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The Perfect Ten: Amazing amateur MMO cosplay
I find the whole cosplay subculture at conventions to be both foreign and fascinating. On one hand, I deeply admire the dedication and time it takes to put together a complex outfit and then spend all day wearing this custom-made sweatsuit. On the other hand, it does tend to bring out some folks' narcissism and unnecessary cleavage. While many facets of geek and video game culture are adequately represented by those crazy cosplayers, I don't see as much when it comes to MMORPGs. Was it truly underrepresented, I wondered, or have I just never looked? Consider the following 10 costumes the result of an afternoon or two combing through so much amateur cosplay that it vastly exceeded the recommended amount as set by the American Medical Association. I'm glad to make the sacrifice for you, and besides, you just know those doctors are the ones in these outfits, anyway. (Please note that if you're looking for more skin than skill, this will not be the list for you!)
RuneScape opens Evolution of Combat beta this weekend
Much has been said about RuneScape's upcoming combat upgrade, and this weekend, folks will have the chance to test out The Evolution of Combat for themselves. Starting at 5 a.m EDT on Friday, July 6th, and lasting until 5 a.m. EDT on Monday the 9th, all RuneScape members will be able to join the 50,000 current beta testers in playtesting the new features like dual-wielding. If you happen to miss this one, don't worry -- three more open beta weekends will follow. However, players whot manage to take part in all four weekends will be rewarded with a unique mad scientist outfit. For more about the upcoming changes, check out Massively's interview with Mark Ogilvie, Lead Designer from Jagex. [Source: Jagex press release]
The Daily Grind: Do you hold an MMO grudge?
The Secret World is launching in a few days, and frankly I'm pretty excited about it. Between the modern setting, the fantasy-horror mashup, and the divergent questing system, it'll probably be my go-to MMO for a while. Because it's Funcom, though, some gamers are rolling their eyes and writing it off. This has to do with the company's (well-earned) reputation for buggy MMO launches, including both Age of Conan and Anarchy Online. While a bit of wariness is understandable, the serious-business rhetoric and the depth of feeling behind the company-specific grudges held by some gamers is both mind-boggling and comical. What about you, morning crew? Do you hold a grudge against Funcom in particular or MMO companies in general? 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!
Hyperspace Beacon: Nine years of Star Wars Galaxies
As you might have guessed from the title, I'm taking a tiny break from writing about Star Wars: The Old Republic this week. Although it might seem like odd timing to change the pace of my articles with Update 1.3 releasing today, I figured that the update will be here next week, but Star Wars Galaxies' birthday comes around only once a year. Last weekend, the first Star Wars MMORPG would have celebrated its ninth year in service. Being the first Star Wars MMO will always be an honor Galaxies will hold. But that's not the only thing that drew so many people to the game. I often find myself thinking back wondering what could have been. Besides my love for Star Wars, that game held a lot of significance in my life. It was my first serious MMO and my first step into MMO roleplay. If Star Wars Galaxies were still around, would I still be playing? More importantly, what would I be doing in that game that I really can't do in the current Star Wars MMO?
PlanetSide 2 producer's letter teases beta plans, PlanetSide promotion
So how about that: two pieces of PlanetSide 2 news in a single day. We must be getting close to beta or something, right SOE? Right? On the subject of betas, Sony Online Entertainment has released a new producer's letter that spells out who will be accessing its new MMOFPS initially. As expected, PlanetSide vets and other gamers who have obtained third-party testing codes will get to fight first. Producer Josh Hackney also says that this Sunday (July 1st) is PlanetSide day. To celebrate, SOE is awarding former PlanetSide fraggers with 30 days of free game time. If you've ever had an active PlanetSide subscription, come back to Auraxis on the company dime and hone your skills while you wait for your beta invite. Hackney also says that this month's E3 demo was the first of many PlanetSide 2 appearances slated for the summer. Check out the full post for more details.
RuneScape reveals dual-wielding in sixth behind-the-scenes video
Last month, Jagex revealed that a whole new combat system was on its way for the browser-based fantasy game RuneScape. Since then, players have been treated to more details about the upcoming changes in behind-the-scenes videos. Today's installment, the sixth and final one in the series, reveals a fundamental change to the combat system: dual-wielding. Now players can sacrifice a shield's defense to go all out for damage. However, this dual-wielding system is unique. RuneScape is giving dual-wielding abilities to more than just those who prefer blades by making it available to magic users and ranged combatants as well. Players can dual-wield magic, ranged, melee, or mix and match any combination. Another less dramatic change includes improved weapon stances, which add a casual stance to sheathed and attack positions. The stances also are individualized for different weapons. Finally, the devs have upgraded avatar models to include actual fingers. To see a demonstration of these changes, you can watch the video. And for even more details about The Evolution of Combat, check out Massively's interview with Lead Designer Mark Ogilvie. [Thanks to Sean for the tip!]
Anarchy Online celebrates its 11th birthday
Has it really been 11 years since Anarchy Online burst onto the scene with one of the smoothest launches of all time? It must be -- Funcom is throwing a birthday bash for its faithful players. There will be two birthday celebrations, one on the Atlantean server on Friday, June 22nd, at 1:00 p.m. EDT and one on Rimor on Monday, June 25th, at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Both in-game celebrations will be marked by spawning events, special mobs, and in-game items. If you're down with the party scene, the community will be throwing a monster rave to end all raves. Funcom hinted at a few of the surprises, including new costumes, action figures, vehicles, and the love of a duck and a cake. The studio will be handing out a free jet pack for all players who log in during the celebration.
The Perfect Ten: MMO Jukebox
Earlier this year, I got to expose my musically nerdy side to you all in a one-two shot of MMO theme song countdowns. The truth is that I'm just a huge sucker for video game music, and as such, I've collected a wide range of MMO scores to bolster my MP3 player. I know that we players tend to be pretty vocal about turning off MMO music at some point, usually due to extreme repetition. Unfortunately, that seems to leave a bad association with this music in our minds, and I don't feel that reputation is deserved. MMO scores can be just as good -- if not better -- than their counterparts in film or other video games. So I've decided that every so often I'm going to devote a full Perfect Ten to sharing my favorite MMO music. I'm always open to suggestions, of course, so if you know of a track that you feel really should be in the next list, send me an email or leave it in the comments!
The Game Archaeologist: Will classic MMOs survive without free-to-play?
It's amazing to me how quickly the industry has shifted to where we don't just welcome free-to-play as a business model in MMOs -- we downright expect it. Take a look in the comments of any new MMO that dares to launch with a subscription-only model: People will be tripping over each other in an attempt to predict just when said game will break down and admit that it needs F2P. Whether or not BioWare's admission that it's looking into F2P for Star Wars: The Old Republic surprised you or not, it's a sign that no game is immune to the allure, dollar signs, and downright necessity of the popularity and flexibility of this model. I think this brings a pressing question to bear in the field of classic MMOs: Will they survive without free-to-play? It's a pretty important question for a few reasons. One, a surprising majority of remaining sub-only MMOs are older ones; two, people now expect free in games they try; and three, players aren't exactly flocking to classic MMOs anyway. This week I want to explore the conundrum that these games are in and why some players may have blinders on when it comes to the fate of their favorite games.
Anarchy Online brings global market interface online
Anarchy Online's upgraded its nanos to version 18.5, and with it comes a brand-new global market interface. The new interface is designed to allow players more flexible control over buying, selling, and placing orders in the global economy. The interface can be accessed by both market terminals and portable market terminals. It's important to note that while all players can browse the market, only subscribers can partake in transactions. Version 18.5 has a lot more than just this new interface. The launcher for the game's been improved and now takes you to a visual character select screen. Other improvements include more staying power for pets, tweaks to specific buffs, and clarification for PvP encounters. There's plenty of line items to pour over in the patch notes, so check them out if you've got a summer vacation planned to Rubi-Ka.
The Daily Grind: What incidental feature do you wish every MMO would adopt?
With all the MMOs currently available, there's bound to be a game out there that resonates with just about everyone. That doesn't mean it's the perfect game, though, nor does it mean that said game has all the features you desire. If you play in this genre long enough, you'll likely run across a mechanic or a fluff feature so endearing that you wish developers would implement it in every succeeding MMO. For me, that feature is the ability to name crafted items. Star Wars Galaxies' crafting system allowed for this (and it even allowed you to name the sub-components), which added an immeasurable amount of immersion and enjoyment on a personal level. What about you, Massively readers? What incidental feature do you wish every MMO would adopt? 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!
EVE Evolved: Building stronger communities
When I first started playing EVE Online at the start of 2004, only 40,000 players inhabited the game's 5,000 assorted solar systems. Despite having a peak concurrent user record of under 10,000 players, the game somehow didn't feel empty and desolate. Players built communities all across the map, and the purpose of the game became all about interacting with other players. I've played a lot of MMOs since then, but none has drawn me into its community as deeply as EVE has. I think that's because most MMOs today are aimed more at casual and solo play, and most guilds are glorified chat channels with shared bank space. There's plenty of room for solo players in EVE, but most of the gameplay is aimed at groups with purpose and ambitions larger than any individual can reasonably accomplish on his own. Holding territory and building supercapitals are jobs for large alliances, PvP is rarely a solo affair, and even grinding ISK is more fun in a group. This focus on group activities is usually seen as the driving force behind EVE's cohesive communities, but I think there's more to it. In this week's EVE Evolved opinion piece, I look at what drives EVE to create stronger in-game communities than you typically find in other MMOs.
Ultima Online taps Armstrong for producer position
Another day, another Ultima Online producer. OK, maybe the changes at the top aren't that frequent, but it seems like the granddaddy of MMOs has served as something of a training ground for genre producers over the last several years. The newest commander and chief is Bonnie "Mesanna" Armstrong. The UO website says that her "drive, dedication and knowledge of UO, together with her motivation to kill players (in-game) are well known in the office and among players." Armstrong hasn't revealed her plans for the game just yet, but the post says to expect news on that front in the near future.
The Soapbox: This fantasy is far from fantastic
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. "More innovation!" is the common rallying cry of the disgruntled MMO player. Push forward the genre, build awe-inspiring giant statues instead of sixth grade art projects, do that one magic thing that nobody can agree on to make this genre as fresh and great and interesting as it was. You know, as it was when you first got into these games, that is. For all of the "more innovation!" speeches that I've seen, I never see the one that touches on the most irksome areas of stagnation in the industry, and that is how incredibly lame most MMO fantasy worlds are. Cut 'n' paste, mix and match elements between any two fantasy MMOs, and I guarantee you that nobody would really notice. The truth is that for all their desire to be seen as unique and special, most of these games feature a world carbon copied from each other with minor Mad Lib deviations. Case in point: Have you ever realized just how many of these MMO worlds share almost the same name? Start with T, usually end with A, there you go. Telara. Telon. Tyria. Atreia. Taborea. It doesn't stop there, but it really should. MMO designers need to realize that fantasy is more than just D&D and Tolkien derivations and explore the unlimited scope of what the genre could be.
Richard Garriott says his new social game is the 'spiritual successor' of his previous work
Every so often, Ultima Online creator Richard Garriott takes a break from his social gaming endeavors to grant an interview to a fan site. The latest such is on display at Gather Your Party, and Garriott has plenty to say about his current company, Portalarium, and how its new Ultimate Collector title might appeal to UO fans. "For us it's a stepping stone. It's an MMO-lite in my mind. Very lite, with more what I will call classical leveraging of casual game mechanics than you will probably see in the RPG, but compared to most casual games, to most social games, it is far deeper," Garriott explains. He's also aware of the amount of skepticism that his turn toward social gaming generates among Ultima fans and MMORPG enthusiasts, but he thinks that's par for the course. "Newness is fraught with a certain kind of risk, distrust and lack of understanding," Garriott says. "I think what I'm building now is the spiritual successor of my previous work."
The Daily Grind: Should games bother innovating guild systems?
In-game support for MMO guilds has come a long way in the last 15 years. Ultima Online launched without guilds at all, let alone chat, so we tacked our guild abbreviations onto our character names. EverQuest's early months required guild leaders to petition GMs to form guilds. In fact, it wasn't until Asheron's Call that an MMO tried to break away from the "unofficial online shooter clan" mold and provide something different: a monarchy system that encouraged players to form official but dynamic allegiances, which provided an in-game benefit to patrons and vassals alike. But the genre didn't iterate on Asheron's Call's invention, instead preferring to bolster in-game guilds with perks like guild vaults and achievements -- cool stuff, but layered over a static, military style of guild structure with generic ranks. Most MMOs don't allow you to join multiple groups, either (Guild Wars 2 being a notable exception). So today I'm wondering whether you think there's room for innovation in MMO guild mechanics. Should studios design unique and flexible guild systems, or should they just get out of the way and let players decide how to organize themselves like we had to Back In The Day? 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: The Anarchy Online bloggers
It's a simple fact of life: Newer MMOs get all the blog love. World of Warcraft and EVE Online, in particular, are lavished with so many dedicated blogs that it's almost embarrassing, while most of the games that we look at in this column are practically ignored. It could just be that blogging didn't really come into vogue when these games came out, but whatever the reason, it's kind of a shame that few if any folks are out there blogging about their in-game experiences in Ultima Online or Asheron's Call. That's why I was utterly surprised to see two brand-new bloggers hit the scene writing about Anarchy Online: Sephora's Closet and Donovan Drones. Both of these blogs came out of a community-wide effort to encourage new game writers in May, and I was so fascinated with their game du jour that I contacted each of them for an interview. What would drive someone to blog about Anarchy Online in 2012? What is there in the game worth writing? How many more words do I need to write until this paragraph doesn't look pathetically skimpy? Come with me and we'll find out!
The Perfect Ten: Worst MMO launches of all time
First things first: Whatever MMO release is currently ticking you off is the worst launch of all time. It would be folly of me to try to convince you otherwise. You've been roundly slapped in the face and you don't want me to convince you that the pain was in vain. I understand. Getting past that, however, would it be possible to examine the subsequent 10 worst launches in the MMO industry? If your trauma isn't too great, that is. It would be? Terrific! What constitutes a horrible game launch is varied, although each and every one of the following games made an unfortunate blunder that caused the title to stumble instead of sprint out of the gate. It's not the end of the story, of course, but it does make for a good tale to tell to youngsters camping in the open woods or a particularly seedy LAN center.
RuneScape throwing the Queen a royal celebration on June 2nd
Royalty is coming to RuneScape on June 2nd, as Jagex is celebrating the Queen of England's Diamond Jubilee (that's 60 years on the throne, if you're wondering). Players in the game will be invited to join in a massive block party that will include sampling British cuisine, solving clues, petting the Queen's Corgis, and collecting numerous treasures scattered throughout the Royal city of Varrock. There's even a giant Queen Black Dragon to be defeated, but be warned: She's one of the toughest mobs in the game. This celebration is partially in response to the honor (honour) that the Queen gave the studio in April of this year, as Jagex was granted the Queen's Award for Innovation in Enterprise. "We thought it was only appropriate to return our appreciation and admiration by immortalising the Queen's monumental 60-year achievement by providing an online platform for hundreds of millions of people around the world to come together," said CEO Mark Gerhard. "Friends and family will share in the fun and celebrations of this very special day celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, by hosting what may be the first, but certainly will be the world's largest, virtual street party." If you're wondering if the Queen will be there, well, Jagex did extend an invitation. You can watch the Jubilee Celebration trailer after the jump. [Source: Jagex press release]
Ultima Online publishes comprehensive player guide
Older MMOs can often present a substantial barrier to entry with their complexity, foreign gameplay mechanics, and cumbersome UIs. However, the team at Ultima Online is looking to knock down the largest obstacle of all, lack of comprehensive information, with its brand-new play guide. The 19-section, 102-page guide is dedicated to walking new players through the first few days of the game as well as providing detailed resources for experienced players curious about a point or two. Topics covered include getting started, travel, pets, guilds, housing, and game terminology. The guide is available in three parts as a downloadable pdf document on the UO Herald website.
