Massively http://www.massively.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://www.massively.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/19/the-perfect-ten-free-to-play-holdouts/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/19/the-perfect-ten-free-to-play-holdouts/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/19/the-perfect-ten-free-to-play-holdouts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
In the increasingly diminishing field of subscription-only MMOs, two distinct camps have formed. There is the Old Guard that has its established playerbase and is simply not interested in jumping on board the F2P train, and then there are the New Kids on the Block (which would make an excellent band name, by the way), who argue that their premium features and AAA content warrant a subscription in the F2P age.

A few years ago, doing a list of the final few F2P holdouts would have been a ridiculous proposition, but now it's actually difficult to get to 10 of these. Each company has a different reason that it hasn't given these games more flexible payment options (FPO should replace F2P; pass it on!), and while some have addressed this publicly, others say nothing and leave us to speculate on it.

For today's Perfect Ten, we're going to look at the 10 biggest current F2P holdouts in the industry and muse about what's going on behind the scenes. Will this list be impossible to do in a few years or will subscription-only titles come back in a big way? Hey, I don't predict things; I just make lists.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Free-to-play holdouts originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acactivisionAndy-Cataldoasherons-callbiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcamelotccpccp-gamesclassic-mmoconsoleconsolesdaocdark-age-of-cameloteaelectronic-artsendless-trialeveeve-onlinef2pfantasyfeaturedffff11ff14ffxiffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivfpsfree-to-playhumorinternet-spaceshipsKai-Schoberlord-britishlucasartsmmofpsmythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyopinionp10perfect-10perfect-tenplanetsidepsps1pvpriftrift-literift-planes-of-telararounduprvrsandboxsci-fiscott-hartsmansoesony-online-entertainmentspreadsheets-onlinesquaresquare-enixstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feeswtorthe-old-republicthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tentop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listtortriontrion-worldsturbineturbine-entertainmentultimaultima onlineuowarwarcraftwarhammerwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Leaderboard: Ultima Online vs. EverQuest vs. Asheron's Call]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/02/leaderboard-ultima-online-vs-everquest-vs-asherons-call/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/02/leaderboard-ultima-online-vs-everquest-vs-asherons-call/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/02/leaderboard-ultima-online-vs-everquest-vs-asherons-call/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Back at the turn of the century, you didn't have the equivalent of cable's infinite choices when it came to MMOs. No, you pretty much had the standard Big Three of network programming: Ultima Online, EverQuest, and Asheron's Call. With the subscription model firmly in place, most players had to choose their loyalty and choose it well.

For today's Leaderboard, we're going to pretend that no other MMOs exist other than those three and see how the 2012 crowd divides up between them. Would you fly your banner for Ultima Online and its enormous sandboxy world? Would you cast your lots with EverQuest, the once great and powerful king of the genre? Or would you throw in with Asheron's Call and its monthly stories?

Call it a popularity contest, a trip down memory lane, or an all-out brawl between MMO senior citizens. It's a three-way title fight on this week's Leaderboard, and only one game will live to see next week!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Ultima Online vs. EverQuest vs. Asheron's Call

MassivelyLeaderboard: Ultima Online vs. EverQuest vs. Asheron's Call originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acasherons-callbattle-royalclassic-mmoeaelectronic-artseqeq1everquestf2pfantasyfree-to-playleaderboardlord-britishmythicmythic-entertainmentone-on-oneone-vs-oneopinionpollpollssandboxsoesonysony-online-entertainmentturbineturbine-entertainmentultimaultima onlineuoversusvotevotesvotingvsMon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Asheron's Call readies radical February revamp]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/asherons-call-readies-radical-february-revamp/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/asherons-call-readies-radical-february-revamp/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/07/asherons-call-readies-radical-february-revamp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Asheron's Call - that shield can't be very useful
When you have an MMORPG that's well into its second decade, there's got to be a strong temptation to simply keep the servers on and let it ride. The community is probably pretty hardcore -- and they're certainly faithful -- and throwing a bunch of changes at them could be a dicey proposition.

Turbine is taking that gamble with its venerable Asheron's Call sandbox, though, as the title's February update is bringing sweeping changes to the world of Auberean. New skills and new systems are the order of the day, and whether you're talking about the removal of racial skills or the ability to have six additional specialization skills, there's probably going to be an adjustment period after the patch. Head to official AC boards for all the details.

[Thanks to Rehlik for the tip!]

MassivelyAsheron's Call readies radical February revamp originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asherons-callaubereanchangechangesfantasyfebruary-updatesandboxskill-basedskill-revampskillsturbineTurbine-EntertainmentTue, 07 Feb 2012 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Best MMO theme songs (part two)]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/26/the-perfect-ten-best-mmo-theme-songs-part-two/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/26/the-perfect-ten-best-mmo-theme-songs-part-two/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/26/the-perfect-ten-best-mmo-theme-songs-part-two/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
The last time on the Perfect Ten, disaster struck the good ship Poseidon and the surviving readers were running out of air as they tried to escape the flipped-over vessel. Also, we were counting down the top 20 MMO themes, but that's of small consolation to the soon-to-be bereaved friends and families, don't you think?

Because we play these games extensively, it's not uncommon for MMO music -- and themes -- to become vilified by the sheer number of times we've heard them. That's a little unfair to a three-minute piece of soundtrack that slaves every day to feed his wife and kids, doing the best he can in a trying situation. So perhaps we can put aside melodic oversaturation to look at these tracks anew, shall we?

With half of them out of the way, it's time to look into the elite of the elite: the 10 best MMO themes of all time. According to me. A guy you don't know. You've got goosebumps, don't you?

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Best MMO theme songs (part two)

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Best MMO theme songs (part two) originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acallodsallods-onlineasherons-calleqeq2everquesteverquest-2everquest-iifeaturedgranado-espadaguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw2jeremy-soulelistmusicperfect-tenromrunes-of-magicscorestar-trek-onlinestosword-of-the-new-worldthe-perfect-tenthemetheme-musictitle-themeturbineultima-onlineuoworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 26 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist seals up 2011]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/03/the-game-archaeologist-seals-up-2011/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/03/the-game-archaeologist-seals-up-2011/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/03/the-game-archaeologist-seals-up-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2
You know what I love about the end of each year? The lists. Man, but I'm a sucker for lists, especially when they come in "best of" varieties. In the lull between Christmas and New Year's, there typically isn't a lot happening in the world of entertainment, so it's a good time to look back before we head forward.

And so it is for The Game Archaeologist. 2011 marks the second year I've been doing this column, and it's been one of my personal favorite series to write. Every week I'm learning more and more about the history of the MMO genre, and I'm encouraged to see just how much passion and interest there are for the titles that started it all and got us to where we are today.

So before we head into 2012, let's take one last glimpse back at the road we've traveled. If you've missed out on any of these columns or want to revisit your favorite classic MMO, I've compiled a huge list of everything I talked about this year, from histories to interviews to player stories. There's also a special request for you (yes, you) at the end of this column, so do me a favor and hit that jump!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist seals up 2011

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist seals up 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011a-tale-in-the-desertac2Andrew-Tepperasherons-callasherons-call-2Ben-Chamberlainbrian-greenclimaxdark-age-of-cameloteaearth-and-beyondeqEric-Heimburgeverquestfeaturedimperator-onlineJosef-HalllineagelistlistsMeridian-59Middle-earth-Onlinemudmulti-user-dungeonmxomythicaplanetsidepsychochildRade-StojsavljevicrarebitRichard-Bartleround-uproundupshadow-of-yserbiusshadowbaneStuart-Zissuteppytgathe-game-archaeologistthe-matrix-onlinethe-shadow-of-yserbiusThom-TerrazasTodd-ColemanTrue-Fantasy-Live-OnlineUltima-Worlds-Online-OriginUltima-X-OdysseyWarhammer-Onlineworld-of-warcraftyear-in-reviewTue, 03 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist salutes Asheron's Call's 12th anniversary]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/11/03/the-game-archaeologist-salutes-asherons-calls-12th-anniversary/http://www.massively.com/2011/11/03/the-game-archaeologist-salutes-asherons-calls-12th-anniversary/http://www.massively.com/2011/11/03/the-game-archaeologist-salutes-asherons-calls-12th-anniversary/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Asheron's Call
Turning 12 is a wake-up call for most people because they realize that next year they will officially be teenagers. We just hope that Turbine's ready for that when Asheron's Call breaks curfew, sasses back, and starts developing a romantic interest in other MMOs.

One of the privileges of writing The Game Archaeologist column here on Massively is that I get to watch over these classic MMOs as they marinate in maturity. Despite new titles being announced or released literally every day, these long-running games are the established old guard that have nothing to prove at this point. It's hard not to be a little in awe of that and gush at it.

So congratulations to Asheron's Call, one of the first batch of 3-D MMOs that hit the scene back in the late '90s, for reaching its 12th anniversary! How bizarre is it to think that Asheron's Call came out the same year that we were freaking out about Y2K, seeing how far George Lucas could fall with The Phantom Menace, and paying about $1.22 a gallon for gas in the U.S.? AC almost seems legendary when you realize how far back it stretches.

Join us as we sing the praises of Dereth and its citizens after the jump!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist salutes Asheron's Call's 12th anniversary

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist salutes Asheron's Call's 12th anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12th-anniversary1999acandy-cataldoanniversaryasherons-callderetheqeverquestfeaturedgeorge-lucasretrospectivespecial-editionstatisticstestimoniesthe-game-archaeologistthe-phantom-menacetrailerturbineturbine-entertainmentvideoThu, 03 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The community]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/10/25/the-game-archaeologist-answers-asherons-call-2-the-community/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/25/the-game-archaeologist-answers-asherons-call-2-the-community/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/25/the-game-archaeologist-answers-asherons-call-2-the-community/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Game Archaeologist
Time machines are expensive, and with gas the price it is today, it's not always viable to fuel up your DeLorean and travel back to the early 2000s just to check out some of those long-gone MMOs. Fortunately, jawing about them with former players and developers is the next best method of revisiting canceled MMOs.

It's been a personal treat to spend the month covering a game I never got to see when it was live. Asheron's Call 2 seems like it was a special game that tried hard and resulted in spectacular ideas and flaws alike. We've gotten to hear from former fansite owners and a developer on the team, which leaves just one group to check in with: the players themselves.

So today it's all about reminiscing over AC2 with the players who still carry a torch for this title and perhaps have a poster of it on the ceiling over their beds. I wouldn't be surprised if there's one or two people out there who made "children" out of discarded Asheron's Call 2 boxes and have enrolled them in elementary school only to be declined because they couldn't be authenticated. That's just how much love there is out there for this game.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The community

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The community originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ac2aionasherons-callasherons-call-2classdeloreanfeaturedffafree-for-allhalolord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolugianmicrosoftmr-robotopvpracetime-travelturbineturbine-entertainmentwarner-broswbworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 25 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The former dev]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/10/18/the-game-archaeologist-answers-asherons-call-2-the-former-dev/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/18/the-game-archaeologist-answers-asherons-call-2-the-former-dev/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/18/the-game-archaeologist-answers-asherons-call-2-the-former-dev/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Game Archaeologist -- AC2
I've been a long-time follower of Eric Heimburg on his blog, Elder Game, where he and a friend have spent years delivering insightful commentary about MMOs and supermodels (well, mostly MMOs). Because I'm not that observant a fellow and I assume that most fellow bloggers are mere players like I am, I didn't realize until a little while ago that he and his co-writer were former Turbine developers who had worked on Asheron's Call and Asheron's Call 2.

You can see where this is going.

Once I learned that, I knew I had to get him to contribute to this series. I began a multi-year wooing campaign that involved skywriting, cupcakes, celebrity kiss-o-grams, envelopes stuffed with unmarked bills, and all the tea in China. Of course, this was well after he'd already said "yes" to it, but I like to keep up appearances.

So hit the jump as I talk to a guy who was on the flipside of Asheron's Call 2 as a producer and generally swell fella!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The former dev

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The former dev originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acac2asherons-callasherons-call-2asherons-call-2-legionsdaocdark-age-of-camelotdrudgeEric-HeimburgfeaturedinterviewJohn-Lindemuthkingdom-vs-kingdomlegionslive-eventslive-teammicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studiosmmo-sequelspvpRick-Schmitzsequelsequelstea-in-chinathe-game-archaeologistturbineturbine-entertainmentworld-of-warcraftwowTue, 18 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The fansite managers]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/10/11/the-game-archaeologist-answers-asherons-call-2-the-fansite-man/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/11/the-game-archaeologist-answers-asherons-call-2-the-fansite-man/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/11/the-game-archaeologist-answers-asherons-call-2-the-fansite-man/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Asheron's Call - The Game Archaeologist
Back when I covered Asheron's Call for The Game Archaeologist, I got an impassioned email from a former fansite operator who made me promise that I'd drop her a line when the time came to talk about Asheron's Call 2, as she was not only a huge fan of the title but still in contact with many former players who carry a torch for Turbine's long-departed MMO. One thing led to another, and I ended up talking to both her and a fellow AC2 fansite manager about the ups and downs of covering the second coming of Dereth...

The Game Archaeologist: Please introduce yourself, your current job position, and how you got involved with Asheron's Call 2 back in the day?

Kiersten Samwell: I'm Kiersten Samwell, Community Relations and Social Media Manager for KingsIsle Entertainment, the creator of Wizard101. I used to be the Site Manager for Warcry's Crossroads of Dereth/Asheron's Call site as Ellen Ripley, so it was natural to work with the site manager of their Asheron's Call 2 fansite as well. His name is Roberto, and he was just an incredible site manager. Of course, being an avid AC1 player, I enjoyed AC2 for both its similarities to and its differences from AC1.

Robert Hackett: Hi, I'm Robert Hackett, the Managing MMO Editor of GamersInfo.net. I actually got invited to one of the betas along with a friend of mine. The lag was so bad (the day I logged in may have been a stress test; I can't remember) that I told my friend that there was no way my rig could handle that. Fast forward to the month after release and Ophelea from the old AC Crossroads site begged me to come over to AC2 and be an editor for the database she was trying to build. Logged in and the game was a million percent better. I stayed to work on the database and eventually fell in love with it beyond "work!"

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The fansite managers

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The fansite managers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acac-crossroadsac2ac2-warcryasherons-callasherons-call-2atmosphereAubereancraftingddodeja-vuderethdungeons-and-dragons-onlineEllen-Ripleyfallen-kingsfeaturedgamersinfo.netinterviewKiersten-Samwellkingsislekingsisle-entertainmentlegacylord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromicrosoftOpheleapost-apocalypticRobert-Hackettsequelsequelsshutdownstar-wars-galaxiesswgthe-game-archeologistturbineturbine-entertainmentwarcrywizard101world-of-warcraftwowTue, 11 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The highlights]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/10/04/the-game-archaeologist-answers-asherons-call-2-the-highlights/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/04/the-game-archaeologist-answers-asherons-call-2-the-highlights/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/04/the-game-archaeologist-answers-asherons-call-2-the-highlights/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Asheron's Call 2
MMO sequels are funny animals. Sequels (along with prequels and "reimaginings") are ingrained into the entertainment industry so deep that it makes sense that MMO studios would follow suit. And yet these types of games -- with their ever-growing nature and heavy involvement with loyal playerbases -- are not always conducive to such projects. More often than not, a sequel to an online game becomes its ancestor's main competition, which is not a desirable outcome for the studio.

Perhaps back in the early 2000s, studios simply didn't know better. There's good evidence that the typical "hit video games need a sequel" mindset ran rampant across the industry, from the multiple attempts at Ultima Online 2 to the release of the don't-call-it-a-sequel sequel of EverQuest II. Perhaps developers didn't realize that MMO players didn't necessarily want to be uprooted and moved to a new game every few years.

While sequels, spin-offs and remakes are still present, the genre learned a hard lesson with Asheron's Call 2 in the first half of the decade. Asheron's Call was a success on Microsoft and Turbine's behalf, and a sequel -- with vastly improved graphics and deeper gameplay -- seemed like a logical next step. Unfortunately, it was a Greek tragedy in the making, destined for a short but memorable life in our world.

This month we're going to look at the brief shining star of Asheron's Call 2 and get all sorts of misty-eyed romantic over it!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The highlights

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist answers Asheron's Call 2: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acac1ac2asherons-callasherons-call-2asherons-call-2-legionsawardcanceledcancellationclassclassesderetheqiieverquest-iiexpansionfallen-kingsfeaturedgeoff-scottguildshero-2.0hero-systemjonathan-hannakingdom-vs-kingdomkvklegionsmatthew-fordmicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studiosmmo-sequelsmusicmusic-systemplayer-musicpvpRandy-Spongsequelsequelsthe-game-archaeologistturbineturbine-entertainmentultima-online-2Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Directing the devs for a day in Asheron's Call]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/09/12/directing-the-devs-for-a-day-in-asherons-call/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/12/directing-the-devs-for-a-day-in-asherons-call/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/12/directing-the-devs-for-a-day-in-asherons-call/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Asheron's Call screenshot
Turbine may be best-known to modern MMO gamers for its F2P games Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons and Dragons Online, but veteran gamers know that the company has a tiny little subscription sandbox game operating a bit outside of the limelight: Asheron's Call. Yes, AC is still chugging along, thanks in part to the devs' interaction with their small but faithful community. In fact, to reward that community, the development team has in the past asked its players for ideas on how to enhance the game. The catch is that said enhancement has to be something the devs can do in a single day.

Today, Turbine has posted up the best of the best ideas from the recent round of submissions from the playerbase, and apparently, AC players want their team working on everything from casino tweaks to tailorable undergarments (really!). Check out the whole list of itty-bitty incoming enhancements on the official forums.

MassivelyDirecting the devs for a day in Asheron's Call originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acasherons-callcasinosdevelopmentenhancementsideassandboxturbineTurbine-EntertainmentunderwearMon, 12 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Non-vanilla server rulesets]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/09/08/the-perfect-ten-non-vanilla-server-rulesets/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/08/the-perfect-ten-non-vanilla-server-rulesets/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/08/the-perfect-ten-non-vanilla-server-rulesets/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
I've always thought that rulesets are a golden opportunity for MMO developers to get creative with their products and try something fresh and exciting. Unfortunately, most every MMO these days, new and old, adheres to the four "vanilla" rulesets that have been in place since Pong. You have your default PvE, your same-as-PvE-except-we-have-a-naming-policy PvE-RP, and the two player vs. player variants: PvP and PvP-RP.

Those are all well and good, but... y'know... couldn't rulesets be used to create fascinating variations on these games? It turns out that yes, yes they can.

While the vanilla rulesets are the vast majority, there does exist a group of fringe rulesets that dared to walk the different patch, er, path and made versions of MMOs that are a bold and refreshing flavor. Like blue! Sometimes these new rulesets were whipped up to inject new life into an aging title, giving players a valid reason to come back and see the game from a different perspective.

In this week's Perfect Ten, we're going to check out just how wild 'n' wacky server rulesets can get!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Non-vanilla server rulesets

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Non-vanilla server rulesets originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>5150acage-of-conanasherons-callblood-and-glorycity-of-heroescodemasterscohcooperativedaocdark-age-of-camelotdarkfalldofuseqeqiieqmaceveeve-onlineeverquesteverquest-iiexchangefallen-earthfeaturedffafree-for-allheroiclandrovallord-of-the-rings-onlineloreplaylotroperfect-10perfect-tenpermadeathplanes-of-powerprogressionpvproleplay-encouragedrperule-setrulesetrulesetsserverserver-rulesserversshadowbaneshardshardssiege-perilousstation-exchangesubscriber-onlythe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenturbineultima-onlineuovanguardvip-onlyThu, 08 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: Fifty games for the mobile lifestyle]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/06/21/mmobility-fifty-games-for-the-mobile-lifestyle/http://www.massively.com/2011/06/21/mmobility-fifty-games-for-the-mobile-lifestyle/http://www.massively.com/2011/06/21/mmobility-fifty-games-for-the-mobile-lifestyle/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

I like lists. Lists help keep my candy-coated brain functioning. I see so many games, devices, and developers that I need to write things down periodically or become lost. Not so long ago I made a list of 25 games for your shiny new laptop, but I wanted to update it with other devices as well. I'd like to clarify the devices I have, though, especially since it was brought to my attention that a lot of players use laptops as their primary gaming machines. When I refer to a laptop, it is far from a gaming machine and could not run games like EverQuest II or Age of Conan.

So here are some stats: I have an HTC Inspire, an iPhone 3GS, an iPad, a Phenom Triple-core PC desktop with an Nvidia 9800 card, six gigs of ram and onboard sound. My laptop is an HP G62 with an AMD Athlon II P340 dual core processor, three gigs of ram and an AMD graphics chip built in. I also have a more powerful gaming PC, but that is often referred to as "the wife's machine" around here, and it is so packed with her items that I rarely touch it. So most of these games can be run on their native devices, and if they are meant for PC, probably on netbooks as well. When I'm playing on netbooks, resolution is often the major issue. Some games just will not fit on the tiny screens without some slight modding.

Anyway, click past the cut to see the list. The first 11 are my favorites, the ones that I play often, if not every day. The rest are in no particular order, so keep that in mind as well. Remember that this year is going to be an incredible one for mobile, thanks to the new games I found at E3. So this list will change!

Continue reading MMObility: Fifty games for the mobile lifestyle

MassivelyMMObility: Fifty games for the mobile lifestyle originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mystical-landadventurequest-worldsAnarchy-Onlineasherons-callatmosphirbattlestar-galactica-onlinebeau-hindmanccpcity-of-eternalsClone-Wars-Adventurescrowns-of-powerdark-orbitdark-orbit-gamesdie2niteDofusdomain-of-heroesdragon-fabledungeon-blitzeden-eternaleve-onlineeverquestf2pfeaturedfleckfree-realmsfree-to-playftpfusion-fallgilfors-talesglitchgunshineillyriadkingsisle-entertainmentlinkrealmsmabinogiMapleStorymilmoministry-of-warmiramagiaMMObilitymobilemonkey-questmonster-forestnadirimNexonorder-and-chaos-onlinepets-vs-monsterspirate-galaxypocket-legendspockie-ninjapoptropicapuzzle-piratesrunescapeshin-megami-tensei-imagine-onlineSOEspiral-knightsThreeRingstravianswakfuwizard-101World-of-WarcraftzentiaTue, 21 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Asheron's Call teases May event]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/05/05/asherons-call-teases-may-event/http://www.massively.com/2011/05/05/asherons-call-teases-may-event/http://www.massively.com/2011/05/05/asherons-call-teases-may-event/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

While Asheron's Call players have a while yet to wait to get their hands on new playable races, Turbine has a bright shiny ray of good news to share: The May event is tentatively set to hit the servers on May 17th.

According to the site, this event includes a new hunting area, a pair of additional dungeons, more quests, and "a couple of surprises." The Asheron's Call team boldly states that this will be "one of the most exciting updates" that players will see this year.

The May event announcement ends with a sneak preview of sorts: two pictures showing off new sand textures surrounding a desert town. We've known for a while now that Turbine's been working on updating the game's graphics, so this is a welcome sight indeed. You can read the full article over at Asheron's Call.

MassivelyAsheron's Call teases May event originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 May 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acasherons-calldungeonsgraphics-updategraphics-upgradehunting-areamay-eventmay-updatepatchpreviewquestssand-texturessneak-peekturbineturbine-entertainmentupdateThu, 05 May 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Best non-traditional MMO fantasy races]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/01/13/the-perfect-ten-best-non-traditional-mmo-fantasy-races/http://www.massively.com/2011/01/13/the-perfect-ten-best-non-traditional-mmo-fantasy-races/http://www.massively.com/2011/01/13/the-perfect-ten-best-non-traditional-mmo-fantasy-races/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Elves. Dwarves. Humans. Halflings. Gnomes. Hobbits. Dark elves. High elves. Half-elves. Wood elves. Keebler elves. Elvish impersonators.

Are you as tired as I am of the endless regurgitation of stock fantasy races in our MMOs? It seems inconceivable (I do not think that means what you think it means) for a new fantasy title to come out without most of the above races infesting the character creation screen with moldy unoriginality, putrescent stank, and dusty boredom.

That's why today I'm standing up to praise 10 MMOs that dare to go above and beyond the stale by offering mostly unique and different races than the rest of the market. Hopefully future games will learn from their example and throw off the yokes of generic oppression to give us something bold and refreshing!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Best non-traditional MMO fantasy races

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Best non-traditional MMO fantasy races originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turbine may be the king of freemium themeparks these days, but once upon a time it actually developed sandbox MMORPGs. It did them so well, in fact, that even though once upon a time was 1999, Asheron's Call remains open for business to this day.

Not only that, but the title keeps rolling out the content updates, with the latest adding a new playable race (the Olthoi), a new magic school, a new hunting area, new quests, etc. That's a lot of new for an 11-year-old game, wouldn't you agree? Oh, and there's also the new luminance mechanic, designed for endgame folks above level 200 and meant to improve everything from critical hits to crafting.

Check out all the details at the official website, and hit up our new gallery below while you're at it.

Gallery: Asheron's Call December 2010 Update

MassivelyAsheron's Call rolls out December content update originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asherons-callgalleryluminancenew-hunting-areanew-raceolthoipatchsandboxscreenshotsturbineTurbine-EntertainmentupdateWed, 01 Dec 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: Fond memories]]>http://www.massively.com/2010/10/26/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-asheron-recall-fond-memories/http://www.massively.com/2010/10/26/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-asheron-recall-fond-memories/http://www.massively.com/2010/10/26/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-asheron-recall-fond-memories/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Has October blown by already in a rush of leaves, wind and high-fructose corn syrup candies? Are we already staring down the grim specter of November, AKA "The Middle Child of Holidays"? I suppose so -- and because of that, it must mean that we are in the final week of our Asheron's Call retrospective.

I know I say this every month, but I've really gained a whole new level of respect for Asheron's Call. It may have not been a massive blockbuster, but it persevered, it built up a solid playerbase, and it helped Turbine become one of the best-known MMO development houses in the world. Plus, I totally love the fact that the devs placed such a priority on developing an ongoing and ever-changing story, which is something that more MMOs could certainly use these days.

So after counting down the top eight highlights of the game, talking to a couple AC vets, and interviewing Turbine's Andy Cataldo, all that's left is to open the floor to the rest of the AC crowd. We asked readers to pipe up and share their favorite experiences, as well as some of their best screenshots that have been lurking on the dustier parts of hard drives. Let's finish this month in style, as AC rides once more!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: Fond memories

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: Fond memories originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acandy-cataldoasheron-calls-collect-will-you-accept-the-chargesasherons-callddoderethdungeons-and-dragons-onlineellen-ripleyeqeverquestfeaturedhollow-minionkiersten-samwellkingsisle-entertainmentkwiplord-of-the-rings-onlinelotropvpthe-game-archaeologistturbinewizard101Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist's chat with Andy Cataldo]]>http://www.massively.com/2010/10/19/the-game-archaeologists-chat-with-andy-cataldo/http://www.massively.com/2010/10/19/the-game-archaeologists-chat-with-andy-cataldo/http://www.massively.com/2010/10/19/the-game-archaeologists-chat-with-andy-cataldo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There are only a handful of people in the world who can boast that they're working on an MMO that dates back to the '90s. As community lead for Asheron's Call, Turbine's Andy Cataldo is a member of that exclusive club, going from an avid player of the game to part of the AC crew. Don't tell him that his game is old in the joints and unstable going down stairs; to Andy, Asheron's Call is still one of the most exciting MMOs on the market, and he is not shy in sharing his passion for it.

In our third week of looking back at the esteemed history of Asheron's Call, the Game Archaeologist got in touch with Mr. Cataldo to ask him why AC has yet to go the free-to-play route, what the team is planning for AC's 11th anniversary, how the graphics update is coming along, and whether it's still possible to party like it's 1999. Let us clasp our hands together attentively and read!

The Game Archaeologist: Please introduce yourself, your role on the team, and how long you've been working on Asheron's Call.

Andy Cataldo: My name is Andy Cataldo. I am currently the Community Lead for the Asheron's Call franchise. My focus is helping communicate between the players and various teams here in Turbine, and vice versa. I also do most of the website and launcher updates, as well as any community events. I have been working on Asheron's Call now for over six years.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist's chat with Andy Cataldo

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist's chat with Andy Cataldo originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>11th-anniversaryacandy-cataldoasherons-callasherons-call-and-andy-cataldo-have-the-same-initialsderethempyreansf2pfeaturedfree-to-playgraphics-updatehistoryinterviewInterviewsolthoiolthoi-playthe-game-archaeologistturbinevoid-magicTue, 19 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: Player sagas]]>http://www.massively.com/2010/10/12/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-asheron-recall-amanda-and-jons/http://www.massively.com/2010/10/12/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-asheron-recall-amanda-and-jons/http://www.massively.com/2010/10/12/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-asheron-recall-amanda-and-jons/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's an odd thing to realize how far MMOs have come right in front of our eyes in a relatively short span of time. After all, 1999 wasn't that long ago, despite what Prince and Y2K would have you believe. One day we'll be telling our children -- if we aren't already -- about the primitive MMOs that didn't feature RealGore[TM], motion sensor-linked emotes, and mostly nude elves dancing for tips on mailboxes. They may gasp and sputter in disbelief, but you'll assert that it is true: You experienced an era when polygons were blockier than LEGO pieces, people logged in over dial-up connections, and the community was small enough for GMs to host personal live events.

There's been a lot of love flowing into my email inbox and Twitter since posting the first Game Archaeologist on Asheron's Call, enough to tell me that this title is a dear old friend to many a seasoned gamer out there (including a few on the Massively staff who won't stop writing epic haikus about AC in its honor this month). As a result, I got in touch with two die-hard fans of the game, and they agreed to scribe their memories of this MMO for future generations to discover, generations who will undoubtedly marvel at the hardship and perserverence that such scrappy gamers showed in being part of the first wave of MMO players.

Without further ado, please give a warm round of applause to Amanda and Jon. No, nobody can hear you clap over the internet, but it's the thought that counts.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: Player sagas

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: Player sagas originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1999acac2asherons-callasherons-call-2ddodungeons-and-dragons-onlineeqeverquestfeaturedkwiplegolord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromeridian-59naked-elvesnatndanetworknetworkingnude-mailbox-dancingparty-like-its-1999princeRealGoresandboxshadow-invasionthe-game-archaeologistturbineTurbine-Entertainmenttwitterultima-onlineuowarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowy2kTue, 12 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: The highlights]]>http://www.massively.com/2010/10/05/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-asheron-recall-the-highlights/http://www.massively.com/2010/10/05/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-asheron-recall-the-highlights/http://www.massively.com/2010/10/05/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-asheron-recall-the-highlights/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's hard being the youngest child -- you get the hand-me-downs, suffer through swirlies by older siblings, and eventually develop such a neurosis that it requires seven different brands of horse tranquilizers to make it through the day. Not that I would actually know, being an oldest child and all. But I suppose it would be a hard-knock life.

In a couple ways, Asheron's Call was the youngest of the three MMO siblings that comprised the first major MMO generation. Ultima Online, the big brother, had prestige and legacy behind it, and middle child EverQuest quickly became the most popular at school. And then there was Asheron's Call, poking its head on the scene in late 1999 as a cooperative project between developer Turbine and publisher Microsoft. AC never got the recognition of Ultima Online nor the numbers of EverQuest, but this scrappy title became a fan favorite and endured even to this day -- beyond its own sequel, believe it or not.

Instead of plowing through a stale history report of Asheron's Call today, I thought it'd be fun to come up with a list of the eight most unique aspects of this fairly innovative 11-year-old MMO. Ah lists, how I adore thee -- let me count the ways. Eight ways, to be precise!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: The highlights

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the Asheron Recall: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acac2allegiance-systemasherons-callasherons-call-2asherons-call-for-dinnerasherons-whisper-of-sweet-nothingsasherons-yodelcrypticderethdnddungeons-and-dragonseqeventseverquestfealty-systemfeaturedfiunlistslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromicrosoftmosswartolthoiracial-skillsseamless-worldskill-basedstar-trek-onlinestostory-arcthe-game-archaeologisttolkienturbineultima-onlineundeaduoworld-of-warcraftzombiesTue, 05 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST