Day: September 4, 2009

Really? ANOTHER Star Wars MMO?


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TenTonHammer is reporting on a rumor that Sony Online Entertainment may be working on a more casual Star Wars MMO, that might be based on the Star Wars: Clone Wars CGI film. Not much is known on the title, but it is very likely that Sony will build the game off of the Free Realms engine, delivering the MMO as a freemium, browser based game, not necessarily aimed towards children, but instead a wide variety of players.

With Star Wars: The Old Republic being released next year, will this title be launched close-by as a free alternative? Does Sony really need two running Star Wars MMOs at one time? Will players be willing to take Sony up on a new Star Wars MMO on the idea that they learned from their mistakes with Star Wars Galaxies?

More on the rumored Star Wars MMO as it develops.

Champions In Court #2: Batman Returns


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In a game where players can create whatever they want, be whoever, they want, and personalize their experience to the enth degree, it is only natural that there will be hundreds of hulks, batmen, and supermen. Creative? Not so much. Inviting a lawsuit? Cryptic should already know that, which is why both City of Heroes and Champions Online have a policy of changing costumes for characters who are reported as having trademark/copyright infringing costumes.

Champions In Court is something of a whimsical article, where I take shots at some of the players in Champions Online, but the copying of superheroes in Champions Online, to the players, is a big issue that needs to be resolved. I report maybe one person a day when I’m playing, as I rarely see these player types, and I know that some members of the community look upon it as playing Internet Police, but the implications are real. DC Comics and other companies regularly send investigative teams into games like City of Heroes and Champions Online. If you don’t report them, they will, except they will be reporting to their lawyers. Cryptic being tied up in legal matters, whether or not they win, is not good for the game, and will eventually lead to a heavily restricted creation system.

Darkfall Isn't Dead!


People think that I must hate being wrong when I write articles for MMO Fallout when, in fact, the opposite is true. Even though the main purpose of MMO Fallout is somewhat doom and gloom, I do try to balance that with articles on success and companies prospering. So it makes me glad to see the dedication to Darkfall that Aventurine has, with a vision that they are bringing into the world, to make the game in their image, while still being accessible to more and more players.

darkfall

On September 2nd, Aventurine released a balancing patch in preparation for an upcoming October Expansion. The patch tweaks quite a few mechanics of the game. Some important notes:

  • Ships are now cheaper, but with reduced hitpoints
  • Ships and Warhulks are slowed by damage.
  • Weaponsmithing leveling is faster creating higher leveled weapons.
  • New one handed clubs, and elemental bows
  • Shield blocking damage has been reduced
  • Spell trees level faster in preparation for adding more schools
  • Spells cost less, but have a lower AOE damage.
  • Villages bring in more gold, but have less hitpoints
  • Training on monsters gives triple the experience of fighting players

Darkfall is the closest thing you’ll get to the original Ultima Online, obviously barring the lack of an isometric view. Aventurine knows their target audience, and knows who they are not advertising to, and they are ok with that.

Darkfall Isn’t Dead!


People think that I must hate being wrong when I write articles for MMO Fallout when, in fact, the opposite is true. Even though the main purpose of MMO Fallout is somewhat doom and gloom, I do try to balance that with articles on success and companies prospering. So it makes me glad to see the dedication to Darkfall that Aventurine has, with a vision that they are bringing into the world, to make the game in their image, while still being accessible to more and more players.

darkfall

On September 2nd, Aventurine released a balancing patch in preparation for an upcoming October Expansion. The patch tweaks quite a few mechanics of the game. Some important notes:

  • Ships are now cheaper, but with reduced hitpoints
  • Ships and Warhulks are slowed by damage.
  • Weaponsmithing leveling is faster creating higher leveled weapons.
  • New one handed clubs, and elemental bows
  • Shield blocking damage has been reduced
  • Spell trees level faster in preparation for adding more schools
  • Spells cost less, but have a lower AOE damage.
  • Villages bring in more gold, but have less hitpoints
  • Training on monsters gives triple the experience of fighting players

Darkfall is the closest thing you’ll get to the original Ultima Online, obviously barring the lack of an isometric view. Aventurine knows their target audience, and knows who they are not advertising to, and they are ok with that.

Atari: Lawsuit Frivolous


I reported last week that Turbine is currently suing Atari over fraud and extortion claims. If you’ve forgotten the gist of the lawsuit, Turbine has sued Atari, claiming extortion and fraud. Atari is claiming owed royalty payments over the MMO Dungeons and Dragons Online, while Turbine is claiming that not only are royalties being paid in advance, but Atari has planned to set this situation up, in order to terminate Turbine as the developer, and to go further and possibly shut down Dungeons and Dragons Online to make way for a rumored Neverwinter Nights MMO.

Atari’s response, sent to Shacknews:

Last week, with no warning, Turbine filed what can only be viewed as a frivolous lawsuit against Atari. This action can ultimately do a great disservice to D&D fans and to the MMO community at large. Turbine�s actions also appear intended to divert attention from the contractual obligations that Turbine owes to Atari. In response, today Atari served a motion to dismiss the entirety of Turbine’s lawsuit. Atari also filed a separate complaint to recover monies owed to Atari resulting from an independent third party audit of Turbine. While Atari hopes for a quick and fair resolution, it remains fully committed to the D&D communities worldwide and will vigorously protect the franchise and its own integrity in this matter.

Lawsuits between publisher and developer never end well, anyone who remembers the problems Valve got into when Half Life 2 was released can attest to this (The publisher sued Valve claiming Steam was stealing sales). If Turbine wins this lawsuit, in addition to whatever monetary gain they will receive, they will also keep their recently renewed license for DDO, that lasts until 2016 (Most likely long after DDO shuts down). If Atari wins, you can probably expect Turbine to be axed at the first opportunity Atari gets. With a lawsuit like this, undoubtedly there is going to be bad blood between the companies.

Again, more information as this lawsuit unfolds.