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The Daily Grind: What 2013 MMO are you anticipating the most?
It'll probably be hard to top 2012 when it comes to MMORPG hype. Several big-name games came out this year, and another launched so late in 2011 that it might as well have been a 2012 release. Next year looks much calmer, though the impending arrival of The Elder Scrolls Online and possibly ArcheAge will no doubt register on everyone's hype meter. So how about it, dear readers. What 2013 MMORPG release are you anticipating the most? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Daily Grind: Are you tired of MMO mega-launches?
So Guild Wars 2's launch has come and gone, and regardless of what you think of the game, there's no denying that it was an earth-shaking event as far as MMORPGs go. Tons of people are playing it; even more are thinking, talking, and blogging about it. Frankly, it's hard to get away from the game if you're a genre fan. So it went with Star Wars: The Old Republic earlier this year, and so it will go with the next supposed savior of the genre, whatever that might be. Personally, I'm just glad that both of these titles have finally debuted and that there are no more mega-launches on the near horizon. What about you, dear readers? Do you need a break from heavyweight MMO launches, or are you already anticipating the next big thing? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Daily Grind: Was Guild Wars 2 worth the wait?
Finally, amirite? After years of waiting, wondering, prognosticating, and hoping, fans can now experience Guild Wars 2 with no beta strings attached. While it's still early, there's been time enough to form some first impressions (and heck, time enough for at least one guy to max a character). So what do you think, morning folks? Was Guild Wars 2 worth the wait? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Guild Wars 2 stress test today
It's a day that ends with a Y, which means it must be time for another Guild Wars 2 stress test. OK, we're half kidding; it only seems like there have been 65,000 stress tests over the past few weeks. In any event, the latest round kicks off today at 4:00 p.m. EDT. It lasts for only an hour, though, so if you absolutely, positively cannot wait until launch (or early release) to log into Tyria, enjoy.
The Daily Grind: Do you buy in to the MMO hype and hate cycle?
If you listened only to the more heated debates in Massively's comments and around the blogosphere, it'd be easy to get lost amid polarizing hyperbole and scathing vitriol about MMOs and the drama enveloping them. The way some people tell it, a game like Guild Wars 2 is either the second coming or a complete failure even before it's launched. World of Warcraft is tanking with "only" nine million subscriptions. Star Wars: The Old Republic's path to free-to-play is the last gasp of a dying game, never mind that it surpassed expectations for profitability long ago. It's a challenge indeed to find a nuanced middle ground and understand how real players (not just vocal commenters) perceive the games. So does a game have to be the best or worst ever to be worthy of discussion? Can't a game just be decent or good enough? How do you avoid being swept away by the latest MMO storm surge of hype and hate? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Soapbox: BioWare, meet ZeniMax; ZeniMax, this is BioWare
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Once upon a time, a group of decision-makers at a big AAA studio set out to brave the wilds of the MMORPG. This studio had several hugely successful single-player RPGs under its belt, and it also had quite a bit of consumer goodwill in the bank thanks to its pre-MMORPG efforts. The studio spent a ton, and I do mean a ton, of money recreating an MMO that already existed in dozens of different games. It also spent a ton of money trying to convince gamers and gaming press that it wasn't making a retread and was instead adding another pillar of awesome to the standard MMO formula. This studio was, of course, BioWare. Unfortunately for Elder Scrolls fans, it's also ZeniMax.
ArenaNet posts studio tour video
This is a Guild Wars 2 news post. In fact, said news is a studio tour (though it is presented in video format, so that's something). Nevertheless, you will read this post and watch this video because you are achingly desperate for every tiny scrap of information even tangentially related to Tyria (we know, because we are too). We sincerely hope this nugget tides you over until next weekend's beta. Failing that, we hope that ArenaNet sees fit to give us something exciting to write about in the interim. As always, videos may be watched after the proverbial cut. But we bet you already knew that.
TUAW and MacTech interview: Tumult
Tumult is a timeline-based tool for creating HTML 5 animation on your Mac. Neil Ticktin (Editor-in-Chief, MacTech Magazine) interviews Jonathan Deutsch of Tumult at WWDC 2012. Jonathan was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
Airtime lets you share media while you video chat, reminds you That Napster Guy is still around
Hey, remember the guy that created Napster, Shawn Fanning? Do you remember Facebook co-founder (and supposed Justin Timberlake doppelganger) Sean Parker? Good, as that'll make it easier to understand why the two have created Airtime, a heavily hyped new peer-to-peer video chat service. The aim is to offer a one-on-one conversation that helps people understand each other, with shared interests and the ability to quickly fling that LOLcat video to a friend or significant other. It's launching first on Facebook, which is nothing new for video chat, but the absence of any in-between servers and special plugins beyond Flash eliminates a lot of the usual hurdles. More features are coming in the near future, including a decidedly Flash-free iOS app, music streaming and games -- leaving us with considerably more things to do while we reconnect, or at least a more engaging way to reminisce about the Napster days.
BioWare: SWTOR is 'one of the greatest and most ambitious achievements in video game history'
Star Wars: The Old Republic is officially a hit according to the latest BioWare press release. The lengthy blurb trumpets impressive first-week numbers including some 28 million in-game hours logged, as well as over 3.8 million characters created (nearly 1.1 million of which are Jedi Knights or Sith Warriors). BioWare also highlights the fact that over one million players have registered to play TOR, and the company pats itself on the back by pointing to several glowing games media reviews and comparing the use of MMO voice-acting to the evolution experienced by the film industry with the transition from silent films to "talkies." "Star Wars: The Old Republic stands as one of the greatest and most ambitious achievements in video game history," BioWare says.
The Daily Grind: Are you glad to see the end of the SWTOR pre-launch frenzy?
If you feel like all anyone's been able to talk about lately is the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic, you're probably not alone. In a year that sometimes seemed to be The Year of the F2P Conversion, big AAA launches were few and far between. The launch of a game from BioWare with the Star Wars IP attached to it was bound to be a huge deal, and as today approached, both fans and developers pulled out all the stops on the hype-train. Now the big day is here and things will start quieting down a bit over time as players settle in to finally enjoying the game. Sure, there's sure to be ongoing discussion of the game as it develops post-launch, but the pre-launch excitement is wrapped up. So are you relieved to see this? Were you enjoying the festivities or just wishing they were over and done with already? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Champions Online introduces Star Warsy archetype
If it's true that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the devs behind Champions Online can safely be called Star Wars fans. Whether they're Star Wars: The Old Republic fans is another matter, but chances are good seeing as how the game's newest archetype would feel right at home in a galaxy far, far away. The Unleashed is a new brawler role that looks quite a bit like your average Sith lord, right down to the dual red blades and sinister black robes. Cryptic's archetype description features phrases like cosmic knight, dark inquisitor, and militant monk, and the release blurb says that the Unleashed is coming to Champions today, December 19th. Is it a tongue-in-cheek homage or a shameless attempt to capitalize on the biggest hype-train the MMO space has ever seen? You decide, and be sure to head to the Champions website to learn more.
Hyperspace Beacon: Best of...
If you pre-ordered the game early enough, then you should be in Star Wars: The Old Republic's early access by the time you are reading this. I hope you're having a good time. Look me up on the Lord Adraas server. My name there is Shaddoe. Don't be scared -- I may roleplay my character. Even if you didn't pre-order in time, you'll want your SWTOR fix, and I have the solution for you right here: the Hyperspace Beacon. Each week for the last year and a half, I have written a guide to the world of Star Wars: The Old Republic, covering everything from lore and game mechanics to speculation and community. Ultimately, I hope to better prepare you for the launch of this highly anticipated MMO. However, 67 articles can be tough to sift through, so I've narrowed down the list to the best of the best.
The Soapbox: The absurdity of the NDA
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. So Star Wars: The Old Republic's NDA dropped. Now the entire world (officially) knows the skinny on BioWare's new themepark, and I'm hard-pressed to think of a more anti-climactic NDA death. Even if you weren't following the game over the past few months, you knew exactly what to expect -- provided you weren't a Star Wars or a BioWare virgin. This complete lack of surprise is one reason why the whole MMORPG NDA thing is a joke, and TOR is just the latest in a long series of punchlines.
The Daily Grind: Do you think leaks are publicity stunts?
Recent information leaks from game studios are becoming more and more frequent these days. That likely mean that either security isn't tight and leaks occur behind the backs of game publishers, or they're intentionally enticing the public under the guise of a super secret "leak." Either way, these leaks do get our attention. When we're under the impression that information isn't meant to be seen by us, we want to see it even more. Recent examples include CCP's internal memo leak, Diablo III's beta leak, and just about anything to do with World of Warcraft's upcoming content. So my question to you this morning is this: Are you suspicious of info leaks on upcoming games? Do you see leaks as genuinely secret information, or does your Spidey sense tell you that it's all to build hype for the game? Let us know your opinion below. Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
BioWare launches phase three of SWTOR's guild program
Those of you looking to get a leg up on guild creation in Star Wars: The Old Republic will want to head to the game's official website this morning and have a look at the latest news blurb. It seems that phase three of the pre-launch guild program has begun, and BioWare says that "any guild that meets the pre-designated criteria [will] be transferred into the game for launch." You'll also want to make sure that at least four members of your guild have pre-ordered the game (and redeemed the associated code). BioWare notes that it has removed the requirement for the guild leader to log into the website and confirm an active guild. Finally, each guild page has been given a status indicator that shows the number of member pre-orders as well as whether or not your guild meets the deployment criteria. More info is available via the Guild HQ page and the official site.
PlanetSide 2's scale dwarfs Battlefield, Call of Duty franchises
Does it strike anyone else as particularly fortuitous that Sony Online Entertainment chose the week of Battlefield 3's release to let a bit more PlanetSide 2 info slip through its tightly clenched marketing fist? Regardless of the timing, today's article in the new issue of PC Gamer will likely help the three-faction juggernaut gain some more momentum. SOE creative director Matt Higby is featured heavily in the PC Gamer piece, which intimates that PlanetSide 2's battles will dwarf those of the much-loved Call of Duty and Battlefield franchises. "You're going to be fighting in battles sometimes when it's 200 people fighting against 30 people," Higby explains. "Because there's only 30 people defending that base and then suddenly 200 people log in from the other group and go do it." This is a far cry from the 64-player limit on Battlefield 3's PC version, and PlanetSide 2 will also offer huge maps that measure eight square kilometers as well as weapon ranges up to a full kilometer. Oh, and did we mention the persistent gameplay elements? [Thanks to PlanetSide Universe for the tip!]
Funcom talks The Secret World at NYCC
MMORPG.com's got the details on Funcom's appearance at last weekend's New York City Comic Con. Ragnar Tornquist and Dag Scheve were on hand to hype The Secret World, and the duo was the main attraction on a panel that fielded fan questions and showed off some new gameplay footage. Several of the questions from the audience related to The Secret World's progression mechanics, and Tornquist stated that despite the fact that the game has no levels, there will be plenty of activities for grind aficionados. The term horizontal progression was mentioned, as were various skills and gear (the latter of which serves as a gate between different bits of the game's content). Check out the rest of the recap, along with a video embed, at MMORPG.com.
Warhammer Online: Three years later
To this day, I don't know what quite came over me when I decided to throw my chips into the blogging scene to cover Warhammer Online, eight months before the game launched. Like many of you, I had been a long-time reader of MMO blogs, but I was intimidated at trying my hand at joining in, perhaps elevating these writers to the status of legendary wordsmiths who penned unequaled prose in our lifetimes. Or I just didn't want to be one of a thousand World of Warcraft bloggers who dominated the scene. Just a thought. In any case, it was a terrific decision to do so on my part. I found that I had a passion not only for MMOs but for talking about them, and I loved connecting with other writers and readers and players, which happens with blogging. I've been asked from time to time if I regret picking Warhammer Online as the game that I latched onto for a couple of years, and I always say no -- no regrets. The game was fun, but the coverage was an unparalleled rollercoaster of anticipation, hype, fun, speculation, promise, disappointment, and above all, ideas. Wonderful, flawed, captivating ideas. I haven't touched WAR since 2010, so perhaps I'm not the best source for the latest and greatest in the game. But what I do have to offer is a humble blogger's perspective on what went right, what went wrong, and why I'm ultimately happy that WAR came into being and is chugging along on today, its third anniversary.
BioWare confirms no SWTOR beta this weekend
Those of you hoping for a fun time during BioWare's much-anticipated Star Wars The Old Republic beta weekends might want to look at plan B. In a post on the official boards, community manager Stephen Reid confirms that there is indeed no beta test this time around. So that's the bad news. The good news is that future events are coming, and they're likely going to be on a much grander scale (meaning you, yes you, might even get an invite). "We rolled out this previous weekend as a relatively small scale event; from now we will do bigger and bigger events, but that doesn't mean it happens every weekend. When we do resume, we'll be inviting many more people in," Reid explains. He also hints at a comprehensive beta FAQ in the works, so keep your eyes peeled and your browsers pointed at Massively for the latest details as they become available. [Thanks Ren54!]
