Grinding The Gears: The CoG MMO Report (02/19)

[Goronmon]

Being a bit of a MMO fan, I decided to try a sort of weekly MMO news roundup. Mainly stuff that I find interesting and hasn't already been mentioned on CoG/IM. I will start off with pretty basic posts and if it seems there is enough interest I can work towards providing more detailed write-ups of stuff going on. It's been a busy week, so prepare for a bit of information overload.

Jeffrey Kaplan leaves WoW (http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=14990474128) for the new Blizzard MMO. Dual spec update (http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/underdev/dualspec.html) and, of course, Blizzcon 2009 (http://www.wowinsider.com/2009/02/17/blizzcon-2009-announced/)

More news on EVE Online's new expansion, Apocrypha, with information about the new player experience (http://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=618), UI changes (http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/14/feature/2711/page/1), and Tech III Cruisers (http://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=623), along with an interview (http://www.developmag.com/interviews/386/QA-EVE-Onlines-executive-producer-Nathan-Richardsson) with EVE Online’s executive producer Nathan Richardsson.

Champions Online report (http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/335/feature/2698) from NY Comic Con from MMORPG.com

Details (http://herald.warhammeronline.com/warherald/NewsArticle.war?id=625) on WAR 1.2 patch along with the beta for the official forums.

Tabula Rasa update (http://www.playtr.com/news/patch_notes/deployment_164_02092009.html), Deployment 16, releases and adds the ability to pilot mechs.

Hands-On report (http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/350/feature/2692/page/1) for DC Universe.

Darkfall NDA is finally lifted (http://forums.darkfallonline.com/showthread.php?t=132003) and as a result one beta player's impressions (http://www.mmorpg.com/blogs/Paragus1/022009/3314) as well as impressions from Massively. (http://www.massively.com/2009/02/19/anti-aliased-special-edition-hands-on-with-darkfall/)

Update 66 for Matrix Online has been released (http://forums.station.sony.com/mxo/posts/list.m?topic_id=36300027730).

Age of Conan gets a patch (http://forums-eu.ageofconan.com/showthread.php?t=110900) adding more content for the higher levels.

Interview (http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/10/feature/2703/page/1) about Legaxy of Xan, the new expansion for Anarchy Online.

Dev chat for Fallen Earth (http://forums.fallenearth.com/fallenearth/showthread.php?p=172227), upcoming sci-fi MMORPG.

On the free to play front, a Massively interview (http://www.massively.com/2009/02/16/massivelys-pre-launch-interview-with-runes-of-magic/) for Runes of Magic.

Family-oriented MMO Free Realms set to launch (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/free-realms-to-launch-in-early-april) in April.

And to finish it off, a bit of off-topic news as Lego Universe to hit consoles (http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2009/02/17/lego-mmo-will-eventually-come-to-consoles/).

[Deadend]

Wha? Tabula Rasa has a patch?! I thought the game was closing?

[Goronmon]

Yeah, I don't really get it either. Though I'm not exactly sure when they are going to be shutting down the servers.

[TheFlyingOrc]

Dev chat for Fallen Earth (http://forums.fallenearth.com/fallenearth/showthread.php?p=172227), upcoming sci-fi MMORPG.


I am making this game.

[SilentScreams]

I'm waiting for news on a server merge and an increase of the server cap for WAR so that the game doesn't seem so empty.
That's the only way I'm going to be going back to any current MMO.

I'm keeping an eye on Darkfall and Champions Online too.

Nice roundup Goronmon. I'd definitely be in favor of a weekly update.

[Goronmon]

I am making this game.Are you able to comment on it at all?

[TheFlyingOrc]

Are you able to comment on it at all?

Very, VERY much depends on the question.

I can tell you about pretty much anything currently in the game, but I cannot comment on release dates, future content or the like.

We have official developer interviews on our website (I don't have one), but if you'd like I can probably do questions if the community understands that most of what I can say is "no comment."

I can also put you in contact with our PR person, and we could see about giveaways and the like.

edit: I can say what separates us from the competition: Huge number of quests (and I mean huge), combat which actually requires aiming, and a really sweet setting.

Also, evil mutated chickens.

[Goronmon]

I can say what separates us from the competition: Huge number of quests (and I mean huge), combat which actually requires aiming, and a really sweet setting.Actually, this was more in-line with what I was wondering. My initial impression is that the combat is comparable to WoW for melee and Tabula Rasa for ranged. Is that accurate?

[TheFlyingOrc]

Actually, this was more in-line with what I was wondering. My initial impression is that the combat is comparable to WoW for melee and Tabula Rasa for ranged. Is that accurate?

Unfortunately, I have not played Tabula Rasa. Combat flows a little differently for Melee, however - you still have to aim at your enemy to attack, not simply turn on abilities. I'm expecting a lot of strafing in PvP combat.

[Goronmon]

We have official developer interviews on our website (I don't have one), but if you'd like I can probably do questions if the community understands that most of what I can say is "no comment."

I can also put you in contact with our PR person, and we could see about giveaways and the like.Actually, both of those would be pretty cool.

[DangerousDaze]

Sounds a bit like the game I've been working on in a community capacity for a few years (Neocron). It's a sci-fi MMO with an FPS feel - aiming, ducking & dodging etc. all play a part. Neocron launched in '02. :)

It's about time someone stepped up and attempted the same FPS vibe in an MMO rather than the old click-n-snooze gameplay. Many games have come and sadly gone over the years but they all followed the same MMO line, like sheep. But Fallen Earth was always the one most likely to succeed - it's just been such a long time coming.

I wish you the best of luck with it! :)

[SilentScreams]

I remember playing Neocron on launch day. I can't remember what it was like or even if I liked it, but I know I didn't play for long, so I'm assuming not.
I only even knew there was a Neocron 2 when I saw it on a store shelf a year or so ago.

[DangerousDaze]

I remember playing Neocron on launch day. I can't remember what it was like or even if I liked it, but I know I didn't play for long, so I'm assuming not.
Can't win 'em all. ;) Thanks for trying us out though!

[SilentScreams]

Can't win 'em all. ;) Thanks for trying us out though!

Well I followed it through it's development and thought it was a great idea. At the time it was pretty innovative.
I seem to remember having a hard time finding my way around. It was the first 3D MMO I played (I was a hardcore UO player before that) and 3D maps were big and scary to me. :)
It has some kind of waypoint system, right? I don't think that was working too well back when I played.

[DangerousDaze]

It has some kind of waypoint system, right? I don't think that was working too well back when I played.

Aye. The Nav-Ray. It had a habit of directing people into walls or random shops rather than where they actually wanted to go back then. I remember that annoying me quite a bit at the time!

[jpublic]

I dunno if this has been mentioned, but CoX Issue 14 is in closed beta.

[MagGnome]

Thanks for posting this Goronmon! I don't play a single MMO, but it's always interesting to hear what's going on in the various virtual worlds. I'm especially impressed that you covered a lot of the smaller titles instead of just giving us the scoop on WoW, WAR, and EVE.

Neocron was the more "adult" themed MMO, right?

[mightbe]

WoW's 3.1 patch seems to be pretty fucking killer so far. I can't wait till the PTR hits. If anyone has toons that are naxx++ geared and want to try Ulduar 10/25 after 11PM EST on weekdays, I'll but putting together a bunch of runs.

Just PM me with your character name.

[DangerousDaze]

Neocron was the more "adult" themed MMO, right?

This is a tricky one. Neocron was always aimed at adults in the sense that there's a ton of violence (especially PvP violence), occasional bad language and, yes, "adult" themes, mostly in the form of a red light district and various exotic dancers in some of the bars and clubs.

Since it's set in a dystopian future where there's really only one civilised city left plus one bombed out ruin you'd expect to see those kinds of things.

We never pushed it as "Hey - come play Neocron because it's got tits!" but one or two publications seemed to get that impression at the time. You know what it's like in this industry - blowing people to jelly is fine but god help you if you have a half naked NPC!

[MagGnome]

We never pushed it as "Hey - come play Neocron because it's got tits!" but one or two publications seemed to get that impression at the time. You know what it's like in this industry - blowing people to jelly is fine but god help you if you have a half naked NPC!

Sadly you are dead on. I remember the game now and the hullabaloo over the inclusion of exotic dancers.