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[Not So Massively: Error 37, hero spotlights, and the Torchlight II beta]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/21/not-so-massively-error-37-hero-spotlights-and-the-torchlight/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/21/not-so-massively-error-37-hero-spotlights-and-the-torchlight/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/21/not-so-massively-error-37-hero-spotlights-and-the-torchlight/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
Well-known World of Warcraft guild Method secured a world first kill on Diablo III's Skeleton King in inferno mode just a few days after launch but was beaten to the game's completion by a single person. Players have been in outrage all week as server instabilities and login difficulties plagued the game's launch.

League of Legends revealed upcoming champion Darius this week and announced huge client updates that seem set to double the game's frame rate. Blacklight: Retribution released a new Netwar game mode, combining capture the flag and control point gameplay. Heroes of Newerth released its new support hero Riftwalker, Dota 2 released classic hero Treant, and Rise of Immortals took a close look at melee damage-dealer Tzai. Upcoming MOBA Smite will be entering closed beta at the end of the month, and Torchlight II's beta will soon end for the last time.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Error 37, hero spotlights, and the Torchlight II beta

MassivelyNot So Massively: Error 37, hero spotlights, and the Torchlight II beta originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgactivisionbattlenetblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcompetitive-gamingd3dariusdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgothic-fantasyheroes-of-newerthhi-rehi-rezhi-rez-studioshoninfernoinferno-modeleague-of-legendslolmetacriticmethodmmofpsmobamultiplayernetwarnewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvppweriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessmitestress-testtreanttreetzaivalvevideowarcraftworld-firstworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 21 May 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Summoner's Guidebook: Putting together a good team composition]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/the-summoners-guidebook-putting-together-a-good-team-compositi/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/the-summoners-guidebook-putting-together-a-good-team-compositi/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/17/the-summoners-guidebook-putting-together-a-good-team-compositi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Pro League of Legends team Dignitas
Although it would be nice to win all our games on the merits of skill alone, a lot of matches of League of Legends are won or lost at the character select screen. While individual champion balance is always in flux, the synergies between champions matters far more.

This week in the Summoner's Guidebook, I'll give you some advice on picking characters that complement your team's strengths. Remember that a champion is only as good as you can play him or her, and a better champion doesn't ensure victory -- it just makes victory more likely. This is League of Legends, though, and we should take every advantage we can get.

Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Putting together a good team composition

MassivelyThe Summoner's Guidebook: Putting together a good team composition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>attack-speed-buffsbuffscrowd-controlsdignitasf2pfeaturedfree-to-playget-over-here-and-help-the-teamleagueleague-of-legendslolmobaopinionriotriot-gamesskillshotskillshotsslowssnaresstop-chasing-killsstunssummoners-guidebookteam-compositionteam-compositionsteam-playerteam-playingthe-summoners-guidebookThu, 17 May 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Diablo III launch and DreamHack Summer 2012]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/14/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-launch-and-dreamhack-summer-2012/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/14/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-launch-and-dreamhack-summer-2012/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/14/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-launch-and-dreamhack-summer-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
Diablo III became potentially the most pre-ordered PC game in history this week, breaking both Blizzard's personal pre-order records and online retailer Amazon's. The game is set to launch at midnight tonight, unlocking physical copies and digital installers. Diablo-inspired free-to-play dungeon crawler Path of Exile approaches its own launch this week with the release of its penultimate version 0.9.9 patch.

League of Legends announced its upcoming MSI Beat IT tournament at DreamHack Summer 2012, with a prize fund of $40,000 US and a series of public online qualifiers. Bloodline Champions revealed its own $10,000 DreamHack tournament, with open in-game qualifiers scheduled for next weekend. Valve announced details of the second Dota 2 world championship, a series that started with last year's $1.6 million US tournament.

Blizzard settled its lawsuit with Valve this week, renaming Blizzard DOTA to Blizzard All-Stars but securing the continued non-commercial use of the DotA name for the fan community. Heroes of Newerth released its incredibly successful new Midwars game mode, and Rise of Immortals put forth its official immortal spotlight for new immortal Nauria.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III launch and DreamHack Summer 2012

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III launch and DreamHack Summer 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgactivisionbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championschampion-spotlightcompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidiablo-iii-launchdotadota-2dreamhackdreamhack-2012dreamhack-summerdreamhack-summer-2012e-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgameplaygothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesheroes-of-newerthhonimmortal-spotlightlaunchleague-of-legendslolmid-warsmidwarsmobamsimsi-beat-itmultiplayernaurianewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespoepvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamesspotlightstunlockstunlock-studiosthe-internationaltournamentvalvevarusvideowarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingMon, 14 May 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New MOBA SmashMuck Champions fights its way into closed beta this month]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/14/new-moba-smashmuck-champions-fights-its-way-into-closed-beta-thi/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/14/new-moba-smashmuck-champions-fights-its-way-into-closed-beta-thi/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/14/new-moba-smashmuck-champions-fights-its-way-into-closed-beta-thi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- SmashMuck Champions
Watch out, MOBA fans: A new challenger has appeared! Indie game developer Kiz Studios announced in a press release today that its upcoming MOBA title, SmashMuck Champions, is set to enter closed beta this month. Of course, if you're anything like us, you're probably wondering what the heck a SmashMuck Champions is.

According to the game's official site, the title is "a free-to-play action/strategy game featuring online multiplayer combat" in which players "build and train their own SmashMuck teams... to do battle in the toughest sport on Planet Muck." Gameplay-wise, the game seems to be your standard MOBA with a few not-so-standard twists. The addition of persistent champion gear plus interesting new mechanics such as stat-boosting training routines aim to put a new spin on the old formula. But hey, you don't have to take our word for it. The game will be entering closed beta testing on May 27th, so if you're a MOBA fan looking for a new thrill, just head on over to the game's official site and sign up for yourself. Oh, and while you're at it, don't forget to check out the game's latest official trailer after the cut.

[Source: Kiz Studios press release]

Gallery: SmashMuck Champions

Continue reading New MOBA SmashMuck Champions fights its way into closed beta this month

MassivelyNew MOBA SmashMuck Champions fights its way into closed beta this month originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 May 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's better than the original plan to name it Blizzard Dot-A.
What's in a name? Quite a lot, as it turns out. A name alone was enough to send Blizzard and Valve to man the lawyer cannons over two upcoming games, DOTA 2 from Valve and Blizzard DOTA from Blizzard. The companies have reached an agreement, however, which includes Blizzard renaming its game to Blizzard All-Stars while retaining use of the "dota" name for noncommercial use in the fan community. Valve retains the commercial use of the name.

It sounds like a little matter until you remember that Warcraft III was the source of the map that spawned this game type, leading to both companies developing competing versions of a sequel. Blizzard All-Stars currently has no release date, while DOTA 2 is due out sometime next year and is currently in beta testing. Luckily, the terminology is only being changed on the corporate side, meaning players are free to continue discussing the games as they would have anyway.

MassivelyBlizzard renames Blizzard DotA to Blizzard All-Stars originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends screenshot
"Elo hell" is a term that gets thrown around a lot in League of Legends. If you're actively working to improve your skill at the game, either you've been in Elo hell or you are still there. The term comes from the Elo rating system that League of Legends uses for its matchmaking. Because matchmaking has to deal with three or five players on each side, there's a lot of potential for a bad match. In Elo hell, this is exacerbated by players who have inflated ratings due to wins they probably didn't deserve.

At the higher ratings, matches tend to improve in overall quality despite the smaller pool of players. It is virtually impossible to maintain 1600 Elo or above (top 10%) without being somewhat decent at the game. While weaker players can occur in any matchmaking level, they are still two advanced players who know the game. At 1300 Elo (top 50%), there's a very large chance that a matchup inequality is an intermediate player battling an opponent who has no clue what he is doing.

Elo hell is extremely frustrating because nothing worse is having your chance at winning taken out of your hands and put in the hands of a terrible player.

Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Getting out of Elo hell

MassivelyThe Summoner's Guidebook: Getting out of Elo hell originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bad-playerselo-hellf2pfeaturedfeedersfeedingfree-to-playgetting-out-of-elo-hellimprove-eloleagueleague-of-legendslolmobaopinionpracticepractice-makes-perfectriotriot-gamesuncle-ryze-wants-you-to-surrenderThu, 10 May 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: D3 approaches, HoN reveals MidWars game mode]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/07/not-so-massively-d3-approaches-hon-reveals-midwars-game-mode/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/07/not-so-massively-d3-approaches-hon-reveals-midwars-game-mode/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/07/not-so-massively-d3-approaches-hon-reveals-midwars-game-mode/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
With just over a week to go until Diablo III is released, Blizzard revealed the final details of the real money auction house, released some fantastic new class wallpapers, and launched a TV advertising campaign. Meanwhile, Torchlight II showed off the impressive final result of its earlier armour design contest and encouraged players to produce armour mods when the game is released.

Heroes of Newerth released a brand-new community-inspired MidWars game map this week to lend official support to the popular unofficial game mode. League of Legends revealed upcoming champion Varus with a full run-down of his abilities and a great art spotlight video. Dota 2 fixed some bizarre bugs and introduced classic hero Phantom Lancer. Rise of Immortals revealed details of its upcoming immortal Nauria, the Angel of Agony. Finally, Wrath of Heroes announced the controversial addition of health potions to its microtransaction store.

Continue reading Not So Massively: D3 approaches, HoN reveals MidWars game mode

MassivelyNot So Massively: D3 approaches, HoN reveals MidWars game mode originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screenshot -- League of Legends
We all know that League of Legends breeds a fairly competitive community, but unfortunately there are players out there who don't let little things like rules and common decency get in the way of their desire to win. A number of such players were recently found to be taking advantage of an exploit that allowed them to place more mastery points in a given talent than they would legally be able to, thereby giving them an incredibly unfair advantage.

Riot Games' Lead Community Manager, Tamat, stopped by the forums today to let everyone know that "that's bull****" and that it's not going to be tolerated. The post goes on to state that a fix for the exploit has been implemented, and the studio is about to lay the smack down on the guilty parties. Tamat says that the studio has "comprehensive logs and data" that have been used to identify the players who used the exploit. Riot is "going to be taking firm action against their accounts." May all the exploiters meet a swift and terrible demise at the hands of Riot's banhammer. For the full details on the matter, head on over to the official post on the League of Legends forums.

MassivelyLeague of Legends mastery point exploit fixed, banhammer incoming originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banbanhammerbansdotae-sportesportexploitexploitsf2pfantasyfree-to-playleagueleague-of-legendslolmobariotriot-gamestamatMon, 07 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends runs Make-A-Wish charity campaign]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/06/league-of-legends-runs-make-a-wish-charity-campaign/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/06/league-of-legends-runs-make-a-wish-charity-campaign/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/06/league-of-legends-runs-make-a-wish-charity-campaign/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

League of Legends title image
The Make-A-Wish foundation is a charity that helps make seriously ill children's dreams come true. Several months ago, Riot Games worked with the foundation to bring 17-year-old League of Legends fan and cancer sufferer Joe up to the studio where his favourite game is made. Riot was so inspired by Joe's visit that developers decided to give back to the Make-A-Wish in any way they could to make more children's dreams come true.

Following on from the success of community donations to the Red Cross during Japan's earthquake and tsunami, this week Riot announced a new donation drive in support of the Make-A-Wish foundation.

"From now, May 4, until 10:30 a.m. PT on May 18, 2012, Riot Games will donate 100 percent of the RP sale price for Joe's favorite champion, Jax, and his Jaximus skin to Make-A-Wish. To make it easier to help, we'll also be lowering the price of both the champion and skin by 50% during this period."

MassivelyLeague of Legends runs Make-A-Wish charity campaign originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends screenshot
Like any competitive multiplayer game, League of Legends induces its fair share of rage. People hate to lose. When your team is only three to five people, each contributor has a distinct identity, making it very easy to single out that feeding Ezreal. Compared to a game like Global Agenda, where teams are very large and individual contribution is harder to measure, League of Legends makes blame very easy to assign.

This week in the Summoner's Guidebook, we're going to talk about the effects of nerdrage on your team and how to deal with those violent emotions in a more productive manner.

Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Dealing with rage and bad players

MassivelyThe Summoner's Guidebook: Dealing with rage and bad players originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anger-managementf2pfeaturedfree-to-playleagueleague-of-legendslolmobanerdrageopinionrageriotriot-gamesThu, 03 May 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends' World Championship is worth a cool three million bucks]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/05/01/league-of-legends-world-championships-to-be-worth-three-million/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/01/league-of-legends-world-championships-to-be-worth-three-million/http://www.massively.com/2012/05/01/league-of-legends-world-championships-to-be-worth-three-million/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

League of Legends World Championship
League of Legends' hold on the e-sports community appears to be going strong, especially if we're judging based on the sheer size of the prize pool up for grabs in this season's World Championships. How much money will players be competing for this time around? Something to the tune of three million bucks.

The folks over at PC Gamer got the opportunity to sit down with Riot Games' Vice President of e-sports, Dustin Beck, to have a chat about the upcoming League of Legends World Championships and the competitive gaming scene as a whole. The interview includes some insight into the game's success in the e-sports circuit as well as some discussion on the various teams and strategies we can expect to see on the tournament level at this year's championships. For all of the sweet, juicy information, just head on over and check out the full article.

MassivelyLeague of Legends' World Championship is worth a cool three million bucks originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>championshipchampionshipsdotae-sportesportesportsf2pfantasyfree-to-playleagueleague-of-legendslolmobariotriot-gamesworld-championshipworld-championshipsTue, 01 May 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Hero spotlights and Diablo III confirms PvP arenas in 2012]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/30/not-so-massively-hero-spotlights-and-diablo-iii-confirms-pvp-ar/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/30/not-so-massively-hero-spotlights-and-diablo-iii-confirms-pvp-ar/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/30/not-so-massively-hero-spotlights-and-diablo-iii-confirms-pvp-ar/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
This week, League of Legends revealed plans to buff support tanks in the Varus patch and change several ability power items. Riot also plans to buff Master Yi and nerf Ryze's ability to tank and deal damage at the same time. Dota 2 released an updated user interface designed to take all the pain out of using the courier, and Bloodline Champions revealed its massive $10,000 DreamHack Summer 2012 tournament.

Diablo III revealed the Witch Doctor this week, giving Diablo II necromancer fans a peek at the closest replacement they'll get in the upcoming title. Blizzard's Jay Wilson also confirmed that PvP arenas will be released long before the end of the year. Heroes of Newerth released its new support hero Ellonia, an ice mage whose abilities focus around a stacking slow debuff. Rise of Immortals released a new immortal spotlight video on popular area-effect damage-dealer Netheurgist and encouraged players to start guilds with a contest to win 1,000 prestige points for every guild member.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Hero spotlights and Diablo III confirms PvP arenas in 2012

MassivelyNot So Massively: Hero spotlights and Diablo III confirms PvP arenas in 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgAlistarAmumubattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championsbuffcompetitive-gamingcourierd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadreamhackdreamhack-2012dreamhack-summerdreamhack-summer-2012e-sporte-sportsElloniaesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgothic-fantasyguildsheroes-of-newerthhonjay-wilsonleague-of-legendsLeonalolmaster-yimobamultiplayernerfNetheurgistnewsnot-so-massivelynsmNunuonline-multiplayerpatchpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvppvp-arenasriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgrunic-gamesryzes2s2-gamesstunlockstunlock-studiosTarictorchlight-2torchlight-iivalvevarusvideoMon, 30 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends announces full release of Spectator Mode]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/27/league-of-legends-announces-full-release-of-spectator-mode/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/27/league-of-legends-announces-full-release-of-spectator-mode/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/27/league-of-legends-announces-full-release-of-spectator-mode/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Screenshot -- League of Legends
League of Legends players, go make some popcorn and grab a drink because the game's spectator mode is almost ready to go into full release. After the game's next patch, players will be able to spectate League of Legends games in a variety of ways, and they can enhance the experience using a number of nifty features.

If you just wanna watch your friend's game and see how he does, no problem. All friends' games will be watchable just by right-clicking their names on your friends list. There's a three-minute delay on the playback, though, so don't try any tricky business. If you're jonesin' for some high-level play, the featured games menu will let you watch the games being played by top-ranked League players around the world. If you wanna analyze their matches, you can rewind, slow down, and fast forward previous footage, allowing you to scrutinize every gank in excruciating detail. Riot Games was nice enough to put together some footage of the new feature in action, as well, so you can check that out right here for the full details.

[Source: Riot Games press release]

Continue reading League of Legends announces full release of Spectator Mode

MassivelyLeague of Legends announces full release of Spectator Mode originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dotae-sportesportf2pfantasyfree-to-playleagueleague-of-legendslolmobariotriot-gamesspectatespectatorspectator-modetrailertrailersvideovideosFri, 27 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Summoner's Guidebook: Improving our skillshot dodging skills]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/26/the-summoners-guidebook-improving-our-skillshot-dodging-skills/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/26/the-summoners-guidebook-improving-our-skillshot-dodging-skills/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/26/the-summoners-guidebook-improving-our-skillshot-dodging-skills/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

League of Legends screenshot
Although the term "skillshot" was a new word for me when I started playing League of Legends, the concept of avoidable attacks is something that is very intuitive for even novice gamers. Skillshot is just a fancy term that roughly means "dodgable attack" in MOBA games. Although the official terminology sometimes differentiates between ground-targeted AoE and true skillshots (which are generally projectiles or groups of projectiles), that distinction is not really necessary for us. If it can be evaded, we'll call it a skillshot.

Dodging skillshots is something that is fairly easy to develop skill for. It takes only a little bit of mental effort to dramatically improve your ability to evade them. It's also a skill that can always be improved with practice. We can always react to them faster or predict them more reliably. This makes it a good area to improve on because we can always get better.

Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Improving our skillshot dodging skills

MassivelyThe Summoner's Guidebook: Improving our skillshot dodging skills originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agh-nidalee-spear-in-my-facedodgingdodging-nidalee-spearsdodging-skillshotsdodging-spearsdominionf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfrench-maid-nidalee-is-pretty-hotguideguidesleagueleague-of-legendslolmobanidaleeopinionriotriot-gamesskillshotskillshotssummoners-guidebooksummoners-riftthe-summoners-guidebookyorick-versus-nidaleeThu, 26 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Diablo III open beta weekend edition]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/23/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-open-beta-weekend-edition/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/23/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-open-beta-weekend-edition/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/23/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-open-beta-weekend-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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Diablo III's open beta weekend was a huge success, giving developers the chance to stress test the servers that will be used when the game goes live in just over three weeks. Torchlight II teased fans this week with the release of its official opening trailer, which picks up the story from the end of the first game. Web series Extra Credits ran a special episode this week discussing Firefall's plan to let players work together to push back the map boundaries and unlock new content.

Rise of Immortals rolled out a new guild system in this week's patch and released its new area-effect tank immortal, Shard. Dota 2 added classic hero Brewmaster to the beta roster, and Bloodline Champions began preparing patch 2.4 with its new healer bloodline, Dryad. Wrath of Heroes released a hero spotlight video on melee fighter Bax Dreadtoof, and League of Legends highlighted some awesome fan-made art.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III open beta weekend edition

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III open beta weekend edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends screenshot
Annie is a very popular champion in the lower skill ranks of League of Legends. This is especially true of the Classic gametypes, where she is one of the more common choices for the solo mid lane. Additionally, she is a fearsome enemy even when played by the AI. Horror stories of Annie Bot wrecking whole teams have been going on since the dawn of the game.

Because Annie is so popular and deadly, she's an ideal character to spotlight on the Guidebook. She's fun, easy to play, and oh-so-very cute. When you go up against her, it's good to know exactly what to expect.

Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Yes, I've seen your bear Tibbers

MassivelyThe Summoner's Guidebook: Yes, I've seen your bear Tibbers originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>annieannie-the-dark-childap-carrycasterf2pfeaturedfree-to-playguideguideshave-you-seen-my-bear-tibbersleagueleague-of-legendslittle-girllollolimagemobaopinionpyromaniariotriot-gamesteddyteddy-beartibbersThu, 19 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online is cross-promoting with Wrath of Heroes]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/18/warhammer-online-is-cross-promoting-with-wrath-of-heroes/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/18/warhammer-online-is-cross-promoting-with-wrath-of-heroes/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/18/warhammer-online-is-cross-promoting-with-wrath-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

PvP in WAR, then in WoH, then back to WAR, then back to WoH...
Are you the sort of player who just can't get enough of Warhammer Online, whether in classic form or the new Wrath of Heroes bite-sized version? Or are you a fan of the latter game and not sure if you want to keep up a subscription to the former? The latest cross-promotional deal for the games is aimed directly at players like that -- starting now, any players with active Warhammer Online subscriptions will receive a 50% bonus to gold and experience in Wrath of Heroes.

There's no complicated process to getting the bonus; if you have both accounts on the same EA/Origin account, your characters will reap the benefits, although it may take up to 24 hours for the system to line up if you've just started a subscription. The bonus also stacks with items from the Wrath of Heroes store, letting veterans of Warhammer Online get ahead in the new game.

MassivelyWarhammer Online is cross-promoting with Wrath of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accountaccount-bonusbiowarebonuscross-promotioneaelectronic-artsendless-trialfantasymobamultiple-accountsmythicmythic-entertainmentpromotionpvprvrwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlinewarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswohwrath-of-heroesWed, 18 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: PAX East, D3 unlocks, and MOBA news]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/16/not-so-massively-pax-east-d3-unlocks-and-moba-news/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/16/not-so-massively-pax-east-d3-unlocks-and-moba-news/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/16/not-so-massively-pax-east-d3-unlocks-and-moba-news/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

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With just less than a month until Diablo III hits the shelves, Blizzard released another 275,000 beta keys into the wild. The share meter on the game's social media microsite also reached 30% this week and unlocked the first three pieces of exclusive content. Meanwhile, Path of Exile celebrated an incredibly successful pre-order campaign, netting over $200,000 in just six days and selling 13 of its $1,000 diamond packages.

In the land of MOBAs, League of Legends looked back on PAX East this week and celebrated some of the incredible costumes that fans turned up in. Dota 2 fixed a few behavioural problems with bots, added the ability to skip straight to kills in a game replay, and brought back the popular Random Draft game mode. Bloodline Champions revealed its new bloodline Dryad, and Rise of Immortals revealed its new crystalline tank immortal Shard. Heroes of Newerth released its third ranged agility hero in a row this week, the unfortunately named Artillery.

Continue reading Not So Massively: PAX East, D3 unlocks, and MOBA news

MassivelyNot So Massively: PAX East, D3 unlocks, and MOBA news originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgannieartillerybarbarianbattlenetbeta-keybeta-keysblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championsbook-of-caincompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidiablo-iii-betadotadryade-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolluxmobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeroriannapath-of-exilepaxpax-eastpax-east-2012petroglyphpetroglyph-gamespoepre-orderpvprandom-draftriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamesshardstunlockstunlock-studiosunlockvideoMon, 16 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Summoner's Guidebook: Upping my kill-death ratio]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/12/the-summoners-guidebook-upping-my-kill-death-ratio/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/12/the-summoners-guidebook-upping-my-kill-death-ratio/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/12/the-summoners-guidebook-upping-my-kill-death-ratio/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

League of Legends screenshot
Those of you who have been reading WRUP know that I've been playing a lot of Kassadin lately. He's an assassin with a very high skill cap, and he's ridiculously powerful in Dominion. Kassadin is also kind of hard to play. He has a lot of strange mechanics, and his powerful tricks are somewhat unintuitive. Recently, I had a small epiphany that dramatically improved my skill. This improvement improved more than just my Kassadin game; it boosted my overall skill level with every champion in League of Legends.

Before I made this development, I was performing terribly. I ended up playing a lot of bot matches because I felt my execution with Kassadin was really awful, and every time I went back to PvP games, I felt more and more behind. Suddenly, after a string of bad decisions cost me a match, I realized something I was doing wrong and went on to begin dominating. I went from getting focused down early every fight to utterly demolishing teams and causing enemy players to second-guess fighting me 1v1 even with both of us full on life. What's the secret, you ask? I'd like to tell you, so read on!

Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Upping my kill-death ratio

MassivelyThe Summoner's Guidebook: Upping my kill-death ratio originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adviceassassinf2pfeaturedfree-to-playguidekassadinleagueleague-of-legendslearn-to-playlearning-from-your-mistakeslolmobaopinionriftwalkriotriot-gamesstrategysummoners-guidebookthe-summoners-guidebookThu, 12 Apr 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Meet Diablo III's demon hunter]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/09/not-so-massively-meet-diablo-iiis-demon-hunter/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/09/not-so-massively-meet-diablo-iiis-demon-hunter/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/09/not-so-massively-meet-diablo-iiis-demon-hunter/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

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With five weeks left until Diablo III launches, Blizzard started its pre-launch marketing campaign this week with a new series exploring each of the five classes. This week kicks off with a preview of the Demon Hunter. Meanwhile, Torchlight II revealed details of a new charge bar mechanic designed to keep a rapid pace of action, and dungeon crawler Path of Exile started gearing up for release with some tempting pre-order packages.

Penny Arcade made a guest appearance in League of Legends this week with a special comic introducing upcoming champion Varus. Riot also revealed the next champion due for release, armoured spectral warrior Hecarim. Rise of Immortals got the Penny Arcade treatment this week too when joke character Karapyss the Crabomancer was actually released. Bloodline Champions launched an Easter egg painting contest this week and asked players whether grades should be reset for the current competitive season.

Blacklight: Retribution officially launched this week and celebrated with the release of its first new gun, the heavy assault rifle. Finally, Wrath of heroes released its first hero spotlight video this week, introducing hybrid damage-dealer Nethys.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Meet Diablo III's demon hunter

MassivelyNot So Massively: Meet Diablo III's demon hunter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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