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[Choose My Adventure: Cruisin' with the gang in City of Heroes]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/16/choose-my-adventure-cruisin-with-the-gang/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/16/choose-my-adventure-cruisin-with-the-gang/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/16/choose-my-adventure-cruisin-with-the-gang/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Choose My Adventure City of Heroes
You've experienced it, right? That magic moment on any trip of significant length when you've been living and breathing the locale long enough that the place starts to feel more familiar and you settle in, that time when you feel less like a tourist and more like a local. After the last few weeks traveling with you all, I have hit that moment in City of Heroes. While I still may not be able to tell one inspiration from another by sight, I can find my way around the 'hood and know the skyline when zipping about -- well, at least in Atlas Park. Oh, and I found a Mexican restaurant! It's almost like a second home now.

It was upon reaching this comfort zone that City of Heroes got better for me; this past week has been more fun than the previous ones during this Choose My Adventure road trip. (And yes, I'd even call the torture of the expansive character creation fun. Exhausting, but fun!) What transpired this week? Buckle up and step on the gas to see.

Gallery: CMA: City of Heroes

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Cruisin' with the gang in City of Heroes

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Cruisin' with the gang in City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 May 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventuringchoose-my-adventureChoose-my-adventure-city-of-heroeschoose-my-adventure-cohchoose-my-adventure-mj-guthriecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscmacohcovcoxf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomgalleriesgallerygroupshands-onmissionsncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiospollpollsreaders-choiceroad-tripscreenshotssupergroupssuperherosuperheroesvotevotingWed, 16 May 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Why there are no more Epic Archetypes in City of Heroes]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/16/a-mild-mannered-reporter-why-there-are-no-more-epic-archetypes/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/16/a-mild-mannered-reporter-why-there-are-no-more-epic-archetypes/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/16/a-mild-mannered-reporter-why-there-are-no-more-epic-archetypes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

A Mild-Mannered Reporter header by A. Fienemann
My weekend plans went cross-eyed, as they often do, but as a result I found myself looking through some old notes for future columns on City of Heroes. There were a lot of notes I took early on when I was first writing columns, some of which I wound up using and some of which wound up being discarded, but one particular idea jumped out at me: a column about potential future Epic Archetypes.

Specifically, I was looking back over and noting how a lot of the archetypes I listed wouldn't actually work at all.

I've gone on record as having been a big fan of EATs right from the beginning, as they're meant to be classes that break up the regular structure of the game's classes. That strikes me as laudable. But even disregarding the technical aspects of the epics that makes them more complex to develop and balance, I think there are some noteworthy basic problems with them on a conceptual level. We may very well never get another one just because the game has been structured to make them almost a design mistake that's never been corrected.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Why there are no more Epic Archetypes in City of Heroes

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Why there are no more Epic Archetypes in City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 May 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mild-mannered-reporterarachnosarachnos-spidersarachnos-widowsarchetypescity-of-heroescity-of-villainsclassescohcovcoxeatsepic-archetypesf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomkheldiansmild-mannered-reporterncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiospeacebringerssuperherosuperheroeswarshadesWed, 16 May 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes announces Paragon Market Freebie Fridays]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/city-of-heroes-announces-paragon-market-freebie-fridays/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/city-of-heroes-announces-paragon-market-freebie-fridays/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/city-of-heroes-announces-paragon-market-freebie-fridays/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

City of Heroes Freebie Fridays
Everyone loves free things, and the folks at Paragon Studios know it. That's why the studio has announced a new treat for City of Heroes players: Paragon Market Freebie Fridays. The program is exactly as it sounds: Every week, the studio will choose a new item to be that week's freebie. Players then simply have to log on during the specified time frame, claim their free items, and enjoy! That's all there is to it, folks.

The premiere Freebie Friday will be taking place this week, beginning on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. EDT and ending at the same time Friday, giving players 24 hours to claim their free stuff. The announcement states that the freebies "could be almost anything currently available in the Paragon Market," so be sure to log in each week and get your goodies!

MassivelyCity of Heroes announces Paragon Market Freebie Fridays originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 May 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxf2pfree-to-playfreebie-fridaysfreebiesfreedomncsoftparagonparagon-marketparagon-studiospromotionpromotionssuperherosuperheroesWed, 09 May 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Patrolling the park]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/choose-my-adventure-patrolling-the-park/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/choose-my-adventure-patrolling-the-park/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/choose-my-adventure-patrolling-the-park/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Choose My Adventure City of Heroes
Yes, Virginia, there is a game after character creation.

With such extensive customization available, it is quite likely that I would have spent the duration of Choose My Adventure without ever actually logging in to play City of Heroes. For all of the hours I spent in character creation with all the options (enough to completely blow a fuse in your mind), it was easy to lose sight of the fact that there was actually a game to go play once I finally made my character. Now I see the real appeal of the VIP pass with all of those character slots; it has even me thinking wistfully of all the alts that could be.

Luckily I have you folks directing me, forcing me past the costume creator and into my role as defender of truth and justice. If it hadn't been for you, I would have never embarked on my journey of flight and fricasseed evil doers in Atlas Park. Or participated in an impromptu street band performance. Yup, it is all your fault! And I'm looking forward to what we do next as we continue our City of Heroes adventures together.

But first, let's take a look at what mayhem I caused... er, put an end to this past week.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Patrolling the park

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Patrolling the park originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Atlas-Parkchoose-my-adventurecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscmacohcovcoxf2pfeaturedfirst-impressionsflightflyingfree-to-playfreedomhands-onncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiospollpollspowersquestsreaders-choiceroad-tripsuperherosuperheroesvotevotingWed, 09 May 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes player summit promises Water Blast power set, cyberpunk costumes]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/03/city-of-heroes-player-summit-reveals-new-powers-and-new-costumes/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/03/city-of-heroes-player-summit-reveals-new-powers-and-new-costumes/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/03/city-of-heroes-player-summit-reveals-new-powers-and-new-costumes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Sadly, you cannot have a friend summon you to the summit. Even if your friend is playing a time-based character.
If you weren't in California over the past weekend, you sadly had to miss out on the City of Heroes player summit. That means no voice in the several panels during which the doors were thrown open for new suggestions. But you can at least read through the summary of the weekend's events to find out what nifty new elements will be coming to the game in the near future, including four new powersets and several new costumes.

While there's not a firm launch schedule, players can look forward to Water Blast (exactly what it says on the tin), Natural Affinity (healing over time and debuffing), Symbiotic Armor (a new defensive set based around absorbing damage types), and Radiation Armor (again, what it says on the tin). Players can also look forward to another Super Pack as well as the upcoming Retro Sci-Fi costumes and a Cyberpunk set. There's a lot of interesting tidbits, so if you want to get excited about the future, best to read through the event summary at OnRPG.

MassivelyCity of Heroes player summit promises Water Blast power set, cyberpunk costumes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcoh-player-summitcostumescovcoxcyberpunkf2pfree-to-playfreedomfuture-costumesfuture-powersfuture-powersetsnatural-affinityncsoftparagonparagon-studiosplayer-summitypowerspowersetsradiation-armorreal-world-eventsuperherosuperheroessymbiotic-armorwater-blastThu, 03 May 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: What City of Heroes needs for its ninth year]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/02/a-mild-mannered-reporter-what-city-of-heroes-needs-for-its-nint/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/02/a-mild-mannered-reporter-what-city-of-heroes-needs-for-its-nint/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/02/a-mild-mannered-reporter-what-city-of-heroes-needs-for-its-nint/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

A Mild-Mannered reporter header by A. Fienemann
The past year of City of Heroes has been in no small part defined by the free-to-play revolution moving into full swing. 2010 was the year in which it became clear that free-to-play could work; 2011 was the year in which nearly every game moved over to the new model, with only a handful of stalwarts clinging to the subscription-only model. Unfortunately, this also means that the once-present divide between business models no longer exists, and by and large there's less sense that free-to-play games are inherently worse than subscription games. The imaginary barrier simply doesn't exist as it used to.

What does that have to do with City of Heroes for its next year of development? Almost everything. I've talked about how the game has two obvious and direct competitors in the superhero genre, but now they're all competing with the same business model. They all have the same initial outlay, instead of City of Heroes being the oldest, most respected, and cheapest option. In order for a game to be successful, and it no longer has to convince players that it's worth $15 a month for a few months -- it just has to convince you that downloading it and giving it a shot is worth the effort. That means flash, fun, and a quick dose of what you're looking for.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: What City of Heroes needs for its ninth year

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: What City of Heroes needs for its ninth year originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mild-mannered-reporteranniversariesanniversarycity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomfuturemild-mannered-reporterncsoftnext-yearopinionparagonparagon-studiossuperherosuperheroesWed, 02 May 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Taking a right at Paragon City]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/02/choose-my-adventure-taking-a-right-at-paragon-city/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/02/choose-my-adventure-taking-a-right-at-paragon-city/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/02/choose-my-adventure-taking-a-right-at-paragon-city/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Choose My Adventure City of Heroes Road Trip
It was the flying Scrapper on Virtue with a mask!

The masses have spoken. For this leg of our Choose My Adventure journey, we will be parking ourselves in Paragon City, fighting the forces of evil, destruction, and movement keys! I must concede that Bree certainly knew her City of Heroes community -- ya'll voted just how she said you would. But Bree, you didn't predict the mask, now did ya?! Ha!

It recently came to my attention that I could have easily queried you on the spandex issue, but come on -- what superhero doesn't have to shimmy into that painted-on suit? We want the full experience, right? Right. So let's get to it. All we have left to do to get this show off the road and into some action is whip up a character.

But this is me we are talking about here! Thankfully, I am marching into this process armed with your decisions! I mean, how bad can it be? We have three days between close of the last vote and a new set of new ones, so it isn't like there isn't time. Here goes...

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Taking a right at Paragon City

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Taking a right at Paragon City originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>character-creationchoose-my-adventureChoose-my-adventure-city-of-heroeschoose-my-adventure-cohchoose-my-adventure-mj-guthriecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscmacohcostumescovcoxf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomhands-onhumorncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiospersonalizationpollpollsreaders-choiceroad-tripsuperherosuperheroesvotevotingWed, 02 May 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Speaking 199: Rusty Hearts reveal]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/01/massively-speaking-199-rusty-hearts-reveal/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/01/massively-speaking-199-rusty-hearts-reveal/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/01/massively-speaking-199-rusty-hearts-reveal/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Rusty Hearts
Massively Speaking Episode 199 has our intrepid duo sitting down with Rusty Hearts Game Producer Mark Hill to talk about the game's newest character: Leila! If petticoats and perfume and razor-sharp swords are your bag, then Leila will answer your peculiar personals ad. We also talk about several game anniversaries, the Guild Wars 2 beta weekend, and Cryptic's big boo-boo.

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:
[iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes.
[RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator.
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.
Listen here on the page:



Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Continue reading Massively Speaking 199: Rusty Hearts reveal

MassivelyMassively Speaking 199: Rusty Hearts reveal originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoanetanimearenanetblueholebluehole-studiosbrantbrianna-roycecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxcrypticcryptic-studiosdnden-masseen-masse-entertainmentf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomguild-wars-2gw2humorinterviewjustin-olivettikingsislekingsisle-entertainmentmark-hillmassively-speakingncsoftneverwinteropinionparagonparagon-studiosperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpirate101podcastpodcastingpodcastspwerusty-heartssuperherosuperheroesteraTue, 01 May 2012 10:00:00 ESTMassively Speaking Episode 199Massively.com Staff01:07:09podcasts'; listPost['ItunesChannelHTML'] = 'Shawn Schuster and Rubi BayerMassively Speaking is your weekly look into the latest issues concerning MMOs. Join your hosts Shawn and Rubi, along with various members of the Massively staff and industry professionals, for insight and commentary involving all things massively, multiplayer and online<![CDATA[City of Heroes anniversary letter features fun facts, videos]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/27/city-of-heroes-anniversary-letter-features-fun-facts-videos/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/27/city-of-heroes-anniversary-letter-features-fun-facts-videos/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/27/city-of-heroes-anniversary-letter-features-fun-facts-videos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

City of Heroes - anniversary art
City of Heroes devs are ramping up the PR push to celebrate the eighth anniversary of the game this week. The latest missive comes courtesy of executive producer Brian Clayton, who drops a few fun facts as well as a brief address to the game's faithful.

Some of the more interesting numbers include 43 million characters created, 500,000 accounts at level 50, 300,000 super groups, and "over 15,000 costume pieces which can be used to create over 10 trecedillion (10^42) costumes." Head past the break for the full text of Clayton's letter as well as a couple of before-and-after videos.

[Source: Paragon Studios press release]

Continue reading City of Heroes anniversary letter features fun facts, videos

MassivelyCity of Heroes anniversary letter features fun facts, videos originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anniversarybrian-claytoncity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-anniversarycity-of-villainscohcoh-anniversarycovcoxf2pfree-to-playfreedomncsoftparagonparagon-studiossuperherosuperheroesvideoFri, 27 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Matt Miller reflects on eight years of City of Heroes, hands out free respecs]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/26/matt-miller-reflects-on-eight-years-of-city-of-heroes-hands-out/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/26/matt-miller-reflects-on-eight-years-of-city-of-heroes-hands-out/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/26/matt-miller-reflects-on-eight-years-of-city-of-heroes-hands-out/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

City of Heroes
Eight years is an eternity for an MMO, and Lead Designer Matt Miller is exceedingly proud that City of Heroes has flown the distance. "I love the community that City of Heroes has built, and watching it over eight years ebb and flow with new voices being added to replace departed ones, and those voices being welcomed with open arms instead of open hostility that they might find elsewhere," he writes in an anniversary address.

Miller reflects on a few of the highlights of the journey for him, from his getting hired on to the team in 2003 to the insanity of the head start to the beginning of a bug hunting tradition among the playerbase. He also uses this address to promote the near future of the game, including Issues 23 and 24.

As part of the anniversary celebration, Paragon Studios has handed out a free respec token to each character in the game (the tokens do not stack with other respec tokens, however). Don't miss out on our own Massively celebration of the milestone, as our own Eliot Lefebvre has shared his thoughts on what this anniversary means for the game.

MassivelyMatt Miller reflects on eight years of City of Heroes, hands out free respecs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>8th-anniversaryanniversaryanniversary-addresscity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxeighth-anniversaryf2pfree-respecfree-to-playfreedomissue-23issue-24matt-millerncsoftparagonparagon-studiosrespecrespec-tokensuperherosuperheroesThu, 26 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Eight years of city life]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/25/a-mild-mannered-reporter-eight-years-of-city-life/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/25/a-mild-mannered-reporter-eight-years-of-city-life/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/25/a-mild-mannered-reporter-eight-years-of-city-life/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

A Mild-Mannered Reporter header by A. Fienemann
There are some things that were broken this year in City of Heroes beyond a shadow of a doubt. Then there were things that weren't necessarily broken depending on whom you asked. But one thing has been broken absolutely and completely: my format for these retrospectives.

See, from one point of view, this was a content-light year. I mean, we had two new issues and that's it. On the other hand, one of those was the launch of City of Heroes Freedom, and the result has been a steady stream of partial updates, minor improvements, new installments in the signature story arc, and so on. In previous years, going issue-by-issue worked as a way to look back over the course of the year, but it just doesn't work any longer.

But then, it's not supremely necessary. There are three big things that have defined the game for the past year: Freedom, the Incarnate system, and new toys. So we're going to break the format that doesn't really work and just talk about those in order.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Eight years of city life

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Eight years of city life originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mild-mannered-reporteranniversarycity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreedommild-mannered-reporterncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiosretrospectivesuperherosuperheroesyear-in-reviewWed, 25 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose My Adventure: Next stop, City of Heroes]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/25/choose-my-adventure-next-stop-city-of-heroes/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/25/choose-my-adventure-next-stop-city-of-heroes/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/25/choose-my-adventure-next-stop-city-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Choose My Adventure
I hope your vote wasn't born from a desire to see me in tights!

Although road trips can be just as fun when you just jump in the car and take off with no predetermined destination, at some point you have to end up somewhere. And it looks like we now know our destination. While I was safely strapped in my seat and watching the scenery, you readers have taken the City of Heroes exit. So it looks like a cape and superpowers will be on order for the next few weeks in Choose my Adventure. (Unless you nix the cape, of course.)

Surprisingly, this time around I actually managed to sit back and enjoy the ride without checking the poll results every 20 minutes of every day; I managed to restrain myself to just once a day! Maybe it was because I've let you have the keys before and knew that I really would enjoy the experience no matter where you took me. After all, you didn't get us in a wreck last time, did you? And Justin survived (relatively) unscathed, so what was there to worry about?

Perhaps on another trip we will be able to explore other exotic destinations, such as Anarchy Online, Star Trek Online, Asheron's Call, or even World of Tanks. I'll admit that I wistfully entertained images of visiting each of these destinations while I was glancing periodically at the polls, but for now, our course is set, and we will be arriving shortly. The first order of business before jumping into City of Heroes is a shot pitstop to develop our character. Be sure to get your vote in before Saturday, April 28th, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. EDT!

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Next stop, City of Heroes

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Next stop, City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choiceschoose-my-adventureChoose-my-adventure-city-of-heroeschoose-my-adventure-cohchoose-my-adventure-mj-guthriecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscmacohcovcoxcustomizationf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomhands-onncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiospollpollspower-poolspower-setsreaders-choiceserversuperherosuperheroesvotevotingWed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Speaking Episode 198: Open beta madness!]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/24/massively-speaking-episode-198-open-beta-madness/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/24/massively-speaking-episode-198-open-beta-madness/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/24/massively-speaking-episode-198-open-beta-madness/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2
Massively Speaking Episode 198 is pumped up about open beta season, as games like Guild Wars 2, TERA, and Diablo III promote their wares through shameless stress test weekends. Does it whet the appetite or serve as a potent first dose of a drug that will drag us down into the gutters of addiction and achievement-hunting? Who cares! Jack us in to the Matrix, baby!

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:
[iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes.
[RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator.
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.
Listen here on the page:



Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 198: Open beta madness!

MassivelyMassively Speaking Episode 198: Open beta madness! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpganetarenanetbattlenetbiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentblueholebluehole-studiosbrantbrianna-roycecash-shopcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxcrypticcryptic-studiosd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiieaelectronic-artsen-masseen-masse-entertainmentf2pfactionfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomfuncomgothic-fantasyguild-wars-2gw2horrorhumorjustin-olivettilucasartsmassively-speakingmultiplayermythologyncsoftonline-multiplayeropinionparagonparagon-studiosperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpodcastpodcastingpodcastspweroguelikerpgsci-fantasysci-fisecret-worldskill-basedstar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicstosubsubscription-feesuperherosuperheroesswtorterathe-old-republicthe-secret-worldtortswTue, 24 Apr 2012 14:00:00 ESTMassively Speaking Episode 198Massively.com Staff56:47podcasts'; listPost['ItunesChannelHTML'] = 'Shawn Schuster and Rubi BayerMassively Speaking is your weekly look into the latest issues concerning MMOs. Join your hosts Shawn and Rubi, along with various members of the Massively staff and industry professionals, for insight and commentary involving all things massively, multiplayer and online<![CDATA[One Shots: City of who?]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/22/one-shots-city-of-who/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/22/one-shots-city-of-who/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/22/one-shots-city-of-who/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

One Shots - City of Heroes
Massively reader Torch Light has a theory that someone at Paragon Studios is a Doctor Who fan, and I think he might be right -- and not just because the game boasts a Time Manipulation power set. Torch Light sent in today's featured image from City of Heroes' VIP testing servers along with this explanation:
The beta for Issue 23 of CoH has just gone live with a new parallel world of spookiness. While exploring around, I saw a familiar (yet strangely colored) police box. Looks like Paragon called in an expert to help fix those wibbly wobbly timey wimey problems.
The image isn't bigger on the inside, but it is after the cut alongside two more reader pics!

Continue reading One Shots: City of who?

MassivelyOne Shots: City of who? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebring-back-one-shotscity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxdoctor-whoeaelectronic-artsf2pfantasyfree-to-playfreedomgalleriesgalleryissue-23its-bigger-on-the-insidelucasartsncsoftnight-wardone-shotsparagonparagon-studiosreader-screenshotsreader-submissionssarlaccsci-fantasysci-fiscreenshotscreenshotssegaspiral-knightsstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsteamsubsubscription-feesuperherosuperheroesswtortardisthe-old-republicthree-ringsthree-rings-designtortorch-lightuser-submissionsSun, 22 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Status report, last year]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/18/a-mild-mannered-reporter-status-report-last-year/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/18/a-mild-mannered-reporter-status-report-last-year/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/18/a-mild-mannered-reporter-status-report-last-year/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

A Mild-Mannered Reporter header by A. Fienemann
What with one thing and another, a year has passed. At this time last year, things were very different for City of Heroes, and so I started up my usual trifecta of columns on the past year with a look back at what I said the game needed and how it's done on those fronts. So it's time for the second annual iteration because as we all know, the first annual anything doesn't really count. And if your memory is getting rusty from a year ago, by all means, take the time to refresh it.

Certainly if you had told me back then that every major superhero game would be free-to-play before the year was up, I wouldn't have believed it. But that's what's happened, and as the game has shifted, so has the market around it. That means that the game has really had to face off against its two "direct" competitors on a straight footing, and that might not have been in the game's best interests as a whole.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Status report, last year

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Status report, last year originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mild-mannered-reportercity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxculturef2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreedommild-mannered-reporterncsoftopinionother-gamesparagonparagon-studiosretrospectivesuperherosuperheroesyear-in-reviewWed, 18 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Exclusive: City of Heroes previews the upcoming Mecha Armor]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/18/massively-exclusive-city-of-heroes-previews-the-upcoming-mecha/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/18/massively-exclusive-city-of-heroes-previews-the-upcoming-mecha/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/18/massively-exclusive-city-of-heroes-previews-the-upcoming-mecha/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Yeah, I would have preferred they went with some of the less traditional hard-edged designs, but it's a nice balance between classic mecha and more modern aesthetics.
Do you dig giant robots? Of course you do. The team behind City of Heroes apparently likes them as well, seeing as how the game's next major update, Issue 23, allows you to dress up like one. The newest Tier 9 VIP reward is the Mecha Armor costume set, and the fine people at Paragon Studios were kind enough to give us a chance to take a sneak peek at the costume set before it's available on the test server.

The gallery below contains an image of a male, female, and huge character in the new costume set, complete with wings, backpacks, and other armor reminiscent of any number of Gundam designs. Like other Tier 9 VIP rewards, the armor will only be unlockable for a limited time, so if you're feeling a desperate need to play with these costume parts -- and we can't blame you -- it's best save up your reward tokens now.

Gallery: City of Heroes Core Gallery

MassivelyMassively Exclusive: City of Heroes previews the upcoming Mecha Armor originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appearancearmorcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcostumecovcoxf2pfree-to-playfreedomgalleriesgallerygiant-robotsissue-23ncsoftparagonparagon-rewardsparagon-studiospreviewrobotssuperherosuperheroesvipvip-rewardsWed, 18 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Walk softly and carry a big stick with City of Heroes' new Staff Fighting powerset]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/17/walk-softly-and-carry-a-big-stick-with-city-of-heroes-new-staff/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/17/walk-softly-and-carry-a-big-stick-with-city-of-heroes-new-staff/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/17/walk-softly-and-carry-a-big-stick-with-city-of-heroes-new-staff/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Screenshot -- City of Heroes
In the high-fantasy-laden MMO space, staves have long been relegated to the realm of things-for-spellcasters-to-hold-while-finger-wiggling, but what happened to the good ol' days of just bludgeoning the daylights out of someone with a big stick? Well, thanks to City of Heroes, those days are back courtesy of the new Staff Fighting powerset, though there's no word as to whether it will also allow you to walk softly.

What it will allow you to do, though, is fight in one of three different forms (Body, Mind, or Soul), each of which provides you with a unique stacking buff that can then be consumed to execute the powerful Eye of the Storm and Sky Splitter abilities. The new powerset is available for the Brute, Scrapper, Stalker, and Tanker archetypes, and would-be kung-fu masters can pick it up from the Paragon Market for 800 Paragon Points.

MassivelyWalk softly and carry a big stick with City of Heroes' new Staff Fighting powerset originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxf2pfree-to-playfreedommicrotransactionmicrotransactionsncsoftparagonparagon-marketparagon-studiospowersetpowersetsstaffstaff-fightingstaffsstavessuperherosuperheroesTue, 17 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes Issue 23 to open Night Ward zone, end Praetorian War]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/12/city-of-heroes-issue-23-to-open-night-ward-zone-end-praetorian/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/12/city-of-heroes-issue-23-to-open-night-ward-zone-end-praetorian/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/12/city-of-heroes-issue-23-to-open-night-ward-zone-end-praetorian/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

City of Heroes
Issue 23's coming up for the caped villains and crusaders of City of Heroes -- the only question is who will survive when it finally arrives. Titled Where Shadows Lie, the update promises to bring an end to the Praetorian War arc, which has seen the demise of both Statesman and Sister Psyche and the emergence of Emperor Cole as the greatest threat the world has ever known. Players will soon be able to force a showdown with Diabolique in a new Magisterium Incarnate Trial.

The end of the Praetorian War isn't the only thing planned for Issue 23. Mid-range players will have a new stomping ground called the Night Ward to explore. Night Ward is a level 30 through 35 zone that lies between the worlds of the living and the dead and is host to vile creatures like Drudges, Black Knights, and Animus Arcana.

Other goodies on tap include a global LFG channel for all players, an interdimensional portal system for fast travel, and a new signature story arc series, costumes, and powers for VIP players.

MassivelyCity of Heroes Issue 23 to open Night Ward zone, end Praetorian War originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescohcovcoxf2pfree-to-playglobal-lfgissue-23lfgMagisterium-Incarnate-Trialncsoftnight-wardparagonparagon-studiospatchpraetorian-warsuperheroupdatewhere-shadows-lieThu, 12 Apr 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Positive charge]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/11/a-mild-mannered-reporter-positive-charge/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/11/a-mild-mannered-reporter-positive-charge/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/11/a-mild-mannered-reporter-positive-charge/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

A Mild-Mannered Reporter header by A. Fienemann
PAX East this past weekend was indeed filled with revelations, but none of them had to do with City of Heroes or any other NCsoft game, really, so I can't even complain about one getting all the love while the others were ignored. And while I could probably try to spin a thousand words out of wanting to insert a Rock Band Blitz-style minigame into the game under discussion, I have the feeling I'd get some odd looks and a rejected column.

What I did have opportunity to consider, however, is how pretty much the only thing I've brought up in regard to the Paragon Market has been the many, many choices made regarding it that I consider debatable. The Super Pack and the numerous power sets both have been targets for negativity, and I honestly haven't said anything corresponding about the positives. This seems unfair on many levels. Sure, I think the implementation is sometimes dicey, but there are a lot of parts of the market that are great, and I happily doff my hat to the team for them. So instead of burying the shop, let's praise it.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Positive charge

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Positive charge originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mild-mannered-reportercash-shopcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreedommarketingmerchmerchandisemicrotransactionsmild-mannered-reporterncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiossalessellingsuperherosuperheroesWed, 11 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/05/the-perfect-ten-mmo-tributes-to-real-life-people/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/05/the-perfect-ten-mmo-tributes-to-real-life-people/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/05/the-perfect-ten-mmo-tributes-to-real-life-people/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
When a beloved friend, family member, hero, or role model dies, we feel the pain of that loss and grieve in many different ways. Part of that grieving and healing process is often entails those left behind constructing some sort of tribute to the dearly departed. Sometimes this comes in the form of a shrine of flowers, sometimes it's the establishment of a charity, and sometimes it's creating an in-game memorial that thousands if not millions of people will see over the course of years.

So while death and illness are depressing topics to dwell upon, I find the many MMO tributes that studios and even gamers have erected to be inspiring and a celebration of individual players' lives. With the help of my fellow Massively staffers, I researched 10 wonderful in-game tributes that serve to honor the lives of fellow gamers.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: MMO tributes to real-life people originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionahab-wheathoofAnthony-StarkArmando-Ossexbiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcamelotCaylee-Dakcity-of-heroescity-of-villainsclassic-mmocohcovcoxcoyoted-and-dDak-Krausedanieldaniels-questdaocdark-age-of-camelotdave-arnesonddodnddungeons-and-dragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlineeaelectronic-artsEmilyeqeq1everquesteverquest-iiezraezra-chattertonezra-wheathooff2pfantasyfeaturedFrank-Campbellfree-to-playfreedomgalaxiesgary-gygaxhumorjeff-freemanJesse-Moraleskylelord-britishlunar-festivalmake-a-wishmake-a-wish-foundationmatthew-braggmemorialMichel-Koitermythicmythic-entertainmentmythologyncsoftopinionp10paragonparagon-studiosperfect-10perfect-tenphoenixpvpribbitribbitRobert-Bridenbeckerrounduprvrsandboxsci-fishrinesoesonysony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiessuperherosuperheroesswgswgothe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenTony-Starktop-10top-10-listtop-tentop-ten-listtributeturbineturbine-entertainmentultimaultima onlineuowarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 05 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST