With the recent launch of our new Worlds In Motion Job Board as a standalone board complete, complete with its own RSS feed and unique URL, every week, we will be highlighting the latest posted jobs relevant to our readership of professionals creating online worlds.

The listings cover a wide range of companies and open positions, so everyone seeking jobs in the MMO/online/virtual world industry should find the board useful.

- Blizzard Entertainment (Irvine, CA)
Senior Software Engineer, Battle.net
("Blizzard Entertainment is looking for a talented and enthusiastic programmer to join our Battle.net team in Irvine, California. Battle.net is an online service enjoyed by millions of Blizzard Entertainment gamers around the globe. The senior software engineer must be self-motivated and able to work both independently and in conjunction with team members and product groups. Enthusiasm and flexibility in working on a variety of projects are also necessary. The ideal applicant is someone who enjoys technical challenges and the satisfaction of overcoming them.")

- Cryptic Studios, Inc. (Los Gatos, CA)
Customer Service - Director, Sr. VFX Artist, Sr. Sound Designer, and Game Design - Writer
("Cryptic's design process revolves around the vital question, "What is fun?" The close-knit team addresses this question at each stage of development, ensuring the creation of innovative, challenging and fun games. A solid foundation of efficient development tools allows Cryptic to focus on what they do best, creating games that break the boring, hardcore, high time commitment stereotypes of MMOG's.")

As a reminder, once you've paid to post your job on Gamasutra, it's absolutely free to cross-post that job to any of Gamasutra's sister sites - including WorldsInMotion.biz!

Worlds In Motion will continue to highlight the online worlds-related jobs posted at our new standalone Worlds In Motion Job Board, every week.

Posted by Eric Caoili at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

[Each day, Worlds in Motion will be taking a closer look at individual virtual worlds. We'll start with a nuts-and-bolts overview, then move on to an in-depth tour, to be followed up with a conclusion-- all with the aim of bringing you all the essential info and details on each world in the rapidly-developing virtual landscape. You can view Part 1 of our investigation here, and Part 2 here.]

Online worlds are usually avatar based, and if they're games, they're normally RPGs. Developer GameForge bucks the trend with Ikariam, a browser based real-time strategy title that is most usually compared to Sid Meier's Civilization series. We reveal our conclusions on the title after the jump.

Continue reading "Online World Atlas: Ikariam -- Pt. 3, Conclusion" »

Posted by mathewk at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Developer MindArk announced that its virtual world Entropia Universe will join graphics chip manufacturer Nvidia's "The Way It's Meant to Be Played" initiative, a program designed to help studios optimize and incorporate exclusive features in their games while promoting Nvidia's graphics hardware.

According to MindArk, Nvidia will work with the company to "enhance" the game's visual effects, taking advantage of technologies in GeForce GPUs and Entropia Universe's upcoming implementation of Crytek's CryEngine2 game engine later this summer.

Launched in January 2003, Entropia Universe has grown to over 720,000 registered accounts from over 200 countries. Users play as settlers tasked with colonizing a wild land, hunting monsters for by-products to trade and sell, mining for materials and exploring as they form new societies.

The game is free to download and play, but all equipment and skills necessary for all but the most basic involvement must be purchased with Project Entropia Dollars (PED). Users may buy PED at a fixed exchange rate of $1 per 10 PED, or they may earn them in-game. The hallmark of Entropia Universe's business model is the fact that PED can also be changed back into real-world currency; theoretically, then, users can earn real money through in-world gains.

Said MindArk's business development director David Simmonds: "We are thrilled to be working with Nvidia and look forward to a prosperous future together. The expertise that the Nvidia team has to offer is so valuable to us as we strive to continually provide the best gaming experience for our players."

Posted by Eric Caoili at 1:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Prepaid card distributor GMG Entertainment announced a partnership with animated avatar site Meez to offer prepaid cards, which include a "bonus free limited edition item" for the free-to-play community at Best Buy locations. GMG also reported that it extended its partnerships with current clients AdventureQuest, Gala-Net, and Stardoll.

Meez claims over seven million registered teens and college-aged youths who visit the site to create customizable 3D avatars, play casual games, interact with others, and contribute to its virtual economy. The site's in-game currency, Coinz, can be used to purchase premium content, such as special animations or accessories.

Said Meez CEO Sean Ryan: "Meez is very excited to announce our partnership with GMG Entertainment by introducing our prepaid cards into Best Buy stores across the country. This is a chance to not only offer our established user base an important new way to purchase virtual currency, but we look forward to inviting millions of new digital entertainment enthusiasts into the Meez community.

Expanding further on his personal blog, Ryan described prepaid cards for virtual worlds as "perfect merchandise" for retailers because of their ability to deliver high value-to-floor-space ratios, offering margins closer to other physical products. "Given the decline of recorded music sales and the flattening of DVD sales, this can be a nice win for retailers who really focus on the digital entertainment category -- some of them will soon start to actually integrate their brands and links into these worlds so that users can move back and forth between virtual and physical spaces."

He went on to applaud GMG's efforts to work with Best Buy to launch a specialized area for prepaid cards at the electronics retailer's video game sections: " ... retail placement and the resulting revenue will be a key driver for successful digital entertainment brands, and leading retailers will benefit by offering these options to their customers."

Posted by Eric Caoili at 1:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Perfect World Entertainment announced the launch of its closed beta for free-to-play MMORPG 3D Perfect World International. The game is expected to have an open beta later this fall.

Serving as the English-based, international version of Perfect World II, which was released in China in July 2005, the game is inspired by Chinese mythology and based in the mythical world of Pangu. Players can create characters from three unique races, join guilds, control and battle over territory with their guilds, marry other characters, create items with crafting skills, and more.

Players can also earn and spend money in the in-game Cash Shop to temporarily increase stats with consumables, expand storage capabilities, customize fashion and equipment, and purchase mounts that allow faster movements.

Said Perfect World Entertainment CEO Alan Cheng: "Today’s beta launch is an exciting milestone for us as it provides the opportunity for North American gamers to receive their first introduction to Perfect World International. Providing early access to the full game underscores our commitment to customer satisfaction while demonstrating the well-designed, high quality entertainment experience that gamers can expect from Perfect World International."

Posted by Eric Caoili at 12:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With the 2008 Austin Game Developers Conference coming this September 15-17 and registrations open for the Austin, Texas event - which includes both 'Online Gaming' tracks and a special Worlds In Motion Summit for businesspeople and brands looking to get into virtual worlds, we're highlighting one of our upcoming Worlds In Motion lectures.

Rebel Monkey CEO and founder Margaret Wallace will answer the important question of how to ensure that people will come to your virtual world once you've launched it. Titled "If You Build It, Will They Come? ," the session will cover what considerations need to be made to elevate your virtual world business on a world-class scale.

Before launching the casual games studio Rebel Monkey, Wallace served as CEO of Skunk Studios, also a casual games developer, and worked at Shockwave.com and PF Magic. She also serves on the Steering Committee for the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) Casual Games Special Interest Group (SIG).

For more information, including a number of other key already-debuted lectures that we'll be highlighting weekly here on WorldsInMotion.biz, alongside further new Worlds In Motion Summit/online keynote specifics as they happen, check out the official Austin GDC 2008 website.

Posted by Eric Caoili at 12:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Seeking to support schools affected by the country's recent economic downturn, children’s online protection company eGuardian and virtual world Woogi World launched a venture offering eGuardian's software and access to Woogi World for schools to use as a fundraiser.

Schools not only receive eGuardian for free by registering for the offer before September 30th, but they can also make the software and membership available to parents for a nominal donation, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the schools.

Targeted at children in kindergarten to sixth grade, Woogi World is a virtual world and community in which kids worldwide can safely play educational games and chat while learning how to become “responsible internet users and goodwill ambassadors (good influences in their homes, schools, and communities).”

Woogi World announced in April that it had enlisted eGuardian's software to keep dangerous adults and malicious content out of the children's virtual world with parental controls, site blockers, and access restrictors.

Said Woogi World CEO Scott Dow: "WoogiWorld is committed to children's welfare -- whether they are in a virtual world or the real world. By providing our service to the schools free-of-charge, school districts around the country can potentially generate millions of dollars to go directly into its coffers."

Posted by Eric Caoili at 12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UTV Interactive, the gaming arm of Indian entertainment group UTV Software Communications, has entered an agreement to acquire an 80 percent stake in online game publisher True Games Interactive.

The Mumbai-headquartered company previously announced in December 2006 that it had purchased mobile games developer Indiagames and UK-based console games developer Ignition Entertainment (Mercury Meltdown series). The latter recently announced two new executive placements as part of further plans to expand its U.S. operations following the opening of two new development studios in Tokyo and Florida .

Founded in January 2008 by former execs of MMO service provider K2 Network, True Games focuses on free-to-play, microtransactions-driven business models for independent developers and publishers. The studio announced a partnership in April with developer Petroglyph (Universe At War, Star Wars: Empire At War) to release a free-to-play, microtransaction-funded PC online game. True Games intends to launch its first title in Q3 2008.

Said UTV Interactive CEO Preneet Malhotra: "Online gaming is the platform of the future once broadband penetration reaches across world markets. While this phenomenon is led by Asia, it has started gaining traction in the west as well. The True Games acquisition gives UTV not only presence in the international online gaming space, both in content creation and publishing but is also a major step towards achieving UTV's 360 degree gaming vision."

Posted by Eric Caoili at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

[Each day, Worlds in Motion will be taking a closer look at individual virtual worlds. We'll start with a nuts-and-bolts overview, then move on to an in-depth tour, to be followed up with a conclusion-- all with the aim of bringing you all the essential info and details on each world in the rapidly-developing virtual landscape.]

Online worlds are usually avatar based, and if they're games, they're normally RPGs. Developer GameForge bucks the trend with Ikariam, a browser based real-time strategy title that is most usually compared to Sid Meier's Civilization series. We go in-depth with the title after the jump.

Continue reading "Online World Atlas: Ikariam -- Pt. 2, In-Depth" »

Posted by mathewk at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sony Online Entertainment announced two new expansions for its MMORPGs at its Fan Faire event over the weekend, EverQuest: Seeds of Destruction and EverQuest II: The Shadow Odyssey.

Due October 21st, EverQuest: Seeds of Destruction marks the 15th expansion of the original EverQuest game. With the release, players will have access to 20 new zones, new raid content, new spells, new alternate advancement abilities, and mercenaries, which are player-controlled NPCs designed to assist with PvE encounters. The level cap has also been increased to 85.

EverQuest II: The Shadow Odyssey, the fifth expansion for the EQII franchise, will be available on November 18th. The Shadow Odyssey will include 20 new zones, dungeon adventures, new deities, an achievement level cap increase to 200, five heritage quests, a shard reward system, and a new mission system for players to replay content with new and different experiences.

The expansions were announced at 2008 SOE Fan Faire, the company’s annual social gathering event at Las Vegas held for fans of its online games. Attendees were given software for both expansions for free as part of SOE's recently-launched Living Legacy initiative.

Said SOE president John Smedley: “It is such a privilege to announce the upcoming expansions for two of our most popular games, EverQuest and EverQuest II, in a venue like Fan Faire where we are joined by thousands of our loyal fans, and it seems more than appropriate to give those fans access to both of the expansions for free."

Posted by Eric Caoili at 11:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)