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Codemasters drops release windows for Dirt 2, Overlord II, Fuel, others
Codemasters is avoiding the holiday rush by releasing several of its titles this year during the sleepy summer months (and for this, we thank them). The Overlord sequel, FUEL, and a little game that caught our eye, Jumpgate Evolution, all drop during low-pressure sales months. Codies will release DiRT 2 much closer to the holiday insanity: DiRT 2 - September (X360, PS3, Wii, PC, DS, PSP) FUEL - May (X360, PS3, PC) Overlord II - June (X360, PS3, PC) Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising - Summer (X360, "PlayStation system," PC) Jumpgate Evolution - June (PC) The original DiRT was a gem for race fans and FUEL looks interesting, but whether Overlord II receives the polish the first one was lacking is the real question (and hope). Check out the Overlord II trailer after the break.
Jumpgate Evolution to launch in June
Eurogamer is reporting that NetDevil's space combat MMO Jumpgate Evolution will be launching in June of this year. This according to a reveal by Codemasters on their official site. With new screens unleashed and a dev chat coming up next week, JGE is gearing up to be quite a contender in the space MMO genre.Eurogamer has also recently reported that Champions Online will be released in June, yet it's important to note that this has not been officially confirmed by Cryptic Studios. Stick with Massively for the latest on this summer's blockbuster MMO releases.
New looks into Jumpgate Evolution
The folks over at MMORPG.com seem to have smuggled a few more screenshots out of Jumpgate Evolution for everyone's perusal. Eleven new images of the game have been added to their online gallery, each one quite gorgeous and jaw dropping. The screenshots themselves are centered around the various types of ships and starbases that can be encountered in the game, as well as some locales like jumpgates and asteroid fields.We have to keep reminding ourselves that this is a very fast paced space shooter that requires both speed and precision, but how are we suppose to be precise when we're looking at how pretty everything in the game is? We just hope they make everything into a blur, otherwise it's going to be really hard for us to pull away from the scenery to shoot down some enemies.
Join the Jumpgate Evolution developer chat this Tuesday, February 24th
If you happen to have some Jumpgate Evolution questions burning in your brain, then next Tuesday on February 24th we recommend that you join in a developer chat over on Stratics. The actual chat will be held via IRC, which you can find a handy-dandy guide to right here in case you're not overly familiar with the application. For everyone else, here's a list of equally handy, as well as dandy, servers to join: irc.glowfish.de EU - Germany 6667 6668 stratics.frws.com USA - Colorado 6667 6668 7000 stratics.afraidyet.net USA - Texas 6667 6668 irc.gamers-irc.org USA - Colorado 6667 6668 7000 We'll be following up on any transcipts that hit the net afterwords, so if for some reason you're unable to make it (or IRC boggles your mind) you can still partake in new Jumpgate Evolution information as you see fit.
Joystiq eyes-on: Jumpgate Evolution (PC)
click to gallery hyper-jump Sci-fi fans who love the idea of galactic war and space-age dogfighting will want to have a look at NetDevil's Jumpgate Evolution. In this Massively Multiplayer Online game, players take command of their very own fully-customizable spacecraft in a war against a mysterious alien enemy. The developers describe the game as an MMO version of Wing Commander with the intensity of Battlestar Galactica's fast-paced fighter battles. This war not only has to have grand action, but also has to be set on an equally grand stage. And in that, we can attest that Jumpgate fulfills those duties very well. The artistic direction will be the very first thing that will grab one's attention upon sitting down with Jumpgate. The diverse locales we've been shown are all very colorfully vibrant and lively; there's rarely a spot that's dull or fails to dazzle. Open space is accentuated with swirls of thematic nebulas, while cruising along the backdrop of beautifully rendered planets is an amazing sight on its own. There are various other places to visit including mining colonies, asteroid fields and debris-filled 'space graveyard.'%Gallery-4430%
The Daily Grind: What beta are you dying to get into?
With all the games in beta right now, there's a huge list going here at the Massively offices of what betas everyone wants in on. There's Jumpgate Evolution, Champions Online, Darkfall, Fallen Earth, and more coming into beta all the time - almost all of which have our interest right now. The coin-tosses in the virtual massively offices to see who lands which invites will be fast and furious, but to bring us to our question today... With so many interesting titles coming up, we know we can't be the only ones excited about all the new games coming. What beta - or betas - are you really hoping to get in to?
WRUP: Who isn't playing EVE edition
It seems there's been some excitement in EVE Online this week. At the dawn of the week, everyone was talking about the PVP tournament assassination and by the end of the week everyone had something to say about Band of Brothers disbanding. The end result? More of your Massively staff are in EVE this week than any other game. Brendan Drain: This weekend I'll be preparing a plan on what to do in EVE when the next expansion hits in March and watching the BoB drama unfold. I'll also be going to an all-nighter LAN party on Saturday to celebrate someone's birthday, too, which should be fun. Oh, and I finally hit level 60 on my Bruiser "Mailea" in EverQuest 2. \o/ Colin Brennan: Final Fantasy XI has my attention this weekend. Getting my friend up to level 10 so we can go hit Valkurm Dunes together. Then, later in the weekend, getting to level 77 in World of Warcraft. James Egan: With all the drama in EVE Online this week, I'll probably be glued to that game, plus the Alliance PvP Tournament is being streamed in live video this weekend. Anything else I do will involve a Spy, a butterfly knife, and Team Fortress 2. Maybe killing zombies as well. Krystalle Voecks: I'll be offline for most of the weekend myself between homework, projects and a date with my other half to go see Coraline. If I do get a moment to game, I'll probably stick with console games since I don't get sucked into those as long. Kyle Horner: Since everyone I know seems to be downloading the EVE Online client, I'm tempted to eschew MMOs this weekend and play Aurora Feint on my iPhone. It's either that, or I pretend like I'm playing Jumpgate Evolution Michael Zenke: I'm going to play this awesome game called Packing to Move Across the Country (Multiplayer Edition). It has a pretty low Metacritic score but I'm feeling obligated to try to ding a few levels just the same. William Dobson: Coming home from interstate this weekend. After the joys of travel are over, I will probably get back into a bit of Vanguard, and perhaps even venture over to my growing (and already huge) stack of plastic-sealed console games and try to knock at least one off the "to-play" list. So, dear readers, that's what we're playing. But what are you playing this weekend?
Massively interviews NetDevil on PvP and more in Jumpgate Evolution
We got the chance to catch up with NetDevil Producer Hermann Peterscheck on everything Jumpgate Evolution this week. With the game coming up fairly soon, we thought up some rather specific questions that had been floating about in our brains over the past month or two. Exploration rewards, mining, cockpit view, PvP and more are waiting just after the break.%Gallery-18375%
A look at the MMO coming attractions in 2009
Now that we're comfortably settling in to our new digs at casa de 2009, it seems like the best time to reflect on what we have to look forward to in the coming year. Eurogamer has done the dirty work for us, as they've compiled a handy article detailing the coming attractions.All Points Bulletin tops their list as the star attraction, citing enthusiasm for the GTA-style action and depth of customization. SOE's The Agency and Free Realms, along with Cryptic's Champions Online and NetDevil's Jumpgate Evolution round out the remaining top spots on this list, for varying reasons. Some honorable mentions include Aion, Darkfall, EVE's Walking in Stations expansion, Earthrise, Global Agenda and many more expected to see the light of day this year or next. Will all of these games actually make it to a 2009 release, or will 2010 truly be the year of epic MMO launches?
Meet Jumpgate Evolution's new(ish) community manager
This one managed to pass under our radar last month, but Katie "Khatie" Postma -- previously the community manager for Stargate Worlds -- is the newest community manager for NetDevil's upcoming Jumpgate Evolution. If the name seems familiar to any Massively readers, that's probably because Katie was one of the many community managers who spoke at the ION 2008 event. And for everyone else who's unfamiliar with her, we highly recommend reading through her viewpoints on taking an MMO community from pre-launch to live.We're happy for Katie and even happier for the Jumpgate Evolution community that should get her expertise as the game's launch creeps nearer and nearer.
A big list of MMOs to watch in 2009
Over at The Vault, they've put up an exhaustive list of all the MMO titles you should have your eye on throughout the new year. While they sort of term it as thought it's a big list of games coming out this year, we think they know it's unlikely all of those games are going to be released in the next twelve months. With that in mind, if you aren't sure what games you should have on your radar (and you haven't clicked our handy "upcoming MMOs" widget above), this massive list will bring you up to date.Here at Massively, of course, we've been doing our own level best to keep you updated on a lot of these titles, be they AAA superhero games like Champions Online or DC Universe Online. We've talked fervently about Star Wars: The Old Republic, and given you the skinny on under-the-radar titles like Aion, FreeRealms, and Jumpgate Evolution. We've even walked away from our precious fantasy to talk about games like APB or The Agency. The Vault's list is a great one to run down - check it out to see what game you should be obsessing over today!
The week in Massively features
GamerDNA and Massively look back at the MMO year in reviewToday's column features data from July through December. GamerDNA being a startup, our data collection in the first half of the year was not consistent enough to use for anything but wild guessing and drinking games. Listen, a start up tech company can make ANYTHING into a drinking game. Anti-Aliased: Top 5 things MMOs should learn in the new yearI am absolutely no more inventive than every other blog in existence, this edition of Anti-Aliased is dedicated to the top 5 things the industry and culture should learn and take into 2009, rather than forgetting. Some of it's funny, some of it's serious, but let's be honest -- it all goes towards perfecting how to have fun in virtual worlds. The Digital Continuum: Sci-fi geeks need to experience Jumpgate EvolutionEven those who should be excited for Jumpgate Evolution are seemingly unaware of it's forthcoming release. This won't do, and so I present to you the essentials of why a sci-fi fan should give this game some serious consideration for their 2009 MMO budget. EVE Evolved: Making the most of your EVE Online free trialSince the learning curve is relatively steep to begin with, it's very easy to become overwhelmed in a short trial period. These factors can make it hard to experience what EVE is really like, meaning it's hard to make an informed decision. The patent that stole ChristmasWe can learn a few things from the suit against NCsoft, including (we think) how Worlds.com/General Patent sees its own position with respect to these claims (they don't seem to think it's as firm as it could be). You might also be wondering about prior art (which is abundant). Well prior art, in and of itself, is simply not enough. Not on its own.
The Digital Continuum: Sci-fi geeks need to experience Jumpgate Evolution
Spring is right around the corner and with it comes warmer weather, rain showers, blossoming fauna and Jumpgate Evolution. As much as I'd love to think there are thousands of you out there that know all about the game, I get the feeling that in actuality the number is significantly lower. Granted, real-time action space shooter MMOs aren't exactly a mass market genre, so it's probably a fair shake overall.But what's really worrying me is that even those who should be excited for Jumpgate Evolution are seemingly unaware of it's forthcoming release. This won't do, and so I present to you the essentials of why a sci-fi fan should give this game some serious consideration for their 2009 MMO budget.
The Daily Grind: Are sci-fi MMOs cursed?
Or are they just waiting for a savior, a la World of Warcraft? Yesterday we covered a recent interview done by Ten Ton Hammer with representatives of Trion World Group, the developers behind the upcoming SCI-FI channel MMORPG, that covered the viability of science fiction MMOs. While they are quite for the idea and are enthusiastic about a science fiction genre MMO, we here at Massively wanted to solicit your opinion. What's up with science fiction?The new year will be bringing us titles like Star Trek Online, Jumpgate Evolution, Stargate Worlds, and Star Wars: The Old Republic -- a veritable stream of life flowing into the genre that's being dominated by EVE Online. Are you looking forward to them? Will you quickly wrap your hands around them and boldly go where no man has gone before? Or will you hold on to the games you already have and sneer like Gollum? Give us the word readers, speak your mind in our galactic council comments.
Can the sci-fi genre succeed?
Earth and Beyond. Star Wars Galaxies. Auto Assault. Tabula Rasa. For a genre that dominates television and written media, science fiction can't seem to find a good foothold in the MMO industry past EVE Online. Even the upcoming Stargate Worlds is on shaky ground, and it hasn't even stepped over the threshold into the market. With a genre so plagued by failure, what can a company do to succeed like CCP? Can Star Trek Online, Jumpgate Evolution, and Star Wars: The Old Republic shake the curse?These were the topics of a recent interview between Cody Bye of Ten Ton Hammer and Rob Hill and Kevin Beardslee of Trion World Network, the developers behind the Sci-Fi channel's MMORPG/television tie-in game. The interview covers all manner of things, like how Trion seeks to differentiate themselves from the current MMO market, how they want to interact with their community, how they are handling the creation of the game next to the television series, and how Blizzard's polish mantra can really support a well made game. You can check out the full interview over at Ten Ton Hammer.
The Digital Continuum: Five MMOs to watch out for in 2009
Out of all the games coming out or possibly being announced in the coming year, which are the ones everyone should train their eye on? What games -- or announcements -- should be watched more closely than others, and why? These are the questions that I'll do my best to answer in this week's The Digital Continuum. Of course, I'll also probably say some crazy things that may or may not come true, as per my usual agenda. So it's a win-win for everyone involved!
The Digital Continuum: Five MMOs to watch out for in 2009, part 2
The next few years are certainly going to be interesting, especially when we get to the point when three superhero MMOs are on the market with a fourth (CoH2) on the way. Anyhow, getting back to the point: DC Universe Online is especially lucky for its IP, which is most definitely the strongest of all the superhero MMOs currently known to be forthcoming. Although, the rather unfortunate SOE stigma may cause a little turbulence in the formative months that come after any MMO is released.
The Digital Continuum: Looking back while moving foward
This last year has seen a lot of things happen in our beloved MMO-world. Things like the launch of Pirates of the Burning Sea and Age of Conan delays seem long lost in the fog of summer and winter. It was all buried underneath the revelations of DC Universe Online and Star Wars: The Old Republic. And the noise created by the build up to Warhammer Online's launch seemed squelched by the silent wall that was the Wrath of the Lich King launch. It was all a gust of insanity that blew through our brains, creating ebbs and tides in our attention and interest faster than any of us probably thought possible. And just when we all thought it was over, Atari bought Cryptic.But it seems safe to leave our homes and wonder about the great precipice of 2009. At least until the next massive storm rolls in and knocks an oak tree into our recently mended skulls.
NetDevil talks past, present and future of MMOs
Now that Tabula Rasa will be closing in two months, many of us are remembering a similar situation in 2007 with NCsoft's Auto Assault. The game's development team at NetDevil was fairly outspoken at the time about what they felt was a savable game, yet NCsoft saw it as a business decision. One of the most vocal NetDevil employees who tried to save the game was Scott Brown. Ten Ton Hammer caught up with Brown in a recent interview where he gave his current views on Auto Assault's closing, what the company is working on now and a hint at what's in their future."I would never turn off a game." Brown says in the interview. "I would do what I would need to do to make the game support itself, but why turn it off? Especially when there are people that love your game?" With knowing what they know now, Brown discusses how the studio has changed their development process. Their current projects, including the LEGO Universe MMO, Jumpgate and an unannounced web-based game coming soon, are enough to keep this company from focusing too much on their past mistakes and just blasting forward into the future.This interview is part one of two, so look for more from Scott Brown in the second half coming next week.
Enhancements announced to Jumpgate Evolution guild beta sign-up form
For all those space pilots anxiously awaiting the chance to enter your guild Jumpgate Evolution, there have been updates made to the guild beta sign-up form. Basically, the enhancements allow you to manage your guild members more actively. You can remove members, list additional e-mail addresses, and check to see who has filled out and confirmed their information.Any changes made will note effect the odds of getting into beta. In fact, it's probably best to have the cleanest list possible of your members before the official launch date to avoid hassles later on. So whether you've been waiting to add your friend who just built a new system or trying to remove someone who's too busy with other betas, head in and adjust.
