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[Exclusive Interview: Going global with Fallen Earth's PvP]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/exclusive-interview-going-global-with-fallen-earths-pvp/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/exclusive-interview-going-global-with-fallen-earths-pvp/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/exclusive-interview-going-global-with-fallen-earths-pvp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth
Two of the biggest cornerstones of Fallen Earth have always been crafting and PvP, and its these cornerstones that GamersFirst is enriching come patch 2.4. The patch, called Global Territory Control, is taking these elements and firing them up in ways that any PvPer or crafter should find exciting.

We hopped on the phone with Associate Producer Asa Reed, Director of Operations Joe Willmon, and Senior Game Designer Marie Croall to talk about why 2.4 will be the patch that will change the wasteland forever -- and why you should anticipate it, whether you're a crafter or a player-killer.

Gallery: Fallen Earth Black Box Gear

Continue reading Exclusive Interview: Going global with Fallen Earth's PvP

MassivelyExclusive Interview: Going global with Fallen Earth's PvP originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.4asa-reedcraftingf2pfaction-controlfallen-earthfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstglobal-territory-controlharvesterharvestersharvestinginterviewinterviewsJoe-Willmonkeepkeepsmarie-croallpatch-2.4post-apocpost-apocalypticpreviewpvpresourcessandboxsci-fiwastelandsThu, 17 May 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Spend a day as a Fallen Earth Premium Member on us!]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/spend-a-day-as-a-fallen-earth-premium-member-on-us/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/spend-a-day-as-a-fallen-earth-premium-member-on-us/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/spend-a-day-as-a-fallen-earth-premium-member-on-us/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth - Pitchblende
Fallen Earth is a post-apocalyptic MMO that always seems to be on that short list of games that everyone means to try out one day. And when people try it, positive praise usually follows.

To help celebrate the upcoming 2.4 patch, we're giving you a chance to play the game as a top-tier premium member for one day, complete with massive XP, crafting, and PvP currency buffs, the Commander's Aura stackable buff that allows you to spread the benefits among your party members, a 20% marketplace discount, and more. In addition, we're giving you the Light Slugthrower, an advanced version of the starter rifle, which features higher damage output than its little brother.

There's no giveaway page and no key codes on this one; if you want to grab this nifty one-day package for yourself, simply enter the promo code "MASSIVEEARTH" either in-game or by clicking the Redeem Code button on the Fallen Earth website. To access the Marketplace in-game, click on the "$" button on the bottom of your minimap. The code expires on June 1st.

Have fun!

MassivelySpend a day as a Fallen Earth Premium Member on us! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>contestcontestsf2pfallen-earthfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstgiveawaygiveawayspatch-2.4post-apocpost-apocalypticpromo-codesandboxsci-fiwastelandsThu, 17 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth 2.4 patch to feature territory control, automated harvesting, and more]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/fallen-earth-2-4-patch-to-feature-territory-control-automated-h/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/fallen-earth-2-4-patch-to-feature-territory-control-automated-h/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/fallen-earth-2-4-patch-to-feature-territory-control-automated-h/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth - Park City
GamersFirst has formally announced its next update for Fallen Earth. The Global Territory Control patch, or 2.4 if you're counting at home, will bring quite a bit of new functionality to denizens of the game's Grand Canyon wasteland.

As you might expect given the update name, territory control plays a big role. The devs are adding new outposts and settlements throughout the game world that can be conquered by each of Fallen Earth's six player factions. Capturing a settlement grants sole property rights to the controlling faction, which in turn provides valuable mineral extraction capabilities.

The 2.4 patch also features a new 50-plus PvP zone called the The Foothills, new player-crafted prospecting and harvesting technology, and various quality of life tweaks like bulk purchasing, merchant buyback, and faster mounting. Check in with Massively later this week for more exclusive info on the new patch as well as an interview with the devs.

[Source: GamersFirst press release]

MassivelyFallen Earth 2.4 patch to feature territory control, automated harvesting, and more originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfallen-earthfallen-earth-2.4fallen-earth-gtcfallen-earth-harvestingfallen-earth-prospectingfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstglobal-territory-controlpatchespost-apocpost-apocalypticpvpsandboxsci-fithe-foothillswastelandsThu, 17 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth trimming up the game experience for new players]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/10/fallen-earth-trimming-up-the-game-experience-for-new-players/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/10/fallen-earth-trimming-up-the-game-experience-for-new-players/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/10/fallen-earth-trimming-up-the-game-experience-for-new-players/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Bit of a fixer-upper.
Fallen Earth isn't a cumbersome game, but it can be hard to approach at first. The game has a lot of complicated systems playing off one another, and as a result, trying to jump in can leave a new player confused about what to do next. Luckily, the development team is well aware of the problem, and a recent development blog outlines the steps being taken in the next patch to help streamline and improve the experience for new players.

The change that will have the biggest impact on everyone in the game will be the consolidation of several gear slots, meaning that players will no longer have to scrounge for corresponding pieces when starting out. The addition of sector chat and a beacon leading toward the nearest garage will help players find others and receive aid as needed. And the team is looking ahead to future improvements as well, all in the hopes that your first moments in Fallen Earth are fun enough to convince you to stay.

MassivelyFallen Earth trimming up the game experience for new players originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfallen-earthfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstnew-playersplayer-aidplayer-assistanceplayer-experiencepost-apocpost-apocalypticsandboxsci-fiwastelandsThu, 10 May 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth's May State of the Game letter showcases new Foothills PvP zone]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/08/fallen-earths-may-state-of-the-game-letter-showcases-new-foothi/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/08/fallen-earths-may-state-of-the-game-letter-showcases-new-foothi/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/08/fallen-earths-may-state-of-the-game-letter-showcases-new-foothi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Fallen Earth
Roamers of Fallen Earth's post-apocalyptic Grand Canyon province have long been awaiting the final release of the game's Global Territory Control update. Thankfully, the wait is almost over. But meanwhile, today's GamersFirst dev blog post aims to shed some light on some of the latest additions to the system.

The spotlight of the post is set on the new PvP conflict area known as The Foothills. The zone is an abandoned settlement situated between Los Alamos and Citadel that "never quite made it." As a result, the various factions of Fallen Earth have taken to fighting for control of the area in order to further solidify their foothold in the region. The Global Territory Control patch is set to go live next Wednesday, so keep an eye on the official dev blog for more details as the update gets closer to launch.

MassivelyFallen Earth's May State of the Game letter showcases new Foothills PvP zone originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfallen-earthfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstglobal-territory-controlgtcpatchpatchesplayer-vs-playerpost-apocpost-apocalypticpvpsandboxsci-fithe-foothillsupdateupdateswastelandsTue, 08 May 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth dev blog details Haven revamp]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/13/fallen-earth-dev-blog-details-haven-revamp/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/13/fallen-earth-dev-blog-details-haven-revamp/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/13/fallen-earth-dev-blog-details-haven-revamp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth - new Haven Lightbearer building
It's been a month or so since we've heard from the folks working on Fallen Earth. Today, that news drought ends courtesy of a dev blog by one Ninjanomics.

The update is all about the changes in store for the town of Haven. Given the fact that the town is one of the more prominent features of the Northfields area, and given that it "had a confusing layout, was cruelly prohibitive to framerate, and didn't well reflect the serenity of the Lightbearers as a faction," the devs thought it was time for an extreme makeover.

Ninjanomics (also known as GamersFirst's art ninja) walks us through the rebuild process and details both the stylistic and the layout changes to the town. The original design had "no logical flow to speak of," which led G1 artists to divide Haven into two sections: the town proper and a grove area. As a result, the new Haven experience is markedly smoother for weary wasteland wanderers and fans of Fallen Earth's free-to-play sandpark ambiance.

MassivelyFallen Earth dev blog details Haven revamp originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dev-blogdev-diaryf2pfallen-earthfallen-earth-dev-blogfallen-earth-havenfallen-earth-haven-revampfefree-to-playg1gamersfirsthavenhaven-revampninjanomicspost-apocpost-apocalypticsandboxsci-fiwastelandsFri, 13 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth's March state of the game gets territorial]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/09/fallen-earths-march-state-of-the-game-gets-territorial/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/09/fallen-earths-march-state-of-the-game-gets-territorial/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/09/fallen-earths-march-state-of-the-game-gets-territorial/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Fallen Earth
Another month is upon us, and Fallen Earth is bringing some changes to its Global Territory Control system. While players wait with bated breath for the new features to hit the PTS at the end of the month, GamersFirst has put out a new blog post outlining what players can expect from the next round of updates. We've covered the basics of Global Territory Control previously, so if you want to get up to speed, go on and have a read. Don't worry; we'll wait.

Caught up? Good. So what's new this month? The buffs granted by controlling territories have been changed. Now, each town and keep is worth a given number of points. The faction that has the most points will receive a buff that "improves crafting and harvesting speed as well as Random AP, Death Toll, Faction, and Experience gains." Meanwhile, the faction system is getting a revamp that "will see the elimination of shoulder factions." Completing tasks for your faction of choice "will only affect the specific faction you completed it for and its opposite on the faction wheel." This really only scratches the surface of the myriad changes coming to Fallen Earth, so to get the full details just head on over to the game's official site.

MassivelyFallen Earth's March state of the game gets territorial originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfactionfactionsfallen-earthfefree-to-playg1gamersfirstglobal-territory-controlgtcmarch-state-of-the-gameplayer-vs-playerpost-apocpost-apocalypticpvpsandboxsci-fistate-of-the-gameterritory-controlwastelandsFri, 09 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Performance tweaks coming to Fallen Earth]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/27/performance-tweaks-coming-to-fallen-earth/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/27/performance-tweaks-coming-to-fallen-earth/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/27/performance-tweaks-coming-to-fallen-earth/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We announced just last week that popular post-apocalyptic sandbox title Fallen Earth had been released on Steam. Well, opening that can of worms seems to have taken its toll on many of the game's more populated areas, causing performance issues and crashes for some players. Needless to say, GamersFirst is not about to let that fly.

In fact, GamersFirst's Napalm stopped by the game's official forums earlier today in order to notify players of some small tweaks that are being made to the game in order to solve these performance issues. For starters, Embry Crossroads and all starter towns are being moved onto "much, much beefier hardware," which "will have an immediate impact, and should decrease the amount of lag that players are seeing in those areas." Improvements are also being made to server memory management, and the studio is even upgrading to a "more capable branch of the xScape engine" that should hopefully allow the game to handle a higher number of players in any given area. For the full details on the improvements, just click on over to the official announcement below.

MassivelyPerformance tweaks coming to Fallen Earth originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfallen-earthfree-to-playg1gamersfirstoverpopulationperformanceperformance-issuespopulationserver-performanceserver-upgradestabilitysteamupgradeMon, 27 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth entices Marketplace shoppers with first-time purchase package]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/23/fallen-earth-entices-marketplace-shoppers-with-first-time-purcha/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/23/fallen-earth-entices-marketplace-shoppers-with-first-time-purcha/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/23/fallen-earth-entices-marketplace-shoppers-with-first-time-purcha/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Fallen Earth
Studies have shown that if players make the big step to buying something -- anything -- in an online game's cash shop, then they're much more likely to do it again. Ergo, studios are coming up with all sorts of methods to sweeten that first deal, such as GamersFirst's new Fallen Earth "first time purchaser package."

The package is a bundle of 13 items, unlocks, and abilities that will be sent to the character of your choice once you make your first purchase in the Fallen Earth Marketplace. It's a very tempting deal, especially for free players, as it increases character slots to four, adds access to global chat, removes the chip limit, unlocks the core wardrobe slot, and tosses in a couple of mobile garage/stable managers for those too lazy to walk back to civilization after an accident.

It's not clear whether this package applies to players who have made a purchase in the Marketplace before today.

MassivelyFallen Earth entices Marketplace shoppers with first-time purchase package originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cash-shopdealf2pfallen-earthfallen-earth-marketplacefefirst-time-purchasers-packagefree-to-playgamersfirstitem-shoppromotionThu, 23 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Steam distributes Fallen Earth, gives out crabs]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/23/steam-distributes-fallen-earth-gives-out-crabs/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/23/steam-distributes-fallen-earth-gives-out-crabs/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/23/steam-distributes-fallen-earth-gives-out-crabs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Fallen Earth
Fallen Earth has a new ally in its war on boredom: Steam. The digital games distributor added the title to its MMO free-to-play library yesterday, offering its users an additional way to get into the wasteland.

To encourage Steam users to sign up, GamersFirst is dishing out a few in-game goodies for those who do so. Players can nab an in-game Steam t-shirt and Gordon's Ward, two items that boost crafting and social skills. Additionally, if you previously played Fallen Earth through Steam, you'll be treated with three days of premium subscription status and a non-combat pet, Trashy the Hermit Crab.

GamersFirst SVP of Marketing Rahul Sandil thinks this is a match made in heaven: "Fallen Earth's return to the Steam Network is a huge milestone for us here at GamersFirst. Reintroducing the game on Steam side-by-side with APB Reloaded further cements our commitment to offering the hard-core gaming experience to players without an entry cost."

Fallen Earth is a staff favorite here at Massively, and if you're curious about the title, check out our recent Why I Play column on the game.

MassivelySteam distributes Fallen Earth, gives out crabs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apbapb-reloadeddealf2pfallen-earthfefree-to-playgamersfirstpromotionRahul-Sandilsteamtrashy-the-hermit-crabwhy-i-playThu, 23 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Why I Play: Fallen Earth]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/22/why-i-play-fallen-earth/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/22/why-i-play-fallen-earth/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/22/why-i-play-fallen-earth/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth
I'm going to start my Fallen Earth testimony by echoing the same sentiment that Shawn shared last week with WURM Online: I really didn't get it the first couple of times I tried it. I had heard great things about this post-apocalyptic title from Massively and elsewhere at the time, but it felt so different and kind of raw when I logged in that I didn't stay for long. In fact, it wasn't until I forced myself to sit down and devote an entire evening to Fallen Earth that I got past my initial objections and it clicked for me.

It clicked hard.

Since that time, I've been an ardent fan of Fallen Earth, using it as Exhibit A whenever people complain that all MMOs are too much alike and boring. Well, here you go, I say. An MMO in a contemporary setting that also happens to embrace apocalyptic themes. An MMO that revels in dark humor and edgy themes. An MMO where 95% of the gear in the game can be crafted and used by you. An MMO with free-form character growth and -- this is important -- motorcycles. An MMO with a world that's genuinely fun to explore (and might I add, huge).

It's not perfect, it's not my main MMO squeeze, but it is a title I've carried a torch for since my first days in the wasteland. I've got no shortage of words when it comes to this game, especially if there's a chance that my verbosity will get you to take a closer look at Fallen Earth (which is easier than ever since its free-to-play conversion).

Continue reading Why I Play: Fallen Earth

MassivelyWhy I Play: Fallen Earth originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingfallen-earthfeaturedgamersfirsticarus-studiosopinionsandboxsandparktheme-parkwhy-i-playwurm-onlineWed, 22 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What MMO do you regret leaving?]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/17/the-daily-grind-what-mmo-do-you-regret-leaving/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/17/the-daily-grind-what-mmo-do-you-regret-leaving/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/17/the-daily-grind-what-mmo-do-you-regret-leaving/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Fallen Earth - mutt following a chopper
I've played more MMOs than I can remember over the years, and nearly all of them have failed to capture my long-term interest. Most of the games in my also-ran box got a first look because of some quirky feature. Most of them didn't get a second look because -- aside from said feature -- they sucked.

Every once in a while I'll regret leaving an MMO, though, and none moreso than Fallen Earth. Though I played extensively at launch and for a month or so after, I inexplicably forsook the wastelands for the world of Atreia. Upon returning to the game a few weeks ago and reconnecting with some old friends, I had to stop and take a moment to wonder what the heck I was thinking back in 2009. What about you, Massively crew? Have you had any similar head-scratching moments after rediscovering a previous title, and do you regret leaving it?

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

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What MMO do you regret leaving? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daily-grindf2pfallen-earthfeaturedfree-to-playgame-discussiongamer-discussionmmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicsopinionpost-apocalypticregretsci-fitdgthe-daily-grindwastelandFri, 17 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth's Global Territory Control creates a singular faction to rule them all]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/fallen-earths-global-territory-control-creates-a-singular-facti/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/fallen-earths-global-territory-control-creates-a-singular-facti/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/10/fallen-earths-global-territory-control-creates-a-singular-facti/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth
The GamersFirst crew is back with a closer look at one of the exciting PvP features that's being created for Fallen Earth: Global Territory Control. The idea behind GTC is that the devs wanted a comprehensive system that would track faction dominance in PvP across the entire game world.

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

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

This system is still being prepped for a future update.

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conflict-townsdeath-tolldev-diaryf2pfactionfaction-controlfaction-control-pointsfallen-earthfefree-to-playgamersfirstglobal-territory-controlgtcpreviewpvpFri, 10 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: MMO prisons]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/the-perfect-ten-mmo-prisons/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/the-perfect-ten-mmo-prisons/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/09/the-perfect-ten-mmo-prisons/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten Prisons
Chillin' in the clink. Spending time in stoney lonesome. Thrown into the slammer. Checking in to the big house. Doing (perfect) 10 to life in the hole. Learning the ropes in juvie.

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

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

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: MMO prisons

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocarkhamarkham-asylumbelsavisbrickstownchampions-onlinecity-of-heroesclinkcocohconanconan-the-barbariandc-universe-onlinedcuoeqeverquestfallen-earthfeaturedffxifinal-fantasy-xigm-jailgm-prisoniron-towerjailkingman-prisonlistlistsmmo-prisonsperfect-10perfect-tenprisonprisonsstar-wars-the-old-republicstockadesstronghold-prisonswtorthe-iron-towerthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenultima-onlineuoworld-of-warcraftwowzigzigguratThu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: A second look at Fallen Earth's free model]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/18/free-for-all-a-second-look-at-fallen-earths-free-model/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/18/free-for-all-a-second-look-at-fallen-earths-free-model/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/18/free-for-all-a-second-look-at-fallen-earths-free-model/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth screenshot
I used to be head-over-heels in love with Fallen Earth. I was on an immersion kick and had even designed a set of rules that dictated how my character would "live" in the world. Fallen Earth provided me with a lot of great tools to become immersed, and it was the type of game that really stuck out from the pack. Of course, it also sported uglier character models than Lord of the Rings Online and was more brown than a bakery at the earlier levels, but it was neat.

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

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

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

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

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmancash-shopddodungeon-and-dragonseq2eqiiEverQuest-2everquest-iif2pfallen-earthfefeaturedfree-for-allfree-to-playftpg1gamersfirstlord-of-the-rings-onlineMicrotransactionspost-apocalypticsandboxwizard101Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth's 2.3 patch live today, new world bosses incoming]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/18/fallen-earths-2-3-patch-live-today-new-world-bosses-incoming/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/18/fallen-earths-2-3-patch-live-today-new-world-bosses-incoming/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/18/fallen-earths-2-3-patch-live-today-new-world-bosses-incoming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Fallen Earth - wasteland sunrise
If you're looking to play a little Fallen Earth this morning, you may have to wait a couple of hours. That's the bad news. The good news is that the servers were scheduled to come down at 11:00 a.m. EST so that GamersFirst can roll out the 2.3 patch.

The latest update for the post-apocalyptic sandpark MMO features new PvE content for levels 30 through 35, rare and prized treasure boxes, and several world-boss events. There are also a number of bug fixes, mission tweaks, and art updates. The full patch notes are viewable at the official Fallen Earth website.

MassivelyFallen Earth's 2.3 patch live today, new world bosses incoming originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.3-patchf2pfallen-earthfree-to-playgamers-firstgamersfirstpatchespost-apocalypticsandboxsandparkupdatesworld-bossWed, 18 Jan 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fallen Earth lays the foundation for 2012 in its January state of the game address]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/06/fallen-earth-lays-the-foundation-for-2012-in-its-january-state-o/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/06/fallen-earth-lays-the-foundation-for-2012-in-its-january-state-o/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/06/fallen-earth-lays-the-foundation-for-2012-in-its-january-state-o/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Fallen Earth
Senior Game Designer Marie Croall sounded the klaxons and ran up the flag for the wastelanders of Fallen Earth in the latest state of the game address. For her and the team, it's time to shake off the ravages of holidays and get to work on laying the foundation for the game in 2012.

Croall says that this month players should expect to get the ability to use bombs in Territory Control, which should change things up somewhat. The Territory Control PvP feature will be significantly expanded in the months afterward as well.

Also on tap for the near future are additional mid-level quests, the augmentation system for customizing gear, improving the flow of starter areas, and better rare drops across the board. The art team is excited to move on to giving Haven a facelift much like the work the team did on the recent Embry Crossroads revamp.

Perhaps the most intriguing is that Croall hints at a major top-secret project in the works: "This month we're also breaking ground on one of the biggest systems we've ever done. It's still too early to really get into details on but we'll make sure this one was worth waiting for."

MassivelyFallen Earth lays the foundation for 2012 in its January state of the game address originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012augmentation-systembombbombsf2pfallen-earthfefree-to-playgamersfirstmarie-croallmayanpvpstate-of-the-gameterritory-controltop-secret-projectFri, 06 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Some Assembly Required: A virtual world roundup]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/06/some-assembly-required-a-virtual-world-round-up/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/06/some-assembly-required-a-virtual-world-round-up/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/06/some-assembly-required-a-virtual-world-round-up/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Some Assembly Required header
If you are perusing this column, chances are you are a fan of virtual worlds and the sandbox genre. Join the club! (Dues will be due on the third Tuesday.) The aspect that compels many aficionados to delve into a game is the ability to make an impact on the world in some small respect instead of making them into Hive Member 1593072 running a static, predetermined gauntlet. How that impact is accomplished, however, varies; there are multiple features that can facilitate it, and which ones are considered most important depends on the player.

With the loss of one of the best sandbox games just last month, some players may be feeling a void. Others still are looking/hoping for the "ultimate" sandbox that contains nearly every virtual world feature. Certainly, there are some upcoming games that make some drool-worthy promises, but what about playing something now? There are actually games out on the market that have at least one aspect of the genre, if not more.

To start off the new year, Some Assembly Required looks at some of the top features of virtual worlds and lists games that incorporate these features. While this list isn't exhaustive (considering the sheer number of games when you include all of the smaller free-to-play titles, I'd run out of column space!), it is a comprehensive enough overview to point you toward some games worth playing that perhaps you hadn't considered before.

Continue reading Some Assembly Required: A virtual world roundup

MassivelySome Assembly Required: A virtual world roundup originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaionaion-gameAnarchy-Onlineaocccpccp-eveccp-gameschampions-onlinecharacter-creationcharacter-customizationcity-of-heroescocohcraft-of-godscraft-of-the-godscraftingcrypticcryptic-champions-onlinecryptic-cocryptic-star-trekcryptic-studiosdaocdark-age-of-camelotdarkfalleden-eternaleq-1eq-2eq-ieq-iieveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineever-quest-1ever-quest-2ever-quest-iever-quest-iieverquest-1everquest-2everquest-ieverquest-iifallen-earthfeaturedfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-xiflyffFuncomglitchguild-housinghousingking-of-kings-3liden-labs-second-lifelinden-labslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroluna-onlinemabinogimission-architectnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionnotorious-gamesparagonparagon-cohparagon-studioesplanetsideplayer-generated-contentplayer-generated-missionsplayer-housingplayer-run-economyrunescapeRyzomsecond-lifesecond-life-linden-labsslsl-liden-labssoe-eq-1soe-eq-2soe-eq-isoe-eq-iisome-assembly-requiredsony-eq-1sony-eq-2sony-eq-isony-eq-iisquare-enixst-onlinestar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestotrek-onlineturbineTurbine-EntertainmentUltima-OnlineUOvanguardVanguard-Saga-of-Heroesvirtual-worldwar-of-the-immortalswizard-101xbox-360XsyonFri, 06 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Most significant MMO stories of 2011]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/12/29/the-perfect-ten-most-significant-mmo-stories-of-2011/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/29/the-perfect-ten-most-significant-mmo-stories-of-2011/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/29/the-perfect-ten-most-significant-mmo-stories-of-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
2011 was an odd duck of a year for MMO news. A huge chunk of the year felt devoid of significant releases, but that was mitigated somewhat by the major launches of RIFT and Star Wars: The Old Republic. Titles got shoved back to 2012 or beyond, MMOs that we thought never would go free-to-play did, and the industry continually surprised us with revelations, ideas, and controversy.

So in my last Perfect Ten of 2011, I put together the 10 most significant MMO stories of the year. Ten seems like an awfully small number for such a great big field, so I had the rest of the staff members chime in with their nominations just to make sure I wasn't too off-base with any of these.

It was a whopper of a year, and Massively was there for all of it -- the ups, the downs, the queues, and the QQs. It's time to wrap it up with a pretty bow and dedicate it to the history museum!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Most significant MMO stories of 2011

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Most significant MMO stories of 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20112012aionataribiowareccpccp-gameschampions-onlinecity-of-heroescrypticcryptic-studiosdaocdark-age-of-camelotdc-universe-onlinedcuoeve-onlineeverquesteverquest-iif2pfallen-earthfeaturedfree-to-playglobal-agendajagexkung-fu-pandaleague-of-legendslistlistslucasartsmists-of-pandariamonoclegatemythicpandaperfect-tenperfect-worldriftrunescapesoesonysony-hacksony-online-entertainmentstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorthe-agencythe-perfect-tentriontrion-worldswarhammer-onlineworld-of-darknessworld-of-warcraftwrath-of-heroesThu, 29 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[[Updated] On the ninth day of giveaways, GamersFirst gave to me...]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/12/21/on-the-ninth-day-of-giveaways-gamersfirst-gave-to-me/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/21/on-the-ninth-day-of-giveaways-gamersfirst-gave-to-me/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/21/on-the-ninth-day-of-giveaways-gamersfirst-gave-to-me/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

I have altered the Wasteland. Pray I do not alter it further.
[UPDATE: All winners have been selected and contacted. Thanks to everyone who entered!]

On the ninth day of giveaways, GamersFirst gave to me... nine SWG mementos!
On the eighth day of giveaways, Enjin gave to me... eight guild-wide gifts!
On the seventh day of giveaways, NCsoft gave to me... seven years of memories!
On the sixth day of giveaways, GamersFirst gave to me... six retail packs!
On the fifth day of giveaways, Trion gave to me... five subscription codes!
On the fourth day of giveaways, Nexon gave to me... four pet items!
On the third day of giveaways, Wargaming.net gave to me... three premium years!
On the second day of giveaways, BioWare gave to me... two warring factions!
On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP!

Your eyes do not deceive you: GamersFirst is making an encore appearance on Massively's 12 Days of Giveaways. Furthermore, today's entry in the list does in fact say "Star Wars Galaxies mementos." The team at GamersFirst loves MMOs just as much as the rest of us and wanted to add a little something to our virtual gift pile to remember SWG by.

Therefore, we've got nine Fallen Earth prize packages, each containing a Supreme Commander Mask and a Lava Stick. When paired, the items bring a little Vader to the Wasteland. All you have to do to enter is get a little creative. Leave your best Star-Wars-style battle cry in the comments below -- with a Fallen Earth Wasteland twist. Check our contest rules below for eligibility, enter by the deadline of tomorrow, December 22nd, at 5:00 p.m. EST, and good luck!

CONTEST FAQ OFFICIAL RULES

Massively[Updated] On the ninth day of giveaways, GamersFirst gave to me... originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12-days-of-giveaways-2011contestcontestsf2pfallen-earthfree-to-playg1gamersfirstgiveawaygiveawaysstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgWed, 21 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST