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Comic-Con 08: Hands-on with Warhammer Online
Last week at Comic-Con in San Diego, I sat down with Warhammer Online producer Jeff Skalski and got my hands on the beta for the first time. I could go in-depth on all the new features and functions of the game, but our own Michael Zenke beat me to the punch on that one. Instead I want to give my impressions of the game from the perspective of a long-time MMOG player with little time to play these days and even less interest in PvP.You may be asking yourself why I would be drawn to yet another MMOG, much less one largely centered on PvP given my statement above. The answer is simple: revirginization. In a discussion I had with 38 Studios at Comic-Con, I questioned them about how they thought yet another fantasy-based MMOG could succeed in an already heavily saturated market. The answer they gave me was simple and true: gamers have had wonderful experiences when they've first played other fantasy-based titles, but the thrill has been lost by repetitive gameplay. Now, many of us are looking to recapture that newbie experience again with a new title. Warhammer Online may be that game for me, not for its PvE content, but for its Realm vs Realm PvP set-up.
Age of Conan rep talks Kingship, new zones, and more
The folks at Ten Ton Hammer met with Funcom Product Manager Erling Ellingsen at Comic Con over the weekend. Ellingsen described many of the planned updates to Age of Conan. We'd already heard about most of them, but this video interview is a good place to go for a round-up of what's to come.Ellingsen did reveal a tantalizing new detail about the Kingship system, though. If you're not familiar with Kingship, that's not surprising; it was only mentioned in one interview before now. It allows guilds to form alliances. Those alliances can build and fight over "legendary battle keeps." The new info: alliances can build "wonders of the world" in those keeps. We're intrigued by that idea; it sounds like something from Sid Meier's Civilization.Ellingsen also talked about plans to add more NPCs walking around guild cities, and to greatly expand visual customization options for the cities.
Comic-Con 08: Hands-on with DC Universe Online
Two weeks ago at E3, the Massively staff had their first glimpse of DC Universe Online gameplay footage. Developers showing the trailer promised players could play equally well whether on a PC or PS3, engage in battles unlike any before and push the limits of the Unreal physics engine that is the technological base of the game. After getting my hands on a pre-Alpha build of the game this week at Comic-con, I can tell you one thing for sure: this game delivers on its promises.I've rarely had so much fun playing an MMO in such an early stage of development. Running up the sides of skyscrapers at superspeed, picking up city buses and smashing them into enemies, encasing the bad guys in blocks of ice and punting them two city blocks, the list goes on. These activities not only make the player feel truly heroic, but create an environment where players can coordinate their attacks with each other to defeat supervillains in all new and unexpected ways.
Comic-Con 08: Hands-on with DC Universe Online part 2
The special abilities were a powerful melee attack, the ability to encase an enemy in a ball of light disabling them for a short time, an AE knockback ability and a cone-based, channelled push back. In fact, many objects in the DCUO world can be used to flatten enemies: traffic lights, fire hydrants, cars, city busses and, of course, other enemies. Another interesting trick with this toon is the ability to charge items he picks up with electricity so they explode for extra damage when he smashes other with them.
Panel of MMO developers discuss the industry at Comic-Con
Over at New York Comic-Con 2008, Ten Ton Hammer assembled a group of respected MMO developers to answer questions about the future of the industry, and just to talk shop in general. The members of the panel were: Age of Conan Game Designer Jason Stone, Warhammer Online Senior Producer Jeff Hickman, Turbine Vice-President of Product Development Craig Alexander, 38 Studios Vice-President of Creative Development Scott Cuthbertson, and EVE Online Game Designer Matt Woodward -- phew, that's a lot of capitalization.There are two videos to watch, one in which the questions come from TTH, the other being an audience Q&A. Combined, the videos take the better part of an hour to watch, but you'll find some interesting and differing viewpoints on various topics, such as business models, world-altering events, product placement, sci-fi versus fantasy MMOs, winning market share from World of Warcraft, and community features in and out of game.
