MMO Updates |
- One Shots: Video games are bad for you
- Korean players protest a flag in World of Warships
- The Daily Grind: Should characters age?
- Neverwinter unveils the Campaign system
- Red 5's Mark Kern discusses wasted space in MMO development
- The Game Archaeologist: Wing Commander Online
- Tattered Notebook: Are EQII mercenaries a solo-savior or group-killer?
- Star Citizen a 'remarkably detailed space combat sim with an equally in-depth economy'
- The Mog Log: Believing in Final Fantasy XIV
- Star Wars: The Old Republic outlines the Bounty Contract Week
- Chaos Theory Extra: Touring The Secret World's Issue #7
| One Shots: Video games are bad for you Posted: 07 Jul 2013 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Screenshots, EverQuest, Culture, Guild Wars 2, One Shots, Humor, Champions Online, RIFT, Miscellaneous  "I am not sure if this is up to par for One Shots," he wrote, "but I ran into this sign outside RenCenter in Millennium City and couldn't resist snapping the pic." We now return you to a feedback loop of irony. A sign in a video game warning you about playing video games? My head spinneth. Let's check out the rest of this week's player-submitted screenshots before I need to go lie down, OK? Continue reading One Shots: Video games are bad for you
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| Korean players protest a flag in World of Warships Posted: 07 Jul 2013 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Culture, News Items, War, Free-to-Play, World of Warships  From Wargaming.net's perspective, since the game is meant to have players at the helm of ships used by the major armies involved in World War II, including a period-appropriate decoration was perfectly reasonable. However, to several players in the region, the Rising Sun flag is seen as a reminder of Japanese military expansion and aggression, which is still a sensitive topic in many regions. The company's representatives posted on the official forums that the flag will be removed from the game, with the added clarification that the team is trying to be as sensitive as possible to cultural differences. The game is currently in testing and is due for general release later this year.
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| The Daily Grind: Should characters age? Posted: 07 Jul 2013 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Culture, Game Mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous  It makes me wonder if, to give us a true sense of living in these worlds, our characters should age. It was a big selling point of the first Fable game, although having never played it, I don't know how well it turned out. But I remember reading a preview of the first game and actually digging the idea that my character would mature and grow old, with all of the benefits and drawbacks that entails. Should characters age in MMOs? If so, how could it best be done so that it wouldn't ruin everyone's day?  Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
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| Neverwinter unveils the Campaign system Posted: 06 Jul 2013 07:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Patches, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play, Neverwinter  The Campaign window is a new UI element that lists a number of Projects players can undertake. Questing in the area, running solo instances, or diving into the new dungeons will provide new rewards that can be spent on clearing projects, unlocking new regions, new dungeons, and so forth. Players can also earn new equipment by completing other Projects, which offers several methods to reap the benefits of hard work. The new system, like the rest of the content, is still due out for sometime this summer.
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| Red 5's Mark Kern discusses wasted space in MMO development Posted: 06 Jul 2013 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Culture, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Miscellaneous  Kern stresses that the primary problem is that the cost of developing an MMO is raising while the time spent on content doesn't change, resulting in a neverending rush to produce more high-level content at a rate that's simply not realistic. He advocates more dynamic content, more scaling, and more flexibility in progression to help make development costs feel less like money flung into a pit for low-level content. If you're interested in the industry as a whole, it's worth a read. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
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| The Game Archaeologist: Wing Commander Online Posted: 06 Jul 2013 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Game Archaeologist, Miscellaneous  Jef's not alone; it seemed as though half of the internet went bananas when Roberts came out of the woodwork to announce his title and ask for a few coppers for funding. He got more than just a few, as gaming nostalgia is one of the most powerful forces known to mankind. Even if it can't be Wing Commander in name, gamers reasoned as they plunked down their money, it could be the Wing Commander MMO in spirit. Interestingly enough, there was an actual effort made to bring the well-known franchise to the MMO table back in the late '90s. A pair of projects, Wing Commander Online and Privateer Online, promised the thrills of the hit space saga with the expanse of the online gaming world. What happened and why aren't we playing one of these games today? Find out on this exciting episode of The Game Archaeologist! Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: Wing Commander Online
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| Tattered Notebook: Are EQII mercenaries a solo-savior or group-killer? Posted: 06 Jul 2013 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Opinion, Free-to-Play, The Tattered Notebook, Livestream, Dungeons  Mercenaries, or mercs as they are more generally referred to, are available to all players who have purchased that particular expansion regardless of their level. Plenty of Norrathians, including me, are running around with these for-hire companions. But the question on my mind is, are mercenaries a boon or a bane to EQII? The answer depends heavily on your playstyle. Continue reading Tattered Notebook: Are EQII mercenaries a solo-savior or group-killer?
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| Star Citizen a 'remarkably detailed space combat sim with an equally in-depth economy' Posted: 06 Jul 2013 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, Economy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Buy-to-Play  "Star Citizen is, at its heart, a vast living world that combines a remarkably detailed space combat simulation with an equally in-depth model of the economy of a star-spanning empire," CI's blog post explains. There's quite a bit of detail about nodes, the role of players and AI, and production chains and resource flow, so settle in with your favorite caffeinated beverage. Elsewhere in the Star Citizen news universe, it was another record crowdfunding week. The $13 million barrier is the latest to fall, and Cloud Imperium will now be able to add frigates as player-flyable ships as well as the Command and Control module on larger ships that allows pilots to coordinate between multiple craft. Stretch goal unlocks for the $14 and $15 million plateaus are viewable via the announcement post. Don't forget the economy video after the break! [Thanks Robyn!]
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| The Mog Log: Believing in Final Fantasy XIV Posted: 06 Jul 2013 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Culture, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log  Lest anyone worry that this is the start of a Paul McCartney-esque slide into sappy sentimentality, there's good reason for this. Ms. Lady has been mentioned on previous occasions as a gaming partner and skilled roleplayer. She's not as into MMOs as I am, but she plays them a lot and she certainly knows what she likes and what she doesn't. And let me tell you, she didn't like Final Fantasy XIV. This is a point of view I hold against absolutely no one, but it sure as heck meant that she was not interested in the relaunch. She'd had enough of the game after the first couple of tries to break in. The relaunch had no hooks to pull her back in, no interesting features that stirred her interest, nothing but the promise of a game she'd already decided wasn't good enough to play. And that all changed. Continue reading The Mog Log: Believing in Final Fantasy XIV
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| Star Wars: The Old Republic outlines the Bounty Contract Week Posted: 06 Jul 2013 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Events (In-Game), Patches, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic  Each day, players can select a single contract to hunt, with the Bounty Brokers Association providing a selection of different planets with available contracts. Veteran hunters can also hunt for a single Kingpin target, a high-threat individual who requires more accomplished hunters. Success means credits and reputation with the BBA. Players from level 15 and up can take part in these missions, which scale to the level of the participant, ensuring that anyone who wants to get in on the hunt can start taking down criminals for credits.
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| Chaos Theory Extra: Touring The Secret World's Issue #7 Posted: 06 Jul 2013 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Screenshots, Interviews, Patches, Opinion, Hands-On, The Secret World, First Impressions, Chaos Theory, Buy-to-Play  My tour was guided by none other than Game Director Joel Bylos himself, so I was able to slip in some questions between my oohs and ahhs. Wondering what juicy tidbits he revealed? Then join me for a look at what you can expect next week along with a glimpse of the future. Don't worry; I will clearly label any spoilers for those who want to be shocked first-hand. (Hint: The images in the gallery below are a bit of a spoiler!) Continue reading Chaos Theory Extra: Touring The Secret World's Issue #7
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