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E3 2012: Crashing and burning in PlanetSide 2
I used to think of myself as an OK pilot. Then I slid into the cockpit of a Terran Republic Mosquito at E3 yesterday and learned just how inapplicable real-world skill is in PlanetSide 2. In my defense, Sony Online Entertainment's demo stations suffered from a severe lack of joysticks, and the controls were also mapped to that goofy up-is-up and down-is-down standard that's, well, standard on every shooter ever made. This is completely unnatural to my way of thinking, and so I'm going to blame it for the fact that my Mosquito lumbered around the skies of Auraxis like a drunken elephant, listing hard to starboard and eventually porpoising down for the ugliest landing in the history of ugly landings. But hey, any one you walk away from's a good one, right?
E3 2012: Spacetime Studios demos another smash Legends hit
If you're a fan of Spacetime Studios' mobile MMO Pocket Legends or any of its brethren, you're in for a treat. The studio's next installment in the series, Arcane Legends, promises to deliver more of what all gamers crave: a standard hack-'n'-slash dungeon crawler feel, with more weapons, more environments, more lore, and more of just plain ol' fun. For free. Players who haven't experienced any of the Legends series will find it familiar yet entertaining. Spacetime is entirely dedicated to gaming software on all platforms. Pocket Legends was its first foray into the market, and thus was born Star Legends and Dark Legends, each with its own style and flair. Arcane Legends delivers more of what the previous titles offer. I was able to sit down with Fernando Blanco, Director of Marketing, at E3 to see a demo for the game, which the studio showcased on two tablets -- including a Kindle Fire. It was quite impressive.
Trion Worlds CEO pinpoints the failings of 38 Studios and Star Wars: The Old Republic
Trion Worlds' CEO Lars Buttler has never been one to pussyfoot around his competition, and at this year's E3, Buttler bluntly addressed what he saw as the failings of both 38 Studios and Star Wars: The Old Republic. Buttler talked about said studio and game in light of the perceived crumbling of the AAA MMO segment. Citing different issues between the two companies and projects, he said that "process management" was 38 Studios Achilles' Heel: "38 Studios had a concept they couldn't deliver on... It was too big of a scope. It was too much. It just went broader and never narrowed. They never even came close to the finish line." In the case of SWTOR, Buttler sees BioWare fumbling where Trion's RIFT has stayed consistently strong: "I don't think [SWTOR's] business model was necessarily the issue, but I think it was content updates, and what to do in the game, and how you can play it without it becoming repetitive." So what is the key to success for an MMO? "You have to be able to keep people interested," Buttler concluded. "The key about an online game is that it's a live service. If you make it more like a packaged goods game, people will stay about as long as they stay with a packaged goods game."
E3 2012: Explore the lore of Neverwinter in two new trailers
Dungeons and Dragons fans who have long wished to see the the lands of that lore come to life are eagerly awaiting the release of Neverwinter, the upcoming MMO set in the Sword Coast and focusing on the Jewel of the North, the city of Neverwinter. Although fans will have to wait until the end of the year to play, they can get a glimpse of the game in two trailers just released by Perfect World Entertainment and Cryptic Studios. The first video offers lore of the Vellosk peaks, sharing how area has fallen to shadow and one barbarian clan caught the attention of powerful warlords. The second clip is part two of the three-part "The Siege of Neverwinter" trailer series; where part one was truly a tease at under three-quarters or a minute, this next part shows more action, following a story of vengeance amid battle scenes. Check out both clips after the break. [Thanks to Paul for the tip!]
E3 2012: Razer reveals concept controller for MechWarrior Online
Atmosphere is important in a game. Sure, when you get behind the cockpit of a 'Mech in MechWarrior Online, you can control everything just fine with a mouse and a keyboard, but that doesn't feel quite right. No, you should have something that feels appropriately like a set of controls for an enormous walking battle tank. Something like the Razer Artemis, in other words. The peripheral manufacturer has just unveiled its concept controller specifically targeting the upcoming game, and like most Razer concepts, it certainly looks right on the money. The demo unit on the show floor is unfortunately non-functional, as it's meant as a proof-of-concept rather than a retail product. Currently the team is looking at the best ways to implement the functionality needed, with the final product in flux as feedback is taken into consideration. If it sparks your imagination, however, you can certainly take a look at the trailer for the upcoming controller just after the break. [Thanks to Space Cobra for the tip!]
E3 2012: CCP says it wants 'EVE to be around in 10, 20, 30 years'
CCP's E3 2012 setup was dark, infused with Jon Hallur's soothing sci-fi synth tones, and entirely appropriate for huddling conspiratorially in a corner booth with producer Jon Lander and creative director Torfi Frans Olafsson. The three of us chatted for about 30 minutes, covering a wide range of topics including EVE Online and its new Inferno expansion, DUST 514, and game money for real goods. In a nutshell, Inferno has been more of what the doctor ordered for the MMO genre's elder sandbox statesman. "We are on the cusp of breaking our all-time subscriber record right now," Olafsson told me, and that's no small feat for a polarizing title in a genre over which burnout and next-new-thing syndrome reign supreme.
E3 2012: Final Fantasy XIV releases new version 2.0 screens and art
E3 2012 is going strong, and you know what that means: screenshots for everyone! The folks at Square-Enix are jumping aboard the screenshot bandwagon with a bundle of new screens and artwork from Final Fantasy XIV's upcoming version 2.0 update. The new gallery of goodies shows off a number of the improvements coming to FFXIV in 2.0, such as the sleek new UI, fancy new character creation, improved real-time shading, and most importantly, the ability to frakkin' jump. Jokes about basic athletic ability aside, the new screens are delightfully shiny and should be a welcome sight both to current players and those waiting for 2.0 to get back into the game. The concept art also hints at a number of new vistas, monsters, and equipment pieces coming in 2.0 as well, so check out the full gallery below for all of the delicious new eye-candy. [Source: Square-Enix press release -- special thanks to everyone who sent this in!] %Gallery-157176% Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 4-7, bringing you all the best news from E3 2012. We're covering everything from PlanetSide 2 and SWTOR and ArcheAge to RIFT's and LotRO's upcoming expansions, so stay tuned!
E3 2012: PlanetSide 2 trailer pulls you in three directions
"Size. Always. Matters." Thus sayeth Sony Online Entertainment's E3 trailer for PlanetSide 2. The brand-new trailer shows the chaotic flow of battle, both on the ground and in the skies. Each of the three factions -- the Terran Republic, New Conglomerate, and Vanu Sovereignty -- receives a moment in the spotlight during the trailer accompanied by stirring speeches. It's a good opportunity to get a feel for the factions and the gameplay if you're interested in PlanetSide 2, so give the trailer a watch after the jump and let us know what you think!
E3 2012: World of Battleships unmoors its trailer
World of Battleships may be the newest title in Wargaming.net's arsenal, but that doesn't mean it's about to be overshadowed by its older siblings. The World War II-era battleship combat simulator arrived at E3 this week to show off a rather clever trailer illustrating how ships can be just as exciting as tanks and planes. The trailer is interestingly framed, flashing between shipwrecks on the bottom of the ocean floor and shots of the ships in combat and taking damage. Presumably the message is, "We're going to litter the heck out of the ocean with the steel corpses of your failures -- unless you're good enough, that is." World of Battleships will be joining World of Warplanes and World of Tanks under a unified battle realm. You can watch the smoky trailer action after the jump.
E3 2012: The Elder Scrolls Online previews characters, more in new trailers [Update]
We're expecting big things out of The Elder Scrolls Online during this year's E3, and to kick things off, Bethesda and ZeniMax have unveiled a new teaser trailer that shows off a small sampling of the characters players can look forward to taking control of when they get their hands on the game. While it's not exactly gameplay footage, perhaps the new video will assuage fans who are uncertain about the game's art direction. That, or it will enrage them further. At any rate, the sample characters run the gamut of what you would expect from The Elder Scrolls: big bearded dude with an axe, sultry elven spellcaster, cloaked assassin -- you get the idea. The video's short and doesn't serve as much except for eye-candy, but if you're voracious for new TESO tidbits, it's definitely worth a look. Just head past the cut for the full trailer, and be sure to check back later this week for a chat with the folks behind the upcoming title. [Update: We've also added another video, this one an interview of TESO's game director discussing and showing off the game, and the official site has updated with a new look and FAQ. Thanks to Paul for the tips!]
E3 2012: Wizardry Online unleashes a bevy of screenshots
Sony Online Entertainment brought a big surprise to this year's E3 by announcing that it will publish Gamepot's upcoming super-hardcore MMO, Wizardry Online. Now that the event is in full-swing, SOE has released a slew of new screenshots from the title to show off the game's scenery and combat. For those of you not in the loop, Wizardry Online is an online continuation of Sir-Tech's renowned retro Wizardry series of RPGs. But Wizardry Online isn't your average DIKU-style title; the developers make no bones about the game's hardcore nature, which is a result of features such as permadeath, player-killing, and friendly-fire. Further details are scant at the moment, but Massively will be chatting with SOE later this week at the Expo, so stay tuned for more information on this punishing new title. In the meantime, enjoy the gallery below and check out all the new screens. [Source: Sony Online Entertainment press release] %Gallery-125949% Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 4-7, bringing you all the best news from E3 2012. We're covering everything from PlanetSide 2 and SWTOR and ArcheAge to RIFT's and LotRO's upcoming expansions, so stay tuned!
E3 2012: Jet Li will be the face of Age of Wushu
Age of Wushu, an upcoming martial arts MMO, features wuxia-style combat with some impressive acrobatic moves, so it seems a perfect fit that Snail Games announced at this year's E3 that Jet Li will be the face of the MMO. The International action film star has signed a two-year deal to promote the game, and as spokesperson, he'll be featured in a TV commercial and make public appearances at events. Li began his training in Wushu at the age of eight and was a multiple champion in China before retiring at the age of 19 to begin his film career. His film titles include Lethal Weapon 4, Unleashed, The Forbidden Kingdom, and The Expendables. He's also wrapping up work on The Expendables II, which is due in theaters this August. Age of Wushu is an upcoming MMO by Snail Games set in the age of the Ming Dynasty in China. It features Wuxia-style combat and some interesting concepts such as no levels or classes and a boss sidekick system. Massively will be meeting the team at E3, so keep your eyes open for more news this week! [Source: Snail Games press release] Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 4-7, bringing you all the best news from E3 2012. We're covering everything from PlanetSide 2 and SWTOR and ArcheAge to RIFT's and LotRO's upcoming expansions, so stay tuned!
E3 2012: DUST 514 announces Home Space, Vita companion app
The firefight's only begun between DUST 514 and the competition, as CCP Games is showing off the many subsidiary features of its upcoming PlayStation 3 MMOFPS at E3 this week. The studio used the Expo as a platform to announce that DUST 514 will have its own dedicated Home Space on the console as well as a tie-in app with the portable PlayStation Vita. DUST 514's Home Space is intended to be a hangout for up-and-coming mercenaries, and CCP invites all interested players to check out the thematic virtual place over the summer. It will also be one of the best places to snag a beta key: CCP is kicking off DUST 514's Home Space by giving away 10,000 all access keys to the first people who visit. The studio's also developed a companion app for the PlayStation Vita called DUST 514: Neocom. While the app does not let players fight in the game, it does allow them to experiment with loadouts, customization, market exchanges, and social features. The premiere beta weekend event for DUST 514 will kick off on June 29th. CCP's released a new trailer for E3 that showcases the game in action, including several in-game shots of tanks, ships, and soldiers blowing stuff up -- check it out after the jump! [Source: CCP Games press release]
E3 2012: SWTOR's limited F2P trial, content plans, and new trailer
During Electronic Arts' E3 press conference earlier this afternoon, BioWare's Dr. Ray Muzyka took to the stage to toot the horn of Star Wars: The Old Republic. He outlined the game's accomplishments over the last half year, bragged about its status as the biggest MMO launch in history, and promised to provide a "living service that's always on" and "set a new standard for a premium MMO service." But the team has big plans for the future too, starting with a limited F2P trial set to arrive in July that will allow anyone to pick up and play the game up to level 15. Muzyka also revealed a new trailer heralding upcoming new companions (including an HK assassin droid), level cap increases, enhanced story, a new PvP warzone (Ancient Hypergates), new playable species (the Cathar), a new version of the nightmare difficulty mode, a new endgame operation (Terror From Beyond), a new space combat mission, and a new planet called Makeb, complete with requisite storylines. The video is now behind the break. Stay tuned as we bring you more TOR news from E3!
Leaderboard: News dump vs. paced information
This week's E3 is on all our minds, and I know that I can't wait to hear what big reveals or juicy tidbits developers have to drop on us. Conventions, expos, and trade shows are great platforms to back up a dump truck full of information to the microphones in an attempt to grab the spotlight and deny it to others. But that makes me think of how there's really two methods that studios use for delivering information about their games' futures. The first is to store it all up for a single mass press explosion that floods players and the media with loads of new information. While that can be fun and get the headlines, it also means that there tends to be a lot of silence and waiting between said infodumps. The other method is to spread out the love with regular but smaller updates. Some MMOs, like SWTOR and WildStar, even go so far as to schedule a weekly info day so that fans know when to expect something new. It may not always seem as impressive when paced like that, but some players really do appreciate knowing that there is news coming at regular intervals rather than having to wait. So what do you say? Vote with your mouse and then sound off in the comments: Is it better to have big news dumps or to pace that information out?
The Daily Grind: What do you hope to learn from E3?
So E3 2012 is a day away, and Massively is gearing up to stagger drunkenly around the Los Angeles Convention Center schmoozing with game devs. Oh wait, that's not us, but we are excited to see some of the MMOs on display at this year's con, including The Elder Scrolls Online, Neverwinter, Defiance, the Riders of Rohan expansion for Lord of the Rings Online, and dozens more. For some of us, it's our first E3. For others, it's old hat at this point. One thing's for certain, though: Gaming's Graceland has a lot to offer both vets and newbs alike. For today's breakfast topic, share your thoughts on this year's event. More specifically, what do you hope to learn from E3? 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 Daily Grind: What do you hope to hear from GDC 2012?
Well it's almost time for game convention silly season. First up is the Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco next week, followed by PAX East in April and E3 in June. A gaggle of Massively scribes are heading west in a few days to bring you the best (and the most grammatically correct) coverage of all the happenings at GDC. From preview sessions with The Secret World, DUST 514, and PlanetSide 2, to interviews with dev luminaries and glimpses of all that's new and shiny in the world of MMOs, there looks to be a lot of industry news coming your way next week. Today's Daily Grind is an easy one. Are you looking forward to GDC, and is there anything in particular that you hope to learn from this year's conference? 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!
