Michael Zenke
Articles by Michael Zenke
The Dwarf Slayer and Orc Choppa coming to Warhammer Online with a live event
The Mythic developers have been having a little fun with the blogosphere over the last two weeks, sending out clippers and movies hinting at what might be coming down the pipe for Warhammer Online. Despite the teasing, it looks like fan supposition about what these gag gifts mean was entirely accurate. Today we've been walking through a discussion we had with Mythic's Jeff Hickman, and he confirmed that the Dwarf Slayer and Orc Choppa are indeed going to WAR. In fact, the very first event in the Call to Arms live event expansion will be Bitter Rivals, an event much like the one that introduced the Blackguard and Knight of the Blazing Sun to the game late last year. Join us below the cut as we talk to Jeff about the new classes, the event that will introduce them, and how Bitter Rivals differs from the much-beloved Heavy Metal live event.%Gallery-43282%
Mythic announces the first live expansion to Warhammer Online!
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/Warhammer_Online_first_expansion_has_new_classes_huge_zone'; Massively.com recently had the chance to speak with Warhammer Online Executive Producer Jeff Hickman. Mr. Hickman laid out for us the much anticipated 'bombshell' news for their PvP-focused MMO: an entire expansion being released over the next few months as live events. Warhammer Executive Producer Jeff Hickman: We've been launched for four or five months now, and all we've done for this time is looking at the game, listening to our players, playing the game ourselves. We've been drilling down into all of the little pieces that weren't quite right for us. We've been looking at client/server stability, what we can do with the RvR system, introducing the two new classes ... we've drilled down on any and all concerns that players might have to perfect the game as it stands right now. With that starting to be under control, we looked ahead and said to ourselves, "we have about four or five months to do some really interesting, cool new events." We're calling it a live expansion. We're trying to hit really hard for players that haven't tried Warhammer, or perhaps players that tried it and then went off to play Lich King or something like that. We want them to come back, see all the improvements we've made, and all the new content coming up. We're calling it "a Call to Arms." Read on below the cut for full details on the expansion, head over to the official site for their take, or click through to one of our related posts for further information: The Choppa and Slayer enter the game in "Bitter Rivals" The Land of the Dead recalls Darkness Falls in an all-new mega-zone Valentine's Day gets bloody as "The Night of Murder" %Gallery-21882%
Five big failings of the MMO genre (and a rebuttal to same)
Tom Chick is a well known and (generally) respected games journalist probably best known for his contentious reviews and championing of the New Games Journalism movement. He also isn't a big fan of the MMO genre. At least he isn't today, in a writeup on his Sci-Fi Channel co-branded site Fidget. The article is entitled Five Reasons MMOs Are Broken, and follows up that contentious beginning with a breakdown of the MMO genre. His primary issues seem to revolve around the established contrivances of the genre itself, such as the concept of aggro or respawning enemies. He's also very frustrated by the innumerable barriers put up between players, the levels/classes/dungeons/servers/gear restrictions that stop us from playing with our friends.As blogger Scott Jennings points out, more than the genre he's specifically breaking down World of Warcraft. He's effectively using WoW as a synonym for MMO, and as a result Jennings (and us) can point out that some of his failings have already been addressed. Read into Scott's dissection of Chick's writing for more analysis and insight on this issue and the supposed failings of the genre. Then, let us know what you think below. Is the MMO genre really that flawed ... or is it just the standard Diku-style successor that's old hat?
Joystiq 3.0 launches to fanfare, cake
The other day we noted that our big-sister site Joystiq had some big plans in the works, including a new site design and the conglomeration of the former 'Fanboy' sites. Well, the changes have gone down and "Joystiq 3.0" is now live as of late last night. Many congratulations to the Joystiq staff for their new and shinier site. It's not just a slick new interface to your favorite game news blog, though, there's a lot of 'behind-the-scenes' goodness as well. There are larger images, easy access to video and podcasting, and a bunch more.Head over to the brand-new Joystiq.com and let them know what you think!
Going down the rabbit hole with Warhammer Online's live events
With just a few months of live service under their belts, the team behind Warhammer Online has already distinguished itself with quality and innovative live events. Heavy Metal, the Reikland Factory preview, Keg End, Witching Night ... all new looks at old holidays, highlighted by the game's unique Tome of Knowledge system. Crispy Gamer has a look at the creation of these events with Mark Davis, Mythic associate producer and live events designer. Davis talks a bit about Mythic's philosophy behind creating these events, and notes their high level of popularity with the playerbase.Their popularity isn't hard to figure out. Offered Davis, "[WAR is] all about the bragging rights. Players like to show off how powerful they are or what accomplishments they've unlocked, and this is one way that they can show how cool they are." We at Massively have definitely enjoyed the events they've offered up so far. What about you? Which Warhammer live event has been your favorite? Any holidays you're particularly looking forward to the team tackling?
Killer Croc comes to DC Universe Online
The most recent update to the DC Universe Online MySpace page has given us a new look at an old Batman adversary: Killer Croc. The bestial figure depicted in the newest batch of screenshots appears to call back to the heavily-mutated villain fans of the Hush story will be used to. Croc has gone through numerous permutations over the years, and this newest appears to be extraordinarily inhuman. The team will apparently be offering up these character focuses as the months progress. You can read up on Croc's place in DCUO, or click on through to our gallery to see the new screenshots on offer.%Gallery-27752%
Korean MMO developer offers update on Korean gaming
RPG Vault (a fantastic site) recently had the chance to speak with Korean MMO developer Seonho Kim all about the state of Korean gaming alongside our favorite genre. Seonho is the Game Publishing Department Manager for CJ Internet, one of the country's 'big five' publishers. He paints a vivid picture of gaming in South Korea, with the unique blend of online gaming and popular culture something completely foreign to our experience here in the west. As Seonho tells it, online FPS titles have been at the forefront of Korean gaming for the last few years. This is all in comparison, of course, as MMO gaming in Korea is still a massively popular genre.In the last year, though, MMO gaming has made a big comeback. This has primarily been driven by new titles like Aion and Atlantica Online, with the five big Korean publishers all working on their own MMO 'take' to draw in new players. The second part of his analysis deals primarily with this element, the balancing act that the Korean games industry maintains. Both pieces of his discussion are very interesting reads, and well worth checking out. If you're curious about the games he mentions, make sure to check out Massively's coverage of Altantica and Aion before you head elsewhere!%Gallery-35608%
The week in Massively features
Every week we take a bit of time to reflect. To look back on the last week's worth of content on Massively.com, and applaud the hard work of Massively bloggers. Read on below as we highlight the best original content posted to the site. You might want to shout at your monitor, or you might be thrilled by an upcoming game you've never heard of. You might laugh at us, or you might find a new favorite blogger. Either way, you'll find something you won't regret reading this week in Massively features. Checking in on Free Realms, just months away from Beta!Join us as we talk about their Diablo-style combat, their deep pet system, the role of innovation in 'kiddie' games, and a bit about their extensive collections system. We'll even get a sense of when Beta for this novel project will begin! Read on through below the cut for the full details. Massively interviews Champions Online's lead designerMassively recently had the chance to speak with Champions Online's intrepid lead designer, Randy Mosiondz. Topics included are the game's unique brand of action-combat (and how it differs from other games), a substantial achievement system, new mission structure and even what new and exciting travel powers would be featured come launch time. Anti-Aliased: The Darkfall propheciesDarkfall. Everyone talks about it. Our mailboxes get flooded with requests about it. Comments regarding the game are both frothingly energetic and intensely angry. Just writing a piece about it can get a writer wacked. Checking in with Warhammer OnlineIt's been a while since Warhammer Online was released and in that time we've seen a lot of crazy stuff happen. Namely, Wrath of the Lich King launched, became the fastest selling PC game of all time and rocketed World of Warcraft into an even high number of subscriptions. Massively's EVE Online new player guideIn the past few months, the column has been aimed at informing new and prospective players about the varied world of New Eden and giving them the helping hand they deserve in getting started. In this handy wrap-up (or should I say warp-up?) article, I've collected all of the articles aimed at new and prospective players into a set of handy clickable image links.
Dark Age of Camelot Grab Bag touches on Origins server issue
Just a few days ago we wondered aloud about the absence of the 'Origins' server for Dark Age of Camelot. We linked to a post on MMO Champions that talked about the history of the Origins server (a promised new server returning to the old days of DAoC), but the big question was 'where is it'? While the server was promised months ago and the playerbase seemed very much in favor of the new/old mix, Mythic has been tight-lipped about the possibility of late. Thankfully the recent interest seems to have reminded the developers of that discussion.This week's edition of the Dark Age of Camelot Grab Bag touched directly on the Origins server ... though perhaps not as informatively as we would have liked. CM Joanne Laroche offered: "I know that many of you are eager to know what the status of the Origins server is and can't wait for an update. I just wanted to let you know that while there isn't any information to share with you right now, I'm pleased to say that there will be in the weeks ahead. As always keep an eye the Herald for the latest news." So, hopefully more news soon on this front. Read through to the Grab Bag as a whole for additional details on everything from Dragonsworn armor to crafting. Forsooth!
Joystiq announces conglomeration of subsites, new site look
Massively's big-sister site, Joystiq, is undergoing some pretty impressive changes. They're getting an all-new site look and a bunch of tech upgrades. More dramatic than that is their announcement that the console-specific 'Fanboy' websites are going to be merged with the central Joystiq URL. Xbox 360 Fanboy, for example, will become xbox.joystiq.com. I'll reiterate what Chris has to say about this here, that this is not the result of cutbacks, rollbacks, required layoffs, or anything of that nature. This is purely about making Joystiq a better site with an eye towards the future. Check out the full extent of the site's plans in Chris's post, or listen in on the latest edition of the Joystiq podcast so that Luddy, Chris, and Justin can explain it to you. From our side of things, Massively isn't going to be changing one bit as a result of this decision. Massively and our fellow bloggers at WoW Insider and Big Download have different sets of plans, ones we're really excited to be working towards. If you've come to enjoy Massively's take on the world of MMO gaming, worry not: we're not going anywhere.
This year's GDC offers a lot for MMO fans
A fan of MMOs? This year's Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco will have a lot to offer you. Every year GDC offers game developers and (by proxy) the gaming public an inside look at the way the industry as a whole is swinging. The Game Design track is, in this blogger's opinion, always the most interesting. 2009, above and beyond the average, is going to appeal to those of us with a love of online gaming. Two well-known MMO industry leaders will be speaking at the event. Those aside, there are numerous talks that fall well within the interests of folks who like open world environments and roleplaying combined.Whether you're going or just reading coverage, you're definitely not going to want to miss Cruise Director of Azeroth: Directed Gameplay within World of Warcraft. Jeff Kaplan will talk about the guidelines and philosophies behind making the uber-popular game, and (tantalizingly) will be going into the evolution of Blizzard's quest design leading up to Wrath of the Lich King. The other big draw is going to be Making an MMO Based on a Beloved IP (Without Pissing Everyone Off), done by none other than Mythic Entertainment's Paul Barnett. Barnett will be speaking to the challenges of working with an established IP, as well as sharing humorous anecdotes from the years-long dev process. There are plenty more tantalizing events on the docket; be sure to check out the Cliff's notes at GameSetWatch.
Warhammer Grab Bag No. 8 tackles mods, stats
The eighth Grab Bag has come rolling down the mountain from the Community Managers at Mythic Entertainment. Every so often the folks behind Warhammer offer up some answers to questions prompted by the players themselves, and this week the questions delve deeply into the PvP-focused game's minutiae. Grab Bag #8 covers everything from Tome unlocks to the differences between Armor Penetration and Armor Ignore on gear.Head on over to the official Warhammer Online Herald site to get educated on everyone's favorite RvR title. And, if you were wondering, you can still get tome unlocks even if you've been 'chickened'. Some, in fact, require it! Bawk!%Gallery-21881% WAR has gone 1.1! Check out our full coverage of the 1.1a patch, along with our interviews exploring upcoming content and the open RvR changes. Plus, don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!
New dungeon, PvP options coming to Age of Conan
With the server merges slated for Age of Conan complete, Funcom can now turn their full development attention to bug fixes and new content for their violent fantasy title. A brand new Director's Letter from Craig Morrison has outlined new shinies that are coming to Hyborea very soon - so soon they're already on the test server. The biggest chunk of newness has to be the Xibaluku dungeon. It's a six person instance aimed at level 80 players, and located in Thunder River. The "goal" of the dungeon for the developers was to create a dynamic encounter that is eminently replayable. Depending on a given run-through, the locale might contain up to a dozen boss encounters. "Some of the bosses may even appear with different abilities or in different forms across different visits! I also say 'up to' a dozen because not all the bosses may appear on any given single play through."The other big focus for the next content drop focuses on PvP. Battlekeeps will now require new resources harvested from the Border Kingdoms to expand. The designers hope to focus open world PvP into these areas, giving PvP guilds not only specific areas to skirmish over, but also allowing them the opportunity to thwart their foes. They're also introducing a new signup process for the PvP mini-games that should be joining and enjoying that content easier than ever. Read through to the full letter for all the details.
Funcom's The Secret World seeing sweeping design changes
Funcom may still be hard at work getting Age of Conan into just the right position for Hyborean players, but that doesn't mean AoC is their only project. Indeed, after recent confirmation that The Secret World was still a going concern, we now learn that it's getting a bigtime design overhaul. Writing on his personal blog, Game Director Ragnar Tornquist notes that they're completely revisiting some underlying assumptions about the title. As Tornquist puts it, nothing we've seen so far will actually be changing; the game's look and 'feel' remains intact. Instead, all of the changes they're making are more about underlying design assumptions.What's going to result from these changes is an MMO that actually tries to be different. Conan's run at the playspace dominated by World of Warcraft has obviously taught these designers the value of differentiation, and they want to capitalize on the unique strengths of their project. Says Tornquist, "We want The Secret World to stand out and be remembered - obviously. To not be just another MMORPG, a WoW clone, of which there are already too many. We're going to play up the strengths of our universe and differentiate ourselves in both the setting and the gameplay." Hopefully we'll be able to provide a few more details on these changes soon.[Via Eurogamer]
Star Wars Galaxies Producer's Letter outlines appearance tab, future plans
Early last week the sixth Game Update hit the live servers for SOE's Star Wars Galaxies. While previous updates have focused on bug fixes, class rebalancing, and other tweaks, GU6 added a whole new system long asked-for by SWG players: the Appearance tab. We've already talked about this system earlier this month, when the SOE Austin team did a preview of this brand new system. It's functionally very similar to the ones found in EverQuest 2 and Lord of the Rings Online, and you can find full details on the new tabs in our previous post.The patching in of the system, though, was accompanied by a new Producer's Letter from Chris "Dotanuki" Fields. He offers up just a taste of what's coming for SWG players: Game Update 7 will be all about Spies! Plus, this year's Valentine's Day event will be an even bigger and better version of the Ewok Love Festival than last year. Beyond those updates, the team is playing things a bit close to the chest; the only other piece of news he had touched on a fun and interesting re-entitlement reward. Read through to the official forums for all the details.
TNT's Leverage is 'For the Horde'
I love Leverage. The newish modern-day thinking man's action show from TNT offers a weekly look at a gang of crooks doing a little bit of bad for a lot of good. It's actually a lot like the tabletop RPG Shadowrun, if you've ever heard of that game. The show is appealing on a number of levels, but the producers obviously know the demographic one of its characters attracts. The man in the snazzy suit above is Aldis Hodge, playing the part of Alec Hardison - resident geek and computer/technology expert. And, apparently, a member of World of Warcraft's Horde.In this week's episode of the show Hardison bonds with an officer worker in a corporate megaplex he's infiltrating. We actually got a preview of this clever schtick in an interview done by the folks at WoW Insider. They spoke with episode writer John Rogers about the episode last month. You can catch full episodes of the show over on TNT's website, but if you just want to check out the full clip of their exchange you can do so below the cut. Now I want to know what class he rolls.
Checking in on Free Realms pt. 2
To further explore the combat, the different classes look like they offer some differentiation for players. That said, though, it doesn't look like a typical MMO situation where you'd need like a Brawler, a Mage, etc to make a balanced party. Are combat scenarios going to be possible to complete regardless of party makeup? Laralyn: It's a combination of things. Every job can be solo'd, if you want to. You have the opportunity, as an individual player, to really broadly explore your jobs. You can level each job, each job plays differently, so it's like rolling a new character in any other MMO. If you're playing with friends, yes you can all take on different roles, but they're not as rigidly defined as in other titles. That allows them to solo well, but it also lets players make a personal choice. If you're playing with a buddy and he's maxed out his warrior and really want to play his healer that's fine because you probably have a melee class you can work on. Or, that said, you can both play a healer and you should do fine.
Checking in on Free Realms, just months away from Beta!
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/Checking_in_on_SOE_s_Answer_to_Runescape'; Earlier this month we brought you impressions from visitors to the annual Consumer Electronics Show, folks who had the chance to see the few games at the show up-close and personal. One of the titles on display at the event was SOE's Free Realms, an ambitious free-to-play title Massively has been following quite closely since the site launched. We couldn't make it to CES this year, but we definitely wanted a chance to get caught up on all the latest developments behind this innovative title.We were thrilled, then, to have the chance to speak to Laralyn McWilliams, the Creative Director for Free Realms. Ms. McWilliams was kind enough to lay out a number of improvements and changes to the game since we last saw it, and further clarified some of the interesting newfeatures demonstrated at CES. Join us as we talk about their Diablo-style combat, their deep pet system, the role of innovation in 'kiddie' games, and a bit about their extensive collections system. We'll even get a sense of when Beta for this novel project will begin! Read on through below the cut for the full details.%Gallery-12980%
WoW Insider declares Patch 3.0.8 a 'disaster'
What should have been a joyous occasion (the first big patch since Wrath of the Lich King launched) has turned into something bad. Like, just this side of "watching footage of the burning Hindenburg while Ride of the Valkyries plays and someone recites Thus Spoke Zarathustra" bad. We just discussed the fact that Arenas have been closed on the live servers, but there are a lot of other problems that have World of Warcraft players (rightfully) up in arms. The most vicious of these bugs was undoubtedly the Lake Wintergrasp glitch - one that literally made WoW unplayable for some time earlier today. The developers hotfixed a patch out that stopped the hard crashes, but there are still many, many frustrations facing players used to a high quality product from the Blizzard developers."Unbearable" lag, disconnects during raid fights, high-level class imbalances, graphical bugs ... the list goes on. Our sister site is even frustratedly noting that longstanding bugs slated to be fixed with this patch simply weren't ... and the bugs weren't even addressed in the patch notes the way you'd have expected. Read on through to WoW Insider's post about these issues for the full list and their frustrated request for better Quality Assurance in the future. Here at Massively we definitely hope you WoW players soon return to the polished product we all know Blizzard is capable of. In the meantime, let us know. What the heck do you think went wrong this time?
Network outage affecting all SOE forums, sites, logins
We've gotten word from some readers (and confirmation from SOE itself) that the MMO megapublisher is experiencing connectivity issues this afternoon. The network outage is affecting the official sites for most of their games, the official forums for their titles, and the login servers that allow access to the games themselves. Ironically, the game servers themselves should be unaffected by this outage, meaning players already logged in to their game of choice shouldn't be experiencing any difficulties.SOE community bigwig Craig Dalrymple has updated his personal site with details of the outage. While there is currently no ETA for a fix, we'll be sure to post an update as soon as one is available.Update: Looks like connectivity has returned, along with the sites, forums, and login servers.