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Is Notch's 0x10c an MMO?
Markus "Notch" Persson has let slip the fact that he's working on a followup to Minecraft. The title -- jokingly referred to as Mars Effect a couple of weeks ago -- is now known as 0x10c, and it's got enough geek cred to make our hearts go pitter-patter. First of all it's hard science-fiction, and second of all, it has an ambitious feature list that boasts an advanced economy, space battles, seamless planetary landings, and "lots of engineering." It's also got a nifty ship system wherein players will need to manage a generator and wattage to power various onboard systems. Finally, there's a fully functioning computer within the computer game. Notch says that the "emulated 16-bit CPU can be used to control your entire ship, or just to play games [...] while waiting for a large mining operation to finish." The only question left in our minds (other than when can we play it) is whether or not it's an MMO. The website hints at single- and multiplayer functionality "via the multiverse," and it also mentions a monthly fee.
The gates hiss open for a peek at City of Steam
The steampunk genre is loved by a lot of gamers, but it has yet to see a surfeit of titles. The good news for fans is that City of Steam is on the horizon, and it's promising a free-to-play browser-based experience for anyone who wants to take part in exploring ancient mechanical ruins. Of course, the question then becomes whether or not the game is worth the investment of time... something that can be solved by taking part in the game's currently running sneak peek event. The sneak peek is available only to players who already snagged a code for access, meaning that players just coming into the game will be out of luck. It's certainly an encouraging sign that the game is moving toward its full release, which should make fans of clockwork automatons and arcane science quite happy. And if you're one of the players taking part in the sneak peek... well, all the better, right?
Jump into Black Prophecy's past with gamigo's Nexus Conflict
The world of Black Prophecy hasn't always been like it is today. In the past, the Second Species Wars raged between the cybernetically augmented Tyi and the genetically modified Genides who fought for control of an area known as the Nexus, where universes collide. In a press release today, gamigo AG announced that its new title, Nexus Conflict, will allow players to take a trip back in time to participate in these wars not behind the controls of a fighter ship but on the command bridge of a colossal battle cruiser. Nexus Conflict is being billed as a "tactical real-time strategy game," and players will be able to run it right in their browsers thanks to the Unity engine. The title will offer both PvE and PvP missions, meaning that there will be something for the co-operative and competitive crowds alike. And of course, players will be able to customize their ships with a variety of upgrades in order to turn them into the biggest, baddest, planet-blowing-up-est starships in the Nexus. If this sounds like your idea of a good time, then just head on over to the Nexus Conflict official site (linked below) to sign up for the game's beta test, which is scheduled to begin in March. [Source: gamigo AG press release]
WildStar's Troy Hewitt talks about the game's design philosophy
It's likely to be a while longer before anyone gets to lay hands on WildStar's beta, much less the finished game, but there's still a lot to look forward to. A recent interview with producer Troy Hewitt might help salve a bit of that anticipation as Hewitt discusses the game's design philosophy and content systems. As he explains, Carbine Studios embraced the idea that players should be allowed to play how they want, when they want, and with whomever they want. This extends to the game's content at multiple levels; Hewitt explains that solo and group content shouldn't be at odds, that even people who prefer to level and play solo are still enjoying the fact that they experience a persistent world with other players. There's also a lot of talk about players crafting their own stories as they explore the game world, something augmented by the game's split between different player types. Take a look at the full interview if you're following the game avidly, as there are plenty of interesting tidbits -- even if you might have preferred a release date.
Warner Bros. invests in Korean publisher to 'co-develop certain online games' [Updated]
Unless you live in South Korea or are a massive fan of the F.E.A.R. series, chances are you haven't heard much about Korean studio Inplay Interactive. That's going to change right now, so prepare yourself. Inplay is a developer that's worked on F.E.A.R.: Origin Online and SNK All Stars Online but is now poised to rapidly expand its portfolio. Today, the studio announced that it has inked a deal with Warner Bros. to develop two of its most significant IPs into MMOs: Batman and Lord of the Rings. In turn, Warner Bros. will be both an investor and a shareholder of the company. [Update: We've learned that our original source was mistranslated. Warner Bros. has indeed invested in Inplay Interactive with intent to "strengthen the Korean development capability of online games to the world." The partnership "Intend[s] To Co-Develop Certain Other Online Games by utilizing Warner Bros. Properties," but the specific properties have not as yet been disclosed as originally reported. We apologize for the confusion.]
Massively Exclusive: NEOWIZ GAMES gets bloody with Seven Souls Online debut trailer [Updated]
"Let the bloodshed begin," announces the debut trailer of NEOWIZ GAMES' upcoming free-to-play martial arts title, Seven Souls Online, and wow, it is not kidding around. The announcement trailer is essentially a montage of a number of player-characters running around and beating the crap out of everything until it explodes into a fine, crimson mist. And you know what? We're totally OK with that. Sure, we don't actually know much of anything about the gameplay or the story or... well, anything else, but when I can hit something so hard that I knock it straight out of existence, none of that really matters anymore. For the full trailer, click on past the cut, and be sure to stay tuned tomorrow for more information from Seven Souls Online. [Source: NEOWIZ GAMES] [Update: We've added the official press release behind the break too! It includes a mention of the game's closed beta test, which you can now apply for.]
Jagged Alliance Online adds in PvP for testers
If you've been playing in the closed beta of Jagged Alliance Online thus far, the "Online" portion of that name has probably seemed to be something of a misnomer. Beta testers have been exploring the game mechanics from the point of set missions against AI opponents, but that's all about to change. Cliffhanger Productions and gamigo have just unveiled the game's new multiplayers modes, with three different modes and six different maps for players to take up arms against one another. The three modes consist of Deathmatch (self-explanatory), Bounty Hunter (a race to fight to a target and be the first to kill said target), and Search and Destroy (destroy three targets while protecting your own). Players will be matched via a matchmaker system based upon levels and position in the overall rankings, preventing unfair matches (in theory) and giving good players more substantive rewards for success. If you've got a need for some online turn-based strategy, it might be well worth keeping an eye on these features at they develop. [Source: gamigo press release]
Rumor: WAR40K canceled, THQ readying itself for sale [Updated; rumor debunked]
It's been a rough couple of years for Warhammer MMORPG fans, and if the rumors are true, it's about to get a bit bleaker. Kotaku reports on a tweet by games industry insider Kevin Dent that indicates that THQ has "canceled its entire 2014 slate of releases to position the company for sale." This would include Warhammer 40K: Dark Millennium Online, which Dent referred to as "the Games Workshop MMO" on his Twitter page. We'll keep you posted as we learn more. [Update: THQ's Australian PR department has issued a statement asserting that the company has not in fact canceled its 2014 lineup and "has not made any decisions" regarding WAR40K.]
Snail Games (officially) announces wuxia MMO, Age of Wushu
Have you ever been sitting around with your buddies and watching Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon while thinking to yourself, "Meh, I could do that"? If so, you're probably making a killing in martial arts tournaments and not reading Massively. But don't worry, there's still hope for the rest of us: Snail Games' upcoming free-to-play, wuxia-centric title, Age of Wushu is now officially announced. For the uninitiated, wuxia is a genre of literature, movies, and games which generally includes high-flying, acrobatic ass-kicking. The game will allow players to train under eight different martial art schools, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The press release boasts that the game features no levels or classes, warning players that "that beggar on the street may be a traveling Grand Master." Combat, unsurprisingly, is based on wuxia-style martial arts, and will feature what the team calls a "counter combat system," which makes it sound like combat could be based around a system of attacks, counters, reversals, and so forth, just like in true martial arts. Of course, no martial-arts combat system would be complete without Crouching-Tiger-Hidden-Dragon-style aerial fights, which Snail Games has certainly included. To top it off, random NPC events, 17 different professions, and 30 offline activities should help ensure that players have something to do no matter the circumstances. To get your martial arts fix, remember to watch the game's official launch trailer we revealed yesterday, and keep an eye on Massively for more from Age of Wushu in the future. [Source: Snail Games press release]
Ask Massively: Further answers to the same questions edition
Apparently, people like talking about Star Wars: The Old Republic. Or perhaps more accurately, people enjoy arguing about it. According to comments, the game is a huge hit and failure that is in no way an accomplishment but is still unparalleled, and you can tell it will succeed and fail using a variety of metrics. Me, I've just been playing the heck out of it. Also drinking cranberry juice, but you didn't really need to know that part. As you may have guessed, this week's installment is all about the persistent question of Star Wars: The Old Republic's getting a devoted Joystiq-flavored site. I suspect most of our regular readers are playing the game and not really thinking about asking questions. If you've got a question for next week, you can leave it in the comments below or send it along to ask@massively.com. Questions may be edited slightly for brevity or clarity.
Perfect World announces Fantasy Condor Heroes MMO
Are you ready for another free-to-play martial arts MMO from China? Ready or not, Perfect World Entertainment is producing a title called Fantasy Condor Heroes, according to a news blurb at Gamasutra. If you're a student of Chinese popular culture, that name may ring a bell since it's taken from a wuxia novel called Return of the Condor Heroes. The book was written by author Louis Cha (under the pen name Jin Yong) and originally serialized in the late 1950s. Thus far Perfect World has not made any feature- or gameplay-related details available, nor do we know when Fantasy Condor Heroes will be released.
The Daily Grind: Do you try to grab names on launch?
Early access for Star Wars: The Old Republic started earlier this week, and that meant that Tuesday evening saw me taking part in a time-honored tradition, namely speeding through the character creator several times in hopes of getting the names that I wanted. I got pretty lucky; out of the eight names I was hoping for, six were available and two were available with just a slight tweak, which was pretty good all around. Of course, these are all characters that I plan on playing in the very near future, but it was still a big batch of character names right out of the starting gate. Do you do the same? When a new game comes out, do you rush to nab the names of characters you already know you want to play? Do you wait and see if you can get certain names or try to grab the same ones? Or are character names just not that important to you in the long run? 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!
Monkey Quest goes portable
If you or your children are fond of Nickelodeon's Monkey Quest, you may have run into the unavoidable problem that the game requires you to be home. Like many other games, however, Monkey Quest is hopping on the mobile bandwagon with Monkey Quest: Thunderbow. Available now for the iPhone and iPad, the game stars a specific monkey from the world of Ook, the eponymous Thunderbow, as he seeks to dethrone the evil cat king Zotan. Gameplay is managed in a similar style as the popular Angry Birds games, with the caveat being that Angry Birds doesn't allow you to earn special items and equipment for use in the main Monkey Quest game. Regular updates are planned for the game to help keep players engaged and interested as Thunderbow continues his quest. So if you've got one of the portable devices and your child can't get enough monkey business, it's worth a look. [Source: Nickelodeon press release]
Portalarium announces Ultimate Collector: Garage Sale as first title
Richard Garriott's recent startup, Portalarium, had many people wondering what would be the first thing to come out of this mad scientist's new studio. Well, wonder no more. Now we know that Portalarium's first title will be a Facebook game known as Ultimate Collector: Garage Sale, which focuses on -- you guessed it -- collecting things that you buy at garage sales. We couldn't make this up if we tried. Players can create an avatar and customize their houses, and then go shopping at estate sales, garage sales, pawn shops, and so forth in order to complete collections of items. These item collections can then be displayed in your house as a trophy of sorts, or you can sell them to make a quick buck. We'll just have to wait and see how this bizarre project shapes up in the coming months.
TERA producer confident that game offers something new
"If we had simply cloned a successful MMO, I think we'd have a battle on our hands, but we didn't," says TERA Europe producer Stephan Krippendorf. He's talking, of course, about the inevitable World of Warcraft comparisons that dog every new fantasy MMO (comparisons that seem particularly irrelevant given TERA's impressive visuals and divergent combat). "When you dive into the game for the first time, swing a sword, cast a spell, dodge and weave in combat, you'll be hooked," Krippendorf explains in an interview at Videogamer.com. The sit-down covers a bit about the game's action combat mechanics as well as the story elements and the endgame political system, but most of the juicy tidbits center around the title's potential success in a crowded MMO market. "I think TERA has what it takes to be a huge success though, regardless of WoW numbers," Krippendorf concludes.
TERA website updates with glyph descriptions
Well, it's not a release date announcement, but it's not another big-ass monster reveal either, so we'll call that a win. What the heck are we talking about? The official TERA website has updated with a news blurb about the fantasy title's glyph system. The glyph mechanics become available at level 25, and they basically buff your various class skills. Influence and brilliance glyphs lower the MP cost of skill usage; energy and persistence glyphs give you shorter cooldowns; and glyphs of lingering increase skill durations. There are hundreds of glyphs to choose from, and each skill has four different glyphs available. Head to the official site for more info, including specifics on Lancer and Sorcerer glyphs. TERA is currently scheduled for a spring 2012 release in the West.
Goblinworks announces Pathfinder Online
For pen-and-paper RPG players, Pathfinder remains a perennial favorite game setting. Those players may find themselves excited to know, then, that Goblinworks has announced Pathfinder Online. This MMORPG adaptation of the extremely popular system will be a "hybrid sandbox/theme park-style MMO roleplaying game." The title will feature a "robust trading system [that] puts players in control of the world's economy," which should be wonderful for players who like to work the market. Characters can also establish settlements and expand them into full kingdoms while raising an army to help defend their turf. The announcement boasts randomly generated events, as well, stating that "as settlements develop, the surrounding wilderness develops more complex and challenging features." The goal appears to be not just to create a game, but in fact to bring to life a real, evolving world. Pathfinder fans should keep their eyes on Goblinworks' official site, where further development updates will be posted.
Maverick details Unveiled: The Supernatural's progression system
A few days ago we told you about Unveiled: The Supernatural, a new horror MMORPG from South Korea's Maverick Studios. Today we've got a bit more info for you, as the development team has released an official press blurb along with a gaggle of screenshots. The press release touches on everything from the game's setting (the modern day real world, including New York City and the Hatra ruins in Iraq) to the races and progression mechanics. Unveiled features hunters, vampires, witches, and werewolves as its playable races, and a classless progression system that involves spending mastery points as you level. Each character can have ten separate mastery trees (weapons, psychic, paranormal, magic, and many more). Inside each tree, you can learn up to ten powers, and you may also stumble across rare items called essences that allow your character to acquire a native power trait of another race. Finally, Maverick says that the game will be PvP-focused, and the press blurb mentions race vs. race, guild vs. guild, and team vs. team variants. We'll bring you more on the game as it becomes available. In the meantime, have a look through the concept art and screenshot gallery below. [Source: Maverick press release] %Gallery-138921%
SEE Games confirms Total Recall browser MMO
A few months ago, we reported that SEE Virtual Worlds had acquired a number of well-known intellectual properties, including the upcoming Total Recall remake. At the time, however, it was unknown how the company would put those properties to use. Well, wonder no more. SEE has announced that it is working on a browser-based Total Recall MMO which will tie into the upcoming film remake. The game will be free-to-play and supported by microtransactions. No release date has been announced yet, but the movie itself is tentatively scheduled for August 3rd, 2012, so a similar release date for the game wouldn't be unreasonable.
City of Steam browser title features unique steampunk world
Steampunk continues to be a source of fascination for both game geeks and game developers, and the latest example of the phenomenon in MMO circles is a new title called City of Steam. An interview at Light Speed Gaming spills the beans on the browser-based title, which is being developed by a Chinese firm called Mechanist Games. If you've ever wanted to play a mechanical dwarf, or explore a world that is literally a giant machine, City of Steam may be your game. The setting is borrowed from a series of RPG books and incorporates all the elements of fantastical steampunk (plus a few novel twists) that fans of the genre have come to expect. "The world itself is a giant machine, and is, in fact flat. The elemental planes aren't found by mystical methods -- you can literally walk across the teeth of the world to reach them. The sun and stars are actually tethered to the world, orbiting as gyroscopic pieces of the superstructure of existence," according to the designers. Head to Light Speed Gaming for more on the setting and the game mechanics, and don't forget to view the video embed after the break. [Thanks to Soren for the tip!]
