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The top indie and free-to-play stories of 2010
I have to admit to feeling slightly amazed when I read that someone thought of 2010 as a bad year for MMORPG fans. Then, when I think about it, I realize that he was talking about the year in "AAA" subscription gaming -- something almost alien to me. I just don't get turned on by huge-budget subscription games like I did seven or eight years ago. Well, it might be better to say that I am always suspicious of big-budget gaming. Gaming is a lot like movies, and look at how bad most blockbusters are. They are often silly, over-the-top, special-effects-laden bores. If those movies were the only ones I watched, I might be a little depressed about Hollywood as well. If you pay attention only to what the major publishers are pushing out, you are simply going to have a narrow view of MMO gaming. You will miss too much. The year 2010 offered more than any year before it, and 2011 will top that. Thanks to mobile technologies and the always-dropping price of computers, you will find that smaller or unknown games have much more of a chance of grabbing a gamer's eye than ever before. So, what were some of the high and low points in free-to-play and indie gaming this year? Click past the cut and let's take a look!
Forsaken World marksmen shoot people in the face
Want to be a Marksman in Perfect World Entertainment's new Forsaken World MMORPG? You're in good company, as PWE's Clifton Chu will be rolling one right beside you. Chu, the game's product manager, is featured in the second video short highlighting Forsaken World classes and the dev team members who love them. "It's no secret that, as a Dwarf, I have no magical abilities," Chu says of his preferred race/class combo. "But that's OK because I'm going to be able to shoot my enemies in the face." Have a look at the Marksmen trailer after the cut, and don't forget to research the class at the official Forsaken World website.
Spotlight on the Forsaken World occupation system
Forsaken World, the upcoming free-to-play title from Perfect World Entertainment, has been seeing a pretty big publicity push of late. The most recent official spotlight puts the focus on the game's occupation system, which is somewhat akin to a crafting system while at the same time being quite a bit broader. Yes, the system includes the option for players to craft their own equipment as well as contains side professions such as alchemy -- but it also includes more unusual options, such as becoming a socialite to unlock hidden quests or predicting the future with astrology. According to the spotlight, some occupations are obtained automatically via leveling. Others must be unlocked by spending Job Points, which are earned as players progress along the game's main storyline. While characters have a wide variety of different potential specialties, there's no way to take part in every single occupation, thus forcing players to pick and choose what would work best for each character. If you're looking forward to Forsaken World, take a closer look at the preview, which promises to add another level of variety onto the gameplay.
This week on The MMO Report: Sansha Sansha Revolution
Sure, we know him for his wit and way with words -- but this week Casey Schreiner shows that he's got hotter moves than a level 85 fire mage. And of course, there's that MMO Report thing he does, in which he takes a look at the week's news. This week's targets topics include CrimeCraft's Bleedout expansion, which will offer new episodic content including goodness from artists like Ben Templesmith, Howard Chaykin, Tim Bradstreet, and many others. There's also more on Forsaken World, which is moving towards release by ramping up its teaser trailers. Also on the radar is today's opening of Rift's closed beta, Earthrise's broken beta button and video, and of course, the first bit of EVE Online's three-part Incursion expansion. Speaking as an EVE Online player, I can say that the windowed mode is awesome, but the bit about anti-aliasing being added in this last patch is pretty awesome too. Now we capsuleers can enjoy the finest basics that Windows can offer while the Sansha swoop down on us. Finally, he wraps everything up by taking us on a magical mystery tour through Uncle Casey's Mailbag, in which we find out that sending him your cosplay pictures probably isn't the best idea -- although sending charity notes is. You can catch all the hilarity here every week, or over on G4TV.com.
Forsaken World mages blow stuff up
Perfect World Entertainment is ramping up the publicity campaign for its free-to-play opus Forsaken World, with the latest salvo being a new video short featuring community manager Frank Johnson. The segment focuses on the mage class and its destructive power, showing off a fair bit of combat footage underscored by Johnson's narration. "I can freeze targets with ice spells, knock back enemies with lightning, and if all else fails I can just set everything on fire. Which is usually what ends up happening anyways," Johnson says. Check out the mage-sponsored mayhem after the break, and read up on the class (as well as the rest of Forsaken World) at the game's official website.
Forsaken World dev diary talks guild economy, unique classes
Perfect World Entertainment may be having a bit of financial difficulty (like everyone else nowadays, it seems), but that isn't stopping it from rolling out the info on its latest free-to-play title called Forsaken World. The four-minute short features an introduction to the game and is narrated by PWE Director of Marketing Jon Belliss. In addition to showing off the requisite combat footage, he also comments on the nature of the game world itself. "Compared to some of our previous titles, Forsaken World is a much darker, western-themed MMO. This means that the artistic style, the playable races, and the game's back story are a very marked departure from all the other Perfect World titles." Belliss outlines the ways in which PWE strives to immerse players in a wholly new world via the visuals, the unique guild economy system, a level cap that is "meant to be achieved," and a new approach to traditional class archetypes. So what exactly is the new stuff, you're probably asking? Meet us on the other side of the break and have a look for yourself.
Forsaken World offers a look at the Stoneman Protector
There's always that moment when starting to play a new game -- just what are you going to choose as a character? Will a neat racial choice capture your eye? Perhaps you're so fond of playing a particular class that no matter what the race is, that will definitely be your choice? Maybe you just love the idea of creating a character that is completely different from who you are in the real world. Well, today we have a short video in which Forsaken World's Project Manager, Shoko Bogen, tells us her reasons for wanting to play a Stoneman Protector. Along with this peek into Forsaken World's enormous tank class, we've also gathered up a bunch of new screens that show off various aspects of the game. From large-scale battles to laid back fishing shots, you'll find lots of new eye candy in the gallery below. Or, for those who prefer sound and animation with their eye candy, you can catch the preview video behind the break. %Gallery-107517%
Free for All: The camera control blues (or how I judge thee, F2P grinder)
This week, I wanted to cover something that must be discussed before I move any further into my career as "The Only Guy Who Liked That Game." Before I worked here at Massively, I used to work for Ablegamers.com, a site for disabled gamers. Although my job was a volunteer position, I learned enough to make it very much worth my while. One of the most interesting facts I learned was that many, many Americans are disabled, to varying degrees. Technically, my poor eyesight qualifies me as disabled, as do my chronic wrist issues due to 20 some-odd years of drumming and art. I've learned my limits but will never apologize for them. I do not expect every developer or game to allow for some of my special (yet common) circumstances, although I think that some of the fixes are so minor that they should have been in the game in the first place. Still, I have to find games that work for my particular set of issues. As I have begun to test and play more and more games, I have had to start enforcing a certain set of rules to pre-judge the games by, otherwise I am stuck with a game that I simply refuse to play. If not, the reviews at the end of the week would simply read: "I couldn't play this game because it asked me to hold down right-click the entire damn time." See whether any of these issues sound familiar. The fact is, if you're an average human being, at some point in your life you will have the same issues I am having. You might as well recognize them now in order to avoid the games that will cause you trouble.
Look into the lore of Forsaken World
With the first phase of closed beta in Forsaken World now underway, we're getting more tasty tidbits of information on this new MMO from Perfect World Entertainment. For those who didn't manage to make it into the first batch of beta testers, or those who are simply curious for a bit more information on the lore of Eyrda, we have a shiny new trailer for you! In this new video, we're introduced to the two gods behind the Forsaken World; Dyos and Nyos, as well as their children and creations. The Advent trailer also gives us a look at the different races that now populate Eyrda, and some great looking in-game footage. So, if you're curious about the story behind this new free-to-play MMO, hit the break and check out the loretastic eyecandy.
We have your Forsaken World closed beta keys!
The current phase of closed beta testing for Forsaken World started today, and the response has been a little overwhelming for Perfect World Entertainment. Plenty of fans are trying to get their hands on a closed beta key in order to get a look at what PWE's latest offering is all about. If you've applied but weren't accepted into this phase, we've got a second chance for you in the form of a beta key giveaway. The Forsaken World development team has generously given us 500 closed beta keys to share with you guys for this latest round of beta testing. Simply head over to our giveaway page, claim your key, follow the instructions, and enjoy!
Exclusive interview: Exploring the Forsaken World
Perfect World Entertainment is no slouch when it comes to big games. After all, they have Perfect World, Ether Saga Online, Jade Dynasty, Battle of the Immortals and more under their belt. It seems as though they have decided to one-up themselves, though, with their recent development on Forsaken World -- so named because it is practically the opposite of Perfect World. Forsaken World promises to be more stylistically blended and to be a little darker, as well. Most of the 3500 (yes, that's 35 hundred) Perfect World International developers have been working on the project over the last three years. Previous PWI games took closer to a year to release -- so that might give you some idea of the scale of the game. We've been handing out some nice chunks of information lately, but when I sat down with Jonathan Belliss, Director of Marketing, I found out there was a lot more to come.
Forsaken World unveils new Bard class
Ready for another Forsaken World class spotlight? If not, well, too bad! Perfect World Entertainment has just released a new blog entry highlighting the Bard, which the developer describes as one of the more complex archetypes for its upcoming free-to-play fantasy MMORPG. With phase one of the game's closed beta coming next week, you've got just enough time to wrap your head around the Bard's eccentricities before testing them out for yourself. The class looks to be a hybrid DPS/buffer spec, as, according to the blog, Bards "have the ability to both increase everyone's combat and defensive abilities as well as drop massive twisting cyclones of music notes that shred enemy targets." Sound interesting? Head on over to the official website for more details, and don't forget to sign up for the beta while you're there.
Forsaken World details protector class
Hot on the stiletto heels of their assassin and vampire spotlights, Perfect World Entertainment brings us a brand new Forsaken World class preview focusing on the protector. According to the game's official blog, protectors are "nine feet tall, carry hammers the size of people, and are regularly seen carrying dwarves on their shoulders." Dwarf-tossing references and subtlety-related snarkiness aside, the protectors serve as Forsaken World's tanking class, complete with the usual amenities such as aggro-building taunts and very large pieces of armor. Protectors also make use of a special ability called fury, which gradually charges up over the course of a fight. Theoretically, protectors grow stronger and more dangerous the longer the fight continues. To learn more about the protector class, head over to the class preview at the official Forsaken World blog.
Forsaken World's assassin slices and dices
"By the time you see one," Perfect World Entertainment promises, "it's already too late." Of course when you do see one of Forsaken World's assassins, your last thought may be, "Where are all your clothes, girl?" The assassin is the focus of Forsaken World's latest class spotlight, and if you're thinking "rogue" right now, you're not too far off the mark. This class, playable only by Human and Kindred characters, certainly seems to embody many of the typical qualities of a MMO rogue, from dual-wielding to stealth attacks to working off a combo points system. However, they do get a few interesting abilities, such as being able to run down fleeing opponents with as much mercy as you might expect from an assassin. The class spotlight also lists a few of the assassin's skills-in-progress, which include a brief increase to run speed, the ability to enter and remain in stealth even while in combat, and transferring a slow effect from yourself to your enemy. You can read the full rundown over at Forsaken World.
Forsaken World readies first closed beta test
Perfect World Entertainment, the prolific publisher behind free-to-play games such as Battle of the Immortals, Jade Dynasty, and Perfect World International, is adding another title to its all-star roster in the form of Forsaken World. Formally known as Project EM, Forsaken World is ready for its first closed beta phase and, thanks to a limited number of keys available on the official website, you are invited. The testing is currently scheduled to begin on October 27th. The title makes use of Perfect World's proprietary Angelica graphics platform, and focuses on empire-building and expansion as one of five unique races. Eight classes are available, with an unusual vampire option added to the usual fantasy suspects such as warrior, assassin, and priest. You can grab a beta key and find out more information from the official Forsaken World website. Also, don't forget to browse the human assassin screenshot gallery below. %Gallery-102381%
E3 2010: Your complete Massively coverage roundup
The 2010 edition of the gaming nirvana known as E3 has come and gone, and Massively was there to bring you three days of exclusives, firsts, and hands-on impressions for all your favorite MMORPG titles, studios, and developers. This year's Expo saw plenty of news and announcements regarding highly anticipated games, as well as plenty of information on assorted titles large and small. We thought it best to collate our coverage into a complete and concise roundup post for your viewing pleasure, so read along after the cut to make sure you didn't miss anything. You can also check out all of our E3 galleries along the way.
The Daily Grind: What's your E3 highlight?
Whew! This past week has been a rollercoaster of craziness, a carousel of attractions and a mirror maze of sights from E3. We certainly hope you've enjoyed the coverage here at Massively, from interviews to exclusive peeks to mind-snapping trailers. As we all continue to sift through the mountains of E3 information, we'd love to know what you consider to be the expo's highlight, your own personal "Best of Show" award. Was it the brand-new trailer of the previously hidden Warhammer 40k: Dark Millennium Online? The exceedingly awesome new SWTOR cinematic? The in-depth look into DC Universe Online? Or perhaps you're a Marvel fanboy and Super Hero Squad Online's gotten you revved up? Could it be the exciting conversations with Final Fantasy XIV's devs? The Agency's PvP side or LotRO's brand-new zone? Or perhaps you found yourself charmed by one of the smaller titles, such as Forsaken World, Taikodom, Swordsman Online, Battlestar Galactica Online and Zentia? If you were asked -- and hey, we're asking you! -- what's your E3 highlight? Who gets the blue ribbon and who ends up empty-handed?
E3 2010: Massively's look at Forsaken World gameplay
We've heard bits and pieces of information regarding Perfect World Entertainment's upcoming title, Forsaken World. The game has gotten a fair amount of attention thanks to the unusual classes offered and the vampire element. Those two small details are just the start, however -- there is much more that distinguishes Forsaken World and makes it one to watch. We've been anxious to get a closer look at the game, and this week at E3 the PWE staff was happy to oblige. Follow along after the jump for a rundown of some of the features of Forsaken World.
Adventure in a Forsaken World with some help from your friends at Massively
If you're a fan of Perfect World Entertainment, or if you've enjoyed Battle of the Immortals, Jade Dynasty, Ether Saga Online, or Perfect World, then we've got something that will be right up your alley. It's called Forsaken World, and it's the next offering from the guys at PWE. Forsaken World is an interesting little title, as we've discussed on Massively before. Not only is a vampire-esque race counted amongst the game's races, but the game also features large scale plotlines and a varied group of classes. Forsaken World seems to be a very deep game, but none of us can say that for sure until we play it. And if you're looking to play the game, then just take a leap after the break to find out how to nab yourself a key!
The Forsaken World to offer non-sparkly vampires
Fantasy -- check. Elves -- check. Vampires? Yes, indeed! Perfect World Entertainment's new MMO, Forsaken World, is not only full of the normal fantasy trappings you'd expect such as elves, dwarves, and men made of stone, but they've also got a race of vampires known as the Kindred. As one scrolls through the classes available on the MMO teaser site, there's also a vampire class in the mix. (We wonder if that's actually a class choice, or more a designation to explain the Kindred's powers.) While Forsaken World has only just been announced, the beta sign-ups are already open. Their shiny new site is also chock full of interesting information from the lore of the world, through to races, classes, and even a pretty cool looking trailer that we snagged a copy of and embedded behind the break for you to check out. We'll certainly be keeping our eye on it as more news come out because let's face it -- vampires (especially the non-sparkly ones) don't suck. Err. Well, not that way. You know what we mean.
