Be The Gamer

The Council of Stellar Management (CSM) is a concept that’s unique to EVE Online — a player-elected council that represents the playerbase’s views to the developer CCP Games. CSM representatives identify the major issues that players have with EVE Online and work together with CCP to improve the game. According to EVE dev CCP Xhagen, “Roughly 60% of all issues brought up by the CSM have either been already added to the game or are on the horizon.”

The Council of Stellar Management is now heading into its 4th iteration and will begin accepting candidates as of tomorrow, October 1st. Candidacy applications will be accepted through October 15th. Interested parties must hold a valid passport (each CSM term involves a summit in Reykjavik) and be willing to have their real names become a matter of public record, for the sake of accountability.

Continue reading EVE’s 4th Council of Stellar Management accepting candidates

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items

EVE’s 4th Council of Stellar Management accepting candidates originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The free-to-play MMO about a MMO, Trickster Online, will soon be entering its fifth episode on October 7th, adding another layer of story to the game as well as more areas and quests to complete.

Trickster’s story is a little complicated, as the game is about, well, a game. The “Trickster Online Revolution” game is the last wish of one Don Cavalier, wealthy billionaire and founder of the game development studio, “Megalo Company.” The Don’s last will and testament states that he wants his fortune to be split up to those who win his final game, and your character is one of the people who have flocked to his mysterious island to become a virtual “Trickster” (half-human, half-animal being) and claim his fortune.

The new episode will uncover the secrets behind the Megalo Company, introducing Don Cavalier’s headquarters, the Island’s master computer “Joker,” and the location of the Don’s sarcophagus. We dunno why he buried himself in a sarcophagus, but hey, he’s eccentric, he can do what he wants.

We have the trailer for episode five placed after the break, so if you’re interested in watching then jump on through!

Continue reading Trickster Online’s fifth episode to launch on October 7th

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Patches, Trickster Online, News items, Free-to-play

Trickster Online’s fifth episode to launch on October 7th originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Warhammer Online may have traveled a rocky road this past year but with each new patch, the game gets better and better. The latest patch installment to hit the public test server is 1.3.2, which features a New User Journey, Apprenticeship System, career balance changes, and further improvements to performance, stability, and RvR.

The two biggest items being tested right now are the New User Journey and Apprenticeship System. The former introduces new players to the game much more effectively and efficiently, funneling them into the same starting area (Chaos vs. Empire), auto-adding them to a starter guild, and much more. The latter allows highly ranked players to drop their level (stats and abilities capped formulaically) and lowly ranked players to raise their level in order to play together.

As for RvR, fortresses are being removed from the zone capture system, which should result in more frequent city sieges. Whether this is a good or bad thing is yet to be determined because depending on your timing you may not be able to join your friends due to the current instance mechanic. Keep warfare will now benefit from a new difficulty mechanic as well, which grants more rewards when more combatants are present.

Check out the full 1.3.2 patch notes for all the gory details!

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, Warhammer Online, News items

Details on WAR’s new user journey and apprentice system originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Did you miss the first round of Dawntide beta testing applications? Well fear not, as Working As Intended has re-opened their request for testers as they march Dawntide into its second phase of beta.

Dawntide’s beta testing has been quite unique so far, as it hasn’t come with an NDA to keep testers quiet. The testers have been sharing their opinions on the game, as well as offering lots of feedback over on the Dawntide forums.

While information on the game has been quite limited, the website has been updated with a wealth of information regarding general gameplay, combat, territory control, and plenty more. Plus, we here at Massively got to sit down with Dawntide’s producer, Christian Hummeluhr, and talk with him about his vision for the game. So if you’re interested, don’t drag your feet, sign up for a beta testing spot!

Filed under: At a glance, Betas, Fantasy, Forums, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Dawntide

Dawntide reaches beta phase 2, re-opens testing applications originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Brian “Psychochild” Green and Ferrel at Epic Slant recently discussed an ongoing challenge facing game developers: designing for the team instead of for the loot.

Balancing game mechanics and rewards with player goals and desires, while still encouraging people to play as a group has always been tricky. Players are there to have fun, which usually translates into some sort of reward system, be it in-game cash, leveling up, further quests, or better loot. The foundational goal of an MMO in this case is for there to be a learning curve: go out with your group and learn how to succeed at this encounter by working together as a group, playing off of one another’s strengths and weaknesses. In the end, learning and succeeding is the reward.

Unfortunately, this gets lost quickly in the race for better loot – that drop that you need to advance. Players forgo groups in favor of solo farming, or wind up bickering with their group over who gets the loot, moving away from what many consider to be the main purpose of the game.

Psychochild and Ferrel explore some ideas and solutions, as well as suggestions for balancing the goals of both players and developers.

Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, Guilds, PvE

Exploring need, greed, and team play originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Join me as I brave my way through lands unknown in an adventure dictated entirely by you, the Massively readers! Vote for everything from game played to character creation to ultimate goal and watch it unfold in a series of journals and galleries here on the site. Then, as the ultimate goal is reached, we’ll do it all over again in a new game!

As the Massive Hobbits recovered from last week’s beating by Grimbark, we spent this week showing Book 3 who’s boss. Now well into the eastern North Downs, the Trollshaws and finally Rivendell, we’re suited up and ready to finish out the LotRO edition of Choose my Adventure in style next week.

So what will we do for our final adventure in Middle-earth? Vote on this week’s poll, follow along on Gibbi the Hobbit’s in-character portrayal and read my impressions of how the game has been going so far — all after the jump.

Continue reading Choose my Adventure: Reaching Rivendell

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Lord of the Rings Online, Culture, Lore, Hands-on, Roleplaying, Choose my Adventure

Choose my Adventure: Reaching Rivendell originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The next installment in the Ben & Dan series of classic point-and-click games will arrive — as so many of them do, these days — episodically.
Earlier this month, the indie designer duo announced that Revenge of the Balloon-Headed Mexican will be released episodically, with each game lasting about an hour.
Dan Marshall says the price, release [...]

Capping off the first month for Champions Online, a fresh update this-morning has brought in quite a number of changes, fixes and enhancements, but more than a few teething problems.

The patch ran a half-hour overtime, and seemed initially fine. Unfortunately within a half-hour of going live, the character selection service stopped responding, and players were abruptly disconnected from the game servers. At 6:40AM Pacific, a notice went up indicating that Cryptic hoped to have the servers back up in approximately one hour.

That didn’t happen, and things blew out another hour, and while servers were reported to have been restored by 8:30AM Pacific, the live servers crashed again almost immediately.

Continue reading Champions Online updated: A rough upgrade

Filed under: Bugs, Patches, Server downtime, News items, Champions Online

Champions Online updated: A rough upgrade originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Another day, another set of beta keys for some lucky Massively readers. The guys at Hi-Rez Studios have 10 more beta keys that they want to give you guys so you can get in and play some Global Agenda.

If you’re interested in jumping into this “spy-fi” MMO shooter, then listen up because things are going to be a bit different this time. We’re not doing the “post a comment and pray” style of giveaway for these keys. Hi-Rez has worked this contest straight into their closed beta registration system, and we’re going to tell you exactly how to enter right after the break.

Also, this contest is only good until tomorrow. That’s right, you need to update your closed beta registration with our special code by tomorrow, Thursday, October 1st. For full instructions, hit the “continue reading” button and jump with us after the break.

Continue reading Global Agenda wants to give beta keys to you!

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Contests, New titles, News items, MMOFPS, Global Agenda

Global Agenda wants to give beta keys to you! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The merging of BioWare with Mythic Entertainment announced in June created a combined RPG and MMO group within Electronic Arts, and since then we’ve been wondering what will come of this pairing. Chris Remo at Gamasutra interviewed BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk about his role as a Creative Officer for the new RPG/MMO group, which sheds a little more light on the inner workings of this new division.

The interview subject matter is heavier on RPG discussion than it is on MMOs, but Zeschuk gives readers a look into how the BioWare-Mythic “merger” is working out so far. It also touches upon the company’s continued focus on the PC platform. Check out “Building Experiences the BioWare Way: Greg Zeschuk Speaks” at Gamasutra to read about BioWare’s approach to making games in a constantly changing industry.

Filed under: Interviews, MMO industry

BioWare’s Greg Zeschuk on the Mythic merge originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

TurboSquid has been named the exclusive marketplace provider of user-generated 3D product models on the Autodesk Seek web service. (PRWeb Sep 30, 2009)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/09/prweb2970434.htm

It’s a whole new spectrum of experience, like a rainbow! Sorry, we felt the need to say that somewhere in this short article. But to celebrate the release of Issue 16: Power Spectrum to City of Heroes, all accounts are being reactivated and all heroes and villains will be netting themselves double experience this weekend. Plus, if you were a little short on spending money, influence/infamy is doubled this weekend as well.

So, if you were a City of Heroes/Villains subscriber in the past, this weekend is your chance to re-download the game and check out the cool new additions like Architect and Power Spectrum. Customizable power colors! Finally!

The “weekend” begins next Thursday (October 8th) at 12 PM ET (9 AM PT) and will continue until 3 AM ET on Monday (Midnight on Sunday, if you’re of the Pacific Time persuasion.)

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Patches, News items

Double experience and account reactivation weekend coming to City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Beyond the Horizon, the free expansion to Bounty Bay Online, has been confirmed by Frogster as on track for its intended Q4 2009 launch. Along with this good news, they also updated their expansion teaser site with details that are sure to please PvPers. Beyond the Horizon will introduce a new weekly PvP tournament system, offering 1v1, 2v2 and 5v5 battles, with both prizes and a highly detailed ranking system.

But since Bounty Bay Online features sea and land combat, the question must be asked: which of these locations will the tournaments be held at? The answer is “both”. Two new arenas will be added to the game, one for land and the other for sea combat. The player will get to choose which type of battle they want to register for, which is kind of too bad, from a comedy perspective — imagine turning up for a sea battle without a boat.

Filed under: Historical, Expansions, PvP, News items, Bounty Bay Online

Bounty Bay Online’s upcoming expansion to introduce PvP tournaments originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

TOKYO — Indie developer The Behemoth had a booth on the Tokyo Game Show floor, a small installation in the corner that was easy to miss. I certainly didn’t take notice of it during the first couple days of the show, or else I would have made it a point to visit sooner. The company [...]

The new “Crash Course” campaign for Left 4 Dead, released Tuesday for Xbox 360 and PC, offers a glimpse into the direction Valve will be taking its co-operative zombie killing shooter come November.
“Crash Course” finds the survivors stranded in the middle of a small Northeastern town overrun with the infected. The environments feel much more [...]

BioWare is now taking applications for the beta test of their forthcoming PC MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Applicants must create an account and submit to a system scan to be considered for early access to the game. The scan requires either Internet Explorer or Firefox, so don’t bother signing up using Chrome or [...]