Well, developer Winch Gate Property, Ltd previously said they would change the business model of their MMO "Ryzom" and turn it from a free-to-play MMORPG into a pay-to-play MMORPG, and by golly, that's exactly what they're going to do.
Beginning sometime next week (unfortunately no exact dates are given), if you want to continue playing you'll have to cough up some dough. The pricing is about on par with most other MMOs, but that's not really the point here. The point is that a developer obviously can't make up their mind on how their videogame is going to make money. If I was a citizen of this virtual world, I'd be crapping my little electronic trousers right about now.
Keep an eye on this case, as Winch Gate is treading in some very dangerous water. Worst of all, they're all alone and in the dark.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 13th, 2009
Showing posts with label free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free. Show all posts
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Space MMO 'Cosmic Supremacy' now available
Feeling an urge to play a space-themed MMO after watching J.J. Abrams' incredible "Star Trek?" Why don't you give "Cosmic Supremacy" a try. (Forgive the cheese, but the release schedule of the two pieces of media remains a little too close to be a coincidence.)
Formerly known as "Space Civilizations," "Cosmic Supremacy" is a turn-based multiplayer strategy game where players command their own civilization and are tasked with exploring the surrounding galaxy, discovering new solar systems, colonizing other planets, and essentially being a groovy dude. Of particular interest to nerds like me who love to personalize every aspect of a game, players can customize every ship in their fleet.
I hate copying and pasting an entire paragraph of a press release into one of these news announcements, but there's something you need to read...
"As a game in the 4X genre (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate), 'Cosmic Supremacy' draws inspiration from the hundreds of browser-based games out there, but we did not want to add yet another one - instead we took the basic idea to the next level; the Fifth X: eXperience. 'Cosmic Supremacy' is played with a very slim downloadable client allowing features that other games can only dream of. We left the shortcomings of existing games behind and designed 'Cosmic Supremacy' from the ground up to be the best game in its class."
See that? That's just a small snippet of the PR bologna we have to put up with each and every day. Ugh.
Anyway, if you decide to give this new space MMO a shot, feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section below.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 13th, 2009
Formerly known as "Space Civilizations," "Cosmic Supremacy" is a turn-based multiplayer strategy game where players command their own civilization and are tasked with exploring the surrounding galaxy, discovering new solar systems, colonizing other planets, and essentially being a groovy dude. Of particular interest to nerds like me who love to personalize every aspect of a game, players can customize every ship in their fleet.
I hate copying and pasting an entire paragraph of a press release into one of these news announcements, but there's something you need to read...
"As a game in the 4X genre (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate), 'Cosmic Supremacy' draws inspiration from the hundreds of browser-based games out there, but we did not want to add yet another one - instead we took the basic idea to the next level; the Fifth X: eXperience. 'Cosmic Supremacy' is played with a very slim downloadable client allowing features that other games can only dream of. We left the shortcomings of existing games behind and designed 'Cosmic Supremacy' from the ground up to be the best game in its class."
See that? That's just a small snippet of the PR bologna we have to put up with each and every day. Ugh.
Anyway, if you decide to give this new space MMO a shot, feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section below.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 13th, 2009
New browser game for adults, 'Disciple'
If you are an adult looking to try out an MMORPG or are a teenager and just feel you are mature for your age, you may enjoy checking out a newly launched browser game, "Disciple." Resistor Productions has put together this fantasy battlefield geared toward adults; almost the entire game is based on the writings of Tobias R. Batton.
The game is also delivered entirely over the web browser, so no separate download is required. This will be great for those who like to sneak in a little gameplay at school or while bored at the office.
Aphelion, "Disciple's" fantasy world, is violent and bloody with battles between you and other players. Fights between opponents sometimes last until death while trying to earn points, armor and weapons to gain player ranking. "Geldors" are the in-game version of money and are acquired from wins and losses. You can also join a clan of disciples (or as some of us call it: a guild) to help you against enemies.
There will be three classes, races and deities to worship. There will of course be quests, but your choices in those quests will determine the play-style of your character.
"Disciple" is free-to-play, however you can enhance your in-game content with a monthly subscription fee.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 13th, 2009
The game is also delivered entirely over the web browser, so no separate download is required. This will be great for those who like to sneak in a little gameplay at school or while bored at the office.
Aphelion, "Disciple's" fantasy world, is violent and bloody with battles between you and other players. Fights between opponents sometimes last until death while trying to earn points, armor and weapons to gain player ranking. "Geldors" are the in-game version of money and are acquired from wins and losses. You can also join a clan of disciples (or as some of us call it: a guild) to help you against enemies.
There will be three classes, races and deities to worship. There will of course be quests, but your choices in those quests will determine the play-style of your character.
"Disciple" is free-to-play, however you can enhance your in-game content with a monthly subscription fee.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 13th, 2009
Get hitched in 'Deco Online' for a limited time
From now until June 9, players in the free-to-play MMORPG “Deco Online” ”... can don wedding gowns and tuxedos acquired from the in-game item mall and attend a ceremony officiated by their favorite game master,” as the press release notes. In other words, for a limited time you can get married.
Wait, what? Try as I might, I don’t understand why people would want to get married in an MMORPG. But then again, there’s a lot I don’t understand in this world so I’ll try not to spend too long analyzing the logic behind a virtual wedding ring. But why would developer Joymax only offer this option for a limited time? It’s a permanent feature in many titles, and, in a way, the focal point of one particular game. I hope the option to get divorced is still available after the event concludes.
In other “Deco Online” news, Joymax also wants you to know that the guerrilla event ends on July 7 and that the revised item mall makes it easier to purchase in-game items.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 13th, 2009
Wait, what? Try as I might, I don’t understand why people would want to get married in an MMORPG. But then again, there’s a lot I don’t understand in this world so I’ll try not to spend too long analyzing the logic behind a virtual wedding ring. But why would developer Joymax only offer this option for a limited time? It’s a permanent feature in many titles, and, in a way, the focal point of one particular game. I hope the option to get divorced is still available after the event concludes.
In other “Deco Online” news, Joymax also wants you to know that the guerrilla event ends on July 7 and that the revised item mall makes it easier to purchase in-game items.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 13th, 2009
'RuneScape' lightens offence policy
The tribe at "RuneScape" has decided to lighten up a little with their new Offence System. By no means are they ignoring offences, but they are willing to give their players a second chance and believe that people learn over time from their mistakes. (Instead of getting a slap on the hand with a ruler, you're just being put in the corner with a cone hat.)
Offences that you made over a year ago could quite possibly be gone from your record. You will no longer receive black marks for your mistakes and will instead see the offences on the Offence Appeals page. There will be two pillars: one that records offences that are bad enough to result in being banned, and another pillar that records offences that only result in being muted. This will make it easier to see where you stand within "RuneScape" law.
Players that have an account that is currently banned or muted will be allowed a chance to submit an appeal. Then the "RuneScape" support team (jury of your peers) will reassess your offences and decide if you're guilty or not guilty. This will especially benefit those who have had their account stolen and abused. In addition, if you have ever had a membership on the account and have put in a large amount of game time, after 21 days, you will have another opportunity for an appeal.
Some organization has been implemented for the reporting of abuse. Here are the three headings in which you can categorize your reports under:
Honour - Offences in relation to cheating such as scamming, real-world trading, macroing, etc.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T. - Offences related to inappropriate behavior like bullying, obscene language, discrimination, etc.
Security - Offences related to real-world safety such as requests for real-life contact information, advertising, etc.
Receiving a mute or in-game ban will also result in the same action on the forums. This so players are treated equally when they are playing the game and when or on the forums.
If you currently have a ban or record of an offence, you might want to check out the status of that record because these changes could effect how long that offence will last. Since this whole new offence system is a large change, the website features have already been launched, but the in-game interface will be released with this week's server reboot.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 13th, 2009
Offences that you made over a year ago could quite possibly be gone from your record. You will no longer receive black marks for your mistakes and will instead see the offences on the Offence Appeals page. There will be two pillars: one that records offences that are bad enough to result in being banned, and another pillar that records offences that only result in being muted. This will make it easier to see where you stand within "RuneScape" law.
Players that have an account that is currently banned or muted will be allowed a chance to submit an appeal. Then the "RuneScape" support team (jury of your peers) will reassess your offences and decide if you're guilty or not guilty. This will especially benefit those who have had their account stolen and abused. In addition, if you have ever had a membership on the account and have put in a large amount of game time, after 21 days, you will have another opportunity for an appeal.
Some organization has been implemented for the reporting of abuse. Here are the three headings in which you can categorize your reports under:
Honour - Offences in relation to cheating such as scamming, real-world trading, macroing, etc.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T. - Offences related to inappropriate behavior like bullying, obscene language, discrimination, etc.
Security - Offences related to real-world safety such as requests for real-life contact information, advertising, etc.
Receiving a mute or in-game ban will also result in the same action on the forums. This so players are treated equally when they are playing the game and when or on the forums.
If you currently have a ban or record of an offence, you might want to check out the status of that record because these changes could effect how long that offence will last. Since this whole new offence system is a large change, the website features have already been launched, but the in-game interface will be released with this week's server reboot.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 13th, 2009
MMORPG 'Magic World Online' celebrates anniversary
No self-respecting MMORPG developer would allow a holiday to go by without including some kind of celebration in their title, and this includes any and all relevant anniversaries. With that in mind, it could be said that developer Ingle Games Ltd. has announced the one year anniversary celebration for their MMORPG with legal bots, "Magic World Online."
From May 12th to June 15th, special items called "For 'Magic World Online' 1st anniversary celebration" will drop from monsters. They can then be exchanged with the MWO Ambassador for "special gifts." (Speaking of drops, Blessed Crystals can also be gained at a higher rate.)
Additionally, you might want to take a visit to the auction house and peruse the items, as Ingle Games notes countless items "which are better than ever" will be placed there.
So one month to celebrate a one year anniversary? By the time the festivities are over it will be time to celebrate some other holiday and/or anniversary number or two. I can't say I'm complaining, though.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 12th, 2009
From May 12th to June 15th, special items called "For 'Magic World Online' 1st anniversary celebration" will drop from monsters. They can then be exchanged with the MWO Ambassador for "special gifts." (Speaking of drops, Blessed Crystals can also be gained at a higher rate.)
Additionally, you might want to take a visit to the auction house and peruse the items, as Ingle Games notes countless items "which are better than ever" will be placed there.
So one month to celebrate a one year anniversary? By the time the festivities are over it will be time to celebrate some other holiday and/or anniversary number or two. I can't say I'm complaining, though.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 12th, 2009
IGG previews new 'Angels Online' PvP system
A new PvP system will be available in free-to-play MMORPG “Angels Online” with its next expansion, “House Party.” Publisher IGG posted a preview of this new feature called Angel Arena. Apparently, this is “totally different” from the Totem Battle and Holy Battlefield.
Only level 60+ players are able to sign up and engage in this event.
To sign up, players can go to one of the four main cities, Palm Base or the Angel Lyceum, to find Battlefield Angel who will teleport them to the Sign-up Office. There, you can sign up and choose to join in on or be a spectator to the battle.
Once the event starts, those players participating will be teleported to their appropriate battlefields. The system will automatically count down 5 seconds in the World Channel. After 5 seconds, each Angel that is participating has to find a blue circle on their feet. Once this has happened, they can begin to slaughter each other.
If a player dies in the Angel Arena, they are unable to join that battle again. They can watch from the sidelines and will not lose any exp after death. But if they are offline during the battle, they cannot join in even if they login.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 12th, 2009
Only level 60+ players are able to sign up and engage in this event.
To sign up, players can go to one of the four main cities, Palm Base or the Angel Lyceum, to find Battlefield Angel who will teleport them to the Sign-up Office. There, you can sign up and choose to join in on or be a spectator to the battle.
Once the event starts, those players participating will be teleported to their appropriate battlefields. The system will automatically count down 5 seconds in the World Channel. After 5 seconds, each Angel that is participating has to find a blue circle on their feet. Once this has happened, they can begin to slaughter each other.
If a player dies in the Angel Arena, they are unable to join that battle again. They can watch from the sidelines and will not lose any exp after death. But if they are offline during the battle, they cannot join in even if they login.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 12th, 2009
Cigarette usage influences Eastern MMO design
Last Friday, MIT's Sloan School of Business hosted a business in gaming conference where panelists from 2K Boston, Sanrio Digital, Mythic Entertainment, and Turbine discussed, among many things, the current state of the industry. Even former baseball All-Star, and founder of 38 Studios LLC, Curt Schilling, joined the fun.
As the Journal of New England Technology noted, Sanrio's Robert Ferrari talked about the difference between Western and Eastern MMO design, which prompted Mythic's Eugene Evans to point out one very unlikely influence: cigarettes. Evans said all games developed for the Asian markets need to be played with one hand so that a cigarette may be held in the other.
I don't smoke, so please understand when I say "gross."
In all seriousness, now I understand why their economy isn't doing so bad. The country receives a 20% tax on virtual income and the revenue gained from smoking, according to a December 17 announcement, is expected to generate almost $9.5 billion following another tax hike. Additionally, revenue gained from online gaming is on the rise due in large part to the increased proliferation of PCs in homes and internet cafes.
With all that in mind, are you at all surprised that the Chinese government has ordered government employees to smoke more?
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 12th, 2009
As the Journal of New England Technology noted, Sanrio's Robert Ferrari talked about the difference between Western and Eastern MMO design, which prompted Mythic's Eugene Evans to point out one very unlikely influence: cigarettes. Evans said all games developed for the Asian markets need to be played with one hand so that a cigarette may be held in the other.
I don't smoke, so please understand when I say "gross."
In all seriousness, now I understand why their economy isn't doing so bad. The country receives a 20% tax on virtual income and the revenue gained from smoking, according to a December 17 announcement, is expected to generate almost $9.5 billion following another tax hike. Additionally, revenue gained from online gaming is on the rise due in large part to the increased proliferation of PCs in homes and internet cafes.
With all that in mind, are you at all surprised that the Chinese government has ordered government employees to smoke more?
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 12th, 2009
8450 video game jobs lost since July 2008
Some suggest the video game industry's rapid growth within the last ten years most closely resembles the over-inflation of a balloon or a bubble, and that it will soon burst, sending jobs, careers, and aspirations to the wayside. Perhaps in support of this claim, independent market analyst Wanda Meloni estimates that 8,450 people in the industry lost their jobs since July 2008.
According to Gamasutra, Meloni used Game Developer Research's Game Developer Census 2008 report to "calculate the current percentage of game industry layoffs in North America at 12%, based on the census report's tally of 53,900 workers."
I get it. A lot of people were laid off, but as user "gen ideer" noted in the comments section of the article, any number of these individuals might have found employment elsewhere in the video game industry since that time.
Sales across the industry are up this year (especially in our our free-to-play MMO sector which has seen exponential growth), so if you drank the doom and gloom Kool-Aid, spit it out. Times are tough, but all things considered the video game industry is doing quite well.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 12th, 2009
According to Gamasutra, Meloni used Game Developer Research's Game Developer Census 2008 report to "calculate the current percentage of game industry layoffs in North America at 12%, based on the census report's tally of 53,900 workers."
I get it. A lot of people were laid off, but as user "gen ideer" noted in the comments section of the article, any number of these individuals might have found employment elsewhere in the video game industry since that time.
Sales across the industry are up this year (especially in our our free-to-play MMO sector which has seen exponential growth), so if you drank the doom and gloom Kool-Aid, spit it out. Times are tough, but all things considered the video game industry is doing quite well.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 12th, 2009
'Destiny Online' holds 2-week long b-day party
“Destiny Online” is one year old and its celebrating its cuteness with some activities. Sorry, there is no “Duck, Duck, Goose” or “Pin The Tale On The Donkey” games planned, but a 5-day-long double exp event and other activities are going on right this minute.
Late last week and this past weekend, there were double and triple exp days for those who actually knew about the 5-day exp event. It’s funny, but no relatively popular news site even knew about this event until five days after it’s already started.
One of the activities enables you to make off with a lover and elope if you want. There is no requirement of level of friendship points for marriage during this event; just make sure your significant other is of age or when the rules are back in place, it may be a bit awkward for you.
Fairy Dew can be used on pets that are above level 80 and “Destiny Online” has provided you with more choices in hairstyles since looking like a clone is not particularly cool these days.
“Destiny Online” is the first MMORPG that “Pays U 2 Play,” because spelling out “you” and “to” is just too hard. But seriously, this means that for each two hours that you are logged in the game, you earn two Gold Points. These points can be used to buy nifty items from the Destiny Item Mall, complete with Cupcake Tanning Spa and Nails by Kitty. Maybe that last part isn’t true, but the fact that you can earn Gold without doing any work makes this game a little more interesting than perhaps the others that are otherwise the exact same game.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 12th, 2009
Late last week and this past weekend, there were double and triple exp days for those who actually knew about the 5-day exp event. It’s funny, but no relatively popular news site even knew about this event until five days after it’s already started.
One of the activities enables you to make off with a lover and elope if you want. There is no requirement of level of friendship points for marriage during this event; just make sure your significant other is of age or when the rules are back in place, it may be a bit awkward for you.
Fairy Dew can be used on pets that are above level 80 and “Destiny Online” has provided you with more choices in hairstyles since looking like a clone is not particularly cool these days.
“Destiny Online” is the first MMORPG that “Pays U 2 Play,” because spelling out “you” and “to” is just too hard. But seriously, this means that for each two hours that you are logged in the game, you earn two Gold Points. These points can be used to buy nifty items from the Destiny Item Mall, complete with Cupcake Tanning Spa and Nails by Kitty. Maybe that last part isn’t true, but the fact that you can earn Gold without doing any work makes this game a little more interesting than perhaps the others that are otherwise the exact same game.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 12th, 2009
Limited 'Mortal Online' beta needs testers
Why hire an extra dozen or so gaming enthusiasts to test your still-in-development title when another (or maybe the same) group is willing to do it for free? Apparently that's what what "Mortal Online" developer Star Vault is doing with the upcoming MMO's beta.
In order to "effectively focus on some particular features," Star Vault is inviting "only a handful of applicants" to the first wave of the beta, which has been split into two parts. Melee combat is the focus of this phase, and neither magic nor mounted combat will be allowed in the artificial and empty test-island where all users will be taken.
If melee's not your thing but you still find yourself with one of the few invitations, you can still check out the character creation process, which seems a little more in-depth than most titles, thanks largely due to the "blood-mix system." Star Vault writes, "Races in 'Mortal Online' are not static, and all races within a species will be able to interbreed, giving you the option to choose your ancestry and heritage in detail." Additionally, the company notes "Both visual appearance and attribute caps will be dependent on the mix." Settle down, furries; there's only Orcs, Elves, and human-types in "Mortal Online."
Anyway, if joining in on such a limited beta sounds groovy to you, go ahead and apply for an invite on the official "Mortal Online" site. Personally, I'd rather wait and play the title when it's more feature-rich, but I can understand why some of you might want to check it out ASAP. If a Batman MMO was being made, I'd try and test a wire-frame only version for free.
Yes, I'm hanging my head in shame right now.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 11th, 2009
In order to "effectively focus on some particular features," Star Vault is inviting "only a handful of applicants" to the first wave of the beta, which has been split into two parts. Melee combat is the focus of this phase, and neither magic nor mounted combat will be allowed in the artificial and empty test-island where all users will be taken.
If melee's not your thing but you still find yourself with one of the few invitations, you can still check out the character creation process, which seems a little more in-depth than most titles, thanks largely due to the "blood-mix system." Star Vault writes, "Races in 'Mortal Online' are not static, and all races within a species will be able to interbreed, giving you the option to choose your ancestry and heritage in detail." Additionally, the company notes "Both visual appearance and attribute caps will be dependent on the mix." Settle down, furries; there's only Orcs, Elves, and human-types in "Mortal Online."
Anyway, if joining in on such a limited beta sounds groovy to you, go ahead and apply for an invite on the official "Mortal Online" site. Personally, I'd rather wait and play the title when it's more feature-rich, but I can understand why some of you might want to check it out ASAP. If a Batman MMO was being made, I'd try and test a wire-frame only version for free.
Yes, I'm hanging my head in shame right now.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 11th, 2009
The Weekly Grind: Last Week in MMO News (Week of 5/11/2009)
"The Weekly Grind" is a new weekly feature for the MMOLife sites, collecting the past week's biggest headlines for the most popular MMOs, free or not. If you want to catch up on what you may have missed in the world of non-free games, this is your chance to do so.
Your Prophecy in a Crystal - A few weeks ago Square-Enix released a mini expansion for "Final Fantasy XI" entitled the "Crystaline Prophecy" for merely ten dollars. The people over at World of Fighting?" The9, a Chinese website which owned (and lost) the property rights to the Chinese version of "World of Warcraft," might be venturing into new territory with "World of Fighting." Way to get back at the big guy, The9! Just make sure you don't do any obvious copying...
Moogle groupie - The "Final Fantasy XI" community team is going on tour -- a virtual tour! So if you wanna become a groupie, all you gotta do it follow them around. Check them out when they make their stops at popular "FFXI" podcasts such as Pet Food Alpha, He Says She Says, and Limit Break Radio. The tour will last from May 6th until the end of the month.
New kid in class - When one asks you who led the way to open RvR (realm vs realm) gameplay, many would say Mythic with "Dark Age of Camelot" and "Warhammer Online." Well there is a MMO straight out of Asia that is expected to bring that similar RvR action to the states, for free. It's called "Aika," and you can check out the English teaser here.
Recycling talent - Sure, "Mythos" as we knew it might be dead (or is it?), but the team moved on as Runic Games, the studio that is in-development of a "Diablo"-esque MMO entitled "Torchlight." When you have a team that consists of "Diablo" and "Mythos" vets, good things are bound to come out. I'm just glad they continue to use their talents in the right places.
Am I attacking with honey? - Betas are there for a reason, and that reason is for players to play a game that is still in-development and to help the developers out in ironing out the bugs and problems. Well for those who have not yet played but seen the video posted on combat in "Earthrise," the action was just a bit too slow and not as hectic as everyone thought. Good thing the developers have ears and listen to their players, that's what I call good BlizzCon is coming back in full force again later in the summer. If you plan on attending such an extraordinary event, you can start reserving your tickets on May 16th, or stream most of the show through pay-per-view Direct TV. Don't you love choices?
And in this corner! - What would you do if the game you spent years making got a really low score? I'm talking a 2/10 score? Lead Developer Tasos for "Darkfall" is in this predicament, and he didn't take this low blow nicely. In fact he wrote a long forum post about the whole situation. Ooh, I just love dirt; this could get ugly! In this corner we have "Darkfall's" response, and over here we have Eurogamer's response.
I'm leaving, and suing you for $24 mil - The legendary Richard Garriot (formerly) of NCSoft must be pretty frustrated that his game "Tabula Rasa" failed miserably. But did NCSoft fire him, or did he leave at on his own? Well the big difference comes down to contracts and finances; you can never be too sure. So Garriot called up his lawyer and found out he can sue for fraud, and so he did.
One massive world - You've got two types of MMOs: server based and non-server based. "World of Warcraft" is server based; you create a character on a specific server and you can only interact with those in your server. "Guild Wars" is non server-based in the fact that it's run on one huge server and you "zone into" specific "rooms" of that area. "Champions Online" is planning on doing the same thing for their game, getting rid of the server shards and going one big massive world.
Happy 6th Birthday! - Boy, May is the month for MMO birthdays its seems. Our next lucky game is "EVE Online," which celebrates 6 very successfully years in the MMO market. Along with celebratory rewards and events, CCP has announced that the game has over 300k unique subscribers. Congratulations, guys!
Happy but not satisfied - "Warhammer Online" has definitely had its ups and downs since its release last fall. From laggy end game to difficult class balancing, it has had its share of criticism. But for all of those players who stayed loyal and are sticking it out, Mythic is grateful. How many stuck it out you ask? Around 300k, which is good, but definitely not great, at least not for EA.
Dine with Turbine - Do you live in Europe? Do you enjoy playing 'Lord of the Rings Online?' Well today is your lucky day! Play.com has a special promotion just for you. To help celebrate the second anniversary of the game, from now until May 17th, you can enter to win a free trip from London to Boston to visit the birthplace of "LoTRO.'
Parks and Recreation - Are you telling me you never had the thought of one day naming a park? Well what if I told you that if you name a park in the new "Champions Online" you could win a beta key? Sounds intriguing, right? I'm sure it can't be too hard -- just name a superpower and combine it with a locale type and there you go. Maybe something like Towering Inferno Plaza.
Deep space update - For those of you interested in the up-coming sci-fi based "Black Prophecy" MMO, the community posted its second update with goodies such as interviews and explained game mechanics. Head on over and see what's in store for us in this particular part of deep space.
The ring is back! - No I am not talking about "that" ring. I'm talking about the Anniversary Ring that you get with each celebrated year of "Final Fantasy XI." Amongst other player rewards, the one that most players are clamoring about is the Anniversary Ring that gives you a boot in EXP gain. This certainly is a month of giving.
The Republic's arsenal - Bioware recently introduced a new class for their highly anticipated "Star Wars: The Old Republic." The Republic can feel a bit more safe when they find out they will have a bunch of gun toting Troopers running around protecting that what is right and sacred. This isn't your regular run of the mill soldier, oh no, I'm talking Trooper, folks, find out for yourself.
That's it for this week. Along with more birthday celebrations we talked about cool promotions, lawsuits, big summer events and virtual tours. That's a lot for one week, but covering such a big part of the gaming sector doesn't come easy. We'd like your opinion on the events that unfolded this past week, so drop a comment, and until next time, keep grinding!
Check out last week's Weekly Grind here!
Posted by Demetri Kouvalis
May 11th, 2009
Your Prophecy in a Crystal - A few weeks ago Square-Enix released a mini expansion for "Final Fantasy XI" entitled the "Crystaline Prophecy" for merely ten dollars. The people over at World of Fighting?" The9, a Chinese website which owned (and lost) the property rights to the Chinese version of "World of Warcraft," might be venturing into new territory with "World of Fighting." Way to get back at the big guy, The9! Just make sure you don't do any obvious copying...
Moogle groupie - The "Final Fantasy XI" community team is going on tour -- a virtual tour! So if you wanna become a groupie, all you gotta do it follow them around. Check them out when they make their stops at popular "FFXI" podcasts such as Pet Food Alpha, He Says She Says, and Limit Break Radio. The tour will last from May 6th until the end of the month.
New kid in class - When one asks you who led the way to open RvR (realm vs realm) gameplay, many would say Mythic with "Dark Age of Camelot" and "Warhammer Online." Well there is a MMO straight out of Asia that is expected to bring that similar RvR action to the states, for free. It's called "Aika," and you can check out the English teaser here.
Recycling talent - Sure, "Mythos" as we knew it might be dead (or is it?), but the team moved on as Runic Games, the studio that is in-development of a "Diablo"-esque MMO entitled "Torchlight." When you have a team that consists of "Diablo" and "Mythos" vets, good things are bound to come out. I'm just glad they continue to use their talents in the right places.
Am I attacking with honey? - Betas are there for a reason, and that reason is for players to play a game that is still in-development and to help the developers out in ironing out the bugs and problems. Well for those who have not yet played but seen the video posted on combat in "Earthrise," the action was just a bit too slow and not as hectic as everyone thought. Good thing the developers have ears and listen to their players, that's what I call good BlizzCon is coming back in full force again later in the summer. If you plan on attending such an extraordinary event, you can start reserving your tickets on May 16th, or stream most of the show through pay-per-view Direct TV. Don't you love choices?
And in this corner! - What would you do if the game you spent years making got a really low score? I'm talking a 2/10 score? Lead Developer Tasos for "Darkfall" is in this predicament, and he didn't take this low blow nicely. In fact he wrote a long forum post about the whole situation. Ooh, I just love dirt; this could get ugly! In this corner we have "Darkfall's" response, and over here we have Eurogamer's response.
I'm leaving, and suing you for $24 mil - The legendary Richard Garriot (formerly) of NCSoft must be pretty frustrated that his game "Tabula Rasa" failed miserably. But did NCSoft fire him, or did he leave at on his own? Well the big difference comes down to contracts and finances; you can never be too sure. So Garriot called up his lawyer and found out he can sue for fraud, and so he did.
One massive world - You've got two types of MMOs: server based and non-server based. "World of Warcraft" is server based; you create a character on a specific server and you can only interact with those in your server. "Guild Wars" is non server-based in the fact that it's run on one huge server and you "zone into" specific "rooms" of that area. "Champions Online" is planning on doing the same thing for their game, getting rid of the server shards and going one big massive world.
Happy 6th Birthday! - Boy, May is the month for MMO birthdays its seems. Our next lucky game is "EVE Online," which celebrates 6 very successfully years in the MMO market. Along with celebratory rewards and events, CCP has announced that the game has over 300k unique subscribers. Congratulations, guys!
Happy but not satisfied - "Warhammer Online" has definitely had its ups and downs since its release last fall. From laggy end game to difficult class balancing, it has had its share of criticism. But for all of those players who stayed loyal and are sticking it out, Mythic is grateful. How many stuck it out you ask? Around 300k, which is good, but definitely not great, at least not for EA.
Dine with Turbine - Do you live in Europe? Do you enjoy playing 'Lord of the Rings Online?' Well today is your lucky day! Play.com has a special promotion just for you. To help celebrate the second anniversary of the game, from now until May 17th, you can enter to win a free trip from London to Boston to visit the birthplace of "LoTRO.'
Parks and Recreation - Are you telling me you never had the thought of one day naming a park? Well what if I told you that if you name a park in the new "Champions Online" you could win a beta key? Sounds intriguing, right? I'm sure it can't be too hard -- just name a superpower and combine it with a locale type and there you go. Maybe something like Towering Inferno Plaza.
Deep space update - For those of you interested in the up-coming sci-fi based "Black Prophecy" MMO, the community posted its second update with goodies such as interviews and explained game mechanics. Head on over and see what's in store for us in this particular part of deep space.
The ring is back! - No I am not talking about "that" ring. I'm talking about the Anniversary Ring that you get with each celebrated year of "Final Fantasy XI." Amongst other player rewards, the one that most players are clamoring about is the Anniversary Ring that gives you a boot in EXP gain. This certainly is a month of giving.
The Republic's arsenal - Bioware recently introduced a new class for their highly anticipated "Star Wars: The Old Republic." The Republic can feel a bit more safe when they find out they will have a bunch of gun toting Troopers running around protecting that what is right and sacred. This isn't your regular run of the mill soldier, oh no, I'm talking Trooper, folks, find out for yourself.
That's it for this week. Along with more birthday celebrations we talked about cool promotions, lawsuits, big summer events and virtual tours. That's a lot for one week, but covering such a big part of the gaming sector doesn't come easy. We'd like your opinion on the events that unfolded this past week, so drop a comment, and until next time, keep grinding!
Check out last week's Weekly Grind here!
Posted by Demetri Kouvalis
May 11th, 2009
'Runes of Magic' introduces new pirate dungeon
In the 1985 classic the Goonies, an adventurous group of youngsters infiltrates a hidden cavern underneath an old cabin in the woods with the intent on finding lost treasure. As we all know, those little troublemakers eventually discovered ol' One-Eyed Willy's treasure, along with a charming monstrosity of a man named Sloth.
In Frogster's free-to-play MMORPG "Runes of Magic," players will soon gain the opportunity to be a part of a similar adventure when they visit the a-little-too-obviously-named "Treasure Trove," a high level dungeon with "long-forgotten pirate gold." Located in Ravenfell, publisher Frogster America, Inc. noted the new territory "furthers the story of the area's involvement with the Black Sail Pirates."
Instead of ripping off dead One-Eyed Willy, players who reach the end of the dungeon will face off against Snow Blake on the pirate ship the Black Mary.
I don't play "Runes of Magic," but that would change in a heartbeat if I heard our favorite Baby Ruth-eating Superman Sloth assisted players in the fight against Snow Blake. Now that would make the update in this MMORPG truly complete.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 11th, 2009
In Frogster's free-to-play MMORPG "Runes of Magic," players will soon gain the opportunity to be a part of a similar adventure when they visit the a-little-too-obviously-named "Treasure Trove," a high level dungeon with "long-forgotten pirate gold." Located in Ravenfell, publisher Frogster America, Inc. noted the new territory "furthers the story of the area's involvement with the Black Sail Pirates."
Instead of ripping off dead One-Eyed Willy, players who reach the end of the dungeon will face off against Snow Blake on the pirate ship the Black Mary.
I don't play "Runes of Magic," but that would change in a heartbeat if I heard our favorite Baby Ruth-eating Superman Sloth assisted players in the fight against Snow Blake. Now that would make the update in this MMORPG truly complete.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 11th, 2009
MMORPG 'Angels Online' holds EXP event
Prior to the release of upcoming expansion, The House Party, “Angels Online” is holding an exp event to prepare its players for the expansion’s content. There is concern that the Angels will not be able to survive at sea, so the leader of the Angel Lyceum, Michael, will be giving players a chance to level up from May 7th until May 21st. Items with 2x exp effects will be enhanced, and the Romantic Area, the training place, will be available for everyone.
Details are as follows:
All items with speedup effects such as Facture Speedup Cards and Collecting Speedup Cards will offer quicker effects.
May 7th to May 21st will allow more exp for pets’ Exp Stones, however only Exp Stones that are used after the event starts will see the effect.
After the server maintenance on May 7th until May 21st, items with 2x exp effects like Double Skill Exp Cards, Pet’s Double Exp Cards and Double Exp Cards will have a 3x exp effect.
From May 7th until the server maintenance on May 21st, players can get the Romantic Flame Area Ticket after purchasing one Aries Lucky Bag. Once they have the ticket, they can enter the Flame Area for 24 hours once they find the “Area Guide Angel” in the Angel Lyceum.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 11th, 2009
Details are as follows:
All items with speedup effects such as Facture Speedup Cards and Collecting Speedup Cards will offer quicker effects.
May 7th to May 21st will allow more exp for pets’ Exp Stones, however only Exp Stones that are used after the event starts will see the effect.
After the server maintenance on May 7th until May 21st, items with 2x exp effects like Double Skill Exp Cards, Pet’s Double Exp Cards and Double Exp Cards will have a 3x exp effect.
From May 7th until the server maintenance on May 21st, players can get the Romantic Flame Area Ticket after purchasing one Aries Lucky Bag. Once they have the ticket, they can enter the Flame Area for 24 hours once they find the “Area Guide Angel” in the Angel Lyceum.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 11th, 2009
Turkish 'Rappelz' launches
Gala Networks Europe, operator of the gPotato.eu game portal, announced the approaching launch of "Rappelz" in the Turkish language. The free-to-play MMORPG will be available to Turkish players with a community website, support team and over two and a half million players worldwide.
"Rappelz" is a dark and devastated fantasy world where you can choose to be one of three races. You must find and tame a powerful creature as a pet to use and lead in battle. This is not a cute kitties and butterflies kind of game. "Rappelz" is already live in a dozen territories and has become the first ever MMORPG to be entirely localized into Arabic by publisher GamePower7. French and German versions are available from the gPotato.eu game portal.
The Turkish version of "Rappelz" will be supported by a Turkish team from Gala Networks Europe, and will be fully translated in Turkish. The closed beta will start in the third week of May 2009 and will go on for a week. Once the closed beta ends, those who reached level 20 will be able to keep their name and creature to use for the open beta, beginning in June. Shortly after will be the official release and one step closer to global domination.
The new expansion, "Navis Lamia," will be in the Turkish version of "Rappelz" and feature new content for high level players. To pre-register for the closed beta, visit http://tr.rappelz.gpotato.eu/ad/.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 11th, 2009
"Rappelz" is a dark and devastated fantasy world where you can choose to be one of three races. You must find and tame a powerful creature as a pet to use and lead in battle. This is not a cute kitties and butterflies kind of game. "Rappelz" is already live in a dozen territories and has become the first ever MMORPG to be entirely localized into Arabic by publisher GamePower7. French and German versions are available from the gPotato.eu game portal.
The Turkish version of "Rappelz" will be supported by a Turkish team from Gala Networks Europe, and will be fully translated in Turkish. The closed beta will start in the third week of May 2009 and will go on for a week. Once the closed beta ends, those who reached level 20 will be able to keep their name and creature to use for the open beta, beginning in June. Shortly after will be the official release and one step closer to global domination.
The new expansion, "Navis Lamia," will be in the Turkish version of "Rappelz" and feature new content for high level players. To pre-register for the closed beta, visit http://tr.rappelz.gpotato.eu/ad/.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 11th, 2009
Zombie browser MMO open for business
After two years in development, Neil Yates, lead developer at Jagged Blade Games, said browser-based zombie MMO "Dead Frontier" is "ready to be enjoyed by a wider audience." Translation: the title is now available to play.
So what kind of game is it? The official announcement says, "'Dead Frontier' combines 3rd person survival horror action with more traditional role-playing elements..." Not exactly the most descriptive sentence, but considering you can load the game in as much time as it takes to read this sentence, I can deal with it.
Considering this game just came out, we don't have a review up yet, but hold your horses. We'll write one soon enough. In the meantime, feel free to write your own in the comments section below this post.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 11th, 2009
So what kind of game is it? The official announcement says, "'Dead Frontier' combines 3rd person survival horror action with more traditional role-playing elements..." Not exactly the most descriptive sentence, but considering you can load the game in as much time as it takes to read this sentence, I can deal with it.
Considering this game just came out, we don't have a review up yet, but hold your horses. We'll write one soon enough. In the meantime, feel free to write your own in the comments section below this post.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 11th, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
'Huxley: The Dystopia' closed beta sign-ups
A long time ago, there was a game that caught the eyes of many FPS and MMO aficionados, that game was called "Huxley." It was one of the new breed of games about to hit the massively multiplayer online world -- a hybrid first person shooter and sci-fi MMO, built on Unreal Engine 3. Even though at first look it might cater more to the FPS than the MMO genre, there are definite pieces that make this game worthy of an MMO classification. The game was announced over a year ago, and since then it left the MMO sphere completely -- until now.
A few weeks ago, Webzen, the creators of Huxley, launched a teaser site with a countdown. The teaser site changed recently, and with it was added video footage, forums, screenshots, character descriptions and backstory info. What I would like to mention is that "Huxley: The Dystopia" is currently taking closed beta sign-ups during the period of May 6 - May 20, and the first round of closed beta testing will last from June 3 - June 14. If you are interested in checking this MMOFPS out, head on over to the beta registration page located here. If you are lucky enough to be picked, happy fragging to you!
Posted by Demetri Kouvalis
May 8th, 2009
A few weeks ago, Webzen, the creators of Huxley, launched a teaser site with a countdown. The teaser site changed recently, and with it was added video footage, forums, screenshots, character descriptions and backstory info. What I would like to mention is that "Huxley: The Dystopia" is currently taking closed beta sign-ups during the period of May 6 - May 20, and the first round of closed beta testing will last from June 3 - June 14. If you are interested in checking this MMOFPS out, head on over to the beta registration page located here. If you are lucky enough to be picked, happy fragging to you!
Posted by Demetri Kouvalis
May 8th, 2009
'MapleStory' celebrates 4 years, gives you cake
The popular 2D MMO "MapleStory" is turning four years old this week, and one way Nexon is promoting its birthday is by releasing some figures that show how popular "MapleStory" has become.
With over 92 million users around the world and six million of them being in North America, it is clear that there is a massive fan base with a mad love for this game. Of course, it easier to pull in the numbers when your game is free-to-play, but there must be something about "MapleStory" that makes it stand out over all of the other free MMORPGs out there.
As part of the celebration, Nexon is planning events for its players such as: Fourth anniversary Maple weapons, item upgrades, monster transformations, in-game items, real-life prizes and the Maple Quiz. What about cake? You can receive up to four pieces of cake for each successive 40 minutes of gameplay, and you receive a cake as a reward for the Maple Quiz.
I see what's going on here. They entice you with cake! Brilliant... Very brilliant. But is the cake a lie? I might just join to find out.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 8th, 2009
With over 92 million users around the world and six million of them being in North America, it is clear that there is a massive fan base with a mad love for this game. Of course, it easier to pull in the numbers when your game is free-to-play, but there must be something about "MapleStory" that makes it stand out over all of the other free MMORPGs out there.
As part of the celebration, Nexon is planning events for its players such as: Fourth anniversary Maple weapons, item upgrades, monster transformations, in-game items, real-life prizes and the Maple Quiz. What about cake? You can receive up to four pieces of cake for each successive 40 minutes of gameplay, and you receive a cake as a reward for the Maple Quiz.
I see what's going on here. They entice you with cake! Brilliant... Very brilliant. But is the cake a lie? I might just join to find out.
Posted by Nikki Lee
May 8th, 2009
Get in 'Neo Steam' beta via golden ticket
Between now and May 12th, Atlus will be tossing "enchanting" golden tickets to 2,000 lucky forum members of the official Atuls Online message board. These just aren't pretty little pieces of text and graphic design. No sir. They're beta invites for the upcoming steampunk MMORPG, "Neo Steam." If you're like me, this was your train of thought: "steampunk, golden ticket, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, want now."
If you don't get a golden ticket, and claimed top prize in one of the company's past contests, the official announcement says "rest assured you are also in Golden Ticket Beta!"
As of writing, I have not received my own golden ticket for the steampunk MMORPG. With each passing day my dreams of playing one of the ill-fated teenagers from Roald Dahl's story inside of a steampunk universe significantly deteriorate. Of course, that could change if a reader or even Atlus wants to slip a golden piece of virtual paper into my virtual inbox.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 8th, 2009
If you don't get a golden ticket, and claimed top prize in one of the company's past contests, the official announcement says "rest assured you are also in Golden Ticket Beta!"
As of writing, I have not received my own golden ticket for the steampunk MMORPG. With each passing day my dreams of playing one of the ill-fated teenagers from Roald Dahl's story inside of a steampunk universe significantly deteriorate. Of course, that could change if a reader or even Atlus wants to slip a golden piece of virtual paper into my virtual inbox.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 8th, 2009
Illegal 'Tantra' servers shut down
Late last November, international game publisher HanbitSoft learned of servers illegally running the MMO, "Tantra." After five months of research, the company compiled their information and presented it to the North American Internet Data Center. The result? The servers have all been shut down.
Ki Young Kim, HabitSoft's CEO, said "HanbitSoft will take strict action towards those running illegal servers overseas," adding "this is inevitable to eliminate the damages of HanbitSoft and our partners, and most importantly, innocent gamers abroad."
The funniest part about the whole deal -- well to me at least -- is that "Tantra" has been a free-to-play MMO since November 22, 2006. Maybe the pirates didn't get the memo, or maybe they just wanted free access to all the goods in the item mall. Either way they were busted. Will others like them continue similar actions, even after this news? Probably.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 8th, 2009
Ki Young Kim, HabitSoft's CEO, said "HanbitSoft will take strict action towards those running illegal servers overseas," adding "this is inevitable to eliminate the damages of HanbitSoft and our partners, and most importantly, innocent gamers abroad."
The funniest part about the whole deal -- well to me at least -- is that "Tantra" has been a free-to-play MMO since November 22, 2006. Maybe the pirates didn't get the memo, or maybe they just wanted free access to all the goods in the item mall. Either way they were busted. Will others like them continue similar actions, even after this news? Probably.
Posted by Kyle Stallock
May 8th, 2009
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