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Super Hero Squad Online adds Thor, Asgard
Marvel Universe Online may not have made it out of the gates in time to bask in the cross-promotional glow of the new Thor film, but the other Marvelized MMO is picking up the slack. Super Hero Squad Online has just announced the addition of Asgard to its game world, not to mention a couple of timely superhero appearances by the likes of Valkyrie and Ultimate Thor (the latter of whom is a subscriber-exclusive). SHSO also sports a new Loki-powered mission called the Gods of Thunder, and a Classic Thor character is in the works for a future update. The kid-friendly Superhero Squad Online gives players the chance to don the capes, tights, and armor of Marvel's greatest heroes, and you can learn more about the free-to-play title at its official website.
Marvel Universe Online will be free-to-play, penned by Bendis
Move over, Batman: After a few false starts, Marvel's finally poised to become the next big MMO superhero thing. Thursday evening, I attended Gazillion Entertainment and Marvel's live San Francisco reveal of Marvel Universe Online's head writer, the jovial Brian Michael Bendis. Joining Brian for a lively Q&A panel were Gazillion President and COO David Brevik, VP and Studio Head for Secret Identity (fka Gargantuan) Jeff Lind, and VP of Games at Marvel TQ Jefferson. Brian's involvement in the game's story wasn't the only announcement the panelists had in store for attendees -- they almost casually confessed that players will slip into the spandex of iconic Marvel characters and that the game will be free-to-play, making it perhaps the first Western triple-A title to be designed for such a model from the ground up. Because I knew you'd be disappointed if I didn't, I dutifully asked an amused Jeff Lind about PvP, housing, crafting, voice acting, character customization, travel powers, advancement, and all those other goodies, but as you can probably guess, the devs aren't in a position to talk about sweeping systems just yet -- they want to "retain the ability to change [their] minds." So manage thy expectations accordingly! Fortunately, both Jeff and Brian were willing to chat about story, tie-ins, and MUO's niche in an increasingly crowded superhero MMO field, so hit the break for their thoughts and my round-up of the hot topics from the panel.
Champions Online readies Resistance adventure pack
Ready for a new Champions Online adventure pack? Cryptic Studios is polishing up its Resistance content offering, which features a new story, new locations, and rewards according to a blurb on the official Champions website. Players will join forces and travel through a dimensional portal to Multifaria, a dystopian version of Millennium City where evil is running amok. Outlawed superheroes are humanity's only hope, and you'll need to rescue the imprisoned leader of an underground resistance movement to set the wheels of change in motion. Resistance, and all Champions adventure packs, features level-scaling content that allows for players between 11 and 40 to tackle the challenges either solo or in groups. Would you like to know more? Click through to the official website for details.
City of Heroes producer's letter talks story and solo-friendliness
City of Heroes is the latest MMORPG to feature story in its marketing materials, as producer Nate "Second Measure" Birkholz outlines a number of narrative-based initiatives in store for the seven-year old superhero title. "We view City of Heroes as a storytelling medium. We have a lot of long-term plans for the main story, and all of these plans are intended to provide a backdrop for the stories you tell with your characters every day," Birkholz explains. He also spends a bit of time reflecting on the massive changes that CoX has experienced during its live cycle, noting that the game is much more casual-friendly than it once was. More changes are coming too, among them a new zone in Issue 21 and "alternative ways to experience the Incarnate System, especially options that are more accessible to solo players and small groups." You can read the full text at the official CoX website.
Cryptic reveals new Devastator archetype video
There's a new heavy weapons-based archetype coming to Champions Online, and Cryptic has unleashed a new trailer to whet your appetite. The Devastator looks to be something of a melee powerhouse if the one-minute clip is any indication, and viewers will be pleased to know that the video is crammed full of dastardly violence, mighty swings of a rather large battle axe, and enough over-the-top villainous atmosphere to fill a year's worth of comic books. The new archetype debuts in today's patch, and you can check out the full trailer after the cut. While you're at it, why not partake of the Devastator discussion on the official Champions Online forums?
Alter-Ego: Looking at the state of the game
One of the most common questions I get every week in the comments for Alter-Ego is whether or not I think people should come play DC Universe Online. Obviously, I personally like the game, else I wouldn't still be playing and writing a column about it. I freely and openly admit my bias there. I'm a comic geek, so I've played every superhero MMO that's come out to date. While I love aspects of all of them, I currently prefer DC Universe Online for the fact that I get to run around with some of my favorite heroes and take down villains that I've known all my life. So with my bias openly stated, I'd like to counterbalance it with this: As a veteran MMO player, I also won't put up with things I think are absolute crap for very long. Much like everyone else, I have a life to attend to outside of MMOs, I had to shell out for a copy of the game, and I pay my own subscription each month. I get just as irked when I feel as if I'm not getting value for that dollar as anyone else does. With that in mind, let's take a look at DC Universe Online from launch to current day, and I'll toss out my thoughts on picking up the game afterward.
April Ask Cryptic talks nemesis, heavy weapons, and player-generated content
The nemesis system has long been one of the coolest features of Champions Online -- on paper, at least. The reality of the implementation leaves something to be desired according to players, though, and Cryptic hasn't offered much in the way of concrete details on a possible revamp. Today's Ask Cryptic focuses exclusively on Champions and showcases a number of questions from players keen on divining the future for their favorite costumed alter-egos. In addition to answering a query about nemesis, Champions devs are put to the test regarding a variety of issues including new heavy weapons skins, targeting concerns, lair updates, and the possibility of a player-content system like Star Trek Online's Foundry. "There is a bit of work to get it to fit Champs but we are checking it out. The Foundry is doing great in Star Trek and we have no doubt you can build stories in Champs that can blow theirs out of the stars," Cryptic says.
NCsoft pairs new launcher with City of Heroes, offers Wisp Auras as upgrade enticements
Bribery! Scandal! Shenanigans! Well, OK, those last two might be stretching it a bit, but NCsoft is clearly engaging in a bit of customer coercion when it comes to its game launcher and the long-running City of Heroes MMORPG. You see, in order to get your superhero's hands on a shiny new Wisp Aura (which, for the uninitiated, is a type of cosmetic costume upgrade), you'll need to switch to the new -- and preferred -- way to download and patch CoX. While the launcher application isn't new (Aion and Lineage II have been using it for many moons), NCsoft's desire to pair it up with City of Heroes is new, as the game has heretofore used its original stand-alone launchpad. The NCsoft launcher allows each of the Korean firm's games to update and start from a single application, and it can also be set to run in the background.
NCsoft adding additional security to master accounts
There's another layer of account security on the way for NCsoft master account users. The Korean gaming giant has posted updates on its City of Heroes, Guild Wars, and Aion websites inforrming users that they'll need to answer some additional security questions to log in to their master accounts. Once the queries are correctly completed, you'll be granted one-time access as well as the ability to add that particular computer to an approved list. Login attempts from other computers will of course trigger the questions again, and users that have forgotten the security info entered at account creation will need to contact NCsoft support for assistance.
City of Heroes reveals billboard contest winners
The devs at Paragon Studios recently threw open the doors of creativity for City of Heroes players in the form of the CoH Billboard Contest. Players were asked to come up with signage for a theoretical new business that would be opening somewhere in Paragon City or the Rogue Isles. The competition ran from December of 2010 through the end of last month, and NCsoft has finally announced the winners (many of whom walked away with substantial prize packages that include free game time, in-game items, and oh yeah, the pleasure of seeing their artwork plastered all over various billboards in the long-running superhero MMO). Hit up the official website for more details, including images of the winning entries.
City of Heroes unleashes the Animal Pack [Updated]
Ever feel like howling at the full moon or flying into the sun on golden wings? We don't really need to hear about your dreams -- ours are freaky enough as it is. But if you've been looking for a way to express your inner animal in City of Heroes, NCsoft has you covered. With the upcoming Animal Pack, players on both sides of the conflict will be able to create even more superhero-beast hybrids than ever before. Not only does the pack include a number of new animal-themed options for the character creator, but the savage amongst us will enjoy creature-themed emotes and a new level 4 travel power, Beast Run. The pack includes over 60 new heads, body patterns, manes, and tails themed after cats, birds, minotaurs and wolves. Roleplayers should like the Sniff, Hiss and Feather Fly emotes, while everyone will be able to appreciate two unique auras. One of these auras, we kid you not, is a flea aura. Get ready to start scratching! The City of Heroes Animal Pack will go on sale on February 23rd at the NCsoft store. [Update: We've added the Animal Pack gallery below and the video after the cut... enjoy!] %Gallery-115975%
Raptr report analyzes DC Universe Online players
Raptr, a social networking app for gamers, has turned its eyes to DC Universe Online players in a recent report. By breaking down player demographics, the site was able to piece together common trends and paint an overall picture of the DCUO playerbase. So who is playing DCUO (while using Raptr)? The first bit of surprising news is that these gamers aren't necessarily superhero fanatics, at least not according to the other types of games they play. These players didn't tend to have City of Heroes and Champions Online as their other go-to games in the top 10, for example. Actually, Raptr found that DCUO players are most likely to be into the MMORPG genre as a whole, as well as multiplayer games like Call of Duty: Black Ops and League of Legends. The report speculates that there may be a connection between DCUO's fast action gameplay and these other titles: "While there are a number of MMORPGs listed, it's interesting to see some FPS, and RTS in the mix. This could be because DCUO prides itself in being a deep MMO mixed with action-oriented gameplay more akin to RTS or FPS games." World of Warcraft and EVE Online were the two biggest MMOs that DCUO players also enjoyed, while these players found themselves stealing time away from WoW and Aion to head over to DCUO for their gaming sessions. You can read the full analysis over at Raptr Tracks.
The Soapbox: A sense of humor is your number one weapon
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. It's one of my ongoing theories that MMOs severely tempt (if not outright encourage) us to engage in the less savory aspects of our character. I'm sometimes worried that these games do shape our personalities, at least while we're playing, to bring out the worst in us. I'm not talking about addiction or anything like that, but rather about things as simple as fostering greediness, selfishness, envy and bullying. From games that are supposed to be massively social, I often get the impression that the message they're preaching is to look out for yourself and get ahead of the (kill ten) rat race any way possible. At least in my own game sessions, I've seen signs of this happening. I've kept silent when guildies ask for help, because I want to get this quest done for myself. I've fallen into the stressful grind of endgame gear to the point of becoming completely fixated on it to the exclusion of all else. Once or twice I've written an angry diatribe on forums, attempting to use the sheer weight of my words to club the opposition into submission. And, yes, I've lost my cool with party members whom I judged as not pulling their weight, and I've chewed them out. It's usually at times like these when someone or something kicks in to remind me that I have gotten a little too serious and need to lighten up. It's not that MMOs are "just" games but that these are games, and as such, shouldn't we be having more fun and laughing more often than we do now? This is why, over the years, I've developed a personal philosophy of gaming that revolves around three simple concepts: if it's not fun, don't do it; help others when the opportunity arises; and always bring a sense of humor to the playing field. Today I'd like to explore that last one.
SOE shows off DC Universe Online newbie video
For those of you who haven't run through DC Universe Online's tutorial instance 36,000 times by now, SOE has posted a new video to its Facebook page previewing a bit of the goings on aboard Brainiac's prison/invasion/newbie ship. The one-minute clip is full of furious fists, physics-based combat and flying containers -- and in a bit of a spoiler -- the Man of Steel himself shows up to lend newbs a helping hand. Curiously, Superman's video voiceover isn't performed by Adam Baldwin, but other than that, the footage is exactly what you'll experience after you've fired up DCUO's character creator and taken your first steps into a larger world. Check it out after the cut and visit the game's official website for more details.
Cryptic unmasks the Champions F2P trailer
Defender calls out to all Champions: "Report to the nearest crisis zone and engage the enemy." If you have not experienced Champions Online yet, now is the time. Cryptic's superhero MMORPG is officially free-to-play as of today. This is your chance to design a hero in what G4TV has called "the finest character creator system yet seen in an online RPG." Or perhaps you're a former Champions Online player who hasn't played for a while... this is a great time for you to get back into the game to see what you have been missing. In the F2P launch-day trailer, Millennium City's being attacked while the other Champions are spread around the world in battles of their own. The distress call has gone out to you. Will you reply? Catch the full trailer after the break, then you can head over to the official site and start saving the world today.
DC Universe Online is SOE's fastest selling game [Updated]
How's DC Universe Online performing after a week or so in the wild? Sony Online Entertainment hasn't released official sales or subscription numbers, but company president John Smedley recently stated that "it's our fastest selling game ever." Smedley delivered the news via his Twitter account, and also revealed that DCUO topped Steam's sales charts last week. The title also seems to be exceeding SOE's expectations given the fact that Smedley alluded to a stock shortage. "Working on out-of-stock problems," he tweeted, adding that more copies of the game should become available early this week. DC Universe Online is currently available for PC and Playstation 3, and you can learn more at the game's official website. [Update: John Smedley updated his Twitter feed in response to questions concerning the PC/PS3 sales numbers. The PS3 is currently leading at 52%.]
SOE's Smedley talks platforms, sub fees, and DCUO post-release content
While thousands of DC Comics fans are rolling up spandex-clad superheroes (and villains) in SOE's newly launched DC Universe Online MMO, SOE itself is busy extolling the virtues of what some are calling the first real console massively multiplayer title. In an interview at Eurogamer, SOE boss John Smedley talks a bit about the challenges of building an MMO for two platforms simultaneously. "This game is built from the ground up to be playable on both the PlayStation 3 and PC, so it really makes a big difference as opposed to just porting it," he said. Smedley goes on to answer a few questions related to the size of the post-release development team (between 50 and 75 people) as well as whether or not the much-hyped monthly content updates will carry a charge above and beyond the sub fee (they won't). "The monthly subscription fee means players can expect a lot of new content from us. And I say a lot -- I really mean that. This is something that we feel obligated to the players, because they are paying monthly sub fee," Smedley explained. Check out the full text at Eurogamer and hit up the official DCUO website for more info on the game.
Bring it on: DCUO launches new PvP servers
We can only assume it's a good day for Sony Online Entertainment when demand for its new superhero MMO, DC Universe Online, creates a need for more servers. Starting tomorrow afternoon at approximately 6:30 p.m. EST, two new PvP servers -- appropriately titled "Cry for Blood" (PC) and "Blood Will Run" (PS3) -- will be available for bloodthirsty superpeople everywhere, bringing the total number of North American servers up to 16. That's not a shabby number for a new release or for SOE in particular, which has in recent years seen a slew of server merges and closings across some of its older games. On PvP servers, villains and heroes are able to duke it out via open-world factional combat while blasting through storyline content as well as in special PvP arenas. Word to the wise: Red means dead! Massively is interviewing DCUO's Game Director Chris Cao this very evening, so expect an exclusive interview on this and other new content goodies en route for DCUO players tomorrow!
Iomega's SuperHero backup and charger for iPhone syncs without a PC
Iomega was at CES last week showing off its upcoming SuperHero Backup and Charger for the iPhone. You may ask why anyone needs a backup system for the iPhone as iTunes backs up your iPhone when you sync. The Iomega rep explained that many iPhone users don't plug their iPhone into a PC or Mac. They simply use a wall charger, downloading apps directly onto the phone, almost never syncing up with iTunes. Sources at Apple retail confirm this is the case. Personally, I plug my iPhone into iTunes every night to update my podcasts and apps as often as possible. For those who don't sync, however, Iomega is releasing the SuperHero. It's super simple -- you just download an app onto the phone, and then whenever you plug the iPhone into the dock, the app will turn on and backup your contacts and pictures onto an included 4 GB SD card. Lose your iPhone, and you won't lose your important information. Yes, for family members or friends who don't ever sync through iTunes, this might be helpful. But wouldn't it be worth it to teach them how to do it? Syncing seems simple enough to me. Then again, if you don't own a PC or Mac and use your iPhone like a small computer, this would at least give you some assurance your data will persist. The Iomega SuperHero backup and charger should be available by the end of next month for US$69.99.
Champions Online: Free for All gets launch date
While DC Universe Online's release is hogging most of the day's superhero MMO headlines, Cryptic's Champions Online is fighting back with an announcement of its own. The game's free-to-play incarnation finally has a street date (January 25th to be precise), and the game's official website has all the details. "It's a genuine pleasure to be able to announce our release date for Champions Online: Free for All. On January 25, 2011, any gamer or would-be superhero can play within the ever-improving world of Champions Online for no cost," says Cryptic CEO John Needham. What exactly does the conversion bring to the F2P table? For starters, most of Champions' content is available for free (the exceptions being Adventure Packs), and there are no play-time restrictions. Check out all the details, as well as a features matrix, at the official website.
