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Picaroon introduces Nation's Challenge contest
Fancy yourself a pirate? Picaroon is inviting you to put your money where your mouth is via a new contest called the Nation's Challenge. The pirate-themed MMORTS from Nice Technology is hosting a global battle royale to determine which nation is the "biggest bunch of pirates." Nice's latest press release outlines the prizes on offer, and first-, second-, and third-place winners will take home 5,000, 2,000, and 1,000 doubloons (Picaroon's in-game currency) respectively. Members of the winning alliance will also pocket 300 doubloons. The contest started yesterday, so don't delay in getting your team together, and be sure to check out the official rules on the Picaroon forums.
Tribal Trouble 2 plows into open beta
Although GameSamba players have had access to Tribal Trouble 2's beta since the beginning of July, the company is now throwing open the door for any and all who want to try out this colorful MMORTS. This is, of course, the sequel to 2005's goofy Vikings-vs.-natives Tribal Trouble. Tribal Trouble 2 allows you to customize a personal chieftain who can set out to try to conquer the world, one village at a time while building one of his or her own. While we question the game's merits as a self-proclaimed MMO, the title boasts both single-player missions and PvP modes, as well as an achievement board. Plus, the game has units like the fearsome Chicken Punishers, so you know it's got to be good. If you're interested, you merely need to hop over to Tribal Trouble 2's website and sign up for the open beta. The game's both free-to-play and browser-based in order to be accessible to all. Additionally, hit the jump to check out the trailer!
New Age of Empires Online monthly content updates in the works
Launch day is coming up fast for Age of Empires Online, and August 16th can't come fast enough for fans of MMORTS titles. In addition to the game's official kickoff, players can also look forward to new Greek and Egyptian civilizations and the Defense of Crete booster pack. If that's not enough, a new Microsoft press release has announced that Age of Empires Online will be "adding new premium content monthly to further expand your gameplay options in a persistent and evolving world." Said expanding will take the form of two new civilizations and a new booster pack that will be added to the game by the end of 2011. First up is the Celtic civilization, and these masters of metalwork and crafting will help you earn new gear and rewards. Next are the Persians, and players will take control of units including Immortals, mounted archers, and attack elephants. Finally, the Skirmish Hall booster pack allows players to control the battlefield by customizing their starting age, forces, resources, difficulty levels, and the number of enemies.
End of Nations video features factions and explosions
Trion Worlds is known primarily for its wildly successful RIFT MMORPG, but that will soon change thanks to an upcoming MMORTS called End of Nations. The title, developed by real-time strategy specialist Petroglyph (and published by Trion) is a two-faction romp through a future earth that has been decimated by war and is teetering on the brink of societal collapse. Today, Trion and Petroglyph have released a three-minute trailer for the game that touches on the lore behind the opposing player factions. The clip also features more explosions than your average Michael Bay film, but we'll get to that in a minute. The Liberation Front and the Shadow Revolution factions are mortal enemies who share a common goal: the destruction of the tyrannical Order of Nations. Said destruction involves a lot of things blowing up, and despite the fact that the video features a few talking heads pontificating on factional lore, the focus is on gameplay-related mayhem. Helicopters, tanks, and even closing title screens are liable to burst into flaming fireballs at any moment, and fans of gratuitous military violence will no doubt want to click past the cut to check out the full trailer.
Dawn of Fantasy reveals Online Kingdom mode
"You must pursue an epic storyline of betrayal, blood, and resource-management in the aftermath of a mighty war," proclaims the latest press release for Dawn of Fantasy. If that sounds right up your alley, you'll want to check out the MMORTS title from 505 Games as it picks up a head of steam in its ongoing summer beta. 505 is highlighting the game's Online Kingdom mode in its latest media blast, and the gameplay features three campaigns, nine starting regions, and persistent PvP, all rolled together in a rather tasty MMO/RTS/RPG sandwich. Even better is the fact that Online Kingdom is just one of the game's modes, and you can read up on a couple of others -- including Stronghold Defense and Kingdom Wars -- via our earlier coverage. When you're finished, head to the official Dawn of Fantasy website to sign up for the beta.
Bungie's Marathon, Swords and Soldiers now available on the App Store
Two games we've been eager to see on the App Store have arrived. First up, the unofficial version of Marathon (that's officially approved anyway) is out and ready for you to play. It's a free app by programmer Daniel Blezek, who translated Bungie's old FPS from the Mac to Apple's tablet. This is excellent stuff; old-time gamers will enjoy the nostalgia hit, while younger players should be interested to see what Bungie did before Halo. It's an excellent game, and we couldn't ask for a better way to get it ported to the iPad. Second, Chillingo has published Swords and Soldiers, a cartoony 2D real-time strategy game that was originally released for the Wii. I like both the console and iOS versions, which offers Game Center integration, three campaigns and a skirmish mode, with controls that are well adapted for the touch screen. Unfortunately, it isn't universal -- the game's US$2.99 for the iPhone and $4.99 for the iPad -- but given how different the two versions are to play, maybe that makes sense. At any rate, this one didn't quite get the spotlight it could have used on the Wii, so maybe on iOS (like World of Goo, another Wii title turned iOS hit) Swords and Soldiers will the audience it deserves.
GameSamba thanks testers by granting early access to Tribal Trouble 2
Open betas are a dime a dozen these days, but GameSamba is doing something a little different for testers of its browser-based Viking MMORTS called Tribal Trouble 2. Beginning today, former GameSamba guinea pigs will be given early access to the game even though the public testing phase doesn't start until the end of July. New testers aren't going to be left out in the cold, though, as a GameSamba press release indicates that the next few weeks will see several beta key giveaways via GameSamba partner websites. Tribal Trouble 2 is a casual-friendly take on the traditional MMORTS according to producer Slava Zatuchny. "Unlike the typical RTS, Tribal Trouble 2 is a more casual and fast-paced, with a whimsical style aimed at a broader demographic. While typical RTS games use mechanics ranging from complexity to realism, in Tribal Trouble 2 we chose instead to concentrate on fun," he said.
MMObility: How to real-time-strategize your way into my heart
If there is one thing I can appreciate in my gaming choices, it's flexibility. I want to be able to not only do what I want but do it when I want. If I want to avoid combat or other players, the game should allow me to do that. I don't want to bother with things that annoy me. If I am in the mood for tweaking my character, sure, I'll do that, but I don't want it to be forced on me by a pushy fellow player or virtual progression wall. In other words, give me as many choices as possible and I will love you. Once I discovered the world of browser-based real-time-strategy games, I found a large number of games that provided me with almost everything I needed. While I normally preferred more "immersive" play, I found that the miniature armies and grand scale of most of these newer titles filled in my imagination just fine. In fact, the more I play with them, the more I am reminded of tabletop gaming as a teen. Those were glorious times, despite the fact that I am now, and always have been, horrible at war. Let me tell you all about my recent obsession with browser-based real-time-strategy MMOs. (That's quite a mouthful.) Click past the cut!
Report: Black Rock's final game was a freemium DOTA-style RTS
"Champions Alliance" was allegedly the title of the last project the soon-to-be shuttered Black Rock Studios was working on, according to a Eurogamer report. The game was allegedly a DOTA-style RTS, starring teenagers flung into an alternate dimension (okay ...). The project was said to be quite far along, with pre-production wrapping and a free-to-play business model set in place before Disney made its decision to close the dev house. "The game was intended to be released quite quickly, in beta anyway, in about six months or so," an anonymous source tells Eurogamer. "The idea was that you had to do PVP and PVE to gain XP to somehow escape." According to the source, "Disney seemed unable to work out what to do with the studio and didn't trust us to do anything other than racing, really." Since Disney is prepared to close the studio now, we wouldn't be surprised if footage of the unannounced project starts popping up in the near future.
UFO Online wants your slogan on its loading screens
Loading screens are a necessary evil for many of our favorite MMORPGs, but as long as they're festooned with some cool concept art and a lore snippet or two, we generally don't complain. If you've ever wanted the opportunity to personalize your loading screen without resorting to third-party hacks, gamigo has a contest you'll want to check out. UFO Online - Fight for Earth is in need of a few good loading screen slogans, and players who come up with the best catch-phrases will find their words immortalized on the the turn-based strategy title's various transition panels (as well as their name in the game's credits). gamigo is looking for "anti-alien slogans," so put on your xenophobic thinking caps and send your best entries to the official contest email address. A final vote will be conducted on the game's Facebook page in short order, so get a move on, soldier!
Dawn of War 3 further detailed by THQ's Danny Bilson
THQ executive vice president Danny Bilson is known for his many things -- his gorgeous shock of graphite hair, his devil-may-care attitude, a movie star daughter. But in the game industry, he's best known for speaking loosely and passionately about his company's yet-to-be-revealed projects. A recent interview with Eurogamer is no exception, with Bilson offering a small brigade of details on Dawn of War 3. Bilson says that the sequel to 2009's Dawn of War 2 is in development "right now," and is a mix of new elements with features from the first two titles. He also admitted that his company will be making a game announcement at GamesCom in the PC gamer-friendly country of Germany, which we're taking a wild guess is the official reveal of DoW3. We'll be on the ground in Cologne this August to bring you more details. [Pictured: Dawn of War 2]
Age of Empires Online begins August 16
Age of Empires Online is ready to be ushered out of beta and onto PCs worldwide on August 16. The game, which will initially launch with the Greek and Egyptian factions, will be available at retail and online at AgeofEmpiresOnline.com. The freemium title will offer "more than 40 hours" of free co-op and competitive gameplay, but if you're looking to upgrade straight out the gate, Microsoft has booster bundles available. %Gallery-124916%
Trion Worlds releases new End of Nations video feature
The world's economies have crashed, governments are crumbling as a result, and a totalitarian regime is looking to assume control over the chaos. This is the world of End of Nations, the upcoming MMORTS from Trion Worlds and Petroglyph Games. The game sees players rising against the aforementioned tyrannical organization, known as the Order of Nations, in a struggle for control over the world's resources. To tease the new title, Trion Worlds has released a new video that showcases some gameplay clips, fills players in on the game's setting, and includes snippets from the game's developers explaining their goals and hopes for the game. If you're itching for more information on this upcoming addition to the MMORTS genre, Massively has not one but two hands-on previews and a Q&A with the game's developers. If that's not enough for you, the End of Nations official site has gone live as well, and there's sure to be more information to be gleaned there. And lastly, of course, you can jump past the cut for the video itself.
MMObility: Three new games for your browser or smartphone
Welcome once again to your weekly source for all things mobile, portable, browser and handheld. Some weeks I want to discuss something deeper, something that really gets our blood boiling and our gears cranking. It seems as though there are many of you who think that mobile technology as it is now is going to stay as it is for a long time. With that presumption comes a sort of dismissal of the mobile market as nothing more than a toy right now. To clear up some of the confusion, I want to note that my love for mobile games and devices has almost nothing to do with the technology that exists now. Sure, I love my HTC Inspire and my iPhone. My wife uses her iPad so much (and she's a PC gamer, too) that we need to get her an iPad 2 just for the increased usability. She has an iPhone 4, and I also have a basic laptop that we use the heck out of. It's easy to see that mobility means a lot to us. Even with all the wonderful technology that exists now, I am turned on by the stuff that will exist soon. Mark my words. And then there are weeks like this one, a rough one of migraines, PC issues (another reason I like mobile) and other real-life stuff. So instead of diving into a deep discussion about the meaning of the term MMO or how to pick the best portable device, I decided to just show you three new games that have caught my eye. Click past the cut and check them out!
Amazon selling Supreme Commander for a Lincoln
Amazon has Chris Taylor's legendary RTS title Supreme Commander as a Games for Windows edition for the low, low price of just $4.50. It's only available to US customers, and only as a download. Yes, for less than the price of a gallon of gas, you too can command vast armies of units of all shapes and sizes, zooming in and out of a gigantic map at will. It'll be the cheapest war ever fought.
The world is your oyster: Dawn of Fantasy dev diary demonstrates Kingdom Wars mode
If you liked Dawn of Fantasy's first developer diary showcasing the MMORTS' Stronghold Defense mode, then buckle up, because here we go again! This time, 505 Games' Gordon Farrell and Arielle Parkas up the ante by demonstrating the Kingdom Wars feature. Unlike the hop-in-and-out Stronghold Defense matches, Kingdom Wars challenges you to go on a global crusade to conquer all of the lands. It's here that you'll be building an army from scratch, laying siege to cities for their resources, engaging in diplomacy, and accomplishing quests -- all while fending off feisty computer and player forces. Kingdom Wars offers both single-player and multiplayer options, and players can pick of the three factions to rule. Of course, world-conquering isn't done by feats of martial skill alone; a shrewd king knows that creating a strong economy is a necessary foundation for victory. You can check out the full developer diary for this intriguing Dawn of Fantasy game mode after the jump!
Outspark details Seven Dragons browser MMORTS
There's a new MMO in the Outspark stable, and the creators of Divine Souls and Fiesta are branching out with its latest release. Seven Dragons is a browser-based real-time strategy title built on questing, character development, resource building, and PvP battles. Seven Dragons features three combat modes with wildland monster hunting, player city invasions, and arena combat making up the majority of the game's armed conflict. Being an MMO and RTS hybrid, Seven Dragons also boasts city building, resource management, and of course, the chance to match wits with the titular wyrms. Check out the game guide on the official Outspark website, and start playing for free in the browser of your choice.
Age of Empires Online to launch this fall
Eurogamer reports today that Microsoft Game Studios' Age of Empires Online is slated for a fall release. The freemium RTS game is currently in open beta and will be releasing in both digital download and retail box forms. While the game itself will be free-to-play, there will be a cash store that sells a variety of upgrades for players to purchase. These include vanity items that allow players to give their capital cities a unique bit of flair, new civilizations for the player to control (the game launches with only two: Greek and Egyptian), and upgrade packs such as the "pro premium civilization" upgrade pack, which will provide players with a level 20 civilization and is described as being "geared towards hardcore RTS gamers." The exact release date and pricing will be announced at the end of the month. If you're interested in giving the game a spin prior to its official release or just want to find out more about the upcoming title, you can head over to the Age of Empires Online official site, have a look around, and sign up for the beta.
Microsoft reveals 48-hour 'secret access' to Age of Empires Online beta
Yearning for an early look at Age of Empires Online? If so, Microsoft Game Studios has some good news for you. Starting today, you can jump into a 48-hour secret access beta signup session simply by registering for a Windows Live ID (or logging in if you already have one). This is your last chance to get in on some Age of Empires beta action before MGS closes it to the public, so hurry and visit the signup link before Saturday, May 7th. You'll be able to download the beta client immediately and get started testing shortly thereafter. If you missed our beta key giveaway a couple of weeks ago, don't miss what could be your last opportunity to take part in the upcoming MMORTS' testing phase!
Hold the gates: Dawn of Fantasy dev diary gives an overview of stronghold defense
We haven't heard from 505 Games' Dawn of Fantasy for a while, but it looks as though the MMORTS is coming along quite nicely. In a first of hopefully several developer diaries, Lead Writer and Associate Producer Gordon Farrell shows one of the game's modes: stronghold defense. Dawn of Fantasy players will be encouraged to take control of pre-built villages, towns, and castle fortresses and defend them from the enemy as the situation warrants. In the video, Farrell shows how these strongholds can be built up and defenses laid out prior to the enemy's assault. The diary goes on to show a sample scenario of a player attempting to hold on to a multi-tiered fortress against the combined assault of Elves and Orcs. Each faction looks to have its own style and special units -- for example, the Elves wield giant Treants as siege weapons, whereas the Orcs have mobile towers and battering rams. Even though the cavalry comes to the rescue, the defending player is soon overwhelmed. However, Farrell speculates about what you might have done differently instead. You can watch the full dev diary after the jump!
