Virtual World News
Filed under: Fantasy, Economy, News Items, Guild Wars 2, Buy-to-Play
The article is too detailed to summarize here, but one thing worth taking away is Shokrizade's observation that, "with the exception of craft materials, [Guild Wars 2's] pre-endgame item economy is broken." He elaborates that, for example, a level 39 green-quality chestpiece regularly sells on the auction house for around 112 copper -- a scant 1 copper more than vendors pay for the same item. He concludes that GW2's pre-endgame economy is "one of the worst [he has] studied in the last 14 years." Eesh. He also takes an in-depth look at the role crafting plays in the economy and the effects of the in-game economy on cash-shop purchases. The full piece is a bit long but certainly worth the time for anyone interested in the intricacies of virtual economies or Guild Wars 2 players in general.
Virtual world economist says Guild Wars 2's pre-endgame economy 'broken' originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Gamasutra
Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Interviews, News Items, The Elder Scrolls Online
Firor states that the game's beta is progressing "very smoothly so far" and that the team is now "focusing more on the gameplay exerience" and "getting valuable feedback from beta testers." He goes on to explain that the current beta focus is on "moment-to-moment gameplay," including questing, combat, and the game's progression system. Also on the table are questions about the game's AI, the introduction of guilds, the importance of crafted gear, and of course, when the next round of beta invites will go out (spoiler alert: the answer is incredibly nonspecific). Regardless, there's probably some useful information to be found for ESO fans, so click on through the link below to check it out for yourself.
The Elder Scrolls Online's Matt Firor answers closed beta questions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Fantasy, News Items, Consoles, Diablo III
Players who preorder the game will be given a gift in the form of the PS3-exclusive Infernal Helm. Each character created on the PS3 version will start with this stylish chapeau that grants its wearer a bonus to experience gained. There's still no official release date for the PS3 edition of the game, however, and the studio states that it will announce the game's release date as launch draws nearer (in case that wasn't blindingly obvious). In the meantime, Diablo devotees can go ahead and lay down their preorders.
Diablo III PS3 preorders available now originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Battle.net
Filed under: Video, News Items, Family, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Camelot Unchained
Meanwhile, on Reddit, Jacobs stopped by /r/IAmA to answer questions from the communit. Suffice it to say, questions range from the standard, "tell us about the progression system" to details on server structure, maximum player population, and much much more. Surprisingly, however, horse-sized ducks don't appear to be mentioned even once. To check the full Q&A session out for yourself, head on through the source link below.
Continue reading Camelot Unchained unveils new video, Mark Jacobs visits Reddit for AMA
Camelot Unchained unveils new video, Mark Jacobs visits Reddit for AMA originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Mark Jacobs AMA
Filed under: Sci-Fi, Patches, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Subscription
How about a free Exclusive Romulan Veteran Starship for those 1,000-day veterans? It's on there. The list gives out shinies to almost everybody, so be sure to go look and see what's in store for yourself. Be sure to keep an eye on more detailed coverage of the upcoming expansion and everything else Star Trek Online by reading the Captain's Log!
Star Trek Online dev blog dishes on Romulan rewards originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- Source: Star Trek Online dev blog
Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Video, Classes, Game Mechanics, Opinion, Livestream, Chaos Theory, Buy-to-Play
It was a simple makeover really -- just minor changes in my focus and equipment using gear I already had in my bag and abilities I already had access to. Did it help? Did my effectiveness as a damage-dealer increase? The outcome was rather surprising.
Continue reading Chaos Theory: Testing my Secret World DPS makeover
Chaos Theory: Testing my Secret World DPS makeover originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Video, Business Models, Game Mechanics, Launches, New Titles, Patches, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, Sandbox, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Infinite Crisis
A new Diablo III exploit that allowed Witch Doctors to farm XP by repeatedly killing their pets was discovered this week and promptly hotfixed. Riot Games released spotlight videos for newly revamped League of Legends champions Trundle and Sejuani, and CLG pro gamer Peter "Doublelift" Peng discussed his challenging road to success and heartbreaking family issues in a fantastic short documentary for Machinima.
Turbine released details of two new Infinite Crisis champions this week with video spotlights on hulking brute Doomsday and the gadget-wielding Gaslight Batman. Russian success Prime World let press into the English language beta for a first look at its castle-building and MOBA style gameplay. Rise of Immortals geared up for the official launch of its Battle For Graxia game overhaul with the addition of a new reputation system. And Star Citizen developer Chris Roberts revealed that he's been holding off on accepting investor deals because of the success of the game's crowdfunding campaigns.
Not So Massively: Cash MOBA tournaments, Diablo III's latest exploit, and city-building with Prime World originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Sci-Fi, Trailers, Video, EVE Online, Business Models, Culture, Events (Real-World), Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Consoles, MMOFPS, Events (Massively's Coverage), DUST 514, Dev Diaries, Sandbox, Anniversaries, Player-Generated Content
Not only did we find out that EVE Online is finally getting a collector's edition box full of goodies, but CCP revealed that a new EVE comic book and lore compendium are both on the way. As if that weren't enough, there's also an EVE TV series in the works based on player-submitted stories of true events inside the EVE universe. I couldn't help escaping the feeling, though, that this year's CCP Presents talk was more than a little marketing-oriented. As one of the press put it to me after the talk, it felt at times like watching an infomercial. On the plus side, we did get to see more of CCP's future vision for the EVE universe and an amazing new trailer showing the game's core storyline.
Read on to check out the incredible EVE Universe Origins trailer and my summary of the final day of Fanfest 2013.
Continue reading EVE Fanfest 2013 final day: Trailers, EVE's TV show, and a vision for the future
EVE Fanfest 2013 final day: Trailers, EVE's TV show, and a vision for the future originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Apr 2013 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Business Models, Culture, Opinion, Free-to-Play, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous, Buy-to-Play
It's also amazing to me how this movement has turned my general acceptance of subscriptions into somewhat of a dealbreaker. When I went back to World of Warcraft for a 10-day free trial a few weeks ago, the looming thought that this game would require a subscription to continue deeply influenced my enjoyment of it or interest in pursuing it past those 10 days. I had to ask myself the question, "Does this MMO offer something above and beyond what I can get elsewhere for free or a one-time purchase?" And I felt like the answer was "no."
Subs aren't dead, of course, and they certainly have their attractive aspects (cutting through F2P red tape and getting exclusive benefits, for example). I like having the option to sub, but I no longer like being tied down by one. So what say you? Are subscriptions worth it any more?
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!The Daily Grind: Are subscriptions worth it any more? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: World of Warcraft, Screenshots, Dark Age of Camelot, Culture, Guild Wars 2, One Shots, Final Fantasy XIV, Miscellaneous
Reader Paul sent in this little meet-and-greet with Puff, saying it was when his Asuran Mesmer first encountered a dragon. Let's just hope he remained alive to have a second encounter. Asurans often look like popcorn chicken to dragonkind.
It's not just flying lizards in this week's One Shots! What wonders await you, I wonder?
Continue reading One Shots: Thar be dragons
One Shots: Thar be dragons originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.