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The Daily Grind: What was your favorite PAX reveal?
PAX Prime 2011 has come and gone, and it's now time to turn our eyes to DragonCon and what is sure to be an eventful final few months of the year. Before we move on, though, it's worth looking back at the events of this past weekend and thinking on a few favorites. While this year's PAX didn't boast any zomg-that's-awesome reveals, there was a steady stream of new and interesting information flowing out of Seattle over the weekend. Whether your taste runs to PvP and Star Wars The Old Republic, endgame content and Korean imports like TERA, or interesting newcomers like WildStar and its decision to insert the Bartle model firmly into the midst of its game design, there was a bit of something for everyone. Today's Daily Grind is an easy one: What was your favorite PAX Prime reveal? 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 are you looking forward to at PAX Prime?
It's something of a tradition here at Massively when there's a major convention just around the corner to ask our readers what they're looking forward to seeing. We like to know what other people are interested in, after all, and while we can certainly attest to our own excitement, that's nothing compared to what you'd like to see. Heck, if you're not quite sure what there is to look forward to, we've even got a handy-dandy guide to all of the stuff promised to be on display. So what are you looking forward to for this incarnation of PAX Prime? There's a heavy MMO lineup, ranging from current darlings Guild Wars 2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic to the much-discussed newcomer WildStar. Which of the many exhibitors are going to have you watching the news, or possibly traveling all the way out to Seattle? Or are you just not all that interested in all the proceedings? 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!
Antec to sell NCsoft-themed PC enclosures
So it's official, Antec and NCsoft are going out. OK, maybe it's not quite that creepy, but a new press release does note that the two companies have an "official relationship," which will be publicly consummated at next week's PAX Prime event. Antec, known primarily for its PC hardware and upgrade components, will be opening an online boutique featuring custom PC cases emblazoned with artwork from NCsoft franchises including Aion, City of Heroes, and Guild Wars. Antec's PAX Prime booth will also be hosting an exclusive City of Heroes Freedom demo for convention attendees, and you can read all the details via the full press release at MarketWire. [Thanks to Jessie for the tip!]
Gamescom 2011: Paradox releases new Salem teaser
A couple of months ago, we were treated to a sneak peek of Salem, the new browser-based MMO from Paradox Interactive. Aside from its colonial America setting and Salem witch trial underpinnings, the defining feature of this odd MMORPG is permadeath. Today, Paradox has a released a new trailer for the title at Gamescom, and though there's no gameplay footage to be had, the atmosphere conjured by the clip is nothing short of bizarre. The video runs a tad over a minute and a half, and perhaps the most interesting thing about it is a subtitle that shows up after the ending title and proclaims that Salem is "the crafting MMO." It's the crafting MMO with permadeath and a PvP focus, if previous Paradox releases still hold true, and if that doesn't tweak your curiosity, well, head past the cut and watch the video anyway.
The Daily Grind: Have you met your online friends offline?
MMORPGs make for some mighty strange bedfellows. We all approach these games for different reasons and from many different backgrounds. For some players, MMORPGs are firmly in the fantasy-not-reality section of their daily planners, while others form lasting "real-world" friendships with their MMO compatriots -- and some folks even make the effort to hang out with their online buddies offline. Whether you've traveled to a guild get-together, attended a gaming convention, or happen to live in the same town as your groupmates, today's Daily Grind is all about real-world meetups. Have you ever hooked up with your MMO pals in person (and if not, would you want to)? 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!
Trion details RIFT, End of Nations, and Defiance plans for Gamescom
Trion is one of many MMO companies gearing up for a big showing at this month's Gamescom, and a new interview with Adam Gershowitz, David Luehmann, and Rob Hill lets fans in on what they can expect regarding the world of Telara. For starters, there will be a lot of lip service given to RIFT's "Endgame for All" initiative, specifically the new Chronicle instances coming with the 1.5 patch. Gershowitz also mentions the Hammerknell weekend warfront and says its a way for Trion to "spice up the normal warfront grind" via new gameplay and additional rewards. Said new gameplay takes the form of a new mode called escalation, which is essentially the Telaran equivalent of capture-the-flag. The interview also touches on Trion's End of Nations and Defiance titles, both of which will also be featured at Gamescom (though it's worth noting that Defiance will be restricted to industry previewers as Trion says the title "isn't quite ready for its player debut").
SOE's Fan Faire 2012 moving to the Fall
It's never too early to start planning for next year's convention season, and Sony Online Entertainment has announced that its annual Fan Faire get-together is vacating its traditional summer slot starting in 2012. SOE's Las Vegas shindig will move to the Fall, and the company is currently offering up a public vote to determine the exact dates. Participants can select between the weekends of September 13th through September 16th, September 27th through September 30th, or October 18th through October 21st. In a post on SOE's official boards, Linda "Brasse" Carlson explains that the bump is mostly due to the availability of the venue, which in turn keeps costs down and enables SOE to continue hosting the fan-friendly event.
World of Warplanes debuting at Gamescom
If you're curious about Wargaming.net's upcoming World of Warplanes MMO, Gamescom 2011 is the place to be. The World War II-based flight simulator's gameplay will be shown for the first time at the convention in Cologne, Germany from August 17th to August 21st. World of Warplanes was initially announced during this year's E3, but no media, gameplay footage, or web presence has been forthcoming as of yet. Wargaming.net will also be holding an open World of Tanks tournament at Gamescom, and the company has plans to announce its newest development project, according to a press release issued this morning.
BioWare talks Star Wars: The Old Republic vehicles and launches
Vehicles are cool. Not that having a trusty steed isn't cool in any game, but Star Wars: The Old Republic is a game emulating films in which every single vehicle was a character unto itself. In the most recent panel for the game at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, it's been made clear that the designers aren't limiting vehicles to simply spaceships for players and for ambient encounters. Landspeeders and speeder bikes will be available for players, with several styles shown off to the attendees. As always, iconic imagery is at the top of the priority list for development, up to and including the opening text crawl following character creation. A firm release date has still not been announced, but the team has once again reiterated that the game will be out for this year's holiday season. Frustratingly vague? Perhaps, but at least there's plenty of tasty information to chew on despite the insistent lack of clarity elsewhere.
Jagex announces RuneFest 2011
If you'll be in the UK on the weekend of October 29th -- and you're a fan of RuneScape -- you might want to drop by Old Billingsgate in central London for the annual RuneFest fan celebration. Jagex is pulling out all the stops for the browser title's 10th anniversary bash, and attendees can look forward to event favorites like the Insider Sessions as well as the Golden Gnome Video Awards. A Halloween after-party is also on the docket, as are plenty of opportunities to score swag and hob-knob with senior developers. Tickets aren't yet on sale, but you can keep up with RuneFest happenings and announcements via the official website and the dedicated forums.
City of Heroes heading for San Diego Comic Con
It's understandable that a lot of people might be in convention overload at the moment -- after all, E3 is just now wrapping up with all the information that entails. But for City of Heroes fans, the next big convention is still around the corner. San Diego Comic Con 2011 is taking place at the end of July, and Paragon Studios will be showing off on the show floor, celebrating both the game's four-color roots and the latest developments in gameplay. While the team has given several presentations in recent conventions, this year the game will have a booth on the show floor from July 21st to July 24th, giving players a chance to stop by and talk about the game with both developers and community managers. And if that's not enough, the team will also be giving away a new costume card, transforming characters into the Mk-VI Victoria assassin droid. City of Heroes players should keep their eyes peeled for more news of a meet-and-greet to accompany the gathering.
Hang out with Massively (and Joystiq) at the E3 2011 reader meetup
So E3 is coming up, and you what that means: games booze! If you've done the convention circuit before, you know that listening to PR reps and watching multiple presentations on the greatest-game-in-the-history-of-games pales in comparison to the opportunity to indulge in a bit of pub-crawling with industry types. If you're over 21 and a fan of Massively, Joystiq, or WoW Insider, you'll want to mark Friday, June 10th on your party-going calendar. The Joystiq crew will be taking over the La Cita bar in downtown Los Angeles for a swag-filled shindig sure to please the most discriminating gamer. And if not, hey, you can always drink with us. Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 6-9, bringing you all the best news from E3 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
Guild Launch sponsoring DragonCon 2011 MMO track
DragonCon isn't far over the horizon, and both genre fans and companies are making plans to descend on Atlanta for the annual Labor Day weekend nerd-a-thon in September. One such outfit is Guild Launch, and the hosting company has just announced via press release that it will be sponsoring the MMO track at this year's convention. Guild Launch, founded in 2006 and renowned for its ability to ease the HTML-ignorant into the creation and maintenance of their own guilld-related websites, will be participating in various MMORPG panels as well as exhibiting its services throughout the convention. "After attending DragonCon for the last few years we decided we wanted to promote the DragonCon MMO track more directly. We've found DragonCon to be an awesome place to meet the members of our service and we look forward to meeting more of them in 2011," says company founder Stephen Johnston.
Registration opens for PAX Prime
PAX East 2011 was more than a month ago, more than enough time for the event to have faded into memory even if you were lucky enough to attend. But that's only one part of the PAX conventions, with PAX Prime on deck for August 26th through the 28th. Registration for the Seattle convention has just opened to everyone, allowing gamers of all ages a chance to gather for news and events in the northwest. As per previous events, attendees can register for all three days at a discount rate or for an individual day pass. (Also per previous events, Saturday is likely to be the most active day of the weekend.) It's worth noting that PAX Prime is a very popular convention, so if you're planning on making the trek, registering sooner rather than later is probably a good idea. And going is probably a good idea, if you're able, as the convention traditionally holds a number of demos, events, announcements, and of course, free-range Massively staffers.
Blizzcon 2011 tickets on sale (briefly) in May
Start working out your index finger now, you've only got until May 21 to get into top clicking shape and secure your tickets to the Nerd-vana that is Blizzcon 2011. But there are two bits of good news for slow-pokes: (1) A second swath of passes will go on sale on May 25 and (2) Blizzard has upped prices by $25 to $175. That should knock out some your penny-pinching competitors, right? If you want a start with either the May 21 or 25 batches, start refreshing Blizzcon.com feverishly at around 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. PST, respectively. You'll also want to make sure you can make it to Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on Oct. 21 and October 22, otherwise, what was the point? If all else fails, you could wait till May 28 and pay $500 to gain entry to an exclusive Blizzard charity dinner and the convention. What would the dinner conversation be like with people who have that kind of cash to drop on Blizzcon? We've got no guesses, but suffice to say we'd love to be a Darkmist Silkspinner on that wall.
Perfect World Entertainment offering E3 passes for what you 'Like'
E3 is no longer quite the gamer promised land that it once was, but it's still an event that a lot of gamers would love to get in to see. Perfect World Entertainment understands that quite well, and so it's going a step beyond just unveiling two new games at the show. The studio is giving away 25 three-day passes to the show floor to fans of the upcoming game Rusty Hearts, which will be unveiled at the show. Entering is a simple procedure -- you just have to navigate over to the game's Facebook page and click "Like" to be entered for the random drawing. Be aware, however, that the prize only includes the show passes, not lodging or travel fees, which might prove to be the bigger hurdles for some. Take a look at the full rules if you're interested, however -- after all, how often do you get a shot to get into E3 without being part of the press?
Official video available for the Guild Wars 2 PAX East panel
If you were attending PAX East a couple of weeks ago, the odds are you wanted a chance to get in on ArenaNet's panel. Unfortunately, Guild Wars 2 fans were lined up outside the panel long before it started, filling the room to capacity and dashing the dreams of several hopeful attendees. Luckily, the fine team behind the games took the time time to record the panel in its entirety and has just made the full video available on the official blog. Posted in two parts and comprising just under an hour of total footage, the panel covers a variety of topics related to the development of Guild Wars 2 and includes a lengthy question-and-answer session from the audience. While it's not quite a substitute for being at the convention itself, the full video should prove interesting whether you weren't able to make it to Boston or just couldn't get inside the jam-packed panel session.
The Daily Grind: What are you hoping to hear at PAX East?
We're just barely out of GDC coverage, but this week kicks off another big convention for the gaming community. PAX has become an event on both coasts, and this year's PAX East promises to be a notable event for all in attendance within the gaming community. With Guild Wars 2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic both promising new playable content, it might seem like the newer games will steal the show, but older games such as City of Heroes and Lord of the Rings Online are on deck with new content and new announcements for fans. Of course, we've got some of our staff on-hand to cover all of the news coming out of Boston this weekend, but the real question is what you're hoping to hear. Do you want to see more of the new Guild Wars 2 demo? Hoping to hear more on Turbine's free-to-play games? Or are you hoping for something unexpected to emerge from the convention, perhaps even (gasp) non-MMO news? 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: Did you go to a game convention last year?
It is, in many ways, the ultimate gamer's pilgrimage -- to make the long trek to attend a gaming convention. Whether it be PAX, Dragon*Con, Fan Faire, BlizzCon, Leipzig or GamesCom, it's surprising the amount of money, time, effort and willingness to stand in line with sweaty people that we put up with just to see the latest games and talk to our favorite developers. It's hard to explain the allure of these conventions to outsiders, but there's something thrilling in seeing crowds of people who share your same hobby and get excited over all the same stuff you do. Plus, there's the swag. OH, the swag! Did you make your pilgrimage in 2010? Did you manage to get away to a fabulous retreat (from reality) and attend a game convention? And was it everything you'd hoped, or did it let you down? 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: Got cons?
So the New York Comic Con is in full swing, and the fact that it's here already reminds us of just how many game-related cons there are scattered throughout the calendar year. Whether it's NYCC, Dragon Con, E3, GDC, or the various flavors of PAX, there always seems to be something just around the corner that calls for hotel reservations and airline tickets. More often than not, the next convention on the circuit sneaks right up on us before we manage to shake the jet lag from the last one. While we'd like nothing better than to shirk responsibilities and tour the world of gaming and pop culture conventions for a year, work must occasionally intrude, and most of us have to pick and choose our events. What about you Massively readers? Did you attend NYCC this weekend, and are you a regular on the gaming convention circuit? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of our 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 The Daily Grind!
