Be The Gamer » mmorpg http://www.bethegamer.com Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 The Daily Grind: How do you define MMO? http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/22/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-define-mmo/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/22/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-define-mmo/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000 Eliot Lefebvre http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/22/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-define-mmo/ Filed under: , , , ,

My taxonomy is completely incomprehensible!
Defining "MMORPG" isn't difficult: it means "massively multiplayer online roleplaying game." It's an acronym. But drawing the line between what is and is not an MMO is significantly more difficult. Guild Wars has persistence and shared areas, for instance, but as soon as you leave a town, you're in an instance unique to you and your party. There are elements of persistence in games like League of Legends. Heck, there was a time when people wondered if you could call World of Warcraft an MMO with its instanced dungeons and lack of housing.

As with a lot of subjective categories, there's really no right or wrong place to draw the line, but pretty much everyone seems to think that there's a line to draw. More often than not, it's not even a matter of quality so much as a set of consistent characteristics. So what about you? Where do you draw the line between an MMO and something else? How do you define a game as being an MMO instead of a similar sort of game?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How do you define MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    ]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2012/01/22/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-define-mmo/feed/ 0     Ask Massively: Stir-crazy edition http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/09/01/ask-massively-stir-crazy-edition/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/09/01/ask-massively-stir-crazy-edition/#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2011 22:30:00 +0000 Eliot Lefebvre http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/01/ask-massively-stir-crazy-edition/ Filed under: , , , ,

    It looked like this, except higher resolution, and with a fat guy wielding a sword
    With no power, no real Internet access, no running water, and no access to just about anything, I was getting a little bit stir-crazy. Fortunately, I've made use of my training as a Boy Scout and assembled a crude pastiche of elements to bring some of my favorite electronic online games into the offline space. Success has been mixed. Sitting in dowtown and periodically shouting that a level 34 Dragoon was looking for a party produced exactly the right reaction to simulate logging in to Final Fantasy XI, but my attempt at "logging in" to City of Heroes resulted in a lengthy discussion with police regarding the appropriateness of waving a Nerf sword at teenagers.

    My makeshift attempts at answering this week's lineup for Ask Massively, however, have proved pretty fruitful all around. Skip on past the break for discussions about some very meta considerations, not the least of which being a potential subdivision of the site. As always, leaving a question in the comments or mailing it to ask@massively.com will quite possibly get it included in a future edition of the column. Sometimes even if the question is ridiculous.

    Continue reading Ask Massively: Stir-crazy edition

    MassivelyAsk Massively: Stir-crazy edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/09/01/ask-massively-stir-crazy-edition/feed/ 0     Wasteland Diaries: Don’t fear the reaper http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/04/22/wasteland-diaries-dont-fear-the-reaper/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/04/22/wasteland-diaries-dont-fear-the-reaper/#comments Fri, 22 Apr 2011 22:00:00 +0000 Edward Marshall http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/wasteland-diaries-dont-fear-the-reaper/ Filed under: , , , , ,

    Dying in Fallen Earth is not much different than it is in most other games. It's usually just a temporary setback or a very minor inconvenience. But for some, it seems to be more than that. In this week's Wasteland Diaries, I would like to ponder what might go through the mind of a gamer when he takes a dirt-nap in-game. In the past few decades I've spent playing PC games, I've seen some pretty over-the-top reactions to dying. I've tried to infer what might be going through some of these extremely emotional people's minds when they buy the farm. Various death penalties evoke wildly different emotions in general, so I'll start there.

    When you die in Fallen Earth, you lose all of your current non-stance buffs. Most buffs can be easily re-applied, except for your food, drinks and other consumables. It's still not a major loss, especially now that food and drink components are ultra-cheap. If there's nobody around to rez you, you must respawn at the cloner and take a 5% durability hit on your equipped gear. It's still not a big deal. And you'll get cumulative cloning sickness, which can get pretty nasty, but you have to die a lot in a short period of time to warrant tier five. And the sickness only lasts five minutes. After the cut, I'll delve deeper into the plight of the struck-down avatar and try to determine what it all means.

    Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Don't fear the reaper

    MassivelyWasteland Diaries: Don't fear the reaper originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/04/22/wasteland-diaries-dont-fear-the-reaper/feed/ 0     Wasteland Diaries: Don’t fear the reaper http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/04/22/wasteland-diaries-dont-fear-the-reaper-2/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/04/22/wasteland-diaries-dont-fear-the-reaper-2/#comments Fri, 22 Apr 2011 22:00:00 +0000 Edward Marshall http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/22/wasteland-diaries-dont-fear-the-reaper/ Filed under: , , , , ,

    Dying in Fallen Earth is not much different than it is in most other games. It's usually just a temporary setback or a very minor inconvenience. But for some, it seems to be more than that. In this week's Wasteland Diaries, I would like to ponder what might go through the mind of a gamer when he takes a dirt-nap in-game. In the past few decades I've spent playing PC games, I've seen some pretty over-the-top reactions to dying. I've tried to infer what might be going through some of these extremely emotional people's minds when they buy the farm. Various death penalties evoke wildly different emotions in general, so I'll start there.

    When you die in Fallen Earth, you lose all of your current non-stance buffs. Most buffs can be easily re-applied, except for your food, drinks and other consumables. It's still not a major loss, especially now that food and drink components are ultra-cheap. If there's nobody around to rez you, you must respawn at the cloner and take a 5% durability hit on your equipped gear. It's still not a big deal. And you'll get cumulative cloning sickness, which can get pretty nasty, but you have to die a lot in a short period of time to warrant tier five. And the sickness only lasts five minutes. After the cut, I'll delve deeper into the plight of the struck-down avatar and try to determine what it all means.

    Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Don't fear the reaper

    MassivelyWasteland Diaries: Don't fear the reaper originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/04/22/wasteland-diaries-dont-fear-the-reaper-2/feed/ 0     Transformers MMO to become a reality http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/03/14/transformers-mmo-to-become-a-reality/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/03/14/transformers-mmo-to-become-a-reality/#comments Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:45:00 +0000 Krystalle Voecks http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/14/transformers-mmo-to-become-a-reality/ Filed under: , , ,

    The time has come for Autobots and Decepticons to roll out into the MMO world! As of this morning, we've heard news that Hasbro has entered into a contract agreement with Jagex (most commonly known for its popular free-to-play title, RuneScape) to develop a brand-new game based on the incredibly popular Transformers IP.

    While details on just what players can expect from the Transformers MMO are still scarce at this point, the release states that the developers are aiming to launch the game sometime in 2012. Will this also be a free-to-play title, considering Jagex's experience? Will this be geared more toward children than adults? Will we be able to build our own super-awesome Transformers or just play as iconic characters? At this point it's all up in the air, but rest assured we'll keep our ears open for more news.

    MassivelyTransformers MMO to become a reality originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/03/14/transformers-mmo-to-become-a-reality/feed/ 0     Gamigo opens the news floodgates http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/03/10/gamigo-opens-the-news-floodgates/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/03/10/gamigo-opens-the-news-floodgates/#comments Fri, 11 Mar 2011 01:30:00 +0000 Krystalle Voecks http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/gamigo-opens-the-news-floodgates/ Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    "Cry havoc, and unleash the titles of war" might as well be gamigo's cry, as today it has seen fit to give us what can only be termed as a new title news explosion. Aside from offering up an interesting tidbit on its upcoming space dogfighter, Black Prophecy, the company has released information on a handful of other new titles that should pique the interest of gamers who are looking for something beyond the standard free-to-play MMO fare. Better still, some of these titles will be available in-browser, helping to open up more "jump in and game" free-to-play options.

    Grimlands offers something for players who have been waiting for a post-apocalyptic title that promises the ability to evolve their own playstyles -- and cities. UFO Online: Fight for Earth features a tactics-heavy browser-based MMO environment where players will battle against each other and enemy NPCs in a world overrun with gobsmackingly enormous amounts of aliens. Magic Campus offers adventure in a turn-based world where players build a powerful cadre of pets and mentor others in the ways of magic -- all in their browsers.

    Sound intriguing? Join us behind the break for a first look at screenshots and video from these upcoming gamigo titles!

    Continue reading Gamigo opens the news floodgates

    MassivelyGamigo opens the news floodgates originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/03/10/gamigo-opens-the-news-floodgates/feed/ 0     Alter-Ego: DCUO’s console conundrum http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/02/19/alter-ego-dcuos-console-conundrum/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/02/19/alter-ego-dcuos-console-conundrum/#comments Sat, 19 Feb 2011 17:00:00 +0000 Krystalle Voecks http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/19/alter-ego-dcuos-console-conundrum/ Filed under: , , , , ,

    With the first month of DC Universe Online now in the past, the time has come for that all-important MMO decision -- is the game worth renewing? For some, the answer is no. The first major patch still has not dropped; it's meant to offer us many fixes and the new content we've been told is coming. Some players have hit the level cap and aren't interested in leveling alts or doing endgame content. Whatever each person's reason may be, the shine is wearing off for some.

    Meanwhile, Hal Halpin, President of the Entertainment Consumer's Association, recently wrote a piece that presented another reason that some may not be renewing: Console gamers are feeling that Sony Online Entertainment has been less than open about the game's being locked to a single account. Many are upset about not being able to trade DC Universe Online in for another game now that their free month is up. His reasoning? "The problem, of course, is that console games are sold and the ownership conveyed, along with rights." There's only one flaw in that statement: This isn't anything new -- not even on consoles.

    Continue reading Alter-Ego: DCUO's console conundrum

    MassivelyAlter-Ego: DCUO's console conundrum originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/02/19/alter-ego-dcuos-console-conundrum/feed/ 0     Alter-Ego: Working together is hard to do http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/01/29/alter-ego-working-together-is-hard-to-do/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/01/29/alter-ego-working-together-is-hard-to-do/#comments Sat, 29 Jan 2011 19:00:00 +0000 Krystalle Voecks http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/29/alter-ego-working-together-is-hard-to-do/ Filed under: , , , , ,

    Wake me up when chat is working.
    The news earlier this week that DC Universe Online is now Sony Online Entertainment's best-selling game probably won't come as much of a surprise to anyone who has actually played it. There's an enormous amount of fun to be had in running through the game, and the storylines are incredibly well thought-out. However, for all that I personally love the game, there is one thing that I and many other people I've talked to find to be incredibly lacking, and in this case, it's something so integral to the MMOG experience as to essentially make or break parts of the game.

    Essentially, what point is there to an MMO in which you can't really reliably interact with the other people you're playing with? It's also rather eye-opening just how much your enjoyment of a game like this can be impacted when you can't effectively talk to other people. As such, this week I'll look at several crucial problems with the DC Universe Online chat interface, as well as things that can be done to improve the overall experience.

    Continue reading Alter-Ego: Working together is hard to do

    MassivelyAlter-Ego: Working together is hard to do originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2011/01/29/alter-ego-working-together-is-hard-to-do/feed/ 0     Massively’s ho-ho-holiday MMO roundup for 2010 http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/12/17/massivelys-ho-ho-holiday-mmo-roundup-for-2010/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/12/17/massivelys-ho-ho-holiday-mmo-roundup-for-2010/#comments Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:00:00 +0000 Krystalle Voecks http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/17/massivelys-ho-ho-holiday-mmo-roundup-for-2010/ Filed under: , ,

    It's that time of year again -- when snow falls in lands that normally don't even see weather effects! When you're supposed to love your fellow elf, human, dwarf -- or at least maim them in the nicest, most brotherly way possible. As one would expect with a plethora of MMOs out on the market, there are gobsmackingly huge numbers of events to take advantage of. Being the festive holiday folks we are (well, OK, some of us anyway), we've gathered up a listing of some of the many things going on. So if you're curious about just what holiday merriment can be found out there, grab some egg nog (alcohol optional), click past the break, and dive into our festive roundup of holiday events.

    Also, be sure to keep an eye on Massively as Rubi continues giving great gifts to gamers galore in our 12 Days of Giveaways event!

    Continue reading Massively's ho-ho-holiday MMO roundup for 2010

    MassivelyMassively's ho-ho-holiday MMO roundup for 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/12/17/massivelys-ho-ho-holiday-mmo-roundup-for-2010/feed/ 0     The MMO Report: Catackalysm special http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/12/10/the-mmo-report-catackalysm-special/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/12/10/the-mmo-report-catackalysm-special/#comments Fri, 10 Dec 2010 16:00:00 +0000 Krystalle Voecks http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/the-mmo-report-catackalysm-special/ Filed under: , , , , ,

    First things first, to really understand this week's intro to The MMO Report, you need to do a wee bit of homework, assuming you don't already get the reference in the title anyway. Pop over here and watch this user-created video about the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion. We'll wait.

    OK, all caught up? Great. Off we go then!

    This week, Casey is joined by the lovely (and World of Warcraft-addicted) Morgan Webb, who sits down with Game Designer Tom "Kalgan" Chilton for a chat about the myriad things that have come in Cataclysm. Sure, it's chock-full of the normal things one would expect, like talk about things players both old and new will be experiencing in the expansion. Morgan also gets Tom to tell us more about some of his favorite quests in the revamped areas, as well as a bit more insight into Blizzard's development cycles for this expansion -- certainly a hot topic this week. In all, this will definitely be a treat for any World of Warcraft loving gamer.

    We've tucked the video behind the break for your enjoyment, or you can catch The MMO Report every Thursday on G4TV.

    Continue reading The MMO Report: Catackalysm special

    MassivelyThe MMO Report: Catackalysm special originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/12/10/the-mmo-report-catackalysm-special/feed/ 0     Frogster acquires unnamed Shanda Games MMORPG http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/11/29/frogster-acquires-unnamed-shanda-games-mmorpg/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/11/29/frogster-acquires-unnamed-shanda-games-mmorpg/#comments Tue, 30 Nov 2010 01:00:00 +0000 Jef Reahard http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/29/frogster-acquires-unnamed-shanda-games-mmorpg/ Filed under: , , ,

    Frogster's online gaming portfolio just got a bit bigger, though details are scarce as to the name and the nature of the company's newest acquisition. The German publishing giant, most famous for bringing Runes of Magic to the masses, announced that it has secured the rights to a new fantasy MMORPG from Shanda Games, a Chinese developer.

    The unnamed title will reportedly distinguish itself by featuring a setting developed expressly for Western audiences, and Frogster plans to launch the game using a free-to-play business model some time in 2012. "This deal with Shanda Games adds yet another prominent MMORPG to our portfolio. By licensing the game for North America and Europe, we have taken another step in establishing Frogster as one of the leading MMO game publishers in the world," said Andreas Weidenhaupt, a Frogster executive board member.

    MassivelyFrogster acquires unnamed Shanda Games MMORPG originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/11/29/frogster-acquires-unnamed-shanda-games-mmorpg/feed/ 0     Gamer pays a buttload of cash to play an MMO on a huge screen http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/11/29/gamer-pays-a-buttload-of-cash-to-play-an-mmo-on-a-huge-screen/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/11/29/gamer-pays-a-buttload-of-cash-to-play-an-mmo-on-a-huge-screen/#comments Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:00:00 +0000 Krystalle Voecks http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/29/gamer-pays-a-buttload-of-cash-to-play-an-mmo-on-a-huge-screen/ Filed under: , , , ,

    If you had $15,000.00, what would you do with it? Pay some bills? Maybe upgrade a few holiday gifts? Well, if you're the guy featured in this video from MMOsite, apparently the thing to do with all that spare cash is renting out the biggest honking video screen one can find and playing an MMO. Yes, indeed, for the low, low price of roughly 1,500 dollars a minute, you too can subject random passers-by to a raw display of your mad online skillz and leetness for a whopping 10 minutes.

    All joking aside, this guy has managed to pull off one crazy stunt -- being the first MMO gamer to get his game on across a gobsmackingly enormous freaking screen. (The second-longest LCD screen in the world, even.) As for the game of choice? If you guessed World of Warcraft, you'd be wrong. Apparently his online poison of choice is a game called Magic World Online 2. (Although after looking at the site, perhaps it's not that far off.) What's next? Well, we'll wait for the inevitable e-peenery of someone renting out the entirety of Fremont street's 1,500-foot long Las Vegas LCD skyscreen. For those who would like to see this particular display, the video is embedded behind the break.

    Continue reading Gamer pays a buttload of cash to play an MMO on a huge screen

    MassivelyGamer pays a buttload of cash to play an MMO on a huge screen originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/11/29/gamer-pays-a-buttload-of-cash-to-play-an-mmo-on-a-huge-screen/feed/ 0     [Updated] Massively’s big fat Black Friday roundup http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/11/24/updated-massivelys-big-fat-black-friday-roundup/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/11/24/updated-massivelys-big-fat-black-friday-roundup/#comments Thu, 25 Nov 2010 01:00:00 +0000 Krystalle Voecks http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/24/massivelys-big-fat-black-friday-roundup/ Filed under: , ,

    Can you feel the love? The food comas? The day of sitting around napping while the kids sneak into the kitchen for another piece of pie? As you can see from the holiday e-card we've gotten, the gorging has already started in certain MMOs. However, for the rest of us who aren't virtual-demented-clown versions of Mr. Creosote, the promise of great deals looms once the turkey and pie are dispensed with. As we here at Massively are always on the lookout for a good deal, we've rounded up some MMO and hardware deals worth putting on your wish list.

    Join us behind the break for some of the best 100% frosting-covered-clown-free bargains we've found. Also, if you spot anything particularly tasty in terms of sale prices, be sure to let us all know in comments!

    [Updated] Switched the image out due to unintended offense, and adding more deals in as we find them!

    Continue reading [Updated] Massively's big fat Black Friday roundup

    Massively[Updated] Massively's big fat Black Friday roundup originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/11/24/updated-massivelys-big-fat-black-friday-roundup/feed/ 0     Massively’s big fat Black Friday roundup http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/11/24/massivelys-big-fat-black-friday-roundup-2/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/11/24/massivelys-big-fat-black-friday-roundup-2/#comments Thu, 25 Nov 2010 01:00:00 +0000 Krystalle Voecks http://www.massively.com/2010/11/24/massivelys-big-fat-black-friday-roundup/
    Can you feel the love? The food comas? The day of sitting around napping while the kids sneak into the kitchen for another piece of pie? As you can see from the holiday e-card we've gotten, the gorging has already started in certain MMOs. However, for the rest of us who aren't virtual-demented-clown versions of Mr. Creosote, the promise of great deals looms once the turkey and pie are dispensed with. As we here at Massively are always on the lookout for a good deal, we've rounded up some MMO and hardware deals worth putting on your wish list.

    Join us behind the break for some of the best 100% frosting-covered-clown-free bargains we've found. Also, if you spot anything particularly tasty in terms of sale prices, be sure to let us all know in comments!

    Continue reading Massively's big fat Black Friday roundup

    Filed under: , ,

    Massively's big fat Black Friday roundup originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Permalink | Email this | Comments

    ]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2010/11/24/massivelys-big-fat-black-friday-roundup-2/feed/ 0     EVE Online Banker Scams Over 80 Billion ISK http://www.bethegamer.com/2009/01/22/eve-online-banker-scams-over-80-billion-isk/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2009/01/22/eve-online-banker-scams-over-80-billion-isk/#comments Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:49:25 +0000 Xavier http://www.bethegamer.com/?p=800 Wow, talk about getting screwed by a bank… even in a virtual world.

    The unique universe of EVE Online has taken another turn for the crazy with news that a player named Xabier, the former Investments Manager at the in-game Dynasty Banking operation, has absconded with over 80 billion ISK.

    One of the most interesting features of EVE Online is its player-driven economy, which is almost entirely unregulated by EVE developer and publisher CCP Games. Players control virtually everything, meaning the economic side of the game, handled via the game’s corporations, banks and other entities, represents a more complex and vital component of play than the tightly-controlled “buy-and-sell” economies of most MMOGs. But human nature is what it is, and just like in the real world, players are vulnerable to the risks of bad behavior among those in positions of authority.

    So it was when last week, according to Massively, Xabier walked away from Dynasty Banking with a tidy 86 billion ISK, the EVE Online currency, an amount which he says is now worth over 106 billion ISK thanks to investments. Manalapan, the chairman of Dynasty Banking, pegged the embezzled amount at the slightly lower mark of 82.5 billion ISK, but the difference is academic. A huge sum of money is gone.

    Manalapan issued a statement claiming that it is not yet even confirmed that Xabier has in fact run off with the money, although he admitted that a dividend payment on a bond has been missed and that Xabier’s bio now reads, “Thanks for all the fish.” He also urged customers not to jump to conclusions at this point, assuring them that should the worst turn out to be true, the bank has enough in reserve to cover the loss. “All withdrawal requests are being dealt with this very moment but as I am sure you are aware there is an above average amount, and so we ask for patience with this matter,” he said. “Dynasty Banking will get over these times and we will continue to strive to earn the public’s faith as one of the leading banks of Eve Online.”

    EBANK, the largest player-run bank in New Eden, has also pledged its support to Dynasty Banking if the run on the bank, which at last report was up to 30 billion ISK, reaches the point where the bank itself is threatened. “From what I have seen after talking to Manalapan it’s quite likely EBANK won’t need to assist at all, but it can’t hurt to have that extra backup just in case,” EBANK Managing Director Ricdic said.

    A lot of players will no doubt frown upon these shenanigans but I think it’s a great example of what makes EVE stand out from the MMOG crowd. The insertion of the human element into the most basic aspects of gameplay, for both good and bad, results in the sort of emergent gaming that most designers can only dream of. Some people have questioned whether or not a real crime has taken place, since ISK does have a real world value: Based on rates at SwagVault.com, the amount embezzled by Xabier is worth around $2500.00. But the crime took place within the context of the game, so while EVE law may apply – such as it is – I find it hard to imagine that real law would.

    And this is far from the only example of high-profile malfeasance in EVE. As far back as mid-2005, the Guiding Hand Social Club staged a devastating attack on the Ubiqua Seraph corporation that inflicted 30 billion ISK of damage and remains infamous to this day, while in 2006 the player at the head of the EVE Investment Bank disappeared with a reported 700 billion ISK. It takes balls to let this kind of thing go on, but the success of EVE Online is proof that this is exactly the action some players are looking for.

    Source:http://www.escapistmagazine.com/

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    ]]>     http://www.bethegamer.com/2009/01/22/eve-online-banker-scams-over-80-billion-isk/feed/ 0     TwelveSky 2 Unveils New Teaser Website & Forums http://www.bethegamer.com/2009/01/15/twelvesky-2-unveils-new-teaser-website-forums/ http://www.bethegamer.com/2009/01/15/twelvesky-2-unveils-new-teaser-website-forums/#comments Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:05:00 +0000 Xavier http://www.bethegamer.com/?p=793 San Francisco, Calif. (Jan. 15, 2009) – Today MAYN Interactive Pte Ltd., an up-and-coming game publisher, has announced the opening of the second Teaser Site for the highly anticipated and critically acclaimed “TwelveSky 2” Europe – a martial arts based Massively Multiplayer Online Role Play Game (MMORPG).

    “TwelveSky 2”’s second Teaser Site allows the community to finally come together on an official message board to bond, converse, and learn more about the age of TwelveSky. In addition, the brand-new homepage is outfitted with the complete movie trailer, the first two chapters of game lore, exciting clan details, and lavish screenshots and concept art.
    “In efforts to create momentum until Closed Beta, we will continuously update the website on a near-weekly basis.” said Shawn Silverman, Game Operations Officer for MAYN, describing the open ended nature of the teaser. “We hope that our fans will not only be eager to see what fantastic features we’ll disclose, but the newest story that unfolds as well.”

    “TwelveSky 2”, successor to the already popular game “TwelveSky”, harnesses the full potential of the self-developed game engine, GXD, which results in improved graphics and game play. Additionally “TwelveSky 2” will be introducing new mechanics such as resource gathering and harvesting, item crafting, a new player race, and riding mounts, as well as sporting a completely new and rewritten story arch, even compared to its sister counterparts which are currently released in Asia.

    A month after its initial release, “TwelveSky 2″ soared to the Top 5 position in the MMO genre in Korea and the Taiwanese version is quickly gaining speed. Now aiming for Europe, the game is setting up to be a major success within the Free-to-Play space.

    “TwelveSky 2” is rapidly approaching its Closed Beta testing phase, set for the first quarter of 2009. For more information, please see the official website at www.12sky2.com.

    What is TwelveSky 2:
    “TwelveSky 2” is an adrenaline-pumping Massively Multiplayer Online Role Play Game (MMORPG). Set in Ancient China, players are thrown into an age old conflict between three warring Clans. Centered on the reemergence of a new faction, players must fight for the honor of their brothers or turn their backs in their hour of need. Packed with jaw dropping martial art techniques, exotic weapons, armor, and pets, a robust battle system, and a whole lot more, “TwelveSky 2” is primed to be one of the best Free-To-Play Player-versus-Player experiences to date!

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