Campo santo teutonico

GDC isn’t E3. It isn’t PAX. It’s not even what I think stereotypical gamers can appreciate. But I think the Massively OP crowd is a different sort, and because of that, we can give you some content the other guys might not be talking to you about. Like data collection and monetization. They’re necessary evils, in that we armchair devs can generally see past mistakes rolled out again, but know those choices are being made in the pursuit of money. So how do you make better games and money? Maybe try hiring some data scientists, not just to help with product testing and surveys, but with some awesome, AI-driven, deep learning tools. Like from Yokozuna Data, whose platform predicts individual player behavior. I was lucky enough to sit down with not only Design and Communication Lead Vitor Santos but Chief Data Scientist África Periáñez, whose research on churn prediction inspired me to contact the company about our interview … [Read more...] about GDC 2018: Yokozuna, big game data, and the future of MMO monetization

About 5 months ago, I made the decision to preorder a PlayStation 4. Some of you might see that as a bold or brave choice, while others might think that it’s ridiculous or short-sighted. A few might even wonder why, as a heavy-PC gamer with a powerful gaming rig, I’m getting a console at all. The truth is, I’ve been eyeing up the next generation of consoles for some time now. The graphical grunt and online capabilities of each machine feel like they’re getting good enough to deliver some incredibly rich experiences. Take one look at titles like Titanfall, Destiny, The Division and Dying Light, and it’s clear that the concept of multiplayer gaming is changing. With flexible grouping systems and an open-world feel, they’re beginning to borrow from the MMO playbook. Selecting a system has been a slightly trickier issue, as I’ve based my decision on the current-generation crop. Nintendo’s Wii had some great games, but failed to live up to my … [Read more...] about PlayStation 4: A Console for MMO Gamers?

While Massively OP’s MJ is in California, we thought it would be fun to join her for a bit on her adventures. So here she’ll be letting us tag along for a live feed of her traversing the beautiful southern California coast: stopping in shops, talking to locals, and enjoying the city live. (This totally isn’t a GTAO feed; Los Santos is real!) Tune in live at 1:00 p.m. for a wild ride. What: Grand Theft Auto OnlineWho: MJ GuthrieWhen: 1:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 18th, 2018 Enjoy the show! Having trouble with our live feed or chat? Visit the OPTV channel on Twitch in your browser or on your mobile device. Missed a part of the show? Don’t worry; we’ll post the complete stream here when it’s over, and you can always check out past streams and playlists posted in our videos collection! SHARE THIS ARTICLE … [Read more...] about The Stream Team: Driving in California (totally not a GTAO stream)

With the constant clamoring from fans for Daybreak (or someone) to create an honest-to-goodness next-gen sequel to the EverQuest franchise, you’d hope that it would actually happen someday. Obviously EverQuest Next itself didn’t pan out — not that everyone considered that title a sequel or even deserving of the EQ name. But it was impossible not to find a glimmer of hope at the news that Daybreak was hiring for positions involving a new game. And then even that tiny flame of hope was snuffed out. The upcoming unannounced title is apparently a first-person shooter, a multi-platform FPS. That doesn’t sound very compatible with the Norrath people want. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be the Norrath people get! Now before you hyperventilate: This is just speculation. I know EQIII the FPS is a longshot. If it has any ties to Daybreak’s existing portfolio at all, the new game is much more likely to be related … [Read more...] about EverQuesting: Could Daybreak’s new FPS be an EverQuest?

Get Black Desert on SteamHere’s an event that doesn’t get celebrated much in MMORPGs: Mother’s Day. Oh sure, the devs will send out Tweets, but we don’t often see actual in-game events. Black Desert, however, has an event for everything, and this week it’s kicking off the Thank You For All Your Love event, in which you’ll be helping Santo Manzi get a batch of flowers off to his mom, in exchange for experience and chocolate. Today’s patch notes also come with a lengthy explanation about changes to the Arsha PvP server in light of the game’s ongoing balance changes (defense effects are being heavily revised today). “We have decided to change the PvP system in the Arsha server to be the same as those in the other servers,” Kakao says. “You will no longer be able to activate Down Guard by pressing Shift while your character is down in the Arsha server. Like in the other servers, debuff will now be applied continuously … [Read more...] about Black Desert begins Mother’s Day event, revamps defense, guts the Arsha PvP server, and teases Lahn