player-generated-content
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Some Assembly Required: Desert homes of Vanguard's Qalia
Player housing. Now there's a topic you don't hear from me much. Oh, come now, I talk about other topics, too... sometimes... once in a while! You have to admit, it's hard not to talk about housing. It's by far one of the best canvasses for showcasing player creativity available in MMOs. And Vanguard has top-notch player housing. Back at the inception of Some Assembly Required, I took you on a tour of housing on Vanguard's island of Kojan. Of the three continents, Kojan was an easy first choice; from the very beginning I wanted a house there to soak up the unique flavor of the area. However, Kojan is by far the smallest continent with the fewest housing plots; contrast its six housing isles to the 22 chunks with housing available on Qalia and you can see that more opportunities abound to find the perfect home-sweet-home in the land of Arabian nights. By the sheer volume of plots involved, you can see that touring Qalia is quite the undertaking! Not one to shirk my duties of bringing demonstrations of player creativity to you, I forged ahead to highlight the advantages of Qalian living and compile this gallery of amazing ingenuity -- including a Foosball table!%Gallery-158807%
ArcheAge to feature extensive maritime gameplay, housing
Fan site ArcheAge Source has unearthed a new interview with ArcheAge creator Jake Song. The translation from the original Korean is a little rough, but there are still plenty of fascinating nuggets awaiting the patient reader. The forthcoming beta phase will see the existing game world "complemented by huge expanses of ocean." This isn't just for show, as Song says that eventually "oceans will allow players to find new employment, for example extraction, preparation, and delivery of seafood." Sea battles are also mentioned, as are "player-built maritime residences." How this relates to the previously announced underwater gameplay isn't clear, nor is it a given that we'll see all of this in CBT5, but ArcheAge's sprawling open world certainly looks to be putting the "massively" back into massively multiplayer. There's more to the interview, including bits on action combat and a clarification on Song's previous remarks regarding console games. Hit the link below for the full translation. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
Illyriad's revamp adds friends list, medal designer, and more functional UI
Although some people might argue that "less is more," that don't hold up well when it comes to features in an MMO. Who doesn't appreciate more goodies? Illyriad players were treated to just that this weekend as a major update added new features and improved existing ones. The free-to-play fantasy MMORTS now sports a cleaner, more functional UI, a friends list, and a new Alliance medal design system. Illyriad also released a video dev chat with Community Manager GM Luna and Art Director GM Cerberus highlighting these changes. GM Luna explains that "everything has been 'refreshed' from the ground up... to make it more user friendly." The new UI transformed the Herald into an interactive book where players can read the lore of the game. The friends list, a precursor to private chat, is designed so that players must approve all requests. The medal design feature allows players to create personalized awards and titles for others. The video then ends with a community Q&A. You can watch a demonstration of these features in the dev chat after the break. For more about Illyriad, check out Beau's inside look at the game. [Source: Illyriad press release]
The Repopulation publishes nation, city, and combat gameplay details
Above & Beyond Technologies has updated its website for The Repopulation this week. The forthcoming sci-fi sandbox MMO has some interesting systems on offer, none moreso than its nations mechanic. Nations are basically an extended form of traditional MMO guilds. They function as social structures and encourage cooperation in terms of raiding, crafting, sieging, and the like. Where they differ from genre norms is in their ability to control land and cities throughout the game world. Cities are a big deal too, and much of the nation gameplay is seemingly focused around city management. Combat in The Repopulation also departs from MMO convention, and while we've written about it on occasion before, this is the first time that all of the nuts and bolts have been collected in a single easy-to-reference article. Head to the game's official website for all the details. [Thanks to J.C. for the tip!]
Origins of Malu shows off combat and house-building in video interview
Seeing is believing, and folks want to see more of Origins of Malu, a promising upcoming sandbox MMORPG. In answer to this, Burning Dog Media has released an E3 video interview with Lead Developer Jason Mitchell interspersed with alpha footage highlighting a bit of combat as well as the house-building feature. Although some of the footage will look familiar from our exclusive E3 interview, there are added combat scenes and a brief demonstration of housing construction. Jason adds a few details about the twitch-based combat such as the ability to dodge and the charging feature for skills. At 3:28, viewers get their first glimpse of the beginnings of creating unique personal structures in game; creative types are going to have fun with the open functionality of construction by which you build literally from the ground up. Sounds promising, no? Go ahead and take a gander at the new footage after the break, and be sure to read our interview for more details. [Source: Burning Dog Media press release]
E3 2012: Origins of Malu brings player-created factions, housing, and exploration to the sandbox
It's hard to remain completely objective about Origins of Malu. The sci-fantasy title from Burning Dog Media is a project I've been watching personally for quite a while now, both because of its ambitious design goals and because of the sandbox affinity displayed by the dev team. At this week's E3, I finally got to put names with faces when I met with senior developer Jason Mitchell and programmer Chris Shaw. The pair had plenty of interesting tidbits to share, and despite the fact that I haven't put my hands on an Origins build yet, it remains very near the top of my most-anticipated-MMOs list. Join me after the cut for some chit-chat about action combat, player-created factions, PvP (yes there are safe zones), and more.
Some Assembly Required: City of Heroes' Mission Architect
The few. The proud. The quest writers. At the best of times, the fruits of their labors guide us along in our progression of a local or global story, immersing us in the world. Even the nefarious "kill 10 rats" versions can be mini stories that pull players in when done well. But how many of us have ever had a "I could do better than that" moment or have simply wanted to live out a personal story or share in a customized grand adventure with our friends? Someone wished upon the right star because with features like the Mission Architect in City of Heroes you can do just that. I am just going to come right out and say it -- the quest builder is one of the greatest boons ever for player-generated content in MMORPGs. Besides housing, it is the feature du jour for the creative crowd; I honestly can't see how any game can actually go without one. During this latest round of Choose My Adventure, I had the opportunity to check out the system in City of Heroes and revel in the creativity of others as well as try my hand at developing missions. And I tell you, it is addicting. Feel like trying your hand at shaping some stories for heroes (and villains) to star in? Stick with me, kid, and you'll be directing your own missions in no time.
Choose My Adventure: The last mile
You haven't steered me wrong. At least, not yet. I am pretty sure there is that nagging worry at the back of the Massively writers' minds when they give themselves over to the masses for Choose My Adventure. Sure, there is an element of mystery and excitement, but what if... just what if the majority manifests an evil streak and sends you careening over an embankment to your virtual doom? Or banishes you to tasks that would make you want to lobotomize yourself with your mouse -- things like run Death From Below repeatedly? Thankfully, you all spared me from such torture. And with this week's tour of the Mission Architect system in City of Heroes, you definitely steered me right -- this is my favorite aspect of the game yet! I am glad to say that my trust in you all has not been unfounded, and I will speak on your behalf to the others. The fact is, I have enjoyed our little road trip immensely and am sad it must come to an end. So let's take one last cruise through City of Heroes together before you drive off into the sunset with Eliot.%Gallery-155409%
Perpetuum expansion coming May 30th, bringing terraforming, new land masses
A couple of weeks ago, we told you about Perpetuum's new player-build settlements functionality and its new test server. Now, the devs at Avatar Creations have even more exciting news: an expansion! It's called Gamma Frontier, and Avatar calls it the biggest expansion since the game went live over 18 months ago. Player corporations will be able to build home bases, launch industrial projects, and colonize the new Gamma islands (not to mention defend them from invasion-minded players). The expansion also features extensive new terrain-shaping abilities. Avatar has given players full control over the land, including the ability to form hills, dig holes, and level the surrounding terrain as they see fit. Due to complications with pre-existing systems and landmasses, the terraforming capabilities are available only on the new Gamma islands (24 in total). Click past the cut to see a brief video of terraforming in action, then head to the Perpetuum website to read all the expansion details. [Source: Perpetuum newsletter]
Some Assembly Required: I saw the wilds of Salem (and lived to tell about it)
I spent an hour romping through the woods of Salem last Friday with Seatribe head honcho Bjorn Johannessen. The tiny indie company (current dev population: two) is hard at work on its followup to Haven and Hearth, an acquired taste of a sandbox game notable for its no-holds barred approach that includes permadeath and the ability to summon (and kill) criminal characters -- even while their lulz-loving puppet-masters are offline. Publisher Paradox bills Salem as "the crafting MMO," and boy it's not kidding. Over the course of this particular dev tour, I saw crazy amounts of tradeskill functionality, all kinds of cool world-building stuff, and ultimately, more than enough reasons to spend time with the game when it launches later this year.
Perpetuum putting player-built settlements on new test server tomorrow
Avatar Creations is hard at work fleshing out its Perpetuum sci-fi sandbox. The game has garnered a small but dedicated fan following since its 2010 launch, and those fans are finally getting some test server functionality as of this Friday. If you're not terribly excited by buggy test code, you should be excited by the opportunity to try out the long-awaited PBS feature. PBS, or player-built settlements, are exactly what they sound like. They're also a part of Avatar's bid to strengthen Perpetuum's control and capture mechanics, which should give players and clans something to fight for beyond bragging rights. Be sure you have an active sub if you want to check them out on the test server tomorrow. Avatar also says that you'll also want to set up a separate installation (i.e., don't load the test client over an existing Perpetuum install).
EverQuest II producer talks May updates, player-made dungeon tweaks
May is shaping up to be an interesting month for EverQuest II fans. Producer Holly "Windstalker" Longdale has given us a new blog entry that talks about new testing tools, NPC quest-update functionality, and of course, the usual optimizations and bug-fixing that follow any large game update. Also of note is the upcoming ability to take your own avatars into the game's Dungeon Maker utility. Initially, content creators and fans could select only from pre-made avatars when running through player-made dungeon constructs. Last December, EQII devs introduced the ability to run player-generated content with players' own avatars, but the update wasn't quite ready for prime time. It still isn't, according to Longdale, but she does say that substantial progress has been made. Look for the new "level agnostic" gameplay on the test server soon, and look for more analysis of EQII's changes in tomorrow's Tattered Notebook.
Latest Xsyon patch adds player-made quests, tweaks skill gains
What's new in the world of Xsyon? Quite a lot, according to Notorious Games' latest patch notes. The new update has overhauled many of the sandbox survival MMO's systems, including extensive skill tweaks, increased stat gains based on actions, and stat readjustment functionality. Players may also create quests for one another. Doing so rewards both the quester and the creator with XP upon successful quest completion. Overall experience gain has been adjusted to reward players per action and via quests, which should lead to a marked reduction in the grinding necessary to gain skills. These are just a few of the improvements, too. Have a look at the patch notes for the full list.
CCP analyzes EVE's Jita player event
If you warped into EVE Online's Jita merchant hub last week, chances are you didn't make it out alive. If you were plying your trade elsewhere in New Eden, the much-hyped "Burn Jita" campaign likely didn't even register on your radar. It registered on CCP's, though, as shown by the company's latest EVE-focused dev blog. As per usual, there are a bunch of pretty graphs and plenty of tech-speak. There's also some verbiage related to TiDi (time dilation), which is CCP's way of dealing with massive concentrations of players in its single-shard universe. It's worth noting that since the devs had advance warning of this particular player-run event, they were able to beef up EVE's server infrastructure to handle the increased load. You can read all the technical details on the game's official website.
Some Assembly Required: Ten years warp by for Vendetta Online
If I were to start describing a game where players have zipped about one persistent universe as one of three factions in customizable ships vying for wealth and territory by mining, dodging hostiles, fulfilling missions, blasting one another to bits, docking at stations, blazing trade routes, and pirating for the past 10 years, you would say... Vendetta Online, of course! Perhaps the longest-running epic space-based sandbox MMORPG, the game hit a milestone last week that few others can boast: It turned 10! Although its major retail distribution was in 2004, Vendetta Online marks its anniversary as the day it was spotlighted in Penny Arcade during the game's completely open and public alpha (which means it basically launched since everyone could dive in and play) and the population exploded! A truly multi-platform MMORPG, Guild Software's game can be played on Windows, Mac, Linux, and even Android, giving pilots the freedom to log in when and where they may, even to surreptitiously check the markets or maybe sneak an event in while at work via a smartphone. After all, who wants to miss an event just because employment gets in the way? Luckily for those of us without an Android, Vendetta Online celebrated its decennial anniversary with some developer-run in-game events over the weekend. Always willing to join the party, Some Assembly Required strapped into a shiny new ship and blasted right into the thick of things in order to share in the festivities.
Why I Play: Lord of the Rings Online
It's confession time, folks. I change MMOs like most people change socks, so while many of my colleagues write about their long-term MMO love and possibly a backup game or two in this column, I'm more inclined to write about four different titles in as many weeks. In fact, by the time you finish reading this, I may well have moved on to something else. That's OK, though, and that's one of the great things about the modern MMO space: There are just so damn many games that there's really no excuse for ever getting bored. And this week's infatuation is Lord of the Rings Online.
World of Darkness creative director talks design and the MMO mainstream
A new interview at Gamasutra posits that CCP is gunning for mainstream success with its upcoming World of Darkness MMO. The EVE Online developer has cornered what's left of the hardcore sandbox market, so now it's looking to marry EVE's emergent gameplay with more familiar MMO staples. "The way to drag people in will be traditional themepark-style PvE play. Once players get into the setting, they'll see the appeal of the sandbox play," says WoD creative director Reynir Hardarson. Despite the concessions to mainstream accessibility, EVE's influence on World of Darkness will be more than superficial. "The live-action roleplayers of the Vampire the Masquerade tabletop game play this way," Hardarson explains. "It's really about politics and power plays." Why don't more MMO developers try their hand at sandbox mechanics? Hardarson says designing for emergent play is difficult because you can't test it. It's worth it, though, because MMOs that hand-hold and limit players to a linear path miss the point. "I'm not a five-year-old. If I want to go in the cave and I want to die, that's my problem," Hardarson says.
Vendetta celebrating 10-year anniversary, prepping new content
Ten years is an eternity in the game industry, and MMOs that manage to hang around for a decade or more are few and far between. One such title is Vendetta Online, which originally released on April 20th, 2002 and is still going strong today. Guild Software is hosting a couple of celebration events this weekend. The company has also announced that its massive 1.9 patch is coming later this year, followed by an even more massive expansion in 2013. Vendetta is unique among MMOs for its twitch-based space combat and extensive trading, mining, and exploration gameplay. Large space battles, dynamic territory control, and player-generated content systems round out the feature set, all of which is coded and maintained by a four-man dev team. The single-universe game server is accessible from a number of different platforms that include Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. In March 2011, Vendetta became the first PC MMO to jump to mobile platforms, and it spent several weeks as the number one paid app on Android devices. Check out the game's official website for more info, and don't forget to sign up for the trial while you're there. You can also read Massively's latest game impressions in Some Assembly Required. [Source: Guild press release]
Some Assembly Required: Can Darkfall and The Repopulation end the sandbox drought?
It's not often that we use this space for news recaps. Generally MJ and I have a particular topic (or game) in mind for Some Assembly Required's biweekly rotation. This time, though, I figured we should highlight some of the recent goings-on with a couple of pertinent sandbox titles simply because Massively news posts don't offer enough space to expound on anything other than the basics. Join me after the break, then, for a rundown on what's new with Darkfall and The Repopulation.
Why I Play: EverQuest II
Because. Remember back when this answer was lobbed at you as the definitive answer (often by moms tired of incessant "why"s or as a precursor to "I said so!")? But since I am not your mom -- and more importantly, the boss isn't about to pay me for a one word article -- let me elaborate, though, I warn you, you may regret it; once I get going I may not be able to stop! Seriously, they had to restrain me from taking over Why I Play. Obviously I broke free mwuahahahaha! Simply put, I love EverQuest II. I log into it daily. Sometimes I don't leave for more hours than I am willing to admit. I can hum the guild hall music from memory. I have a list of things I want to do so long I can't possibly get it all done. All this after taking a multi-year break. Yes folks, I left the game for a long time -- a move I am still kicking myself for. But certain features pulled me back, and let me just say, I am so glad I came back. So why do I play EQII? Where to begin...
