Origins
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'No Man's Sky' update adds new planets, volcanoes and sandworms
No Man’s Sky underwhelmed at launch back in 2016, in part because Hello Games and its marketing materials had set expectations extraordinarily high.
'Asteroid Day' is a good time to learn about the threat of space rocks
On June 30th, 1908, more than 770 square miles of remote Russian forest were obliterated from the face of the Earth when a relatively small meteor, estimated at only around 400 feet across, unleashed 15 megatons of energy above the Stony Tunguska River. One hundred and nine years later, humanity knows precious little more about the dangers that lurk within our solar system than we did in 1908. But a recently founded "global day of education" aims to bring the existential threat that space rocks pose to the forefront of our collective consciousness.
'Overwatch Origins Edition' will be on PC, PS4 and XB1 next year (update)
Until now only a PC version had been announced for Blizzard's first all-new game in years, but today a splash page on its Battle.net website promises it will come to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Overwatch Origins Edition is expected to arrive "on or before" June 21st, 2016, although the link to BuyOverwatch.com isn't working yet. The listing itself has very little information other than promising "all digital content included with Origins Edition will be available by launch," but an eagle-eyed Reddit poster spotted what may be a full listing of items on a videogame retailer's website. The shooter has generated hype with a public beta and many Twitch streaming sessions, but for now it's just one more reason (besides that Warcraft movie trailer) to keep an eye on BlizzCon over the next few days. Update: Overwatch is up for pre-order at BuyOverwatch.com. The standard edition costs $40 and is only available for PC. The Origins Edition is $60 and is confirmed for PS4, Xbox One and PC. There's also a Collector's Edition (PS4, Xbox One and PC) for $130.
FACTIONS: Origins of Malu opening early access in 'a couple weeks'
After Origins of Malu got the green light on Steam, developers went to work getting the sci-fantasy sandbox ready to release to players on that platform. All that work is about to come to fruition: Producer Michael Dunham told Massively that the early access release for the game's PvP build is only a couple of weeks away. FACTIONS: Origins of Malu is launching an invite-only closed release to ensure the systems are in check as far as user capacity, client integration, and the like today, February 1st, 2015; the EA will follow shortly after. Dunham anticipates early access to open before the 15th. To learn more about FACTIONS and future plans, read our exclusive interview with Dunham, then check out MassivelyTV on Monday, February 2nd, at 9:00 p.m. EST for a special Stream Team sneak peek of the game with devs.
Massively Interview: Burning Dog on Origin of Malu's do-over
When last we heard of the the indie sandbox Origins of Malu, Burning Dog Media had gone back to the drawing board for a do-over. The studio switched game engines, effectively starting the development process over again (again). But despite what some fans may fear, that isn't nearly as bad as it sounds! In fact, it's rather good news because players will be getting a far better game, and they won't have to wait very long to get it. I sat down with Producer Michael Dunham to talk about the changes and get a look at the progress the team has made.
Origins of Malu's Dunham talks phased release, Unreal 4, and more
So, what's going on with Origins of Malu? Quite a lot, as it turns out. Recall that the sci-fantasy game recently updated its website and hinted at huge upcoming changes. Lead developer Michael Dunham then took to YouTube over the weekend to talk about what's basically a complete revamp of both the game and the development process. The dev team has switched to the Unreal 4 engine as well as DirectX 11, which of course involves plenty of labor, testing, and the like. Dunham also mentions that OOM's original scope was way too big, and even though the team has already spent nearly five years and 60,000 hours on the project, a "much smaller scope for initial release" is driving the current plan. There's a "much, much higher focus" on combat at the moment, Dunham explains, though he says that the end goal is still a skill-based sandbox. You can watch the full devlog after the break.
Origins of Malu goes 'back to the drawing board'
Long-gestating sci-fantasy sandbox Origins of Malu has an updated and now rather cryptic website teasing something called Project: Hail Mary as well as some "upcoming changes" for the game. Burning Dog says that it has gone "back to the drawing board so to speak and in the next couple of weeks, we'll be unleashing just what OOM has become during our hiatus!" There are also PlayStation, Xbox One, Mac, and Windows logos prominently displayed on the teaser page. Finally, the revamped landing page mentions a video blog scheduled for Sunday, August 17th. [Thanks Dystopiq!]
Make My MMO: May 11 - May 17, 2014
This week in MMO crowdfunding, Shards Online officially launched its Kickstarter and revealed its gameplay to the world via its first livestream event. Some other crowdfunding stuff probably happened too, but really, we're all Shards all the time in these parts, and we'll be your best friend if you go give Citadel some money so that we can eventually make a Massively server filled with love and world domination. In case objectivity is your thing, we've included the rest of the week's crowdfunding news after the cut.
Origins of Malu will offer F2P with limited lives and permadeath
Origins of Malu has a few interesting ideas regarding its business model that Burning Dog laid out today in a post. The studio prefaced the plan by assuring fans that the title will have "no pay-to-win, no matter what." The game will offer a hybrid business model, with both subscription and free-to-play options. Sub fees will be "low" and come with bonuses and store currency. If you opt for the free-to-play angle, you'll only have a certain number of lives per day. Spend all of your lives, and you'll either need to stop playing for the day, buy more, or play with the risk of facing permadeath. Free-to-play won't be restricted otherwise, but may contain ads on the loading screen. Burning Dog said that some of the items that it will sell in its cash shop are housing items, vanity gear, lives, and pets.
Origins of Malu back on Kickstarter, aiming to release 'within the next few months'
Indie sci-fantasy sandbox MMO Origins of Malu is back on Kickstarter. We say "back" because you may remember Burning Dog's first crowdfunding drive from October of 2012. The dev team canceled it less than a day after it began due to talks with outside investors. Said talks eventually dissolved, but work continued and Burning Dog says it's looking to "release this long-gestating game out to the public within the next few months." To do so requires "very specific skill sets," which the current Kickstarter funding will facilitate. If you want an early look at the game, check out MJ streaming the alpha with Burning Dog devs. [Thanks Cody!]
EVE Evolved: Top five tips for new EVE players
I often hear people say that EVE Online is a lot more fun to read about than actually play, and I've even caught myself saying it jokingly to friends and writing it in articles. But the truth is that amazing stories like the recent world record-breaking Bloodbath of B-R5RB are a hell of a lot better when you're a part of the action or have the first-hand experience to put the event into a wider context. All of EVE was impacted by that battle, with its effects rippling through the in-game markets and reshaping the political landscape of New Eden. But to read about it, you'd think the carnage in B-R5RB ended when $310,000 US worth of titans went up in smoke. EVE has seen a huge influx of fresh faces since that colossal battle at the end of January, with thousands of new characters being created and the Rookie Help channel bursting at the seams. Whether you've always been a closet fan of EVE who has finally been convinced to take the plunge or you just want to join the ranks of the warring alliances you've read so much about, starting out can be a daunting experience. The sheer amount of information there is out there to absorb and sort through is overwhelming, and not all of it is up to date. CCP released a great new player guide recently to help newcomers assimilate, but I've still received several emails asking for advice on getting started. In this week's EVE Evolved, I delve into the new-player experience with a 14-day free trial and reveal my top tips for starting out on the road to creating your own sandbox story.
Final Pokemon Origins episode translated into English, available now
If the animated Pokemon show the franchise grew up with wasn't really your thing, you can try a different, sans-Ash Ketchum origins story with Pokemon Origins. Destructoid noticed that the fourth and final episode of the series, which is based off the Pokemon Red / Blue storyline, is now available in English. You can watch all four episodes on the Pokemon website or go mobile with The Pokemon TV app in the App Store or Google Play store. Each episode runs just over 20 minutes. The series follows Red's journey from Pokemon Zero to semifinalist for the title of Pokemon Champion, with the other contender being that smug jerk, Blue. There's also an encore battle involving Ash's quest to finish filling the Pokedex. If you're willing to take a break from your own conquest in Pokemon X & Y, Origins is a nice way to remember how the Kanto region laid the foundation for the world of Pokemon.
The Game Archaeologist: Classic servers and you
Sometimes players don't want progress into the future; they want to regress into nostalgia. I've always seen this undercurrent of desire for classic servers run through the MMO community, manifesting in lengthy discussions about how cool it'd be to play a game the way it was "way back when." I also imagine developers reading those discussions with a combination of shared nostalgia and anxiety over the work required for such a project. I can understand this desire. We form attachments to MMOs based on several factors, not the least of which are when we started playing the game and what we remember most from it. While we generally applaud the change brought about by content updates, bug fixes, expansions, and the like, there's always a part of us that won't let go of the past. That's where classic servers come into play. Here and there, studios have recognized and responded to this desire for gaming the way it used to be by creating servers that deliberately call back to the past. It might seem to fly in the face of common sense, but I don't think it's that strange when you look at the larger video game community and how strong nostalgia gaming has taken root there as well. So what do classic servers have to offer you and where can you find them?
Black Ops 2 Apocalypse DLC on Xbox Aug. 27, includes zombie Origins
Apocalypse is the fourth and final DLC installment for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, landing on August 27 as a timed exclusive on Xbox 360. Apocalypse includes four multiplayer maps and a new Zombies mode, Origins, which Treyarch teased in a video yesterday. Origins stars the four original heroes from the first-ever Zombies map – Tank, Nikolai, Takeo, and Rictofen – as they gallivant in a dieselpunk, World War I-era France that's been overrun with the undead. As the title suggests, Origins will explore the beginning of the Zombies storyline and features "a period-specific arsenal," including Wonder Weapons that harness supernatural powers. Just like the ones Pershing used. The mech we spotted in yesterday's Origins video is a 1,000 foot robot that players must evade, along with all the zombie hordes. The multiplayer maps in Apocalypse are Pod, a failed utopian community from the 70s, Frost, a wintry European city, Takeoff, a small launch site in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and Dig, and adaptation of the Courtyard map from Call of Duty: World at War.
Black Ops 2 'Origins' video begins with 4 men, ends with a mech
Every story has a beginning and an end – and giant, violent robots, according to Activision. A teaser for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Origins popped up on the Treyarch YouTube channel today, offering no more information beyond its title and the video. The video shows a series of close-ups on four men with grizzled faces from varying worldwide regions and wearing hardcore adventuring gear, along with what appears to be an ancient temple and a series of bunkers. Then the four men look up and surprise, it's a huge mech. We reached out to Activision but it wouldn't provide any more information about what Origins is.
The Think Tank: What got you started in MMOs?
Can you remember your first MMO buying experience? What series of events led to your interest in massively multiplayer gaming? What made you finally accept that paying monthly for a game is a thing that's OK? Or did you wade through countless free-to-play games before finding one that suited you? As the guys and gals you turn to each day for your MMOs news, the team at Massively has a solid history with this genre. So I dug a bit deeper to get those stories from a few members of the team. Feel free to leave your own MMO origins story in the comments below as you enjoy our own after the jump.
EVE Fanfest 2013 final day: Trailers, EVE's TV show, and a vision for the future
We usually don't expect to see much from the final day of the EVE Fanfest, but for this year's tenth anniversary celebration, CCP isn't doing anything by half measures. The first two days of the event had a strong focus on DUST 514 and EVE Online, delving into the specific details of DUST's upcoming Uprising update and EVE's Odyssey expansion. I went into the convention centre today expecting a nice slow wind down with the usual CCP Presents keynote looking at the state of the company, but I left with several huge reveals that seemed to come out of nowhere. Not only did we find out that EVE Online is finally getting a collector's edition box full of goodies, but CCP revealed that a new EVE comic book and lore compendium are both on the way. As if that weren't enough, there's also an EVE TV series in the works based on player-submitted stories of true events inside the EVE universe. I couldn't help escaping the feeling, though, that this year's CCP Presents talk was more than a little marketing-oriented. As one of the press put it to me after the talk, it felt at times like watching an infomercial. On the plus side, we did get to see more of CCP's future vision for the EVE universe and an amazing new trailer showing the game's core storyline. Read on to check out the incredible EVE Universe Origins trailer and my summary of the final day of Fanfest 2013.
Origins of Malu moves beta start to May 4th
Origins of Malu fans have been twiddling their thumbs after Burning Dog announced a week ago that the start of the beta would be delayed. Today the studio has put a firm date for that start up front and center: May 4th. There is a possibility, however, that the beta may begin before that if all goes well. Burning Dog apologized for the delay and said that it will be careful the next time it promises a set date that it can make the mark. "The pressure to not let the community down is high and we take this very seriously," the team said. In the meantime, beta players with keys can go ahead and download the client in preparation of the test.
Burning Dog announces Origins of Malu beta delay
Origins of Malu fans, we feel your pain. We've been looking forward to the sci-fantasy sandbox for over a year now, but because of a beta delay we're going to have to wait a few more days. Burning Dog has posted a brief explanation on its website, saying that it has not had "adequate time to polish the game and complete the necessary internal testing" despite meeting its March production goals. The client will be made available for download this week, the firm says, and a new beta date will also be announced in short order. If you've already registered a beta account, check your email today for further info. [Thanks GJH!]
Get your Origins of Malu beta key from Alienware
If you're interested in beta testing Burning Dog's Origins of Malu sci-fantasy sandbox, you'll want to hurry over to the key giveaway currently happening on Alienware's website. As of press time there were just over 2,200 keys remaining. Origins of Malu is an open-world title with no class restrictions, player-controlled factions, and a deep crafting system that impacts the world both physically and economically. [Thanks Bartillo!]
