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[Creative staff discuss the story setting of The Elder Scrolls Online]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/21/creative-staff-discuss-the-story-setting-of-the-elder-scrolls-on/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/21/creative-staff-discuss-the-story-setting-of-the-elder-scrolls-on/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/21/creative-staff-discuss-the-story-setting-of-the-elder-scrolls-on/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Right now, this pretty much qualifies as concept art.
MMOs in an existing franchise always present certain issues: You need enough conceptual space to advance a game's storyline, but you may not want to be locked in to never doing another title in the franchise. So The Elder Scrolls Online has to be set in just the right time period for the game to work. In a recent video interview, creative director Paul Sage and content designer Rich Lambert sat down to talk about the why behind the when.

Sage and Lambert explain that the real draw to this particular time period was the fact that there's neither a great deal of recorded in-game history nor a lot of huge events that might affect future titles -- it's a time when almost anything can happen without derailing future events in the universe. The duo also discusses keeping the game aligned with existing lore and ensuring that nothing gets thrown off by mistake. Those looking forward to the game will want to watch the full interview, which goes into more details regarding specifics of lore and setting.

MassivelyCreative staff discuss the story setting of The Elder Scrolls Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 May 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backstorybethesdainterviewlorelore-detailsnewspaul-sagerich-lambertsettingstorytesothe-elder-scrolls-onlinevideovideo-interviewzenimaxzenimax-online-entertainmentMon, 21 May 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR patch 1.3 bringing group finder, legacy perks]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/21/swtor-patch-1-3-bringing-group-finder-legacy-perks/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/21/swtor-patch-1-3-bringing-group-finder-legacy-perks/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/21/swtor-patch-1-3-bringing-group-finder-legacy-perks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

SWTOR
A long time ago on a server far, far away, the Imperial forces BioWare prepared a Star Wars: The Old Republic update to rule the online world: patch 1.3. Called Allies, patch 1.3 will usher in a group finder, character transfers, and legacy perks.

The group finder will aid in banding together interested adventurers to tackle operations and flashpoints. Lead Designer Daniel Erickson said that the time is ripe for the feature, as players are spread out in levels and are rolling plenty of alts. Saying that BioWare wants to "respect the communities" that have formed, Erickson reports that the group finder will not be cross-server.

He also revealed some of the other key features for patch 1.3. Additional perks to the Legacy system will allow players to customize their experience; we'll see new ports, earlier access to mounts, and bonus XP modifiers for PvP. The patch will also change social gear to fit the armor type of the class using it, server transfers, and the ability to add augments to any crafting items. Looking past 1.3, Erickson promises a "return to big content" with patch 1.4.

If you're a fan of the SWTOR novels, you'll also be delighted to hear that Drew Karpyshyn announced that his next novel, Annihilation, is scheduled for November 13th.

You can watch the patch 1.3 preview video after the jump!

Continue reading SWTOR patch 1.3 bringing group finder, legacy perks

MassivelySWTOR patch 1.3 bringing group finder, legacy perks originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 May 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.31.3-patch1.3-updateadaptive-gearalliesannihilationaugmentsbiowarecharacter-transfercharacter-transferscraftingdaniel-ericksonDrew-Karpyshyndungeon-findereaelectronic-artsgroup-finderinterviewlegacylegacy-perkslegacy-systemlucasartspatchpatch-1.3people-finderpreviewsci-fiserver-transferserver-transfersstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feeswtorthe-old-republictorupdateupdate-1.3videoMon, 21 May 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet: Guild Wars 2 a 'reaction' to sluggish MMO design]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/21/arenanet-guild-wars-2-a-reaction-to-sluggish-mmo-design/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/21/arenanet-guild-wars-2-a-reaction-to-sluggish-mmo-design/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/21/arenanet-guild-wars-2-a-reaction-to-sluggish-mmo-design/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Guild Wars 2
Do you believe that the MMO genre has been stuck in a rut over the past few years? So does Christopher Lye, the global brand director for ArenaNet, who publicly denounced the post-World of Warcraft trend in the industry as stagnant.

In an interview with Gamasutra, Lye stated that Guild Wars 2 is walking the walk when it comes to genuinely challenging the status quo in the industry. "Honestly, I think the problem is that there's been a lack of change in MMO design and that Guild Wars 2 is a reaction to that," he said. "People will call this risky, but we think it's riskier just to churn out the same MMO that everyone has played before."

Lye pointed to Guild Wars 2's scaling dynamic event system and its action combat as examples of how ArenaNet is forging its own path. Observing that player consumption of content is "virtually insatiable," Lye said that the team has developed tools to allow it to implement changes and additions to dynamic events in hours, not weeks.

Is this industry stagnation coming to an end? Lye says yes: "We're finally seeing a point where companies realize that they're not going to create the next great MMO by just copying what's come before."

MassivelyArenaNet: Guild Wars 2 a 'reaction' to sluggish MMO design originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-combatactivisionanetarenanetbetablizzardblizzard-entertainmentchris-lyechristopher-lyedynamic-eventsfantasygamasutraguild-wars-2gw2industryinterviewmmo-industryncsoftstagnanttrendwarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 21 May 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Order and Chaos Online developer discusses server-linking and more]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/19/order-and-chaos-online-developer-interview/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/19/order-and-chaos-online-developer-interview/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/19/order-and-chaos-online-developer-interview/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Order and Chaos
In honor of the game's paper anniversary, Order & Chaos: Online producer Arnaud Bonnard took the time to do some Q&A with user-submitted questions about what is one of the biggest mobile MMOs available.

Arnaud shared some of the toughest parts of development, which were the pressure of creating a world vast enough to entertain players for months (and now years) and ensuring that everything was as stable and functional as possible from a technical point. He followed up by reliving the joy of a successful launch and the success that the game met with over time. He talked a bit about updates and DLC, which come out every one or two months and are generally still drawn from the original design document for Order & Chaos: Online, given that the world design was much bigger than could possibly fit into the game originally.

Bonnard also addressed the server separation between Android, iOS, and Mac devices: Not only would it be time-consuming to link all the operating systems, but such a system would mean that patches could only be deployed once every device was supported, which would be tricky and cause too many extra delays. As far as Order and Chaos' future is concerned, he's optimistic. There are new graphic features coming down the pipe as well as "lots of ideas for the game" as the company looks forward to another fantastic year thanks to fan support.

Catch all the intricacies of Bonnard's answers for yourself over at Gameloft.

MassivelyOrder and Chaos Online developer discusses server-linking and more originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arnaud-bonnardGameloftmac-mmomobile-mmoorder-and-chaosorder-and-chaos-onlineSat, 19 May 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: An exclusive look at the Runespan in RuneScape]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/mmobility-an-exclusive-look-at-the-runespan-in-runescape/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/mmobility-an-exclusive-look-at-the-runespan-in-runescape/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/mmobility-an-exclusive-look-at-the-runespan-in-runescape/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

RuneScape screenshot
Jagex, developer of the ever-popular browser-based game RuneScape, is known for its rapid development schedule. Heck, I fully expect that this article will be outdated by the time I finish its rough draft. Players of the Jagex flagship MMO can log in to find new items, places to explore, and quests to do almost weekly. I tend to poke my nose into the game several times a week, so I know that a more casual player has endless amounts of content to run through. I might level up my construction skill and then switch to something completely different. I just recently spent an afternoon playing with just the new bonfire skill.

Of course, those pesky developers are at it again: giving me more content to go through even though my highest skills hover around only the level 40 mark. This time it's the Runespan, a brand-new area that helps players level runecrafting by offering them a one-stop shop that is more casual and non-competitive than the normal runecraft experience.

I got the chance to call up some of the lead developers on the phone and ask not only about the Runespan but about the new FPS improvements, so be sure to check that out!

Continue reading MMObility: An exclusive look at the Runespan in RuneScape

MassivelyMMObility: An exclusive look at the Runespan in RuneScape originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanbrowserbrowser-basedclassic-mmof2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playinterviewinterviewsjagexjagex-games-studiommobilitymobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmoopinionphonepreviewpreviewsrsrunescapesandboxsmartphonethe-runespanFri, 18 May 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Empires developers talk about free-to-try and free-to-play]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/age-of-empires-developers-talk-about-free-to-try-and-free-to-pla/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/age-of-empires-developers-talk-about-free-to-try-and-free-to-pla/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/age-of-empires-developers-talk-about-free-to-try-and-free-to-pla/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Age of Empires Online
Gas Powered Games is aiming to take Age of Empires Online out of DLC-supported free-to-play and into a truly free model. That means moving away from what Systems Design Lead Eric Williamson described as "more of a free to try" model and implementing a system through which players can earn points to unlock anything that could be more quickly bought with money. In anticipation of this change, PC Gamer sat down with Williamson and Design Lead Steve Bauman for a chat about some of the philosophy behind the change.

Williams said that their hope is that people who were previously turned off by the imperative that they spend money for full in-game advantage will be willing to give it another go. Players will now be able to earn enough points to unlock a premium civilization in "as short as two or three weeks of daily play," so those who spend the most time in-game will reap the greatest reward. Empire points, the purchase resource that will be gained by either money or in-game achievement, will be earned by players as they complete specific campaign quests, level up, and participate in Alliance Contests.

MassivelyAge of Empires developers talk about free-to-try and free-to-play originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanAge-of-EmpiresAppleeric-williamsonf1pfree-to-playfttgas-powered-gamesmicrosoftmicrosoft-game-studiosrobot-entertainmentsteve-baumantruly-freeFri, 18 May 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Matt Firor on The Elder Scrolls Online's '100% solo' personal story]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/the-elder-scrolls-onlines-matt-firor-talks-100-solo-personal/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/the-elder-scrolls-onlines-matt-firor-talks-100-solo-personal/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/the-elder-scrolls-onlines-matt-firor-talks-100-solo-personal/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Screenshot -- The Elder Scrolls Online
Games in the Elder Scrolls series have always been about giving players the opportunity to become the game's hero, and it looks like The Elder Scrolls Online will be no different. The title's game director, Matt Firor, has announced that each character's main storyline in the game will be "100% solo."

Firor points back to the previous entries in the series, stating that "in The Elder Scrolls games, you're always the hero... The last thing you want to do is have the final confrontation with Mehrunes Dagon as he's stomping across the Imperial City, and you see like 15 guys behind you waiting to kill him." While it's a good point, we can't help but wonder what kind of an impact this design will have on the social aspect of the MMO, but at this point all we can do is wait and see. Firor's full interview over on Game Informer has plenty of extra information as well, so if you're jonesing for more details, just head on over and check it out for yourself.

MassivelyMatt Firor on The Elder Scrolls Online's '100% solo' personal story originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdabethesda-softworksbethsoftdaggerfallelder-scrollselder-scrolls-onlinematt-firormorrowindoblivionpersonal-storypersonal-storylineplease-dont-suckpvpsandboxskyrimsolostorystorylinetamrieltestesothe-elder-scrollsthe-elder-scrolls-onlinethree-faction-pvpzenimaxzenimax-mediazenimax-onlinezenimax-online-studiosFri, 18 May 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Firing Line: World of Warplanes producer talks matchmaking, progression]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/the-firing-line-world-of-warplanes-producer-talks-matchmaking/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/the-firing-line-world-of-warplanes-producer-talks-matchmaking/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/the-firing-line-world-of-warplanes-producer-talks-matchmaking/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Firing Line - World of Warplanes producer interview
Last week I talked a bit about a couple of flight sim shooters coming soon to a PC near you. One of them is World of Warplanes, the followup title to Wargaming.net's ubiquitous World of Tanks hit.

The World War II action MMO masters are slipping the surly bonds of earth with a new lobby-based battler that's currently flying through the early phases of its global alpha test. I had a few burning questions for the devs, including specifics on the matchmaking system, progression, and the possibility of historical scenarios. Producer Anton Sitnikau was gracious enough to answer those and more, so head past the break to see what he had to say.

Continue reading The Firing Line: World of Warplanes producer talks matchmaking, progression

MassivelyThe Firing Line: World of Warplanes producer talks matchmaking, progression originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anton-sitnikauexclusivef2pfeaturedfpsfree-to-playhistoricalinterviewinterviewsmassively-exclusivematchmakingmmofpsopinionplaneplanespvptflthe-firing-linethird-person-shootertpswarwargaming.netwargaming.net-matchmakingwarplanewarplanesworld-of-warplanesworld-of-warplanes-interviewworld-of-warplanes-matchmakingworld-of-warplanes-producer-interviewwowpwowp-interviewwowp-matchmakingFri, 18 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Some Assembly Required: I saw the wilds of Salem (and lived to tell about it)]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/some-assembly-required-i-saw-the-wilds-of-salem-and-lived-to-t/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/some-assembly-required-i-saw-the-wilds-of-salem-and-lived-to-t/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/18/some-assembly-required-i-saw-the-wilds-of-salem-and-lived-to-t/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Some Assembly Required - Salem dev tour
I spent an hour romping through the woods of Salem last Friday with Seatribe head honcho Bjorn Johannessen. The tiny indie company (current dev population: two) is hard at work on its followup to Haven and Hearth, an acquired taste of a sandbox game notable for its no-holds barred approach that includes permadeath and the ability to summon (and kill) criminal characters -- even while their lulz-loving puppet-masters are offline.

Publisher Paradox bills Salem as "the crafting MMO," and boy it's not kidding. Over the course of this particular dev tour, I saw crazy amounts of tradeskill functionality, all kinds of cool world-building stuff, and ultimately, more than enough reasons to spend time with the game when it launches later this year.

Continue reading Some Assembly Required: I saw the wilds of Salem (and lived to tell about it)

MassivelySome Assembly Required: I saw the wilds of Salem (and lived to tell about it) originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bjorn-Johannessenbodily-humorscraftingf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgame-mechanicshistoricalhumorsmetagamenew-englandopinionparadoxparadox-interactivepermadeathpgcplayer-contentplayer-created-contentplayer-generated-contentsalemsalem-skillssandboxsarseatribeskill-basedsome-assembly-requiredtradeskillinguser-generated-contentFri, 18 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![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[The Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/the-anvil-of-crom-age-of-conan-turns-four-taps-swg-for-craftin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

The Anvil of Crom - Age of Conan turns four, looks to Star Wars Galaxies for inspiration
The last time I did an anniversary retrospective for Age of Conan, we had a recent expansion, some new dungeon content, and several class revamps fresh on our minds. The year before that, we had the earth-shaking combat and itemization changes. This past year, the major development was, of course, the switch to a freemium business model, followed closely by the game's first adventure pack.

Join me after the break for a quick rundown on the last 12 months as they happened in Hyboria, as well as an anniversary interview with game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison that sheds a bit of light on the crafting revamp.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration

MassivelyThe Anvil of Crom: Age of Conan turns four, taps SWG for crafting inspiration originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanage-of-conan-craftingage-of-conan-star-wars-galaxiesage-of-conan-unchainedanniversaryanvil-of-cromanvil-of-crom-interviewsanvil-of-crom-specialanvil-of-crom-specialsaocaoc-anniversaryaoc-craftingaoc-interviewaoc-unchainedclassic-mmoconancraftingcraig-morrisonf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgalaxieshyboriainterviewinterviewsopinionsandboxsci-fisilirrionsoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgswgothe-anvil-of-cromThu, 17 May 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars 2 writers talk (at length) about MMO story]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/16/guild-wars-2-writers-talk-at-length-about-mmo-story/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/16/guild-wars-2-writers-talk-at-length-about-mmo-story/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/16/guild-wars-2-writers-talk-at-length-about-mmo-story/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2 - Human concept art
What's it like to pen the narrative for one of the most anticipated MMORPGs, well, ever? It's quite different from writing a novel or a screenplay, according to ArenaNet's Angel McCoy. She joins Guild Wars 2 lead writer Bobby Stein and Peter "The Explorer" Fries for an MMO story-flavored sit-down with fan site Under the Pale Tree.

The interview is a lengthy one (who knew that writers could be so wordy?), and it covers a bunch of ground including the megalithic sprawl of GW2's narrative, the challenges inherent in writing particular races, and the differences between in-game dialogue and cutscene exposition. There's more to it, of course, but honestly the thing is so huge that we're going to go finish reading it after we've jotted down this here news post.

MassivelyGuild Wars 2 writers talk (at length) about MMO story originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetangel-mccoyarenanetbobby-steinfantasyguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-interviewguild-wars-2-storyguild-wars-2-writersgw2gw2-storyinterviewmmo-storynarrativencsoftpeter-friesstoryWed, 16 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Swashbucklers, ships, and high seas hijinks: KingsIsle talks Pirate101]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/15/swashbucklers-ships-and-high-seas-hijinks-kingsisle-talks-pir/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/15/swashbucklers-ships-and-high-seas-hijinks-kingsisle-talks-pir/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/15/swashbucklers-ships-and-high-seas-hijinks-kingsisle-talks-pir/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Pirate101
Recently, KingsIsle announced that the world of the Spiral was going to branch out into the high seas in the studio's newest MMO, Pirate101. There are many things about Pirate101 that will feel familiar to Wizard101 fans, but the game has several features that definitely make it stand apart as more than just a sequel. Combat is not card-based; it's more like a tactical board game. Companions, rather than trading cards, play a key role in the pirate arsenal, and of course, players will be traveling (and fighting!) on their very own pirate ships.

Massively had a chance to talk with Pirate101's Lead Creative Designer Sam Johnson to hear more about what players will see from KingsIsle's upcoming MMO. So grab your cutlass, don your tricorne, and read on for more details!

Continue reading Swashbucklers, ships, and high seas hijinks: KingsIsle talks Pirate101

MassivelySwashbucklers, ships, and high seas hijinks: KingsIsle talks Pirate101 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfamilyfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playinterviewinterviewskid-friendlykids-mmokingsislekingsisle-entertainmentpirate101sam-johnsonthe-spiralwizard101Tue, 15 May 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's James Ohlen shares the formula behind PvP nerfs]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/15/hyperspace-beacon-swtors-james-ohlen-shares-the-formula-behind/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/15/hyperspace-beacon-swtors-james-ohlen-shares-the-formula-behind/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/15/hyperspace-beacon-swtors-james-ohlen-shares-the-formula-behind/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's James Ohlen shares the formula behind PvP nerfs
When Update 1.2 launched for Star Wars: The Old Republic, most players witnessed some major changes to their classes. In my opinion, these changes weren't game-breaking, but they did require that some players re-evaluate how they played. Some classes were changed so drastically in this patch players claimed they felt as if they were truly playing a completely different class.

Major changes like this do not happen without reason, and from my time spent with SWTOR developers, I know that they are passionately interested in making their game the best it can be. So I asked Game Director James Ohlen some questions about these mechanical changes. In true James Ohlen fashion, he was more than happy to answer in intricate detail, and I'm excited to bring you those answers here in the Hyperspace Beacon.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's James Ohlen shares the formula behind PvP nerfs

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: SWTOR's James Ohlen shares the formula behind PvP nerfs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebuff-stackingclass-balanceeaelectronic-artsfeaturedgame-directorGame-Mechanicshyperspace-beaconinterviewjames-ohlenlucasartsopinionplayer-vs-playerPvPsci-fisith-inquisitorsith-sorcerersorcererstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorupdate-1.2Tue, 15 May 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storybricks demo and interview with Brian 'Psychochild' Green and Kelly Heckman]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/14/storybricks-demo-and-interview-with-brian-psychochild-green-an/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/14/storybricks-demo-and-interview-with-brian-psychochild-green-an/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/14/storybricks-demo-and-interview-with-brian-psychochild-green-an/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Screenshot -- Storybricks
Namaste Entertainment's upcoming MMO-narrative-building toolset, Storybricks, is quickly picking up steam among the massively multiplayer gaming community. The quirky title recently released a public alpha client to coincide with the project's Kickstarter campaign, and I had the opportunity to sit down with Namaste's Brian "Psychochild" Green and Kelly Heckman for a tour of the client as well as a short interview on what the future holds for the toolbox-cum-MMOG project.

Follow on past the cut and join me as I try to pinpoint Namaste's goals for the future of Storybricks.

Continue reading Storybricks demo and interview with Brian 'Psychochild' Green and Kelly Heckman

MassivelyStorybricks demo and interview with Brian 'Psychochild' Green and Kelly Heckman originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alphaalphasbrian-greenbrian-psychochild-greeninterviewinterviewskelly-heckmannamastenamaste-entertainmentnamaste-incpreviewpreviewspsychochildstorybricksMon, 14 May 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wizard101 fansite owner hired to be Pirate101's community manager]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/wizard101-fansite-owner-hired-to-be-pirate101s-community-manage/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/wizard101-fansite-owner-hired-to-be-pirate101s-community-manage/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/wizard101-fansite-owner-hired-to-be-pirate101s-community-manage/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Friendly Necromancer logo
Tom Purdue, admired owner and operator of The Friendly Necromancer blog and Wizard101 fansite, has announced today that he will be KingsIsle Entertainment's new community manager for the upcoming Pirate101 MMO.

As that transition from fan to employee is always a fascinating transformation, we recognize that it's not an easy decision. Massively itself has raised a handful of MMO community managers, so this news is particularly of interest to us. For that reason, we tracked Tom down and asked him some questions about his new role at KingsIsle. Follow along below for the complete interview.

Continue reading Wizard101 fansite owner hired to be Pirate101's community manager

MassivelyWizard101 fansite owner hired to be Pirate101's community manager originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>community-managerdream-come-truef2pfamilyfansitefantasyfree-to-playinterviewinterviewskid-friendlykids-mmokingsislekingsisle-entertainmentpirate101the-friendly-necromancertom-purduetransitionwizard101Wed, 09 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TERA's senior producer looks at the game's past, present, and future]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/teras-senior-producer-looks-at-the-games-past-present-and-fu/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/teras-senior-producer-looks-at-the-games-past-present-and-fu/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/09/teras-senior-producer-looks-at-the-games-past-present-and-fu/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

TERA
Saying that it "feels as though a giant weight has been lifted off [his team's] shoulders" now that TERA has launched, En Masse Senior Producer Brian Knox has turned his attention to the immediate and far future of the game. He says that the team is hard at work ironing out "pain points" for players, but his big passion is working to make the PvP experience even better and to roll out the battlegrounds this summer.

"I want to continue to slowly iterate our PvP-server rules," Knox said in an interview published yesterday. "I think TERA's skill-based system is a natural fit for PvP players, and I want to develop a system that encourages and rewards PvP participants."

Knox addressed the pace of the leveling experience (he says it should be a "smooth and even ride" if players follow the story and do all the quests), the price of teleportation scrolls (expensive for lowbies, affordable for veterans), and what to do at the endgame (answer: a lot). As more players reach the high levels, En Masse is preparing to juice up its nexuses and political system, both of which require a decent amount of participants to work.

MassivelyTERA's senior producer looks at the game's past, present, and future originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlegroundblueholebluehole-studiosbrian-knoxen-masseen-masse-entertainmentendgamefantasyinterviewlaunchleveling-experiencenexusnexusespolitical-systempvppvp-serverpvp-serversteraWed, 09 May 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic releases Episode I of the official podcast]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/08/star-wars-the-old-republic-releases-episode-i-of-the-official-p/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/08/star-wars-the-old-republic-releases-episode-i-of-the-official-p/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/08/star-wars-the-old-republic-releases-episode-i-of-the-official-p/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

No word on when you can make this your new ride.
Amidst all the other news from Star Wars: The Old Republic, it's easy to overlook the fact that the game's staff has been at work on an official podcast for fans. The first episode of that podcast is now available. Hosts Brooks Guthrie and Eric Musco have made the podcast available for listeners on YouTube, and the inaugural episode features plenty for fans to enjoy, starting with an interview about the recently released patch 1.2 as well as future content for patch 1.3.

The interview covers a number of topics regarding both the present and future patch, including elements such as the refinements to the guild bank system and some of the unexpected additions to the Legacy system (including rocket boots and the brawling system). Community coordinator David Bass also talks about the team's presence at PAX East 2012 as well as the team's convention plans for the rest of the year. So if you're a fan, be sure to give the podcast a listen just after the break.

Continue reading Star Wars: The Old Republic releases Episode I of the official podcast

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic releases Episode I of the official podcast originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebrooks-guthriedavid-basseaelectronic-artseric-muscogame-podcastlucasartsofficial-podcastpodcastpodcastssci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feeswtorswtor-patch-1.2swtor-patch-1.3swtor-update-1.2swtor-update-1.3the-old-republictorTue, 08 May 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Elder Scrolls creative director: We want to make a good game first]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/08/elder-scrolls-creative-director-we-want-to-make-a-good-game-fir/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/08/elder-scrolls-creative-director-we-want-to-make-a-good-game-fir/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/08/elder-scrolls-creative-director-we-want-to-make-a-good-game-fir/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Elder Scrolls Online - Creative director Paul Sage and some guy from Game Informer
The recently announced Elder Scrolls MMO has a lot to live up to. If the initial fan reaction is any indication, it's not doing as well as you might expect in the court of public opinion. Creative director Paul Sage recently stepped in front of the camera to talk at length about the project, and some of what he has to say probably isn't going to sit well with fans who are concerned that ZeniMax is making a generic themepark MMO out of the much-loved single-player sandbox series.

"We have to make our own game," he tells Game Informer. "We want to make a good game first. Not a good MMO, not a good Elder Scrolls game, we want to make a good game first, a great experience for the player."

MassivelyElder Scrolls creative director: We want to make a good game first originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdabethesda-softworksbethsoftdaggerfalldev-speakelder-scrollselder-scrolls-onlinegeneric-mmomorrowindoblivionpaul-sageplease-dont-suckpvpsandboxskyrimtamrieltestesothe-elder-scrollsthe-elder-scrolls-onlinethree-faction-pvpzenimaxzenimax-mediazenimax-onlinezenimax-online-studiosTue, 08 May 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Cryptic Studios' Andy Velasquez talks Neverwinter]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/07/cryptic-studios-andy-velasquez-talks-neverwinter/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/07/cryptic-studios-andy-velasquez-talks-neverwinter/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/07/cryptic-studios-andy-velasquez-talks-neverwinter/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Screenshot -- Neverwinter
Would-be citizens of Neverwinter are certainly waiting anxiously for Cryptic Studios' upcoming venture into the Jewel of the North, which we received favorably at PAX East last month. Well, unfortunately we're going to have to wait a bit longer, but in the mean time, MMORPG.com has a new interview with Neverwinter's Lead Producer, Andy Velasquez, to shine some light on the most civilized city in Faerun.

Velasquez answers questions on a number of topics, including the decision to use 4th edition rules, the amount of content that will be available at launch, and the difference between a raid and a Dungeon Delve. It's definitely worth a read for anyone interested in the upcoming title, so if you're one of those people, head on over to the full interview and give it a look.

MassivelyCryptic Studios' Andy Velasquez talks Neverwinter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4e4th-editionaction-mmoandy-velasquezcrypticcryptic-studiosdnddungeon-delvef2pfantasyfree-to-playinterviewinterviewsneverwinterperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpweMon, 07 May 2012 18:00:00 EST