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The Daily Grind: Do you play an off-beat MMO?
Every time we cover what I consider a "smaller" MMO here on Massively, a voice always sounds off in the back of my head: "Who plays this?" Someone has to, right? It's not that I consider that games like Eden Eternal or Puzzle Pirates are the scum of the games industry. Sure, there's quite a few duds in the pack, but there are also a couple of lackluster titles that have gained a lot of popularity for some unexplained reason. It's just that I hardly ever encounter anyone who plays these games, Beau aside. So sound off today: Do you play an off-beat MMO? Do you eschew the mainstream games to engage with something on the fringe? If so, what are you enjoying? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Massively does Geek Week: A few minutes of free in MMORPGs
As MMO players, we know all about being geeks; we're the geekiest video gamers around! Join in the fun today as we celebrate Google's Geek Week with a series of MMO-flavored videos to introduce fellow geeks to our favorite games: Guild Wars 2, SWTOR, The Secret World, and more! Massively's Beau is fond of many MMOs but has a soft place in his heart for free-to-play indie MMOs. He's conjured up a video in honor of Geek Week to list nine of his favorites to give you something new to try -- something possibly outside your MMO comfort zone! Some require a download and a beefier computer, but most of his offerings could be played on the most basic laptop, so no one's left out. There's even something on his list for gamers of all ages, whether you're a kid of 8 years or 80. Spend a few minutes in free MMORPGs with Beau after the cut!
The Daily Grind: What MMO would be great on tablets?
Ever since receiving it as a gift last Christmas, my iPad mini has been a constant companion of mine at bedtime. It's the perfect way to unwind after a day, although I do wish that more MMOs would be created for it or ported over to it. It's good news that we have Ultima Forever and RuneScape 3 to look forward to, but where's the rest of the flock? I'd love to see some of these older games make the transition to tablets. I think it was genius to bring Puzzle Pirates to tablets a little while back, because you get the benefit of years of development without the worry of being a performance hog. Ultima Online might make a great tablet MMO, as would a pared-down version of World of Warcraft. Let's turn our imaginations loose today. What MMO would be great on tablets? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Game Archaeologist: Classic MMOs in July
It's been over a month since our last round-up of news, events, and community features covering the classic MMOs we know and love. You wouldn't think that a lazy summer month would contain a lot of new information regarding these older titles, but these past few weeks have been absolutely hopping. We've had several anniversaries, patches, player celebrations, mobile adaptations, and more. I'm constantly encouraged to see how players keep the memories of deceased games and the spirit of currently running ones alive throughout the blogging community as well, so we'll look into that today too.
Free for All: One Walking Dead MMO, please
One of the best gaming experiences I've had in recent memory has got to be the time I've spent in The Walking Dead series by Telltale games. OK, OK, so you might not agree that the titles are a series of "games;" they're more like a choose-your-own-adventure that is peppered with the occasional quick-time event, so let me clear the record in order to move on: I don't care what we call them. They are simply a fun experience. I can't believe that there are people who want to argue this point, but then again I had to witness people actually fight about games being art or not. So however you feel about the The Walking Dead, uhm, experiences, you cannot deny their popularity. The series took the market by storm and showed just what a powerful medium gaming can be. Not only that, but Telltale received deserving praise not only for the gameplay and story but for the fact that it produced something that could run on almost any device or setup. (Well, except Android.) How would The Walking Dead translate to an MMO, though? Could it be done? Don't worry; I am going to do my best to avoid any spoilers. So are my readers. Right, readers?
MMObility: Puzzle Pirates is perfect on the iPad, but Fleck falls
It's been a week of ups and downs for me. The mobile MMO market is the often-ignored stepchild of the greater genre, so when a great new MMO comes along, I rejoice. And when a fun, older MMO closes down, I feel like weeping. As the mobile market begins to take over all of creation (and will probably make time travel possible as well), it's so good to see a game like Puzzle Pirates finally make its way to mobile devices. Sure, it's just iPads for now, but an Android version is marked for release this summer. This is a game that has been begging for a mobile release for some time now. Meanwhile, Fleck is an odd little MMO by Self Aware Games that I have covered in the past but that is soon closing down. I love the look and feel of it, but its real-world-based gameplay might be too odd for many to enjoy. Still, it had issues finding its footing. Let's talk about both in today's MMObility column.
Puzzle Pirates premieres promptly on iPad
We knew it was coming, and avast ye mobile device lubbers, that day is here: Puzzle Pirates is now available on iPad. The free-to-play piratey puzzler has a long history on the PC but is one of the few MMOs to come out with a mobile edition as well. Puzzle Pirates was optimized for the iPad's touch controls but otherwise functions much the same as its browser brother. Announcing the platform release, Three Rings Design CEO Daniel James waved his hook-hand around and bellowed, "We believe the iPad is a great match for the depth of gameplay available in Puzzle Pirates. Easy-to-pick-up gameplay combined with co-operative teamwork and a rich world to make Puzzle Pirates a game that we know iPad players will enjoy." [Source: SEGA press release]
Second Wind: Spiral Knights
There's something to be said for the rise of browser-based games. What once was an elephant graveyard of bad ideas, low-res graphics, and trite or incomplete game mechanics has now evolved into a veritable playground of new ideas and fun casual titles. Games like City of Steam and Drakensang Online continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in a browser window, delivering engaging experiences with depth and high fidelity. Browser game represent some of the coolest technological innovations in the MMO niche. They also, often, represent the very worst in predatory monetization schemes and "pay-to-win" exploitation. Spiral Knights does both. And it does both well.
April Fools' Day around the virtual world
If our awesome Massively Online Kickstarter project didn't clue you in, it's April Fools' Day and liars, fibbers, and jokesters are everywhere. Some might be annoyed with the constant misdirection, but we find that it brings out a lot of creativity and humor in an industry that often needs more of both. You probably saw Guild Wars 2's incredible (and playable) Super Adventure Box, but that's not the end of the pranks that went around in the virtual world. There are strange new offerings in DDO's store, The Repopulation has an insane list of patch notes, SWTOR announced dance combat, and Puzzle Pirates is allowing players to sail... a barrel. Then there's Super Hero Squad Online's Bag-Man, World of Warcraft's Crabby, World of Tanks' zombies, EVE Online: Odyssey's new features, Razer's Mousephone, and TERA's small-ass monsters trying to get you to turn that frown upside-down. Those musically inclined will undoubtedly enjoy RuneScape: The Musical, and those in need of a bedtime story should turn to The Elder Scrolls Online. And if you haven't played League of Legends: CHEW, then you haven't lived. Just saying.
The Perfect Ten: Creative MMO minigames
Few people are without opinions on minigames in MMOs. Some love 'em, some hate 'em, and some just ignore 'em. Some even despise that I won't type "th." Takes all types, really. Personally, I'm all for including new types of enjoyable systems that can be repeated, particularly if it benefits my character in some way. There's also this perception that minigames are just for kids. It's true that more kid-centric titles like Free Realms and Clone Wars Adventures thrive on minigames like you thrive on deep-fried butter balls, but these little diversions exist all over the place in "grownup" titles too. Holidays are a favorite time to trot them out, although there are plenty that exist year-round. Today we're going to look at 10 creative minigames that have tickled my fancy over the year. Yes, I used the word "fancy." Whatcha gonna do about it?
Puzzle Pirates sails into new frontier: Tablets
Avast ye mateys! After 10 years of working together to sail ships and fight foes utilizing puzzles, players in Puzzle Pirates get to set off on a completely new adventure. Well OK, to be precise the adventures will actually remain the same, but how players can access them will change; the pirate-themed social game focusing on cooperation is heading to tablets. Three Rings co-founder and CEO Daniel James explained that the company has been exploring the possibility of bringing the game to mobile devices since last year, and now it's reached the point where expanding platforms is feasible. Players will be able to switch between the PC and the tablet, playing the same game on the same account. Plans are also in the works to make the game accessible on other devices as well. James did note that with this change, anticipated upcoming features such as the Kraken will be delayed until after the launch of the game on tablets. Want to learn more about Puzzle Pirates? Check out Massively's exclusive interview with James.
Yo ho ho: Happy 10th birthday, Puzzle Pirates
Puzzle Pirates is still way ahead of its time, despite the fact that it just turned 10 years old. For many years, MMOs have tried to get players to work together in real time in myriad ways, yet Puzzle Pirates is the only one that has approached the problem exactly in this way: having each player work a different puzzle to represent different activities. One player controls the direction and speed a ship travels, two players work a "bilging" puzzle to help keep water from filling in, perhaps a few more players man the sails, and another plays a puzzle that represents keeping the ship repaired. What you end up with is a pretty realistic depiction of a team working together to sail the high seas, fight NPCs, and attack other players. This same puzzle-based gameplay works its way throughout the entire game, making for a very unique and in-depth experience. It also ensures that players become experts at certain puzzles, something that easily represents the way a real-life sailor would become an expert at his or her station. In a word, it's brilliant. Massively checked in with CEO Daniel James on the occasion of the game's birthday. Read on for the scoop!
The Game Archaeologist interviews Puzzle Pirates' Matt Jensen
Two weeks ago, we opened the book to a strange game indeed. The odd combination of swashbucklers and minigames has sentenced Puzzle Pirates to the fringe of MMO society, yet it's thrived there as an offbeat title that caters to a... very select and fanatical crowd. Which is totally cool with me, by the way. I love MMOs that take a path less-traveled. Today I got the pleasure of sitting down with Puzzle Pirates Lead Developer Matt Jensen to talk about what it's like to work on the lovechild of Captain Hook and Bejeweled. If nothing else, he convinced me that it would be awesome to work at Three Rings Design because the dress code every day is peg legs and frilly blouses. His team also has one of the coolest offices ever.
The Game Archaeologist: Puzzle Pirates
Up until this point in my life, Puzzle Pirates has always been that "oh yeah, that actually exists!" game to me. Even when I do lists of pirates in MMOs, this title slips right off of my radar. Maybe it's because Puzzle Pirates doesn't make waves (har!) these days, or maybe it's been around for so very long. I can't be the only one; the last time Massively talked about Puzzle Pirates was three years ago. I think that part of Puzzle Pirates' forgettability is that it doesn't exactly scream MMO. I mean, its combat is more cerebral than anything else, it's all cutesy and stuff, and even its name suggests a casual flash title than anything deep and substantive. Yet I have friends with a long and abiding love for this game, people who always chide me when I forget it. So to peer pressure I bow: It's high past time that we gave Puzzle Pirates its due as part of the MMO genre. Avast, ye landlubbers, and swab those peepers: We be goin' to sea!
Three Rings prepares to connect Puzzle Pirates' oceans
Three Rings is making some interesting changes to its Puzzle Pirates MMO. A new post on the game's official forums outlines what's in store for the new year, and in a nutshell, players will be able to sail between many of the game's oceans (which, in regular MMO-speak, are actually the game's servers). "We've been working on a way to consolidate the game's oceans for quite some time now, and after much deliberation, we determined that the fairest way to go about this is to combine the geographies of two oceans on one server," Three Rings explains. The post hints at massive new explorable areas and also reassures players that their existing properties will be unaffected in spite of the mergers. There's a large FAQ in the thread as well, so head over to the Puzzle Pirates board for all the details.
Sega snaps up Spiral Knights dev Three Rings
If you've played ... well, any Sega games, you're probably aware of the company's unhealthy fixation on rings. Sonic can't get enough of the things. Ecco the Dolphin will defy the laws of gravity to pierce them. Today, the publisher further developed its addiction: Sega has announced via a press release that it has acquired San Francisco-based Spiral Knights developer Three Rings. The company's got plenty of street cred, thanks to its well-received pseudo MMO Puzzle Pirates, and its upcoming online game set in the storied Doctor Who universe. Still, that's probably not why Sega bought them. It's because they have rings, you guys. Three of them. If there were a company called Five Rings, or Ten Thousand Rings, Sega probably would have bought them instead.
SEGA acquires Spiral Knights creator Three Rings Design
SEGA announced today that it has acquired indie developer Three Rings Design. Three Rings is no newcomer to the MMO industry, with popular titles such as Puzzle Pirates and the new Spiral Knights. SEGA's Senior VP of Digital Business, Haruki Satomi, says of the acquisition, "We are proud to welcome them as the newest member of the SEGA family, and look forward to seeing what great things we can create together over the coming years." Three Rings CEO Daniel James seems quite pleased as well, stating that his company is "honored to be joining such a legendary team and look forward to collaborating on amazing ideas together." We know we're looking forward to seeing what this unique combination manages to produce as well. We'll just have to wait and see.
MMObility: Ten terrific titles for this nifty new netbook
I mentioned this new gaming toy of mine last week, and it finally arrived. I immediately loved how it felt and weighed. Sure, there are lighter netbooks, but many of them feel more fragile. This Inspiron Duo has a rubberized edging to it, and the flip-screen feels snappy but firm. I was happy right away. It's a higher-quality netbook with a decent-quality tablet included. After I tweaked it and purged it of bloatware, I had to get some games going on it, and not just casual Facebook games but real MMOs. I spent a few days going through my list of titles to see which ones would work on the netbook and how many will work well with the touchscreen. I wanted games that would give a normal netbook fits but not lag excessively. Note that my netbook's screen is 1366x768, while the cheapest ones out there are normally 1024x600. Adjustments might need to be made there. I came up only with 10 games for now, but expect more in the future. Click past the cut to see the list!
MMObility: The rise of the browser
Over the last week I have been obsessing over Glitch, the new browser-based MMORPG brought to us by Tiny Speck. I will go into details of why in my Rise and Shiny column, but for now, let's just say that I think it is one of the greatest things I have come across in a long time. For the record, I was talking about Glitch before it was popular (that hipster cred should get my a free pair of glasses in Glitch!) and was excited about starting this column because of games like Glitch. In short, I knew that the browser market was huge, and I knew it was only going to grow bigger. Yes, I know what you're thinking, and yes I am claiming that we are starting to see the end of the heavy-duty client and demand for expensive hardware and upgrades. It's a big prediction, but click past the cut and let me explain.
MV Guide: August 22-28, 2011
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of titles to take a look at. During livestream events, you can participate in the live chat, ask questions to learn about the game, and simply spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Follow along after the jump to see what's scheduled for this week!
