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Wings Over Atreia: Into the Abyss (real life) I go
I can stop any time I want to. Really. It would be as easy as nuking an El Roco. You believe me, right? Has anyone ever suggested to you -- even in jest -- that you should take a break from Aion? Maybe step back, venture outside, and check out that thing called "sunshine"? (Don't worry, you really won't melt!) Sound familiar? It's not like the game will disappear without you in it. And a break might do you good, especially if the game seems stale and you feel you've "been there, done that" 50 times over. I know I could step away, easy-peasy. But then, even on vacations across the country, I have managed to slip into game long enough for daily quests and checking the broker. Computer in the shop? Pfffft -- just steal the kids'; I did buy it for them after all. *cracks whip* Now hurry up with that homework! I could step away... if I wanted to. I just don't want to. Well, Mother Nature obliged, succeeding where even vacations and broken computers couldn't: I have been forcibly removed from the world of Atreia for a week now. Amid my new quests of obtaining drinking water and procuring a real shower (hot water and all), I found my mind flitting back to those daily tokens I was missing. Oh, and the weeklies! This made me stop and consider how enmeshed in Aion we are (I can use the excuse it's my job, right?). Can we really completely step away from the game we love -- and love to hate at times -- or is there a point we might even miss the drama? Is it possible to cope without wings? Check past the cut to see how I fared.
Astronaut: Moon, Mars and Beyond meets fundraising goals, updates FAQ
Astronaut: Moon, Mars, and Beyond has taken several small steps over the course of its short lifetime, but can it make one giant leap to a full-fledged release product? It's off to a decent start, judging by its Kickstarter fundraising tally. The devs have issued a press release proclaiming the success story and are drafting a FAQ document designed to get more information out there to potential investors (and eventually, players). The latest version of the FAQ is viewable on the official website, and we've included a few highlights for you here: The game is a follow-up to Moonbase Alpha (released in 2010) Project Whitecard and Wisdom Tools are the developers per a "Space Act Agreement" with NASA The target audience will be the 5-24 age and the gaming and science enthusiast markets The game will be available for iOS and Windows PC; other platforms are being considered Unreal Engine 3 is being used to develop the game A beta is planned for December 2012
Gaijin releases World of Planes screenshots and trailer
World of Warplanes isn't the only free-to-play World War II aviation title spooling up on the flight line, as Gaijin has just released a new trailer and a bevy of screenshots for World of Planes (yes, that's the actual name). If the new assets are anything to go by, World of Planes will be pretty stiff competition. Despite an intertitle that says the in-game footage is from an alpha build and not representative of the final product, the clip is pretty impressive. We're treated to a bird's eye view of a squadron of Dauntless divebombers making their way towards a Japanese ship convoy, and there are a couple of obscure aircraft on display (including the Brewster Buffalo and a Rufe, which is basically an amphibious version of the more famous Mitsubishi Zero). Gaijin seems to have an eye for detail as well (note the operating dive brakes on the Dauntless and the exposed wing rib on an Me 109 above, and in the screenshot gallery below). You can learn more at the game's official website, and don't forget to check out the four-minute trailer after the cut. %Gallery-126603%
Gamescom 2011: Wargaming.net reveals World of Battleships and World of Tanks trailers
Wargaming.net is having a busy Gamescom, as the company has not one, but three MMORPGs to hype. Yesterday we brought you a first look at World of Warplanes via an exclusive in-depth interview, and today we've got two new trailers for your perusal (one for World of Battleships and one for World of Tanks). World of Battleships is, of course, the newest thoroughbred in Wargaming.net's stable, and the Gamescom trailer is a high-quality affair that captures the heavy metal feel of the game and the awesome power inherent in the warships that players will be steering across the high seas. Unfortunately there's not a lot of gameplay footage (and what little there is is highly stylized and subjected to various video filters), so we'll have to wait for a followup clip to get a close look at visuals, game mechanics, and the like. The World of Tanks trailer is also heavy on the CG and features a series of violent vignettes designed to show off a few of the game's more noteworthy armored vehicles. You'll find both clips after the cut.
World of Warplanes debuting at Gamescom
If you're curious about Wargaming.net's upcoming World of Warplanes MMO, Gamescom 2011 is the place to be. The World War II-based flight simulator's gameplay will be shown for the first time at the convention in Cologne, Germany from August 17th to August 21st. World of Warplanes was initially announced during this year's E3, but no media, gameplay footage, or web presence has been forthcoming as of yet. Wargaming.net will also be holding an open World of Tanks tournament at Gamescom, and the company has plans to announce its newest development project, according to a press release issued this morning.
The Daily Grind: Does summer vacation affect your playtime?
Massively readers, being people of excellent taste in entertainment, know there's a lot of fun to be had sitting down and logging in to their favorite MMOs for a few hours of fun. The problem with kicking back and relaxing like this for any period of time is that eventually real life is going to rear its head and you're going to have to step away. (This is a good thing, mind you.) The summer months are here for much of the world, and that affects MMO playtime in one way or another for many gamers. Are you one of those gamers? Maybe school and studying have kept you busy and now you're free as a bird with more time to play. Maybe you're a parent, and now that the kids are out of school, they're keeping you hopping. Do you have a job that changes according to the weather or seasons? How do the summer months affect your gaming time? 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!
The Daily Grind: What does your ideal gamespace look like?
When you're younger, your game consoles and systems are usually put wherever the space exists, and your computer is generally tucked into a corner of your bedroom. But when you get a little bit older and move out on your own, you start having a much wider field of options for where you game and how you do so. Video games could be the centerpiece of your house, or you could have a special room devoted to just gaming in some corner of your apartment. And if you're going to be involved in a marathon session of Fallen Earth, wouldn't you like a minifridge nearby? Today we're going just a bit meta and asking you what your ideal space for gaming would look like. Would it be large? Small? What sort of furniture would it contain? The hardware isn't necessarily important -- what is important is what you'd build for your play if you didn't have to worry about space or budget. Games like EverQuest II let us create the environment we want in a virtual space, but if you had that same sort of power in the real world, what would you do? 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!
Gaijin announces World of Planes MMO
Is the World War II aviation-based MMO market big enough to support multiple titles? We'll soon find out, as Gaijin Entertainment has just announced its upcoming World of Planes MMO (not to be confused with Wargaming.net's World of Warplanes title, which took a bow earlier this month). Gaijin's press release calls World of Planes a "flying simulation game," and the company will be drawing on its previous genre experience thanks to titles like Wings of Prey and Wings of Luftwaffe. According to the new World of Planes website, the game will feature "hundreds of historically accurate planes" and "flying skills that can be honed and improved with each mission." The site also hints at ground- and sea-based combat along with co-op missions, solo play, and a realistic damage model. The game will operate under a free-to-play business model, and you'll want to check out our screenshot gallery below before heading to the official World of Planes website to sign up for beta. %Gallery-126603%
Wings Over Atreia: It's just a game...
Or is it? I am sure many of you have on occasion heard quips about spending more of your life within a virtual world instead of the one your corporeal form inhabits. It happens. As gamers, we can become very attached -- dare I say addicted -- to our lives in the pixel realm. From scheduling appointments around Dredgion or Beshmundir Temple groups to skipping meals and sleep in a drive to meet that last goal (AP grind, anyone?), aficionados of Aion have had game commitments dictate real life. I am sure everyone here can admit to such an occurrence once in a while, if not more often. But what happens when the worlds overlap -- when the world of pixels invades the rest of your life? After some poignant experiences in my own life, I became interested in this topic and wondered whether other folks had similar happenings in their lives or I was just that weird (hush now!). So over the past few months, I have asked readers to share their experiences of how Aion has affected their lives by completing the phrase, "You know you have played Aion too much when..." Fold your wings, grab some popcorn, and settle in past the cut to chuckle over some of these interesting experiences and -- if you are brave enough -- share some of your own!
E3 2011: GamersFirst talks APB Reloaded's new features and player politics
We told you earlier today about GamersFirst's involvement with Fallen Earth. The company is, of course, more renowned for its All Points Bulletin resurrection project, and we sat down with both Darek Connole and Jon-Enee Merriex at E3 this week to discuss APB Reloaded's open beta as well as the progress that's been made through the extensive closed testing process. Follow along after the cut as we find out about what's new and what's coming, including a nifty iteration on the original title's witnessing system and an interesting player political experiment that evokes comparisons to EVE Online's Council of Stellar Management.
Need for Speed World laps five million registered users
Another day, another creatively defined user record shattered. This time around, Need for Speed World does the honors by surpassing five million registered users. The free-to-play racing MMO from Electronic Arts most recently made metrics-related headlines last December when it topped three million registered users. Gamasutra has the details on the latest milestone and also notes that NFSW is offering motorsport fans a chance to check out virtual versions of actual automobiles from Audi, including the new A1 ClubSport Quattro that was unveiled yesterday. Need for Speed World is the 15th iteration of EA's venerable racing franchise and the first to feature MMORPG stylings. You can read all about it and download the free client at the game's official web destination.
GamersFirst tweaking APB beta threat levels
The latest APB Reloaded blog entries reflect the ongoing adjustments being made to the resurrected free-to-play MMORPG as it rolls toward a summer re-release. It seems that threat level displays in the city of San Paro were in need of some tweaking, and today's update, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. EDT, looks to address the discrepancies as well as a recently identified problem with low-level matchmaking. GamersFirst's Bjorn Book-Larsson wrote extensively about the issues with threat level visuals in a post over the weekend, and he follows that up with a brief blurb that explains how the devs are tackling the problem. It's not a quick fix, though, and Book-Larsson cautions that GamersFirst is "likely to perform yet another update later this week as we continue tweaking the system."
The Soapbox: Why we grief - a therapy session
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Welcome to the Massively Psychiatric Center for Gamers, Griefers, and Greater Internet F-wads (link NSFW). I'm Dr. Reahard, and while I'm most definitely an armchair psychologist, psychiatrist, and MMOlogist, pay no attention to any of that. I'm more than qualified to help you determine whether or not you're a bleep (sorry, a griefer). So please, have a seat, make yourself comfortable, and let's talk about you. Tell me about yourself. Do you relish that feeling of power you get when messing with another human being? Is there a certain sense of being alive, a rush if you will, that only comes around when you bleep with another person? Does said bleeping happen exclusively in video games where your actions carry no perceivable repercussions? Are you secretly frustrated with a banal and disturbingly meaningless white-collar existence? Does releasing your inner bleep in a (theoretically) anonymous online environment scratch the itches made manifest by a minivan, 2.3 kids, and the otherwise inescapable confines of suburbia?
Ethnologist researches the development of social skills in World of Warcraft
A lot of players probably think that World of Warcraft breeds social skills, to the extent that contempt for one's fellow human beings can be considered a social skill. But according to Peter Stenberg of Umea University in Sweden, there are some actual developments taking place when you play. Stenberg has just released a thesis detailing the social developments he observed during his 250-day stint in the game, discussing the ways in which the virtual environment begins to blend into the real world and develop complex social structures. As Stenberg puts it, the overall atmosphere of the game forms a collective and developed society apart from the real world, something he claims "challenges the rather persistent view of the computer game enthusiast as a lone figure with only a flickering screen for company." Of course, veteran players of MMOs have no doubt noticed a wide variety of social structures that develop within a game, but Stenberg's work is interesting if for no other reason than it's meant as a serious examination of the phenomenon.
The Guild Counsel: PAX East panel explores online communities
There were two things that really stood out for me at PAX East: the ridiculously long lines and the throngs of fans who happily sat down together to play games face to face. On the surface, PAX East might seem to be about who has the best card deck or who has the quickest twitch reflexes, but it's actually much more than that. We've looked at the growing importance of online communities and the relationships that have been created by them, so it's little surprise that PAX was full of players who were there to meet and play with friends they met through gaming. And among the many panels this weekend, there was one that explored this very issue. The speakers were all experienced managers of online communities, and they shared their stories of how they got started and why these communities are so important. Read on to hear their stories.
EverQuest becomes ever after: A talk with Linda Carlson of SOE
When it comes to getting involved with community, Sony Online Entertainment's Director of Global Community Relations Linda Carlson knows it well. Most often seen tromping around conventions dressed as her beer-craving Dwarven alter-ego Brasse, Carlson was a fixture at SOE's Fan Faire events and author of her own gaming comic long before she ever started working for the studio. As we had the chance to find out recently, this was due at least in part to EverQuest changing her life many, many years prior. While these days meeting up with someone you've met online is considered fairly commonplace, when you look back to the earliest days of MMO gaming, it generally was not something many people did. Even if you did meet someone from "on the computer," they tended to be folks from one or another BBS -- local connections that were easily made and just as easily dismissed. The idea of not only meeting someone online in a romantic fashion but leaving the country you live in to see him/her was considered completely insane. "What if you don't get along? Or what if he/she is a murderer?" your friends might ask, since this was all really new territory and nobody quite knew what would happen. Still, some early MMO gamers like Carlson gathered up their courage and took that gamble. In honor of Valentine's Day, we interviewed Carlson about how her EverQuest connection became an "ever after" -- join us after the break!
Rise and Shiny recap: Free Realms
I remember when Free Realms was announced and when Laralyn McWilliams showed off a peeing puppy, in real-time, at Fan Faire. Everyone was excited for the new game and world -- even hardened raiders and roleplayers. The demo was just cool-looking and had a very unique feel to it. Most gamers' only experiences with a social or "real-life"-style game were with Second Life, and those experiences were often tainted by run-ins with 40-something-year-old bondage fans. My experience was slightly more broad. I spent a lot of my earlier MMO years within games like There, Second Life, Furcadia and a few others. While I was not a fan of some of the stranger people who frequented these games, I loved the idea of a game that allowed players to just hang out, to live in a virtual world, and to form relationships. My first experience with disabled players was through There, and ever since then I have looked at MMOs differently. So when Free Realms was announced and released, I looked forward to spending time in a game that revisited that style of "living" in a game world. Over the last week, I decided to peek back into the world to see how it has been holding up. Click past the cut to find out how it worked out!
Video: Angry Birds played in real life
Be honest, what's the one thing you would do if you had a giant slingshot lying around. Of course you would set up a real-life version of Angry Birds. Who wouldn't? Seriously, having a giant slingshot and not playing real-life Angry Birds would be a crime against humanity.
15 Minutes of Fame: McGonigal on why you're as awesome in real life as in WoW
From Hollywood celebrities to the guy next door, millions of people have made World of Warcraft a part of their lives. How do you play WoW? We're giving each approach its own 15 Minutes of Fame. Last week, we gave you the lengthy part 1 of our interview with game designer and fellow WoW player Jane McGonigal. This week, by way of a re-introduction, we give you her most recent biographical note: Jane McGonigal is the director of game research and development at the Institute for the Future. Her work has been featured in The Economist, Wired, and The New York Times, and on MTV, CNN, and NPR. In 2009, BusinessWeek called her one of the 10 most important innovators to watch, and Fast Company named her one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business. In 2010, Oprah Magazine chose her as one of the 20 most inspiring women in the world. She has given keynote addresses at TED, South by Southwest Interactive, and the Game Developers Conference and was a featured speaker at The New Yorker Conference. She has a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in performance studies and games research. Okay, then – the lady knows her stuff. Pull up a chair and let's wrap up a visit with McGonigal by talking more about her own WoW experience and her take on how other WoW players should view their gaming hobby.
iOS game The Incident recreated in real life
The Incident, a retro-style game for iOS devices that makes players avoid and jump on mountains of debris falling from the sky in order to reach the top, has been recreated in real life by some enterprising young gamers. Brought to our attention by MacStories, the video of the "sweding" (remaking something from scratch using whatever you can get your hands on) of The Incident is quite amusing to watch as these guys remake everything, from the opening credits to the music and the large items "falling" from the sky that the real-life player must avoid and climb up on. Our own Mike Schramm reviewed The Incident back in August of last year and called it "worth every cent of the US$1.99" it sells for on the App Store, so you gamers into retro action may want to check it out. We've seen some creative sweding of games before, like this live-action version of Angry Birds, but the video of The Incident is a must-see for gaming fans of any ilk. Click Read More to watch the real-life video of The Incident in action. [via Kotaku and MacStories]
