Matt Daniel
Articles by Matt Daniel
Massively's hands-on with The Elder Scrolls Online
Last week, I ventured forth from the subtropical paradise (read: sweltering wasteland) of the Florida panhandle to the frozen northern wastes of Maryland to visit the studios of ZeniMax Online to spend some time with the studio's premiere foray into the MMO space, The Elder Scrolls Online. The Elder Scrolls Online has caused quite a clamor since it was first revealed back in May. Since then, everything has calmed down, everyone is discussing everything reasonably, and... I can't keep a straight face. In reality, MMO gamers are deeply divided about TESO, and some vocal potential players are most displeased to see the venerable sandbox world of Tamriel being reduced to yet another themepark MMO experience. So after about four hours of hands-on time with the title, I'm here to answer some questions. Have the folks at ZeniMax run The Elder Scrolls off the rails, or have they just taken it in a bold, new direction? Join me after the cut and I'll tell you what I think.%Gallery-168863%
EVE Online dev blog discusses Bounty System revamp
It takes some impressive cojones for a game developer to come right out and say that one of its game's systems is broken, but that's exactly what CCP has done in the latest EVE Online dev blog. "The bounty system is broken!" reads the opening to the post, which -- surprise! -- focuses on all the ways the game's current bounty system is borked, and more importantly, how CCP plans to go about fixing it in the upcoming Retribution release. CCP's main goal with the bounty system revamp, according to the post, is to "give people faith that money they put into the bounty system has a fair chance of actually leading to their target crying tears of fear and frustration." Lovely! CCP also wants to "support bounty hunting as a career choice, preferably in a way that makes it possible for newer players as well as older players to get involved." To top it all off, the studio is expanding the bounty system to cover corporations and alliances as well, so if you've got a grudge against a corp and the money to put all its members six feet under, you're in luck. The full list of changes coming to the system is mind-numbingly extensive, but if you'd like all of the fine details, you should head on over and give the official post a read-through.
Star Trek Online reveals 1000-day veteran rewards
Starfleet and Klingon captains, your attention please! Cryptic Studios has an announcement that should be especially exciting for any long-time players of Star Trek Online. The game has been going strong since February of 2010. Tomorrow its first wave of players will reach the 1000-day mark, and everyone knows what that means: veteran rewards! Today the studio unveiled the shiny rewards that these dedicated Trekkies will have bestowed upon them in gratitude for their loyalty, and those players are certainly in for a real treat. Players who prefer the Starfleet side of the game will be given access to the latest in Starfleet technology: the Chimera Heavy Destroyer. This fine starship has a number of top-of-the-line features ranging from the prototype Dynamic Tactical System to the "powerful multi-targeting Lotus, which is capable of piercing multiple targets." Meanwhile, the Klingons in the house will be able to jump into the cockpit of the Peghqu' Heavy Destroyer. This versatile ship is very similar to its Federation counterpart, featuring the same Dynamic Tactical System and Lotus weaponry. Veteran players who reach the 1000-day mark will also claim a new in-game title, an extra starship slot, and an exclusive forum title. Better yet, all lifetime subbers will also receive instant access to all existing veteran rewards, which is handy since lifetime subs are on sale for $199.99 (down from $299.99) for the next month.
Chinese MMO market gravitating toward hardcore and competitive titles
China has something of a reputation in the online gaming world as the land of many MMOs, but it looks like things may be changing soon. Gamasutra reports that a study by Niko Partners, an Asian game-market analytics firm, shows that "Chinese players are showing an increased demand for hardcore browser-based web games." According to the study, PC game revenue in China has grown by 37% in 2012 while online game operators' revenues have increased by 26%. The disparity in growth between the two suggests that the Chinese online gaming market is losing steam. Interestingly, Gamasutra notes that the only outlier in the data is Tencent, operator of a number of traditional MMOs as well as the wildly popular League of Legends. That studio has managed to grow significantly. Niko Partners notes that this growth is a direct result of non-traditional titles like the MOBA it publishes in China. As Niko rep Lisa Cosmas Hanson noted, "For several years Niko has cautioned that the repetitive theme of cultural mythical history MMORPGs in China was beginning to bore gamers, and that new types of games would be necessary to revive waning demand for those games." If you consider the size and importance of the Chinese online gaming market in the grand scheme of the industry, this paradigm shift could be a look toward the future of the MMO genre.
PAX Prime 2012: Hands-on with Origins of Malu
PAX Prime is gone and passed, but our coverage isn't done quite yet. As it happens, we've saved one of the best for last. Burning Dog Media's upcoming MMO, Origins of Malu, has been making a few waves in the sandbox-craving community. Boasting features such as brick-by-brick player-house construction and exploration-focused gameplay, Origins of Malu is a game that I've had my eye on for some time. So of course I was rather excited to be able to go hands-on with the game at PAX, where Burning Dog had set up a small alpha-build PvP battleground in which players could battle head-to-head in a slightly twisted version of the traditional capture-the-flag gametype. Now, I don't know about y'all, but PvP isn't exactly on the top of my list of Origins of Malu features I'm looking forward to, but there were definitely some surprises to be had in the demo, plus I got to have a bit of a chat with Burning Dog's president of media, Michael Dunham. What did I think? Find out for yourself after the cut.
PAX Prime 2012: Undead Labs' State of Decay
Everyone loves zombies, right? Apparently so because they're absolutely everywhere (like Miami, for instance), but we keep on lapping it up. Secretly, though, I think a lot of us are tired of the same old zombie games. After all, if you're one of the truly hardcore that has a zombie apocalypse plan that includes where you'll hole up, how you'll find weapons, what you'll eat, and so forth, it's a little disappointing that most games tend to focus solely on the zombie-shooting part of the zombie apocalypse (not that there's anything wrong with zombie-shooting). Undead Labs' upcoming MMO State of Decay might change all that. The game will take place in a persistent world where players are responsible for rounding up survivors, finding the necessary resources to build defenses and stay alive, and of course, fighting off the zombie hordes. Finally, those of you who have long debated the merits of going to the gun store vs. not going to the gun store in the event of an apocalypse can see whose plan works better. And what's more, at PAX Prime 2012, I got to sit down and play around with it myself, though not for nearly as long as I would have liked. Regardless, if State of Decay is on your radar -- and it should be -- then I'd be glad to tell you all about my 20-odd minutes with the title.
PAX Prime 2012: Our first look at MMORTS Novus Aeterno
The MMORTS genre is a relatively unexplored one, generally relegated to free-to-play titles that tend to be mediocre at best and warcrimes at worst. It's beginning to pick up some steam these days, though, with titles like Trion Worlds' upcoming End of Nations. But I'm not here to talk about Trion or other big AAA studios; I'm here to talk about one guy who got bored and decided he'd make the game he wanted to play. That's Nick Nieuwoudt, the mastermind behind in-development MMORTS Novus Aeterno. As a hardcore StarCraft II player, he realized that he enjoyed the RTS playstyle but was left wanting something more. So as any sensible person would do, he gathered together a team and got to work creating the game he wanted to play. Many months of work later, TAITALE Studios has put together the foundation of Novus Aeterno. And as luck would have it, I had the opportunity to take a look at the game at PAX Prime 2012, so if you'd like to take a look behind the curtain at a potentially promising new MMORTS, follow on with me and I'll give you all the details.
Mists of Pandaria approved for operation in China
We're sure you're all familiar with the rumors that Blizzard's latest World of Warcraft expansion, Mists of Pandaria, had been seeing some trouble in China due to its depictions of pandas having the stuffing beaten out of them. Well, it looks like we can finally put those rumors to rest because the Chinese Ministry of Culture has approved Chinese web operator NetEase to operate the game (humorously Google-translated as World of Warcraft: Panda Man of Mystery; can we get a title change?) in the territory. This is a stark contrast to previous expansions Wrath of the Lich King, which was delayed in China for two years, and Cataclysm, which didn't hit the People's Republic until July of this year. The game's Chinese approval is good news for Blizzard considering the recent loss of around a million WoW subscribers. There doesn't seem to be an official Chinese release date for Panda Man of Mystery yet, but North American and European players will get their hands on it later this month on September 25th.
ArenaNet's Regina Buenaobra on Guild Wars 2, Reddit, and community
ArenaNet has, understandably, been receiving a whole lot of publicity in the days following the launch of Guild Wars 2, due in large part to notable events such as the "ask why you're banned" thread on the r/GW2 subreddit. Not everyone, however, is thrilled with the idea that ArenaNet is conducting so much of its customer support and community interaction on Reddit and social media sites such as Facebook rather than on official forums or a well-established community site. If you're someone who has been wondering exactly why ArenaNet focuses so much effort on Reddit and social media, then we're here to shed some light on the issue. We reached out to Guild Wars 2's North American Community Team Lead, Regina Buenaobra, to get the official point-of-view. If you'd like to know about ArenaNet's community and customer support teams (and the differences between the two), click on past the cut for the Q&A.
PAX Prime 2012: Hands-on with Phantasy Star Online 2
I'm sure I'm not the only one around here who has fond memories of sitting in front of a Sega Dreamcast (a moment of silence, please), hacking-and-slashing my way through the original Phantasy Star Online, and I'm also sure that I'm not the only one who's positively giddy for Sega's upcoming Phantasy Star Online 2. So of course, when I found out I'd be able to get my hands on the game at PAX, I was pretty ecstatic. But nostalgia can only go so far, and I'll admit I was somewhat nervous as I stepped up to the demo station. Would this new iteration in the PSO series live up to my rose-tinted memories of the title? I stepped into the boots of a Human Hunter to find out for myself.
PAX Prime 2012: WildStar presentation and Q&A
Carbine Studios' premiere foray into the MMO field, the deliciously sci-fi WildStar, has been high on my to-watch list since PAX Prime 2011 when I got my first look at the game (over Rubi's shoulder, admittedly). So I was delighted to have the opportunity to sit down with a few members of WildStar's development team for a short presentation and Q&A session at this year's PAX Prime. The developers, led by Lead Narrative Designer Chad Moore, set the tone of the presentation by leading off with the recently released housing preview video (which you should go watch if you haven't already), followed by a short explanation of the game's backstory. For the uninitiated: The game takes place on the planet Nexus. Nexus was once inhabited by a race of hyper-technological beings known as the Eldan before they mysteriously disappeared, causing the location of the planet to be lost to the annals of time. Until now, that is. Now everyone wants a piece of that sweet, technologically advanced pie, and players arrive from all over the universe to explore this mysterious planet and the secrets within. Admit it: You wanna know what those secrets are, right?%Gallery-130867%
PAX Prime 2012: SMITE
The battle of the gods rages on at PAX Prime 2012 with Hi-Rez's upcoming MOBA title, SMITE. Not much has changed since the last time we saw the game at PAX East, but as the game draws ever-closer to launch, MOBA fans have quite a bit to be excited about. The game has added a few new gods since the last time we saw it (this time around I had the pleasure of playing as the Chinese dragon Ao Kuang), and according to Hi-Rez's COO Todd Harris, the studio is aiming to incorporate at least 30 deities prior to launch. On the topic of launch, Harris states that Hi-Rez is aiming for a first-quarter 2013 release (perhaps around February), though that date is by no means final. Regardless, MOBA players looking for a fun, frenetic, and accessible new title should keep their eye on the mythology-laden game as it continues to add more playable gods in the run-up to launch. And don't forget that you can register to participate in the game's beta right now by heading over to the SMITE official site. Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 31st - September 2nd, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2012. Whether you're dying to know more about WildStar, PlanetSide 2, RIFT: Storm Legion, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
A critical look at Guild Wars 2
Well, it's finally official: ArenaNet's golden child, Guild Wars 2, has launched, and I'm sure thousands upon thousands of you are too busy playing it to even read this article. On the other hand, it's an MMO launch, so a good chunk of you are bound to be locked out of the servers, unable to launch the client, or any number of other things, and if that's the case, then boy do I have an article for you. But first, allow me to don my flame retardant suit. In the hopes of lowering the deluge of angry emails I'm about to get, let me preface everything by saying this: Guild Wars 2 is a good game -- a great game, even. In fact, I love it. But every time I've had the audacity to mention anything even remotely critical about the title in in-game chat (my first mistake), I've been immediately pounced upon by rabid fans who seem to think that anyone who feels that the game could be better in some regard is a heretic who should just quit the game. So I'm going to do what any rational gamer with a death wish would: take a critical look at Guild Wars 2.
The Secret World sales at 200,000; Funcom focused on the future
Funcom's latest entry into the MMO field, The Secret World, has been receiving some less-than-stellar publicity lately with a bit of news involving poor Metacritic scores and layoffs (albeit temporary) at Funcom. It doesn't look like things are changing much yet, unfortunately. TSWSociety.com reports that, in a financial document released today, Funcom is claiming sales of "over 200,000" for the horror-themed title. These sales are reported as being "below expectations" and resulted in an impairment charge of $35,000 US. In the report, Funcom also cites Guild Wars 2's launch date announcement, followed immediately by that of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria, as reasons for The Secret World's subpar performance. But regardless of these setbacks, Funcom is looking ahead according to the company's Director of Communications, Erling Ellingsen, who says that "[Funcom's] focus is now to readjust, roll up our sleeves and focus on the future." Hopefully dark days are not, in fact, coming. [Thanks to Gostik for the tip!]
WildStar Wednesday details crafting and economy
Here we are at yet another hump day, but there's no need to moan and groan. Carbine Studios is here to relieve the midweek slump with a new WildStar Wednesday, this time focusing on the upcoming sci-fi title's economic and crafting systems. If you're the type of player who would rather be a trade magnate than a fierce warrior, then this WildStar Wednesday is for you. According to the devs, player crafting "will play an integral role" in WildStar because of the game's item modification system, and they stress that "modifying your gear [is] about choice and customization, rather than following a blueprint for the 'best' choices." The developers also reveal that dye and costume systems will be in the game, allowing players to perfect their outfits so they can explore the universe in style without sacrificing function. For the full interview, which includes a few more juicy tidbits on the costume and crafting systems, head on over to WildStar Central and check it out.
Lord of the Rings Online dev diary details Rune-keeper changes in Riders of Rohan
Lord of the Rings Online's upcoming expansion, Riders of Rohan, is less than a month away, and players can certainly expect a plethora of changes and updates when it hits. In today's LotRO developer diary, Turbine shines the spotlight on the game's Rune-keeper class and highlights some of the skill and trait improvements and changes that Rune-keeper players can expect in the expansion. For starters, Rune-keepers will be receiving five improved skills: Improved Scribe's Mark, Improved Rune of Restoration, and Improved Armour of Flame/Winter/Storm. Meanwhile, the abilities Flurry of Words and Mystifying Flame are receiving some minor adjustments, and the traits Linnod of Peace and Rune of Endurance are getting nicely upgraded. Some players may be befuddled by the extremely minor changes, but the dev diary notes that the devs "don't feel that Rune-keepers are in need of major changes at this time," so it seems as if Turbine feels that the class is in a pretty good place right now. For the full details on the changes and upgrades, go check out the full dev diary on the LotRO official site.
World of Warcraft series 75% off until August 27th
Blizzard, in a move that we're certain has nothing to do with an upcoming high-profile game launch, has decided to cut, slash, and otherwise mutilate the prices for World of Warcraft and its many expansions. The World of Warcraft Battle Chest, which includes the original game and the Burning Crusade expansion, is on sale for a paltry $5 US, while the Wrath of the Lich King and Cataclysm expansions are reduced to $5 and $10, respectively. If you have somehow managed to resist playing WoW for the past however-many years, now's the perfect time to succumb to the temptation and give the game a go, especially considering that patch 5.0 goes live in a week, and Mists of Pandaria soon after that. Surely you don't have any other plans for the 28th, right? If you wanna capitalize on the savings, though, just head on over to the Blizzard store, but do so quickly! The sale ends on August 27th.
EverQuest's Hero's Forge cosmetic system goes live
All you EverQuest players better put on your fiercest faces and get ready to hit the catwalk 'cause the game's cosmetic armor system is officially live. The new feature, known as the Hero's Forge, will provide players the means to craft and discover a number of new cosmetic armor pieces so that they can strut around Norrath in the finest fashions. But much like that Versace handbag you've had your eye on (don't deny it), haute couture in Norrath doesn't come cheap. The Hero's Forge will have to be unlocked separately for each individual character on a player's account, and the only way of doing this is via a real-money transaction in the SOE Marketplace at the slightly ridiculous price of 1200 Station Cash ($12 US) per character. Looks like you can put a price on beauty. Nonetheless, players eager to get a fashionista fix can head on over to the Marketplace to get hooked up. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release]
Turning over a new leaf in Guild Wars 2's Sylvari starting experience
The Sylvari have been my race of choice ever since they were announced as a playable race in Guild Wars 2. It's not often that you see races outside of the generic Orc-Elf-Dwarf-Human spectrum, so the sylvan-esque race really appealed to me as something different. So of course, when time rolled around to stake claims on the impressions piece of the newly introduced Sylvari starting experience during the final beta weekend, you better believe I pounced on it. So here we are: Guild Wars 2's final beta weekend is over, and it's just a matter of time before launch is upon us. But you'll be happy to know that I spent my entire weekend prancing around Tyria in the leafy soles of a Sylvari's boots. It was a journey full of mystery, surprises (both pleasant and otherwise), and a whole lot of oversized foliage. Follow along past the cut, where I shall make like a tree and get the hell on with it already.
MMO Blender: Matt's immersive cyberpunk monstrosity
Let's take a look at the acronym MMORPG for a moment. If you're reading this site, you surely know what it stands for: massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Ever since World of Warcraft hit the big-time, MMOs have been cropping up left and right in more shapes and sizes than many would have ever guessed. Swords and sorcery: check. Spreadsheets and spaceships: check. Roman orgies: coming soon. But somewhere along the line, game developers have forgotten something. Before there were MMORPGs, there were just RPGs, played by folks gathered around the kitchen table armed with nothing more than pencils, paper, and their trusty dice. I'm not going to pretend that "I was there, man" because -- being a '90s kid -- I didn't get into pen-and-paper games until my teens in the 2000s. But even I know that those games put an emphasis on the "RP" part of RPG in a way that MMORPGs simply don't, and in some ways, can't. But I'm sure that I can't be the only one who still wants to escape to another world, to become fully immersed in that world and in my character. So in my Frankenstein's monster experiment today, I'm going to try my best to meld modern MMO features into an immersive fantasy roleplaying world. Won't you join me?