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Perfect Ten: Mobile apps to enhance your MMO lifestyle
We're living in the age of smart phones, when there are more cell phones than there are people on this planet. I can't go anywhere without seeing people constantly whipping out their little rectangular companions for the constant stream of information, social connection, and Candy Crush interludes. While MMOs aren't making great headway on these devices, in part due to the limited input scheme, several wise studios have made good use of the mobile market to give players a way to keep in touch with their games even while AFK. Today we're going to count down, count up, and count sideways 10 official mobile apps that will enhance your MMO lifestyle.
EVE Online creator CCP revving up for mobile release
Touch Arcade recently had a chat with CCP, the Icelandic developer behind the popular MMO EVE Online, and while there aren't any announcements yet, it certainly sounds like they're gearing up for some iOS apps, or even maybe a client for the game itself. EVE's been on the Mac for a while now, and there have been some third-party attempts at bringing parts of the game to iOS. But CCP has just released a companion game called Dust 514 on the PS3, and that means it's probably time they start thinking about tying in iOS and other popular mobile platforms as well. There's an app called Neocom coming from CCP to the PS Vita, and Executive Producer John Lander calls that app a "tracer bullet" to see if the community's interested in more mobile offerings. Neocom allows players to customize their weapons and buy and sell virtual goods for the game, and that seems like an excellent set of functionality to bring over to iOS as well. Lander says that there are lots and lots of possibilities, and that CCP is planning on stepping up development this year, hopefully moving towards lots of little projects with quicker turnarounds. At any rate, there's something coming from CCP for sure. "This time next year, you will have EVE Mobile in your hand," Lander told assembled fans at a recent company gathering.
DUST 514 connects to EVE Online in upcoming closed beta test
CCP Games Executive Producer Brandon Laurino opened up on the features coming to DUST 514's closed beta "precursor" release, which begins August 21st. It will be during this closed beta that DUST 514 and EVE Online will finally meet and shake hands (or try to strangle each other for profit). The team will put DUST 514 on EVE's test server Singularity to see how the games interact in a live environment for the first time. Best part? All EVE Online subscribers now get access to DUST's beta. "We can't wait to see what happens when these games collide in the same shared universe," Laurino wrote. With this move, the team will also be testing out orbital strikes on the battlefield. Players will be able to call down powerful attacks from space onto the heads of their enemies. For right now, the orbital strikes will come from computer-controlled barges, but eventually EVE players will be able to fill the role. Another future feature will be the ability for groundpounders to use orbital artillery to fire on ships in return. The August 21st build of the game will also include new matchmaking features, plenty of additional environments, keyboard and mouse implementation for PlayStation 3 users, and lots of polish. The team says that its Vita companion app, DUST 514: Neocom, is going live at the same time. [Source: CCP Games press release]
From hero to 0.0: EVE Online deploys Crucible 1.1 update
It may not be a full-blown expansion, but don't let the decimal point throw you off: EVE Online Crucible's 1.1 patch is a beast of an update, and it's roaring onto the live server today. Crucible 1.1 "enhances and updates" many of the key features of the game, starting with a customizable NeoCom (user interface) that can be tweaked to the player's desire. The update also contains adjustments to Tech 2 modules, balances to blaster ammo, and the ability for alliances to enter into factional warfare. As a result of a significant change to how player-owned structures use legacy fuel -- as in, they won't any longer, but they will be switching over to fuel blocks -- CCP is urging customers to pay attention lest they log in and find themselves in the dark. You can get the full skinny on the update by either reading the full patch notes, reading through the list of major features, or listening to the grizzled voice of CCP Soundwave going over the 1.1 highlights after the jump.
EVE Online reveals full Crucible 1.1 patch feature list
The feature page for EVE Online's next major patch Crucible 1.1 has gone live, with a comprehensive list of the features we can expect when it's released on Tuesday January 24th. As the patch has probably now entered feature lockdown, the feature page is now a complete listing of the updates we can expect. The patch finalises the changeover of player owned starbases to the convenient new fuel block system, and the six changes revealed in Team BFF's last devblog will also be going into effect. The neocom will receive its big update with the patch, but the two biggest changes are issues that players have begged CCP to address since 2008. Tech 2 assault frigates are finally being rebalanced to bring them in line with other ships, and alliances will now be able to sign up for faction warfare. Other big changes include a boost to all sizes of Null blaster ammo and the release of new deadspace invulnerability fields for shield users. Head over to the official Crucible 1.1 feature page for a full list of changes. [Thanks to Knoodlepot for the tip!]
GameX 2009: Video interview with Nathan Richardsson and "Alli" Óttarsson
After their panel at GameX 2009 (and some free lunch) we got to sit down with "Alli" Ottarsson and Nathan Richardsson from EVE Online and talk shop about the future of the game. Where are we going directly after the Dominion expansion releases this year? What other product tie-ins can we expect from the White Wolf end of the company? And what's Neocom all about anyway? Nathan and Alli were happy to take our questions and give some direct responses on what they hope to tackle in Neocom, how EVE's model is multiple game models, and what we might see take place in the highly-anticipated Incarna in regards to gambling and missions. To check our exclusive video interview, jump after the break with the "continue reading" button below!
GameX 2009: Mobile EVE Online app, codenamed NeoCom, and IM program in development
During their presentation at GameX 2009 on agile game development, Nathan Richardsson and Adalsteinn "Alli" Óttarsson revealed the slide above, showing EVE Online's many facets and how they all tie into one another. But what's this down in the corner? A mobile application and a instant messaging client? While information was scarce, we were able to confirm that CCP is certainly interested in the mobile market, especially with EVE. Neocom is planned to be a multi-mobile platform project, going beyond the iPhone to add "interaction with EVE Online in a meaningful way." The plan seems to be to extend EVE across multiple locations to give players the ability to access all sorts of information from places outside of the game. It was mentioned that Neocom could do things like use corporation chat, check and change trades, and introduce other methods of two way interaction. Later in the day, we'll be putting up our video interview with Alli Óttarsson and Nathan Richardsson on a variety of topics, Neocom included. Check back for more exclusive coverage of GameX 2009!
Massively looks at Capsuleer 2.0, an iPhone app for EVE Online
The newest generation of smartphones has begun to deliver on the ideal of having continual access to your data on the go with persistent web connections. As such, the iPhone is becoming ubiquitous, helped no doubt by its ease of use and the ever-growing number of apps available to users. In the relatively short time the iPhone has existed, it's already begun to have an impact on the gaming world. Given how stat-centric massively multiplayer online titles are, it was inevitable that there would be some steps made towards a marriage between the iPhone and our games; some developers are creating iPhone apps that extend certain aspects of MMOs beyond the game client.This can be especially useful with a game like EVE Online, where players typically have a number of things going on, even while they're not logged in to play. While the EVE iPhone apps don't act as game clients, players can, for instance, check in on the skill progression of their characters, check their wallet balances as market transactions and contract sales take place while away from the client, and in general keep tabs on their virtual involvements in New Eden. Capsuleer 2.0 is one such iPhone and iPod touch app for EVE Online that aims to be a portal into New Eden for whenever players are away from their computers and on the go; in some respects, it's a persistent real-world analog to EVE's in-game Neocom used to keep tabs on your characters. Capsuleer 2.0 was approved by Apple just this week, so Massively caught up with its two creators to find out more about what they've been up to. Marcus Dickinson is known in EVE as Roc Wieler and is likely a familiar name to many players from his Roc's Ramblings blog. The other half of the Capsuleer duo is Chris Whiteford (PyjamaSam in EVE Online), and they were both kind enough to take some time out to speak with us about their work on Capsuleer as well as their plans for its future. Read on for Massively's Capsuleer interview and our impressions of the app in a brief visual tour.%Gallery-49697%
EVE Visual Guide: Before you undock
There are a few essential things any pilot in EVE Online should do before they undock from a station and get themselves into a potentially hostile situation. Come to think of it, anytime you undock there's at least some chance of hostility. Keeping that in mind, think of this as a visual checklist you should go through before entering space, as you're not only risking your ship, but your skillpoints if you bite off more than you can chew. This happens all too often, to novice and veteran pilots alike in EVE. So to help you avoid this fate... Head to the guide >> %Gallery-30109%
