Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Yet another D3 exploit, Star Citizen pay-to-win debate, and MOBA news]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/not-so-massively-yet-another-d3-exploit-star-citizen-pay-to-wi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/not-so-massively-yet-another-d3-exploit-star-citizen-pay-to-wi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/not-so-massively-yet-another-d3-exploit-star-citizen-pay-to-wi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively Yet another D3 exploit, Star Citizen paytowin debate, and MOBA news
Diablo III was hit with yet another exploit this week as players discovered a way to duplicate gold via a bug in the auction house. Blizzard responded by shutting down the auction house but did not perform a server rollback to reverse the damage. Star Citizen clarified its stance on the lifetime insurance available to veteran backers amidst debate over whether it gives early adopters an unfair advantage over other players. Path of Exile also released a new Letters of Wraeclast lore feature in its latest update, and MechWarrior Online's update 15 added a new Misery mech.

Dota 2 began preparations for its biggest world championship tournament yet with the release of a new Interactive Compendium that players can use to stay up to date with the matches. Rise of Immortals has now officially launched its Battle For Graxia revamp, and Infinite Crisis officially entered closed beta this week with the release of new champion The Joker. Finally, Smashmuck Champions released its hilarious new community-designed champion that's half platypus and half unicorn.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Yet another D3 exploit, Star Citizen pay-to-win debate, and MOBA news

MassivelyNot So Massively: Yet another D3 exploit, Star Citizen pay-to-win debate, and MOBA news originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    ]]>    action-rpgbatmanbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentchris-robertscloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingd3dcdc-comicsdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgothic-fantasygraxiaindieinfinite-crisisinsurancejokerkiz-studioslifetime-insurancemobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeropinionpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvprise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgsandboxsci-fismashmuckstar-citizensupermanthe-jokerturbinevalvevideovideoswarner-broswonder-womanWraeclastMon, 13 May 2013 20:00:00 EST    <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Could EVE use twitch controls?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/12/eve-evolved-could-eve-use-twitch-controls/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/12/eve-evolved-could-eve-use-twitch-controls/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/12/eve-evolved-could-eve-use-twitch-controls/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

    EVE Evolved Could EVE use twitch controls
    A few weeks ago, the EVE Online community went nuts for EVR, CCP's exciting new virtual reality dogfighter developed for the upcoming Oculus Rift gaming headset. The game demo was produced by a team of just a handful of developers in just seven weeks using nothing but their spare time, but attendees and press at EVE Fanfest 2013 were nevertheless blown away during test sessions. Though EVR isn't going to be integrated with the EVE universe, Senior Producer Andie Nordgren stated in her Keynote address that CCP will be looking into more immersive flight and combat mechanics for some the game's ships. This comment has sparked a lot of discussion over the possibility of finally getting some direct flight controls in EVE.

    The lack of direct twitch-based controls in EVE is often cited by gamers as a big part of the reason they can't get into the game. There's no active dodging of missiles, manual ship targeting, or really complex tactical maneuvers in EVE, but that's kind of the point. Most ships in EVE are colossal lumbering hulks more akin to today's seafaring battleships than fighter planes, and combat with them is more a game of strategy and teamwork than a battle of reaction speeds. But that isn't exactly true of all ships; interceptors and fast microwarpdrive frigates move at several kilometres per second and are so agile that pilots can already pull off some interesting tactical maneuvers. So isn't it about time we made the combat for those ships a bit more visceral and immersive?

    In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the fast-paced world of interceptors and explore how twitch controls and weapon aiming could possibly be implemented without killing the server.

    Continue reading EVE Evolved: Could EVE use twitch controls?

    MassivelyEVE Evolved: Could EVE use twitch controls? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      ]]>      Andie-Nordgrenccpccp-gamescontrolcontrolsdirectdirect-controlsdirect-flightDogfighterDogFightingevasiveeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedfrigateinterceptorinterceptorsmaneuvermanoeuvermanualopinionopinion-piecepilotpvpsandboxsci-fispeedtwitchtwitch-combattwitch-controlsvectorzig-zagSun, 12 May 2013 18:00:00 EST      <![CDATA[Not So Massively: MOBA patch week, Star Citizen hits $9 million, and Diablo II ladder reset]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/not-so-massively-moba-patch-week-star-citizen-hits-9-million/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/not-so-massively-moba-patch-week-star-citizen-hits-9-million/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/not-so-massively-moba-patch-week-star-citizen-hits-9-million/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

      Not So Massively MOBA patch week, Star Citizen hits $9 million, and Diablo II ladder reset
      This week is packed with MOBA news as almost every major title released a new patch. Infinite Crisis introduced new champions Poison Ivy and Gaslight Catwoman and announced that the game's closed beta will start in two days' time on May 8th. SMITE introduced new Norse god Fenrir the Unbound, and League of Legends released a champion spotlight on new Ice Witch champion Lissandra. Dota 2 also released new hero Elder Titan based on the original DotA hero Tauren Chieftain, and Heroes of Newerth released several months of balance changes at once in its colossal version 3.1 update.

      Star Citizen celebrated hitting $9 million US in its ongoing crowdfunding campaign, and to celebrate, developers controversially gave all current backers free lifetime insurance on their ships. The title's success has also spurred EVE Online developer CCP Games to show off its own virtual reality dogfighter called EVR that uses the upcoming Oculus Rift headset.

      Diablo III's first anniversary is just over a week away; details of any celebrations haven't yet been released. Developers confirmed that the PlayStation 4 version will not be getting mouse and keyboard support and that the PC version won't be getting support for analog controllers. For those of you up for some oldschool dungeon-crawling, Diablo II also announced that its ladder will be reset on May 14th this week and all players will start the game fresh again.

      Continue reading Not So Massively: MOBA patch week, Star Citizen hits $9 million, and Diablo II ladder reset

      MassivelyNot So Massively: MOBA patch week, Star Citizen hits $9 million, and Diablo II ladder reset originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 May 2013 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        ]]>        action-rpgbattlenetbetabeta-testbeta-testingblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcash-shopccpccp-gameschris-robertscompetitive-gamingconsoled3defense-of-the-ancientsdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotae-sporte-sportselder-titanesportesportseveeve-onlineevrexploitf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfreemiumgothic-fantasyhon-tourhontourice-witchinternet-spaceshipsladderladder-resetleagueleague-of-legendslissandralolmicrotransactionmicrotransactionsmobamultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmoculus-riftonline-multiplayeropinionpatch-1.0.8playstationplaystation-3playstation-4Playstation3premiumps4pvpriotriot-gamesroguelikeround-uprounduprpgsandboxsci-fispreadsheets-onlinetauren-chieftaintestingtrailertrailersvideovideosvirtual-realitywitch-doctorMon, 06 May 2013 22:00:00 EST        <![CDATA[EVE Online smashes PCU record during anniversary celebrations]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/eve-online-smashes-pcu-record-during-anniversary-celebrations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/eve-online-smashes-pcu-record-during-anniversary-celebrations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/eve-online-smashes-pcu-record-during-anniversary-celebrations/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

        EVE Online smashes PCU record during anniversary celebrations
        Sci-fi MMO EVE Online has seen phenomenal success recently, from breaking through the 500,000 subscriber boundary to successfully relaunching in China. The game officially turned ten years old today, and CCP celebrated the occasion with events and gifts for all current subcribers. The part-jovian Gnosis battlecruiser was given to every subscribed account at midnight last night and can be claimed before the end of the month, and players logging in yesterday or today will have found a whole slew of bonus gifts.

        EVE smashed its previous Peak Concurrent User total during the festivities by a clear margin, replacing 2011's record of 63,170 with a new figure of 65,303 players logged in simultaneously. Part of the reason for the record was the huge number of player-run events taking place that evening, such as the ever-popular Flight of a Thousand Rifters. The event saw almost 2,500 players join together to take down player Marlona Sky's expensive supercarrier. Most of the participants were in small frigates like Rifters and ended up being easy prey when a nullsec sniper Loki fleet turned up. The event was nevertheless a massive success and huge fun for those involved. Continue reading for a gallery of screenshots from the event and video footage from player Scott Manley.

        Continue reading EVE Online smashes PCU record during anniversary celebrations

        MassivelyEVE Online smashes PCU record during anniversary celebrations originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 May 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        ]]>        anniversaryccpccp-gamesemergent-gameplayeveeve-onlineflight-of-a-thousand-riftersgnosisinternet-spaceshipsmarlona-skypvprifterrifterssandboxsci-fiscott-manleyspreadsheets-onlineten-year-anniversaryten-yearsthousand-riftersMon, 06 May 2013 13:30:00 EST        <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Ten years of EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/05/eve-evolved-ten-years-of-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/05/eve-evolved-ten-years-of-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/05/eve-evolved-ten-years-of-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

        EVE Evolved Ten years of EVE Online
        Tomorrow marks a huge milestone in MMO history as sci-fi sandbox EVE Online officially turns ten years old. Released by a tiny icelandic development studio whose only previous release was a board game featuring Reykjavik's favourite cross-dressing mayor, EVE has slowly grown over the past decade to become one of the industry's biggest and most stable subscription titles. Following 2011's monoclegate scandal that led to around 8% of players quitting and CCP Games shedding 20% of its employees, this year saw EVE Online climb to new heights as it regained the playerbase's confidence and smashed the 500,000 subscriber barrier. As a special side-note, the EVE Evolved column also turned five years old last week; it has now officially been running for over half of EVE's lifetime.

        The past year has been remarkably successful for CCP, with both of the year's EVE expansions being extremely well received and console MMOFPS DUST 514 finally starting to take shape. The Inferno and Retribution expansions fixed a staggering number of small issues that were broken in the game while also making big changes to bounty-hunting, piracy, and PvP across the board. We also saw huge emergent events like the Battle of Asakai, a $6,000 ship kill, and the five trillion ISK faction warfare exploit this year. With DUST 514 officially launching in just over a week on May 14th and players fired up about the upcoming Odyssey expansion, the future's looking bright for EVE Online as it heads into its second decade.

        In this week's EVE Evolved, I look back at some of year's top EVE stories, stories that touched real life, and what the future holds for EVE's second decade.

        Continue reading EVE Evolved: Ten years of EVE Online

        MassivelyEVE Evolved: Ten years of EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          ]]>          6000-dollarsanniversaryanniversary-eventbounty-huntingcapsuleerccpccp-gamesconsolecrimewatchcynocyno-vigildeaddeathdecadedustdust-514eveeve-evolvedeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeve-sourceexpansionexpansionsexploitfaction-warfarefanfestfeaturedfpsinfernointernet-spaceshipsinterviewinterviewskillkillmailkillmailslibyammofpsnuke-them-from-orbitodysseyopinionpiracyplaystationplaystation-3ps3pvpretributionsafetysandboxsci-fisean-smithsecond-decadeship-killshooterspreadsheets-onlineten-year-anniversaryten-yearsten-years-oldthe-second-decadetrailervideovigilvile-ratweapon-safetySun, 05 May 2013 18:00:00 EST          <![CDATA[Not So Massively: Cash MOBA tournaments, Diablo III's latest exploit, and city-building with Prime World]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/not-so-massively-cash-moba-tournaments-diablo-iiis-latest-exp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/not-so-massively-cash-moba-tournaments-diablo-iiis-latest-exp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/29/not-so-massively-cash-moba-tournaments-diablo-iiis-latest-exp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

          Not So Massively title image
          Details of this year's $1,600,000 US Dota 2 world championship have been released ahead of next month's qualifiers for the remaining three competitor spots. Heroes of Newerth began gearing up for its own tournament at DreamHack Summer 2013 with details of a qualifier tournament to determine which teams will face off at the event. Team Stay Green may be in with a chance if it enters, as the group just took home $32,000 US following a decisive win in the HoNTour grand finals.

          A new Diablo III exploit that allowed Witch Doctors to farm XP by repeatedly killing their pets was discovered this week and promptly hotfixed. Riot Games released spotlight videos for newly revamped League of Legends champions Trundle and Sejuani, and CLG pro gamer Peter "Doublelift" Peng discussed his challenging road to success and heartbreaking family issues in a fantastic short documentary for Machinima.

          Turbine released details of two new Infinite Crisis champions this week with video spotlights on hulking brute Doomsday and the gadget-wielding Gaslight Batman. Russian success Prime World let press into the English language beta for a first look at its castle-building and MOBA style gameplay. Rise of Immortals geared up for the official launch of its Battle For Graxia game overhaul with the addition of a new reputation system. And Star Citizen developer Chris Roberts revealed that he's been holding off on accepting investor deals because of the success of the game's crowdfunding campaigns.

          Continue reading Not So Massively: Cash MOBA tournaments, Diablo III's latest exploit, and city-building with Prime World

          MassivelyNot So Massively: Cash MOBA tournaments, Diablo III's latest exploit, and city-building with Prime World originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            ]]>            action-rpgbatmanbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbugcash-prizecash-tournamentcastlechris-robertsclgcloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingcounter-logic-gamingcrowdfundingcrowdsourcingd3dcdc-comicsdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2dreamhackdreamhack-2013dreamhack-summerdreamhack-summer-2012e-sporte-sportsesportesportsexploitf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgaslightgaslight-batmangothic-fantasygraxiaheroes-of-newerthhonhon-tourhontourinfinite-crisisinvestinginvestmentjokerleague-of-legendslolmobamultiplayernewsnivalnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesprime-worldpro-gamingprofessional-gamingpvevppvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessandboxsci-fistar-citizensupermanswedenthe-internationalthe-international-2013the-jokertournamentturbinevalvevideowarner-broswitch-doctorwonder-womanMon, 29 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST            <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Hands-on with EVE's virtual reality demo]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/eve-evolved-hands-on-with-eves-virtual-reality-demo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/eve-evolved-hands-on-with-eves-virtual-reality-demo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/28/eve-evolved-hands-on-with-eves-virtual-reality-demo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

            EVE Evolved Handson with EVE's virtual reality demo
            As EVE Online's tenth anniversary Fanfest slowly got underway, the press were led into a small upstairs room with chairs lined up and ominous-looking black headsets. The headsets turned out to be expensive prototype devkits of the Oculus Rift, a recently kickstarted PC peripheral that aims to make immersive virtual reality affordable for gamers. VR headsets are traditionally heavy monstrosities costing thousands of pounds and usually have input processing lag that make them unsuitable for high-action gaming, but the Oculus Rift is a light and highly responsive device currently clocking in at a more reasonable $300.

            We were sat down to take part in a demo of EVR, a new virtual reality multiplayer dogfighter that uses art assets from EVE Online. It was an incredibly immersive experience for those of us unfamiliar with the Oculus Rift, and even members of the press who had used the device seemed impressed with the game. Fanfest attendees were equally excited when a trailer for EVR was shown at the EVE Keynote on Friday, and many attendees got to try the game first hand last night. But what impressed me the most was the story behind the demo's creation and the possibilities that Oculus Rift could potentially open up if support for it were brought to EVE Online.

            In this week's EVE Evolved, I give my hands-on impressions of EVR, delve into the story behind its creation, and speculate on how Oculus Rift support could revolutionise EVE.

            Continue reading EVE Evolved: Hands-on with EVE's virtual reality demo

            MassivelyEVE Evolved: Hands-on with EVE's virtual reality demo originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              ]]>              20-percent20-percent-time20-timedogfightingeveeve-evolvedeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-keynoteeve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eve-virtual-realityeventevent-coverageevrfanfestfeaturedgoogleicelandjon-landermassively-event-coverageoculus-riftrekyjavikstar-citizentrailerunity-3dvideovirtual-realitySun, 28 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST              <![CDATA[EVE Fanfest 2013 final day: Trailers, EVE's TV show, and a vision for the future]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/eve-fanfest-2013-final-day-new-trailer-a-vision-for-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/eve-fanfest-2013-final-day-new-trailer-a-vision-for-the-future/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/eve-fanfest-2013-final-day-new-trailer-a-vision-for-the-future/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

              EVE Fanfest 2013 final day New trailer, a vision for the future, EVE TV show and more
              We usually don't expect to see much from the final day of the EVE Fanfest, but for this year's tenth anniversary celebration, CCP isn't doing anything by half measures. The first two days of the event had a strong focus on DUST 514 and EVE Online, delving into the specific details of DUST's upcoming Uprising update and EVE's Odyssey expansion. I went into the convention centre today expecting a nice slow wind down with the usual CCP Presents keynote looking at the state of the company, but I left with several huge reveals that seemed to come out of nowhere.

              Not only did we find out that EVE Online is finally getting a collector's edition box full of goodies, but CCP revealed that a new EVE comic book and lore compendium are both on the way. As if that weren't enough, there's also an EVE TV series in the works based on player-submitted stories of true events inside the EVE universe. I couldn't help escaping the feeling, though, that this year's CCP Presents talk was more than a little marketing-oriented. As one of the press put it to me after the talk, it felt at times like watching an infomercial. On the plus side, we did get to see more of CCP's future vision for the EVE universe and an amazing new trailer showing the game's core storyline.

              Read on to check out the incredible EVE Universe Origins trailer and my summary of the final day of Fanfest 2013.

              Continue reading EVE Fanfest 2013 final day: Trailers, EVE's TV show, and a vision for the future

              MassivelyEVE Fanfest 2013 final day: Trailers, EVE's TV show, and a vision for the future originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Apr 2013 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                ]]>                andie-nordgrenccp-seagullcollectors-editioneveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eventevent-coveragefanfestfeaturedfive-year-planfive-year-visiongnosisicelandmassively-event-coverageoriginsplayer-owned-stationrekyjavikrifterstargateStargatestrailerusbusb-hubvideovisionSat, 27 Apr 2013 23:30:00 EST                <![CDATA[True stories of EVE Online to become comic book and TV series]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/true-stories-of-eve-online-to-become-comic-book-and-tv-series/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/true-stories-of-eve-online-to-become-comic-book-and-tv-series/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/true-stories-of-eve-online-to-become-comic-book-and-tv-series/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                True stories of EVE Online to become comic book and TV series
                The CCP Presents Keynote at the annual EVE Online Fanfest is usually a fairly tame retrospective on how CCP has a company has done the past year and where it's going in the future, but for EVE's tenth anniversary, CCP broke out the big guns. In addition to announcing a massive new collector's edition, the studio has also revealed plans to turn real stories of events inside the sandbox into professional comic books and even a TV series.

                Industry giant Dark Horse Comics, the company responsible for comics like Hellboy and Sin City, will be publishing the 54-page graphic novel this winter in both a paid-for print form and a free digital download. For the lore buffs among us, Dark Horse will also be producing a colossal 184-page glossy colour hardback book covering all of the NPC backstory and lore behind EVE Online and DUST 514. Titled EVE Source, the book will be an in-character almanac of everything in the EVE setting that isn't player-created and will even include previously unreleased concept art.

                Continue reading True stories of EVE Online to become comic book and TV series

                MassivelyTrue stories of EVE Online to become comic book and TV series originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Apr 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                  ]]>                  comiccomicsdark-horsedark-horse-comicsdust-514eveeve-comiceve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-filmeve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eve-sourceeve-tveve-tv-serieseve-videoeventevent-coveragefactionsfanfestfilmhellboyicelandlorelore-booklore-booksmassively-event-coveragenewsnpc-storyrekyjaviksin-citystorylinestorylinestelevisiontvSat, 27 Apr 2013 15:30:00 EST                  <![CDATA[EVE Online Second Decade collector's edition revealed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/eve-online-second-decade-collectors-edition-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/eve-online-second-decade-collectors-edition-revealed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/27/eve-online-second-decade-collectors-edition-revealed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                  EVE Online Second Decade collector's edition revealed
                  Moments ago at EVE Online's tenth anniversary Fanfest, CCP revealed plans for its Second Decade Collector's Edition box. EVE never really had a proper collector's edition, and the tenth anniversary of the game is the perfect opportunity to release one. The box will come with an awesome physical Rifter model that doubles as a USB hub, a CD of the tenth anniversary EVE symphony from this year's Fanfest, and a series of codes to redeem to cosmetic items in EVE Online and DUST 514. The box is due for release in October 2013 and on the EVE store and Amazon and can be pre-purhased right now for $149.99 (€149.99 for those in Europe).

                  Cosmetic upgrades for EVE include a new golden pod skin that applies permanently to one character, some new bloodline-based in-game clothing, and several collector's edition ships. Players will get a five-run blueprint copy of the tenth anniversary Gnosis battlecruiser and a re-skinned red Tash-Murkon Magnate, and pre-purchasers will get a bonus Nefnatar Thrasher. DUST 514 items include a set of permanant Amarr templar drop suits and weapons with the same stats as normal items but lower skill requirements.

                  Continue reading EVE Online Second Decade collector's edition revealed

                  MassivelyEVE Online Second Decade collector's edition revealed originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                    ]]>                    3d-modelsamarranniversarybreakingcollectors-editiondecadedropsuitsdustdust-514eveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eve-symphonyeventevent-coveragefanfestgnosisicelandmassively-event-coverageNefnatarnefnatar-thrasherorchestrarekyjavikriftersecond-decadesymphonytash-murkontash-murkon-magnatetemplartemplar-dropsuitthrasherusbusb-hubSat, 27 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST                    <![CDATA[EVE Fanfest 2013 day two: World of Darkness, Odyssey, and EVE Virtual Reality with the Oculus Rift]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-fanfest-2013-day-two-world-of-darkness-odyssey-and-eve-vi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-fanfest-2013-day-two-world-of-darkness-odyssey-and-eve-vi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-fanfest-2013-day-two-world-of-darkness-odyssey-and-eve-vi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                    EVE Fanfest 2013 day two World of Darkness, Odyssey, and EVE Virtual Reality with the Oculus Rift
                    EVE Online's tenth anniversary Fanfest promised to be its biggest yet, with over 1,400 players packed into Iceland's Harpa convention centre to find out the latest on EVE Online, DUST 514, and World of Darkness. The first day focused mainly on DUST and its link with the EVE universe, but today the focus largely switched back to internet spaceships. There were plenty of roundtable discussions, and the CSM and Alliance panels were as awesome as ever, but it was the EVE Keynote that really blew the crowd away.

                    The day got off to a good start with the highly anticipated World of Darkness talk. Most fans were probably expecting to see more airy game design ideas and another shiny trailer, but this year CCP just came out and put all its cards on the table. We saw that the game is still firmly in pre-production, with much of the previous work going into developing the engine and cool content creation tools and shaders. While I was initially disappointed at the lack of gameplay progress or shiny cinematics, I found this approach of being open and direct with fans very refreshing. As I told WoD art director Thomas Holt, honest beats shiny every time.

                    Read on for a full run-down of the EVE reveals from the second day of EVE's tenth anniversary Fanfest, including in-depth details of the Odyssey expansion's features.

                    Continue reading EVE Fanfest 2013 day two: World of Darkness, Odyssey, and EVE Virtual Reality with the Oculus Rift

                    MassivelyEVE Fanfest 2013 day two: World of Darkness, Odyssey, and EVE Virtual Reality with the Oculus Rift originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      ]]>                      anniversaryarchaeologyarcheologyccp-soundwavediscovery-scannereveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eventevent-coverageevtfanfestfeaturedgraphicshackinghilmarhilmar-peturssonhilmar-veigar-peturssonicelandisotopesjon-landerjump-effectjumpingkeynotemassively-event-coverageminingoculus-riftodysseyorepreviewpreviewsprobeprobesprobingpvepvprekyjavikscan-probesscannerscanningstarbase-fuelstargatestargatesten-yearsthomas-holtvideovideoswodworld-of-darknessFri, 26 Apr 2013 23:30:00 EST                      <![CDATA[EVE Online plans major mining and industry revamp for Odyssey]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-online-plans-major-mining-and-industry-revamp-for-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-online-plans-major-mining-and-industry-revamp-for-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/eve-online-plans-major-mining-and-industry-revamp-for-odyssey/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

                      EVE Online plans major mining and industry revamp for Odyssey
                      Details of EVE Online's exploration-focused Odyssey expansion have been floating around since PAX East, but it seems the company saved some pretty huge changes to reveal at this year's tenth anniversary Fanfest. In two massive devblogs accompanying today's EVE Online Keynote speech, CCP Fozzie discussed plans to overhaul EVE's entire resource distribution system. Everything from asteroid and ice mining to moon harvesting and nullsec industry will be affected by the revamp.

                      Miners will find their ice belts have been moved from static locations to hidden exploration sites that have to be scanned down, but to compensate it will now mine at double the normal rate. Normal asteroid mining in lowsec and nullsec is also due for a buff with the addition of large quantities of low-end minerals. Hidden asteroid belts will no longer need to be probed down but can be quickly located with the new Discovery scanner, and to top it off there'll even be new high quality ore sites that can only be found in prime areas of nullsec.

                      Outpost industrial infrastructure is due for an update with new purchaseable upgrade paths expanding factory, office and research lab capabilities to the same level as fully-fledged empire stations. Lastly, moon minerals are finally being addressed with a redistribution of rare materials and several new reaction paths to bypass current bottlenecks. A lot of value will be moved from Technetium back to rarer materials like Thulium, Neodymium, Promethium and Dysprosium, and new supplies of all four will be distributed randomly into moons across the universe. Re-scan all of your nearby moons when Odyssey lands because it could suddenly be worth a fortune!

                      Whether you're a die-hard fan of internet spaceships or just a gawker on the sidelines, EVE Fanfest is the EVE Online event of the year (and the key source of new DUST 514 and World of Darkness scoops!). Follow Massively's Brendan Drain as he reports back on this year's Fanfest starpower, scheming, and spoilers from exotic Reykjavik, Iceland.

                      MassivelyEVE Online plans major mining and industry revamp for Odyssey originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                      ]]>                      asteroidasteroidsdysprosiumeveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eventevent-coveragefanfesticeicelandmassively-event-coverageminingneodymiumorepromethiumrekyjavikstarbasestarbase-fueltechnetiumthuliumFri, 26 Apr 2013 18:30:00 EST                      <![CDATA[World of Darkness development shown at EVE Fanfest 2013]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/world-of-darkness-development-shown-at-eve-fanfest-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/world-of-darkness-development-shown-at-eve-fanfest-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/world-of-darkness-development-shown-at-eve-fanfest-2013/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

                      World of Darkness development shown at EVE Fanfest 2013
                      When the World of Darkness MMO was first announced in November 2006, it was just an idea and we knew that it wouldn't be released any time soon. The chance to play a sandbox game set in the Vampire: The Masquerade universe nevertheless made fans of the series go nuts, but now over six years later we haven't seen much progress on the game. At EVE Fanfest 2013 today, CCP laid the current state of development bare for all to see and showed some plans for the coming year. There are now 70 people on the WoD team, and they've spent the past week working on everything from art tools and server infrastructure to vampire powers and social options.


                      "You're a powerful, immortal lord of the night. You don't want to stitch a shirt."
                      Development plans for 2013 include working on out-of-game web-based social tools, clothing systems, and PvE game environments. There are also plans to work on item creation, but direct crafting is probably not on the cards. As the presenter put it, "You're a powerful, immortal lord of the night. You don't want to stitch a shirt." Though the game is still in the pre-production stage, CCP was keen to show off the tools it's made to speed up the development process. "Some of these videos are a bit dry and technical," joked the presenter, but it came across as more real and honest than another trailer or musings on theoretical gameplay.

                      Continue reading World of Darkness development shown at EVE Fanfest 2013

                      MassivelyWorld of Darkness development shown at EVE Fanfest 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                        ]]>                        breakingdevelopmentDirectX-11dx11eveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eventevent-coveragefanfestgame-developmentgraphicsicelandmassively-event-coveragerekyjaviksandboxvampirevampire-the-masqueradewodworld-of-darknessworld-of-darkness-onlineFri, 26 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST                        <![CDATA[What to expect from EVE Fanfest today: World of Darkness, EVE Keynote, and an interview with Jon Lander]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/what-to-expect-from-eve-fanfest-2013-world-of-darkness-eve-key/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/what-to-expect-from-eve-fanfest-2013-world-of-darkness-eve-key/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/what-to-expect-from-eve-fanfest-2013-world-of-darkness-eve-key/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                        What to expect from EVE Fanfest 2013 World of Darkness, EVE Keynote, and an interview with Jon lander
                        The second day of EVE Fanfest 2013 is now underway, and the schedule is packed! Today kicks off with a highly anticipated talk on World of Darkness at 7:00 a.m. EDT, and continues with the CSM Panel at 8:00 a.m. EDT, Alliance Panel at 9:00 a.m. EDT and Art Panel at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The CSM and Alliance panels are usually filled with hilarious banter, but this year the CSM Panel happens at the same time as the Faction Warfare roundtable and a talk on DUST 514 planet conquering in lowsec. The big event today is of course the EVE Online Keynote at 1:00 p.m. EDT, where we'll find out details of the upcoming Odyssey expansion.

                        World of Darkness is still pretty early in development, so the presentation will be talking mostly about the tools being used to build it. We're unlikely to get a release schedule or any solid gameplay demos, but with developers raving about their internal play-tests I expect to see some serious progress compared to last year. Since the CSM panel is likely being streamed, I'll try to hit up the Faction Warfare roundtable and see what CCP's current thoughts are on how to improve this aging game system.

                        Continue reading What to expect from EVE Fanfest today: World of Darkness, EVE Keynote, and an interview with Jon Lander

                        MassivelyWhat to expect from EVE Fanfest today: World of Darkness, EVE Keynote, and an interview with Jon Lander originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                          ]]>                          alliance-panelcouncil-of-stellar-managementcsmcsm-paneldust-514eveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-keynoteeve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eventevent-coveragefaction-warfarefactional-warfarefanfesticelandinternet-spaceshipskeynotemassively-event-coverageodysseyrekyjavikroundtablewodworld-of-darknessFri, 26 Apr 2013 07:00:00 EST                          <![CDATA[EVE Fanfest 2013 day one: DUST 514, wormholes, and lowsec PvP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/eve-fanfest-2013-day-one-dust-514-wormholes-and-lowsec-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/eve-fanfest-2013-day-one-dust-514-wormholes-and-lowsec-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/eve-fanfest-2013-day-one-dust-514-wormholes-and-lowsec-pvp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                          EVE Fanfest 2013 day one roundup DUST 514, wormholes, lowsec PvP and Retribution
                          The 10th anniversary EVE Online Fanfest is beyond massive, with over 1,400 players piling into Reykjavik's Harpa building for three days of intense internet spaceshippery. Players fly from across the world to meet their corpmates and chat with other players as passionate about EVE as they are. CCP runs a packed schedule of game design presentations, reveals, and roundtable discussions with players, but for many attendees, the event is about being a part of a tight-knit community that usually exists only inside a game server.

                          CCP made the bold statement to the press team this morning that its goal is "to create virtual worlds more meaningful than real life," and with so many people flying across the world to meet other players face to face, I'd say the studio has succeeded. Today saw talks on EVE's hugely successful Retribution expansion, ship rebalancing, map generation in DUST 514, and lowsec PvP, and of course, we attended the DUST 514 keynote speech. There were also some hilarious shenanigans with the wormhole roundtable room filling to bursting and a guest science lecture on the possibility of faster than light travel in real life.

                          Continue reading EVE Fanfest 2013 day one: DUST 514, wormholes, and lowsec PvP

                          MassivelyEVE Fanfest 2013 day one: DUST 514, wormholes, and lowsec PvP originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                            ]]>                            ccpccp-gamesconsoledustdust-514eveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eventevent-coveragefanfestfeaturedfpsgraphicsicelandinternet-spaceshipslowsecmassively-event-coveragemmofpsnewspiracypirateplanetary-interactionplaystationplaystation-3previewpreviewsps3pvprekyjaviksandboxsci-fishooterspreadsheets-onlineterritorial-controlvideovideoswormholewormhole-explorationwormholesThu, 25 Apr 2013 23:00:00 EST                            <![CDATA[What to expect from EVE Fanfest 2013 today: DUST 514 keynote and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/what-to-expect-from-eve-fanfest-2013-today-dust-514-keynote-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/what-to-expect-from-eve-fanfest-2013-today-dust-514-keynote-and/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/25/what-to-expect-from-eve-fanfest-2013-today-dust-514-keynote-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                            What to expect from EVE Fanfest 2013 Day 1
                            EVE Online's colossal tenth anniversary Fanfest hasn't even officially begun, but the excitement from attendees is already practically palpable. The Reykjavik nightlife has been invaded by hundreds of foreigners yelling about internet spaceships as players from around the world reunite with their online comrades and meet corpmates for the first time. Over the course of the weekend, a record 1,400 EVE fans and hundreds more press and partners will flood into the Harpa building for non-stop news and festivities from EVE Online, DUST 514, and World of Darkness.

                            The talks and events start later today, but last night CCP kicked off the festivities with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra delivering stunning renditions of tracks from the EVE Online soundtrack. Today, I'll be reporting back from key talks including the Retribution expansion roundup at 8 a.m. EDT (noon GMT), ship rebalancing at 9 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. GMT), lowsec PvP and crimewatch at noon EDT (4 p.m. GMT), and of course, the DUST 514 keynote speech at 2 p.m. EDT (6 p.m. GMT). I may also be able to join in on the roundtable discussion on wormholes and live events at 10 a.m. EDT (2 p.m. GMT) for an inside look at CCP's current thoughts. Check out the Fanfest timetable and let me know if there's something interesting you think I should try to squeeze in.

                            I'd expect the tone of these talks to be one of looking back at another successful year and the great player response to the Retribution expansion. We probably won't hear much of anything about the Odyssey expansion today, but I do expect some big DUST 514 news from the keynote. While many are probably hoping for word of a PC release, I'd be very surprised to see CCP actually do it. We'll most likely just get a release schedule for the PS3 launch and possibly footage of the game running on a PS4 devkit. I'm personally also hoping for more details on post-release updates such as the ability for DUST corps to own and manage their own territory and industrial supply chains.

                            Whether you're a die-hard fan of internet spaceships or just a gawker on the sidelines, EVE Fanfest is the EVE Online event of the year (and the key source of new DUST 514 and World of Darkness scoops!). Follow Massively's Brendan Drain as he reports back on this year's Fanfest starpower, scheming, and spoilers from exotic Reykjavik, Iceland.

                            MassivelyWhat to expect from EVE Fanfest 2013 today: DUST 514 keynote and more originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                              ]]>                              dustdust-514dust-514-keynoteeveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeve-online-fanfesteve-online-fanfest-2013eventevent-coveragefanfestharpaicelandicelandickeynotekeynote-speechlive-eventslowsecmassively-event-coveragemusicorchestraorchestralpvprekyjavikround-tableroundtableroundtable-discussionssandboxsci-fisymphonywormhole-explorationwormholesThu, 25 Apr 2013 02:00:00 EST                              <![CDATA[Not So Massively: New Star Citizen column, Path of Exile Season Two, and MOBA news]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/not-so-massively-new-star-citizen-column-path-of-exile-season/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/not-so-massively-new-star-citizen-column-path-of-exile-season/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/22/not-so-massively-new-star-citizen-column-path-of-exile-season/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                              Not So Massively title image
                              If you've been following the development of upcoming crowdfunded sci-fi sandbox Star Citizen with interest, Massively has a brand-new column you might enjoy. The Diablo III test realm hinted at upcoming boosts to life regeneration and the damage output of a few spells, but Blizzard also suggested that a nerf to the Wizard Archon Form might be on the way. Path of Exile started its second season of race events, with over 200 events to take part in and massive prizes to be won.

                              Third-person MOBA SMITE added the 34th god to its roster this week with acrobatic assassin Ne Zha entering the fray, and Guardians of Middle-Earth released new DLC character Kili the Dwarf. Rise of Immortals added support for game replays and introduced and interesting new White Knight feature that lets players take over from characters who have disconnected or quit in the middle of a game.

                              Heroes of Newerth announced a huge upcoming balance patch that may finally get rid of the paid-for early hero access and promises to rebalance much of the game's expansive roster of characters. Dota 2's streamlined abuse report update backfired when players discovered they could use the report feature itself to abuse other players. And Firefall may finally be edging toward release with the announcement of a date for the start of open beta.

                              Continue reading Not So Massively: New Star Citizen column, Path of Exile Season Two, and MOBA news

                              MassivelyNot So Massively: New Star Citizen column, Path of Exile Season Two, and MOBA news originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                ]]>                                abuseaction-mmoaction-rpgArmillary-Sashbalance-patchbattle-for-graxiabattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingconsoled3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2dwarfe-sporte-sportseaearly-accessesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfire-batsfree-to-playgothic-fantasygraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthheroes-of-newerthhonhon-tourkilileague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmeldingmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayerne-zhanewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeropen-betapatchpatchespath-of-exilepetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpray-of-frostred-5-studiosreplayriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessandboxsci-fistar-citizenterrauniverse-ringvalvevideowarner-broswhite-knightwhite-knight-queuewitch-doctorwizardwrath-of-the-lich-kingxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST                                <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Five years of EVE Evolved]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/21/eve-evolved-five-years-of-eve-evolved/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/21/eve-evolved-five-years-of-eve-evolved/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/21/eve-evolved-five-years-of-eve-evolved/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                EVE Evolved title image
                                About five years ago, on April 27th, 2008, I joined the Massively team and wrote the very first issue of the EVE Evolved column. Five years later, the column is still going strong and delivering its weekly dose of EVE Online to thousands of readers. I used to worry about running out of ideas to write about, but regular game updates and hilarious player shenanigans mean there's always something interesting going on in New Eden. When EVE hits its 10th anniversary in May, this column will have been running for just over half of the game's lifetime. In that time, I've written over 250 in-depth articles, guides, in-game stories and opinion pieces on EVE Online and a few on DUST 514.

                                As usual, I'll be celebrating this anniversary by rounding up this year's column highlights and giving away two 30-day Pilot's License Extensions to two lucky readers. To enter the competition, write a comment explaining which EVE Evolved articles from this year you liked best and what topics you'd like to see covered in the coming year. You will need an active EVE account to claim the prize, so be sure to include your character name in your comment if you want to be in with a chance. If you'd rather not give out your character name or don't have an EVE account but would like to give the game a go, you can sign up a new trial account and use the name of your new character.

                                In this week's EVE Evolved, I look back at the highlights from the column's fifth year!

                                Continue reading EVE Evolved: Five years of EVE Evolved

                                MassivelyEVE Evolved: Five years of EVE Evolved originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                  ]]>                                  anetanniversaryapocryphaasakaibaitingbounty-hunterbounty-huntingccpccp-gamesconsolecrimewatchcruisersdecadedustdust-514eoneveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexpansionsexplorationfeaturedfive-year-anniversaryfive-yearsfpsfrigatesgame-designguideguideshistoryhulkinfernolowsecmmofpsnyphurodysseyopinionopinion-piecepiracyplaystationplaystation-3ps3pvepvpretributionrisk-vs-rewardsandboxsci-fiship-fittingship-fittingsship-setupsshooterspeculationstoriesstorystorytellingthe-battle-for-caldari-primewormholewormholesSun, 21 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST                                  <![CDATA[Not So Massively: D3's patch 1.0.8, Dota 2 DDoS, and Prime World's closed beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/15/not-so-massively-d3s-patch-1-0-8-dota-2-ddos-and-prime-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/15/not-so-massively-d3s-patch-1-0-8-dota-2-ddos-and-prime-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/15/not-so-massively-d3s-patch-1-0-8-dota-2-ddos-and-prime-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                  Not So Massively title image
                                  Patch 1.0.8 was released to the Diablo III public test realm this week, adding some big multiplayer upgrades and fixing quality of life issues with the Wizard class, crafting and the auction house. Path of Exile published its first series of articles in a new Development Manifesto forum looking into the thought process behind upcoming game changes and features. And sci-fi sandbox Star Citizen tackled the age-old problem of letting players have unique names without breaking immersion.

                                  The European Dota 2 servers experienced heavy disruption this week as what appears to be a DDoS attack interfered with the DreamHack Invitationals and the G-1 qualifier tournament. A research firm also claimed that the game had recently passed giant of League of Legends in peak concurrent users despite publicly released statistics to the contrary.

                                  Following on from its huge success in Russia, castle-building MOBA Prime World officially entered its English-language closed beta this week. Newly announced DC Comics MOBA Infinite Crisis released a champion profile video on new hero Green Lantern, and Heroes of Newerth published a classic hero spotlight on fan-favourite Devourer.

                                  Continue reading Not So Massively: D3's patch 1.0.8, Dota 2 DDoS, and Prime World's closed beta

                                  MassivelyNot So Massively: D3's patch 1.0.8, Dota 2 DDoS, and Prime World's closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                    ]]>                                    action-mmoaction-rpgarchonauction-housebatmanbattlenetbetablizzardblizzard-entertainmentcallsigncastlechampion-profilechampion-spotlightchampion-spotlight-videocitycity-buildingclosed-betacloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingd3dcdc-comicsddosdeckard-caindenial-of-servicedenial-of-service-attackdevelopment-manifestodevourerdfcdfc-intelligencediablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidosdotadota-2dreamhacke-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playg-1gothic-fantasygreen-lanterngrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshandlehero-spotlightheroes-of-newerthhoninfinite-crisisjokerleague-of-legendslolmobamultiplayernamenewsnivalnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeropen-betapath-of-exilepeak-concurrent-userspoeprime-worldpvevppvpriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessandboxsci-fistar-citizenstay-a-while-and-read-my-booksteamsupermanteleportthe-jokertournamentturbineusernamevalvevideowarner-broswizardwonder-womanMon, 15 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST                                    <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Massively's plans for EVE Fanfest 2013]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/14/eve-evolved-massivelys-plans-for-eve-fanfest-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/14/eve-evolved-massivelys-plans-for-eve-fanfest-2013/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/14/eve-evolved-massivelys-plans-for-eve-fanfest-2013/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                    EVE Evolved title image
                                    There's just over a week to go until EVE Online's massive tenth anniversary Fanfest, and you'll be pleased to hear that Massively will be there this year to cover the action! CCP is aiming to make this the biggest Fanfest yet, promising huge reveals and announcements about EVE's summer Odyssey expansion and beyond. We can also expect to hear some big news about upcoming console MMOFPS DUST 514, and fans of Vampire: The Masquerade will undoubtedly get to see some of the year's progress toward making the World of Darkness MMO a reality.

                                    Tickets to this year's Fanfest sold out in record time, so many players who really wanted to be there for EVE's tenth anniversary celebration weren't able to secure a spot. CCP is running its usual livestream of the main talks for those not in attendance, but only certain parts of the event are being streamed. Here at Massively, we plan to give you an inside look at Fanfest with ongoing news coverage from April 25th to April 27th and in-depth opinion pieces on what each announcement means for players.

                                    In this week's short and sweet EVE Evolved, I lay out Massively's plans for in-depth coverage of EVE Fanfest 2013 and ask what you'd like to see reported on.

                                    Continue reading EVE Evolved: Massively's plans for EVE Fanfest 2013

                                    MassivelyEVE Evolved: Massively's plans for EVE Fanfest 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                      ]]>                                      10-year-anniversary10-year-oldccpccp-gamesconsoledustdust-514eveeve-evolvedeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineeventevent-coverageeventsexpansionfanfestfanfest-2013fantasyfeaturedfpsgothichorroricelandlivestreammassivelymassively-event-coveragemmofpsnewsodysseyopinionplaystationplaystation-3ps3reykjaviksandboxsci-fishooterspeculationsupernaturalten-year-anniversaryten-yearstwittervampirevampire-the-masqueradevampiresvideowhite-wolfwodworld-of-darknessSun, 14 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST                                      <![CDATA[Not So Massively: Jumping on the MOBA bandwagon]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/not-so-massively-jumping-on-the-moba-bandwagon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/not-so-massively-jumping-on-the-moba-bandwagon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/08/not-so-massively-jumping-on-the-moba-bandwagon/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                      Not So Massively title image
                                      It seems as if everyone is jumping on the MOBA bandwagon lately and trying to cut a slice of the action for himself. Creative Assembly announced that the next game in the Total War series will be a MOBA with RTS elements named Total War: Arena. MMO developer Turbine has also thrown its hat in the ring, teaming up with Warner Bros. and DC comics to develop a MOBA based on the Infinite Crisis DC storyline.

                                      League of Legends continued its plans to revamp old characters with overhauls to Sejuani and Trundle. Developers also revealed upcoming Ice Witch champion Lissandra, a crowd-controlling mage who can cast some of her spells mana-free. Guardians of Middle-Earth finally released Frodo Baggins as a DLC character, and Heroes of Newerth announced that the $60,000 grand final of HonTour Season One will take place later this month in Las Vegas.

                                      In a new Diablo III developer journal, Blizzard discussed its efforts to get players into multiplayer and public games, including some gameplay improvements and a new matchmaking tag system. Path of Exile's Patch 0.10.5 went live today, adding three powerful new support gems, four new unique items, and several balance changes and bug-fixes. And Torchlight II gave modders a huge gift this week by releasing its in-house development tools to the public and officially adding Steam Workshop support to the game.

                                      Continue reading Not So Massively: Jumping on the MOBA bandwagon

                                      MassivelyNot So Massively: Jumping on the MOBA bandwagon originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                        ]]>                                        action-mmoaction-rpgarchonbandwagonbatmanbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcargo-cultcompetitive-gamingconsolecreative-assemblyd3dcdc-comicsdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidominiondotae-sporte-sportseditoresportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrodofrodo-bagginsgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthgutsguts-editorheroes-of-newerthhonhon-tourhoncasthontourice-witchinfinite-crisisjokerleague-of-legendsLissandralollord-of-the-ringslotrmatchmakingmeleemiddle-earthmobamodmoddermoddingmodding-communitymodding-toolsmodsmonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayermultiplayer-online-battle-arenanewsnightmare-batmannot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exileplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrunic-gamess2s2-gamessegaSejuanisteamsteam-workshopsupermanthe-jokerthe-one-ringtotal-wartotal-war-arenatrundleturbineTurbine-Entertainmentvideowarner-broswizardwonder-womanwyatt-chengxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST                                        <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Temporarily fixing starbases]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/07/eve-evolved-temporarily-fixing-starbases/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/07/eve-evolved-temporarily-fixing-starbases/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/07/eve-evolved-temporarily-fixing-starbases/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                        EVE Evolved title image
                                        With its exploration-focused Odyssey expansion on the way, EVE Online is about to be hit with a deluge of players (new and old) venturing into the unknown. The expansion will introduce the yet-to-be-revealed Discovery Scanner and will add a ton of new exploration content all across New Eden. Odyssey aims to follow the lead of 2009's Apocrypha expansion, which saw hundreds of corporations lead lucrative expeditions into uncharted wormhole systems. We don't yet know whether the expansion will open new systems for exploration, but when Odyssey goes live, the race will be on to find and lay claim to all the goodies hidden in deep space.

                                        With no stations to dock at in wormhole space, corps currently have to store everything in destructible starbases that aren't really up to the task. Player-owned starbases were released in 2004 as sandbox-style tools for tech 2 industry and alliance territorial warfare. They were never intended to be the sole base of operations for an entire corporation, so they suffer from some pretty severe security and usability flaws as a result. Theft from ship and item hangars in wormhole space is commonplace, setting up corp roles for them is a nightmare, and living exclusively in a starbase provides a daily dose of frustration players could seriously do without. CCP has been planning to completely overhaul player-owned starbases for years, but some of today's issues can't afford to wait any longer.

                                        In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at some of the chronic problems faced by starbase-dwelling explorers and how CCP plans to temporarily fix some of them for Odyssey.

                                        Continue reading EVE Evolved: Temporarily fixing starbases

                                        MassivelyEVE Evolved: Temporarily fixing starbases originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                          ]]>                                          apocryphaccpccp-fozzieccp-gamescontrol-towercorpcorp-rolescorp-thiefcorporatecorporate-goalscorporate-infiltrationeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexplorationfeaturedfixhangarindustryminingodysseypatchplayer-ownedplayer-owned-starbaseplayer-owned-stationpospos-fuelpvepvprefiningrefining-arrayresearchrolessandboxsci-fistarbasestarbase-fuelstrategic-cruisersstructuretech-3temporarywormholewormhole-explorationwormhole-heistwormholesSun, 07 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST                                          <![CDATA[Not So Massively: Release all the MOBA heroes!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/01/not-so-massively-release-all-the-moba-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/01/not-so-massively-release-all-the-moba-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/01/not-so-massively-release-all-the-moba-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                          Not So Massively title image
                                          It's been a huge week for MOBAs, with several new characters being released and one game closing its doors for good. League of Legends finally revamped underused champion Karma and released new character Zac, a strange green blob who drops parts of himself all over the battlefield and can even revive after death. Dota 2 released classic hero Bristleback, a spined boar who slows enemies with a disgusting snot attack and slowly peppers them with spiked quills.

                                          SMITE released god of music Apollo, who can deal damage by playing his lyre, sing enemies to sleep, and even power-slide like a rock star. Heroes of Newerth is in between hero releases, but its recent HoN 3.0 update has earned it the title of Best MOBA at PAX East 2013 by gaming website RTSGuru.

                                          Warhammer-themed MOBA Wrath of Heroes officially closed its doors on March 29th, and its website has now been replaced with a message by producer James Casey. Finally, Diablo III's former Game Director Jay Wilson gave a talk at GDC 2013 in which he blamed many of the game's downfalls on both the gold and cash auction houses.

                                          Continue reading Not So Massively: Release all the MOBA heroes!

                                          MassivelyNot So Massively: Release all the MOBA heroes! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                            ]]>                                            action-rpgapollobattlenetbest-mobabiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbristlebackchampionchampion-spotlightchampionscomiccompetitioncompetitive-gamingcontestd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedflubberfree-to-playgothic-fantasyherohero-spotlightheroes-of-newerthheroshonitemitemisationitemizationitemskarmaleague-of-legendslegendarylegendary-itemslolmobamultiplayermythicmythic-entertainmentnew-championnew-heronewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpvpRigwarlRigwarl-Bristlebackriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrtsgururvrs2s2-gamessteamvalvevideowarwarhammerwarhammer-onlinewarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswohwrath-of-heroeszacMon, 01 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST                                            <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: EVE's Odyssey expansion could be incredible]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/31/eve-evolved-eves-odyssey-expansion-could-be-incredible/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/31/eve-evolved-eves-odyssey-expansion-could-be-incredible/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/31/eve-evolved-eves-odyssey-expansion-could-be-incredible/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                            EVE Evolved title image
                                            When EVE Online's upcoming Odyssey expansion was officially announced last week at PAX East, the anticipation from players was almost palpable. Odyssey aims to follow in the footsteps of 2009's blockbuster Apocrypha expansion by revamping the exploration system and filling the void of space with thousands of new hidden treasures. We've been promised new ships, a new scanner mechanic with sleek new UI and additional functionality, and a rebalancing of industrial resources across the game.

                                            Though CCP is saving most of the expansion reveals for next month's EVE Fanfest and beyond, we can make some fairly educated guesses on what the expansion will contain from the press release and teaser site. It's pretty much a given that we'll get some kind of new exploration ship, and there's pretty strong evidence that moon minerals will be changing somehow. We're also almost guaranteed to get new faction battlecruisers, and the evidence is mounting that Jove space may finally be about to open for exploration.

                                            In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the evidence for Jove space finally opening, explain why we desperately need a new scanning system, and make some educated guesses on what else the Odyssey expansion might contain.

                                            Continue reading EVE Evolved: EVE's Odyssey expansion could be incredible

                                            MassivelyEVE Evolved: EVE's Odyssey expansion could be incredible originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 31 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                              ]]>                                              alliancesapocryphabattlecruiserbattlecruisersccpccp-gamesdirectional-scannerdiscovery-scannereveeve-evolvedeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlineexpansionexpansionsexplorationfactionfaction-shipsfeaturedGnosisjovejove-directoratejoviannavynavy-shipsnullsecodysseyopinionPAXPAX-eastpax-east-2013probingpvepvpsandboxscannerscanningsci-fiten-yearswormholewormholesSun, 31 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST                                              <![CDATA[Not So Massively: PAX East 2013, D3 on PS3, and Firefall's TV channel]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/25/not-so-massively-pax-east-2013-d3-on-ps3-and-firefalls-tv-ch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/25/not-so-massively-pax-east-2013-d3-on-ps3-and-firefalls-tv-ch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/25/not-so-massively-pax-east-2013-d3-on-ps3-and-firefalls-tv-ch/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                              Not So Massively title image
                                              A demo of Diablo III running on the PS3 was shown at PAX East 2013 this week, and developers confirmed that the game is not necessarily exclusive to Sony. Many PC players have been enraged by the demo, which showed improved loot and singleplayer features developers had previously said were not possible. Red 5 Studios was also at PAX this week to reveal its ambitious plans for a gaming TV channel. The studio plans to expand its gaming video channel Stage 5 with several new high-quality shows about indie games, cosplay, and gaming tropes. Path of Exile also released information on three completely overpowered new support gems currently in alpha testing for its upcoming Patch 0.10.5.

                                              In MOBA news, League of Legends officially launched in Italy this week with a huge launch ceremony in Rome. Several professional players were unrelatedly banned for boosting other players' stats artificially, and one team was given its final warning for using a DDoS attack during a match. Heroes of Newerth received new melee strength hero Prisoner 945, and Guardians of Middle-Earth released a free map update along with a purchasable spider character DLC. Upcoming MOBA SMITE was given a loose launch window of summer 2013, and Russian MOBA Prime World took a big step toward European and US launches with the translation of much of its Russian website into English.

                                              Continue reading Not So Massively: PAX East 2013, D3 on PS3, and Firefall's TV channel

                                              MassivelyNot So Massively: PAX East 2013, D3 on PS3, and Firefall's TV channel originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                ]]>                                                action-mmoaction-rpgbanbansbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcheatcheatingclassic-mmocompetitive-gamingconsolecosplaycrystal-grazianod3ddosdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidosdotae-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgame-changersgood-game-universitygothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthheroes-of-newerthhonitalianitalyleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmeleemiddle-earthmirkwoodmmofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnivalnot-so-massivelynsmofflineoffline-modeoffline-playonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepaxpax-eastPAX-East-2013planetsideplaystation-networkpoeprime-worldPrisonerPrisoner-945Prisoner945project-cosplaypsps1ps3psnpvevppvpreal-money-auction-housered-5-studiosriotriot-gamesrise-of-the-indiesrmahround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessci-fishackledsingleplayersoesony-online-entertainmentspiderstage-5steve-wangUnglobvideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST                                                <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: The Battle for Caldari Prime]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/24/eve-evolved-the-battle-for-caldari-prime/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/24/eve-evolved-the-battle-for-caldari-prime/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/24/eve-evolved-the-battle-for-caldari-prime/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                                EVE Evolved The Battle for Caldari Prime
                                                The empires of EVE Online have long and bloody histories that, until now, have been played out largely through fictional chronicles and in-character news posts. This week saw conflict erupt in-game between two NPC empires in the Battle for Caldari Prime live event. The neutral CONCORD faction has managed to maintain order between the four main empires of New Eden for decades, but that doesn't stop the Gallente and Caldari factions occasionally violating the peace.

                                                The Caldari were originally part of the Gallente Federation but gained independence in a war lasting almost a hundred years. Following an attack on a Gallente city, a right-wing faction in the Gallente government seized power and ordered the bombing of the Caldari homeworld. Millions of Caldari citizens were evacuated from the homeworld, a planet that has been under dispute ever since. Caldari Prime resides in the Luminaire system and is officially inside Gallente territory, but recent events have seen the tables turn.

                                                In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the story behind the recent Battle for Caldari Prime, accusations that the event was staged and scripted, and what the future may hold for live events in EVE.

                                                Continue reading EVE Evolved: The Battle for Caldari Prime

                                                MassivelyEVE Evolved: The Battle for Caldari Prime originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                  ]]>                                                  bottle-lightningcaldaricaldari-primeccpccp-gamesconsoledustdust-514eveeve-evolvedeve-onlineeventeventsevents-in-gamefakefakedfeaturedfpsgallenteground-combathistoryleviathanlive-eventlive-eventslivestreamloreluminaireMercenariesmmofpsnpcnuke-them-from-orbitopinionplaystationplaystation-3ps3pvpriggedrole-playrole-playingRolePlayingrpsandboxsci-fishiigerushooterstagedstorystorylinestreamtitanvideowarSun, 24 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST                                                  <![CDATA[Not So Massively: SimCity is not an MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/not-so-massively-simcity-is-not-an-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/not-so-massively-simcity-is-not-an-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/18/not-so-massively-simcity-is-not-an-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                                  Not So Massively title image
                                                  Doubts were cast on SimCity's always-online requirement this week when a player managed to hack the game into playing completely offline despite developers saying it wouldn't be possible. Maxis General Manager Lucy Bradshaw also caught a lot of flack from gamers this week for claiming that the game was in many ways an MMO. Petroglyph's Victory Kickstarter that we announced last week has now been cancelled, making the future of the game uncertain.

                                                  League of Legends revealed its plans to finally update two-year-old champion Karma and release new champion Zac, who is literally a pile of green goop. Guardians of Middle-Earth published iconic character Saruman as a new piece of DLC, and SMITE added new god Aphrodite, who heals and supports her teammates with hugs and kisses.

                                                  In addition to fixing some major bugs, Diablo III's recent patch 1.07a was shown to have nerfed many popular Wizard builds, including critical mass Energy Twister and Meteor builds. Path of Exile's latest patch added a new Cyclone skill that's reminiscent of the Diablo II Whirlwind skill and introduced three fun new game types for this season's upcoming race events.

                                                  Continue reading Not So Massively: SimCity is not an MMO

                                                  MassivelyNot So Massively: SimCity is not an MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                    ]]>                                                    action-mmoaction-rpgalways-onlineAphroditebattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcitycity-buildingcompetitive-gamingconsolecritical-masscrowdfundingcycloned3dhalsimdiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidisintegratedlcdotadrme-sporte-sportseaenergy-twisteresportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedflubberfree-to-playgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesguardians-of-middle-earthkarmakickstarterleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrlucy-bradshawmaxismeteormiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepetroglyphplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrtssarumansimcityvictoryvideowarner-broswhirlwindwizardwizard-buildxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360zacMon, 18 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST                                                    <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: End of an EON]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/17/eve-evolved-end-of-an-eon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/17/eve-evolved-end-of-an-eon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/17/eve-evolved-end-of-an-eon/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

                                                    EVE Evolved title image
                                                    This week we heard the disappointing news that EON, the official print magazine for MMO EVE Online, has officially closed down. The quarterly magazine first launched back in 2005 and may have been the first official magazine dedicated to a single MMO. The first edition was packed full of current news, sneak peeks, coverage on major events, fan-written fiction, features, and guides. The experimental magazine was produced by MMM Publishing under official license from CCP Games and proved to be a big hit, going on to publish 30 editions over the next seven and a half years.

                                                    Though EON has had a much longer run than most official MMO print magazines (the World of Warcraft magazine lasted all of five issues), it's still disappointing to see it go. The closure has a special significance for me because it was at EON that I and many other players started out as writers and editors. It's thanks to the work of the mag's editor Richie "Zapatero" Shoemaker that I went on to get this job at Massively, where I've written the weekly EVE Evolved column for almost five years now. EON Magazine was a real gem that will be sorely missed by dedicated fans, but the biggest shame is that those who might support the mag didn't know it was having financial difficulties until it was too late.

                                                    In this week's EVE Evolved, I look back at what made EON great, ask why it failed, and interview editor Richie Shoemaker on his thoughts behind the closure.

                                                    Continue reading EVE Evolved: End of an EON

                                                    MassivelyEVE Evolved: End of an EON originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                      ]]>                                                      ccpccp-gamese-oneoneveeve-evolvedeve-mapseve-onlineexclusiveexclusive-interviewfantasyfeaturedGAME-Magazineinterviewinterviewsmagazineplexprint-mediarichierichie-shoemakersandboxsci-fiworld-of-warcraftwritingzapateroSun, 17 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST                                                      <![CDATA[Guardians of Middle-Earth: A fun game doomed by its business model]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/12/guardians-of-middle-earth-a-fun-game-doomed-by-its-business-mod/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/12/guardians-of-middle-earth-a-fun-game-doomed-by-its-business-mod/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/12/guardians-of-middle-earth-a-fun-game-doomed-by-its-business-mod/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                                      League of Legends title image
                                                      The MOBA genre has exploded in recent years, with global giant League of Legends becoming the most actively played video game in the world and competitive tournaments getting more viewers than some televised sports. Today's MOBAs appeal to casual and competitive gamers alike, but until recently very few had crossed the console barrier. Released on PS3 and XBox 360 last December, Guardians of Middle-Earth took traditional DotA gameplay and made the quite experimental leap onto consoles.

                                                      I'm not much of a console gamer (you can take my mouse and keyboard away when you pry them from my cold, dead hands), but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see how Guardians of Middle-Earth stacks up against its PC-based counterparts. Monolith Studios has done great things in adapting MOBA gameplay to a console control scheme and audience, and the core game really is a lot of fun to play. But in charging an initial purchase price for a game that relies on having a large community, publisher Warner Bros. may have accidentally consigned Guardians to the scrapheap.

                                                      In this hands-on opinion piece, I explore Guardians of Middle-Earth and ask why it's already a ghost town just three months after launch.

                                                      Continue reading Guardians of Middle-Earth: A fun game doomed by its business model

                                                      MassivelyGuardians of Middle-Earth: A fun game doomed by its business model originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                        ]]>                                                        aiartificial-intelligenceartificial-stupiditybeltbeltsbotsconsoleconsolesdominiondotae-sportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgemsheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmatchmakingmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosplaystation-networkps3psnqueuequeuesrelicstutorialvideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST                                                        <![CDATA[Not So Massively: SimCity's launch fiasco, Victory's kickstarter]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/11/not-so-massively-simcitys-launch-fiasco-and-crowdfunding-vict/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/11/not-so-massively-simcitys-launch-fiasco-and-crowdfunding-vict/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/11/not-so-massively-simcitys-launch-fiasco-and-crowdfunding-vict/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                                        Not So Massively title image
                                                        Fresh from its work on End of Nations, developer Petroglyph launched a Kickstarter campaign this week for its own online RTS Victory. The campaign hit $19,574 in the first five days but has a long way to go to hit its $700,000 target. SimCity's always-online DRM backfired spectacularly as launch server capacity and stability issues left thousands unable to play what they thought of as a largely singleplayer game.

                                                        Diablo III revealed details of its upcoming loot overhaul that will make legendary items a little more legendary and rare items and good bit rarer. Path of Exile's patch 1.10.2 was deployed successfully, adding a few item mods and significantly improving the Duelist class area of the passive skill tree.

                                                        League of Legends celebrated its 100th Summoner Showcase with a look back at the community's best creative output and announced a brand-new comic contest that will see players voting for the winner. SMITE announced its $10,000 PAX East invitational tournament, and Guardians of Middle-Earth tempted players back with 75,000 free in-game gold in a new weekend event.

                                                        Continue reading Not So Massively: SimCity's launch fiasco, Victory's kickstarter

                                                        MassivelyNot So Massively: SimCity's launch fiasco, Victory's kickstarter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                          ]]>                                                          action-mmoaction-rpgalways-onlinebattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcitycity-buildingcompetitive-gamingconsolecrowdfundingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadueliste-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artsesportesportsf2pfailed-launchfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgames-as-a-servicegames-as-a-service-sucksgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshi-rez-studiosinfernoitemitemskickstarterlaunchlaunchesleague-of-legendslegendarieslegendarylegendary-itemslegendary-weaponslogin-queueslollootlord-of-the-ringslotrmaxismiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepetroglyphplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvpriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrtsserver-downtimeserver-queuessimcityvictoryvideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST                                                          <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Do PLEX make EVE pay-to-win?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/10/eve-evolved-do-plex-make-eve-pay-to-win/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/10/eve-evolved-do-plex-make-eve-pay-to-win/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/10/eve-evolved-do-plex-make-eve-pay-to-win/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                                          EVE Evolved title image
                                                          Several years ago, the subscription model was king and the mere mention of an MMO selling in-game items for cash was almost enough to cause a virtual riot. RMT was the devil, and players who bought swords or spaceships for cash deserved nothing short of a permanent ban. The past decade of development has changed the MMO landscape and brought in a new generation of gamers with different attitudes. Today's players have grown up with and embraced ideas like the free-to-play business model, microtransaction shops, and perhaps even the idea of buying in-game advantages for cash.

                                                          In his latest Free for All column, Massively's Beau Hindman tackled the controversial issue of MMOs selling power for real cash, and his points about EVE Online sparked some pretty interesting discussion in the comments. The crux of the argument was that an EVE player can currently take out his wallet and buy his way into a bigger ship or even pick up a pre-trained veteran character. That's certainly true, but is that the same as buying an unfair advantage and does it necessarily make EVE pay-to-win?

                                                          In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at why players find PLEX so much more palatable than direct item sales and ask whether the system fits the definition of pay-to-win.

                                                          Continue reading EVE Evolved: Do PLEX make EVE pay-to-win?

                                                          MassivelyEVE Evolved: Do PLEX make EVE pay-to-win? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                            ]]>                                                            anetarenanetbeau-hindmanccpccp-gameseveeve-evolvedeve-onlinef2pfantasyfeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiumgrindgrindingguild-wars-2gw2iskMicrotransactionsncsoftopinionpay-to-winplexrmtsandboxsci-fivelvet-ropeSun, 10 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST                                                            <![CDATA[Not So Massively: Diablo III's console constroversy and Wrath of Heroes' shutdown]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-console-constroversy-and-wrath-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-console-constroversy-and-wrath-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-console-constroversy-and-wrath-of/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                                            Not So Massively title image
                                                            It's been a huge week for MOBAs, with the release of several new characters, a ton of balance changes, and even a game closing down for good. League of Legends announced that it will start officially supporting Mac and released a new Smart Ping system designed to help players work together as a team despite language barriers. SMITE showed off its new crowd-controlling water god, Poseidon, and console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth released a new Survival game mode DLC.

                                                            We heard the unfortunate news that Wrath of Heroes will be closing its doors at the end of the month, and it's not the only game going out of business. Online FPS Bullet Run, formerly known as Hedone, is due to shut down on Friday, March 8th, in a big final event. It's not all doom and gloom, though, as Dota 2 has hit another impressive milestone, passing 300,000 peak concurrent players. The first season of Heroes of Newerth's HoN Tour league is soon to draw to a close, and developers are planning a huge balance patch before the next season kicks off.

                                                            Blizzard enraged Diablo III fans this week with the announcement that the console version will not feature the controversial always-online DRM and can be played offline. Path of Exile detailed its next open beta patch, which is due to introduce a new fire skill, a 3v3 dueling arena, and significant Duelist class buffs. Online FPS Firefall produced a new trailer this week showing off its flight gameplay amidst criticism from fans over its lack of beta content. Finally, sci-fi sandbox Star Citizen gave fans a look behind the curtain of game development in its biggest development update video yet.

                                                            Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III's console constroversy and Wrath of Heroes' shutdown

                                                            MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III's console constroversy and Wrath of Heroes' shutdown originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                              ]]>                                                              action-mmoaction-rpgalways-onlinebattlenetbiowareblitzcrankblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbullet-runcloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingconcurrent-playersconsolecontroversyd3dev-diarydiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidlcdotadota-2drmdueliste-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedflyingfree-to-playgame-closureglidinggoblin-towngothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshedoneheroes-of-newerthhonhon-touriblitzcrankjetpackjetpackskrakenleague-of-legendslollol-mac-clientlord-of-the-ringslotrmacmac-clientmapmapsmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayermythicmythic-entertainmentnewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepingplaystation-networkpoeposeidonps3psnpvprecordriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessandboxsci-fismart-pingsony-online-entertainmentstar-citizensteamsunsetsurvivalvalvevideovideoswarhammerwarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswarner-broswohwrath-of-heroeswrath-of-the-lich-kingxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST                                                              <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Making EVE history]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/03/eve-evolved-making-eve-history/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/03/eve-evolved-making-eve-history/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/03/eve-evolved-making-eve-history/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                                              EVE Evolved title image
                                                              EVE Online has the odd distinction of being one of the only MMOs in which the developers have almost no control over the active storyline. There have been plenty of fiction articles written about the game's backstory, and the NPC factions occasionally butt heads in short news pieces, but none of it feels very real. It's only when these events actually occur inside the game world that they become real, and when that happens, the outcome is at the mercy of players.

                                                              2010's spectacular Sansha abduction live event was the perfect example of this, with thousands of players becoming immersed in a very real emerging storyline. The story was fluid and evolved based on what players did, and so it made the NPC factions come alive in a way that fiction never could. While the scripted NPC portions of these storylines certainly constitute part of EVE's history, the most interesting tales follow the unexpected actions of players and alliances.

                                                              The fascinating thing is that the audience for these stories extends far beyond the playerbase itself, with news of high-profile events occasionally taking the global gaming media by storm. But for every 3,000-man battle and 200 billion ISK scam that's reported, there are hundreds of smaller events that would be just as interesting to read about or watch a video on. Most of these events have been lost to the mists of time, kept secret or talked about only among those directly involved ... until now.

                                                              In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the types of NPC-based and player-run stories that happen regularly in EVE and speculate on CCP's upcoming plans to document and preserve that history.

                                                              Continue reading EVE Evolved: Making EVE history

                                                              MassivelyEVE Evolved: Making EVE history originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                ]]>                                                                asakaibattleccpccp-gamesconsoledustdust-514eveeve-evolvedeve-onlineeve-wikieventsfeaturedfictionfpsheisthistorylivestreamLiveStreamingmmofpsplaystationplaystation-3politicsps3roleplayingsandboxscamsci-fiscreenshotscreenshotsshooterstoriesstreamingvideovideoswikiSun, 03 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST                                                                <![CDATA[EVE Online hits 500,000 subscribers, heads into second decade]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/eve-online-hits-500-000-subscribers-heads-into-second-decade/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/eve-online-hits-500-000-subscribers-heads-into-second-decade/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/28/eve-online-hits-500-000-subscribers-heads-into-second-decade/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                                                EVE Online title image
                                                                Most modern MMOs launch to an initial flurry of sales followed by a steady decline in player activity, but sci-fi MMO EVE Online has lived life in reverse. The game initially failed to secure a large number of launch sales but has since grown organically into one of the most successful subscription MMOs on the planet. EVE developer CCP Games told Massively today that the game has now officially broken the 500,000 subscription barrier.

                                                                Subscription numbers hit the 450,000 mark following the relaunch of EVE's Chinese server Serenity in December of last year, and they have continued to climb ever since. This new subscription milestone is attributed to the success of EVE's recent Retribution expansion and the anticipation building over upcoming console MMOFPS DUST 514, which is set on actual planets in the EVE universe. EVE is due to hit its 10th anniversary this year on May 6th, and developers have been taking the opportunity to look forward at what the coming decade will bring to the game.

                                                                We caught up with CCP for a quick peek at the studio's plans for the future and to find out what kind of announcements we can expect from EVE Fanfest in April of this year.

                                                                Continue reading EVE Online hits 500,000 subscribers, heads into second decade

                                                                MassivelyEVE Online hits 500,000 subscribers, heads into second decade originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Feb 2013 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                  ]]>                                                                  10-year-anniversary10-year-old500000announcementccpccp-gameschinachineseconsoledecadedustdust-514eveeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-onlinefanfestfpsincursionmmofpsover-9000paxpax-eastpax-east-2013playstationplaystation-3ps3retributionsandboxsci-fiserenityshootersubssubscriptionsubscriptionsten-yearstranquilityThu, 28 Feb 2013 06:00:00 EST                                                                  <![CDATA[Not So Massively: Path of Exile events, Diablo III coming to PS4, and huge MOBA updates]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-events-diablo-iii-coming-to-ps4/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-events-diablo-iii-coming-to-ps4/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/25/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-events-diablo-iii-coming-to-ps4/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                                                  Not So Massively title image
                                                                  Blizzard revealed this week that Diablo III will be coming to both the PlayStation 3 and Sony's new PlayStation 4 console and will be shown off at PAX. Torchlight II developer Runic Games announced that the game will soon be localised to Japanese and Chinese for its upcoming release in Asia; a free DLC is on the way with three new Asian-themed pets. Path of Exile revealed the schedule for its first full season of ladder-style race events and announced new account security options along with its new policy to never restore items from hacked accounts.

                                                                  League of Legends unveiled its new champion duo, Quinn and Valor, a dynamic pair of characters that work together as a single champion to dominate teamfights. Heroes of Newerth revealed its own new hero with a video spotlight on Saloman, a melee support hero who gains power from movement and can heal and shield his allies.

                                                                  Dota 2 added a new Hero Build feature to its beta this week, giving players access to community-produced skill and item builds for all heroes. Console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth showed off its new goblin DLC character Snaga, and online FPS Blacklight: Retribution detailed its upcoming Onslaught expansion, which comes with three new game modes.

                                                                  Continue reading Not So Massively: Path of Exile events, Diablo III coming to PS4, and huge MOBA updates

                                                                  MassivelyNot So Massively: Path of Exile events, Diablo III coming to PS4, and huge MOBA updates originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                    ]]>                                                                    action-mmoaction-rpgactivisionasiabattlenetblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentchampionchineseclassic-mmocompetitive-gamingconsoleconsolesd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2dupeduplicatione-sporte-sportsesportesportseventeventsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesherohero-buildsheroes-of-newerthhonitem-dupeitem-duplicationjapanjapaneseladderlast-man-standingleague-of-legendslocalisationlocalizationlollord-of-the-ringslotrmiddle-earthmists-of-pandariammofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayernewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayeronslaughtpath-of-exilepaxperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentplanetsideplaystation-3playstation-4playstation-networkpoepsps1ps3ps4psnpvppwequinnquinn-and-valorrace-eventrace-eventsretributionriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgrunic-gamess2s2-gamessalomansci-fisearch-and-destroysimplified-chineseSnagasoesony-online-entertainmenttraditional-chinesevalorvalvevideowarcraftwarner-brosworld-of-warcraftwowxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST                                                                    <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: New Ancillary Armor Repairers aren't up to the task]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/24/eve-evolved-new-ancillary-armor-repairers-arent-up-to-the-task/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/24/eve-evolved-new-ancillary-armor-repairers-arent-up-to-the-task/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/24/eve-evolved-new-ancillary-armor-repairers-arent-up-to-the-task/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

                                                                    EVE Evolved title image
                                                                    EVE Online's Retribution 1.1 patch went live this week, overhauling armour tanking and rebalancing some ships that traditionally fit armour tanks. Last week I looked at why people usually choose passive buffer tanks for PvP over active tanks and how the Ancillary Shield Boosters changed all that by giving shield users a huge free burst tank that can often outperform a front-loaded buffer tank. The new Ancillary Armor Repairers look similarly amazing on paper with their ability to consume nanite repair paste to triple repair output, but how do they stack up against their shield-based counterparts?

                                                                    Now that the patch is out and I've finally got my hands on the Ancillary Armor Repairers, I'm not sure they're any good. They're limited to one per ship even though most active armour tanking ships use dual or triple repairer setups, and they can run for only eight repair cycles before running out of paste. They're also only 68.75% more effective than tech 2 repairers and still require the same amount of capacitor. Ancillary Shield Boosters may provide a slightly smaller 63.33% repair boost over tech 2 boosters, but they can cycle at double the rate of Ancillary Armor Repairers and don't require any capacitor.

                                                                    In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at what makes Ancillary Shield Boosters a strong contender in PvP and show that the new Ancillary Armor Repairers just aren't up to the task.

                                                                    Continue reading EVE Evolved: New Ancillary Armor Repairers aren't up to the task

                                                                    MassivelyEVE Evolved: New Ancillary Armor Repairers aren't up to the task originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Feb 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                      ]]>                                                                      aarancillary-armor-repairersancillary-shield-boostersarmorarmor-tankingarmourarmour-tankingasbccpccp-fozzieccp-gamesdominixeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedgame-designmathsnanobotnanobot-overchargeropinionpatchpvprepairersretributionretribution-1.1rigrigssandboxsci-fishieldshield-tankingshieldsstacking-penaltytanktankingtankstech-2Sun, 24 Feb 2013 18:00:00 EST                                                                      <![CDATA[Not So Massively: Diablo III launches patch 1.0.7, Path of Exile gets new content]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-launches-patch-1-0-7-path-of-exile/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-launches-patch-1-0-7-path-of-exile/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/18/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-launches-patch-1-0-7-path-of-exile/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                                                      Not So Massively title image
                                                                      Path of Exile released several patches this week, adding new map types and fixing a number of bugs. Developers also revealed that the schedule for upcoming open beta content additions will begin with the next patch. Diablo III released patch 1.0.7 this week, adding a new dueling mechanic to the game and a brand-new endgame farming task based around collecting Demonic Essence to craft powerful account-bound gear. The patch also included some much-needed buffs for popular Wizard and Monk abilities.

                                                                      SMITE revealed its new ranged crowd-control god Neith this week; she manipulates invisible magical weaves to empower her attacks. And Dota 2 released classic hero Tusk, who can roll himself and his team into a giant snowball of death. League of Legends announced a series of buffs for Nasus, Akali, and Riven in a new Patch Preview video, in addition to changes to items with the cooldown reduction stat.

                                                                      Heroes of Newerth's patch 3.0.2 fixed an exploit with the Insanitarius item, while competitive team Trademark eSports secured its fourth win in the Diamond division of the HoN Tour league. Finally, Star Citizen continued to break gaming crowdfunding records this week as its total funds raised passed the $8,000,000 US mark.

                                                                      Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III launches patch 1.0.7, Path of Exile gets new content

                                                                      MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III launches patch 1.0.7, Path of Exile gets new content originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                        ]]>                                                                        action-mmoaction-rpgakaliarchon-gearbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbuffscloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingcooldown-reductioncrowdfundingd3demonic-essencediablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotadota-2e-sporte-sportsendgameesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gamesheroheroesheroes-of-newerthhi-rez-studioshonhontourinfernoleague-of-legendslolmapmapsMarquiseMarquise-gemsmobamonkmonk-buildsmultiplayernasusNeithnewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpatchpatch-previewpatchespath-of-exilepoepvpriotriot-gamesrivenround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessandboxsci-fistar-citizentusktuskarrvalvevideowizardwizard-buildMon, 18 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST                                                                        <![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Retribution 1.1 and armour tanking]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/17/eve-evolved-retribution-1-1-and-armour-tanking/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/17/eve-evolved-retribution-1-1-and-armour-tanking/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/17/eve-evolved-retribution-1-1-and-armour-tanking/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

                                                                        EVE Evolved title image
                                                                        While MMO characters typically fall into specialised tank, healer, and damage-dealing roles, most ships in EVE Online are a combination of all three. Fitting a ship for PvP is a careful balancing act between survivability and damage, as it doesn't matter how much damage you can deal if you don't stay alive long enough to apply it. Active tanking setups that focus on repairing damage have unfortunately seen very limited use in PvP, being effective only in solo fights and very small-scale gang warfare. In most fights, a passive buffer tank that just maximises effective hitpoints will last longer than any active setup.

                                                                        The Inferno expansion helped to solve this problem with its new Ancillary Shield Boosters that consume cap booster charges for a huge burst of shield hitpoints. Tuesday's Retribution 1.1 patch now aims to level the playing field for armour users with the introduction of new Ancillary Armor Repairers and a series of balance changes to armour plates, rigs, and standard repairers. The patch should hopefully give gank battlecruisers and tech 2 cruisers the speed they need to compete in PvP and may even make some interesting active armour tanking setups viable.

                                                                        In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the role of tanking in PvP today and the tanking changes coming in Tuesday's Retribution 1.1 patch.

                                                                        Continue reading EVE Evolved: Retribution 1.1 and armour tanking

                                                                        MassivelyEVE Evolved: Retribution 1.1 and armour tanking originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Feb 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                          ]]>                                                                          1.1active-tankingancillary-armor-repairersancillary-shield-boostersarmorarmor-platearmor-tankarmourarmour-platearmour-tankbuffer-tankccpccp-gamesdominixeffective-hitpointseveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefeaturedhitpointsinfernopassive-tankpassive-tankingpatchpatchespvpretributionsandboxsci-fishield-boostertanktankingSun, 17 Feb 2013 18:00:00 EST                                                                          <![CDATA[Not So Massively: Path of Exile server upgrades, Dota 2 broadcasters turn to crowdfunding]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-server-upgrades-dota-2-broadcas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-server-upgrades-dota-2-broadcas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/not-so-massively-path-of-exile-server-upgrades-dota-2-broadcas/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                                                          Not So Massively title image
                                                                          Path of Exile continued upgrading its servers to cope with the increasing load of new players following its open beta release, closing the servers for three hours this week to add several new database servers. Massively exclusively revealed Blacklight: Retribution's new Safehold and metro maps, and Firefall developer Red 5 Studios explained its development plans for the next quarter.

                                                                          Rise of Immortals released a spotlight video on its new long-range mage immortal Undine, while Guardians of Middle-Earth showed off its latest two DLC characters Radagast the Brown Wizard and Glóin, father of Gimli.

                                                                          League of Legends made some balance changes to its Honor system, which rewards players for being nice to each other. Riot also talked to some of Season 3's newest competitive players about what being a professional gamer means to them. Dota 2 finally got its long-awaited team matchmaking system this week, and community broadcaster Beyond The Summit launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay for full-time tournament broadcasting.

                                                                          Continue reading Not So Massively: Path of Exile server upgrades, Dota 2 broadcasters turn to crowdfunding

                                                                          MassivelyNot So Massively: Path of Exile server upgrades, Dota 2 broadcasters turn to crowdfunding originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                            ]]>                                                                            action-mmoantisocial-behaviorbattle-for-graxiabeyond-the-summitblacklightblacklight-retributionbroadcastersbroadcastingcompetitive-gamingconsolediablodotadota-2e-sporte-sportsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfpsfree-to-playgimligloingraxiagrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshonorhonor-systemleague-of-legendslollord-of-the-ringslotrmatchmakingmetromicrotransactionsmiddle-earthmmofpsmobamonolithmonolith-studiosnewsnot-so-massivelynsmpath-of-exileperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesplaystation-networkpoeps3psnpvppweradagastred-5-studiosretributionriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uproundupSafeholdserverserver-downtimeserversteam-matchmakingtournamenttournamentsundinevalvevideowarner-brosxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 11 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST                                                                            <![CDATA[Path of Exile hands-on: The sequel Diablo II deserved]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/path-of-exile-hands-on-the-sequel-diablo-ii-deserved/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/path-of-exile-hands-on-the-sequel-diablo-ii-deserved/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/11/path-of-exile-hands-on-the-sequel-diablo-ii-deserved/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

                                                                            First Impressions Path of Exile vs Diablo III
                                                                            Like many gamers in their mid-20s, I spent countless hours in my teenage years smashing through dungeons and hunting for loot in Diablo II. The deep itemisation system made building effective characters a real challenge, and periodic ladder resets kept the loot-hunting economy fresh. Fast-forward 10 years and the highly anticipated sequel Diablo III was released to some serious complaints. The servers were unstable for weeks at launch, the always-online DRM caused a stir, and the endgame item grind was severely underwhelming.

                                                                            Indie developer Grinding Gear Games aims to beat Blizzard at its own game with its new free-to-play action RPG Path of Exile. The game boasts a dark art style and an unprecedented level of character customisation that lets players build truly unique characters. Each skill is itemised as a gem that can be slotted into your gear and augmented with dozens of different support gems. The sprawling passive skill system is better described as a "skill octopus," with millions of different ways to build a character. I've spent the past few weeks smashing up monsters in the Path of Exile open beta and absolutely loving it.

                                                                            Read on to find out why I can honestly say that Path of Exile is the sequel Diablo II deserved.

                                                                            Continue reading Path of Exile hands-on: The sequel Diablo II deserved

                                                                            MassivelyPath of Exile hands-on: The sequel Diablo II deserved originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Feb 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                                                                              ]]>                                                                              action-mmoaction-rpgbattlenetblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcharacter-buildsd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiif2pfantasyfeaturedfirst-impressionsforumfree-to-playfrontier-developmentsgothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshands-onlagmultiplayeronline-multiplayerpassive-skillspath-of-exilepath-of-exile-vs-diablo-iiipoepreviewpreviewsrpgserver-issuesskill-octopusskill-treetradetradingwitchMon, 11 Feb 2013 13:00:00 EST