Star Trek Online: Expanded Servers And Guinness


The tag on this Borg says...Made in China?

Star Trek Online’s launch feels like it was just yesterday, although that may be because it was in fact just yesterday. Despite the normal outcry from the usual vocal minority, the player response to the title has been great. So great, in fact, that Cryptic is rushing to get better server capacity to the title. The following surfaced on the main Star Trek website.

Hey folks,

We just wanted to update you on our in-game server capacity status. Throughout Head Start we noticed the overwhelming response to the game and we are working on changes to further increase the number of people who can play Star Trek Online at any given time. Our current plan is to have these changes in place sometime this coming weekend. We will, of course, keep you updated on progress as it happens.

Really, we just want to thank you all again for your continued support and patience. If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t be here.

-The Star Trek Online Team

Meanwhile, do you live near London? If not, can you get there on February 14th? Cryptic is holding an attempt to get a spot in the Guinness book of world records for most people gathered in one place dressed up as Star Trek characters (with a fork in one hand, a small dog under the other arm, and two eggs balanced on a drink hat, in case the category wasn’t specific enough). Best dressed cosplayers are up for prizes, including lifetime subscriptions to Star Trek Online.

I think it’s about time to don the old borg outfit and head down to London to start assimilating.

Server Merger Off The Port Bow!


Batten down the hatches!

Pirates of the Burning Sea launched two years ago this January following an elongated development period on the part of Flying Lab Software. Despite the factors of player run economies, developer immersion, a surprising balance in classes, and player vs player ship combat, the game fell short of a hot launch due to the steep learning curve and lack of documentation for new players. Despite that, reviewers called it innovative, and an example for other MMOs to follow, rather than a “reskinned Everquest.”

As I have pointed out in the past, reviewers can say what they want, an MMOs’ success comes down to one thing: Player retention. In late 08, in order to increase server populations, Flying Labs shut down seven servers, reducing the final number down to six worldwide servers.

Well, depending on how you want to see it, the consolidation was either a huge success, or just a temporary fix to a bigger issue. Flying Labs is at it again, and in the latest developer blog, the developer detailed plans to reduce the server count further, to two servers (Antigua and Roberts), one server in North America and one in Europe.

The servers will be live until March 5th, when they will be taken down. Until then, players are able to transfer their characters to one of the two remaining servers. More on the server merger as it appears.

City of Heroes: Free Transfers Until Feb. 28th


This is not a sign.

NCsoft would like to remind you that the free character transfer program, unlike some developers, that was originally scheduled from December to the end of January, should not be taken as a preclude to any servers shutting down or merging. That being said, NCsoft would also like to announce that said free transfer program will be extended until February 28th.

There are certain limitations to the transfer, however. You will have to change your name if it is taken on the new server, only six characters may be transferred per week, you cannot transfer between North American and European servers, not all possessions will transfer and you will lose super-group affiliation, prestige, and your supergroup base items. If you need more information, it is in your best interest to ask on the forums, as the knowledge base link NCsoft has provided is currently dead.

For more on City of Heroes and its not-preclude to a server merger, stay tuned to MMO Fallout.

Hello, February!


Expansions, Releases, Shutdowns?

Today is the day we look at January and say “See you next year!” Yes it can only be February, and February can only mean another Everquest expansion is releasing.

February starts off with two titles releasing: Global Agenda and Star Trek Online, on the first and second respectively. An important thing to remember about Global Agenda is that the game does have a single player and multiplayer free component, and that the persistent world AvA is the only portion that requires a subscription. Whether this subscription will maintain or go the way of Cities XL and Crimecraft is yet to be seen.

Star Trek Online, on the other hand, will be seeking the approval of Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike. Considering its place at the top of Steam’s sales list for the past few weeks, if Cryptic can keep the retention rate high, they will have a highly successful title on their hands. As for the myriad of preorder exclusives, we can only hope they will be available at some point on the Cryptic store.

This month also brings us some interesting news from Star Vault and the oft-delayed and much trolled Mortal Online. This month, today in fact, Mortal Online will be going into an open beta phase, where everyone can join! Although relegated to their own open beta server, that may or may not be capped, alongside a 5 euro discount in the box copy, anyone can join in for free and start playing. And by playing, of course, I mean jumping on the forums to textually assault those who paid for beta access by preorder. Mortal Online will stay in open beta until the game goes gold, when it will start charging the monthly fee and you will be required to own the game.

There’s no time for that, Omali, you say! Everquest 2 has a new expansion coming out this month! Sentinel’s Fate brings with it your normal expansion goody bag. New zones, new dungeons, a higher level cap (90), new loot, new weapons and armor, and new quests. Four hundred quests to be exact, and thousands of new items.

As for MMO Fallout, I decided to prune a couple of categories from the Live list due to clutter and inconsistency of updates. The Anarchy Online, Tibia, and Ragnarok Online categories have been deleted. Hopefully the Live category will be that much less cluttered.

Surely this can’t be all that is happening in February, you say. Of course not, but if I told you everything now, what reason would you have to keep coming back until next month? I see your trickery, internet, and I will not fall for it. Not after all of those lost buffs.

Why Not A Cryptic Pass? NCsoft Pass? Turbine Pass!


So-eeeee.

Whatever you think about Sony, you can’t deny the deal they have going for their titles. For the price of only two MMOs per month, you can access virtually any Sony game you own. Everquest, Everquest 2, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Planetside, Star Wars Galaxies, Vanguard, Free Realms, and that console Everquest game. That’s 8 games for the price of two!

Going over Sony’s station pass got me thinking: Why don’t other developers have a similar deal? I would love to see an NCsoft Station Pass, that could bundle Aion, City of X, Lineage, Lineage 2 in one package. Or possibly a Turbine deal, a package of Dungeons and Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online, and Asheron’s Call. How about a Funcom pack, with Age of Conan and Anarchy Online in one deal?

Now, some will say that developers will be losing money on this, but I wholeheartedly disagree. In fact, Sony’s Station Pass has shown to be a way to coerce people into spending more than they normally would on subscriptions. To believe that even a fraction of the players who have the Station Pass would spend the over hundred dollars a month on each game’s subscription separately is absurd to say the least. Having such a pass could also breath life into the older titles on the list.

Jagex has an offering similar to this. Although not an MMO, players can subscribe to Runescape and FunOrb for a discount. When Stellar Dawn is launched, it is expected that players will be able to opt for an additional discount.

This may all be wishful thinking, but I would certainly pay for a Turbine Station pass.

Excuse Me Aion, Have We Met Before?


This 9 minute trailer for Aion’s future is best viewed in HD. What you are seeing is a collection of projects NCsoft is working on for Aion, to be released at different times and not as a single update/patch.

Some of the features noted:

  • DirectX 10
  • Cryengine 2 upgrade
  • New zones
  • Dynamic weather and seasons
  • Player Cities
  • Mounts
  • More fluid combat
  • More weapon types (crossbows for starters)
  • New classes
  • City sieges
  • Player owned cities
  • More

No this video isn’t new, but it is a good indicator.

CCP: No, THIS Is How You Charity


How do you charity without donating money?

Inspiring rivalry between companies is one thing, but if given the opportunity, I would probably spur on a competition of who can think of the best way to get players giving to charity. To say that such a competition exists is probably morally reprehensible, but one can dream, in the form of “This is How You Charity.”

If there is one thing Eve Online is known for, it is the combat of real money trading by the ability to spend ISK on actual game time. A successful player can essentially play the game for free. Back in 2004, CCP held a charity drive where players could donate to the Asian tsunami relief. Now in 2010, they plan on doing the same for the Haiti earthquake relief.

Between January 29th and February 15th, players have the opportunity to donate their PLEX (30-day game cards that can be bought with in-game cash) to the “CCP PLEX for Haiti” character, which will be converted into cash, and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to charity. The Red Cross, specifically.

So get your Eve Online on..line, and get to donating!

So That's Where The Lineage 3 Code Went!


None shall pass!

Here at MMO Fallout, we pride ourselves on being able to not only take important legal matters and translate them into digestible snausages for the masses, but also the ability to refer to a one man team as “we.” With Atari Vs Turbine and Bethesda Vs Interplay on the table, it’s easy to overlook less reported cases. For starters, NCsoft Vs Bluehole Studios!

By the time Lineage 3 was first canned, quite a number of the game’s mechanics were already in place and, by measure, copyrighted. A couple members of the developer team moved on to Bluehole Studios, currently working on upcoming MMO “The Exiled Realm of Arborea” (TERA), sparking a lawsuit by NCsoft. According to NCsoft, the two developers took with them source code relating to several copyrighted technologies. Mr. Kang and Mr. Yo are the former employees named in the lawsuit.

Sadly the case jumped right over MMO Fallout, in terms of breaking news. At least until today, where the Seoul District Court has awarded over 2 billion won in compensation to NCsoft. Naturally, Bluehole is expected to appeal the ruling. It is uncertain what effect this hefty fine will have on Bluehole, or TERA.

2 billion won equates to approximately $1.7 million dollars USD. More on TERA, not so much on Lineage 3, as it appears.

So That’s Where The Lineage 3 Code Went!


None shall pass!

Here at MMO Fallout, we pride ourselves on being able to not only take important legal matters and translate them into digestible snausages for the masses, but also the ability to refer to a one man team as “we.” With Atari Vs Turbine and Bethesda Vs Interplay on the table, it’s easy to overlook less reported cases. For starters, NCsoft Vs Bluehole Studios!

By the time Lineage 3 was first canned, quite a number of the game’s mechanics were already in place and, by measure, copyrighted. A couple members of the developer team moved on to Bluehole Studios, currently working on upcoming MMO “The Exiled Realm of Arborea” (TERA), sparking a lawsuit by NCsoft. According to NCsoft, the two developers took with them source code relating to several copyrighted technologies. Mr. Kang and Mr. Yo are the former employees named in the lawsuit.

Sadly the case jumped right over MMO Fallout, in terms of breaking news. At least until today, where the Seoul District Court has awarded over 2 billion won in compensation to NCsoft. Naturally, Bluehole is expected to appeal the ruling. It is uncertain what effect this hefty fine will have on Bluehole, or TERA.

2 billion won equates to approximately $1.7 million dollars USD. More on TERA, not so much on Lineage 3, as it appears.