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The Daily Grind: What can PAX Prime 2013 do for you?
August is always a patchwork of gaming conventions, and since August is almost over, that makes this weekend's PAX Prime the last major gaming con of the year (if you don't count BlizzCon, anyway). In fact, PAX is one of the best cons for MMO and MOBA fans. This year, Massively's sending Justin Olivetti, Patrick Mackey, and Jasmine Hruschak to PAX, and we've overloaded them with games to cover. Both Guild Wars 2 and Final Fantasy XIV are hosting massive off-site events; The Elder Scrolls Online and WildStar will be out in force with hands-on demos on the show floor itself. Naturally, we'll be checking out SOE's lineup -- EverQuest Next, Dragon's Prophet, and DC Universe on the PS4 -- as well as The Crew, The Repopulation, Wander, Guns of Icarus, and Wargaming's roster. We've even booked our MOBA expert to check out Smashmuck Champions, SMITE, Strife, Infinite Crisis, and the League of Legends NA regionals. Now you know what we're hoping to see. What are you hoping to see (other than "let me in the beta!")? Which games do you wish were going? What do you want to see from the big-name MMOs, launched, relaunched, and not-yet-launched, and the little indies? What announcements weren't made at Gamescom last week that really ought to land at PAX before the last pre-holidays convention opportunity is gone? 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!
Bree Royce08.30.2013
SOE publishes panel schedule for PAX and Dragon Con
Going to PAX or DragonCon this weekend? Excited for news about the EverQuest franchise or SOE's other MMORPGs? You should check out the firm's convention schedule, then, because there's a little something for everyone. Whether you're hungry for EverQuest Next tidbits, you're looking to break into the game industry, or you're wanting to brush up on your online gaming history, SOE has a developer panel with your name on it. And of course don't forget to check in with Massively through the weekend and on into next week as our on-site staffers bring you the best DragonCon and PAX scoops! Massively's on the ground in Seattle during the weekend of August 30th to September 2nd, bringing you all the best news from PAX Prime 2013. Whether you're dying to know more about WildStar, The Elder Scrolls Online, EverQuest Next, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
Jef Reahard08.27.2013
PAX Prime 2013: Wargaming plans presence and presents
If you are heading out to PAX Prime in Seattle this weekend, you'll have the opportunity to drop by the Wargaming booth and get your hands on World of Tanks on the Xbox 360 and World of Warplanes. Located at exhibit space 132 and 232, Wargaming's booth will have 30 playable gaming stations set up for attendees to play the games on. If playing the games isn't enough of an incentive to drop by, how about this one: The studio also plans hourly giveaways for the chance to win a variety of gaming hardware. [Source: Wargaming press release]
MJ Guthrie08.27.2013
PAX Australia 2013: Psykopig remix edition
Massively's David "Psykopig" Desi has just returned from PAX Australia 2013. There was a lot of excitement and even more people at the con, and to give you an idea of what it was like, we've put together a series of videos detailing Piggy's adventures. The first of three clips can be found past the break. It's filled with plenty of Pig dancing and plenty of cosplay, some of it awkward and some of it amazing. Stick around to the end to see a special appearance from one of Star Wars' most infamous characters!
David Desi07.25.2013
Ask Massively: The best and worst of E3
Massively is finally recovered from E3, whose MMO reveals surprised even the most jaded gamers among us. Now that we've had time to process the entirety of the event and our coverage of it, we think it's time to deliver our overall impressions of the show -- the most surprising reveal, the most disappointing offering, and of course, the best MMO in show. The ground rules for our discussion? It had to be something we can justify covering -- MMO, MOBA, pseudo-MMO, or related topic. It had to be something shown in public, be it a demo or video or interview. If we can't talk about it and you can't see or read about it, we're not including it. Ahem. Every staff member and on-the-ground freelancer was permitted to chime in. We stuck to three big categories rather than create so many that every game could win something. Let's do this.
Bree Royce06.20.2013
Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's Daniel Stahl at E3
Last week the unstoppable Jasmine Hruschak was one member of Massively's crack team who braved the traffic of Los Angeles to take in the sights, sounds, hawking, yelling, and craziness that was the Electronic Entertainment Expo. While she was there, she interviewed Star Trek Online's Executive Producer, Daniel Stahl, and put forth a few questions from the Massively team. Stahl was able to drop a few hints about the future of Star Trek Online in his responses, so join me past the jump as I deliver the highlights from their conversation!
Terilynn Shull06.17.2013
The Daily Grind: How do you feel about the console MMO trend?
So the big E3 MMO news centered on consoles this year, with existing titles like DC Universe Online and PlanetSide 2 as well as upcoming projects like The Elder Scrolls Online and Final Fantasy XIV's reboot unveiling their plans for extensive console ports. For today's Daily Grind, we're interested to know what you think about the increased consolization of the MMO market. Do you think it's a good thing, or do you think it will ultimately water down what have traditionally been complex PC games? Are you planning to play any of the aforementioned titles on a console? How do you feel about the current console MMO trend? 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!
Jef Reahard06.17.2013
Stick and Rudder: On Star Citizen's E3 absence
So E3 happened this past week. If you're a Massively regular, you're no doubt aware of that since we spammed up our front page and your RSS feed with gobs of hands-on coverage including everything from racing games to The Elder Scrolls Online. One thing we didn't cover was Star Citizen, because thankfully, Cloud Imperium's upcoming space sim sandbox didn't bother with an official E3 presence.
Jef Reahard06.16.2013
Diablo III console port was almost a twin-stick shooter
Penny Arcade reports that the console version of Blizzard's Diablo III went through an interesting metamorphosis as it was ported over from the PC. A twin-stick approach was "one of the first prototypes," according to game director Josh Mosqueira. Ultimately, that particular control scheme didn't fly because of Diablo III's angled camera view. Also, "you can't blow stuff up or smash things if your thumb is on the right stick and the left stick," Mosqueira explained. You can read more on Penny Arcade's E3 DIII console hands-on via the link below. Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 10-13, bringing you all the best news from E3 2013. We're covering everything from WildStar and Elder Scrolls Online and ArcheAge to FFXIV's inbound revamp and TERA's latest update, so stay tuned!
Jef Reahard06.15.2013
E3 2013: World of Tanks is blasting its way to the 360
Good news, tank fans! World of Tanks is heading to the Xbox 360 soon. Wargaming.net's partnership with Microsoft has been a huge milestone for both companies, as there hasn't been a large library of F2P games to grace the console's life. Although it's particularly late in the game's life to see World of Tanks hit the console market, transition to a controller-based system has actually been a good thing for the game. At this year's E3, Massively talked with Wargaming's Jeremy Monroe a bit about the company's growth, World of Tanks on the 360, and future plans for game releases.
Jeffery Wright06.15.2013
E3 2013: Warframe is coming to a PS4 near you
Nestled deep within the Sony booth at E3 amongst a horde of gamewatchers was the Warframe demo. It's a PC title from Digital Extremes that will be released on the PS4 platform at launch. Free for anyone subscribing to PSN, Warframe is a third-person shooter that is definitely undertaking some experimentation in the graphics and control departments. The PS4 demo was graphically superior to plenty of titles, running in full 1080P without a hitch or glitch in performance. Controls were responsive (although they took some getting used to), and playing with a handful of players was exhilarating at the Sony booth. I'm used to more of a keyboard-and-mouse control setup, but console fraggers will feel right at home.
Jeffery Wright06.15.2013
The Mog Log: Final Fantasy XIV beta phase (E)3
The third phase of Final Fantasy XIV's beta is here, and with it, the NDA is summarily gone. Images from phase 3 can be posted; video and audio cannot. This is the fast track to finally being back in the game for real, to play your old characters once again, to enjoy the game again. Am I excited? Of course I am because I haven't been able to play yet. I'm writing this from the past, and by the time you read this, I will be awash in Eorzea. There was also a major industry event this week, one that's known officially as the Electronic Entertainment Expo and known more colloquially to everyone in the world as E3. Final Fantasy XIV was there making an impression, revealing jobs at long last, and generally carrying on as if it owned the place. So let's talk a little bit about what we saw from E3 if you can tear yourself away from the beta client for, like, five minutes.
Eliot Lefebvre06.15.2013
E3 2013: DUST 514 and EVE's virtual reality demo
To an outsider, CCP Games' focus on EVE Online's player panel, comics, incoming television series about player adventures, and museum induction show just how much the company works to earn its players' respect, which might sound weird for studio running a cutthroat PvP sandbox. But I've always felt as if I made stronger personal attachments through high-stakes PvP than through most other gaming activities. I don't play EVE or its console cousin DUST 514, but after stopping by the CCP booth for my interview and hands-on at E3 yesterday, I feel as if I should be doing more than reading and writing about it.
Andrew Ross06.14.2013
E3 2013: Taking another look at HEX
HEX. It's a difficult concept to grasp: a massively multiplayer online trading card game, combining elements of roleplaying goodness and the thrill of building a deck of powerful cards to combat the next evil underlord monster. At this year's E3, Massively sat down with Cory Jones, president of Cryptozoic Studios, to get the skinny on what HEX is all about.
Jeffery Wright06.14.2013
E3 2013: Stealing cabbages in The Elder Scrolls Online
I eagerly consumed about 45 minutes of The Elder Scrolls Online during E3 this week. I stayed glued to my keyboard and headphones until the expo hall closed and I was told to clear out. Part of this time was spent interviewing the nearest willing Bethesda employee, and every other second was hauling Orc butt around ESO. My character of choice, an Orc Dragonknight, loaded into the game on the other side of a polygon-rich bridge from an equally polygon-rich town. The Bethesda employee standing nearby mentioned I could go into the town for some guided content the team had prepared. I made a sharp right turn into the stream and killed a deer instead.
Jasmine Hruschak06.14.2013
E3 2013: The Division, Ubisoft's MMO shooter
Ubisoft's claim that its new MMO shooter The Division will have a "persistent world" piqued Massively's collective interest. At E3, we chatted briefly with Game Director Ryan Bernard, who has previously worked on EverQuest, EverQuest 2, and Warhammer Online. I asked what about the game and its persistent nature would appeal to MMO players and was told that actually, the team doesn't plan to make it "too persistent" at all. Each player will have his own little chunk of the world. Everything in that part of the world is persistent for him, and his friends can come over and help him out, kind of like Animal Crossing without the talking tanuki. The developers believe this will allow for a strong single-player experience while still having a visible impact on the player's slice of the world. There are places in the world that are persistent for everyone: the PvP areas. You won't want to travel around them without friends, but unfortunately, Bernard couldn't reveal more. The game is being released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but Ubisoft hasn't ruled out other platforms or cross-platform play just yet. Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 10-13, bringing you all the best news from E3 2013. We're covering everything from WildStar and Elder Scrolls Online and ArcheAge to FFXIV's inbound revamp and TERA's latest update, so stay tuned!
Andrew Ross06.14.2013
E3 2013: Chatting with Team WildStar
Massively returned to the WildStar demos at E3 on Thursday to chat one last time with the team from Carbine. As we noted in yesterday's Q&A article, Carbine had already declared it wasn't making any big announcements at E3. It always intended a low-key presence, sharing a booth hosted by Alienware and offering the same demo gamers are at PAX East, just brought to the west coast. Why Alienware? WildStar runs really great on a laptop. Good news, though: Carbine plans to have a big WildStar presence at Gamescom and PAX, and the team is working on demos that will show new content, new races, and new classes.
Andrew Ross06.14.2013
Tamriel Infinium: Everyone gets an Elder Scrolls game!
The more convention coverage I read and the more conventions I go to, the more I'm concerned by them. The atmosphere is unlike anything I've ever experienced before, and rubbing shoulders with the developers of some of my favorite games has its perks. But you hardly ever get to the meat of what determines a great game. Amidst the hype and free booze, every game looks and tastes great, but even the greatest games are less filling under those circumstances. Even we observers from home receive only a candy-coated glimpse of what a game really offers. The news pouring in from the The Elder Scrolls Online really exemplifies the layers of fluff that the convention atmosphere can place on a game. Two of our reporters spent time talking to the developers of the next venture into the world of Tamriel, and both stepped away with a very positive experience. Admittedly, I feel the excitement, too. I'm twitching with joy. Our freelancer Andrew's note that he "just didn't realize [he] was starting a quest when [he] talked to [quest givers]" piques my interest. Have we finally found a game that feels like a living world? And quotes from the ESO developers like, "You can pick up a sword and shield if you start as a sorcerer class and become a sword and shield user, and that's fine" have me wondering if we haven't stumbled upon the best mix of sandbox and themepark in an MMO. This week and next, I want to delve deeper into the reports from E3. Do we find some concerns that the developers are trying to gloss over, or is ESO everything we ever wanted from an Elder Scrolls game?
Larry Everett06.14.2013
E3 2013: Porting DCUO and PlanetSide 2 to the PlayStation 4
Just because SOE didn't have many new games to showcase at E3 this year doesn't mean that the studio didn't have a lot to talk about. In fact, there was plenty to be said about two of the existing games porting to the new PlayStation 4. And while some of it is good, sadly there's some not-so-good thrown in as well. Joystiq caught up with DC Universe Online's Creative Director Jens Andersen and Adam Clegg, a game designer on PlanetSide 2, to get the scoop. Mirroring the executive producer's sentiments from our interview, Andersen noted that DCUO has an advantage thanks to being currently available on the PS3. And while not having specifics to announce, Andersen added that he'd be very surprised if the game didn't take advantage of PS4's social functions. However, the game will not (at least initially) be able to use the console's streaming and quick installation features, remaining a download and install title. For PlanetSide 2, the big news is that the console will allow optimization of the graphics "1,000 times better" according to Clegg. The big bad news is that it will be impossible to have cross-platform play, so folks who want to play on the PS4 will not have access to their PC characters. In a separate interview with Rev3Games, Art Director Tramell Isaac noted that the PS4 version would feel like a native console game, not just a jerry-rigged PC game. Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 10-13, bringing you all the best news from E3 2013. We're covering everything from WildStar and Elder Scrolls Online and ArcheAge to FFXIV's inbound revamp and TERA's latest update, so stay tuned!
MJ Guthrie06.14.2013
E3 2013: Open-world racing with The Crew
Don't worry, you're not on the wrong website. This is still Massively and this is a hands on and interview about a racing game. Specifically, according to lead designer Serkan Hassan, this is a racing MMO. The Crew used the word "persistent world" so yours truly had to hunt down a very helpful Ubisoft representative for a last-minute look at the game. I will admit that while I had my doubts, the feature list does make it legit, and despite the fact that I'm awful at realistic racing games, I did have some fun.
Andrew Ross06.14.2013