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The Daily Grind: What's your days-to-max-level record?
As I mentioned earlier this week, DC Universe Online is taking up the majority of my MMORPG time lately. I've finally decided on a main character (for now, at least), and I'm closing in on max level despite the fact that I rolled him just over a week ago. I'm a notoriously slow leveler, and while I've been told that DCUO's grind kicks in after the cap, I'm still amazed at how quickly the one to 30 content goes by. I'm not running out of things to do, either, as there are whole quest arcs that I haven't even started yet, to say nothing of group dungeon content, PvP, and what passes for superhero tradeskilling. What about you, morning crew? Have you ever blown through a game's level range in record time? How long did it take? 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 one thing would you change about your favorite MMO?
I returned to DC Universe Online a couple of weeks ago, and the game is hitting most of my MMORPG sweet spots. There's a huge world, lots of stuff to do, and even a few non-combat bells and whistles (with more on the way). There's one thing that sticks in my craw, though, and that's the game's sub-standard quest journal. It's functional, but it lacks the ability to show completed quests. It also doesn't allow for quests to be deleted, and both of these omissions play havoc with my OCD. What about you, Massively readers? Is there one particular gotcha in your favorite game that you'd change if you could? 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!
One Shots: Out in the cold
Closing down a game like Glitch is like beating up the big-eyed orphan from down the street for his last two cents; it just feels wrong to anyone with a soul. Massively's One Shots department did its best to counter the situation by taking an angry protest nap, but nothing doing. The next best solution is to ask all of you with great Glitch screenshots to send them our way. Reader Jeremy submitted this haunting picture that works on a couple of different levels in light of the recent announcement. "Kids," he warns, "this is a warning of the harmful effects of No-No Powder. One day, you're sitting in your pleasant home street, admiring the view. Next, you're waking up naked in a tundra with nothing but your quickly diminishing dignity." Let's go on a cold, naked adventure together through the rest of this week's player-submitted pictures!
Some Assembly Required: Player-generated content at SOE Live
By now, everyone has made it home from SOE Live... yes, even that one fellow who kept disappearing, seduced by the one-armed bandit. As my first foray into the annual self-described "family reunion," I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd hoped there would be some news to pass along. If nothing else, a tidbit or two about any title -- be it EverQuest II, PlanetSide 2, or DC universe Online -- would justify my trip out there to me. But what I got wasn't just some news; it was great news! Although the lights of Vegas are fading from memory, the hope for player-generated content burns brighter than before. From keynote addresses to panels to interviews, Sony Online Entertainment's focus on emergent game play and various sandbox features showed a dedication to gaming beyond just the hack-and-slash treadmill grind. Can we hear a hallelujah? With so much news coming out of the convention, there wasn't time or space to do much more than just report on the facts. Here, I have the opportunity to sum things up and even add my own impressions of the event! I might even toss in an anecdote or two to illustrate what made this such an incredible experience that I am hooked and will return each year.
Free for All: Five gripes about DC Universe Online
I enjoy the heck out of DC Universe Online. It's a fantastically fun, action-based romp through a wonderfully drawn universe of wacky characters and amazing adventures. Even for someone who never really enjoyed almost anything that DC Comics has released (Superman? Ha!) the game provides tons of linear, quest-based fun when I want it or loose, open-world destruction when I feel like exploring. I have to admit that the game did not seem that complex or deep when I first started playing it but now I see how much has been added and just how much can be done with what seemed like a limited. This is no perfect relationship, however. I have some issues with the game. Of course I am not a typical player and have not yet climbed my way to the top of the level mountain, so many of the issues I have will more-than-likely not be the same issues most other gamers have. I just don't worry about stuff like lock-out timers or loot drops. That stuff's all part of the math of the game, and that bores me. No, my gripes stem from customization or making the game your own. So, at the risk of making it seem like I dislike the game in some way, here's my list of five things I want to see either go away or be remedied.
One Shots: A fool's game
That's one big chicken, Scott. A big chicken indeed. Why do you need a chicken that big? Should we alert the authorities about animal abuse? Is this a Scandinavian Thanksgiving ritual? Are you attempting to prove the Rooster Road Theorem? Perhaps I should let Scott explain: "I was recently informed you guys brought back One Shots. Well, here I am bringing you three one of my escapades in Guild Wars 2. Here, Nerrath's found dinner! You guys may or may not remember the several screenshots from Champions Online's Legion of Laughter that made it into the previous iteration of One Shots. Well, we're still going strong on the Crystal Desert server as the Order of the Fool!" Feast your eyes on Scott's chicken and more after the break.
Free for All: Casual is as hardcore does and the daily gaming list
It's always a lot of fun to compare casual players to hardcore players. We've all seen many articles and had our own discussions on the topic and it never seems to stop being entertaining. After all, how much or how intensely a player plays an MMO can help predict how that player might react to market changes or to new titles, so we can easily see how developers will always be interested in the information even when we tire of it. For me, personally, I would rather skip the whole discussion and just talk about how I play casually. I can list hours played and titles accessed, but I think it would be a better idea to sketch out a rough but typical day or week in my household to illustrate just how someone who considers himself casual is actually quite committed. Does that mean I am hardcore in certain cases? I don't care anymore, frankly. What I care about is seeing if how I play is completely alien or if there are other players out there who love to do what I do. Let's call it a cry for help... or at least information.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Potential new homes after City of Heroes
Despite what many of us might feel, the world is not ending when City of Heroes shuts down. Just our world. But the sun will continue shining, other games will continue running, and most likely your interest in video games will not evaporate. So after an appropriate period of mourning, it's going to be time to think about getting together with another game. The problem, of course, is that nothing else can ever be City of Heroes. Like Benjamin Franklin, nothing can serve as its replacement, merely as its successor. But it's worth examining some of the more reasonable and likely destinations for the community. I'm sure there are more, but the four I've listed seem to be the games that either are or will be hoovering up a large number of the game's former players, games that are close enough to what CoH represents to serve as a reasonable successor. So let's look at our potential new homes and see what they have to offer, both good and bad.
SOE Live 2012: A deeper look at DCUO's housing lairs
Thursday's announcement of the addition of player lairs to DC Universe Online set this little housing-lover's heart all aflutter! While there were more bits of news about the new Home Turf DLC coming next year, my focus was understandably on the lairs. And I was very happy to sit down at SOE Live and talk shop with Jens Andersen. As creative director for DCUO, Jens shared many juicy tidbits about the new system for this special edition of Some Assembly Required. So what's in store for denizens of Gotham and Metropolis? Let's start with personal instances that are accessed from realistic points within the cities, functions that stretch to accommodate different levels of creativity and decorating savvy, and a unique dueling system that will be unlike anything players (or their furniture!) have seen before. Players can even get rewards and achievements for collecting items and decorating their homes. Sounds intriguing, no?
SOE Live 2012: Friday keynote highlights DCUO, EQ, and EQII
Day two of SOE Live wrapped up with yet another keynote, this one focused on DC Universe Online, EverQuest, and EverQuest II. Creative Director Jens Andersen of DCUO, Executive Producer Thom Terrazas from EQ, Executive Producer Holly Longdale from EQII, and Dave Georgeson, the EQ Franchise head, all took a turn on stage to give a rundown of what each game had launched over the past year, and more importantly, where each is headed for the future. But before that, SOE paid tribute to the military veterans in attendance (pictured above) and gave two of the longest-serving military members NVIDIA cards to thank them for their service. Read on for the highlights!
SOE Live 2012: DC Universe Online's next DLC introduces player housing
Currently, player heroes in DC Universe Online can experience the same world as the iconic comic book heroes. They walk the same streets, see the same sights, and even fight the same villains. Players even interact with the legendary heroes themselves. But there was always one part of the experience that was missing. What super-hero experience is complete without a Batcave to call your own? Now, with DCUO's next DLC, called Home Turf, Sony Online Entertainment is filling that void: Players will have personal secret lairs. What's better than having a your own place to get away from the rigors of crime fighting in Gotham or Metropolis? Having a place you can personalize to your own style and tastes! And while having a place to hang your cape is all well and good, DCUO is going to offer more than just a private space. Not only will players be able to decorate their lairs, but they will be able to engage in battles right within their own four walls. Friend or foe, you're having company over, super-hero style! Watch tomorrow for Massively's exclusive interview with Creative Director Jens Andersen for a more in-depth look at lairs and this unique PvP dueling feature. In the meantime, check out the official announcement! What happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas, at least where SOE Live is concerned! Massively sent intrepid reporters MJ Guthrie and Karen Bryan to this year's SOE Live, from which they'll be transmitting all the best fan news on PlanetSide 2, EverQuest II, DC Universe Online, and the other MMOs on SOE's world-class roster.
DC Universe's Game Update 19 brings new R&D, mail upgrade, and more
If you were planning on playing DC Universe Online this morning, well, you'll probably need to find something else to do. Sony Online Entertainment says the client will be unavailable for about five hours while it patches in Game Update 19. New research and development consumables are on the way thanks to new components and plans that will begin dropping from endgame bosses. SOE has also tweaked the newbie tutorial to emphasize combat encounter mechanics. The in-game mail UI also boasts a complete makeover designed for ease-of-use. Finally, Update 19 lays the groundwork for the Witching Hour Halloween event (which officially begins on October 16th), and it also delivers a ton of bug fixes. View the full patch notes on the DCUO forums.
DCUO welcomes you to the Witching Hour
It's easily to be amused how MMOs bend over backwards to come up with an original way to title Halloween and Christmas events. DC Universe Online is throwing in this year with the Witching Hour, a brand-new event in Gotham City. The entire town is getting a spooky (and pumpkiny) makeover when the event goes live with Game Update 19. It's not all decorations, of course; there are plenty of activities to experience as well. The main villain of the event is Klarion the Witch Boy, who is stealing powers and using them for... mild mischief. But he's not all bad, since he's throwing a massive party that players will have to crash. SOE has plenty of rewards for good little trick-or-treaters, such as trinkets and outfits. The Witching Hour is scheduled for early October.
One Shots: Angry red moon
Final Fantasy XIV is due for a cataclysmic revamp and reboot in just a few short months, so what better time to feature it than now? Massively reader Cyndair emailed One Shots this image from the doomed current version of the game: Here's a shot of the angry red moon, Dalamud, overlooking the Rivenroad battlefield, site of the final confrontation with FFXIV 1.x's main protagonist, Nael Van Darnus. Truly breathtaking shot, Cyndair. It's behind the break with a few more reader submissions!
Hands-on with DC Universe Online's Hand of Fate DLC
Ah, DC Universe Online. It's what I like to call a vacation MMO. It's so easy to run that even older machines can tackle it, yet it still looks great even in screenshots. The action-based combat seems odd at first, but within a few minutes, you realize just how much fun it is to pick up cars, fly straight into the sky, and jump off buildings, landing with a massive THUD. It's just fun to play, and on top of that, its character creation is often overlooked. It gives players satisfying control over how a character moves and feels. I've enjoyed making smaller scrapper-types so far, but I played an entirely different character for this press tour. Yes, I said press tour! I joined DCUO Creative Director Jens Anderson for a hands-on with the latest DLC, Hand of Fate. We found ourselves in a PUG -- yes, a PUG -- and took orders from Doctor Fate himself. Read on!
New DC Universe Online Hand of Fate DLC available now
DC Universe Online is growing by leaps and bounds, as today marks the superhero title's fifth DLC update. The pack is called Hand of Fate, and it adds a bunch of new side quests, new group operations that give high-level players something to do in both Gotham and Metropolis, and new utility belt attachments. New magic-powered Legends PvP characters are available too (Doctor Fate and Felix Faust). Free and premium DCUO players can pick up the Hand of Fate content for $9.99, while Legendary members get it free of charge. [Source: SOE press release]
SOE announces Live tournaments, schedule
Sony Online Entertainment is gearing up for its annual Fan Faire SOE Live event in Las Vegas. The shindig starts on October 18th, and this year's edition features a load of tournament-style get-togethers as well as over $30,000 in prizes. Scavenger hunts, boot camps, PvP battles, live quests, and the renowned costume contest are all part of the fun. Most of SOE's game roster will be represented, so whether you're an EverQuest die-hard, a DC Universe Online or Free Realms fan, or you're curious about PlanetSide 2 or Vanguard, you'll want to keep your eyes on Massively for all the latest convention coverage as it happens.
DCUO video previews new Legends PvP
DC Universe Online is getting ready for its fifth DLC pack, Hand of Fate. Along with utility belt attachments, new operations in the open areas of Gotham City and Metropolis, and new side quests, Hand of Fate will be bringing Doctor Fate and Felix Faust to Legends PvP. These inimitable fellows will bring sorcery to the Legends PvP character pool, and change things up with the ability to summon pets and minions. While not quite so offensively aggressive as other characters, these characters focus on a control-based, tactical approach to gameplay. Skip below the cut to get a shiny video introduction to heroic Doctor Fate and nefarious Felix Faust.
DC Universe Online's update 18 goes live
If you're hoping for a bunch of new content with the latest update to DC Universe Online, you'll be disappointed. If you're hoping for a better system of player rewards and more challenging encounters, you'll be quite pleased. Game Update 18 ushers in several changes to the game's challenges, alerts, and duos, providing players with both a smoother set of progression content and a more unified system of rewards. Aside from reorganizing several pieces of group content into clearer progression tiers, the update unifies reward currencies into Marks of Triumph. Reward items are all purchased via Marks of Triumph, with higher-tier items requiring a correspondingly larger number of Marks. Players will also receive a weekly award box the first time they clear a Tier 1 through 3 challenge within a week; these award boxes contain both Marks of Triumph and a random level-appropriate item. For more details on the particulars of these revisions, take a look at the full update list, or just log in and start playing.
Choose My Adventure: Beware the Bard edition
All the world's a game, and all the men and women are merely players. Shakespeare was really onto something there, even if he flubbed a word a bit. Folks who try to deny their participation in games are just fooling themselves! What are games, after all, but progression in a given world? Some people are just so boring that they stick to only one world. We know better, though, don't we? We choose ours from a myriad of options! Or, as in this case, you Choose My Adventure. I will admit, I have been in the wings, eagerly awaiting my next casting call. Twice now you've sent me on amazing adventures, and I've had a blast! And finally, it's my turn to take the stage again. So what will I star in this time? Will it be a military epic, a space adventure, or a flight of fantasy? My big comeback is in your hands! Peruse the list below and follow your muse to choose which world I will spotlight for the next six weeks. Just be sure to have your vote in by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday the 9th. And don't forget to stay tuned to the MV Guide over the coming weeks to watch the adventures unfold on Massively TV!
