscuit? Vote after the jump!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Mechanized vs. monster mounts

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Leaderboard: Mechanized vs. monster mounts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> animalcarfeaturedguild-warsgwhorseleaderboardmechanizedmonstermotorcyclemountmountsold-yelleropinionpollseabiscuitvehiclevehiclesvotevotersvotes Justin Olivetti Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST Massively