battlestar-galactica-online
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Battlestar Galactica gets an open beta date
Are you ready to step into the world of Battlestar Galactica Online and have a frakkin' good time blowing Cylons into the next century? Perhaps you're more the type of person who feels a certain affinity with the toaster-people and instead would prefer to play on the side of the Cylons themselves? Whatever the case, if you've been waiting for Bigpoint Games' upcoming free-to-play SyFy Channel space dogfighter, then you're in luck. According to a post by Husker on the Battlestar Galactica Online forums, the game's open beta is right around the corner: February 8th, to be exact! Initially, three servers will be launched for open beta: Caprica for the U.S. West coast, Scorpia for the U.S. East coast, and Tauron for players located in the EU. However, all players will be expected to use English in common chat channels, even on the EU server. The only exception is in Squad and Wing chat, which is left up to players. Any other language used in open channels will cause you to be ganked with a GM banhammer and be sent to appeal on the forums. Bigpoint also states that if more servers are needed, the company will be adjusting accordingly. In the meantime, you can check out Beau's First Impressions of the game or watch the red-hot trailer Bigpoint just released to get an idea of what this very ambitious Unity-engine-based game will be like.
Battlestar Galactica fires up its FTLs for an in-game trailer
In December of 2003, the SciFi Network (now Syfy) launched a hugely successful re-imagining of the '70s space-opera Battlestar Galactica. Early last year, Bigpoint announced it had procured the license to make a browser-based MMOG set in the same re-imagined universe. Today, we have the first-ever in-game trailer for Battlestar Galactica Online. The press release states that this game is "one of the most ambitious browser-games ever developed," and the trailer features the in-game footage of Cylon Raiders and Colonial Vipers facing off against the Galactica and Basestars. We also get a taste of what actual combat will feel like, with Bear McCreary's musical score as a emotional backdrop. Catch the full, exciting trailer after the break. Beta applications are being accepted on the game's website, open beta begins sometime soon in Q1, and launch will be shortly after that. When the game launches in the United States, it will be available only through Syfy.com. Stay tuned here for more information. So say we all!
First Impressions: Battlestar Galactica Online
There's a pretty universal rule among MMORPG players, although many of them are not aware of it: "Never, ever play a human, an elf, or the 'good side' unless you have no choice. Even then, improvise." I try to follow this rule to the letter. Even when I am asked to try out, preview, or generally mess around with the greatest new game in all of history, I try to avoid playing the good guys. So when I was asked if I could take a look at Battlestar Galactice Online by Bigpoint, I knew exactly what to do. While I much prefer the older Cylon look and feel (bulkier, rounder ships), and while I did not find myself glued to the TV set to tune into the latter incarnation of the campy series, I did absolutely love how the newer writers and special-effects masters made the space dog-fighting look. It felt, well, real to me. Would I feel the same way about combat inside my browser? What about my character -- how would he feel while walking around inside a station or base? Follow me past the cut to see what I found.
Free for All: Four games I'm dying to play in 2011
The year 2010 was a great year in gaming. If anyone tells you any different, look him in the eye -- you've just met a madman. In fact, 2010 did so much for me, personally, that it might be hard to top it for a while. I actually started getting paid to write my blog entries this year, discovered so many wonderful new developers this year, and played more hours than in all of the previous years combined. As luck would have it, there are already several new games being announced that are making 2011 look like an even bigger year for me. Browser-based technology is only growing more robust and rich, indie gaming is finally starting to get a lot of the respect it deserves, and I now have the ability to contact almost any developer I want for use in my columns. All of this adds up to some exciting times ahead, for sure. All thanks to Massively, of course. There are four games in particular that I am very excited about. More will come, I'm positive, but these four have already cast huge spells on me. Click past the cut to see what you should be excited about, too!
Bigpoint vs. BioWare: CEO says The Old Republic will never be profitable
As a high-profile MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic is proving itself to be a big target for attack. Bigpoint, the German game developer that's working on Battlestar Galactica Online, stepped up to take a swing at the as-of-yet-unreleased title. At the London Games Conference, Bigpoint CEO Heiko Hubertz made the bold prediction that The Old Republic will never see a profit: "If you look at Star Wars from EA and BioWare, they estimated a development budget of over $100 million. This is an online game for many million of subscribers, so the publisher does not understand that a subscription model is not the future. With microtransactions maybe I see the game having a chance but I don't think that EA or BioWare will ever be profitable with this game." EA BioWare has yet to release a definite pricing plan for TOR, although it is widely believed it will be subscription-based. Earlier this year, Dr. Ray Muzyka said that there will be "more of the traditional business model with maybe some twists as well."
MMO to go: Panasonic designing a handheld online gaming machine
While game studios are slowly forging a path to bringing MMOs to established handheld devices like the iPhone, Panasonic is looking to flip that paradigm on its head. Eurogamer reports that the company has been developing a handheld device specifically for MMOs and is poised for a major reveal. Called "The Jungle," this clamshell unit boasts a high-resolution screen, keyboard, touchpad, directional pad and several input ports. It is rumored to run the Linux OS and could work with MMO titles such as Battlestar Galactica Online and RuneScape, according to the company. The Jungle's website is scarce on content at the moment, but on its Manifesto page the developers state: "Our mission: Create an ecosystem around online gaming. At the core is a new mobile device concept designed specifically for online gamers. We're also working with leading online game developers to create some exciting new content." Whether there is a significant demand for such a product is up in the air, but this is intriguing enough to follow for the time being.
Massively.com and GameBreaker.TV: Coming to you live from GDC Online!
GDC Online (formerly GDC Austin) is rapidly approaching, and we here at Massively.com are making sure that we're on the front lines of coverage from the event. We have plenty of interviews lined up with a huge variety of companies, and we're teaming up with our friends at GameBreaker.TV to deliver live coverage of the event via GameBreaker's live show at the Vivox booth! To get you excited for the coming conference, we've provided the list of companies we're meeting with just after the break! The list isn't fully extensive, as we'll be covering a variety of panels as well, but it will give you an idea of whom we're meeting with. Plus, keep an eye out for a link to the live GameBreaker.TV broadcast on our right-hand sidebar! Their coverage of the event will be starting on Wednesday, October 6th at 12:00 p.m. EDT!
Black Prophecy wins "Best of Free-to-Play" at Gamescom
Gaming publications Gamestar and GamePro were keeping an interested watch on the happenings at Gamescom last week, and earlier this week they handed out their own round of awards. Gamigo and Reakktor Media received top honors in the free-to-play category for Black Prophecy, beating out several other nominees including Battlestar Galactica Online and Mytheon, another Gamigo game. "We feel quite honored. This award is recognition for all the hard work our team has put in over the past few years," said Kirk Lenke, CEO of Reakktor Media. The full story can be read on Gamestar's site in the original German or an English translation.
So say we all: Battlestar Galactica Online's blueprints revealed
Whether you're a human, a Cylon, a human working for the Cylons, a Cylon working for the humans, or a slightly off-kilter Massively editor, Battlestar Galactica Online promises to appeal across a wide spectrum. Ten Ton Hammer got in the good graces of Bigpoint at Gamescom this year and smuggled out information vital to the war effort. While it's not even in the alpha stage as of yet, BSGO is reportedly looking solid, especially for a browser-based title. The primary focus of this space-shooter MMO is the PvP conflict between human and Cylon forces. Players should expect to handle ships from the series (such as the Viper), but Bigpoint is planning on creating new spacecraft unique to the game. Each ship will handle differently, forcing users to adapt on the fly or die. Although the main stage of the game is the struggle to control systems (and their precious, precious resources), you'll be able to explore areas on foot, such as the titular Galactica, although this is mostly for atmosphere and storytelling. For players worried about the game's microtransactions model, Bigpoint promises that everyone will be able to experience the game from beginning to end without being forced to spend a penny.
Bigpoint announces key characters in Battlestar Galactica Online
Bigpoint, the creator of upcoming browser-based MMO Battlestar Galactica Online, has revealed a part of the game that fans have been speculating on for a while. The names of key characters have been announced, and you'll certainly see plenty of familiar ones. These characters will be NPCs, placed in the game to "create a deeper connection to the storyline, provide quests and accentuate the dramatic tension that the series is known for delivering expertly." On the human side, you'll find William and Lee "Apollo" Adama, Starbuck and Apollo and Galen "Chief" Tyrol. The Cylon roster will be made up of One, Two, Six and Eight. (Sorry guys, no Three.) Bigpoint CEO Heiko Hubertz is pleased with these additions to the game: "These characters brought to life the story and captured the imaginations of a whole new generation of Battlestar Galactica fans and we felt strongly that they needed to appear in the game." You can sign up for the game newsletter and receive more updates through the BSG Online site. [Editor's Note: Whoops, we made a mistake in our list! Fixed that for you. ~Sera]
Browse these new details and screens from Battlestar Galactica Online
Our MMO-centric sister site Massively received a whole mess of gameplay details and screenshots from Bigpoint's promising browser-based MMO, Battlestar Galactica Online. Players will be able to choose between the Human and Cylon factions, will be able to create their own out-of-ship avatars, and will progress through individual quests and story-based missions exclusive to their own factions. For instance, Cylons might be tasked with preparing a fresh slice of toast. (Because Cylons look like toasters. Obviously.) For more details, check out the info Massively managed to glean from Bigpoint. For visual images you can see with your eyes, check out the gallery below.%Gallery-98092%
Exclusive: New gameplay details and screenshots for Battlestar Galactica Online
When it comes to new MMO titles, a significant portion of the MMO community will hear the the phrase "browser-based" and dismiss the game in question as unworthy without even looking at it. The folks at Bigpoint have big plans to banish this stereotype with Battlestar Galactica Online. If CEO and founder Heiko Hubertz has his way, turning your nose up at a game because of what you think a browser-based f2p is will become a thing of the past: "Bigpoint's goal is to raise expectations on what can be achieved in a browser-based game. Battlestar Galactica Online is the perfect license to help us elevate the consumer's understanding of this genre of gaming and reach gamers who have never tried a free-to-play game." Bigpoint shared some exclusive new gameplay information and screenshots with us that give a picture of a much more complex game than you might be expecting. Follow along after the jump to see what they had to say. %Gallery-97984%
Preview: Battlestar Galactica Online
When it was first announced we were less than enthused about the Battlestar Galactica series being developed into a free-to-play browser-based MMO. Although we're still scratching our heads at the direction the license-holder's decided to go in, what we saw of the "still in development" title has calmed our nerves. Slightly. %Gallery-95714%
The Daily Grind: What's your E3 highlight?
Whew! This past week has been a rollercoaster of craziness, a carousel of attractions and a mirror maze of sights from E3. We certainly hope you've enjoyed the coverage here at Massively, from interviews to exclusive peeks to mind-snapping trailers. As we all continue to sift through the mountains of E3 information, we'd love to know what you consider to be the expo's highlight, your own personal "Best of Show" award. Was it the brand-new trailer of the previously hidden Warhammer 40k: Dark Millennium Online? The exceedingly awesome new SWTOR cinematic? The in-depth look into DC Universe Online? Or perhaps you're a Marvel fanboy and Super Hero Squad Online's gotten you revved up? Could it be the exciting conversations with Final Fantasy XIV's devs? The Agency's PvP side or LotRO's brand-new zone? Or perhaps you found yourself charmed by one of the smaller titles, such as Forsaken World, Taikodom, Swordsman Online, Battlestar Galactica Online and Zentia? If you were asked -- and hey, we're asking you! -- what's your E3 highlight? Who gets the blue ribbon and who ends up empty-handed?
Battlestar Galactica Online trailer is out of this world
Some of us may scoff at a browser-based Battlestar Galactica MMO, but for those who just want to see something BSG related on a screen, there's hope in the form of the embedded trailer. It shows a large scale space battle between the Cylons and human survivors, and if that doesn't give you the warm fuzzies then you're probably a frakkin' toaster.
Battlestar Galactica Online E3 trailer divides players... literally
"Human or Cylon... Man or Machine... who will you choose?" asks the maddeningly vague Battlestar Galactica Online trailer. More of a teaser than anything, this trailer will make the rounds at this month's E3, trying to tempt MMO gamers and Battlestar Galactica fans alike with intergalactic conflict. Based on the hit SyFy series, Battlestar Galactica Online pits the remnants of humanity against their created "children" -- robot and cyborg Cylons. The browser based game is set during the second season of the show and should be coming out early this fall on SyFy Games' portal. We took a look at this title back at GDC10, and hopefully we'll learn more about the details of BGO from Bigpoint developers at E3. In the meanwhile, hit the jump, check out the trailer and see if it doesn't get your blood pumping for outer space fighter combat!
GDC10: Massively's day 2 roundup
Welcome to another edition of Massively's GDC 2010 daily roundup. Yesterday brought a fresh onslaught of news about many a forthcoming MMORPG, and our tireless reporters were once again on the front lines. The day was definitely quality over quantity, as we settled into the rhythm of the conference and sat down for several interviews that we'll bring you later this week, including chats with Virtual Fairground and Turbine's Fernando Paiz. For now, check out our GDC stories from yesterday that you might have missed. GDC10: An in-depth look at Battlestar Galactica Online Welcome to Poisonville R.A. Salvatore talks Copernicus Also, you can browse our Poisonville gallery below, and be sure to check back throughout the remainder of the week as we bring you more GDC 2010 coverage. %Gallery-87929%
GDC10: An in-depth look at Battlestar Galactica Online
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/GDC10_An_in_depth_look_at_Battlestar_Galactica_Online'; Yesterday at GDC, Bigpoint announced their upcoming Battlestar Galactica MMO. Today, we had the opportunity to speak with Jan Wergin, the Chief Technology Officer from Bigpoint for a closer look at the game. The initial announcement was met with a bit of apprehension from fans -- they love the IP but aren't sure how well it will translate into an MMO, particularly a browser-based MMO. Follow along after the jump as we take a look at that and much more in our interview with Bigpoint.
