Eli Shayotovich

Eli was once an MMO cynic. Until he was introduced to the spandex wearing ways of City of Heroes that is. Now he’s a true believer, addictively sampling all those that don’t include orcs, mages and fairies. Eli has been writing about PC games since 2003 and playing them since the very Dawn of the Gaming Age. Reared on Commodore computers "The Mad Man" finds little use for consoles and game pads. Eli lives in the thin air of the Rocky Mountains (which may be the cause of his deteriorating mind) with his loving and very understanding wife, and his psychotic Alaskan malamute. When not virtually busting bad guys or laying waste to alien scum, Eli is obsessively analyzing each episode of Lost, tweaking one of his many fantasy sports lineups, or imbibing (and blogging about) fine craft beer.

Articles by Eli Shayotovich

38 Studios goes Unreal
Gamasutra is reporting that 38 Studios has decided to go with the Epic's Unreal Engine 3 to power their upcoming MMO (codenamed "Copernicus"). A few weeks ago 38 Studios picked BigWorld's technology suite for the back-end of things, so it's no surprise that they would grab the best graphic engine currently available. Whatever MMO "Copernicus" turns out to be (most recent game description says: "an original IP made up of fantastical elements, settings, characters, creatures, rules, and experiences") should at least look really, really good.
Earthrise, crafting, and you
"Every item in Earthrise will be crafted by its players."Wow, that's a bold statement from the devs. Apparently the game's crafting system will go far beyond tinkering with your standard weapons, armor and equipment. Players will actually be able to mix their own drugs and medicine, erect buildings, fix vehicles and even build mechanized exoskeletons. Exoskeletons + post-apocalyptic setting = winnah! Crafting can help to make or break a game (for some). I'm not one of those people. So when they say "crafting in Earthrise is a complex process that is easy to understand but ultimately difficult to master." It really better be easy or I'm just gonna forget about it, hop into my exoskeleton and go Ripley on some mutants. The Q&A really is a good read, and gives some very detailed specifics on how the whole system will pan out (theoretically). Check it out!
New Age of Conan trailer drops Thursday
Ten Ton Hammer is reporting this morning that Funcom and Eidos have announced that a new Age of Conan trailer will appear on Gamespot.com Thursday. According to the announcement on the AoC official forums, the video will launch at 1700 California time ( -8 GMT). Since I'm bad with that whole international time thing, the TTH guys have done my work for me... apparently "1700 California time" translates to roughly 12pm EST. If it's as bloody as the above pic - wow! We'll let you know when the ball drops so you can make a beeline for Gamespot.
Stargate's Comedy Line Countdown contest closes
If you were paying attention way back on February 1, you'll recall that we gibber-jabbered about the Stargate Worlds Comedy Line Countdown contest. In that post we mentioned that you had 30 days to work your mad video and comedy skillz. Well, time's up. Hopefully you were one of the nearly 200 videos made and submitted by fans. If you didn't, too bad. You might want to skedaddle on over to the SGW YouTube Group and see if you could have done better. Although submissions are no longer accepted you can still post your own "hilarious" lines to the group. But they better be funny. You don't want to look like a Jaffa now do you? Expect to see a SGW video podcast featuring the finalists later this month.
How to get into the Stargate Worlds beta
Oh, so you want to jump headfirst into an untested Stargate do you? Well, listen up soldier. Right now the ONLY way to get into the beta (keep your knickers on - it hasn't begun yet!) is to be a member of the Stargate Worlds Forum. According to Katie Postma (Senior Community Manager), until such time as they (they being Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment) actually has a beta capture process implemented all you have to do is register on the forum website. They'll be sending out invitations over the upcoming months based on the emails found in their forum database.Why are you still here reading this soldier? Go register already!
NCsoft heaves out new Dungeon Runners content
Oh those wild and wacky guys at NCsoft. Over the last few weeks we've mentioned that new content was coming for the snarky Dungeon Runners MMO. Well... someone heaved up their breakfast and walla - bits of new content have magically appeared. With Chill Bill and his unsavory "friend" Shivery, a new dungeon called Balzack's Burrow is now available for player levels 55 and up.Content updates for DR are normally referred to as "Chunks," but since this is not as big an update, the gang at NCsoft refers to this one as a "Heave." HA! Balzack's Burrow is rife with sweet loot, some ugly monsters (see above) and a final boss-battle that will require you to use some of that gelatinous stuff you have in your cranium normally called a "brain." This particular "Heave" also includes 51 new quests, two new fighter armor sets, new mythic items, a two-handed rifle (for rangers) and improvements to the user interface and the waypoints system. For all the details (that are fit to print that is), check out the DR patch notes. Enjoy!
CME wants to know: How do you want your Stargate?
Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment wants to know what you want to see in the upcoming Stargate Worlds Collector's Edition boxed set. Both inside and out. Everyone has to have a collector's edition boxed set, and I'm all for them... as long as their is intrinsic added value. And I'm not jut talking about some flashy collectible cards, a glossy concept art book, or an extra DVD full of behind the scenes whatnot. Those are nifty baubles that Gollum-like folk might be entranced by, but I want something more pertinent. Something that's really worth my money.So if you're like me and want extra bling for your in-game characters, things like rare weapons, a vehicle, special emotes, equipment, buffs and other stuff that really sets your character apart from the pack... the discussion is already underway over in the official Stargate Worlds forums. Let them hear your opinions! Kudos to the CME gang for actually wanting player input on this. Don't squander the opportunity.
Shivery the Incorrigible Snowman
Over on the Dungeon Runners' official blog (called "The Blog"), there is a tongue-in-cheek Q&A with their newest star, Chet Tliyelidr. Or, as he's known in-game -- Shivery the Incorrigible Snowman. In case you're wondering, according to Chet his last name is Eskimo for "snow that has been marked by Dungeon Runners." As I said... tongue firmly in check.Chet is incorrigible, sarcastic, and feisty. He incessantly (and hilariously) berates the interviewer with gems such as telling him that his brain is the size of a lump of coal, and rhetorically asks if he's fresh out of Blog Correspondence School. Chet also seems to melt a bit under the scarf when asked about one Chill Bill (soon to be every player's favorite pet snowman).Good stuff., and gives you just a small glimpse into the hilarity that permeates this wonderfully fun (and free) game.
Tabula Rasa dev journal: Sanctus Grotto
Tabula Rasa has received a lot of buzz over the last few weeks. Some have stated that it's an incomplete game, others have erroneously called it a financial disaster, while others (like myself) enjoy it for what it is. And all of this fallout (some of which reeks with the taint of hidden agendas - anyone who actively cheers for the demise of a game must be questioned) comes after only being live for four months (the game launched on November 1, 2007). NCsoft has reiterated that they are far from abandoning this sci-fi MMO. To prove that point they gave us their latest developer's journal to pass along to you. What follows is a retrospective written by Tom Potter, world builder for the new Sanctus Grotto instance. Sanctus Grotto Retrospective Tom Potter, World Builder Sanctus Grotto was an instance that was in development for some time before I started working at Destination Games. I joined the Tabula Rasa team late in development, so my job was to take the initial vision to completion. The conceptual foundation was already complete so you'd think that there wouldn't be much left for me to do. But Sanctus Grotto is a perfect example of how even "final" designs are often in a state of flux, and how making a few small changes can quickly multiply into something much larger. %Gallery-9822%
Masthead talks mad apocalyptic skillz
Via MMORPG we've learned that the Earthrise community has lobbed another Question of the Week at Masthead Studios. This time forum members want to know what's up with the lack of classes and the game's "one for all, all for one" skill system.According to Masthead, characters in Earthrise won't have classes or be forced down one exclusive development path. All players have the same choice of skills and abilities. This is done because they feel many MMOs have problems balancing skills and fall into a rut by forcing players into rather rigid "ultimate build" classes. In Earthrise a customizable action template will allow enhancement using a special system that lets players modify their abilities and create new ones. And while players may get a slight boost based on their build, there will also be disadvantages to their choices. Masthead puts it like this: "Think of this as the paper/rock/scissors game, where 'the best' character template will be beatable by another 'best' character template." This same system will apply to equipment and loot. Masthead goes into much more detail about the above issues, as well as talks about PvP and loot drops, and how both will be more of a player-centric experience rather than item-centric one. It all sounds fascinating, and if they can pull it off might actually create a game partially devoid of the age old grind. Only time will tell, but my own personal interest in this game has piqued tremendously over the last month as more and more info is divulged.
Behold the Jaffa!
The Assistant Art Director for Stargate Worlds, Nick Heitzman, chatted with StargateWorlds.com about the inspiration behind the look of the Jaffa. At first blush I'd say steroid enhanced NFL linemen. But that's just me. Heitzman said he wanted them to look "strong, sexy and exuding an aura of command." Welp, I'd say he hit it right on the head. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to meet up with these guys in a dark alley! The Jaffa will be bigger, more muscular and militarily precise in their movements. Heitzman compared them to Spartans in both their clothing and armor choices, preferring function over form, with color tones hearkening back to Greece and Rome. Endowed with peak physical conditioning honed by constant training and a fanatical devotion to achieving higher levels of effectiveness, the Jaffa really will be like the "Steel Curtain." All I know is, if I can be a Jaffa... that's what I'll be playing! In addition to this nugget o' knowledge, the Stargate Worlds Gallery has been updated with pictures of the Jaffa (see above), vehicles, and containers for Anima Vitru.
NCsoft fires one back across the bow
A few days ago I wrote about an article in the Korea Times that took aim at NCsoft's 2007 fiscal report by calling Tabula Rasa a "financial disaster." The ensuing explosion both here at Massively (the comments section) and abroad (a direct reply from the Korea Times writer himself) was akin to the Bane dropping a mortar round smack dab into the middle of our little virtual compound. Other sites reported on the Korea Times article in the same manner. And Amy "Critters" Crider, TR's official Community Coordinator, even issued a public warning about said reporter and said article. But NCsoft didn't stop there. David Swofford, head of NCsoft's North American PR department, fired off a response via a statement given to the gang at Crispy Gamer. It's a doosey! Swofford said, "The Korea Times English edition story is full of inaccuracies... No one at NCsoft said the product is a financial disaster." He comments on a great may things, including the cost of the sci-fi MMO: "The TR development did not cost $100 million... I don't know where that came from."Ah... justice is served. If you've been following this situation here you owe it to yourself to click on over to the Crispy Gamer site and check out their full article. It's got more searing rebuttal from Swofford (kudos to them for scoring this by the way). Then come on back here 'cuz we so want to hear what you have to say about this!
NCsoft bombards Facebook
The social networking site Facebook is the MySpace for older folks like yours truly. NCsoft has apparently come to realize that these social networking sites are really just an extension of Massive Multiplayer Online Games and as such sees them as a viable means to spread the love and promote a few of their games. Currently they have individual pages for Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa, Dungeon Runners and Exteel. As of this writing the TR page has 107 fans, the DR page has 112, and Exteel has 72. What I want to know is... where's the CoX love? Clickety-click on over and start connecting with fellow gamers. Ya never know who you might run into.
We are the Champions!
The WarCry Network is reporting this morning that Cryptic Studios (the original development company that created City of Heroes) has launched a new website and associated forums for their recently announced Champions Online superhero MMO. Additionally, Hero Games (creators of the tabletop RPG which the MMO is based on), will release a new (6th) edition to coincide with Champions Online.Scanning through the website and screen shots (see the one above) - I'm loving the cell shaded look! Being a big time CoX fan myself -- I can't wait to give Champions a spin! Check out the site and then let us know if you think there's room for another superhero MMO. Do you like what you see (real time fighting!!)? Do you think they'll make their Spring '09 launch date? Let the speculation begin!
Jumping through the Gate: Factions and Missions
Ten Ton Hammer has posted another of their Jumpgate Evolution bi-weekly interviews, this time with Hermann Peterscheck, Producer for JGE. In this installment, Peterscheck answers questions about the game's factions and missions.While reading through the Q&A I was comforted by the fact that Peterscheck continues to push the idea that JGE doesn't have hard and fast rules, and that they are trying to put as much of the game's outcome into the hands of the players (through their choices) as possible. This was something he mentioned during his interview about death and roleplaying as well, so it really does seem like something they intend to follow through with. In this case, while players will have to choose what nation to play (Quantar, Solrain or Octavius) there are no rules about allegiances, thus factions can interact in a myriad of ways with all of them.
Ask the SGW Creative Director anything... really
The great thing about the myriad of fan sites and official community forums for games these days is that they give gamers unprecedented access to those people actually making the games. Back in the early days, when this industry was still crawling around on it's hands and knees, gamers were lucky to even know the name of the development company let alone have direct communication with the men and women down in the trenches.Chris Klug (Creative Director for Stargate Worlds) is literally giving players the chance to ask him whatever they want. "Ask me anything, really," invites Klug. "Personal, game-related, whatever you want. If I know and can tell you, I will. If I know and I can't tell you yet, I'll tell you that. I'll tell you why we did stuff... this is a 'no b.s.' zone." Gotta love frankness like that!
How to find a fellow AFS soldier
In keeping with today's P.U.G. theme, we stumbled across another article today about how to find and enjoy the community in Tabula Rasa. Given the brouhaha over TR yesterday, we thought shinning a spotlight on this fun MMO would be beneficial.This helpful article (found on Tabula Blogger) provides an entire footlocker full of chat commands (i.e., "/whisper" sends a message to specific a player, "/group" or "/party" sends a message to your party, "/shout" or "/yell" sends a message to the map you're on) and suggestions on how to go about finding fellow AFS soldiers in the fight against the vile Bane. I've been playing this game since beta (and apparently have a far better outlook on TR than other people), yet I have never used the LFG (Looking For Group) Tab. Heck, I forgot it's there to be quite honest. But then, I'm not usually looking for groups (which is a whole other post I'm working on). However, if you are then it's where you need to be to find a group quick and easy like.
Who's afraid of the big, bad P.U.G.?
We've all experienced it. There you are sitting in your favorite MMOG when suddenly you're "blessed" with a quest or mission that you simply can't handle alone. Your mind races, beads of sweat form on your brow, and a zing of panic rifles up your spine. You realize you have no choice but to enter... The P.U.G. Zone.For those of you unfamiliar with the term, P.U.G. is the acronym for Pick Up Group. It might as well stand for "Insta-death." More often then not when you're forced to form a group consisting of unknown players it usually ends in multiple deaths, and failure of said mission. If that weren't bad enough there's also a part of you that truly wants to make a good impression on your new found teammates. Thankfully there are many sites (like Massively, Ten Ton Hammer, etc.) dedicated to helping players deal with issues just like this.
Tabula Rasa not in the dumps after all?
Earlier this morning we posted an article from The Korea Times that -- on the surface -- seemed to herald very bad times for NCsoft and Tabula Rasa. After talking with our contacts at NCsoft, things may not be nearly as dire as the writer of that article made it seem. The cliche "take things with a grain of salt" was coined for a reason, and as you'll see... this appears to be one of them. According to what we were able to uncover this very same Korea Times staff writer has earned a reputation for writing sensationalized articles about NCsoft. In the last year he apparently has "reported" particulars from conferences that he never actually attended.Here are a few nuggets of knowledge that Cho Jin-seo "forgot" to mention:
Tabula Rasa down in the dumps?
According to a report from The Korea Times, NCsoft's MMO Tabula Rasa has done so poor financially that it's causing the Austin Studio to be reshuffled. The staff reporter on this piece (Cho Jin-seo) states that the Austin Studio "has inflicted a massive loss to the parent company by failing in a six-year blockbuster project." All of this seems to stem from NCsoft's 2007 fiscal report released on February 13. Jin-seo reports "the Tabula Rasa game has proven to be a financial disaster." During a conference call on February 14 NCsoft's CFO Lee Jae-ho stated that, "Because of this disappointing result, some downsizing in Austin is inevitable."This is very, very bad news -- and sad news to me personally because I enjoy the game so much -- if it indeed turns out to be correct. We have passed this information along to our sources at NCsoft for further comment, and we'll report back to you the moment we hear anything further. Until then, be sure to read the entire article for the complete lowdown on this developing situation.Thanks to one of our readers (JohnnyP) for making us aware of this news!

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