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24 hours of Tabula Rasa: Hour 8
Ding 3pm (grats!), and that means it's time for yet another launch day contest! This hour, we've got three prizes, one of which that may not seem spectacular at first, but listen, 3pm, don't be so hard on yourself -- you never know what uses people might come up with for an oversized game box.That's right -- this hour we're giving away not only a copy of the game to one person, and a shiny game poster to a second, but one person will receive an oversized game box (sans actual game). Sure, you won't be able to actually play Tabula Rasa, but maybe you can convince your friends that Garriott gave you a giant-sized copy by accident, and the reason you can't play online with them is because your computer's DVD slot is too small for the gargantuan game.Anyway, rules are as usual -- be in the US, over 18, and leave a comment (only one!) on this here post within an hour (that's by 4pm EST), and we'll pick three random winners to win one prize each. Maybe you'll get a game, or maybe you'll get an oversized copy of the game box without the game itself. That's the way life is!And stay tuned every hour on the hour for the rest of the day (and for the next two weeks after that, incidentally) for your chance at winning more cool stuff from our brand new site.
24 hours of Tabula Rasa: Hour 7
Our Tabula Rasa giveaways continue! It's every hour on the hour, man -- more faithful than Old Faithful, and a lot more often than Blizzard updates WoW.This hour, we're sending out a Tabula Rasa hat (valued at $10) and a game poster (retail value $5). You could be the first on your block to have a wearable ad for Lord British Garriott's brand new alien-shooting MMO! All you've got to do, as usual, is live in the US, be 18 or older (official rules here), and leave a comment (and only one comment) on this here blog post before 3pm EST. Oh, and the most important part: you've got to be one of our random winners. Some say that's the hard part, but really, it's the easiest, because we choose that one, and all you've got to do is type some stuff in and hit "Add your comments."So get commenting -- you've got an hour! And hey, if you don't win, don't worry -- you can also enter for that iPod, and we'll have contests every hour for the rest of the day, too.
24 hours of Tabula Rasa: Hour 6
We're a quarter of the way through our 24 hours of Tabula Rasa giveaway -- but never fear, there are still plenty of opportunities to win lots of great prizes. Today we're giving away all sorts of swag to celebrate the launch of both Tabula Rasa and Massively. If you haven't had a chance to win yet, this could be your big break! For hour 6 of our contest series, we're giving away a Tabula Rasa duffel bag -- a sturdy, olive green affair with the Tabula Rasa logo. To be eligible to enter you must be a US resident of age 18 or older (see our official rules for full details), but all eligible participants need to do for their chance to win is leave a comment on this post sometime in the next hour (we're giving you until 2:00 PM EST, today). But please, only leave us one comment -- multiple entries will be disqualified. After the entry period is over, we'll select three winners at random. First place will receive a Tabula Rasa duffel bag (valued at $20) and one runner-up will receive a Tabula Rasa poster (valued at $5). So comment away -- and check back in with us at 1:00 PM EST for your next chance to win!
24 hours of Tabula Rasa: Hour 5
Lunchtime already -- how the hours of the day do fly! If you've been keeping up with the news on the blog so far, you know that means it's time for another installment in our 24 hours of Tabula Rasa giveaway! Today we're celebrating the long-awaited launch of Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa with hourly giveaways. And right now we're giving away a copy of the game to one lucky commenter. What do you have to do to win a chance to explore Richard Garriott's latest? To be eligible to enter you must be a US resident of age 18 or older (see our official rules for full details), but all eligible participants need to do for their chance to win is leave a comment on this post sometime in the next hour (we're giving you until 1:00 PM EST, today). But please, only leave us one comment -- multiple entries will be disqualified. After the entry period is over, we'll select three winners at random. First place will receive a copy of Tabula Rasa (valued at $50) and two runners-up will receive a Tabula Rasa poster (valued at $5). So comment away -- and check back in with us at 1:00 PM EST for your next chance to win!
24 hours of Tabula Rasa: Hour 4
The clock just struck 11, which means it's time for another installment in our 24 hours of Tabula Rasa giveaway! We're continuing to party like the servers are going down and this time around, we're giving away a promotional cardboard display (nearly five feet tall) featuring the recognizable redhead from Tabula Rasa's box art. What do you have to do to win? To be eligible to enter you must be a US resident of age 18 or older (see our official rules for full details), but all eligible participants need to do for their chance to win is leave a comment on this post sometime in the next hour (we're giving you until 12:00 PM EST, today). But please, only leave us one comment -- multiple entries will be disqualified. After the entry period is over, we'll select three winners at random. First place will receive a promotional cardboard Tabula Rasa display (valued at $10) and one runner-up will receive an oversized Tabula Rasa display box -- not a retail game box, but an empty, oversized display box (valued at $5). Interested in winning? Comment away -- and check back in with us at 12:00 PM EST for your next chance to win!
24 hours of Tabula Rasa: Hour 3
10:00 AM just rolled around, and if you've been paying attention this morning, you know that means it's time for another installment in our 24 Hours of Tabula Rasa giveaway! Today we're celebrating the launch of Massively and NCsoft's Tabula Rasa with hourly giveaways. And right now we're giving away a Tabula Rasa hat to one of our commenters at random. What do you have to do to win a chance to explore Richard Garriott's latest? To be eligible to enter you must be a US resident of age 18 or older (see our official rules for full details), but all eligible participants need to do for their chance to win is leave a comment on this post sometime in the next hour (the cut-off date11:00 AM EST today, November 2nd). But please, only leave us one comment -- multiple entries will be disqualified. After the entry period is over, we'll select three winners at random. First place will receive a Tabula Rasa hat (valued at $10) and one runner-up will receive a Tabula Rasa poster (valued at $5). So comment away -- and be sure to check back in with us at 11:00 AM EST for your next chance to win!
24 hours of Tabula Rasa: Hour 2
What? It's 9 o'clock already? Well, if you've been reading the blog so far this morning, you know what that means -- it's time for another installment in our 24 Hours of Tabula Rasa giveaway! Today we're celebrating the launch of Massively and NCsoft's Tabula Rasa with hourly giveaways. And right now we're giving away a copy of the game to one lucky commenter. What do you have to do to win a chance to explore Richard Garriott's latest? To be eligible to enter you must be a US resident of age 18 or older (see our official rules for full details), but all eligible participants need to do for their chance to win is leave a comment on this post sometime in the next hour (we're giving you until 10:00 AM EST, today). But please, only leave us one comment -- multiple entries will be disqualified. After the entry period is over, we'll select three winners at random. First place will receive a copy of Tabula Rasa (valued at $50) and two runners-up will receive a Tabula Rasa poster (valued at $5). So comment away -- and check back in with us at 10:00 AM EST for your next chance to win!
24 hours of Tabula Rasa: Hour 1, win an iPod!
Today we aren't just celebrating the launch of Massively (though all of us here at Massively HQ are very excited about it!): we're celebrating the launch of NCsoft's newest MMO, Tabula Rasa. We're planning on making the most of the day by giving away prizes from NCsoft every hour on the hour, starting with this 2GB iPod Nano. What do you have to do to win this charming piece of audio technology? To be eligible to enter you must be a US resident of age 18 or older (see our official rules for full details), but all eligible participants need to do for their chance to win is leave a comment on this post sometime in the next 24 hours (the cut-off date is tomorrow, November 3rd, at 8:00 AM EST). But please, only leave us one comment -- multiple entries will be disqualified. After the entry period is over, we'll select three winners at random. First place will receive a 2GB iPod Nano (valued at $150) and two runners-up will receive a Tabula Rasa poster (valued at $5). So comment away -- and check back in with us at 9:00 AM EST for your next chance to win!
Tabula Rasa lead developer stops to thank beta players
Tabula Rasa lead developer Paul Sage took some time out at the end of last week to reflect on the long road the game has taken to reach launch day. In an open letter to the TR community, he talks about his favorite class, the best thing about the game (in his opinion), some of the title's little-known secrets, and thanks a bunch of the folks involved in bringing the game to store shelves. Most of all, though, he wanted to get across his thanks to the players who saw the game through the long and sometimes painful beta process.I want to thank every beta player out there: the grumpy ones, the indifferent ones, and the blissfully playing ones. Seriously, we make games so people will have fun. One of my biggest thrills is watching someone have a good time in the game. I love it when people taunt the Bane and cheer when they take over a control point. I very actively listen in general chat, read the boards, and listen to what you are saying, even when you think I'm not. Beta testing isn't like playing a game. Yes, you get a sneak peek, but sometimes you also get to stand on a carpet and have it ripped out from under you. I understand that can be frustrating. So for that, let me again say "thank you."
A visit to NCsoft Austin
Last week, we were invited to take a look at NCsoft's Austin offices to see where the the magic behind some of our favorite MMOs takes place. Communications Director David Swofford was happy to give us a tour of the facilities and tell us a bit about how NCsoft does what it does. Nestled in the Texas hill country off Loop 360, this could be one of countless tech companies -- but don't let its ordinary exterior fool you. Want to take a look inside? Keep reading!%Gallery-9639%
Tabula Rasa exclusive interview and NCsoft tour
We had the chance recently to head over to the NCsoft studios in Austin, TX for a tour of their swank living shrine to Richard Garriott and a one-on-one interview with Tabula Rasa producer Starr Long. We'll be rolling those features later this morning, but while you wait we leave you with something even better than elevator music: the NCsoft HQ gallery!%Gallery-9639%
Is Hellgate an MMO or not?
Being as Hellgate: London is seeing lots of installs this week, the question is going around: is it an MMO or not? As Cuppy points out, it certainly fits the bill. It is Massive, it is Multiplayer, and it is definitely Online. But on the other hand, Hellgate is a little different-- it's free to play, like Guild Wars, but also like Guild Wars, expansions will cost you. You can form guilds, but as I understand it, there is no "overworld," per se-- even towns are instanced.So is it an MMO or not? Depends, of course, on how you define MMO. A persistent overworld is a huge element of "normal" MMOs-- a world in which you can walk around and see thousands of other players playing the game alongside you, and Hellgate doesn't have that. On the other hand, its unique model lends itself to pulling in a lot of non-MMO players. Players turned off by the time and money commitment implied by a monthly fee have no such problems with Hellgate, and that will definitely be a nice draw for them (as it has been with Guild Wars).So maybe we need a new label for just what games like Hellgate are. Anyway Games says, wisely, that labels are how you sell games, and, for better or worse, Flagship can't call their game an MMO. So what can they call it? These "buy once, play in a virtual world" games will surely become more popular. Instead of simply being called MMOs, maybe we should put them in an "instanced multiplayer game" (IMG) market of their own.
A stitch in beta time
If any of you are as excited about Issue 11 as I am, then I have good news my friend. The beta for Issue 11: A Stitch in Time has opened up on the Training Room server, letting players have a whack at Oroboros missions and customizing their weapons. The current beta patch notes are available, and it looks like things are running fairly smoothly. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see my Stalker waiving around twin katanas. I feel some new character creation coming on! Grab yourself a spot in the Issue 11 beta today.
Heads of Cerberus and strike force number 1
I love in-character tales. There is just something about reading the exploits of a CoX group from the perspective of the characters that just makes my day all shiny and happy, REM style. For that reason, I dove right in when I stumbled on Van Hemlock's recounting of the trials, tribulations and triumphs of The Heads of Cerberus, his CoV supergroup. His most recent story has to do with the first Strike Force mission the little level 15 supergroup encountered, taking them deep into Cap Au Diable. I don't want to spoil the read for you, but suffice it to say, they had some tough times, and kicked much do-gooder butt.
Last weekend for Trick or Transmutation event in Lineage 2
This past weekend saw the first round of key drops for Lineage 2's Halloween event, this year called Trick or Transmutation. The event, which tasks players with hunting down lost keys to mysterious treasure chests, is a loot-centric affair with some quality rewards.Players must find keys dropped by monsters, which can then be used to open treasure chests containing special crafting items. These items can be combined to create Philosopher's Stones, which in turn hand out unique rewards like scrolls, potions, and special hats.Killing monsters to obtain the keys is the first step, and if you didn't participate in the event last weekend you're going to want to jump on it this week. The second 'key drop period' begins on November 2nd at 7:00 PM EDT and ends on November 5th at 12:59 AM EDT. The Alchemist's Servitor NPCs that are integral to the event are only around until November 6th, so don't wait if you want a chance to get one of those swanky hats.We mentioned this event along with the rest of NCSoft's Halloween events a few days back.
Tabula Rasa to go without official forums, common sense
No, you're not taking crazy pills - that headline says "without official forums." In a moment of inspiration, blogger noisyparker thought to write down Tabula Rasa's community model, as it was described in their now-defunct beta forums. Most of it is fairly standard fare. A blog with an RSS feed to chronicle press releases, community news, the usual. Conspicuously absent though are official forums. The reason? The TR crew feels that official forums aren't conducive to a community atmosphere, because people's posting habits tend towards the dogmatic when they think there's a developer listening. Most people have had to endure the pain and self-loathing involved in browsing official forums before, so we know the behavior they're talking about. Still, it seems like a questionable decision to eliminate what is typically the primary conduit for communication between developers and players. Guess we'll just have to wait and see how it works out.
Trick or treating in CoX
I have been having an unhealthy amount of fun Trick-or-Treating in CoX these days. Admittedly, this might be because it's the first time I actually have every participated in this Halloween ritual. In any case I spent several hours the other day knocking on doors and awaiting my fate. I got a treat about one fifth of the time, so the ratio is pretty high. I currently have seven different temporary costumes, ranging from the Goldbricker to my favorite the Freak Zapper. These last a few minutes, and enable me to get a taste of what it must be like to play a hoodlum. I also got two costume salvage rewards, but when I went to Croatoa to turn them in, not only was I not able to find Annah, the place was infested with armies of Streng so I thought better of my attempt and figured I might just keep them in my inventory as mementos of all the fun I had.
NCsoft picks up advertising partner for Dungeon Runners, Exteel
NCsoft has raised the curtain on a new advertising deal with Double Fusion that will pave the way for new in- and around-game advertising in both Dungeon Runners and the as-yet-unreleased giant robot game, Exteel. Evidently, the idea is to open up new sources of revenue for these titles, where they were previously relying entirely on a small monthly fee charged to players for tiered services like voice chat, access to banks, and stackable potions.The specifics of this advertising-based approach remain cloudy. It's unclear whether players can continue to pay the optional monthly fee to opt out of the ads, or whether playing the free, advertising-supported version will now net you membership benefits. We support advertising as an alternative revenue stream in principle, as long as we don't start seeing billboards hawking deodorant in the middle of dungeons. Regardless, Dungeon Runners is a heck of a lot of fun for a free game (though the verdict is still out on Exteel), so we'll keep you posted on the specifics of this deal as it develops.
Guild Wars 2 to be bigger and badder than Guild Wars
Prepare to have your mind blown away by design insights that normally don't leave the developer think-tank. James Phinney, the game design team Lead on Guild Wars, shares the genesis, methodology and reasoning for a Guild Wars sequel and the outline details why a traditional campaign or expansion won't work. The gist and core reason why is the Guild Wars team wants to develop a Guild Wars sequel that is closer to a MMORPG while the original Guild Wars is a CORPG. Some major differences that will distinguish Guild Wars 2 from the original is less instancing making the world more persistent with improved freedom of control to move (jump!) around and explore; a higher level cap as the original is capped at level 20, there might even be no level cap; a realm-versus-realm like PvP system. To get all these features in Guild Wars the game would have to be radically altered -- a sequel is the best solution opposite to a "new game experience" that would only end up butchering the original Guild Wars. After mulling over the list, everything proposed looks outstanding. I'm definitely more excited about Guild Wars 2 than Guild Wars, I would love playing a Guild Wars game that was more like a MMORPG with no monthly subscription cost. You heard me right, no monthly subscription cost for a MMORPG.Guild Wars 2 takes place roughly 250 years after the Eye of the North expansion, presumably the last Guild Wars expansion pack. The Guild Wars 2 open beta is currently scheduled sometime for the 2nd half of 2008.
Bidaux: Home won't sell PS3s, but has potential
Thomas Bidaux had some rather opinionated things to say about PlayStation 3's Home MMO during a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz. NCsoft's director of product development said that while Home is very interesting, it will need to offer something more significant than avatar customization, or it will remain quite limited. We're not quite sure where Bidaux is getting his information from, but Home will offer gamers much more than changing their in-game character's appearance. However, some of Bidaux's comments did make a little sense. "I don't think you can say you will sell more PS3s because of Home, but if the PS3 had the right penetration in the market, then yes - Home will be very interesting," he said.We don't believe anyone ever claimed Home to be a PS3 system seller, but if all promises are kept, it will certainly go a long way in helping the PS3 gain back its lost market share.
