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Free for All: A small case of burnout
Last week, we asked you fair readers what you thought about the sheer number of free-to-play titles out there. Could there be too many? we asked. I read the comments; I even posted one myself. Oh, sure, free choice is always a good thing, but let's be sure to understand what we were asking. The question was not only are there too many titles? or could there be too many titles? but also will quality go down as the number of titles goes up? Or in my particular case on this particular day, is burnout inevitable when we're faced with so many choices? I only ask because I have suffered from a slight case of burnout myself recently. Now, I need to explain. I can already hear the tick-tacking of the keyboards as free-to-play "opponents" rush to say, "AH HA! See? We told you!" in the comments section, without bothering to read the rest of the article. Let me explain, if you don't mind. Then you can make your comments. Click past the cut.
One Shots: Customization is king
The APB community has turned out in force this week to show off high-tech mounts on One Shots, and those players submitting images have good reason to be proud of their vehicles. APB enthusiast John explains further: Customization is the single best thing a game can offer to keep my attention. Not since pre-CU Star Wars Galaxies have I felt the sense of ownership I get in APB. Driving, shooting and designing unique looks and rides -- what's not to love? Attached is a picture of Tha Crim Huntah, my choice ride when I am out arresting Crims. We're gearing up (pardon the pun) to move from mounts to enemies for next week's One Shots. Send the funniest, most strangely designed, or scariest enemy you've taken on in an MMO to oneshots@massively.com along with your name and the name of the game. Tell us a little about the foe and we'll share it here on One Shots! %Gallery-112285%
Wasteland Diaries: F2P?
There are some big changes coming to Fallen Earth in the very near future. Sector 4's Alpha County is looming on the horizon. There is a new skills-and-abilities system coming. We don't know when we're going to get it, but we are going to get it. But the biggest news is the game's new partnership with GamersFirst. GamersFirst is the company responsible for the rejuvenation of APB: Reloaded and its conversion to the free-to-play format (F2P). I've heard mixed reviews on what's going on with APB, but without any first-hand experience, I'll withhold judgment. Nobody has come out and said that Fallen Earth is going to convert to the F2P business model, but it's a pretty safe assumption at this point. Every GamersFirst title is F2P, so why would FE be any different? I haven't tried APB, so I'm in no position to judge the performance of GamersFirst on what has been done with that title. F2P can be a two-edged sword, and the FE community is strongly divided on this subject (at least on the forums). I am a member of the optimistic side, and after the cut, I'll tell you why I think this move could be a very good thing for Fallen Earth.
One Shots: Definitely not for display only
Mount week continues on One Shots with another motorized mount from the APB community. Kaul sent in an image of this carefully crafted vehicle: My mount isn't an animal, but it is the perfect one for me since I didn't just get to choose it in a list of dozens of amazing ones but actually had the opportunity to design it as I wanted. Is there any mount more awesome than the one you get to design yourself? There isn't. It's a beautiful Packer Ceresco van featuring the emblem of the E.R.I.S. Think of it as a U.N.-funded Mystery Machine. What's more, there is even a guest of international fame inside, Mahou Shojou Madoka Magica's Charlotte. That is my definition of an awesome mount. How can a griffon stand up to that? Oh sure, it can fly, but any car can fly high with APB Reloaded's physics. It sounds like Kaul has thrown down the gauntlet! Is there another mount more awesome? If you think there is, prove it by sending a screenshot to oneshots@massively.com along with your name and the name of the game, then tell us a little about what your awesome ride is and how you came by it. We'll show it off here on One Shots for everyone to admire! Finally, don't forget to get the jump on next week's One Shots theme: unusual foes. Send us the funniest, most strangely designed, or scariest enemy you've taken on in an MMO and we'll share it here on One Shots! %Gallery-112285%
One Shots: You meddling kids!
Who says your mount has to be a living, breathing animal? Mount week continues on One Shots, and we're breaking the fantasy streak with a bang today, thanks to APB: Reloaded player Ryan: A lot of hard work went into this van from the cartoon Scooby Doo. I haven't seen another one like it -- just A-Team vans -- and it usually gets complimented. We know there are a lot of great mounts out there, but we've got to admit that an honest-to-goodness Mystery Machine is pretty awesome. Think you've got something even cooler from another game? Prove it by sending a screenshot to oneshots@massively.com along with your name and the name of the game, then tell us a little about what your awesome ride is and how you came by it. We'll show it off here on One Shots for everyone to admire! %Gallery-112285%
Free for All: Which came first, the grind or the grinding?
Grinding is an interesting thing. I've thought about it a lot lately in an effort to come to grips with the fact that I just don't play MMOs like my friends do. Oh, don't get me wrong; I can log in and blow away five hours of my life on a title, just like I did last night with the newly relaunched APB: Reloaded. Holy moly, I can play that game forever, especially if I have a friend with me. I can also spend countless hours in other games, exploring and generally acting like some kind of virtual hippie, never touching a sword or destroying a foe. A lot of the time, combat just feels repetitive. Exploring for hours and driving a car into mailboxes over and over really shouldn't count as grinding though, should it? Grinding is, in my opinion, defined by the repetition of the exact same action (or close to it) for a long time, usually in the pursuit of a single goal. The thing is, the grind has been around since the dawn of graphical MMOs. Hasn't it? But what started the grind? Was the desire for grind already there? Is the playerbase just better-suited for grinding? Click past the cut and let's chat about it. Grab some tea.
MV Guide: May 30 - June 5, 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 games to take a look at. During Livestream events, you can participate in the live chat to learn about the game, ask questions, and 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!
PSA: APB Reloaded now in open beta
Apparently it's the time of year when once-dead MMOs rise from the grave. Hot on the heels of closed beta tickets going out for Hellgate, the open beta for APB: Reloaded is now, erm, open. The beta includes several new features first introduced in the closed beta, namely a new skill rating system, reworked "witnessing" mechanics and some new items. As previously announced, the beta is being hosted by GamersFirst. Those wishing to participate will need to create a (free) GamersFirst account and use its software to download and install the beta.
GamersFirst tweaking APB beta threat levels
The latest APB Reloaded blog entries reflect the ongoing adjustments being made to the resurrected free-to-play MMORPG as it rolls toward a summer re-release. It seems that threat level displays in the city of San Paro were in need of some tweaking, and today's update, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. EDT, looks to address the discrepancies as well as a recently identified problem with low-level matchmaking. GamersFirst's Bjorn Book-Larsson wrote extensively about the issues with threat level visuals in a post over the weekend, and he follows that up with a brief blurb that explains how the devs are tackling the problem. It's not a quick fix, though, and Book-Larsson cautions that GamersFirst is "likely to perform yet another update later this week as we continue tweaking the system."
David Jones joins APB Reloaded in 'advisory role'
You know what they say: If at first you don't succeed, join the team doing the remake. Veteran game developer David Jones, responsible for classics like Lemmings, Grand Theft Auto and Crackdown, made an MMO called APB a little while back that eventually closed up shop in record time. Then, a company called GamersFirst bought the rights to APB, and made plans to redevelop it as APB Reloaded. Now, that same David Jones has joined the free-to-play remake in "an advisory role." Really? GamersFirst says it's excited to have Jones around to "share his vast game design experience during critical design stages of the ongoing development of APB Reloaded." That sounds good, we guess. Everybody deserves a second chance, right?
GamersFirst hires Dave Jones as APB Reloaded advisor
Raise your hand if you saw this one coming: Dave Jones is back on the All Points Bulletin team. The former Realtime Worlds boss and the brains behind APB's original incarnation (as well as Crackdown and the first two Grand Theft Auto games) has joined GamersFirst "in an advisory role and will share his vast game design experience during critical design stages" according to a new press release. Jones has flown under the radar since the meltdown of Realtime Worlds and appears to be excited to get back on the development horse. "The game was my passion back when I was developing it with Realtime Worlds, and I'm extremely excited to be able to participate in fulfilling the long term vision for the title," he said. Jones also goes on to praise GamersFirst's free-to-play vision for San Paro. APB Reloaded is currently winding down its closed beta stage, with open beta scheduled for May 18th.
APB Reloaded rolls out new patches, East Coast server move
Looks like we have ourselves a convoy... of patch notes! As All Points Bulletin continues to truck down the highway toward open beta and re-release, the APB Reloaded dev blog continues to deliver the news of progress, and today that includes two sets of patch notes and word of a server move to an East Coast location. APB Reloaded's East Coast server move to Washington, DC will be taking place later this week. This should help improve latency times for those playing in the eastern half of North America. The blog also lists the nitty-gritty details of Releases 79 (May 5th) and 80 (May 10th). These changes include exploit fixes and tweaks to several weapons to bring them in line. GamersFirst is saving the really big bullet points for the May 18th update, which will coincide with the open beta. The blog hints that we should hopefully be hearing about the features for this mega-patch soon. You can read the full details over on the APB Reloaded dev blog.
APB Reloaded character migration now live
We talked earlier this week about APB Reloaded's impending open beta date. Thrown into the mix was a mention of character restoration services for those veterans of the original (i.e., Realtime Worlds) version of the game. Today we're happy to report that the service is live in Reloaded's closed beta. A brief blurb on the official APB forums outlines all the details. Players will need to have an open character slot on their G1 accounts as well as their old RTW login credentials (the process involves logging into the RTW account to initiate the transfer). GamersFirst notes that this is not a comprehensive restoration. "The main items being restored are clothing and symbols. Please understand that no progression, APB cash, RTW Points, Action Time, weapons, or vehicles will be restored," says the post. Also, only two outfits are being restored due to technical issues (though any symbols and clothing items used in other outfits will still exist on your character). Check out the APB forums for more.
APB Reloaded accepting some players in advance of May 18 open beta
Though the original launch of APB could be considered an extremely costly beta for the free-to-play APB Reloaded, GamersFirst is still working out the details of the new version, starting with a closed beta that began back in February. If you're ready to try the cops-and-robbers MMO again for the first time, GamersFirst is hosting an open beta starting May 18. You might actually play before that, as the company is beginning to let new players in now -- to "slowly turn up 'the heat' on our servers before going fully 'open,'" as GamersFirst's Bjorn Book-Larsson described it. You'll need to be 17 (18 outside of the US), have a GamersFirst account, and then sign up online using the same email address. Good luck to those of you trying to get in, and those of you trying to maintain the servers!
APB Reloaded open beta coming May 18th
Mark your calendars, APB fans. May 18th is a big day in the history of the resurrected title since it marks the official start of open beta. Bjorn Book-Larsson broke the good news yesterday on the APB Reloaded blog, and he had a few other interesting nuggets to discuss as well. GamersFirst's character restoration service should make its first appearance today around 4:00 p.m. PDT, and APB veterans from the Realtime Worlds days will be able to reclaim their old avatars and customizations. If you're unsure if you qualify, check your inbox as GamersFirst will be sending out email notices to everyone with an available reclaim. Book-Larsson also talks briefly about some of the company's plans for dealing with cheaters. No details are given, of course, but GamersFirst is apparently very aware of all the attempted aimbotting going on thus far in the beta. Finally, there's a blurb concerning new item rollouts in the coming days, as well as some info relating to the game's payment interface. Head to the official APB Reloaded blog for more.
APB Reloaded beta version 1.5 is live
We've talked a lot about version 1.5 of APB Reloaded's closed beta client in our last couple of updates and today we're pysched to report that the patch has officially made its way onto the live testing shard. The APB Reloaded blog has the extensive patch notes courtesy of Bjorn Book-Larsson's latest post, and you'll want to grab a tankard of your favorite caffeinated beverage and block off some reading time. The notes feature quite a bit of info about everything from open world crimes and witnessing, to spawning and equipment leasing, to progression tweaks. There's also some space devoted to the environmental updates that GamersFirst has been working on, as well as a full listing of the default game controls that should come in handy for new testers. Head to the APB Reloaded blog for more info.
New APB Reloaded blog dishes on beta version 1.5.0
The newest APB Reloaded dev blog is up, and this week finds GamersFirst in the midst of an "insane crunch" to get the 1.5.0 version of the beta client ready for prime time. Bjorn Book-Larsson gives us the details in his latest dev diary, and he also takes the time to answer many of the questions that fans are likely to have as the week wears on. Most of the pre-emptive Q&A pertains to beta invites, and there's also a blurb relating to possible future character wipes (aside from the one that we know is coming with 1.5.0). In addition to participating in the question-and-answer session, Book-Larsson lists a few of the core changes that the GamersFirst team has already completed. These include a new spawning system, the witnessing mechanic, modifier tweaks, and fixes for memory usage (as well as a reduced client size). Despite all the progress, there's quite a bit of work left to do as APB Reloaded's beta rolls on, and you can read all about it on the game's official dev blog.
Rise and Shiny recap: CrimeCraft
The first thing I want to do when hearing about a game's poor quality is try it myself. I've found that unless the complaints specify performance issues, the real problem is that the gameplay just didn't mesh well with the person issuing the complaint. Often, those folks talk in general specifics like "Everyone hates the skillsets" or "No one liked that last patch." Gamers are great at declaring what "everyone" likes or dislikes, as though they have access to information that not even the developers themselves have. A good rule of thumb is that the more a player mentions "everyone," the more he is probably wrong. CrimeCraft is one of these games, but for different reasons. As I asked around about the game, most people I heard from simply complained about its resemblance to the original All Points Bulletin. And since APB had issues, surely CrimeCraft must as well. Players also commented on how they heard it was busted or that didn't play well at all or that it was just a really bad game. So I had to dig in. What did I find? Click past the cut and I'll tell you.
GamersFirst gearing up for more APB testing invites, looking toward open beta
Open beta time is approaching for APB Reloaded, and GamersFirst's Bjorn Book-Larsson is back with his weekly blog post to give us all the juicy details. It seems that GamersFirst devs are working overtime to squash a number of pesky bugs in the 1.5.0 version of the game. As soon as they're finished, 1.5.0 will be made available to the game's 25,000 closed beta testers, followed by subsequent releases for the EU servers, a mass invite for another 25,000 closed beta testers, and then an invite for the remainder of closed beta applicants. If all of this goes off without a hitch, testers will be granted a temporary premium account to poke and prod at its associated functionality, after which GamersFirst will enable monetized content. After that, "if there are still no major issues, then we will open up the floodgates and formally go into open beta," Book-Larsson explains. While that's a lot of "ifs," the takeaway is that APB Reloaded's official release is drawing steadily closer. Book-Larsson notes that the team expects to "be in monetized open beta until August" and will be iterating on quite a bit of new content throughout the process.
APB Reloaded blog details the matchmaking makeover
This week's APB Reloaded blog entry is a pretty lengthy one, and Bjorn Book-Larsson has a lot to say about the game's matchmaking system as well as a warning for the hackers who have showed up in the free-to-play title's closed beta. Matchmaking is a huge issue for GamersFirst's APB redesign, and Book-Larsson relates that "it was a bit of a shocker to discover that in spite of relying almost exclusively on computer-generated matchmaking... no real thought was made to create a decent skill rating system to feed those matchmaking decisions." Book-Larsson also provides some insight into how GamersFirst is tackling the problem, illustrating several approaches to matchmaking including algorithms founded on Chess ratings, Glicko, and Microsoft's TrueSkill system. Read all about these topics and more on the official APB Reloaded blog.
