Matt Daniel

- Massively Freelancer

A lifelong geek, Matt has been gaming since he could hold a controller. MMOs, FPS titles, and fighting games are his poisons of choice, and when he's not indulging in his most recent gaming addiction or writing for Massively, he spends his time crafting short stories, reading any sci-fi and fantasy he can get his hands on, and wasting all his money on steampunk paraphernalia.

Articles by Matt Daniel

Lord of the Rings Online provides guide to legendary items
Lord of the Rings Online's legendary item system is not a terribly simple one, and Turbine apparently knows it. The studio has released a new guide called Legendary Items 101. As the name would imply, the guide is more or less a crash course on legendary items, but for those who are just now delving into the depths of the legendary item system's nuances, it could certainly be useful. The guide covers the entire process, beginning with the acquisition of a player's first legendary item in Volume II, Book 1 of the epic questline. It moves on to cover more advanced topics such as the identification, comparison, and slotting of legendary items. Legacies are detailed, as is the method of leveling up legendary items. If you're in the market for a quick-and-simple introduction to Middle-earth's legendary items, check out the full guide on the LotRO official site.
City of Heroes unveils fan-created Retro Sci-fi costume set
City of Heroes players, we hope you're ready for a flashback because the game's new Retro Sci-fi costume pieces are full of old-school goodness right out of yesteryear's sci-fi classics. Ray-guns, jetpacks, and shiny suits with rings on them are all present in the new costume pieces that were initially conceived with fan input at last year's City of Heroes fan summit. The folks at PC Gamer had the chance to sit down with Paragon Studios' Eric Johnsen to talk a bit about the new additions. Johnsen talks briefly about the creation of the costume set's conception at the fan summit and the process of taking those ideas and turning them into full, in-game costume pieces. If you want to know anything about the design process of the Retro Sci-fi set or about the most recent fan-designed costume set and its release, head on over to the full article and give it a read.
Steve Danuser weighs in on the 38 Studios debacle
It's been one hell of a month for the folks at the now-bankrupt 38 Studios, but so far we've heard precious little from anyone directly involved with the Project Copernicus developer. Today, 38 Studios' former Creative Director, Steve Danuser, has broken that silence with a post about the matter on his personal blog. The post doesn't really do much to shed any light on the events that led to the studio's fall, but it does provide one thing that has been lacking: A look at the people affected by the debacle. Danuser takes the time to talk about the rollercoaster of emotions that he and other 38 Studios employees have been riding for the better part of the last month, stating that "the only people who really understand are the ones who make up this now fractured fraternity that was once a great team." It really is a very personal read, but it adds a fresh, human perspective to a story that has, until now, been addressed only from the angles of finance and industry. To read it all for yourself, head on over to Danuser's blog. Oh, and if you're the emotional sort, it may help to have some tissues handy.
Leveling to 80 through pure crafting possible in Guild Wars 2
Combat has long been the focal point of most MMOs' progression systems, and in most games it's borderline impossible to get to max level without spilling some blood. Pacifistic Guild Wars 2 fans seem to be in luck, however, as ArenaNet designer Linsey Murdock has revealed on the forums that, with some hard work and perseverance, players will be able to level all the way to level 80 by doing nothing but crafting. According to Murdock's post (viewable only if you have access to GW2's beta forums), it works something like this: Leveling a single crafting profession to level 400 will grant enough XP to gain 10 character levels. As a result, by maxing out all eight crafting professions, a player can go all the way to the level cap without ever laying hand on a weapon. A few players on the forums have expressed concern that this will lead to a "pay-to-win" style of play, since players can pay money for gems, exchange those gems for gold, and then use that gold to buy crafting materials for a (relatively) quick level boost. Others point out that while this method may increase a character's leveling speed, it offers no statistical benefit and therefore is not pay-to-win in the truest sense of the word. So what do y'all think, kind readers? Is this treading dangerous pay-to-win territory or not? Give us your tuppence in the comments.
The Secret World's third beta weekend begins June 15th
While The Secret World's conspiracy theorists have their hands full with the game's latest ARG hook, fans who just want to get their hands on the game again won't have to wait much longer. Funcom has announced that TSW's third beta weekend, subtitled Hell Raised (after the dungeon of the same name), will begin on June 15th. This time around, players will be cut loose from the confines of Kingsmouth to run wild in the appropriately named Savage Coast, where the gates of Hell have been flung open to allow all sorts of nasty beasties to make their way into our world. Players will have the opportunity to delve into the mystery of the infernal invasion by taking on the newly added Hell Raised instance. According to Funcom, The Secret World "has received significant enhancements since the last beta weekend, with improved content, gameplay mechanics, and performance." To top it all off, this beta weekend will mark players' first look at the updated combat system. If you haven't already received a beta key and want to get into the beta weekend, all you have to do is throw down a pre-order on TSW and you'll be guaranteed entry. So remember: June 15th. Savage Coast. Be there.
Champions Online dev diary details Power Armor review process
After seeing a certain summer superhero film, some people may have been overwhelmed by the urge to fly around in an awesome high-tech armor suit that makes things go boom. Unfortunately, we can't all be Tony Stark, but Cryptic is here to help with a detailed post on the recent additions to Champions Online's Power Armor powerset. The post outlines the entire process behind designing and implementing the myriad improvements while highlighting some of the new abilities being brought to the table. The process begins with the gathering of community feedback, after which the developers sit down and hash out ideas based on power designer Matt Danuser's "vision for the set, including any new power or mechanic fixes... it needs." Then the designers, artists, and programmers kick into high gear by implementing the powers in the game, creating graphics for them, and making sure that there are no glaring imbalances in the mechanics. Then it's off to the public test shard for more community feedback. For Danuser's full blog on the subject, head on over to the Champions Online official site.
Star Wars: The Old Republic community Q&A talks 1.3, clarifies existing features
It's time for yet another Star Wars: The Old Republic community Q&A. This time around, the devs asked players to move away from asking about far-future content (which often garners unspecific, uninformative answers) and instead ask about current features and the philosophy behind certain design decisions. As a result, there are a number of questions about the additions of the upcoming patch 1.3, such as the group finder and ranked warzones. In addition, game designer Jason Attard takes the time to explain exactly what Presence does and the benefits and detriments to its use. Efficiency bonuses for crew skills are also mentioned, with the dev clarifying that efficiency, which grants a speed bonus when crafting items, increases in proportion with that crewmate's affection for you, up to a max of 15% efficiency. For the full Q&A session and all the juicy details therein, head on over to the game's official site.
E3 2012: Matt Firor takes fans inside The Elder Scrolls Online
This year's E3 is winding down, but we're not quite done yet. In addition to Joystiq's interview with ZeniMax's Nick Konkle, we had the chance to join Matt Firor as he gave a preview showing of The Elder Scrolls Online. While he didn't reveal anything earth-shattering that we didn't already know, he did provide some insight into the upcoming title's development. Many fans of the Elder Scrolls series are up-in-arms over TESO's lack of resemblance to earlier entries, but Firor assures us that the studio is doing its best to implement features that will help the game retain its Elder Scrolls flavor. For instance, the game will feature the time-honored resources of health, magicka, and stamina, and as in other Elder Scrolls titles, players will be able to sneak, block, sprint, and so forth regardless of character class. In addition, despite the studio's choice to use often-derided action-bar-centric combat, ZeniMax is still attempting to give combat a more visceral "action-RPG" feel to keep it more in-line with the general type of frantic combat players have come to expect from the series.
38 Studios declares bankruptcy, law enforcement investigating [Updated]
38 Studios, in a move surprising absolutely no one, has declared bankruptcy. This report comes hot on the heels of the news that the Project Copernicus developer has laid off all of its employees and sold Big Huge Games. In addition to covering the bankruptcy, the Providence Journal revealed that "state and federal authorities have launched an investigation into [the company]." State police Col. Steven G. O'Donnell states that the inquiry is taking place "to investigate activities that have recently come to light at 38 Studios." According to the Journal, these activities include taking out loans totaling $8.5 million US "based on state film tax credits that had not yet been issued." Things are looking pretty grim for Curt Schilling and his studio, but we'll just have to stay tuned to see how the rest of this plays out. [Update: Our sister site Joystiq reports that the Rhode Island governor has stated, "We are going to do everything possible to maximize return on our investment [...] Taxpayers in Rhode Island can have full confidence that if there's a penny that we can get, or a nickle or a dime, we'll get it." The company is suspected to be worth "tens of millions of dollars."]
Star Trek Online's June Ask Cryptic discusses fleet advancement, Foundry rewards
Hope you're settled in, Star Trek Online players, because the June Ask Cryptic is quite a read. As you might expect, a good many of the questions revolve around the upcoming fleet advancement system slated for release in Season Six. Dan Stahl takes the opportunity to provide a bit of insight into the specifics of the fleet base system, which will allow fleets to create their own base-of-operations. He also reveals that the studio is working on implementing a system of rewards for completing player-made Foundry content. The studio's "temporary solution" to this is to feature Foundation content in the mission journal. Stahl says that "this will allow [Cryptic] to attach premium rewards to specific player-made content that is being featured." All this and more is on display in this month's Ask Cryptic, so for the full skinny, head on over that way and give it a read.
China's online gaming industry booming; $6.1 billion expected in 2012
While recent events may have some questioning the state of the MMO industry in North America, a recent study by Asian game market analysis company Niko Partners shows that the industry in the Chinese and Southeast Asian markets is still going strong. In fact, the study reveals that the Chinese online gaming market alone is set to bring in a whopping $6.1 billion US in 2012 alone. So what is the reason behind the Asian market's continued success? According to Niko's reports, a good deal of credit should be given to the free-to-play business model. The F2P model reportedly encourages fledgling gamers to move from more casual social games to "advanced casual" games such as MMORPGs, resulting in a larger pool of money-spending players. Also of note is the fact that the use of internet cafes is declining in major cities. Whereas internet cafe revenue once made up "at least 50%" of gaming revenue, by Niko's current estimate, "up to 2/3 of revenue comes via the home channel." The full article offers interesting insight into one of the largest online gaming markets in the world, so if that sounds like your cup of tea, head on over to Forbes and give it a read.
Dungeons and Dragons Online unveils new Menace of the Underdark screens, video, open beta [Updated]
On the 25th of this month, Dungeons and Dragons Online players will have the opportunity to set foot in the treacherous caverns of the Underdark for the first time with the launch of the game's next expansion, Menace of the Underdark. To help players prepare for this momentous excursion, the folks at Turbine have released a new behind-the-scenes video that introduces players to some of what they can expect from the depths of the Drow homeland. Drow, of course, are a given. Players can look forward to squaring off against the race's nefarious priestesses and mutated dryders while they explore the city of Sschindylryn below the King's Forest of Cormyr. A number of deadly creatures await curious adventurers, including a new dragon for players to hunt. For the full details on what to expect from the Underdark, just check out the gallery below and then click past the cut for the full video. [Source: Turbine press release] %Gallery-148679% [Update: Turbine likewise announced today that the expansion is in open beta, so head to the forums and jump in!]
ArenaNet president Mike O'Brien heading to Reddit for AMA
Guild Wars 2 fans, do you have some deep, profound questions gnawing away at your brain that will simply drive you to the depths of madness if you don't get an answer? Well, we probably can't help you there, but if you've got any questions regarding Guild Wars 2 or its upcoming beta weekend event, there is a solution: Head over to Reddit's /r/gaming subreddit at 3:00 p.m. EDT to catch ArenaNet's latest Reddit Ask Me Anything. Join ArenaNet president Mike O'Brien and other members of the ArenaNet staff who will be on-hand to answer your pressing Guild Wars 2 questions. As we've seen in the previous AMAs with Jon Peters and Mike Ferguson, these events tend to get hectic quickly, so if you've got something you want answered, get yourself over to /r/gaming and prepare your interrogation.
E3 2012: Final Fantasy XIV releases new version 2.0 screens and art
E3 2012 is going strong, and you know what that means: screenshots for everyone! The folks at Square-Enix are jumping aboard the screenshot bandwagon with a bundle of new screens and artwork from Final Fantasy XIV's upcoming version 2.0 update. The new gallery of goodies shows off a number of the improvements coming to FFXIV in 2.0, such as the sleek new UI, fancy new character creation, improved real-time shading, and most importantly, the ability to frakkin' jump. Jokes about basic athletic ability aside, the new screens are delightfully shiny and should be a welcome sight both to current players and those waiting for 2.0 to get back into the game. The concept art also hints at a number of new vistas, monsters, and equipment pieces coming in 2.0 as well, so check out the full gallery below for all of the delicious new eye-candy. [Source: Square-Enix press release -- special thanks to everyone who sent this in!] %Gallery-157176% Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 4-7, bringing you all the best news from E3 2012. We're covering everything from PlanetSide 2 and SWTOR and ArcheAge to RIFT's and LotRO's upcoming expansions, so stay tuned!
E3 2012: The Elder Scrolls Online previews characters, more in new trailers [Update]
We're expecting big things out of The Elder Scrolls Online during this year's E3, and to kick things off, Bethesda and ZeniMax have unveiled a new teaser trailer that shows off a small sampling of the characters players can look forward to taking control of when they get their hands on the game. While it's not exactly gameplay footage, perhaps the new video will assuage fans who are uncertain about the game's art direction. That, or it will enrage them further. At any rate, the sample characters run the gamut of what you would expect from The Elder Scrolls: big bearded dude with an axe, sultry elven spellcaster, cloaked assassin -- you get the idea. The video's short and doesn't serve as much except for eye-candy, but if you're voracious for new TESO tidbits, it's definitely worth a look. Just head past the cut for the full trailer, and be sure to check back later this week for a chat with the folks behind the upcoming title. [Update: We've also added another video, this one an interview of TESO's game director discussing and showing off the game, and the official site has updated with a new look and FAQ. Thanks to Paul for the tips!]
E3 2012: Wizardry Online unleashes a bevy of screenshots
Sony Online Entertainment brought a big surprise to this year's E3 by announcing that it will publish Gamepot's upcoming super-hardcore MMO, Wizardry Online. Now that the event is in full-swing, SOE has released a slew of new screenshots from the title to show off the game's scenery and combat. For those of you not in the loop, Wizardry Online is an online continuation of Sir-Tech's renowned retro Wizardry series of RPGs. But Wizardry Online isn't your average DIKU-style title; the developers make no bones about the game's hardcore nature, which is a result of features such as permadeath, player-killing, and friendly-fire. Further details are scant at the moment, but Massively will be chatting with SOE later this week at the Expo, so stay tuned for more information on this punishing new title. In the meantime, enjoy the gallery below and check out all the new screens. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release] %Gallery-125949% Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 4-7, bringing you all the best news from E3 2012. We're covering everything from PlanetSide 2 and SWTOR and ArcheAge to RIFT's and LotRO's upcoming expansions, so stay tuned!
Rusty Hearts unleashes the Month of the Dragon
It's the Month of the Dragon in Perfect World Entertainment's free-to-play beat-'em-up, Rusty Hearts. Throughout the month, players will have the opportunity to snag the rare three-piece Dragon Armor costume set and a unique Mini-Bone Dragon pet. The first piece of Dragon Armor up for grabs is a dashing pair of boots styled after the claws of a dragon. So what are the folks at PWE asking for this new finery? They want players to head over to the official Rusty Hearts Facebook page and share it with their friends. After the page has reached the goal share-count, "the items will be inserted and [players] will be able to wear the most bone-chilling costume pieces ever seen in Bramunez." If the Facebook page manages to reach 100,000 Likes during the Month of the Dragon, PWE will also be rewarding 1,000 lucky players with the Mini-Bone Dragon pet. So get to it, social-media people, and earn yourself some new threads.
DC Universe Online releases game update 14, Last Laugh trailer
DC Universe Online's game update 14 went live today, bringing players some delicious player-vs.-player goodness. For starters, the update introduced Task Force X/Suicide Squad to the game's PvP matchmaking, which will allow players from opposing factions to fight on the same team in matchmade PvP, thereby reducing waiting times for PvP matches. In addition, tier 3 PvP gear is now available for purchase in the Watchtower and Hall of Doom. Sony Online Entertainment is also setting its sights on the upcoming DLC pack, The Last Laugh. The trailer features a monologue from The Joker (voiced by the fantastic Mark Hamill) laid over some shiny action footage that shows off the new Shield power while highlighting the DLC's PvP-focused content. To check out the trailer for yourself, head on past the cut.
ArenaNet and SteelSeries unveil Guild Wars 2 gaming peripherals
With Guild Wars 2's release creeping slowly closer, it's the perfect time for fans and potential players to invest in some new gaming peripherals. With this in mind, ArenaNet has partnered with the folks at SteelSeries to produce a new line of Guild-Wars-2-branded gaming peripherals for the discerning fan who wants red dragons on everything. The peripheral line includes the Guild Wars 2 gaming headset, which features "a slim, on-ear headset design that delivers a quality, immersive audio experience," and the Guild Wars 2 gaming mouse, an "ambidextrous mouse that features seven programmable buttons, red illumination, and industry-leading technology." But what good is a fancy new mouse without a fancy new mousepad? No good at all, obviously, but fortunately SteelSeries has you covered with a trio of high-quality mouse pads featuring Logan Thackeray, Eir Stegalkin, and of course, the Guild Wars 2 dragon logo. A keyboard has also been announced, but specific details are still forthcoming. The full line of products will be released later this year, but it's not gonna be cheap. The headset will run for $99.99 US, while the mouse and mousepads will go for $69.99 US and $14.99 US, respectively. The keyboard's price has not been announced.
ArenaNet doubles servers for beta weekend event
The folks over at ArenaNet are gearing up for yet another Guild Wars 2 beta weekend event, and this time they mean business. In an official blog post today, the team announced that it has doubled the number of servers available to BWE players, which should help provide a smoother and more accessible experience for everyone involved. Remember folks, the beta weekend event is this weekend, from June 8th to June 10th, so if you're one of the lucky folks taking part, be sure to get your client downloaded and updated before Friday. We'll see you in Tyria.

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