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Marvel Heroes shows off the beginning of gameplay in a new video
December 21, 2012

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We are spared Mohawk Storm, which I think is a blessing.
Looking forward to Marvel Heroes? Want a chance to pit your own impressions against the Massively impressions from earlier in the week? Unfortunately, if you're not in the beta, you're not going to be able to get a hands-on experience with the game for a while longer. But the team at Gazillion Entertainment did the next best thing by posting a new video wherein president David Brevik walks you through the earliest parts of the game.

Brevik starts off by explaining a bit more about the game for those unfamiliar with its premise, and then dives right into the tutorial mission. Along the way he demonstrates power leveling, hero switching, discovery missions, and all of the combat action you can shake a Marvel-branded stick at. So if you haven't gotten your hands on the game but still want to see what it looks like in action, jump past the break to see the opening play.

Continue reading Marvel Heroes shows off the beginning of gameplay in a new video

MassivelyMarvel Heroes shows off the beginning of gameplay in a new video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Dec 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMO Blender: Mike's spaceflight of fancy
December 21, 2012

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MMO Blender
You know what I love? Space. Not real space, so much; real space is a vast expanse of horrors that generally confound and cripple the mind if considered too seriously. I'm talking about "space," as in the setting of some of our favorite movies, games, and cancelled television properties.

The problem with space, of course, is that it is a setting and not a story. You can't prime an audience by simply shouting, "Space!" The space needs context. Is it "final frontier" space? Is it the space in which your screams go unheard? The greatest space tales have always used the deep black as a backdrop, not a subject.

My perfect MMO would almost certainly take place in space, but the way in which the space is used is what makes it worth playing.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Mike's spaceflight of fancy

MassivelyMMO Blender: Mike's spaceflight of fancy originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Dec 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Frontier teases Elite: Dangerous scavenger hunt video
    December 21, 2012

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    Elite: Dangerous - Scavenger Hunt
    Another day, another Elite: Dangerous teaser video. But hey, this is a good thing, right? Yes, yes it is, especially because every little reveal helps build a bit of momentum for Frontier's crowdfunding project that's closing in on crunch time.

    Today's clip is called Scavenger Hunt, and it's exactly what it sounds like, albeit with a satisfying explosion at the end. Elite has exactly 14 days remaining on its Kickstarter drive and it's coming up on £900,000 (the goal is £1.25 million). Check out the vid after the break and then head to the fundraising site to learn more about the project.

    Continue reading Frontier teases Elite: Dangerous scavenger hunt video

    MassivelyFrontier teases Elite: Dangerous scavenger hunt video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Dec 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Storyboard: Mistakes at the creation level
    December 21, 2012

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    Can't help but feel that I've done this before.
    A lot of character mistakes come down to experimentation, essentially. You have what seems like a good idea, but it turns out in play that it's messy or annoying or unfun or whatever. There's nothing in the world wrong with that; you try something out and it either does or doesn't work. While good concept work does a lot to help you catch these things, sometimes good ideas won't work.

    But then there are problems that come up time and again based on a fundamentally bad assumption. Something goes wrong right from the point that you click "New Character" because you're making an assumption that can immediately be recognized as a bad idea. So I'm going to go ahead and list a handful of these problems that are bad ways to start off so that hopefully we can all stop making these mistakes in the future and make some exciting new ones.

    Continue reading Storyboard: Mistakes at the creation level

    MassivelyStoryboard: Mistakes at the creation level originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Dec 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Betawatch: December 15 - 21, 2012
      December 21, 2012

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      There's always a line!
      If you've been waiting to get your Age of Wushu on over the holiday season, the wait is finally over as the game has kicked off another round of testing starting Thursday. This is good news for anyone looking for something leaning toward the sandbox end of the spectrum, as Darkfall Unholy Wars has delayed its purchaser beta due to an issue with object persistence. But there's still more hope on the horizon, as ArcheAge fans were once again assured that the game will be coming over to the West in time.

      Not enough beta goodness for you? Well, you can take heart that DUST 514 has added in a new patch allowing players to call in orbital fire from EVE Online. That alone should pull you into the game. Defiance is also gearing up for beta with a new in-universe promotional site.

      Still not enough? Well, we've got a whole set of further betas in the list down below, so jump on past the cut and tell us anything we missed in the comments!

      Continue reading Betawatch: December 15 - 21, 2012

      MassivelyBetawatch: December 15 - 21, 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Check out two minutes of State of Decay zombie-killing action
        December 21, 2012

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        State of Decay - half a zombie
        It's been a few weeks since we've heard from the Undead Labs dev team. Happily, the newest State of Decay update comes with a gruesome slice of gameplay video. The two-minute clip focuses on the weapons and tactics necessary to clear a path through a horde of undead. There's a brief bit of driving action, too, and we also get a glimpse of the game's map functionality and UI.

        Community manager Sanya Weathers also offers up a teaser on the, er, state of State of Decay's development. "It's the most wonderful time of the year... that time when we're seeing the light at the end of the development tunnel," she writes. "We're polishing up communications, tactics, and all of the elements that make a game more than a simple 'see zombie, shoot zombie' kind of thing."

        Continue reading Check out two minutes of State of Decay zombie-killing action

        MassivelyCheck out two minutes of State of Decay zombie-killing action originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Jake Song: 'We're working on the English version' of ArcheAge
        December 20, 2012

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        Jake Song 'We're working on the English version' of ArcheAge
        Last summer XLGAMES COO Suk Woo Choi told Massively in no uncertain terms that the firm was "definitely going to service ArcheAge in Europe and America." He didn't know the details at the time, though, and XL has been completely silent on the matter of localization since.

        Yesterday company founder and ArcheAge creator Jake Song took to Twitter to reassure fans that a western version of the game is still cooking. "OBT [open beta test] will be in Korean only," Song wrote. "We're working on the English version."

        While there are no dates involved, it's more confirmation that western sandbox fans will indeed be getting their hands on ArcheAge at some point.

        MassivelyJake Song: 'We're working on the English version' of ArcheAge originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Dec 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        The Daily Grind: Do you support Kickstarter projects you don't plan to play?
        December 20, 2012

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        Kickstarter logo
        Yesterday's news of Chris Roberts stumping for rival Kickstarter projects was interesting both for its subject matter and for some of the responses it provoked. It also got me to thinking about crowdfunding in general and its long-term future from a gamer's perspective.

        For every runaway success like Star Citizen, it seems there are a dozen projects that fail to meet their fundraising goals (and even more that offer up half-baked ideas, poorly communicated). The service does give passionate gamers a way to speak directly with their wallets, and it can neatly bypass the red tape inherent in game publishing as Roberts explained. It can also be a money pit, though, and I suspect that folks like Roberts who support multiple projects for the good of the industry are a rarity.

        What do you think, Massively readers? Assuming you pledge to Kickstarter projects, do you support only those you plan to play or are you backing multiple games in order to change the way games are made?

        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: Do you support Kickstarter projects you don't plan to play? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Frontier releases first Elite: Dangerous trailer
          December 20, 2012

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          Elite: Dangerous - first teaser
          UK-based Frontier has released the first Elite: Dangerous teaser trailer as its crowdfunding project nears the two-weeks-remaining mark. Eurogamer reports that Elite needs approximately £30,000 per day for the next 15 days in order to meet its £1.25 million goal.

          The company has also added a PayPal option to Elite's Kickstarter page.

          As for the trailer, it's an atmospheric in-engine look at Elite's profession possibilities. The clip plays up the opportunity to be a trader, bounty hunter, pirate, or explorer over the course of its brief running time. View it after the cut.

          Continue reading Frontier releases first Elite: Dangerous trailer

          MassivelyFrontier releases first Elite: Dangerous trailer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Dec 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Ask Massively: Yes, we have heard of your game
          December 20, 2012

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          No one's ever made a game with dragons before.
          Welcome back to Ask Massively, the place where Bree dispenses random thoughts about the sitemeta because you guys are cheaper than a shrink.

          About 20 people asked: Hey have you guys heard about Pathfinder Online and also why aren't you writing more about Pathfinder Online. P.S. Your coverage of Pathfinder Online is inadequate to my needs. And have you heard about Pathfinder Online??

          Yes, we have heard of your game.

          Continue reading Ask Massively: Yes, we have heard of your game

          MassivelyAsk Massively: Yes, we have heard of your game originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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