wurm
Latest
Free for All: The healing ability of instant access
Recently I received a diagnosis from my doctor that did not make me happy. While it was far from a death sentence, it was still pretty heavy news. Immediately I went into information-gathering mode, scouring the internet for other people's stories and possible outcomes. If any of you have gone through this sort of thing before, you know how this type of research can actually have the opposite effect on you, only making you feel worse. So, I decided to stop it. I had my medicine, I knew what I had to do, and I decided to concentrate on ending the speculative thinking. Worse case scenarios are just that, and life is filled with them. Worrying about what might happen in 40, 20 or even five years is sort of a waste of time. Yes, you must be prepared and need to make plans to cover any possibilities, but thinking about all those possibilities can cause stresses of their own, making the situation worse. I had enough of it pretty quickly. I'm not a down person most of the time. I wanted to forget about it for a while, so I sat down and loaded up a game that I had been missing lately. Click past the cut and see what I discovered.
The Daily Grind: What is the next MMO innovation?
Everyone knows how many World of Warcraft clones there are out there, right? "This is just WoW in space." "This is just WoW with tanks." "This is just WoW covered in chocolate." Just after WoW took the MMO world by storm, every gaming company decided that the WoW formula was the only way to make money in the industry. Now, however, we have started to see a move in other directions. But which innovation will come out on top? Some developers have really started to go back to the basics of sandbox gameplay -- like Wurm Online or Minecraft -- or have taken a console approach, like Global Agenda or DC Universe Online. So what do you think will be the next big innovation in MMOs? Will worlds get wider with more depth like EVE times 10? Perhaps they will be come more character-driven and linear like Star Wars: The Old Republic? It's possible that a first-person shooter will be the next MMO wave, isn't it? What do you think developers will make the next big thing? What do you want it to be? 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!
One Shots: Can't see your hand in front of your face
Normally, when it comes to One Shots, we prefer to leave them exactly as they're received. However, in the case of today's Wurm Online One Shots, if we didn't lighten it up a teensy bit, all you'd be able to see is a tiny pink moon and some shadowy outlines. Indeed, if you haven't taken care of building a torch in the game, you're likely going to land in a world of trouble -- or get stuck on a fence that's right in front of you and never know it. That said, Wurm Online is currently all the rage with a bunch of Massively staff and readers, such as Dan K. aka Tazuras, who writes in to explain this image: "After a perilous journey from The Hollow I finally arrived at Massively's village, Hindmania. After a long evening of framing my house and building a wooden fence, I stopped to admire the view looking down on the harbor." Are you exploring new lands? If so, we'd love to see screenshots of your adventures! Just send those to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing in the picture. Be sure your image is at least 1024px and has no visible UI elements. It could wind up being the next one we select and showcase here on Massively! %Gallery-112285%
Wurm Online adds new tutorial, hybrid F2P/P2P server
Wurm Online, the Java-based sandbox MMORPG from OneTwoFree AB, has undergone a bit of a Thanksgiving makeover. The game itself features a shiny new tutorial, while players now have access to the new Freedom server, a shard that integrates both paying customers and F2P types into a single space. Wurm features two account types, basic and premium, both of which may be created for free at the game's official website. Basic accounts function as an extended trial and feature limits on characteristics and skills (20) as well as faith and fervor (30). Basic accounts also cannot access The Wilds PvP server. "We think that it is best for the game if new players can play with the more experienced ones to learn the game and see the possibilities, and we have been taking a lot of precautions in order for this to work," says CEO and designer Rolf Jannson.
Wurm shows off post-summer update, teases epic server
Wurm Online, the free-to-play Java-based sandbox from OneTwoFree AB, has undergone a good-sized game update according to a news posting on the official website. The client has been tweaked to feature new graphics, sound, and code, all with the aim of polishing the game experience. In an email message sent out to players, the Wurm team also dropped hints about the forthcoming Epic server project. "It may be a good idea to return and wipe some rust off your RL skills before we open the Epic server since we expect something of a land rush and a mass return of old players. The release date is still to be announced, but make sure not to miss that event," says the message. Be sure to check out the full list of updates on the official Wurm website.
Wurm Online releases rockin' trailer
Last month we reported on a contest thrown by the developers of Wurm Online regarding lyrics needed for the racial theme songs. If that competition didn't quench your inner bard, head on over to their main site and check out the game's new trailer just released this weekend. It shows off some of the features in the game including grouping, building, fighting monsters and generally lots and lots of landscape panning. Plus, you'll have that theme song in your head the rest of the day, whether you want to or not./airguitarDespite the release of this trailer now, the game has actually been around for awhile. Earlier this month they celebrated their two-year anniversary. This feat is highlighted by the fact that it is basically run by one person and a team of global volunteers. Their funding comes almost entirely from premium subscribers (there is an option to play for free), but their low overhead has helped the game thrive for this long.
