Editorials – Page 118

Diablo III’s Auction House Shutting Down

Ding dong, the witch is dead. Ever since the idea was first revealed by Blizzard, the auction house in Diablo III has been readily panned by players for undermining the core gameplay of killing a load of things to amass a load of stuff. In a surprise announcement, Blizzard has announced that the auction houses, both real money and the fake kind, will be shut down on March 18th, 2014.

When we initially designed and implemented the auction houses, the driving goal was to provide a convenient and secure system for trades. But as we’ve mentioned on different occasions, it became increasingly clear that despite the benefits of the AH system and the fact that many players around the world use it, it ultimately undermines Diablo’s core game play: kill monsters to get cool loot. With that in mind, we want to let everyone know that we’ve decided to remove the gold and real-money auction house system from Diablo III.

The update will go hand in hand with the Loot 2.0 system coming with the first Diablo III expansion.

(Source: Diablo III)

Diablo III's Auction House Shutting Down

When we initially designed and implemented the auction houses, the driving goal was to provide a convenient and secure system for trades. But as we’ve mentioned on different occasions, it became increasingly clear that despite the benefits of the AH system and the fact that many players around the world use it, it ultimately undermines Diablo’s core game play: kill monsters to get cool loot. With that in mind, we want to let everyone know that we’ve decided to remove the gold and real-money auction house system from Diablo III.

The update will go hand in hand with the Loot 2.0 system coming with the first Diablo III expansion.

(Source: Diablo III)

FFXIV Back On (Digital) Store Shelves

Good news, everyone. A couple of weeks have passed since Final Fantasy XIV entered its head start phase, during which the servers became consistently flooded with players all looking to make their home in Eorzea. Due to the overwhelming response by players, Square Enix decided to temporarily halt digital sales of the game on their official website and via third parties. The good news is that the game appears to be back on digital shelves and is once again for sale, meaning if you didn’t manage to get your hands on it the first time around, your opportunity has come again.

Players who started out when the game went live should see their subscriptions begin renewing soon.

(Source: Square Store)

MMOrning Shots: First Line of Defense

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Today’s MMOrning Shot is a rather old screenshot from Line of Defense, the upcoming MMO shooter from 3000AD. Why is this significant? Next quarter, 3000AD is set to launch a companion app for Line of Defense in the form of a top down real time strategy squad shooter for iOS and Android. The crux of the game is that it features squad based combat set in the same world as Line of Defense, with the ability to outfit your troops and send them into battle. While the bulk of the game is in the single player strategy, the app will also serve as a companion for the full MMO, offering detailed information on the world’s inhabitants and their motives.

Line of Defense Tactics is set to go live next quarter.

Did Anyone Notice That FusionFall Shut Down?

That is a rhetorical question. Cartoon Network’s FusionFall originally launched in 2009 with an awesome premise: An MMO set in the Cartoon Network multiverse with well known characters, a rather simple combat and quest system, and the ability to summon nano versions of said cartoon characters. FusionFall originally launched with a subscription, but eventually converted into a free to play game the following April 2010.

In those three years, FusionFall has faded into relative obscurity outside of the Cartoon Network community. Earlier this year, Cartoon Network ceased all development on the title and moved on to FusionFall Heroes, a game set in the same story line but with players taking control of the characters rather than creating their own avatar. To put the icing on the cake, finally, FusionFall shut down on August 29th with all the attention that you would expect from a small flash game, ie: none at all.

And that’s the way the cookie crumbles.

Not Massive: Sony Won't Ban You For Early Playing

If my childhood is anything to go off of, Sony’s consistent public contradiction of Microsoft is going to net them a belt buckle to the head, you know once the two are out of the public view. Take Two and Rockstar Games have been going insane with shutting down any outlet for pre-release Grand Theft Auto V goodies, going as far as apparently threatening legal action against some publications. Look around and you’ll find a pile of now banned accounts on Livestream, Youtube, and more.

Microsoft has continued their policy of working in tandem with the publisher and handing out console bans to anyone caught leaking pre-release gameplay, IE: Anyone caught streaming or posting screenshots/captures of their gameplay online. It is important to the conversation to point out that the bans are related to the leaking of game footage before the official street date, and not the mere act of playing the game.

Enter Sony, a company whose past few months of public relations can be whittled down to “the opposite of what Microsoft just said.” Sony is not banning anyone with a legitimate copy of GTA V who post footage of their game online before Tuesday’s launch, a move that will likely net them brownie points with the gaming community if at the expense of Rockstar’s goodwill.

If you do manage to get ahold of a copy, you’re pretty safe as long as you don’t start streaming or leaking footage.

Not Massive: Sony Won’t Ban You For Early Playing

If you do manage to get ahold of a copy, you’re pretty safe as long as you don’t start streaming or leaking footage.

Side Quest Returns In Open Alpha

Oh Side Quest, how long have I pined for your loving embrace? Quite a while, according to my schedule. Last year, Side Quest became something of a love interest here at MMO Fallout, we were instantly taken by the game’s charm, wit, and oddly engaging gameplay for a concept so simple. Side Quest is an upcoming game in which you take control of a group of three adventurers and make your way from the left side of the screen to the right. Your characters move by themselves and auto-attack, while you as the player manage special skills and potions.

We had a lot of fun with it before the game was taken down for some heavy plastic surgery, and our waiting has paid off as the servers are now back online. Side Quest is still in alpha, and understandably has a lot of bugs and balance issues to work out. What’s more, the folks at Fractal Entertainment have once again opened the doors to anyone who wishes to play:

The goal of this phase of testing is to focus on balance, bugs and overall gameplay, so please, if you have any comments or suggestions add them to the forums! We’re interested in trying to make SideQuest the best game it can be.

You can check out Side Quest at the link below.

(Source: SideQuest)

Turbine's New Epic Story Changes

The epic storyline has always been the cream to Turbine’s coffee with Lord of the Rings Online. Set alongside the events from the book, the epic story has the player working behind the scenes to aid in the war against Sauron. Ever since Lord of the Rings went free to play, the epic storyline has been available in full for free players regardless of if they’ve purchased the related expansion packs. This policy is set to change with the launch of the next expansion, Helm’s Deep, in which case players will be required to buy the expansion if they expect to proceed any further.

Turbine’s reason for this change in direction is due to how closely entwined the epic story is with Helm’s Deep’s battle system, as well as to make the expansion more attractive for purchase.

The Epic Story in Helm’s deep is very tightly entwined with the Epic Battle system. The story in Helm’s Deep is the Epic battle we all know from the books. We’ve returned to the core story line from the lore and that line leads in a direct path, laid out by the Professor himself, into Helm’s Deep and the battles and heroic deeds that occur there. As a result, this means the Epic story requires the purchase of the Helm’s Deep expansion. Otherwise you’d not be able to complete it as it moves through the Epic Battle system.

Helm’s Deep launches November 18th.

(Source: LOTRO)

Turbine’s New Epic Story Changes

Turbine’s reason for this change in direction is due to how closely entwined the epic story is with Helm’s Deep’s battle system, as well as to make the expansion more attractive for purchase.

The Epic Story in Helm’s deep is very tightly entwined with the Epic Battle system. The story in Helm’s Deep is the Epic battle we all know from the books. We’ve returned to the core story line from the lore and that line leads in a direct path, laid out by the Professor himself, into Helm’s Deep and the battles and heroic deeds that occur there. As a result, this means the Epic story requires the purchase of the Helm’s Deep expansion. Otherwise you’d not be able to complete it as it moves through the Epic Battle system.

Helm’s Deep launches November 18th.

(Source: LOTRO)

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