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Jukebox Heroes: RuneScape 3's new sound
Amid all of the hoopla surrounding the third major iteration of RuneScape was a notice that many readers may have skipped right over: Jagex authorized the audio team to go ahead and build a new sound engine for RuneScape 3 and record high-fidelity music with a full orchestra. As a result, RuneScape now has over eight hours of ear-blowing awesomeness thanks to composer James Hannigan and the Slovak Symphony Orchestra. I'll be giving RuneScape the traditional Jukebox Heroes treatment in an upcoming column, but today we're going to talk with Jagex Audio Lead Stephen Lord about the enormous effort it took to overhaul the music for RuneScape 3. We've got the inside perspective on making RuneScape's new sound as well as several pieces from the new soundtrack, all after the break!
RuneFest rents out London's Tobacco Dock
Get ready to party with the best of RuneScape's fans at RuneFest this fall! Jagex has announced that the fan convention will take place on November 2nd at the Tobacco Dock in London with a RuneScape gods theme. The team chose the Tobacco Dock for its unique look and central location. RuneFest is a one-day convention where fans will get to meet each other and the developers. Jagex has yet to announce the ticket price and schedule, although the studio said it is planning "some extra-special surprises" for the event. The official RuneFest page is back up and running.
RuneScape 3 goes live
This ain't your slightly-older-brother's RuneScape, folks; RuneScape 3 is hip, happening, and live right now. The latest iteration of Jagex's browser behemoth is now available to play, and it looks better than ever. RuneScape 3 isn't just about a graphical overhaul, although it would be sad to dismiss its visual improvements. The new version includes a customizable interface, six hours of new music, and lots of technical improvements. Jagex is kicking off RuneScape 3 with the Battle of Lumbridge and the Sixth Age, so get in and start kicking butt from minute one! This event will take place over the span of two months, during which players can ally with a faction and collect divine tears to contribute to their side's ranking. The studio recommends that players experience it with the Java client and not the still-in-testing HTML5 version. The team's also posted a comprehensive FAQ if you have any specific questions about the changes.
MMObility: RuneScape, HTML5, and plenty of bacon
RuneScape, as always, is moving forward with killer new content and additions to the game. I was so excited this week to get a chance to play through the Bringing Home the Bacon questline and scout out the open beta of the HTML5 version. I was initially eager to see just how much better the HTML5 version looked and played, but I didn't want to dive in until any issues had been worked out. Boy, does it impress. Sure, it might not seem like much to someone who is used to the graphics from games like Guild Wars 2, but this browser game that is over a decade old looks great not only for a browser game but for any type of game. It's still a bit of an acquired taste, but once you try it, you'll be smitten. I also had fun playing through the bacon-flavored quest line that is featured this month. I'll tell you about both... how's that?
Ultima Forever delays release until later this summer
While Canada has been enjoying the fruits of Ultima Forever, the rest of the world's been waiting to get a hold of this mobile online RPG. Unfortunately, it looks as though the wait will be extended a little longer, as Mythic announced that the Ultima Forever's iOS launch has been delayed a few weeks. Mythic called upon players' Sacrifice virtue regarding the delay: "Our world-wide launch has been pushed back a handful of weeks, due to the need to spend a little more time tuning the economy and wrangling performance across all devices." The studio said that it will spend the time fine-tuning the game and incorporating tester feedback.
The Perfect Ten: MMO commercials that take us back
I don't see a lot of commercials these days. I like to imagine that I'm a one-man force out to frustrate advertisers, ducking and weaving whenever they try to wing a 30-second spot at me. A lot gets through, but I've long since canceled cable, and the only traditional commercials I sit through are the ones for the occasional YouTube video. But there's something about a good commercial that can take us back on a wave of "remember whens?" and community bonding. I hear more discussions about creative ad spots the day after the Superbowl than the game itself. Commercials can even be a time capsule that unlocks memories for us of favorite movies, toys, and experiences. But what about MMOs? Well, they have commercials too, although not as many have made it to the standard airwaves. They're out there, though. Lurking. Emitting nostalgia rays from the past. And I've been hunting them down, looking for commercials that take us back to a simpler, goofier time. A few thousand dead brain cells later, I've got 10 of the margh make it sop pleaze pleaaa... Enjoy.
RuneScape 3 launches July 22nd
If you're a RuneScape fan, go ahead and mark July 22nd on your calendar. That's the date that Jagex is unveiling RuneScape 3, which the company says is "the biggest upgrade in the game's acclaimed 12-year history." The browser-based game client will transition to HTML 5, enabling players to avoid Java or any additional plugins. The new client will also boast improved graphics, longer draw distances, an upgraded camera system, and superior audio, according to a Jagex press release. RuneScape 3 will also usher in a new era of user-generated content, with the future of Gielinor's inhabitants and scenery now resting in players' hands. The Battle for Lumbridge, a community-focused world event, kicks things off on July 22nd. [Source: Jagex press release]
Jukebox Heroes: Ultima Online's soundtrack
Ultima Online and EverQuest were bound in blood by their early place in MMO history, but both titles were also two of the very few MMOs that released with a MIDI soundtrack. I've talked about the charms of MIDI before, although I think that a good chunk of the modern playerbase has no idea how games used to sound. In short, UO's original score used to be 100% computer produced, but eventually the MIDI format was replaced by much better-sounding versions in MP3 files around 2002. The core game's music was done by a pair of composers, Kirk Winterrowd and Joe Basquez, both of whom worked on previous Ultima titles. There's not a lot out there about the duo's experience creating the soundtrack nor whom the game studio tapped for music duties after Origin Systems went away. What I find interesting about this score is that not only is it beloved by players who have fond memories for Ultima Online but it is part of the larger Ultima framework, harkening back to The Olden Days of gaming. Seeing as how I was never into any of the Ultima titles (for shame, I know), I'm going to have to fall back on a simple gut-check: Which of this music is appealing simply for its own sake?
One Shots: Jump! Jump!
Do you like jumping puzzles in MMOs? Then you and I can no longer be friends. I am sorry to draw the line there, but if this is the case, then there is something seriously wrong with your head. Maybe you like the small jolts of anxiety and tension as you try to hop from platform to platform, but I would rather chew on tinfoil than go through that again. Reader John will be your friend if you're a jumper, however. He's mastered one tricky hoppery-doo in Guild Wars 2 and lived to tell the tale. "This is the view from one of the high points in the Hidden Garden. It's a jumping puzzle you reach by killing one of the four keepers in Mount Maelstrom, opening a portal. I always enjoy the landscapes of this game." I enjoy the landscapes too, John. From ground-level. I wonder what other landscapes we'll be seeing in this week's collection of player-submitted screenshots?
Second Wind: Ultima Online
When I (legally) sold my Ultima Online accounts in 2000 for the hefty sum of $1800, the game was already three years old and being challenged by the likes of EverQuest and Asheron's Call. I thought I was done forever. My guild was eyeing Dark Age of Camelot, and I wanted to cash out and rid myself of the chore of maintaining a dozen grandfathered houses on the dying half of a shard struggling to find its footing in a post-open-PvP ruleset. I was wrong. A year later I was back in UO with a new account, prowling around Britannia. And the year after that. And every year since, only I never again made the mistake of selling my accounts even when I took extended breaks. It has a special magic that only a handful of MMOs have captured (let alone topped) since, and what it lacks in modern conveniences it often makes up for in unique features. The granddaddy of MMORPGs and one of the only true sandboxes still standing turns 16 this autumn, having survived EverQuest, World of Warcraft, the internet bubble, EA's blundering, Mythic's takeover, layoffs, price hikes, a recession, and disastrous design shifts. But is it still worth playing?
Massively reminisces on Star Wars Galaxies' 10th anniversary
Has it really been 10 years? Yep, Star Wars Galaxies did indeed launch on June 26th, 2003. And yep, this is indeed an anniversary post for an MMORPG that closed down in December of 2011. Why the reminiscing about a game that we can't -- ahem -- play any longer? Simply put, SWG deserves it. If you're reading this article, you already know why it deserves it, so we'll skip the sandbox proselytizing and get right to the part where Massively's Starsider veterans raise a glass and share a few of their favorite launch-era memories.
Jagex boasts best financial year ever
Jagex has announced today that the company has had its most successful year to date, earning £50 million for the first time in the studio's history. In addition, the largest independent game studio in the UK employs a staff of over 550 people with the potential to grow even further. "2013 is set to be an even bigger year for Jagex as we release the biggest update in RuneScape's history, launch Transformers Universe and publish a number of new titles." CEO Mark Gerhard pointed out in a press release this morning. The studio's flagship title, RuneScape, saw "tens of millions of new players enter the game for the first time during 2012," solidifying the classic MMO as a free-to-play powerhouse. [Source: Jagex press release]
Anarchy Online turns 12 on June 27, Funcom plans events and giveaways
Guess who's turning 12 on June 27th? If you said Anarchy Online, you're pretty smart. Or you read the title of this article, whichever. In any case, Funcom is celebrating the milestone by hosting in-game events and handing out free gifts including the Ganimedes jet pack. If you're an AO member, you'll also receive rare balloons and a celebratory social pet. As always, full details are available at the game's official website.
Asheron's Call 2 prepares quality-of-life update
Asheron's Call 2, its community, and its small dev team continue to endure after the title's resurrection last winter. And Turbine's been preparing a quality-of-life update for the game that is aimed at smoothing out some of the rough spots of the title. In a recent post, producer Severlin said that the team is looking at a late June release for the patch, although he said there's a chance it might slip into early July. The update will improve quest flow, bump up quest XP rewards, adjust mob placement, and make it easier for solo players to forge their way in AC2. "Exploration will be no less rewarding after these adjustments," developer NoWorries assured players. "We want to make sure that players don't hit walls where they have no idea what they can go do next, especially at the early stages when they are still getting used to the game." [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
The Game Archaeologist: Anarchy Online turns 12
Most MMOs rolling into their 12th year (what few of them there are) live pretty quiet lives. Sure, there's the odd EverQuest expansion here and there, but for the most part the development has simmered down, the team trimmed to a handful of folks, and the best hope for the future is maintaining the status quo. Anarchy Online, however, is not angling to molder in some nursing home. As the 2001 sci-fi MMO turns 12 this month, it's looking back at a year full of exciting developments, scary moments, and hopeful visions. It might be the smallest arrow in Funcom's quiver right now, but I see it as a scrappy underdog that isn't willing to lie down and be ignored. So what happened this past year and what do Anarchy Online players have to look forward to? Glad you asked!
Some Assembly Required: Five ways MMOs should support player events
Over the course of Some Assembly Required, we've covered a few player-run events out there that haven't been highlighted in their respective game columns. After all, we're all about PGC here, and you can't really get content more player-generated than that! But with all the the possible events across the whole gamut of games, there's no possible way to attend them all, let alone cover them here; there is only so much time in the day and space in the column. Of course, that won't stop me from trying! From Age of Conan to Warhammer Online, a few of the events I've been able to catch are festivals, races, plays, fishing contests, tavern storytelling nights, quests (yes, quests), treasure/scavenger hunts, trivia contests, arena duels, gambling nights, musical concerts, war games, horse races, weddings, dance-offs, terraforming challenges, auctions, jousts, fashion shows, tournaments, funerals, crafter fairs, and more contests than can even be mentioned. These examples aren't restricted to any one genre, either; creatively concocted events run the gamut and include themeparks like Aion, MOBAs like SMITE, and more -- and not just sandboxes. As you might have noticed, that's quite a bit of content, content that comes at no cost to the the studio! So why is it these events can be so hard to find? With so much free content at their fingertips, it would behoove studios to make it the norm to support and promote these events. And the tools they need to do so are already at their disposal.
Jagex appoints filmmaker as new creative director for Transformers Universe and RuneScape 3
Jagex has announced today the appointment of Alex de Rakoff as Creative Director to the popular MMO studio. Not only has de Rakoff directed award-winning music videos, but he's also well-known for his films, working with actors like Orlando Bloom and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. No, that doesn't mean Jagex is working on a Legolas or a gangsta rap MMO, but it does mean that the upcoming Transformers Universe and RuneScape 3 will both benefit from de Rakoff's experience and creativity. In fact, before being officially hired in-house by Jagex, de Rakoff had already been writing the story for Transformers Universe under contract. You can learn more about Alex on his IMDb profile. [Source: Jagex press release]
The Game Archaeologist: Checking in with classic MMOs
What's this, you say as you rub your eyes in disbelief. Is it... The Game Archaeologist, long since thought lost in his expedition to Atlantis (and the trials therein)? It is indeed, my friends. TGA has been a long-running passion of mine on Massively, but I needed a break for a while to recouperate and refocus. However, as of late I've felt the call of neglected classic MMOs and wanted to make sure that they were getting some column love here on the site. So going forward, expect to see The Game Archaeologist pop out of his hidey hole once or twice a month to talk about our old favorites and perhaps pontificate more on the history of MMO development. Sound good? Did you miss me at all? You totally didn't, did you. If you've been out of touch with classic MMOs, I've done the legwork this week to provide you with the 10 important and relevant news items that are sweeping through this aging yet still vibrant community. Read on, McDuff!
Some Assembly Required: Three games that need player-generated content
At times over the last half decade, I've felt as if the MMORPG genre lost sight of itself. It seemed that all any gamemaker wanted to do was emulate a certain wildly successful outlier, and this in turn threw a wet blanket over the sandbox play, emergent design, and player-generated content that separates MMOs from run-of-the-mill video games. The last year or so has seen the collective industry start to wake up from that bad dream, as there are now a half dozen really promising sandbox or sandpark titles in development, several of which are backed by millions of dollars and major studios. What about the current crop of games, though? Is it a stretch to imagine a few of them, even the unapologetically linear ones, expanding their horizons with a little bit of player-generated content?
Funcom Q1 sales and restructuring keep studio moving forward
If it's not the best news ever, at least we've got some good news from Funcom today. The studio posted its first quarter financial report, showing that it had solid sales and "significant" operating expense savings because of the recent restructuring of its organization. Funcom made over $6.3 million of revenue in the first quarter, mostly thanks to sales and subscriptions of The Secret World and Age of Conan. The studio said that it saved almost $1.2 million of operating expenses in the same period thanks to the restructuring. Also, The Secret World made more money in Q1 2013 than Q4 2012 thanks to its new business model. In terms of game news, Funcom is pushing forward with its LEGO Minifigures MMO, the new Anarchy Online graphic engine, a summer release for Issue #7 of The Secret World, and development of several smaller titles. Both LEGO and Funcom will be working to "establish closer integration between the physical product and the game." Finally, thanks to recent decisions by the studio, both Anarchy Online and The Secret World are boasting larger numbers of players than in the previous quarter.
