If you play Fallen Earth and own an iPhone, you're in for some exciting times. Not only are we currently learning more details about the iPhone application that is in development (and on display at GDC as we speak), but we've also heard that there has been a Macintosh-compatible MMO platform released for the game, with a beta client available for interested candidates.

We first heard the announcement about the iPhone app back in November and since then have been eagerly awaiting any information we could get our hands on. What we’ve learned so far is that this is not your everyday application.

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Frogster Interactive has announced the addition of siege wars, a new type of mass-PvP warfare, for Runes of Magic. Siege wars will place guilds in pitched battles in the attempt to seize castles from each other. The open beta for testing the siege wars begins today, March 11, a month before the anticipated release of Runes of Magic's Chapter III expansion, titled The Elder Kingdoms. From the official press release:

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Beckett Massive Online Gamer Readers Choose the Best MMOs of 2009

Beckett Media LLC has announced the results of its 2009 Reader’s Choice Awards, which were voted on by readers of Massive Online Gamer and visitors to the magazine’s web site, www.massiveonlinegamer.com. Tens of thousands of votes were logged, and the winners in some categories came down to fewer than 100 votes, including the competition for the coveted title of “Best MMO of 2009,” which was decided by just 68 votes. Blizzard’s World of Warcraft eked out a narrow win over Turbine’s Dungeons & Dragons Online and was narrowly followed by KingsIsle Entertainment’s Wizard101 and NCSoft’s Aion.

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The bulk of a community manager’s job, once the community is set up and running, is expectation management. When you invite people to ask questions, you create an expectation that you’ll answer them all, not cherry pick the easy ones. When you post five times a day, you create the expectation that you will continue [...]

The Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG) held an event shortly after the closing of the conference room doors at the Game Developers' Conference in San Francisco. Held at the Walt Disney Family Museum, the event paid homage to Disney's corporate past and its future in the minds of the world.

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Frogster America has announced that it is currently developing a new Facebook game set in the Runes of Magic universe. Players will be able to earn in-game items through Facebook play. Read more after the jump.

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World of Tanks players now have information about "growing" or improving their tanks from initial game start through the end stages. Check out the Soviet, American and German tank progression after the jump.

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Greetings, Wastelanders!

We’ve sent our Assoc. Project Manager, Dave, out West to GDC... Since we all miss him here at the office, we thought you could help us keep an eye on him while he’s in the big city!

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If you happen to be in the area and spot Dave, take a photo with him and share it with us! The first 10 fans to approach Dave, take a pic and submit their photo will score a Fallen Earth t-shirt! Be sure to send your name, mailing address and the photo our way, you know, so we know he’s ok – fecontest@fallenearth.com.

Happy searching!
 

gamigo, a leading publisher of FTP online games, announced its latest creation called Soul Master.

"We are excited to announce that we will be the exclusive European publisher of Soul Master," says gamigo executive board member Patrick Streppel. "Soul Master provides a unique gameplay experience that combines strategy and role-play, fitting perfectly into our broad portfolio of free-to-play online games."

In Soul Master, an entirely mission-based world, three factions duke it out for the right to rule all. Inside cities players will find a place to meet and to get quests, something the developer claims to have no shortage of. Besides just running through missions to build up a character, however, players will be attempting to capture resources that will aid them in building up a base and growing an army.

There will be no lack of PvP, either, as players will be able to fight other Soul Masters in PvP battles and in guild wars that are going to be an "absolute highlight" of the experience. Expected to be released in the third quarter of 2010, Soul Master will be staying in the tradition of gamigo's other titles and remaining completely free-to-play. Join me after the jump for a trailer and some more game highlights.

Continue reading Soul Master to be published in Europe by gamigo

Filed under: Launches, New titles, Free-to-play, Soul Master

Soul Master to be published in Europe by gamigo originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bioware's Star Wars: The Old Republic may or may not live up to its advance billing as a potential World of Warcraft competitor. If it doesn't, it won't be for lack of a budget, according to a statement given by Electronic Arts' chief financial officer Eric Brown yesterday.

While meeting with Wedbush Morgan Securities in New York, Brown characterized the forthcoming Star Wars MMORPG as the "largest ever development project, period, in the history of the company." Brown declined to give specific financial details, but it's clear that EA and Bioware aren't leaving much to chance when it comes to spending money on development.

According to Eurogamer, Brown went on to discuss the estimated costs of bringing Blizzard's World of Warcraft to market back in 2004, and noted that the lifetime development costs likely topped $100 million "to actually ship it and obviously then there's maintenance subsequent to ship and expansion packs."

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

EA: SWTOR is our largest project originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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(I asked Dan Gray if he would want to touch on the subject of random developer updates.  He was kind enough to oblige, and here is his great contribution to random week. –Ravious) In the age of 140 character communication it’s becoming standard practice for developers to tease their audience with sporadic tidbits of information, be [...]

1. “TL;DR” At the risk of stereotyping MMO forum posters everywhere, a casual survey of many MMO forums will reveal that people who inhabit them are (1) angry beyond belief at everything and anything, (2) quite unfamiliar with a spellchecker, and (3) unable to process information in paragraph form.  Hence the advent of “TL;DR” as a [...]

The latest EVE Online developer blog is a great treatise about upcoming changes in the works for the Tyrannis expansion to allow players to have interaction with -all- planets in game. Keep reading!

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Somehow this one slipped through last week's cracks but is still worth mentioning. Lego Universe devs are now accepting applications for the closed beta and, from early reports, those invites have already started rolling out. Read on!

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The Allods Online team has announced that the first official trailer has been released on both the Allods YouTube channel and the Allods Facebook Fan Page. Grab the links after the jump.

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Dungeon Fighters Online who reach the vaunted level of 48 will have new skills that "awaken" and they become members of the "super class" elite. Read on!

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Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) has just announced the addition of a new zone called Convorteum that is exclusive to players who have access to the...

We complain that MMOs are getting narrower and smaller as time goes by, with terms like "themeparks" being thrown around without much affection. But there are still a lot of ways to enjoy yourself in pretty much every game under the sun and games that cater to a wide variety of playstyles on top of that. There are games focused on a strong PvP game (Warhammer Online, EVE Online), games with a focus on PvE content (City of Heroes, Lord of the Rings Online), and others with a split between both (World of Warcraft, Guild Wars).

Even within that wide spectrum, however, there's a fair variety of options. You could focus on the PvE game in EVE Online if you wanted, or even just head off into another direction like roleplaying if you so desired. With all the different ways to enjoy yourself, we ask you today: how do you like to play? Do you prefer PvP, PvE, a mix of both? Or do you prefer alternate progression like crafting or exploration, eschewing the rails that are set down for you by the development team?

Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, PvP, PvE, Opinion, The Daily Grind

The Daily Grind: How do you like to play? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Above is a scam. If you get a tell like this in game, do the smart thing and do NOT go to the web site linked (which I have blocked out here). Block the person, and report them. It’s NOT NCsoft telling you that you’re about to be banned. I’d like to say that no [...] Related posts:

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I am a firm believer in the fact that there is a difference between exploiting, and “taking advantage of a game mechanic” that is NOT exploiting. Let me specify. Killing a ring event over and over again so that you can get the drops from it doesn’t constitute as exploiting in my books. You’re standing [...] Related posts:

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Planetary Interaction (PI) is almost upon us! With the next EVE Online expansion, the industrialist will have a ball with the planets of New Eden. No longer will they simply be decorations for the capsuleers enjoyment. Much work remains to be done until its release, but we got a glimpse of what the Devs are working on - or listening to - these days following the latest Dev Blog by CCP Hammerhead "Livin' on a Prayer".

Additional commentary on Planetary Interaction:

A new Star Wars: The Old Republic developer blog has surfaced at the official site. The blog focuses on the balance between the the dark and light sides of the Force that the Jedi Consulars must master. Read a snip after the jump.

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The latest Champions Online 'Ask Cryptic' is online. This time developers specifically asked for and have answered questions about the upcoming free expansion, Revelation. Read on!

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The latest game master blog at the Star Trek Online site deals with a host of issues that confront both GMs and players. This time, Destra discusses, among other stuff, griefing and restoring items. Check it out!

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David Allen has left his second failed attempt (first being Horizons) at making an MMO, and now Alganon is in the hands of the notorious Derek Smart. I say notorious because Mr. Smart doesn't have the most stellar of reputations when it comes to interacting with the gaming community. Here's a quote from one particular interview, "Sometimes when I get online, and it's quiet, and I see something that attracts my attention, I'll post just to piss these guys off. That's why I do it. Because I'm in a good mood that day, I go in there and I start trouble."

There goes the neighborhood. Personality issues aside, he is held in high regard as an indie developer.

The Alganon members didn't receive the courtesy of receiving this information on the official forums, but rather through massively.com. This should get interesting.