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[World of Darkness creative director talks design and the MMO mainstream]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/04/24/world-of-darkness-creative-director-talks-design-and-the-mmo-mai/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/24/world-of-darkness-creative-director-talks-design-and-the-mmo-mai/http://www.massively.com/2012/04/24/world-of-darkness-creative-director-talks-design-and-the-mmo-mai/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

World of Darkness - Masquerade rose
A new interview at Gamasutra posits that CCP is gunning for mainstream success with its upcoming World of Darkness MMO. The EVE Online developer has cornered what's left of the hardcore sandbox market, so now it's looking to marry EVE's emergent gameplay with more familiar MMO staples. "The way to drag people in will be traditional themepark-style PvE play. Once players get into the setting, they'll see the appeal of the sandbox play," says WoD creative director Reynir Hardarson.

Despite the concessions to mainstream accessibility, EVE's influence on World of Darkness will be more than superficial. "The live-action roleplayers of the Vampire the Masquerade tabletop game play this way," Hardarson explains. "It's really about politics and power plays."

Why don't more MMO developers try their hand at sandbox mechanics? Hardarson says designing for emergent play is difficult because you can't test it. It's worth it, though, because MMOs that hand-hold and limit players to a linear path miss the point. "I'm not a five-year-old. If I want to go in the cave and I want to die, that's my problem," Hardarson says.

MassivelyWorld of Darkness creative director talks design and the MMO mainstream originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessibilityccpccp-gamesemergent-designemergent-gameplayfantasygothichorrorinterviewmainstreammmo-mainstreamplayer-contentplayer-generated-contentreynir-hardarsonsandboxsupernaturaluser-generated-contentvampirevampireswhite-wolfwodworld-of-darknessTue, 24 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Speaking Episode 194: Bookah bookah!]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/27/massively-speaking-episode-194-bookah-bookah/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/27/massively-speaking-episode-194-bookah-bookah/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/27/massively-speaking-episode-194-bookah-bookah/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Vanguard
Massively Speaking Episode 194 welcomes aboard resident Star Trek Online expert Terilynn Shull to talk about Tribbles and bits and why Star Trek doesn't have more "The Fly" incidents involving the transporter and local flora or fauna. Captain Archer would have been vastly improved by beaming him into a badger.

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

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Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 194: Bookah bookah!

MassivelyMassively Speaking Episode 194: Bookah bookah! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbrantbrianna-royceccpccp-gamesend-of-nationseonf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactivegothicguild-wars-2gw2horrorhumorjustin-olivettimassively-speakingmmortsncsoftopinionpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespodcastpodcastingpodcastsromrtsrunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmentsandboxsci-fisoesonysony-online-entertainmentsupernaturaltaboreatelontriontrion-worldsvampirevampiresvanguardvanguard-saga-of-heroesvgwarwhite-wolfwodworld-of-darknessTue, 27 Mar 2012 13:00:00 ESTMassively Speaking Episode 194Massively.com Staff01:05:44podcasts'; listPost['ItunesChannelHTML'] = 'Shawn Schuster and Rubi BayerMassively Speaking is your weekly look into the latest issues concerning MMOs. Join your hosts Shawn and Rubi, along with various members of the Massively staff and industry professionals, for insight and commentary involving all things massively, multiplayer and online<![CDATA[World of Darkness presented at EVE Fanfest 2012]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/24/world-of-darkness-presented-at-eve-fanfest-2012/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/24/world-of-darkness-presented-at-eve-fanfest-2012/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/24/world-of-darkness-presented-at-eve-fanfest-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

World of Darkness title image
Ever since CCP Games merged with White Wolf, it has been developing the World of Darkness MMO. The game is nowhere near complete, and fans worried that last year's heavy layoffs at the Atlanta office had slowed the game's production. We haven't heard much about World of Darkness since then, but today at the EVE Online Fanfest, a few new details were revealed. Attendees were shown some early in-game footage of a city and given a mix of information we already knew and snippets of new information.

CCP wants to draw in the largely female World of Darkness fanbase. The game will have a focus on fashion, and CCP will control the theme of that fashion rather than letting players design their own clothes. The game will be based in the Vampire: The Masquerade universe, with an initial focus on vampires before the introduction of the other factions. Vampires will use human blood as a currency; it will be the resource they'll compete over, making human cities the central locations they will inhabit. When mages and other character types are released, they will compete for different resources.

The game will have a single-shard world, with sandbox territorial warfare for control of cities mirroring EVE Online's nullsec warfare. Developers investigated using real cities for the game but found that "real cities were generally boring." Presenters told fans that the team will "be using stylised versions, but they will be named after real cities." Each city will be lorded over by a player prince, who will under rare circumstances be potentially subjected to permadeath. The world's original vampire clans will be available on release, and CCP confirmed that it won't be using vampire generations as a form of leveling system but instead will be doing something different with it.

MassivelyWorld of Darkness presented at EVE Fanfest 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gameseveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2012eve-onlineeventeventsfanfestfanfest-2012fantasyfashiongothichorrorsandboxsci-fisupernaturalvampirevampireswhite-wolfwodworld-of-darknessSat, 24 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Fanfest talks Inferno, World of Darkness panel later today]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/03/24/eve-fanfest-talks-inferno-world-of-darkness-panel-later-today/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/24/eve-fanfest-talks-inferno-world-of-darkness-panel-later-today/http://www.massively.com/2012/03/24/eve-fanfest-talks-inferno-world-of-darkness-panel-later-today/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

EVE Online - Fanfest 2012 entrance
Day two of EVE Online Fanfest 2012 had a lot to offer fans of CCP's sci-fi sandbox. First and foremost was the announcement of Inferno's official launch date and the fact that EVE's latest expansion will roll out to Tranquility on May 22nd. As we told you yesterday, the patch is heavy on PvP tweaks, and everything from faction warfare to a new specialized mercenary marketplace is on the way.

The official EVE website also received a ton of updates yesterday, the better to catalogue all of the breaking news direct from Fanfest.

Today's docket is equally fascinating, and CCP devs are scheduled to speak about EVE-related game design topics that include war decs, concept art, and growing the game's infrastructure. Also on the menu is a presentation on World of Darkness that we'll be following with great interest. You can follow it too via our EVETV Livestream channel. Be sure to look for our expert analysis of all the Fanfest happenings in this Sunday's EVE Evolved column!

MassivelyEVE Fanfest talks Inferno, World of Darkness panel later today originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC 2012 is now in full swing, and today we had the chance to sit down with CCP's Hilmar Petursson, Halldor Fannar, and David Reid to chat about the studio's upcoming FPS title, DUST 514. When asked about the studio's primary goal with DUST 514, the team had a simple reply: Make the best AAA free-to-play shooter possible. But is it coming to the PC?

While many EVE Online players aren't thrilled with DUST 514's PlayStation 3 exclusivity, there may be hope for a PC release yet. And while the devs weren't ready to make any official statements on the spot, a bit of wink-nudging indicates that a PC release may still be in the cards. As the devs note, mouse and keyboard controls are already supported in the PS3 version of the title. "I wonder why we did that," Hilmar joked during the interview.

Continue reading GDC 2012: CCP talks DUST 514 PC possibilities and World of Darkness development

MassivelyGDC 2012: CCP talks DUST 514 PC possibilities and World of Darkness development originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesconconferenceconsoleconventiondavid-reiddustdust-514eveeve-onlinefpsgame-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-2012gdcgdc-2012halldor-fannarhilmar-peturssoninternet-spaceshipsinterviewmmofpsplaystationplaystation-3ps3sandboxsci-fishooterspreadsheets-onlinewodworld-of-darknessWed, 07 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP's North American president steps down]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/28/ccps-north-american-president-steps-down/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/28/ccps-north-american-president-steps-down/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/28/ccps-north-american-president-steps-down/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Mike Tinney
It's been a long run heading up work on spaceships and vampires, but after 19 years at the helm, North American CCP President Mike Tinney is saying goodbye. Tinney announced that he is departing the studio on February 29th to work at an unnamed company that will combine health and fitness with games.

Tinney has no regrets with his prior role but is excited about the future: "CCP has gone through a fast-paced growth cycle. It's been a fun run and a lot of good experiences and memories. But I would like to move to a younger, earlier stage company, and plan to start one myself."

CCP's management expressed gratitude toward Tinney's service: "We are grateful for Mike's energetic and effective leadership and for all his valuable contributions to CCP. We will miss him. We wish him well with his next endeavors. And we're eager to see what he comes up with next."

Tinney's 19 years of service includes being CEO of White Wolf, which was snatched up by CCP in 2006. He will continue to assist CCP in an "advisory capacity" for several months to help the transition.

MassivelyCCP's North American president steps down originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesceodust-514eveeve-onlinemike-tinneypresidentwhite-wolfworld-of-darknessTue, 28 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview confirms World of Darkness dev team, predicts DUST 514 sales]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/interview-confirms-world-of-darkness-dev-team-predicts-dust-514/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/interview-confirms-world-of-darkness-dev-team-predicts-dust-514/http://www.massively.com/2012/02/03/interview-confirms-world-of-darkness-dev-team-predicts-dust-514/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EVE Online title image
When CCP Games laid off 20% of its worldwide staff back in October of last year, the World of Darkness dev team bore the brunt of the cuts while DUST 514 continued on course for its launch later this year. In an interview over at TenTonHammer today, CCP's new Chief Marketing Officer, David Reid, joined CEO Hilmar Petursson to discuss the development of both games. Hilmar reveals that a team of 60 developers are currently working on WoD, and that DUST 514 will be playable at this year's EVE Online fanfest event in March.

Despite acknowledging that the entire PlayStation Network comprises a total of 60 million users, Reid asserts that DUST will bring "tens of millions of people that play shooters on PSN into the New Eden universe," going on to make the bold statement that "EVE could be the biggest game in the world at the end of 2012" as a result. Reid also claims that "EVE Online is the only game in the West that has shown consecutive growth year after year," a statement that's sure to upset RuneScape developer Jagex and others. The statement also comes with a slightly bitter note as this year EVE may have lost its record of continual subscription growth during the summer drama.

MassivelyInterview confirms World of Darkness dev team, predicts DUST 514 sales originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamescmoconsoledavid-reiddustdust-514eveeve-onlinef2pfantasyfpsfree-to-playgothichilmar-peturssonhorrorinterviewjagexjagex-games-studiomillionsmmofpsplaystationplaystation-3PlayStation-Networkps3psnrsrunescapesalessandboxsci-fishootersupernaturalvampirevampireswhite-wolfwodworld-of-darknessFri, 03 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chris McDonough talks about the development of the World of Darkness]]>http://www.massively.com/2012/01/17/chris-mcdonough-talks-about-the-development-of-the-world-of-dark/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/17/chris-mcdonough-talks-about-the-development-of-the-world-of-dark/http://www.massively.com/2012/01/17/chris-mcdonough-talks-about-the-development-of-the-world-of-dark/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Personally, I was hoping for the first game to be Hunter: The Reckoning. Just for shock value.
With layoffs having hit CCP, there's been a lot of apprehension about whether or not World of Darkness would continue in development or suffer a quiet death. But a recent interview with Senior Producer Chris McDonough makes it clear that the title is still very much in development and very much following in the footsteps of its older brother, EVE Online. Both games will share the single-shard setup, and McDonough states that several technologies developed for World of Darkness have been incorporated into EVE Online (something many players suspected about player avatars from the beginning).

McDonough also talks in depth about turning the game into an MMO, claiming that a pen-and-paper game naturally translates into an MMO better than other properties because of the lack of iconic characters who players wish to play. The challenge, of course, is bringing over some of the feel of a tabletop setting into an online environment, with McDonough explaining that several of the computer games such as Vampire: The Masquerade -- Bloodlines have been used as a point of common reference. Click past the break to see the full interview.

Continue reading Chris McDonough talks about the development of the World of Darkness

MassivelyChris McDonough talks about the development of the World of Darkness originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adaptationccpccp-gameschris-mcdonoughdesigneveeve-onlineinterviewvampirevampire-the-masqueradevampiresvideovideo-interviewvideosvtmwodworld-of-darknessTue, 17 Jan 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: The upcoming long-shots]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/12/15/the-perfect-ten-the-upcoming-long-shots/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/15/the-perfect-ten-the-upcoming-long-shots/http://www.massively.com/2011/12/15/the-perfect-ten-the-upcoming-long-shots/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
In coming up with a follow-up list to my previous Upcoming MMO Contenders list, I found myself almost paralyzed by more choices than I could shake a wireless mouse at. Pointing at the sure bets is one thing, but narrowing down a field of dozens and dozens of interesting -- yet more far-flung -- prospects is far more difficult. It's one thing to have a good idea; it's another to say whether or not this game will actually make it to launch, and if it does, that it'll pull the idea off well.

That said, I've lost some hair and two pounds sweating out this list, and I feel sleeker for it. Today's Perfect Ten is all about the long-shots, the titles that may not have the huge budget, big name studios, or anything solid to show for it, but could still become contenders in their own right if everything is played just right.

Deep breath -- let's give it a go!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: The upcoming long-shots

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: The upcoming long-shots originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetbethesdaBethesda-Softworksccpccp-gamesclass3class4crypticcryptic-studiosd-n-dddodefiancednddominusdungeons-and-dragonseve-onlinefallout-onlinefeaturedgoblinworksguild-warsinterplayjeff-strainmechwarrior-onlineneverwinterotherlandpathfinder-onlinepenny-arcadepermadeathprimeprime-battle-for-dominusriftsyfytad-williamstransformers-universetrion-worldsundead-labswizardrywizardry-onlineworld-of-darknessThu, 15 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Darkness' Chris McDonough calms fan concerns]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/10/28/world-of-darkness-michael-mcdonough-calms-fan-concerns/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/28/world-of-darkness-michael-mcdonough-calms-fan-concerns/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/28/world-of-darkness-michael-mcdonough-calms-fan-concerns/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

World of Darkness
A number of World of Darkness fans were concerned after a recent CCP CEO interview in which it was said that the World of Darkness MMO was going to be scaled back. The game's Senior Producer, Chris McDonough, stopped by the World of Darkness News forums to respond to the concerns.

In essence, he states that CCP was "staffed up as if [they] would be able to be production-ready at this point and [they] simply are not." However, players shouldn't be too concerned, because the only content that is being scaled back in World of Darkness is "redundant content that's expensive to make." For McDonough's full response, head on over to World of Darkness News.

MassivelyWorld of Darkness' Chris McDonough calms fan concerns originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpchris-mcdonoughscale-backscaled-backwhite-wolfwodworld-of-darknessFri, 28 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The human casualties]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/10/23/eve-evolved-the-human-casualties/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/23/eve-evolved-the-human-casualties/http://www.massively.com/2011/10/23/eve-evolved-the-human-casualties/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
This time last year, EVE Online developer CCP Games was an untouchable powerhouse in the games industry. In addition to servicing around 350,000 EVE subscribers, the company was also developing the World of Darkness MMO and the full scale MMOFPS DUST 514 set on the planets of EVE. Everything seemed to be going fine, but with the release of Incarna at the end of June, CCP faced the biggest crisis in the company's history. Due to a series of missteps and internal leaks that has come to be collectively known as Monoclegate, player confidence in CCP plummeted to record low.

Following the CEO's recent letter of apology promising a refocusing of development on in-space EVE features, news of highly requested features due for inclusion in EVE has gone a long way toward restoring confidence in CCP as a developer. With the return of ship spinning earlier this week and news of updates from hybrid turret rebalancing and implants being added to killmails to the release of the player-designed Tornado battlecruiser, the process of refocusing on EVE is well underway. Unfortunately, the good news of upcoming gameplay updates has been marred by the sobering reality that over 20% of CCP's worldwide staff have been laid off as part of the refocusing effort.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the human casualties of the recent EVE drama and speak to an insider at CCP about what's going on within the company. Unless quotes or facts in this article are specifically attributed to this insider, they are my own views and opinions based on publicly available information.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: The human casualties

MassivelyEVE Evolved: The human casualties originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP logo
Reporting on game industry layoffs is never fun, so we're a bit sobered this morning as we bring you news of CCP's downsizing. The development firm behind EVE Online, DUST 514, and the World of Darkness MMO has just issued a press release stating that it will be trimming approximately 20% of its staff worldwide.

According to CCP Manifest, most of the layoffs will occur in the company's Atlanta, Georgia offices, with select positions at the Reykjavik, Iceland camp also affected.

Manifest says that EVE expansions, DUST, and WoD have stretched CCP's resources too thin, and the company will now "sharpen our focus." In the short term, this means more attention for EVE Online and DUST 514, while World of Darkness will "continue development with a significantly reduced team." Finally, the press release attempts to head off the doomsayers by pointing out the fact that EVE's subscriber numbers are higher than they were this time last year.

[Thanks to everyone who tipped us!]

MassivelyCCP layoffs affect 20% of worldwide staff, company focusing on EVE originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingbusiness-modelsccpccp-gamesccp-manifestdustdust-514eveeve-onlinelayoffsmmo-industryrefocusworld-of-darknessWed, 19 Oct 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[This Week In MMO: Conspiracy edition]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/09/29/this-week-in-mmo-conspiracy-edition/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/29/this-week-in-mmo-conspiracy-edition/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/29/this-week-in-mmo-conspiracy-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

This Week In MMO: Episode 64
It's a new week; It's a new theme song for This Week In MMO. As you know, every week, Gamebreaker.TV hosts a round-table discussion about the latest news in MMOs, inviting different hosts from different media outlets to share their opinions and speculation. This week, everyone's favorite host, Gary "Bing Bong" Gannon, is joined by Mike "the Chinhawk" B and Jason "Red Shirt" Winter.

It would not be an episode of TWIMMO if everyone didn't get tinfoil-hat hair. Starting with speculation revolving around the Star Wars: The Old Republic release-date announcement, two of the panel members were convinced that it was directly related to the Diablo 3 2012-pushback announcement. But that's not the only pushback that had our panelists theorizing. According to Gannon, End of Nations may be feeling the SWTOR pressure, too. The Trion Worlds MMO RTS was recently pushed back to 2012 as well. Keep your aluminum brain-barrier intact because our hosts also believe it is possible that CCP's World of Darkness MMO may be going free-to-play.

All of this, plus the biggest question on everyone's mind is answered: Could there be a Kim Kardashian MMO and would there be an oiler profession? Check out the full episode of This Week In MMO after the break!

Continue reading This Week In MMO: Conspiracy edition

MassivelyThis Week In MMO: Conspiracy edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWareBlizzardBlizzard-EntertainmentCCPconspiracy-theoriesdiablo-3EAElectronic-Artsend-of-nationsgamebreakergamebreaker-tvgary-gannonJason-WinterLucasArtsMike-BPushbackrelease-dateStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republicThis-Week-In-MMOtinfoil-hatTORtriontrion-worldsTWIMMOworld-of-darknessThu, 29 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Video interview with Chris McDonough reveals more details on World of Darkness]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/09/28/video-interview-with-chris-mcdonough-reveals-more-details-on-wor/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/28/video-interview-with-chris-mcdonough-reveals-more-details-on-wor/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/28/video-interview-with-chris-mcdonough-reveals-more-details-on-wor/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

So I'll be able to create a fifth-gen Brujah Anarch with Celerity 7 if I scan my character sheet, right?
There are a lot of gamers pretty interested in World of Darkness, and it's not hard to see why. The game is based in lore that's still hugely influential in the arena of tabletop gaming, and it's hard to imagine a developer better suited to labyrinthine political dramas than CCP. Machinima.com had a chance to chat with Chris McDonough during the recent Grand Masquerade, where McDonough revealed a few more tidbits about what the game would incorporate and how it would cater to existing fans of the property.

As McDonough puts it, the overall goal is to bring some of the feel of the game's many LARP activities into the MMO space, with the focus on player and character interplay in a sandbox environment. The full interview also discusses the spread of the overall property, why the team decided to focus on vampires initially, and more about what players can expect from the game world. View the full interview after the break.

[Thanks to Pilgrim for the tip!]

Continue reading Video interview with Chris McDonough reveals more details on World of Darkness

MassivelyVideo interview with Chris McDonough reveals more details on World of Darkness originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backstoryccpccp-gameschris-mcdonoughinterviewlarploretabletoptabletop-gamingvideovideo-interviewvideoswodworld-of-darknessWed, 28 Sep 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Exclusive: World of Darkness interview]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/09/22/massively-exclusive-world-of-darkness-interview/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/22/massively-exclusive-world-of-darkness-interview/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/22/massively-exclusive-world-of-darkness-interview/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

World of Darkness header
The 2011 Grand Masquerade in New Orleans is over, and the monsters have all gone home. In their wake, we're left with a series of exciting revelations relating to the upcoming World of Darkness by CCP Games. While it's only in pre-production, it has already sent fans of the World of Darkness setting into a frenzy of anticipation. The new details only give rise to more questions, however, and speculation has run rampant, especially given how radically CCP's new game departs from the standard MMO model. Thankfully, Massively has some answers.

Shane Defreest, the Community Developer for CCP North America and White Wolf Publishing, was kind enough to take the time out of his hectic schedule to answer a few of our questions relating to the game. He sheds a bit of light on World of Darkness, discussing the choice of setting, player factions and playable clans, the business model, and how he views the experience of the game. Enjoy!

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: World of Darkness interview

MassivelyMassively Exclusive: World of Darkness interview originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpevent-coverageexclusivefeaturedinterviewshane-defreestthe-grand-masqueradevampire-the-masqueradevampiresworld-of-darknessThu, 22 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[This Week In MMO: Rated M for mature edition]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/09/22/this-week-in-mmo-rated-m-for-mature-edition/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/22/this-week-in-mmo-rated-m-for-mature-edition/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/22/this-week-in-mmo-rated-m-for-mature-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

TWIMMO: World of Darkness
It's another Thursday, and another week for Gamebreaker.TV's This Week in MMO. What's in store for this installment? Massively's very own Editor-in-Chief Shawn Schuster and Community Manager Rubi Bayer join regular host Gary Gannon in "mature" discussion about MMOs.

First up, Gary, Shawn, and Rubi run through the topic of the mature rating in MMOs such as CCP's World of Darkness. Then our intrepid hosts guide us through the magical and technological starting zone for the Asura in Guild Wars 2. Also, saving Metropolis just became cheaper -- free, in fact! Shawn and Rubi discuss DC Universe Online's entry to the free-to-play market. Where is the future of MMO-subscription models going? Freemium? When Shawn spoke to SOE President John Smedley, Smed certainly favored it.

Moving on to another action-based game, Rubi reveals TERA's PR speak within its endgame Q&A statements, and Shawn admits that the small raid size in The Secret World isn't quite big enough for him.

Catch all that and more in the full Gamebreaker.TV video after the break!

Continue reading This Week In MMO: Rated M for mature edition

MassivelyThis Week In MMO: Rated M for mature edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetAsurablue-hole-studiosccpDCdc-universe-onlineEAElectronic-Artsen-masse-entertainmentendgamef2pfree-to-playfreemiumftpFuncomgamebreaker-tvgary-gannonGuild-Wars-2GW2humanjohn-smedleync-softncsoftRaid-Sizeraidsrubi-bayershawn-schusterSOESonySony-Online-Entertainmentstarting-zoneterathe-secret-worldTSWVampireWarner-BrosWODworld-of-darknessThu, 22 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP reveals World of Darkness details to bloodthirsty fans]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/09/18/ccp-reveals-world-of-darkness-details-to-bloodthirsty-fans/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/18/ccp-reveals-world-of-darkness-details-to-bloodthirsty-fans/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/18/ccp-reveals-world-of-darkness-details-to-bloodthirsty-fans/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Vampire the Masquerade
Details about CCP's World of Darkness are popping out of White Wolf's The Grand Masquerade in New Orleans this weekend, and they're definitely worth draining for every last sweet drop of... information. While the game is still in pre-production -- and as such, nothing is set in stone -- the devs weren't hesitant to dish out a lot of the ideas and features that they hope will make this the best vampire MMO to date.

It's CCP's desire to emulate LARPing (live-action roleplaying) as much as possible with World of Darkness, with plenty of metaplots running inside the game and without. Players will begin as a mortal human who can make the choice to become a kindred (vampire) or stay mortal for the duration of their characters' lives. There's a very real danger that characters might experience "final death" -- permadeath -- if they take too many risks. If you get in over your head, you can retreat to your character's Haven for safety.

The entire game will take place at night and on one server, and CCP is definitely aiming it toward the hardcore set. Nudity, gore, and insanity effects are all par for the course.

If players push outside of the acceptable boundaries too often, they'll lose "humanity" points and could become flagged for constant attack by other players and NPCs. Play your cards right and you may become the prince of the city. The game will change over time with dynamic events, and CCP promises that there will be real consequences for player decisions.

Look for our World of Darkness interview with CCP coming later this week.

[Thanks Pilgrim for the tip!]

MassivelyCCP reveals World of Darkness details to bloodthirsty fans originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesfinal-deathgorehardcorehaveninsanitykindredlarplarpingnew-orleansnuditypermadeathprincepvpthe-grand-masqueradevampirevampire-the-masqueradevampireswhite-wolfworld-of-darknessSun, 18 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Going to The Grand Masquerade in New Orleans? We want you!]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/09/07/going-to-the-grand-masquerade-in-new-orleans-we-want-you/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/07/going-to-the-grand-masquerade-in-new-orleans-we-want-you/http://www.massively.com/2011/09/07/going-to-the-grand-masquerade-in-new-orleans-we-want-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

New Orleans cemetary
If you're attending The Grand Masquerade on September 15th through the 18th this year and you're interested in meeting up with CCP and White Wolf for an interview, we want to give you some money. No seriously, we want to pay you to meet some game devs, and you can even be dressed like a vampire while you do it. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, huh?

The Grand Masquerade is the annual event held by White Wolf in New Orleans, Louisiana as a fan gathering for World of Darkness. Since White Wolf and CCP are working on a World of Darkness MMO, we're especially interested in getting some first-hand information out of the event. This year, they've confirmed that more details on the MMO will be revealed, so we're especially excited to be a part of it.

Read on after the jump for details on how you can apply to represent Massively at The Grand Masquerade.

Continue reading Going to The Grand Masquerade in New Orleans? We want you!

MassivelyGoing to The Grand Masquerade in New Orleans? We want you! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpeventsnew-orleansthe-grand-masqueradewhite-wolfworld-of-darknessWed, 07 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CCP and White Wolf celebrating Vampire's 20th anniversary with new rulebook, fan gala]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/06/17/ccp-and-white-wolf-celebrating-vampires-20th-anniversary-with-n/http://www.massively.com/2011/06/17/ccp-and-white-wolf-celebrating-vampires-20th-anniversary-with-n/http://www.massively.com/2011/06/17/ccp-and-white-wolf-celebrating-vampires-20th-anniversary-with-n/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Vampire: The Masquerade is gearing up to celebrate its 20th birthday (20 years!?), and while two decades may be a drop in the proverbial bucket to your average vampire, it's quite a chunk of time for mere mortals. White Wolf (which MMO aficionados probably know as a subsidiary of CCP) is celebrating the milestone with a limited-run anniversary edition of the RPG's core rulebook.

The tome is available via pre-order and will set you back a hefty $99.99. The book's release will coincide with The Grand Masquerade 2011, a fan event scheduled for September 15th to 18th in New Orleans that will feature, among other things, "the next look at the future of the World of Darkness MMO."

MassivelyCCP and White Wolf celebrating Vampire's 20th anniversary with new rulebook, fan gala originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20th-anniversaryccpccp-gameseventsgrand-masqueradehorrormmo-industryreal-world-eventsrulebookthe-grand-masqueradevampirevampire-the-masqueradewhite-wolfwhite-wolf-publishingwodworld-of-darknessworld-of-darkness-onlinezomg-world-of-darknessFri, 17 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Level 3 to offer streaming of EVE Online Fanfest]]>http://www.massively.com/2011/03/10/level-3-to-offer-streaming-of-eve-online-fanfest/http://www.massively.com/2011/03/10/level-3-to-offer-streaming-of-eve-online-fanfest/http://www.massively.com/2011/03/10/level-3-to-offer-streaming-of-eve-online-fanfest/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Are you bummed that your budget won't allow for a trip to Reykjavik for the EVE Online Fanfest this year? Perhaps you're still new to New Eden and aren't sure what kind of stuff goes on at the party on top of the world? Well, in either case, CCP and Level 3 have you covered. According to a press release from earlier this morning, Level 3 -- already known for offering live-streaming of the EVE Online Alliance tournaments -- will be offering its services to allow fans at home to check out some of the myriad Fanfest events. The press release was followed by a blog post on the official EVE Online site that offers up even more details on the event streams.

For those who have one spare PLEX lying around (or the equivalent cash), a high-definition stream of the events will be available for purchase. As if the HD-streaming deal weren't sweet enough, all players who opt to purchase the higher-end stream will be granted a special Quafe t-shirt similar to the ones that attendees of Fanfest will receive, only this particular version will be for their characters' in-game use when Incarna rolls out. However, if spending money on the Fanfest stream isn't for you, you can still check out the weekend's panels and events via the lower-definition EVE TV stream that will be available on the main Fanfest site starting on March 25th and running until the evening of March 26th. Check out the EVE Online streaming blog post for all the details!

MassivelyLevel 3 to offer streaming of EVE Online Fanfest originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesd514dust-514eveeve-onlineeventsfanfestlevel-3livestreamingparty-at-the-top-of-the-worldstreamingvideowodwodoworld-of-darknessworld-of-darkness-onlineThu, 10 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST