Michael Zenke

Michael has been writing about MMOs since 2003. He's had the pleasure of writing about videogames on a number of websites, including Gamasutra, 1up, The Escapist, and GameSetWatch. Before becoming a lead blogger at Massively, Michael was editor of the games subsite at the popular tech news site Slashdot.org. He maintains his own games blog at www.mmognation.com.

Articles by Michael Zenke

Star Wars Galaxies Dev Diary and video: Behind the scenes at Echo Base
The Star Wars Galaxies developers have been neck-deep in snow for months now, it seems. Since the launch of the Hoth heroic encounter in late November of last year, the SOE Austin devs have been tweaking and fine-tuning the experience for the enthused playerbase.The actual encounter is massive, and introduces a number of new roles and play opportunities for even longtime SWG players. We've talked about that before, with a highlight being a look at the encounter from the dev viewpoint at SOE Fan Faire.Today we have the pleasure of offering up a brand-new developer diary from SOE designer Stephen Wyckoff, all about the "engineering support" required to put players in massive Imperial vehicles! Join Stephen below the cut as he talks AT-STs, design, development, and tuning encounters to meet high player expectations. We also have a fantastic new video from the developers that will give you just a taste of what it's like to experience the frozen fury of the Hoth battle. All that and more is beyond the cut.%Gallery-37499%
Chinese online games market to hit almost $3 billion by next year
Every year studies and trends readjust our understanding of just how massive the online games industry is in China. Given the number of players, the number of companies, and the sheer time spent gaming in that country, it's probably not surprising that these numbers are a moving target. A recent study done by Interfax China, and reported by Softpedia, indicates that their already megalithic playing population will only increase in size through next year. By 2010, the article reports, "the online gaming industry of the Communist state will reach 18.21 RMB or 2.67 billion dollar."Given the signs of a shrinking PC gaming market here in the states, it's especially worth noting the very different attitude that Eastern gamers have towards non-console gaming. As explored in a number of articles here on Massively in the past, gaming in Asia often has the same sense of sociability that a night at the bowling alley does in the West. Among the youth of South Korea, China, and other nearby cultures PC gaming is not only fun and a social activity, but actually seen as pretty cool. Given the exploding youth populations of those nations, this stratospheric rise in online gaming will probably continue for some time to come.
PoxNora joins the Sony Online Entertainment family of games
Sony Online Entertainment has announced the acquisition of a new games studio, adding to their roster of development houses from Seattle to Austin. The Tucson, Arizona-based Octopi, LLC will now be the basis for SOE Tucson, a new studio specializing in online strategy-based gameplay. SOE now also wholly owns PoxNora, Octopi's online fantasy miniatures combat game. The release suggests that the corporate megapublisher plans to continue running the game, even as SOE Tucson positions itself for new projects within the SOE umbrella.SOE Denver, the studio responsible for the company's collectible card games, is an obvious ally for the newly acquired studio. Indeed, the official release notes that the two studios will be positioning themselves together to tackle new projects in the near future. "The new SOE Tucson studio will work closely with SOE's Denver studio on maintaining and expanding SOE's lineup of strategy games, as well as pushing into new genres and developing new projects." Definitely interesting to see the acquisition of such a great little game company; we'll keep you posted on the new studio's plans as they are announced. Read on below the cut for the full press release.
Fun with Death Knight data pt. 2
This pie shows the gender of the player, not the character. In WOW as a whole the ratio of men to women is still around 4.5 to 1, so the DK (at least as a main character) is definitely skewing to the manly players. Again, not really a shock to anyone. Each column represents the average number of points spent in each tree by players with a DK as a main. I made the mistake of asking some DKs of my acquaintance to tell me a little more about the different builds. My head exploded. One of the people I spoke with, a former reporter who understands the perils of too much information, suggested I check out an uberguild's DK forum and provide a link, rather than try to regurgitate it all here.
The Daily Grind: What do you want for Age of Conan in '09?
We were tooling around the official Age of Conan forums when we came upon a great thread asking after player interests in 2009. The author of that thread, COTSFM, was curious about what fellow players would want to see coming to their favorite Hyborean experience in the coming year. It was really interesting to see what priorities people had, with some asking for more endgame dungeons and others placing precedence on the game's siege gameplay.We're curious, though, what you want to see. What do you thinks the Funcom developers should add into Age of Conan in 2009? More armor sets, more content for that central questline? What would you like to see in Conan's world this year that would make you a happy barbarian? Let us know in the comments below!
AAA MMO developers offer up their 2009 resolutions
So far this year we've talked about some resolutions for game developers that touch on World of Warcraft, and some player-offered resolutions for the developers of Warhammer Online. MTV Multiplayer's Tracey John one-upped both by tracking down developers from most of the AAA MMO studios to ask about their upcoming year. She spoke with some big names you've no doubt seen many times on Massively, the likes of Jeffrey Steefel, Josh Drescher, Matt Miller, and Craig Morrison. Their resolutions are great, on a number of levels. Some, such as Morrison's hopes for Age of Conan, are bold proclamations of their future plans. Others, like Miller's proclamation that City of Heroes will continue to be seen as the best super-hero MMO, reflect the ways the industry will be changing this year. Our favorite is probably Noah Ward's lookahead to EVE's 2009, a massive statement of purpose for the coming few months. He concludes, "I predict that in 2009 we will finally see the day where there are more EVE subscribers than Icelandic citizens. There will be more 'pew pew' than ever before." Read through to the article for the full resolution buffet.
List of post-merger servers for Age of Conan released
We've known for some time now that Age of Conan's server list would be shrinking. After some fits and starts, the successful merger of Bloodspire and Hyperborea has set the stage for the wholesale conglomeration of the Age of Conan server farm. The official forums are carrying the final list of post-merger servers, and the US list stands at a svelte six remaining gameworlds. That's down from an initial list of about twenty-five, and the post-merger list for the EU side will stand at just twelve gameworlds. Here's the final list of the post-merger US servers: Set (PvE) * Damballah * Bardisattva * Dagoth * Derketo * Hanuman Wiccana (PvE) * Mannanan * Ajujo * Thog * Zug * Omm Gwahlur (PvE - Oceaninc) Tyranny (PvP) * Scourge * Bluesteel * Stormrage * Deathwhisper * Doomsayer * Shadowblade Cimmeria (PvP-RP) * Bane Bloodspire (PvP - Oceanic) - already merged * Hyperborea All of these mergers are slated to happen next week, and actual downtime and scheduled mergers will be announced sometime soon. You can read up on the official forums for player reaction, or continue on below the cut for a full list of the final international servers.
The Daily Grind: How much free-to-play game coverage do you want?
In the last six months or so, Massively has refocused quite a bit since our early days. When we started out, we went really broad, trying to encompass every element of the MMO genre out there. We talked about everything from RuneScape to semi-obscure Korean imports, all the way up to Warhammer, World of Warcraft, and Lord of the Rings Online. In the last six months, though, we've primarily been focused on AAA titles. We primarily did it because we thought it was what you wanted to see, but in the last month or so we've seen signs your interests may be broader.Free-to-play games are constantly improving, formerly maligned Korean imports have seen a lot of development and localization love, and the microtransaction market is a moving target. Games like Atlantica Online, Runes of Magic, Wizard101, DOMO and Shaiya are increasingly showing up on our collective radars. What do you think about these games? Do you want to see more coverage of free-to-play games on Massively? What's your favorite free-to-play game that we really need to pay attention to? And if we do put more coverage of these games on the block, do you want to see things like patch notes or just the highlights/holiday announcements? Let us know!
A big list of MMOs to watch in 2009
Over at The Vault, they've put up an exhaustive list of all the MMO titles you should have your eye on throughout the new year. While they sort of term it as thought it's a big list of games coming out this year, we think they know it's unlikely all of those games are going to be released in the next twelve months. With that in mind, if you aren't sure what games you should have on your radar (and you haven't clicked our handy "upcoming MMOs" widget above), this massive list will bring you up to date.Here at Massively, of course, we've been doing our own level best to keep you updated on a lot of these titles, be they AAA superhero games like Champions Online or DC Universe Online. We've talked fervently about Star Wars: The Old Republic, and given you the skinny on under-the-radar titles like Aion, FreeRealms, and Jumpgate Evolution. We've even walked away from our precious fantasy to talk about games like APB or The Agency. The Vault's list is a great one to run down - check it out to see what game you should be obsessing over today!
Putting on appearances in Star Wars Galaxies
Later this year a brand new 'appearance' system will be added to SOE's Star Wars Galaxies MMO. Like similar systems found in Lord of the Rings Online and EverQuest II it will allow players to appear to be be wearing whatever they wish, while gaining the mechanical benefits of specific 'loot' pieces. In a way the system reintroduces one much beloved portion of pre-NGE SWG, which often saw players wearing varied outfits. Loot, in those days, didn't have mechanical benefits.To accompany the new system, the official site has up a Friday feature explaining how the system is to be used. Making use of the system couldn't be simpler, and allows an unchained range of possibilities for customization and personal expression. Check out the piece to learn the full details of equipping and customizing your character's newest look.Update: We originally said the system was already live; currently it's only available on Test at the moment.
The Daily Grind: Have you had to cancel an MMO subscription?
While there may be reason to believe the economy is set to improve in the near future, at the moment the United States is facing something of a downturn (the blogger writes delicately). As a result, everyone's looking to their own personal bottom line. Things that you'd let slide a year ago might not be so easy to write off today. As a result, it sounds like a lot of people in the MMO gaming community are re-examining their hobby to see where pennies might be pinched.This blogger, for example, has had to made some hard decisions about where he's going to put his play time and his pay time. The ongoing awesomeness of Middle-earth won out over new fun in Azeroth for the time being. I'm sure I'm not the only one that's let an account lapse, though. Have you put an MMO subscription out to pasture while things blow over? If you have, how did you make your decision? And, if you're not playing a subscription game anymore, have you started in with a free-to-play alternative or just turned to other ways of gaming?
The week in Massively features
GamerDNA and Massively look back at the MMO year in reviewToday's column features data from July through December. GamerDNA being a startup, our data collection in the first half of the year was not consistent enough to use for anything but wild guessing and drinking games. Listen, a start up tech company can make ANYTHING into a drinking game. Anti-Aliased: Top 5 things MMOs should learn in the new yearI am absolutely no more inventive than every other blog in existence, this edition of Anti-Aliased is dedicated to the top 5 things the industry and culture should learn and take into 2009, rather than forgetting. Some of it's funny, some of it's serious, but let's be honest -- it all goes towards perfecting how to have fun in virtual worlds. The Digital Continuum: Sci-fi geeks need to experience Jumpgate EvolutionEven those who should be excited for Jumpgate Evolution are seemingly unaware of it's forthcoming release. This won't do, and so I present to you the essentials of why a sci-fi fan should give this game some serious consideration for their 2009 MMO budget. EVE Evolved: Making the most of your EVE Online free trialSince the learning curve is relatively steep to begin with, it's very easy to become overwhelmed in a short trial period. These factors can make it hard to experience what EVE is really like, meaning it's hard to make an informed decision. The patent that stole ChristmasWe can learn a few things from the suit against NCsoft, including (we think) how Worlds.com/General Patent sees its own position with respect to these claims (they don't seem to think it's as firm as it could be). You might also be wondering about prior art (which is abundant). Well prior art, in and of itself, is simply not enough. Not on its own.
The Warhammer Herald delves back into PvE dungeons
The trusty Herald for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning has once again delved back into the game's non-PvP content. Though WAR is built around the massive Realm vs. Realm systems developed by Mythic Entertainment, there are numerous Player vs. Environment options available to gamers who want something a little more traditional. This is actually the third of these guides to roll out to the Warhammer site. The first dealt with low-level treks like the Altdorf sewers and The Sacellum, while the second delved into mid-level dungeons probably very familiar to WAR veterans (Gunbad, Bastion Stair, etc.).This newest entry, then, tackles some of the highest-level instances in the game. Most of these in turn are actually connected to the aforementioned Realm vs. Realm systems, and are only accessible from within captured Capital cities. The exception is the Elven Lost Vale, a six-man level 40 encounter off the coast of Avelorn's coast. Otherwise dungeon rundown number three tackles locales in the Capitals like The Elysium, the Screaming Cat Tavern, and the two massive palaces the dominate the player cities. Read on into the piece for full details on these encounters.
SSL certificate expiration complicates LotRO logins
Massively writers trying to play Lord of the Rings Online this Saturday morning stumbled into a mess that's apparently been going on most of the day; upon trying to log into the game, the following error appears: "The SSL certificate appears to be expired. Please ensure your system clock is set to the correct time and try again. [ERROR 80001]" Investigating the LotRO forums has uncovered an official thread from CM Tarrant resassuring players that Turbine's NetOps team is looking into it.Meanwhile, players have already solved the issue. If you want to get into the game, just set your computer's clock back to January 1st. The complication there is that daily quests might then be tweaked out, and so further recommendations state you should set your computer's date and time to the correct values at the character select screen. Essentially, set the clock back to log in, and then reset once you're past the loader. Turbine assures this issue will be resolved soon, and we can't imagine this seemingly minor error will continue much longer. Update: And resolved it was, at around 2pm ET. Sapience wants everyone to be sure to set their computers for the correct time if you used that as a cheap workaround. That should ensure the SSL error doesn't show up for you.
The Daily Grind: How was Keg End?
With all the holiday hootnannying, we never really had the chance to ask you how your holiday in Warhammer went. All the other games were rolling out pretty familiar offerings for us this year, from World of Warcraft's tried-and-true Winter Veil to the Hobbity fun of Lord of the Rings Online's Yule Festival. Warhammer's brand-new live event, "Keg End" was a unique offering this year, and from the sound of things offered a lot of fun times. Festive fireworks were fired, unique holiday experience bonuses were all around, and the fest itself offered a lot of holiday-themed tasks for players to sink their teeth into.Our question to you this morning is simple: How was it? Did you have a chance to participate in the keggy goodness? Was Ogre-killing and seeking the Golden Stein as much fun as the merry Mythic rhyme made it sound? Did you manage to obtain the Elite reputation reward for completing all of the event's tasks? Let us know in the comments below while some of us are still getting over our own keg-related events ...
Star Trek Online timeline advances to stardate 2384
In recent memory the Cryptic crew has given us a lot of Star Trek Online goodness to chew on. There was the unveil of the NX-91001, an advanced exploration craft in the Federation fleet. There was the tour of the studio, you might remember, or even the news that the game might be coming to the PlayStation 3. One of their other recent features was entitled 'The Road to 2409', and began the process of moving prospective players through the future history of the Star Trek universe. The time after the show Deep Space Nine and the movie Nemesis is completely untouched by official media, so we as Trek fans need all the help we can acclimating to that big jump in time.Their newest feature brings us to the year 2384, a stardate still bearing many familiar faces and names for long-time Trek fans. The bulk of the article concerns upheaval in the Romulan Empire, with political changes still echoing through that body in the wake of the final Next Generation movie. Meanwhile, across the galaxy, the Klingon Empire faces new threats from an old border. Old familiar names from DS9 (Odo, the planet Bajor) are mentioned in passing, and the Federation as always is involved throughout the Alpha Quadrant. Read the full article for details and to make the timeline jump to the year 2384!%Gallery-28615%
The week in Massively features
The Digital Continuum: Five MMOs to watch out for in 2009Out of all the games coming out or possibly being announced in the coming year, which are the ones everyone should train their eye on? What games -- or announcements -- should be watched more closely than others, and why? These are the questions that I'll do my best to answer in this week's The Digital Continuum. Of course, I'll also probably say some crazy things that may or may not come true, as per my usual agenda. So it's a win-win for everyone involved! MMOGology: What will microtransactions mean for SWTOR?Who's afraid of the big, bad microtransaction? Me. Count me with the skeptics when it comes to a microtransaction-based business model for Star Wars: The Old Republic. In case you missed the flurry of news surrounding the announcement, Shacknews reported that Star Wars: The Old Republic would use a microtransaction payment model in place of or in addition to a subscription model. Know Your LotRO Lore: GollumIn this week's installment of Know Your LotRO Lore, we're going to cover one of the most popular non-Fellowship characters throughout all of Tolkien's works: Gollum. Known for his certain unhealthy obsession with the "precious" One Ring, the true origins of Gollum are often unknown to all but the most studied of lore buffs. Ask Massively: Would you hire a gamer?I usually dislike writing about the things that everyone else is talking about, but I'm sufficiently motivated (read: ticked off) about this topic that I might as well throw in my two cents. With all due respect to my readers and the people who take the time to write in to Ask Massively every week, this time I am going to answer questions that have been asked in other columns. Behind the Curtain: The spirit of competitionI was going to write a little about the differences between making better games, and making games better. The more I thought about it though, the more I realised that a topic like that doesn't really have a place here at Behind the Curtain.
The Daily Grind: Happy Holidays!
It's Christmas Day, and that means most of the Massively bloggers are probably hunkered down around their in-game trees. We're counting the pieces of loot that virtual Santa left us this morning, and by now we're probably engaged in a good old-fashioned game of "who got the best stat bonuses?" It's tradition, after all. We hope that all of you reading the site are having really great holidays, be they spent in-game or not.From everyone at Massively, whatever the holiday you celebrate this time of year (or not), have a happy one. We'll camp the spawn till you all get back tomorrow.
EverQuest II Game Update 52 preview includes revamp of Lavastorm
Brett Scheinert, game designer on the SOE flagship product EverQuest II, has dropped into the official forums with a sort of 'New Year's Resolution'. In point of fact, it's a preview of new content coming to the game in Game Update 52! Posting with his forum name of timetraveling, Scheinert promised we'd see the following within the next few months: A new instance with 9 bosses geared for two groups at a time. Over half of the bosses will be slated to drop Void Shards, the new metacurrency introduced with the Shadow Odyssey expansion. This will be endgame content balanced for characters with only the very best gear. On top of that, players will also see a similar raid balanced for four groups at once. Tradeskillers will be seeing another trades instance, this time based in the epic dungeon 'The Void'. The classic zone Lavastorm will be seeing numerous improvements, similar to changes made to Everfrost in GU 48. Among these changes, players will see brand new areas with level 80 solo content tied into an all-new Lavastorm-based faction. This faction will offer numerous pieces of gear to earn, including 12 new armor sets with brand-new appearances. timetraveling makes a point to note that one of these armor sets is going to be a brand-new robe model with helm, shoulders, and legs as seperate visible pieces from the chest-part! Coming hard on the heels of an entire new expansion with multiple new dungeons, it's interesting to see the tack the EQ2 designers are taking with this. All new endgame content to explore, with new loot/appearance rewards tying into their revamp of older content. It's a great continuation of strides they took forward in 2008, and makes it sound like 2009 will be a great year to be an EverQuest II gamer. Stay tuned to Massively after the holidays for details on this new content!
The Daily Grind: MMO gift giving?
Last week Massively put up a gift guide for gamers looking to share their favorite hobby. We don't imagine a lot of you ran out to put it into use, but it did bring up a question among some of us regarding gift-giving and MMOs. Every year after the holidays the NPDs reflect season gifts of MMO boxes, and spikes in online gaming. We have to wonder though: are the December holidays really a time to get into or give an MMO?So, that's the question for today. Have you ever given an MMO box or subscription card as a Christmas gift? Have you ever recieved one? Did your exposure to an MMO as a result of gift giving result in a long-term relationship with the genre? Give us details and heart-warming holiday stories on this, the last day before Christmas Eve. Drop us your holiday hijinks in the comments below!

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