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[Enter at Your Own Rift: Rift evolution]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/enter-at-your-own-rift-rift-evolution/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/enter-at-your-own-rift-rift-evolution/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/enter-at-your-own-rift-rift-evolution/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

rift
RIFT has seen a great deal of new content and features over the past year, and each update tends to generate a lot of buzz about things like new raid zones, new warzones, world events, and yes, even fishing. But there have been quite a few subtle (and not so subtle) changes to the core of the game -- that is, the rifts themselves. Last summer, Justin wrote a great piece wondering whether rifts were in "danger of collapsing," and his point was that they were a good idea on paper but needed tweaks in order to stay relevant to the game.

It's worth looking back at the evolution of rifts over the past year to see what's changed since launch day. Read on for a look at what's new with rifts!

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Rift evolution

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Rift evolution originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ember-isleenter-at-your-own-riftfantasyfeaturedkaren-bryanopinionriftrift-planes-of-telarariftsshimmersandtelaratriontrion-worldszone-eventsWed, 09 May 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Handy tips for fishing and survival in Telara]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/25/enter-at-your-own-rift-handy-tips-for-fishing-and-survival-in-t/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/25/enter-at-your-own-rift-handy-tips-for-fishing-and-survival-in-t/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/25/enter-at-your-own-rift-handy-tips-for-fishing-and-survival-in-t/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

rift fishing
In my last column about RIFT, I looked at a few highlights that were coming with Update 1.8, but because of the buzz surrounding the two new skills of fishing and survival, I wanted to delve into both a little more closely and perhaps even give a few tips I picked up so far that might be helpful if you're thinking of giving it a try.

Whether you're an old salt or a greenhorn, and if you're curious about what exactly it takes to fish in Telara or what you need to build yourself a nice camp and a warm meal, this week's Enter at Your Own Rift might help!

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Handy tips for fishing and survival in Telara

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Handy tips for fishing and survival in Telara originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cookingcraftingenter-at-your-own-riftfantasyfeaturedfishingfishing-derbyfishing-trophyopinionriftrift-bedrollrift-derbyrift-fishing-guiderift-planes-of-telararift-survival-guiderift-tentsurvivaltelaratradeskillstriontrion-worldsWed, 25 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Fishin' and survivin']]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/11/enter-at-your-own-rift-fishin-and-survivin/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/11/enter-at-your-own-rift-fishin-and-survivin/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/11/enter-at-your-own-rift-fishin-and-survivin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

rift fishing
One of the parts of the recent RIFT producer's letter that caught my eye was the hint that there will soon be more to do in game besides "stab" stuff. Maybe I'm mellowing in my old age, or perhaps it's because of my inner Bartle explorer player-type, but I'm enjoying activities in MMOs that don't involve mass slaughter all the time. Usually, that means crafting, but the inventory management that's required often leaves me cross-eyed by the time I'm done.

With Update 1.8, RIFT will add two new skills to the game: fishing and survival. Non-combat activities have already been introduced in past updates, like the wedding instance, but these two new skills look to be fun games within the game, so I was eager to check things out. Join me as I don some hip-waders, pack up some flint, and head to PTS for a peek at fishing, survival, and a quick peek at the looking-for-guild tool.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Fishin' and survivin'

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Fishin' and survivin' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingenter-at-your-own-riftfantasyfeaturedfishingkaren-bryanlfglooking-for-guildopinionpatchpatchespreviewpreviewsriftrift-fishingrift-looking-for-guild-windowrift-planes-of-telararift-survivalsurvivaltelaratriontrion-worldsWed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: A carnival recap and a war on the horizon]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/28/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-carnival-recap-and-a-war-on-the-horizo/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/28/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-carnival-recap-and-a-war-on-the-horizo/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/28/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-carnival-recap-and-a-war-on-the-horizo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Rift Carnival
Over the past few weeks, RIFT has been celebrating its first birthday with the Carnival of the Ascended. It started off pleasantly enough, with games, prizes, turducken, and fireworks. But recently, some of the revelers got a little too rowdy, and players had to help subdue drunk and disorderly guests. Now, the event has entered its fourth phase, and the two sides have begun to attack rival outposts that have been set up along parade routes. If you haven't had a chance to check out the Carnival of the Ascended, now is a perfect time. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, I'll highlight the carnival as it prepares to pack up and leave and peek at what's in store for Telara as this world event wraps up.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: A carnival recap and a war on the horizon

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: A carnival recap and a war on the horizon originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carnival-of-the-ascendeddeep-fried-butterenter-at-your-own-riftfantasyfeaturedfishingmaelforgeopinionphase-4riftrift-carnivalrift-planes-of-telaratelaratriontrion-worldsupdate-1.8war-of-the-wantonWed, 28 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Revisiting anonymity in our games]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/14/enter-at-your-own-rift-revisiting-anonymity-in-our-games/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/14/enter-at-your-own-rift-revisiting-anonymity-in-our-games/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/14/enter-at-your-own-rift-revisiting-anonymity-in-our-games/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Rift Ascended
It seems like ages ago, but back in July of 2010, Blizzard shook the MMO world with the announcement of RealID. You probably recall the firestorm, but the long and short of it is that Blizzard was planning to make all posts in the forums display each poster's real-life first and last name. The protests against it were so loud that Blizzard backed down from the move and life resumed as usual.

The intend was to integrate social media into Blizzard games, particularly Facebook, but it became a huge can of worms because it forced everyone who wanted to post on the forums to reveal their true names. But social media is continuing to grow, and there are lots of ways that game companies have made use of it. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, let's look at Trion's approach and revisit the idea of anonymity in MMOs.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Revisiting anonymity in our games

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Revisiting anonymity in our games originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anonymityblizzardBlizzard-Entertainmententer-at-your-own-rifteqeverquestfacebookfeaturedkaren-bryanprexusreal-idrealidriftriftconnectsocial-mediasonySony-Online-Entertainmenttriontrion-worldstwitterwowWed, 14 Mar 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Looking back at RIFT's first year]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/29/enter-at-your-own-rift-looking-back-at-rifts-first-year/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/29/enter-at-your-own-rift-looking-back-at-rifts-first-year/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/29/enter-at-your-own-rift-looking-back-at-rifts-first-year/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Rift carnival
As I ran around smacking loot piñatas (finally, someone acknowledges these things for what they are), I wondered how on earth RIFT's first year went by so fast. The Carnival of the Ascended is just around the corner, and on March 1st, the game officially celebrates its first birthday.

In just one year, RIFT has seen seven game updates, a handful of world events, and all sorts of new additions and improvements to the world of Telara. Rather than being a straight-up retrospective, this week's Enter at Your Own Rift is looking back on the first year with a Justin-style list of highlights and even a glimpse of what's coming in 1.8.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Looking back at RIFT's first year

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Looking back at RIFT's first year originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>birthdaycarnival-of-the-ascendedchroniclesember-isleenter-at-your-own-riftfantasyfeaturedinstant-adventureskaren-bryanmaster-dungeonsopinionplanar-attunementretrospectiveriftrift-1.8rift-birthdayrift-mentoringrift-one-year-oldrift-planes-of-telarascott-hartsmansoul-presetssoul-systemtelaratriontrion-worldswarfront-accoladeswarfrontsWed, 29 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: A RIFT wedding primer]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/15/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-rift-wedding-primer/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/15/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-rift-wedding-primer/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/15/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-rift-wedding-primer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Rift Wedding
Right now in RIFT, couples are donning their best attire, polishing up their rings, and practicing their vows as they participate in a Valentine's Day wedding challenge. From yesterday until today at noon, players will attempt to set the Guinness World Record for most in-game weddings in a single day. I decided to participate, so I bought the elegant wedding dress and veil from the marriage coordinator and said to my husband, "Will you marry me in-game?" His answer was, "Why?"

I can't say I'm surprised because we've been married for the better part of 17 years, and he's never really been into the social part of gaming as much as I have. But he's also a good sport, so he agreed to buy a tux and do the ceremony anyway. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, we'll walk you through the process of tying the knot in game, from the pre-wedding prep to the lively celebrations afterwards.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: A RIFT wedding primer

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: A RIFT wedding primer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enter-at-your-own-riftfantasyfeaturedguinness-book-of-world-recordsguinness-world-recordsin-game-marriagekaren-bryanmmo-weddingopinionriftrift-planes-of-telaratelaratriontrion-worldsweddingweddingsWed, 15 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at your own Rift: Want to play RIFT for free? Now you can!]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/enter-at-your-own-rift-want-to-play-rift-for-free-now-you-ca/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/enter-at-your-own-rift-want-to-play-rift-for-free-now-you-ca/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/01/enter-at-your-own-rift-want-to-play-rift-for-free-now-you-ca/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Rift 1.7 Ragnoth
Before rumors start spreading around like planar creatures through a tear, no, RIFT is not going free-to-play. You can, however, play RIFT for free through the first 20 levels now, thanks to the launch of RIFT Lite. Anyone with a Trion account can now play through the first 20 levels at no cost and with no time limit. RIFT Lite arrives alongside Update 1.7, the Carnival of the Ascended. Let's take a the significance of RIFT Lite, as well as the changes in the new update today.

Continue reading Enter at your own Rift: Want to play RIFT for free? Now you can!

MassivelyEnter at your own Rift: Want to play RIFT for free? Now you can! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>caduceus-risecarnival-of-the-ascendedenter-at-your-own-riftfeaturedkaren-bryanriftrift+update+1.7rift-literiftupdate1.7river-of-souls-chronicleupdate-1.7Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Server merges? Call Henny Penny!]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/18/enter-at-your-own-rift-server-merges-call-henny-penny/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/18/enter-at-your-own-rift-server-merges-call-henny-penny/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/18/enter-at-your-own-rift-server-merges-call-henny-penny/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Rift
When I was younger, I used to love Bobcat Goldthwait (before he went on late night TV and tried setting the studio on fire). One of my favorite jokes was about him losing his job, and he'd say, "Well, I didn't really lose it. I know where it is, but every time I go there, there's this new guy doing it." In RIFT, I find myself saying, "A while back, my server merged. Well, OK, it didn't really merge, but every time I log in, all the guilds and players who were there are on another server." I still have a low-level character over on Dimroot, a server that became a trial server during the summer, but I really can't do anything with her unless I transfer her to another non-trial server.

Last week, 11 more servers were flagged as trial, and while players were given suggestions on which servers to transfer to, everyone is free to transfer to any non-trial servers. But how should we interpret the news, and what does it mean for RIFT players?

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Server merges? Call Henny Penny!

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Server merges? Call Henny Penny! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enter-at-your-own-riftfantasyfeaturedkaren-bryanopinionriftrift-planes-of-telararift-server-mergerift-transfersserver-mergetriontrion-worldsWed, 18 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Of apps and patches]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/04/enter-at-your-own-rift-of-apps-and-patches/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/04/enter-at-your-own-rift-of-apps-and-patches/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/04/enter-at-your-own-rift-of-apps-and-patches/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Rift grotto
On the surface, things have been relatively quiet in RIFT. The Fae Yule Event moved along merrily, but there hasn't been much revealed about update 1.7 yet. Fans are so used to the rapid pace of updates that they've made a minigame out of guessing what's coming and when it will arrive.

But if you're wondering whether the team took the holidays off and left behind its work, fear not! Just a few days ago, Trion Worlds revealed a new iPhone app called RIFT Mobile and held its first developer Q&A with the community, during which it provided lots of new tidbits of information for RIFT fans to look forward to. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, we'll look at the highlights.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Of apps and patches

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Of apps and patches originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>defiantsenter-at-your-own-riftfeaturedguardianshal-hanlinIPhonekaren-bryanmobile-appriftrift-mobileroleplayingsmartphonetelaratriontrion-worldsupdate-1.7Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at your own Rift: A holiday wish-list for Telara]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/12/21/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-holiday-wish-list-for-telara/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/21/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-holiday-wish-list-for-telara/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/21/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-holiday-wish-list-for-telara/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Rift-mas
The holidays are upon us, and one of the most important parts of the season is making wish lists. Mine came in at a rather modest four pages, with another two pages of in-game items for my characters. Trion certainly has had a busy year, and while the game looks a lot different now than it did at launch, there's always room for more changes and improvements.

Since I'm on a roll with making wish-lists this year, this week's Enter at Your Own Rift will give a rundown of what should be added to the game in 2012. Read on for the list, and then add your own below!

Continue reading Enter at your own Rift: A holiday wish-list for Telara

MassivelyEnter at your own Rift: A holiday wish-list for Telara originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auction-houseenter-at-your-own-riftfantasyfeaturedkaren-bryanmaelforgeopinionplayer-housingriftrift+game+trionrift+trionrift-planes-of-telararift-wish-listriftgametrionrifttriontelaratriontrion-worldsWed, 21 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: The casual revolution in RIFT]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/12/07/enter-at-your-own-rift-the-casual-revolution-in-rift/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/07/enter-at-your-own-rift-the-casual-revolution-in-rift/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/07/enter-at-your-own-rift-the-casual-revolution-in-rift/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Rift Fae Yule
The Fae Yule world event has arrived in Telara, and there's one part of the event in particular that really captures the holiday feeling. It's not the daily quests but the festive "shinies" that players can harvest around town, like mistletoe and the holiday candle. At first I enjoyed the fun of clicking and getting nice little rewards, but by the third shiny, I was cursing other players who were racing me to the spot and grabbing the goods before I could! Talk about a Black Friday flashback! Twenty minutes later I was in the middle of the most intense, knock-down brawl for shinies that could rival a top-tier PvP Warfront.

You wouldn't think that harvesting little festive oddities could be turned into a hardcore game, but that is exactly what I and a few other players ended up doing. And that got me thinking about Jesper Juul's book A Casual Revolution. In it, he looks at how video games have gone back to their roots and reinvented themselves, leading, for example, to the rise of the Wii. His book focused more on console gaming and didn't address MMOs that much, but in this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, I'd like to look at how his ideas apply to RIFT, particularly with recent changes to the game.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: The casual revolution in RIFT

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: The casual revolution in RIFT originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-theory-of-funcasual-revolutionenter-at-your-own-riftfae-yulefantasyfeaturedhammerknellinscribedjesper-juulkaren-bryanopinionraph-kosterriftrift-invasionsrift-planes-of-telaratelaratriontrion-worldszone-eventsWed, 07 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Will RIFT survive the SWTORacolypse?]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/11/23/enter-at-your-own-rift-will-rift-survive-the-swtoracolypse/http://www.massively.com/2011/11/23/enter-at-your-own-rift-will-rift-survive-the-swtoracolypse/http://www.massively.com/2011/11/23/enter-at-your-own-rift-will-rift-survive-the-swtoracolypse/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

RIFT Ember Isle invasion
It's coming. In just a few weeks, Star Wars: The Old Republic will launch, and on every gamer's mind is the subject of how many players it will lure away from other games. It's quite likely that every MMO will suffer a dip in numbers when SWTOR launches -- heck, even World of Warcraft is bracing for impact with a stock downgrade. But as gamers know, a launch is one thing, but how a game does in the months after is more important.

In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, I'm going to grab that third rail and look at a few ways in which SWTOR and RIFT differ, to see what effect SWTOR's launch might have on the game. Keep in mind that I am a fan of RIFT (hence the regular column), and I also really enjoyed my time in SWTOR's beta, have it pre-ordered, and plan to play the game when it launches. So I'm not saying one is better than the other; rather, I'm looking at differences that might appeal to one playstyle over another.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Will RIFT survive the SWTORacolypse?

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Will RIFT survive the SWTORacolypse? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareclassescompanionscomparisoneaElectronic-Artsenter-at-your-own-riftfeaturedkaren-bryanpetsriftsoulsstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictortriontrion-worldsWed, 23 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Into the flames of the official forums]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/11/09/enter-at-your-own-rift-into-the-flames-of-the-official-forums/http://www.massively.com/2011/11/09/enter-at-your-own-rift-into-the-flames-of-the-official-forums/http://www.massively.com/2011/11/09/enter-at-your-own-rift-into-the-flames-of-the-official-forums/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ember Isle Fire
Over the summer at a game convention, I was having a conversation with a friend who asked me about RIFT. But curiously, he didn't ask me the usual questions about gameplay, souls, or invasions. He wanted to know whether the rumor was true that the official forums were just full of sound and fury rather than productive discussions. In the initial weeks after launch, I had to admit, the forums were a lot like the wild west. On one hand, you had post after post from people arguing about whether the game was good or bad, whether it was too much like World of Warcraft, and even whether the game would survive more than a year. On the other, you had grizzled veterans showing disdain for newer fans by posting curt replies to their questions about the game. There were some good discussions on the forum, but they often got lost in a sea of emotion, and as a result, I ended up avoiding the forum in the months that followed.

For this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, I've decided that it's time to don my flame-retardant suit and wade back into the forums to see if things have settled down at all. I've always been a believer that forums are an important part of that community feel in MMOs, and I'm channeling a bit of Jef's Community Detective to see how things fare today. Read on for my findings and for some helpful threads that I encountered in the process!

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Into the flames of the official forums

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Into the flames of the official forums originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communityelrarenter-at-your-own-riftfeaturedforumforumsjames-nicholskaren-bryanriftrift-forumsrift-planes-of-telaratalk-of-telaratelaratriontrion-worldsWed, 09 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter At Your Own Rift: The big takeaways from GDC]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/10/26/enter-at-your-own-rift-the-big-takeaways-from-gdc/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/26/enter-at-your-own-rift-the-big-takeaways-from-gdc/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/26/enter-at-your-own-rift-the-big-takeaways-from-gdc/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Ember Isle
After dining on enough beef brisket to feed an army of hungry cowboys, I returned from Austin's GDC Online to chip away at the Ashes of History world event quests. RIFT had a nice showing at the GDC Online Awards ceremony, walking away with awards for Best Online Technology and Best New Online Game. In addition, Trion CCO and RIFT Executive Producer Scott Hartsman gave a talk about RIFT's pre-launch preparations and post-launch plans. GDC was dominated by a handful of common topics, like free-to-play, metrics, monetization, and technology. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, we'll take a look at a few of these to see how they apply to RIFT, and then we'll look at the big takeaways from GDC overall.

Continue reading Enter At Your Own Rift: The big takeaways from GDC

MassivelyEnter At Your Own Rift: The big takeaways from GDC originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Benedikt-GrindelChristopher-Schmitzenter-at-your-own-rifteqeverquestextra-life-2011f2pfeaturedfree-to-playgdcgdc-onlinegdc-online-2011georg-zoellerkaren-bryanMarkus-Perssonminecraftmojangmonitizationpanelpanelsred-doorriftscott-hartsmansettlers-onlineshadow-citiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswtortelarathe-settlers-onlinetriontrion-worldsubisoft-blue-bytewizard101Wed, 26 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: A six-month retrospective]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/10/12/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-six-month-retrospective/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/12/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-six-month-retrospective/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/12/enter-at-your-own-rift-a-six-month-retrospective/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Rift invasion
About a year ago I was on a little show called The Rift Podcast with Arithion, Desi, and Trion Community Manager Cindy Bowens. It's hard to believe, but at the time, there was just a trickle of buzz surrounding RIFT and only a few details were available about the game. We're now six months into release, and it's worth taking a look back at some of the memorable moments for RIFT from beta and beyond. There have been many changes in-game, and while the ride wasn't always smooth, it's surprising how much has been added in game in such a short time.

In this week's Enter at your own Rift, we'll journey back to beta and look at some of the peaks and valleys as it reached its six-month milestone.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: A six-month retrospective

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: A six-month retrospective originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cindy-bowensenter-at-your-own-riftfeaturedhammerknellkaren-bryanplanar-attunementretrospectiveriftrift-connectrift-invasionsriver-of-soulsscott-hartsmantriontrion-worldsworld-eventsWed, 12 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Tidbits from 1.5]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/10/05/enter-at-your-own-rift-tidbits-from-1-5/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/05/enter-at-your-own-rift-tidbits-from-1-5/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/05/enter-at-your-own-rift-tidbits-from-1-5/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Rift Chronicles
RIFT's Update 1.5 has been live for about a week now, and with it comes lots of changes. What always strikes me about the updates is the number of quiet changes that leave you saying, "Wait, what was that?" It's not a ninja nerf; it's more like the fine print of the patch notes -- things that you tend to skip over or not read closely because there's so much other stuff to chew on.

This week in Enter at Your Own Rift, we'll take a look at a few of those "little" changes. And yes, we'll look at some of the larger ones too!

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Tidbits from 1.5

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Tidbits from 1.5 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chroniclesenter-at-your-own-riftfeaturedkaren-bryanpatchriftrift-invasionstelaratriontrion-worldsupdateveteran-rewardsWed, 05 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Tackling the question of which is better]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/09/28/enter-at-your-own-rift-tackling-the-question-of-which-is-better/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/28/enter-at-your-own-rift-tackling-the-question-of-which-is-better/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/28/enter-at-your-own-rift-tackling-the-question-of-which-is-better/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Rift starter area
From the first day that RIFT launched, an endless debate has erupted around one central issue. Players have chosen their sides and dug in deep defending them. It's led to countless arguments and a six-month battle that gets worse with each passing day.

For this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, I've decided to tackle this debate head on and really look at what divides the two sides. That's right -- the time has come to finally decide which is better: Guardian or Defiant.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Tackling the question of which is better

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Tackling the question of which is better originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ashacyrildefiantsenter-at-your-own-riftfactionfactionsfeaturedfreemarchguardianskaren-bryanmeridianriftrift-planes-of-telarasanctumsilverwoodtelaratriontrion-worldsWed, 28 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Hal Hanlin and Scott Hartsman on Update 1.5]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/09/21/enter-at-your-own-rift-hal-hanlin-and-scott-hartsman-on-update/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/21/enter-at-your-own-rift-hal-hanlin-and-scott-hartsman-on-update/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/21/enter-at-your-own-rift-hal-hanlin-and-scott-hartsman-on-update/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Rift Chronicles
Chronicles, Planar Attunement, Veteran Rewards, a World Event, and a hint about a brand-new area coming soon are just the tip of the iceberg in RIFT's 1.5 update. Ashes of History is due to launch next week, and Design Producer Hal Hanlin and Executive Producer Scott Hartsman offered up lots of details during a conference call yesterday.

Whether you're an experienced veteran or a brand-new player, there's something for everyone in update 1.5. Read on for the full rundown of what's on the way, then take a look at our gallery for the newest Ashes of History screenshots.

Gallery: RIFT: Core Gallery

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Hal Hanlin and Scott Hartsman on Update 1.5

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Hal Hanlin and Scott Hartsman on Update 1.5 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ashes-of-historychroniclesenter-at-your-own-riftfeaturedgalleriesgalleryhal-hanlininterviewinterviewskaren-bryanplanar-attunementriftrift-planes-of-telarascott-hartsmantelaraTriontrion-worldsupdate-1.5veteran-rewardsWed, 21 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: RIFT's battle plan]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/09/14/enter-at-your-own-rift-rifts-battle-plan/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/14/enter-at-your-own-rift-rifts-battle-plan/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/14/enter-at-your-own-rift-rifts-battle-plan/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Enter at your own Rift
A month or so ago my colleague Karen looked at RIFT's own future forecast for the game, and it's apparent from Trion Worlds' state of the game reports that the company is confident and clear in the direction it wants to go. The problem is that nobody consulted me, personally, on what I think the game needs as it heads forward. Not that I'm any great gaming guru, mind you, but it would be nice to be asked.

In a very real sense, RIFT is at a crossroads. It will shortly cease to be the newest big kid on the block, a position it has enjoyed for a majority of 2011. I won't invoke the names of the power hitters on deck, but trust me, many RIFT players are well aware of the competition. Players and guilds are evaluating the game as it is right now and whether or not they'll want to stay when the new hotness is released. My prediction? Some will, some won't. You can quote me on that.

Personally, I think RIFT is in a remarkably good position. It continues to grow in subscribers, according to the company, and it's proven to have staying power a half-year after launch. I'm encouraged when I see friends and fellow players randomly praise the game even though its honeymoon veneer has long since worn off. There's something worth fighting for, here -- but a fight it will have.

Hit the break as I lay out what I think should be RIFT's battle plan for the next 12 months.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: RIFT's battle plan

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: RIFT's battle plan originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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