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GodStoria (formerly The Bible Online) to feature Sodom and Gomorrah arena PvP
Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Bring the family on down to the Sodom arena for no-holds barred PvP deathmatch action! Yep, you read that title right, folks. GodStoria, the browser MMO formerly known as The Bible Online, is gearing up to bring you stylized action violence with a unique flavor (mmm, salty). German game publisher FIAA GmbH says this is just the tip of the iceberg for the Biblical MMORTS/RPG hybrid. "We would like to listen to player feedback and suggestions so that we can bring out additional PvP and daily quest updates in the official version of the Sodom and Gomorrah update," says FIAA spokeswoman Jane Lee in a press release from earlier today. GodStoria's PvP options are but a small portion of the Sodom and Gomorrah beta patch (which also includes new item sets). The update is currently scheduled to take a bow on December 21st.
And He said unto them: "Rename The Bible Online"
While it hasn't made quite the impact one might expect from the subject matter, The Bible Online has been soldiering along since it was first announced earlier this year. Unfortunately, the game's developers have found that the free-to-play browser-based game has a problem one would never think to be a real issue: the name isn't distinctive enough. Specifically, the name doesn't lend itself well to any sort of search engine optimization, and for a browser-based game, that's a pretty serious drawback. As a result, a contest is being held to rename the game with a more catchy (and search-engine-friendly) sobriquet, complete with a special prize being offered to the three best entries. Although the official announcement doesn't mention what the prize will be, it will most likely be some form of special in-game item or title. If you're playing The Bible Online or just interested in the name of the game, it might be worth throwing your hat into the ring.
The Daily Grind: Would you play a weird MMO?
Here at Massively, we've got a diverse range of opinions as to what constitutes a weird MMO, or a AAA MMO, or even an MMO, period. There's truly no accounting for personal taste, as a few of our writers stick to one or two MMOs, while others play any and every game that comes down the pipe (in both single- and multi-player genres). Occasionally though, MMOs come along that test our diverse interests (and in some cases, make us laugh). Whether it's the strange Michael Jackson MMO, the (presumably) well-intentioned but ultimately misguided use of the world's most popular IP, or any number of other weird titles, there are some games that simply leave us scratching our collective heads. What about you, Massively readers? Do either of the aforementioned bizarro-world titles (or any similar off-the-wall ones) interest you? Why or why not? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of our 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 The Daily Grind!
The Bible Online set for European launch
The Bible Online has been through a few phases of beta testing since the game's introduction at the end of August, and its popularity has been increasing. The first round of beta testing had over 2,500 participants, and the Bible Online forums have been increasingly active. The developers seem happy with the results, because they have declared the game nearly ready for launch in Europe. Beginning September 28th, this browser-based RTS will be officially open for business in Europe in both English-and-German-language versions. The beta servers are still up and running, so if you just can't wait to play Abraham and his descendants, check the game in its beta version.
This week on the MMO Report
We can't always get the warm security of the familiar, and this week the MMO Report drives that home with a special guest host. Yes, Casey Schreiner is off for the week, which leaves Blair Herter to fill in on a summary of the week's important MMO news. And going into a weekend with two major conventions that promises to be filled with news, it's probably for the best that you have a roundup of what you should be angry about before it happens. This week's edition covers the newest information to come out of The Secret World, the massive brouhaha that Final Fantasy XIV stirred up with the open beta and fatigue system, and ongoing woes of Realtime Worlds. There's also the Guild Wars 2 necromancer reveal, the announcement of The Bible Online, and the usual dip inside of the mailbag. If you can steel yourself against separation anxiety, you can find the newest episode with its guest host past the cut. As always, stay tuned for a new installment each week from G4tv and Massively.com.
The 11th Commandment: Thou shalt play The Bible Online
Tweet Blasphemy or Bible-tastic? The creators of The Bible Online hope that potential players will see their game as the latter. Announced last week, this MMORTS seeks to capitalize on both the world's most prolific IP and this up-and-coming online game fad. Currently in beta, The Bible Online is starting with the literal beginning -- Genesis -- for the first chapter of this possible epic. Players will follow the path of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as they travel the Middle East with their nomadic tribe. Standard RTS gameplay follows, as you'll collect resources, construct buildings and get into tussles with other tribes. FIAA certainly hopes to appeal to Bible believers, as the game is peppered with plenty of verses and quotes from Genesis. While the melding of the Word of God and MMOs may appear strange, the devs say that they have a lot more in common than you might expect: "There are also quests for users to experience Genesis according to the history of the Bible. For example, as it is written in Genesis 14:13-14, there is a quest for Abraham to lead 318 men to rescue his nephew Lot." You can check out the beta at The Bible Online.
