MMO Reporter

David Brevik, President and COO of Gazillion Entertainment, has a chat with Chris about Marvel Heroes, what he's excited for in the upcoming patches, and how he felt at launch of the game. Audio Version:

Eric Chung, Lead Game Designer for Muse Games, tells us about the upcoming playable mode in Guns of Icarus. Audio Version:

Chris, Sallennia and Carrie once again get together after a long day at PAX to talk about what they've seen. Since there were technically issue at the end of Day 2, they cover both Day 2 and Day 3. Audio Version:

Chris interviews Stephan Frost of Carbine Studios working on WildStar. Audio Version:

Chris and Greg Laabs have a chat at PAX about how he came to be in the gaming industry and his first memories of gaming. Audio Version:

Chris, Sallennia and Carrie talk about Day 1 at PAX Prime 2013. Covered in today show is Wildstar, Elder Scrolls Online, Final Fantasy 14, Guns of Icarus, and the future of D&D. Thanks to LiveU for their support in helping us stream our content during PAX Prime 2013. Audio Version:

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 Chris the Brave and Layanor the Mighty talk about Wildstar's new payment plan, Grand Theft Auto Online, EVE: Valkyrie. We even talk about awkward chain mail bikinis, and comets destroying game worlds.  Listen now:   What we did in game   Layanor LOTRO - 33% into my rank. Secret World Guild Wars 2 Chris Hearthstone beta Rift - Summerfest LOTRO - Hytbold Defiance - Played a little of the new DLC. Arenas are hard! GW2 - Grind the Queen’s Jubilee!   Chris - Go Daddy: Get your new domain or transfer for only $2.95!   Wildstar is $60 and $15 a month to play? http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/632/feature/7690/Revenue-Model-Revealed.html/page/1 The box for WildStar will cost you $59.99, which gets you 30-days of free game time, and three week-long passes for friends to try the game too. After that, you’ll have to pay $14.99 a month, or cheaper ($13.99 for three months, $12.99 for six, $10.99 for a year) if you pay for multiple months at a time. You will be able to play the game for free if you are willing to farm plenty of gold. CREDD is a currency you can buy from the website to sell in a auction house for gold. It allows you to get a lot of gold, and lets someone who bought it, use it for game time. WildStar's 2013 release has been officially pushed back to Spring of 2014. Maybe by then they will come to there senses :P Webite: http://www.wildstar-online.com   Grand Theft Auto Online. Ooooooooooooh My. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olEGtoYs_8A Grand Theft Auto Online, the multiplayer component of Grand Theft Auto V, will feature around 500 missions. This according to Rockstar Games director Leslie Benzies, said that players will encounter missions in various ways. He revealed that the game will always have around 500 missions available, and these missions will be located on the map, or received via in-game phone calls from NPC's that will highlight new jobs. GTA V is set to release on September 17th on Xbox 360 and PS3. The online component will release on October 1st   EVE: Valkyrie Announcement Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmNQEiJUthc EVE: Valkyrie is a first person space battle game where to take a fighter and have dogfights with other players. The game takes place in the EVE Universe. It is unsaid if the game will connect with the EVE MMO Like EVE:Dust 514 has done. Players have said if the game does link, it will most likely be for small battles. Major fleet battles would make the game unplayable. When IGN asked about this being connected to the MMO, they said "We're not ready to talk about that yet”. http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/20/eve-valkyrie-oculus-rifts-space-dogfighting-game   WoW Mists of Pandaria - Patch 5.4: Siege of Orgrimmar trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slzQOyS5TqQ Siege of Orgrimmar introduces a ton of exciting new content and features, including Flexible Raiding, a new solo Pet Battle Scenario, the Timeless Isle, Proving Grounds, a new Raid dungeon, and more.   D&D Online : Shadowfell Conspiracy Goes Live http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFZisG6g2q4 Two New Forgotten Realms Adventure Packs Wheloon City: Take to the sprawling city streets and rooftops of Wheloon as you hunt down Netherese agents seeking to forge an army. A shadowy maze where even the Purple Dragon Knights will not tread, the public area and new dungeons of this prison city will put you to the test! The Stormhorns: Journey to the breathtaking and treacherous Stormhorn Mountains where, beneath the natural beauty, hides a dark alliance that threatens all of Cormyr. Explore a massive, new wilderness area as you ascend the towering peaks and confront the agents of shadow! Iconic Heroes: Wield the power of all-new prestige characters including the Shadar-kai Assassin, Sun elf Morninglord, and Purple Dragon Knight!

With what little clothes I had with me torn to rags, I washed to shore near the city of Neverwinter. My boat had sunk, and I was a newly minted adventurer without a cause. As I groggily awoke from my slumber, I was greeted by a friendly soul. Lucky for me, he just happened to have a task for me which would help me rebuilt both my wardrobe and my dignity. I wondered if this coincidence was a one time thing, or if I would be forever more followed by random strangers offering me stuff to do things. I didn’t really care though, as the world crackled with magic energy and the high fantasy feel was tangible in the air. Without hesitation, I grabbed my first quest and headed into the world of Neverwinter. Would I be welcomed with high adventure through a rich Dungeons and Dragons world, or would I fall flat into a boring mire of tropes and unfulfilled promise? Off to adventure and discovery! Huzzah! Listen now: Pros and Cons I have to get this out of the way first: Neverwinter is the best virtual interpretation of the Dungeons and Dragons world that I’ve ever seen. From the aesthetic theme giving each zone it’s own distinct personality to the combat that makes me feel like I’m rolling dice on crack, I buy in right from the start. It’s hard to be objective after that, but here’s trying! First, let’s talk about the character creation. A standard and workable character creator lets you make your hero to be one of eight races: Half-Orc, Human, Dwarf, Elf, Half-Elf, Halfling, Tiefling and the purchasable Drow. Five classes are available: Trickster Rogue, Devoted Cleric, Control Wizard, Great Weapon Fighter and Guardian Fighter. I spent most of my time with the Cleric, but I’ve dabbled enough in each of the other classes, so I know that they each have their own distinct play style which is fun, flows nicely, and feels unique. From the character creator, you’re dumped into a small intro tutorial area, where you learn all the basics of how to equip your loot and fight the baddies. This is where the UI starts to bug me a little. While it’s very serviceable, and mechanically sound, the interface windows such as the character screen and inventory seem very cramped to me, with small icons that all look fairly similar. Am I just getting old and blind, or is a stronger visual distinction between the different item types too much to ask for? One redeeming quality of the UI is the “Welcome to Neverwinter” window that pops up when you first log in, or if you hit L while in-game. A multi-purpose display showing dungeon and skirmish queues as well as popular Foundry content, this cornucopia of information also includes the calendar of game events so you can see what’s coming up in the game world. Quests are fun, if amazingly linear. I liked that in a lot of ways, as I didn’t have to think too much, but instead ran from adventure to adventure, slaying my hapless foes as I went. The story, written by D&D veteran R.A. Salvatore is fantastic, and really kept me entertained as I waded through zombies, orcs, and trolls (oh my!). Dungeons and groups content is quite zergy. The dungeons feel fantastic, with a very Forgotten Realms-ish vibe to them. The bosses are interesting and varied, and there are traps liberally scattered throughout to keep you on your toes. While there is threat mechanic, and healing, there isn’t much need for strategy. The lack of easy targeting means that it’s much easier to use the less effective AOE heals than to try to use the reticle to hunt your tank down through the crowd of mobs and players. This was a pet peeve of mine all the way through beta, and I’m sad that it made its way to live. TERA was another game that did not have tab targeting, but they built their heals around AOE and ground targeting, and it worked out much better than Neverwinter’s healing has. The dungeons design and aesthetic was amazing though. There was a consistent feel throughout the castles,

Chris, Harry, and Layanor have a large discussion about Trion, Defiance, Rift, and the new CEO of Trion, Scott Hartsman. We also talk about a MMO Flashback that nobody really knows anything about.   Listen now: Layanor LOTRO 30% into m...

The crew from the MMO Reporter podcast takes a look at all the news that came from the Everquest Next reveal panels. What will the game look like, what will we do in game, and can Harry fall in love with a Kerran? We're using a screen grab of the panel for video for this video, so the qualities not great, but we'll get some great looking video up soon! Audio Version: Non-EQ Next announcements:  Party for PAX Prime Thursday, August 29, 2013 - Elephant and Castle 6:00 RSVP http://mmoreporter.com/pax Please email mmo.reporter@gmail.com to confirm your attendance!   Donate to MMO Reporter Page http://mmoreporter.com/donate Thanks to Martin for his generous donation!   Contact Info Website: mmoreporter.com Emaill: mmo.reporter@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/mmoreporter Twitter: @mmo_reporter Twitter: @harryhol Twitter: @layanor Voicemail: 616-666-6778 or the new widget on the right side of the page. Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mmoreporternetwork

This week, Chris and Layanor talk about Shadowrun Online, Warhammer 40k Eternal Crusade, and World of Warcraft losing more subscribers as Harry frantically Google for a answer he can not find.   Listen now: What we did in game   Layanor I am 17% into my next moors rank. I live steamed my first experience with World of Tanks!   Harry Halo Spartan Assault Front Mission 3 Civ V   Chris Rift - Summerfest is fun, and frustrating. LOTRO - Hytbold reputation grinding! GW2 - WE GOT QUOTED ON KILL TEN RATS! Go Evon Gnashblade GO! Defiance - Replay Content mostly done Neverwinter - Got a couple of levels, just questin’ Kerbal Space Program - Boom Deadpool - FUN! Shadowrun Returns - Fun retro memories, but still torn on the viewpoint.   Warhammer 40k Eternal Crusade FAQ released http://www.eternalcrusade.com/ What kind of game is this? Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade is a 3rd-person, PvP-focused, Action MMORPG. What is the combat like? Eternal Crusade's combat is fully action-based, meaning that you hit exactly where you shoot or swing . Gamepads will be fully supported. What business model will the game use? The current plan is that Eternal Crusade will be “premium with a free-to-play option.” By purchasing a copy of the game, you will have access to it forever with no need for a subscription. If you don’t want to buy the box, you can still try the game as a free-to-play version of an Ork character. As opposed to the premium Orks, your progression will be slower and some options will be locked off. Which Warhammer 40,000 armies are in the game? At launch, there will be Space Marines, Chaos Space Marines, Orks and Eldar. Tyranids will also be in the game, but only as NPCs. We aim to release the rest of the races from the universe over the lifetime of the game. Are there quests? Instead of looking for quest-givers to give you things to do, you can just head out into the world to find procedurally-generated content in your own or the enemy’s territory. We’re currently working on short, horde-style firefights and longer dungeon-delving experiences. In both cases, the content will be randomized so it’s new every time, but with parameters and details specific to the locations. Do characters have levels? No! You’ll pick what unit class type you want to bring to the battlefield and have access to a huge amount of customization, but since this is a PvP-focused game the progression won’t be primarily about increasing power, but rather gaining access to a wider variety of skills and better specialization. Will there be trading and crafting? Yes, in a form that fits with the Warhammer 40,000 universe. You won’t be able to be a “crafter”, but there is an extensive upgrade system for weapons. Will I be able to customize my characters' appearance and color scheme? Yes! More details on this soon.   World of Warcraft down to 7.7 million subscribers http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-07-26-world-of-warcraft-subs-fall-again-to-7-7-million The number of subscribers has never been this low since before the Burning Crusade expansion. Blizzard has been talking about a in game for lately and some would say that is the groundwork for a free to play business model. With no major expansions announced, could Blizzard be working on a huge free to play campaign. Shadowrun Online: Yes it is a MMO http://www.shadowrun.com/shadowrun-online/ Earlier this year we talked about Shadowrun Returns being a MMO. That turned out to be a solo game with classic council like gameplay. However the information we had was correct yet wrong. Shadowrun returns is not a MMO but Shadowrun Online made by the same company IS a MMO. Donations for the game are still going and many fans have been following the development of this game for awhile.

Harry, Carri, and Layanor talk about Firefly online, Guildwars 2, and Castration! No... Castration is not a new MMO. Trust me. Listen now: What we did in game   Layanor LOTRO 13%, Creep kills 4973 Still working on Marvel Heros...

Chris, Harry, and ... oh wait. Layanor was sick! PARTY TIME! We talk about End of Nations turning into a MOBA., devs looking into player ideas for RIFT., and Age of Wushu the Movie! Listen now:   What we did in game   Harry Company of Heroes 2 Saints Row the third Kerbal The Steam Sale game (bought Walking Dead, Saints Row, Mark of the Ninja, Universe Sandbox)   Chris Rift - Maxed out some crafting, ran some dungeons Neverwinter for Review - Foundry content is fun, working on creating my own. Level 34 World of Warplanes. Wayyyyy too much fun. LOTRO - Done Wildermore, back to working on Hytbolt GW2 - Working on the new content. And there’s ALWAYS new content. Defiance - Shootin’ stuff on PC. Gotta get back into XBox. The Epic Quest for Mighty Loot - Somewhat fun. Kerbal Space Program - GOT TO ORBIT!! WOOOOOOT!!!!     End of Nations: Resurrected as a MOBA http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/07/15/end-of-nations-begins-anew-as-a-moba/ End of Nations® is a tactical MOBA where your success on the battlefield depends on the heroes and units you command and quick decision making in the heat of combat. Dominate during team based matches and catapult your commander to the top of the ranks. [Layanor’s Awesome Thoughts] Trion is calling this "The first MOBA RTS," however would Arena of Heroes be the first?  https://arenaofheroes.com/  You pick 4 heroes and fight to the turn based death! Sounds the same to me. Layanor has spoken.   Rift: Q&A with Bill Fisher - Creative Director http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/431/view/videos/play/3157/Game-On-Bill-Fisher-on-Rift-F2Ps-Future.html Talking about the new souls coming in 3.0 (which is very far off) Healing Warrior Tanking Mage Healing Rogue Support Cleric “There's one really big thing in the works and a lot of little things,” he explained. “One of the really big things that's in the works is . . . allowing people to kind of make their own warfronts, or whatnot, within their own dimensions.” “A lot of people have said they want to have their own 5v5 tournaments, they want to have their own 10v10s, whatever they want to do, we're looking at making that possible.” Should the design come to fruition, Bill described a system where players set re-spawn points and rule sets with using simple building blocks within the already powerful dimension editor. “We have a lot of crazy ideas,” he explains. “We look at a lot of suggestions from the players and we go 'can we pull this off in a reasonable time frame at a quality level we're going to be happy with?' and if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out.”   EverQuest : Heart of Fear Update Now Live https://www.everquest.com/news/heart-of-fear-launches-eq https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZRITkOVx5Lk Delve into the dark depths of the Heart of Fear, the concentrated essence of Cazic-Thule's lingering power on Norrath. Battle massive creatures of nightmare and discover what's become of the fear god. Obtain and upgrade powerful class-specific weapons while tackling missions and raids. New items available for all classes. New collections to hunt in the Heart of Fear. New missions, raids, and quests available to challenge even the most powerful adventurers. New achievements rewarded for besting challenges in the Heart of Fear. [Layanor’s Awesome Thoughts] If you miss the old Everquest and want to see how the game holds up today, Now is the time to check it out! I have to say, watching this trailer looks like one of our MMO flashbacks. Layanor has spoken.     Age of Wushu announced major plans http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/loadNews/28071/Franchise-Expanding-in-Big-Ways Not only has Snail announced its expansion being released on 8/8/2013

Chris takes us through a recent preview organized by Turbine to take a look at what's coming up in the latest expansion for the game - Shadowfell Conspiracy. Please excuse the audio and video issues, as this was the first time that Turbine ran a preview in this way. I did my best to get the best video and audio possible. Audio version: