In Might and Delight's upcoming survival game, you might lose a few cubs no matter how hard you try.

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LoL fans get the chance to prove who really is best in a brand new 1v1 mode, debuting at All-Star Week.

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I just wanted to post this because I am really impressed how Cryptic’s revised the character select screen. Showing off your ship, captain, and crew together looks so darn cool.

Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items, Legal, Miscellaneous

We'll never see Project Copernicus come to light, and for some people that's the last that needs to be said about 38 Studios. For the state of Rhode Island, however, there's quite a bit more at stake, with the state alleging that 38 Studios tried to hide its financial condition and essentially defrauded the taxpayers of Rhode Island. Opening arguments have been heard today for the case, with the 14 individual defendants seeking to have the case dismissed as completely spurious.

When 38 Studios folded, that left Rhode Island in the hole for a $75 million loan. The lawsuit is seeking restitution from Curt Schilling and 13 other individuals, including former members of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corp that originally supported the loan. According to the EDC's lawyers, substantial evidence exists that this loan was based upon intentional misdirection on the part of upper management, although the defense claims these allegations are ridiculous. At this point, it's up to the courts who's in the right.

38 Studios vs. State of Rhode Island court case begins originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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• Source: Providence Journal
• Via: Gamespot

Filed under: Fantasy, Polls, Darkfall, Guilds, PvP, Choose My Adventure, Sandbox

Boy, MJ's Misadventureland is really coming along! Hiring a few more hands sure has sped things up; you wouldn't even recognize the project now compared to even just one week ago. But isn't that the whole point of Choose My Adventure -- to watch the adventure that you're building develop and unfold? Well, that and to snicker at your Massively guinea pigs... we know.

Having gone into this particular adventure knowing that Darkfall Unholy Wars was not a game meant for the solo soul, I knew that it was only a matter of time before I found myself in a clan to experience more of the heart of the game, which just so happens to be clan warfare. And trust me, the clan wasted no time throwing me into the thick of things once you put me in one.

Although I do think starting off solo was important to get the real experience Darkfall any new player would (after all, most find a clan after first logging in), this week really has shown me a whole new game. I'd just scratched the surface before, the skin if you will, and now I've peered into the heart and seen the seedy underbelly as well.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Building on the clan experience in Darkfall

Choose My Adventure: Building on the clan experience in Darkfall originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Business Models, Game Mechanics, Interviews, Browser, Free for All, Livestream, Miscellaneous, Sandbox, Crowdfunding

The last time I explored ThresholdRPG, I had a blast. It was one of a batch of MUDs that I used to re-introduce myself to the ancient gaming genre, and I enjoyed its simplicity and friendly community. MUDs can seem to be very similar to each other, so in order to enjoy them, you must be able to pick out the finer details that separate them. In ThresholdRPG, I particularly enjoyed fishing, roleplay, customization, and a free-to-play model that was years ahead of its time when first released 17 years ago.

The game can be a bit odd, like any MUD. During MUD May I've discovered just how confusing many of these titles can be, but I have also grown to enjoy solving the "mystery" of each game's particular set of code-words that unlock actions. ThresholdRPG is like other MUDs and introduces players to basic commands, but once out in the world a player is on her own. The good news is that an out-of-character help chat is always available and sits right on top of the standard roleplay-enforced chat. That juxtaposition of both channels actually helps immerse me in the game, allowing me to see literally where and when I can use out-of-character speech.

I asked Michael Hartman, president and CEO of Frogdice, to talk about MUD development and branching out into other styles of gaming.

Continue reading Free for All: An interview with ThresholdRPG's Michael Hartman

Free for All: An interview with ThresholdRPG's Michael Hartman originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Also missing: Support for Dial-up, Punch Cards and Betamax.

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Dodge and Syp put on their nostalgia caps for this episode that takes you way back… to the future!  Well, no, it’s just back to the past.  What were their favorite computer and console games from when they were young … Continue reading →

Filed under: Business Models, Culture, Interviews, MMO Industry, News Items, Opinion

A few days ago we reported on RIFT's impending free-to-play conversion, followed by the news that Trion was undergoing a second set of apparently unrelated layoffs. Former Trion studio GM and CCO Scott Hartsman responded to the layoffs on Twitter, intimating that aspects of the gaming industry are "fundamentally broken."

After we invited your thoughts on that same subject in a Daily Grind earlier this week, we contacted Hartsman in the hopes of getting him to elaborate. Join us after the cut for the resulting interview.

Continue reading Hartsman: 'The traditional AAA style of development and distribution' is broken

Hartsman: 'The traditional AAA style of development and distribution' is broken originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, New Titles, Free-to-Play, Trading Card Games

Watch out: It's an unholy fusion of addictive trading card games with addictive massively multiplayer online roleplaying games! The clinics will be overrun and crime will run rampant as police will be too captivated by the bleeps and bloops of their computer boxes to do anything about it.

That's the dire future that Kings and Legends Global could usher in. Or it could just be an interesting title that mixes CCGs with MMOs to create a novel experience. The cards themselves can be customized, crafted, and traded by players and then used to battle in PvP and PvE environments. Knights and Legends will have four classes, seven races, an auction house, guild halls, a crafting system, and plenty of deck building to keep folks interested.

GameFuse is tempting potential fans into registering by promising a free starter pack to those who sign up. You can do so on the website and then check out the game trailer after the break.

[Source: GameFuse press release]

Continue reading Kings and Legends Global melds the TCG with the MMO

Kings and Legends Global melds the TCG with the MMO originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, MMO Industry, News Items, Crowdfunding

TUG tackles sexiness and diversity originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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• Source: Update 19

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Previews, News Items, RuneScape, Free-to-Play, Browser

What's in a website? Quite a lot when your game is based in a browser client, as it happens. With RuneScape 3 around the corner, the team at Jagex is hard at work putting together a new and improved website, and a new video from the development team shows off just what players can expect. Which is quite a lot.

For example, one of the centerpieces of the revised design is a series of six buttons front-and-center on the page. The trick is that three of the buttons can be customized by you, allowing you to immediately jump to the most useful parts of the page for your particular playstyle. The team is also revamping the high score pages to incorporate weekly high scores, meaning that newer players can still have a shot at the top. There will even be rewards for people who do well in a given interval. For more details, check out the full video past the break.

Continue reading New video details the website changes for RuneScape 3

New video details the website changes for RuneScape 3 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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• Source: YouTube

While the Xbox One and PS4 versions of FIFA 14 will use EA's new Ignite engine, the PC edition will be left out of the game.

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Remedy writer and original Max Payne face Sam Lake explains why there's no Alan Wake 2 but says the studio still hopes to make it "when the time is right."

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Microsoft's Don Mattrick reckons only five percent of customers play games from previous generations on their new consoles.

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Microsoft Game Studios will continue to not allow self-publishing on Xbox-Live.

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An Epic Drop™ of information has just been launched in to space by Carbine Studios. They cover Paths for WildStar with a humorous “in-game” video, a DevSpeak, and a comprehensive web page on the subject. Paths, simply put, are a sub-class to the character. The class, such as Warrior or Spellslinger, defines internal playstyle. A [...]

[WS] A Risky Path is a post from: Kill Ten Rats

Opening up GW2's data in real time will improve the user experience.

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Arenanet would love to get the Asian market playing GW2 as soon as possible.

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LoL fans get the chance to prove who really is best in a brand new 1v1 mode, debuting at All-Star Week.

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In a recent vote on the ESO Facebook page, fans made it clear that the newest creature feature on ElderScrollsOnline.com should profile the Wamasu — a powerful creature hailing from the Black Marsh. Making its debut in The Elder Scrolls Online, learn more on the game’s official site.

Today store.bethsoft.com has a new collection of lithographs commemorating Fallout 3, Oblivion, and Skyrim. Alduin’s Wall Lithograph – Unlimited quantity. Gates of Oblivion Lithograph – Limited to 300 prints Washington Monument Lithograph – Limited to 300 prints

Posted in DDO NewsDDOCast Site News

Here’s a press release for the latest x-pack of DDO! Enjoy! -Anne DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONLINE®: SHADOWFELL CONSPIRACY™ TO LAUNCH AUGUST 19th Players Can Pre-Purchase Latest Expansion To The Award-Winning MMORPG Starting Today NEEDHAM, MA – May 22, 2013 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast announced today Dungeons & Dragons Online®: [...]

Filed under: Historical, News Items, Free-to-Play, Promotions

Is your ship in Uncharted Waters Online something less than ship-shape? Perhaps you could put the wind back in your sails with one of the special item packs available for the game on Steam. In anticipation of the game's next major patch arriving on the 28th, Netmarble has lowered the prices on all three packs by 70%, allowing characters to leave port with big boosts for fewer of your hard-earned real money.

The Booster pack is down to just $1.49 and provides faster experience gain, faster ship movement, and the ability to revive fallen sailors away from a port. The Premium pack is only $2.99, offers even faster experience gain, and also sets up you with 200 million ducats (in-game currency) and possibly even a rare ship. Last but not least, the Sea Adventure pack is down to $11.99 and offers the best possible experience boost, 300 million ducats, and several exclusive items. So if you're looking to set sail, a little money now will help you find your fortune.

Uncharted Waters Online discounts Steam packages before a big patch docks originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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• Source: Steam

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Expansions, Interviews, Patches, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play, Captain's Log, Neverwinter

After months of waiting, we can finally say that Star Trek Online's Legacy of Romulus expansion is upon us! After yesterday's launch, it's now possible to play as a member of the new Romulan Republic faction. It's now possible to begin a Klingon faction character from level 1! There's a new adventure zone and a completely overhauled user interface.

We recently had the opportunity to ask Star Trek Online's Executive Producer, Daniel Stahl, some questions regarding the update. We were also given a lot of screenshots of the new material, and all are included in the new gallery below. There was a lot to cover, so let's get to it!

Continue reading Captain's Log Supplemental: An Exclusive Q&A with STO's Daniel Stahl

Captain's Log Supplemental: An Exclusive Q&A with STO's Daniel Stahl originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 May 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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