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City of Heroes announces Guest Author Program for Mission Architect
No doubt it's Champions Online that seems to be getting the superhero MMO headlines of late in the gaming press, both for the new title's release and for some of the issues they've had in relation to that launch. But competition is generally a good thing from a gamer's perspective, and City of Heroes is also stepping up their game, particularly in regards to the Mission Architect. When the devs introduced the Mission Architect to City of Heroes, it was their first step towards embracing player-generated content and adding new dimensions to the game experience. They've announced that the next step with Mission Architect is to have a Guest Author Program where "comic book notables try their hand at mission design." NCsoft says the program will "invite influential writers and aspiring game or story designers" to collaborate with the City of Heroes devs and bring these missions into the game.
Cryptic's Jack Emmert baffled by lack of MMOs on Xbox 360
A number of massively multiplayer online game developers have touted the fact that their titles will be playable on both PC and Xbox 360 but, with rare exceptions, they've failed to deliver on MMOs for this console. But can the blame for this really be laid solely at the feet of the developers? That seems to be the typical reaction, as many of us get frustrated over these broken promises. However, looking at the various titles that were aiming for 360 and missed, perhaps we should look at what all of these stories have in common: Microsoft. (Lest the fires of console fanboy rage blaze out of control, we're not exactly inundated with PlayStation 3 MMOs either.) Patrick Garratt from VG247 recently spoke with Jack Emmert from Cryptic Studios about this issue, and his perspective on playing ball with Microsoft to get Champions Online on the 360. Emmert stated that Champions Online for Xbox is almost ready to go, but lack of action on Microsoft's part is holding up the project.
City of Heroes Issue 16 now in open beta
We've been writing about the new level of customization coming to City of Heroes with Issue 16, but the time has come to jump in and check out the next content update for yourself. NCsoft announced that Issue 16 "Power Spectrum" is now in open beta. If you're interested in checking out the ways you'll be able to extend that signature City of Heroes depth of avatar customization to your powers as well, see NCsoft's instructions on how to get into The Training Room (the City of Heroes test server) and you'll be tweaking the look of your Electric Armor and Psionic Assaults in no time.
Roskilde University to open super-hero city and host machinima contest
Danish Roskilde University in Trekroner, Roskilde is celebrating the art of machinima with a competition kicking off in Second Life later this week. The competition coincides with the opening of the university's new Second Life research-center, "Metrotopia – City of Superheroes." The launch event kicks off on Friday, 28 August at 11:30AM SLT (US Pacific time), and the details of the competition will be announced in conjunction with the opening address at Noon SLT.
Anti-Aliased: I'm a champion, and so can you
So last time we had an Anti-Aliased, we had a bit of a tussle. I talked about microtransactions and how I felt about Champions Online's model, and I heard from people who agreed with me, disagreed with me, and who thought I was getting fat bribes from Cryptic Studios. I had people picking apart my thoughts, people saying I was Bill Roper's puppet, and people who really couldn't care less. It was insane.Through all of this though, I want to thank everyone who put in their thoughts onto the article. Even if you disagreed with me, I love seeing that type of discussion going through a topic, and I really appreciate everyone taking the time to make their voices heard, even if it was to tell me that I've sold my integrity. (Which I haven't, by the way.)This week however, we're changing gears but not changing them entirely. It's Champions Online NDA lift time, and boy do I have a preview for you! The rest of their staff got their turn earlier this morning, but now it's my turn to be horribly opinionated with all the words I can fit in my article.Is it good? Is it bad? Is it kind of eh? Well, I'm not saying anything -- I'm just going to relate my initial experiences to you, with snark!
Champions Online NDA has dropped
Champions Online closed beta testers, please observe a moment of silence for your now-deleted characters. They died yesterday as part of the server wipe to make the world a better place for open beta, which kicks off today. The biggest news here is that the NDA is now lifted, and we're expecting there will be a flood of impressions about Champions Online in the coming days from people who've spent time in the game. The Cryptic Studios superhero MMO will enter open beta today at 10 a.m. PDT, and will last through August 24th at 10 a.m. PDT. Barring unforeseen technical issues, daily server downtime is scheduled from 1 a.m. PDT - 3 a.m. PDT. Aside from that, open beta testers have a solid week of gameplay ahead of them.
The Daily Grind: Is space the "final frontier" for MMOs?
"Space: the final frontier." Sounds a bit short-sighted, doesn't it? I mean, no offense to the ghost of Gene Roddenberry, but we've barely scratched the surface of what's out there beyond our atmosphere. To claim that it is the "final frontier" to be explored, charted, and colonized may not be entirely accurate. But, it does make for a catchy slogan and a great series of TV shows, movies, and games (ok, games... historically, not so much).Thus far, "space" may appear to be the final frontier in MMOs as well, but to claim it as such is also short-sighted. The creativity of the human mind is a great thing. I'm sure we'll conjure up some novel concepts or twists on old themes or settings and make them work. The two biggest MMO sub-genres so far are undoubtedly Fantasy and Science Fiction (often space-oriented). Superhero MMOs are making a run for it and so are MMOs in post-apocalytic settings. There are even a plethora of oddly-themed kids games too. Are there any genres we haven't thoroughly tapped yet? What about Horror? Mystery? Crime? Modern warfare? As for settings, what about Earth present? Earth historic? Alternate dimensions? Fairly tales? What genres and settings are you itching to explore?
Champions Online dev chat answers questions from the fans
The superhero MMO Champions Online is slated for a launch very soon, right around the corner in September. Cryptic Studios has continued to hold dev chats leading up to the game's release, which can be a good source of info about Champions Online, particularly if you haven't had a chance to check out the game's beta tests. The latest dev chat let the Champions fan base pose questions to the developers, including Lead Designer Randy Mosiondz and Reward Systems Designer Cormac Russell, among other devs working on the game. The dev chat addressed a range of questions and concerns, such as what Champions Online will bring to MMORPGs and the superhero game genre that we don't already have. The title's creators also explained the extent of Champions Online's crafting system, including how players will be able to craft Techniques, essentially items that impart abilities. There's also plenty more about unlockable costumes and how the game is designed to prevent players from creating (overly) godlike custom Power Frameworks. You can check out what the Cryptic devs have to say about Champions Online over on the game's official forums.
DC Universe Online creators talk about S.T.A.R. Labs and game storylines
Comic-Con International is underway in San Diego, and we're already hearing some news about the superhero MMO genre. The latest info about DC Universe Online comes from a Wired article by Frank Rose which focuses on S.T.A.R. Labs, the futuristic glass and steel location familiar to anyone who grew up reading DC comic books or watched the Superman animated TV series. S.T.A.R. Labs, short for Scientific and Technical Advanced Research Laboratories, will be a hub of storyline activity in the MMO. It's fitting, as this is a place where great scientific advances are made, but also a place where things can go horribly wrong. This means it's perfect neutral ground to be incorporated into DC Universe Online, and the location will tie in with the respective storylines of the game's heroes and villains.
An early peek at the DC Universe Online storyline
DC Universe Online is a superhero MMO in development at Sony Online Entertainment, but one that we didn't get to see much of at E3 2009. That's not going to be the situation with Comic-Con International which is happening this week in San Diego. The DC Universe Online team will be on hand and will hopefully reveal more about the game. While you won't get to play as Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman, you will begin the game as a hero who fights alongside such comic book icons. In fact, once you roll a character you'll choose a specialty from among super powers, tech powers, or magic powers. That choice will determine the storyline you begin with, according to info revealed in a Variety article. Sony Online Entertainment gave Chris Morris from Variety's 'The Cut Scene' an exclusive on how players will begin the game.
Cryptic Studios clarifies microtransactions in Star Trek Online
We noticed quite a stir in our last post about microtransactions in an upcoming Cryptic Studios game. The post in question was about Champions Online, which explained how Cryptic plans to keep the microtransaction system balanced. Quite a number of commenters at Massively expressed the view that the game should either be subscription or microtransaction-based, one or the other, and not a hybrid of the two. That debate isn't confined to Cryptic's superhero MMO, however. The company's approach to microtransactions with Champions Online will be applied to Star Trek Online as well, according to a recent forum post by Jackalope (Jack Emmert) from the Cryptic Studios dev team.
Champions Online explains microtransactions, high level UNITY missions
Cryptic Studios has released a Champions Online State of the Game for July 15. Although it highlights some of the beta happenings of late, it's likely this won't affect many of our readers. However, the info they've dropped about microtransactions and high level content is definitely worth a read for any fans of the game, whether you're a Champions Online beta tester or not. Cryptic Studios writes, "Champions Online will support micro-transactions, but contrary to the concerns of some people, the game is not 'based' on them." They explain the basic scope of what will be possible in Champions Online using microtransactions, such as aesthetic changes and account-level management tools (like renaming your character). However, in the name of balance, they state, "any micro-transaction that has a game effect can also be earned in the game through play."
Cryptic's Bill Roper on balancing powers in Champions Online
When news came in of the Champions Online launch being delayed to September, a few of the writers at Massively were despondent. It's always better for a game to launch once it's solid rather than release in a buggy state, though. While we wait for the re-scheduled September 1st launch, we're keeping up with the news and interviews surrounding the upcoming superhero title. In fact, we've just come across an MMOCrunch interview with Bill Roper, executive producer of Champions Online you might be interested in. Roper gets into how some of the game mechanics in Champions Online will play out, and explains a bit about how travel powers like flight and teleportation can be countered by those without such capabilities. (For example, how does a ground-based melee character engage a kiting opponent in flight?) He also touches upon the game's sidekick system, which will allow newer players to temporarily boost their powers to keep up with higher level friends. Alternately, the sidekick system will give advanced characters the ability to tone their powers down to the level of their appallingly weak lower level buddies.
Champions Online devs reveal Mystic power sets: Sorcery and Supernatural
Over the past few weeks, the developers at Cryptic Studios have been walking readers through the various powers that will be available to Champions Online players, from Energy Projectors to Martial Arts, as well as Power Replacers. Now they're giving us a look at the game's Mystic power sets -- Sorcery and Supernatural -- for those players who want to dabble in the dark arts. Do you know your Circles of Power from your Circles of Summoning? When should you use a Sigil instead of an Invocation? The Champions Online devs explain all matters arcane in this latest, and final, "All About Powers", and discuss their intent to create subsets of Mystic powers that better fit a given character's concept. Whether you're looking to create a Primal Shaman, a Necromancer, or a pure Arcane-type, you might enjoy this latest dev blog on the official Champions Online site.
Redefining MMOs: Terminology
As we look back at the past several years of the MMO scene, we see a genre that has gone through significant evolutionary leaps. With those pioneering days of text MUDs and blocky graphics behind us, today we enjoy professionally developed games with impressive development teams and massive budgets behind them. The genre's depths have been thoroughly explored and we've even categorised the features we've come to love and expect from our favourite online retreats. Every part of the genre, from the types of gameplay available to the terminology we use, has been routinely evolving and redefining itself over time.With professional MMO development soaring and a whole new generation of promising titles on the way, we stand on the cusp of what could be the next big evolutionary leap for online gaming. In the coming weeks and months, Massively will be examining how the MMO genre has been redefined during the current generation of games and where it's headed in the next. If you have something important to say on the topic, feel free to post a comment on page 2 or even write your own "Redefining MMOs" blog post and leave a comment with the URL.In this introductory article, I ask why we use the terminology we do when talking about MMOs and if perhaps it's starting to change.
DC Universe Online team will present at GDC Austin 2009
Some of the key members of the DC Universe Online team will speak at Game Developers Conference (GDC) Austin 2009, in a session titled "Why We Need Heroes and Villains in Games". The DC Universe Online team members on hand will include Jim Lee (executive creative director); Marv Wolfman (writer); Christopher Cao (studio creative director); and Jens Andersen (creative director). The 'takeaway' from the session intro reads: "This philosophical lecture will give attendees insight into the challenges and issues game designers and writers face when making characters good and evil. More importantly, attendees will leave with a better understanding of why this tension between good and evil is so critical -- not only for telling a good story, but for making a video game." This sounds interesting, and hopefully it's a sign of the emphasis they're putting on storytelling in DC Universe Online. GDC Austin will run from September 15-18, and we're hoping to bring you news from the event. [Via GamesIndustry.biz]
The 5th Column returns as City of Heroes Issue 15: Anniversary goes live
It was only a few weeks ago that we wrote about the City of Heroes Issue 15 beta testing, but this latest update to the game, Anniversary, has gone live. Issue 15 brings a host of improvements to City of Heroes particularly in terms of hero and villain character customization. There are 20 new character faces to choose from, two new costume sets, and costume change emotes, which provide flashy transitions between costumes for your characters. Issue 15: Anniversary also marks the return of The 5th Column and The Reichsman, and thus new missions at levels 45-50 -- with Villain Strikeforce and Hero Taskforce arcs, depending upon which side of the law you're on. NCsoft has more info about Issue 15 on their Anniversary overview site, and asks, "What does the opening of the Omega Team Time Capsule hold in store for Paragon City and the Rogue Isles?" The answers, we suspect, should be clear as City of Heroes and City of Villains players explore the new Issue 15 content.
Champions Online introduces new villain: Gigaton
While the term 'unlikely hero' is pretty familiar to most, it's not often we think of unlikely villains. But this is the case with the latest 'big bad' that Cryptic Studios has revealed for Champions Online -- "Gigaton". His story begins as Tim Colton, a perfect and loyal soldier and thus an equally perfect candidate for Project Sunburst, ostensibly a military war game involving nuclear strike scenarios. It was more than theoretical, however, and Colton became the military's unwitting guinea pig in actual nuclear tests. While most other test subjects died as a result of the tests, Colton developed superhuman abilities after being bombarded with radiation. Although he remained in perfect physical condition, requiring neither food nor water, he was inexplicably comatose. Despite the slight drawback of being perpetually unconscious, Colton's bio-nuclear powers were off the chart. This came to the attention of a major villain in the Champions Online setting, Doctor Destroyer, who had Colton 'liberated' from the army's facilities. Colton was revived and given a new purpose in life by his villainous benefactor, to join forces with Doctor Destroyer's organization, the only real option open to Colton after being betrayed by the army. From that point on, Colton became Gigaton, and is thus the latest villain announced in the Champions Online lineup. Cryptic has put together a villain profile for Gigaton outlining the character's past, and of course his superhuman abilities.
E3 2009: Bill Roper on character themes and customization in Champions Online
The superhero MMO genre has been ruled by one game and one game alone for the past five years: City of Heroes. NCsoft's title being quite literally the only game in town for superhero fans is about to change, with competitors like DC Universe Online and Champions Online on the way. We have a good idea of what to expect with DCUO given the recognizable characters the game incorporates, but what of Champions Online which is based upon the Champions pen and paper RPG?We've wondered what Cryptic Studios will do to differentiate Champions Online from the competition; Massively had a chance to sit down with Bill Roper, the game's executive producer, to discuss that question at E3 2009.%Gallery-17946%
City of Heroes senior designer Bruce Harlick on return of The 5th Column
Massively mentioned yesterday that City of Heroes Issue 15: Anniversary has gone into open beta testing. Along with that announcement and an overview of the Issue 15 features, Paragon Studios senior designer Bruce Harlick has written a developer diary titled "A Circle of Fifths: Designing the Ultimate Fifth Anniversary Task Force and Strike Force" Harlick writes that when Paragon Studios was hashing through ideas for the game's strike force and task force for the City of Heroes 5th Anniversary, bringing the 5th Column back to Paragon City seemed the right thing to do. It also lets them bring The Reichsman into the game, leading to some interesting mission arcs. Harlick writes, "I didn't want the two arcs to be simple mirrors of each others, with the villains doing something and the heroes stopping it." He adds, "I wanted the villains to succeed with their plan and to deal with the consequences, and I wanted the heroes to deal with an emerging big problem." Have a look at Bruce Harlick's developer diary on City of Heroes Issue 15: Anniversary, for more about what he describes as "a story that's worthy of the return of one of the biggest threats to ever hit Paragon City and the Rogue Islands."%Gallery-64392%
