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The waiting game: Hands-on with Clash of Clans
Before November 2013, I had never heard of Supercell's Clash of Clans. I'm not much of a mobile gamer, choosing mostly to use my iPad as a machine through which to stream Firefly episodes while I do the dishes or sweep up the immense piles of dog fur created by my ancient German shepherd. But a Thanksgiving holiday spent with friends obsessed with the game piqued my curiosity, as did the fact that Clash of Clans had helped Supercell earn roughly $2.4 million per day through most of 2013. So, a bit begrudgingly, I joined my friends in a clan. And raided goblin villages. And built myself a nice little town. But mostly what I did was wait.
World of Tanks sets new concurrency record of 1.1 million tanks tanking
Wargaming.net's World of Tanks has again broken its own world record for player concurrency, hosting 1.1 million players simultaneously on the game's Russian cluster. This new total handily defeats the previously reported record of 190,541 online players set in March of 2013, though Wargaming.net did note in its press release that average concurrency has been hovering near the 900,000 mark "for the past few months." According to the studio, which now boasts offices in Chicago, Baltimore, Seattle, Austin, Paris, Kiev, Tokyo, and more, World of Tanks has over 75 million players. The press release was not specific on whether these are active players or simply registered accounts. [Source: Wargaming.net press release]
LogMeIn removes free option, users aren't happy (Updated)
Updated with statement from LogMeIn (at end) and to clarify that Ignition was the premium iOS app. Free services are fading with every passing day. The latest to go is the remote connection service LogMeIn Ignition, which has offered a free version of its service for the last 10 years. Users could pay for additional features, but basic use was covered for free. This morning, however, users received an unpleasant surprise in their email boxes; starting on January 28, 2014, free users accounts will be inaccessible. Users have seven days to make up their minds. Owners of the LogMeIn Ignition iPad app (which has varied in price dramatically over the past couple of years) will be getting a six-month LogMeIn Pro subscription to soften the blow; the main iOS LogMeIn app remains free and will be updated going forward, but there won't be corresponding free computer accounts for it to work with. For users of the LogMeIn Free service, the only way to keep your account is to buy a US$49 year-long subscription for two computers. The offer says $49/year, but the fine print says this is an introductory price that's only good for the first year. As of right now, the company's other free services will continue. This includes join.me and cubby. As you can expect, longtime LogMeIn users are irate, both at the sudden price increase and the abrupt time window provided to decide if they will keep their account. Since the changes were announced on LogMeIn's community page this morning more than 56 pages of responses have been posted. Many people seem to have made their first, and last, community posts specifically to complain about this issue. Here's a sampling of client responses: "Moving to Teamviewer, free for personal use!" "Maybe it's worth the price for business users, IT solutions, etc, but for a casual personal user, connecting to one home computer in my lunch break... it's not worth it. I understand you're a business, so obviously need to make a profit, but I'm not, and for what I use it for... Not gonna happen. So byebye LogMeIn. It's been fun and I'll miss you, but I guess it's time to move on and give one of the other numerous free alternatives a try." "What a shame! Great service, i'm more than happy to pay for the initial year of £29, but not for 2 computers. Thats ridiculous. Yesterday I had 7 computers for free, now only 2 computers for £29. Doesn't feel right... I feel you should offer more solutions. I'd pay £29 for remote access for 10computers, and none of the other stuff that comes with the pro accounts.... Annoying, will have to look for an alternative..." This particular user felt betrayed by the company after they promised last March the service would remain free. I find it amusing how the link to the March Email is online still and referenced: We're making some changes to LogMeIn Free - specifically introducing new volume limits on LogMeIn Free accounts - that will impact a small portion of our user base. While the vast majority of LogMeIn Free users will not be impacted by this change – LogMeIn Free is and will remain free – we wanted to take a minute to explain what is changing, who will be impacted and what, if anything, it will mean for you. In a statement to TechCrunch, the company implied that the move was motivated by the reality that users are increasingly coming to them via their cloud storage options, leaving the freemium model for LogMeIn popular with users, but not driving new clients. "We introduced LogMeIn (and our freemium model) 10 years ago, and it proved great at disrupting the then early-stage remote access market. The reality is that the remote access market evolved – today most of us rely on the cloud and mobile devices to get to our stuff and our apps," a spokesperson says. "Over the years we've expanded our portfolio and applied the freemium model to new growth markets, most notably in the collaboration market where we have freemium offerings for online meetings in join.me, and cloud sync and share, with Cubby . In fact, today, more than 70% of our first-time users are introduced to us via join.me, making it easily our fastest growing product." The countdown to the end of LogMeIn Free started this morning. If you're a current user of the service we'd love to hear your thoughts on the move in the comments below. Update: We received a statement from Craig VerColen, Senior Director of Corporate Communiations at LogMeIn as well: First, let me be clear about the impact on Ignition for iOS customers. On our blog and elsewhere we've said we're giving them significant discounts and favorable terms. Specifically, they are getting 6 months of Pro for free. And any computer connected to that mobile account is getting upgraded for those 6 months. After that, they can choose to purchase a Pro subscription or not. As far as the reason, and we've said this elsewhere, the market has matured, and we've made the decision that to best serve our mobile customers, we need to focus our remote access efforts on a modern, premium offering that works across devices, factors in a mix of cloud and local data, etc. At the same time, we're expanding other efforts – including some that involve the freemium approach – to address our customers' needs. It's probably surprising from the outside, but it's been a long time since we are solely a remote access company. Today, products like join.me make up the bulk of our new users and represent the fastest growing parts of the business. So this change is really about focusing on key growth areas and focusing our access efforts on the evolving needs of mobile professionals.
Take a peek at MechWarrior Online's UI 2.0 upgrade
Piranha Games recently conducted a public test of the changes it is planning for MechWarrior Online's UI 2.0 upgrade, and No Guts No Galaxy's Phil Langenberg managed to snag a lengthy video of the new UI in action. According to Piranha, UI 2.0 is "a complete rework of the existing UI" designed to streamline mech customization and MWO's social features. The redesign is set for release February 4th. Check out the VOD of the stream after the break to get a closer look, with commentary, of what MWO will look like post-2.0.
Led by mobile and free-to-play, U.S. digital sales see big gains in 2013
The digital games market is still on the rise, generating $11.7 billion in sales in 2013. According to market research firm SuperData, this total marks an 11% increase over digital sales in 2012. SuperData noted that Christmas and New Year's occurring in the middle of the week may have helped spiked end-of-year numbers; December 2013 saw a 36% increase in digital sales compared to December 2012. Mobile titles claimed the largest percentage of the digital pie, representing $3.6 billion in sales. Free-to-play titles were up 45% year-on-year to $2.9 billion. Perhaps most interesting for MMO players is the fact that F2P MMO offerings from games like World of Warcraft and Star Wars: The Old Republic landed in the top ten, though the top three free-to-play earners in 2013 were CrossFire, League of Legends, and Dungeon Fighter Online. Data used by the firm is gathered by collecting digital transaction data directly from developers and publishers. [Thanks to Hagu for the tip!]
Choose My Adventure: So long, Allods Online
Choose My Adventure, in my mind, is as much an investigation as it is a voter-led romp through a particular title. There's a reason each writer who takes on a CMA limits the voting pool to games he or she hasn't previously experienced in-depth; it's always more interesting to discover and explore than it is to travel across well-beaten paths. Writing and playing for Choose My Adventure almost always involves being surprised, either for the better or for the worse. When the community chose Allods Online as the subject of this edition of Choose My Adventure, I was skeptical. The game looks, on the surface, like another cheap World of Warcraft knock-off designed to siphon a few players away from Blizzard's enormous subscription MMO with promises of free gameplay and some sci-fi/steampunk tweaks. What I discovered over the last five weeks, however, is a solid, charming traditional MMO that is hindered at almost every turn by the incompetence or greed (I can't be sure which) of its publisher.
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Free for All: An interview with Ever, Jane's Judy Tyrer
Ever, Jane caught my eye as soon as I read about it. I wish we had access to more non-combat MMOs, or MMOs that attempt to do something so different that they are hard to categorize. I have to say that I had never read a word of Jane Austen -- the author whose books Ever, Jane is based on -- but I didn't care. If anything, the interesting gameplay described by Judy Tyrer, the creator of the game, made me want to pick up a book or two. Of course, the game is barely in a playable state at this time and will likely be in development for a time longer. Still, the MMO genre needs games that takes chances, or we'll all find ourselves stuck on some hamster wheel of grind. I asked Judy a few questions and she surprised me with some of her answers. She's been making games for a long time, so hopefully you'll be hearing more from her here on Massively for a while! Let's get to the interview.
Greg Street is now lead game designer at Riot Games
Greg Street, also known as Ghostcrawler, was the lead systems designer for World of Warcraft for much of the fantasy MMO's life. When he left Blizzard late last year, the rumor mill exploded with speculation on where (and why) one of WoW's most familiar and visible developers might be going. As of today, the mystery appears to be solved. Information on Street's LinkedIn profile, supported by several industry sources, indicates that he is now working as lead game designer at Riot Games, known for the massively popular League of Legends. Street has yet to confirm the move via Twitter or any other official channel.
The Soapbox: Launching with a subscription is still a good idea
The massively multiplayer online game industry is constantly changing, but one thing about it never will so long as capitalism stands: MMOs have ongoing costs, and those costs are passed on to the end user. Exactly how they're passed on is one of the things that has been changing, but new methods don't mean old methods don't have their place. New isn't good because it's new. New is good because it can provide solutions to old problems. When an old method is seen as the source of a problem actually caused by something unrelated, shoving a new method in there can just create new problems. So why all the wailing and gnashing of teeth over games trying out a subscription before they move onto other models? And why all the wailing and gnashing of teeth in retaliation to this opinion?
Major Herokon Online update includes sequel to Blade of Destiny, new region
Denizens of Aventuria have a lot more to keep themselves occupied thanks to Herokon Online's latest update. Not only has an entire new region opened up for exploration and adventuring, but The Dark Eye fans will get to experience the sequel to the Blade of Destiny campaign. Additionally, the level cap has been raised to 45, players can earn new achievements and titles, and a new world map provides a travel system. The new land of Thorwal, located in the northwest, is home to six new types of enemies and new NPCs and allies, some of which will be familiar characters that fans meet for the first time. Players will also find many new quests and Thorwal-specific weapons and equipment. For a taste of the update, check out the artwork and screenshots in the gallery below. [Source: Herokon Online press release]
Legend of Edda closes its doors for good January 22nd
If you'd always meant to check out the cute free-to-play title Legend of Edda but never quite got around to it, you're almost out of luck. GamesCampus has announced that the game is shutting down on January 22nd, 2014. Citing hacking attempts, gold purchasing, and game crashes that created an unstable gaming environment, the studio said "there is no way to continue providing support to the game financially." Legend of Edda closed down temporarily between 2011 and 2012 in order to overhaul and improve the game; unfortunately, this time the closure will be permanent. GamesCampus is currently in the process of working out compensation packages for all players who have been active for the past three months. [Thanks to Mehighlow for the tip!]
Free for All: The confused state of Firefall's first few hours
As part of my research for an upcoming article about MMO shooters, I have been playing a lot of Firefall. There are definitely worse assignments in the world. I really, really enjoy the game; I love the fact that I can do almost anything I want even within a short play session and feel as if I accomplished something. Of course, the current enlightened state I am in does not reflect the game's non-newbie-friendly designs. As a matter of fact, the only place I was able to turn for reliable explanations and non-stop answers was a reader of Massively who recognized my name in the chat. This reader and I have played together several times, and he went out of his way to answer all of the newbie questions that should have been answered by the game. I know that the developers have said (through Tweets to me and in other places) that a better newbie experience is on its way. There are also friendly little helper robots sprinkled throughout the game and a handful of helpful videos that can be found as well. So why are so many new players still confused about Firefall?
Choose My Adventure: Deep in the dungeons of Allods Online
Last week, I presented Choose My Adventure voters with one simple choice: Where, exactly, should we go next in Allods Online? The community responded by sending my low-level Psionicist directly into what many consider to be a core component of the modern fantasy MMO, the instanced dungeon. Understanding how a game approaches bosses, loot, grouping, and raiding is key in understanding that game's design philosophy, so it makes sense to dip a toe or two into the instanced content Allods has to offer. Assuming, of course, that I can find a group.
Eldevin making a run at Steam Greenlight
Browser-based MMO Eldevin, which launched at the end of November and was named by our own Beau Hindman as indie browser MMO of the year, is now entering the fray that is Steam Greenlight's open voting pool. Fans of Eldevin can vote for the game if they want to see it come to Steam; Hunted Cow aims to create a standalone Java-based version of Eldevin that will run on Valve's digital distribution platform. Greenlight has proven a boon to many small studios. Since its inception, hundreds of games have been greenlit for distribution on Steam with the most recent batch landing just today. If Eldevin clears the vote threshold, it might just make it through Valve's approval process and onto Steam's digital shelves. Check out the Eldevin launch trailer after the break and have a look at the game's Greenlight listing for more information.
Age of Conan director's letter talks achievements and PvP
Age of Conan senior designer Matthew Bennett stepped in to author the game's most recent director's letter, and in doing so offered updates on AoC's long awaited achievement system as well as some valuable intel on the state of PvP items. According to Bennett, the Age of Conan team has a rough design in place for achievements that centers on broad categories like PvE, exploration, and dungeons, with sub-categories being designed for each. Bennett also explained that the dev team is taking a hard look at Tier 3 PvP gear by working to re-balance stats on key items to make them more useful and up their damage output to an appropriate level. The PvP team is also working on Tier 4 PvP items. Finally, Bennett reminded players that starting in February, Portents will return to their normal cycle of starting on the first Wednesday of the month and lasting until the following Tuesday. As for the big things like The Palace of Cetriss raid and Age of Conan's new tradeskill system? While not the focus of this particular letter, those key game elements are still in development.
It's a battle of the titans in this new Black Gold Online trailer
Snail Games has just unveiled a brand-new trailer for Black Gold Online, teasing a fight between an enormous goliath and equally large behemoth and showing off behind-the-scenes clips of how the goliath was designed. According to the video description, the goliath is a creation of the engineers of Steam, built specifically to counter the Erlandir-summoned behemoth. And by "counter" we mean "punch." Check out the teaser after the break. Snail describes Black Gold's universe as a "world where innovative Victorian steampunk clashes with traditional high fantasy." The game is set for launch sometime in 2014 with a closed alpha aimed at February.
Aura Kingdom launches into open beta
Closed beta is now a thing of the past as Aura Kingdom moves into its open beta phase. As of today, anyone can hop into the free-to-play game and experience this new anime-styled world. Players can also take part in various GM events going on daily throughout open beta. Events include a screenshot contest (Can you capture a pic of a GM running by at superhuman speeds?), boss spawns, GM hide and seek, item matching, and more. A schedule of events can be found on the official site. Additionally, on Fridays at 7:00 p.m. EST, GMs will host welcome sessions to answer questions, and Saturdays will have live tutorials broadcast on Twitch at 5:00 p.m. EST to help new players get started. To learn even more about Aura Kingdom, check out Massively's Ride and Shiny. [Source: Aeria Games press release]
The Stream Team: Stacking friends in Dota 2
When it comes to MOBAs, teamwork is everything. Adventuring into the solo queue in a game like Dota 2 is an invitation for pain and suffering; stacking a couple of friends in a party results in a much more successful (and fun) experience. Tune in tonight as Massively's Mike Foster recruits a few of his Dota 2 friends and takes a more team-based approach to Valve's immensely popular title. The action starts at 7:00 p.m. EST. Game: Dota 2 Host: Mike Foster Date: Friday, January 3rd, 2014 Time: 7:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below.
Trion sheds some light on RIFT's PvP dimension development
PvP dimensions have been a much-requested feature for RIFT ever since the dimensions feature debuted with the game's Storm Legion expansion in November of 2012. Yesterday brought some good, if vague, news for players waiting on PvP dimensions: They're still in development, but no ETA is available. Trion Worlds's Pithos (of the RIFT development team) explained via the game's official forums that the release date depends on "how many features [the team] want[s] to launch with, and how often other tasks take priority." He also explained that the team has a very basic version working that includes start points, graveyards, and respawning. Make of that what you will.
New F2P sandbox Fantasy Realm Online invites everyone in to play
Fans hunkering for a free-to-play sandbox game that's reminiscent of Ultima Online have a new place to hang their hats and crafting tools: Fantasy Realm Online. The new game just opened its doors to the public, and players can adventure through the world and collect treasures while dispatching mighty foes or explore as a merchant and apprentice under a shopkeeper, harvest, and craft. Fantasy Realm Online is a blend of single-player RPGs and MMO and is designed to be played either solo or with others. Want to get a glimpse of the action? Check out the trailer below. Then if the game is your cup of tea, head on over to the official site to download and jump in. [Source: Fantasy Realm Online press release]
