Massively Speaking http://massively.joystiq.com This is the Massively podcast http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Massively SpeakingJoystiqMassively Speaking<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Why do you play an anthropomorphic race?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/19/the-daily-grind-why-do-you-play-an-anthropomorphic-race/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/19/the-daily-grind-why-do-you-play-an-anthropomorphic-race/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/19/the-daily-grind-why-do-you-play-an-anthropomorphic-race/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Daily Grind Why do you play an anthropomorphic race
A Daily Grind discussion last week on MMO races that we detest got me thinking about anthropomorphic races -- you know, the animals-on-hind-legs dudes and dudettes. The frog-people. The cow-people. The cat-people. The wolf-people. The leopard-people. The rat-people. The lizard-people. The panda-people. Really, the sky's the limit when you can turn any animal into a humanoid playable race. I'm only disappointed that we haven't seen platypus-people or manatee-people yet in MMOs.

Without bringing the "imaginary racism" this time, I'm genuinely curious what propels people to play an anthropomorphic race. The easy jab would be to say that it's just catering to the furries out there, but I think that's not universally true. What's the appeal of playing a dog-person? It can't just be racials such as "mark your territory" and "excess slobber."

So I want to hear from the folks who play one of these races and hear what your reason is for picking an animal-humanoid character. Don't be defensive. I'm not attacking you; I'm merely curious. Is it the road less traveled? Is it an affection you have for a particular animal? Is it a rebellion against the boring fantasy races out there?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Why do you play an anthropomorphic race? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>caitlincathardaily-grindfroglokkurasashaopinionpandaranraceracesratongasarnaktaurentdgthe-daily-grindworgenSun, 19 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Are you still excited to try RIFT's free-to-play option?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/the-daily-grind-are-you-still-excited-to-try-rifts-free-to-pla/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/the-daily-grind-are-you-still-excited-to-try-rifts-free-to-pla/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/18/the-daily-grind-are-you-still-excited-to-try-rifts-free-to-pla/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

I don't have any idea what hand I should place this on. It looks kind of gross.
If you'd missed it, RIFT recently announced that the game will go free-to-play on June 12th. Obviously, the hope is to bring in a variety of new players, but the circumstances surrounding the announcement can result in a bit of whiplash when deciding whether or not to count yourself among those getting into the game.

On the one hand, RIFT is making humble promises about the item shop... but on the other hand, the development team also promised the game would never go free-to-play. Trion Worlds did just get hit by layoffs, but it's been said those layoffs don't affect RIFT's staff. It's long had consistent updates, but those updates have dropped off sharply this year.

Is trying the game out a good idea? A bad one? Today, we ask our readers to decide. Carefully weighing all the evidence, are you still excited to try RIFT's free-to-play option? Or do you think you'll be giving it a pass?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Are you still excited to try RIFT's free-to-play option? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conquestdaily-grindf2pfantasyfree-to-playopinionpvpriftrift-literift-planes-of-telararvrtdgthe-daily-grindthree-faction-pvpthree-way-pvptriontrion-worldsSat, 18 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do Kickstarter perks put you off from MMOs?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/the-daily-grind-do-kickstarter-perks-put-you-off-from-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/the-daily-grind-do-kickstarter-perks-put-you-off-from-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/the-daily-grind-do-kickstarter-perks-put-you-off-from-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Star Citizen art
Last week, drama swirled around Chris Roberts' Star Citizen pseudo-MMO when he announced and then clarified that certain early crowdfunders will receive lifetime insurance on their ships once the game launches. Potential players rightfully worried that such a move could taint the economy and create a special class of characters with pay-to-win perks that place everyone else at a serious disadvantage.

MMO players are becoming inured to the idea that Kickstarting a game might land them a poster or tattoo or title or even beta access, but non-cosmetic advantages seem to rile everyone up. It's one thing when Camelot Unchained offers special chat and another altogether when it promises big-time donors their own in-game islands. Then again, without such generous Kickstarter pledges, the games might never be made for the rest of us to play at all, so maybe the trade-off is worth it.

What do you think? Does it bother you that gamers with money can buy their way into godhood before a game is even made? Are there Kickstarter perks that put you off from future MMOs?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do Kickstarter perks put you off from MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgcamelot-unchainedchris-robertscrowdfundingdaily-grindislandkickstarteropinionpay-to-winship-insurancestar-citizentdgthe-daily-grindwhalesFri, 17 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Which MOBA do you recommend for newbs?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/the-daily-grind-which-moba-do-you-recommend-for-newbs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/the-daily-grind-which-moba-do-you-recommend-for-newbs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/16/the-daily-grind-which-moba-do-you-recommend-for-newbs/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SMITE - Isis
Thus far I've sat out the whole MOBA craze. I don't have a good reason, really, other than all of the rest of the games on my plate coupled with a lack of time to play them. Lately I'm getting more and more intrigued, though, and I've been nosing around websites and forum communities to see which title might make a good starting point.

SMITE looks promising, and I'm a big fan of Hi-Rez thanks mostly to all the fun I had in Global Agenda. Infinite Crisis looks cool, too, though admittedly that's because I'm an incurable fan of the IP. And of course there's League of Legends, HoN, and the other big dogs. What say you, Massively MOBA players? Do you recommend a particular MOBA for newbs?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Which MOBA do you recommend for newbs? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daily-grindmobamoba-newbmobasopiniontdgthe-daily-grindThu, 16 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Which game has the best character animations?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/the-daily-grind-which-game-has-the-best-character-animations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/the-daily-grind-which-game-has-the-best-character-animations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/the-daily-grind-which-game-has-the-best-character-animations/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Daily Grind Which game has the best character animations
Character animations seem to be only noticed when they don't come off right. It's often a matter of subjective opinion whether or not these animations are pleasing or jarring, of course, but the fact remains that animations that don't meet players' standards are the target of long, long-winded rants.

I try to give credit where credit is due. MMOs that show off fluid, good-looking animations are deserving of praise. For me, the litmus test is whether or not a game can portray jumping in a natural way. That's harder than you'd think; I've seen so many titles that have characters jumping with stiff spines, awkward arm angles, or the grace of a boiled squash.

So instead of lambasting games for bad animations, let's focus on those that pull off natural- and good-looking animations today. Seriously, it's going to be tough for some of you to put a lid on the negativity, but I believe in you. Which game has the best character animations?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Which game has the best character animations? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animationanimationscharacter-animationcharacter-animationsdaily-grindjumpingopinionsquashtdgthe-daily-grindWed, 15 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you like the increasing trend of active combat in MMOs?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/the-daily-grind-do-you-like-the-increasing-trend-of-active-comb/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/the-daily-grind-do-you-like-the-increasing-trend-of-active-comb/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/14/the-daily-grind-do-you-like-the-increasing-trend-of-active-comb/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

No percentage chance to dodge for you, miss.
Back in the day, combat in MMOs was nice and sedate. You had a weapon, the other guy had a weapon, and you both walked up and hit one another with weapons until one of you died. To ensure that you succeeded at that goal, you had huge bars of abilities filled with various tricks to make the other guy die a little more than you did. It was a bit passive, is what we're getting at.

Recent MMOs have been swinging to the other extreme, with players having a handful of abilities and a mandate to dance around the screen like a hyperactive rabbit. Titles like WildStar and The Elder Scrolls Online are previewing themselves partly on the strength of active combat. Do you like the increasing trend of active combat in MMOs? Or do you wish that we could go back to more sedate combat systems, possibly with those darn kids getting off our lawns in the process?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you like the increasing trend of active combat in MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-combatactive-combatcombatculturedaily-grindgame-mechanicshumormobilityopinionreflexestdgthe-daily-grindtwitchtwitch-reflexesTue, 14 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Have you ever been sidetracked by game music?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/the-daily-grind-have-you-ever-been-sidetracked-by-game-music/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/the-daily-grind-have-you-ever-been-sidetracked-by-game-music/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/13/the-daily-grind-have-you-ever-been-sidetracked-by-game-music/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Star Wars: The Old Republic - Shooting firstYou know what sucks? Hearing a cool piece of game music and having no idea what it's called or where to hear it again, that's what. I mean, it sucks in a first-world-problems sort of way, but still.

It happened to me over the weekend as I was playing Star Wars: The Old Republic. My Imperial Agent was toodling along, doing the nefarious things that Imperial Agents do, when the most dastardly fanfare I've heard this side of the Imperial March came blaring out of my speakers.

It was glorious.

Naturally, I haven't heard the phantom track since, even after much fumbling about trying to recreate the in-game circumstances during which it originally played. I even turned to the soundtrack CD that came with the collector's edition that's been gathering dust in my closet since 2011. It wasn't on there, of course, since soundtrack producers have some unwritten rule about leaving off half the soundtrack (and jumbling the tracks they deign to include) when they make an album. I've also been unable to find the track on YouTube's extensive SWTOR soundtrack playlists.

So, what say you, Massively readers? Has a piece of game music ever derailed a play session? Which one?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Have you ever been sidetracked by game music? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredaily-grindeaelectronic-artsf2pfirst-world-problemsfree-to-playlucasartsmmo-soundtrackopinionsci-fisoundtrackstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorswtor-soundtracktdgthe-daily-grindthe-old-republictorMon, 13 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Which MMO races do you detest?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/12/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-races-do-you-detest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/12/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-races-do-you-detest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/12/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-races-do-you-detest/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Daily Grind Which races do you detest
My loathing of Elves is not only well-documented here on Massively, but stretches back to my childhood. I've just never liked them, period. Maybe it's because they're the preppie cool kids in my mind's John Hughes movie, or maybe it's their incredible haughty arrogance and froofy love of flowerwear. In any case, I don't like them, I don't play them, and I feel perfectly fine wishing all manner of humiliating harm upon them. After all, they're pretend and that makes it OK, right?

So in the tongue-in-cheek spirit of imaginary racism, which pretend species makes your skin crawl in MMOs? Can you not abide by Dwarves no matter what? Do Gnomes irk you? Will your eyes roll out of your head if you see another humanoid cat race invade your gaming space? Let's get our hate on this morning! Whee!

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Which MMO races do you detest? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>caithlincathardaily-grinddwarveselfelvesgnomeshumorno-elvesopiniontdgthe-daily-grindSun, 12 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How long can you play a game in one sitting?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/the-daily-grind-how-long-can-you-play-a-game-in-one-sitting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/the-daily-grind-how-long-can-you-play-a-game-in-one-sitting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/11/the-daily-grind-how-long-can-you-play-a-game-in-one-sitting/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Now just two dozen more fights like that and I'll be halfway through the day and my level.
You've got nothing else to do on a lazy Saturday. You've got plenty of food and beverages, a comfortable seat, and a burning desire to get something accomplished in your game of choice. So you settle down, you log in, and you start running around and getting stuff done.

Exactly how long is it going to be until you get up?

We're not asking about when you get up to grab more chips or run to the bathroom or whatever. Today's question is just about how long you can sit in front of the screen without needing to get up and do something else for a little while. How long can you play a game in one sitting? Does it depend on the game, with group-based games like Final Fantasy XI meriting a longer session compared to solo-friendly titles like World of Warcraft? Or can you tolerate only a certain amount of time before you need a break no matter what?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How long can you play a game in one sitting? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-day-gamingculturedaily-grindmarathon-sessionsopinionplay-sessionstdgthe-daily-grindSat, 11 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Should World of Warcraft go free-to-play?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/the-daily-grind-should-world-of-warcraft-go-free-to-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/the-daily-grind-should-world-of-warcraft-go-free-to-play/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/the-daily-grind-should-world-of-warcraft-go-free-to-play/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

World of Warcraft
There's only one Western subscription MMO that can stand to lose 1.3 million subs in three months and shrug it off: World of Warcraft. But shrug it off doesn't appear to what Activision-Blizzard is doing. During the investor call that revealed the heavy sub losses, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick acknowledged the changing market and his plans to adapt with speedier content. "It's important to note that the nature of online games has changed," he said, "and [that] the environment [is] becoming far more competitive, especially with free-to-play games." And Blizzard president Mike Morhaime suggested the company is "studying" the comings and goings of players and how to entice former players to return.

Well, we don't have to look much further than Star Wars: The Old Republic's recent rejuvenation to figure out that free-to-play is one of the better ways to entice gamers to return (and open their wallets). Surely, Blizzard has to be wondering whether F2P might be a huge boost to the game as it's approaching its ninth birthday later this year. What do you think -- will World of Warcraft eventually go free-to-play, and more importantly, should it?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Should World of Warcraft go free-to-play? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionActivision-Blizzardblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbobby-kotickbrianna-royce-tdgdaily-grindf2pfantasyfree-to-playinvestor-callMike-Morhaimeopinionreturning-playersstar-wars-the-old-republicsub-lossessubscriptionswtortdgthe-daily-grindwarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 10 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What quest or questline is the most memorable?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/the-daily-grind-what-quest-or-questline-is-the-most-memorable/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/the-daily-grind-what-quest-or-questline-is-the-most-memorable/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/09/the-daily-grind-what-quest-or-questline-is-the-most-memorable/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

EverQuest II - Velious tower
MMO quests are old hat by now, and the vast majority of them are some slight variation on the standard kill-10-rats or FedEx mission. Some are unique, though, in terms of both their rewards and their mechanical presentation.

I'm thinking of EverQuest II's betrayal quests here, which allow you to switch factions, home cities, and in some cases, even classes. What MMO quests or questline do you find the most memorable and why?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What quest or questline is the most memorable? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betrayal-questdaily-grindopinionquestingqueststdgthe-daily-grindunique-questsThu, 09 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Should MMOs keep the gore on the down-low?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/the-daily-grind-should-mmos-keep-the-gore-on-the-down-low/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/the-daily-grind-should-mmos-keep-the-gore-on-the-down-low/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/08/the-daily-grind-should-mmos-keep-the-gore-on-the-down-low/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Daily Grind Should MMOs keep the gore on the downlow
If there's one staple that MMOs share with other video games, it's that fighting tends to be a mostly bloodless and gore-free affair. Sure, sometimes a daring game might throw in blood fireworks that erupt in the air to signify that you're doing some damage, but you and your enemy will appear in model health until one of you keels over from invisible wounds.

Of course, as time progresses and technology gives us terrific marvels, there's the potential for games to start showing more and more wounds on our characters. It kind of reminds me how there used to be action figures with the main selling point that you could transform them into disfigured, gory versions as they took "battle damage."

What do you think? Should MMOs continue to keep combat gore on the down-low or have you had enough of these abstract, bloodless brawls?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Should MMOs keep the gore on the down-low? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battle-damagecombatcombat-damagedaily-grindfightinggoregore-freeopiniontdgthe-daily-grindWed, 08 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What abilities do you find the most fun to use?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/the-daily-grind-what-abilities-do-you-find-the-most-fun-to-use/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/the-daily-grind-what-abilities-do-you-find-the-most-fun-to-use/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/the-daily-grind-what-abilities-do-you-find-the-most-fun-to-use/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The downside is that I wind up never having any energy left because I'm too busy rolling around like an acrobat.
Hitting 51 on my Scoundrel in Star Wars: The Old Republic meant getting what is probably the greatest ability ever, the ability to quickly roll forward. I absolutely love any sort of quick movement ability like that, especially rolls -- anything that lets me dart around the battlefield without being directly tied to combat. Being able to do so in Guild Wars 2 was one of my favorite parts of the game as a whole.

We've all got certain abilities that we just like making use of in MMOs. Sometimes they're not really beneficial to our builds, and sometimes they're not even all that useful, but darn it they're just plain fun to trigger. So what abilities do you find the most fun to use? Silly cosmetic tricks? Certain impressive storms of particle effects? Or are you just fond of abilities that work well from a mechanical standpoint with no concern for silly elements?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What abilities do you find the most fun to use? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abilitiesculturedaily-grindfun-toysgame-mechanicshumoropinionpowerssillinessskillstdgthe-daily-grindtoysTue, 07 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Does gamification stymie your roleplay?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/the-daily-grind-does-gamification-stymie-your-roleplay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/the-daily-grind-does-gamification-stymie-your-roleplay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/06/the-daily-grind-does-gamification-stymie-your-roleplay/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Star Wars Galaxies - Corvette dungeon
Some colleagues and I were discussing roleplay in MMOs the other day, and the conversation briefly touched on our preferences for MMOs as games or MMOs as virtual worlds. One of my co-workers explained that mass gamification and an inability to affect the world or other players isn't a detriment to his roleplay because it's private and personal, whereas I find myself roleplaying much less than I used to because my actions can't affect anyone or anything in most current MMOs.

What about you, Massively readers? Does gamification stymie your roleplay?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Does gamification stymie your roleplay? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daily-grindgame-vs-worldgamificationopinionroleplaytdgthe-daily-grindvirtual-worldsworld-vs-gameMon, 06 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Which game has the best taverns?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/05/the-daily-grind-which-game-has-the-best-taverns/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/05/the-daily-grind-which-game-has-the-best-taverns/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/05/the-daily-grind-which-game-has-the-best-taverns/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Daily Grind Which game has the best taverns
I love me a good tavern in an MMO. Taverns are so iconic to fantasy games and literature, being a place where adventures begin, fellowship is begun, and a respite is enjoyed. In MMOs, they're usually wonderfully detailed buildings that are perfect for roleplay, a quick stop to sell some loot, or even the odd quest or two.

Pretty much every fantasy MMO has them (and some of the non-fantasy ones as well). I think they make the world feel more lived in; a tavern is pretty much a home-away-from-home for the world-traveled adventurer, after all. Lord of the Rings Online has some of my favorite watering holes in plenty of varieties, especially the newer ones in Rohan.

If you're partial to taverns too, which game do you think has the best ones?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Which game has the best taverns? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>barbarsdaily-grindinnopinionsaloontaverntavernstdgthe-daily-grindwatering-holeSun, 05 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Are there games you would play if you could skip to the end?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/04/the-daily-grind-are-there-games-you-would-play-if-you-could-ski/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/04/the-daily-grind-are-there-games-you-would-play-if-you-could-ski/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/04/the-daily-grind-are-there-games-you-would-play-if-you-could-ski/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

All right, they just released this gear, that probably shouldn't get handed out at the front door.
Most of the time I can't really recommend starting new in Final Fantasy XI, which is a shame. It's not that the game is bad, nor is it lacking in things to do once you're at the level cap. No, it's just painful to get to the level cap. If you could somehow skip months of tedious leveling and just get straight to the broad and varied endgame, you would be set. Which sounds dangerously close to an endorsement for leveling services, but that's not the point.

We all have games that we like, but not enough to fully commit to in terms of leveling. Some of these are games that are great at the cap, but we'll never see them. Of course, some would argue that if you're not willing to put in the work to level, you're not going to be willing to play the game at the top either. So are there games you would play if you could skip straight to the end of the leveling game? Or would that defeat some of your attraction to MMOs?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Are there games you would play if you could skip to the end? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daily-grindendgamelevel-progressionlevel-skiplevelingleveling-gameopinionskip-to-the-endtdgthe-daily-grindSat, 04 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do sandboxes overwhelm you?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/the-daily-grind-do-sandboxes-overwhelm-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/the-daily-grind-do-sandboxes-overwhelm-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/the-daily-grind-do-sandboxes-overwhelm-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Glitch
You've probably heard of the paradox of choice, the idea that the human brain can't really process more than a dozen or so choices at a time under certain circumstances. We get overwhelmed by too many choices, and sometimes we withdraw from choosing altogether. It's not always true -- Ben and Jerry's offers over a hundred flavors and seems to do just fine -- but I wonder whether it's the reason that some MMO gamers just do not get sandboxes.

An MMO sandbox dumps you in and is indifferent to what you do next. It won't hold your hand; it won't tell you where to go, what to be, or how to progress. In short, it presents hundreds of choices to you with no guidance and sometimes no context. I love this style of game, but given the sandbox struggles of the past few years, I admit it's potentially a problem. Glitch, for example, shut down in part because players, according to the devs, just didn't know what to do. And how many times have I read that someone quit Skyrim because he'd finished the main questline and thought it was over?

But then I'll bump into a blog about how someone spent 300 hours collecting all the cheese in Skyrim to build cheese mountain. Clearly, this problem is not universal.

So are you also building cheese mountain? Or do sandboxes overwhelm you with too many choices?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do sandboxes overwhelm you? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgdaily-grindglitchopinionparadox-of-choicesandboxsandboxesskyrimtdgthe-daily-grindFri, 03 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Which classes would you like to see in Neverwinter?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/the-daily-grind-which-classes-would-you-like-to-see-in-neverwin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/the-daily-grind-which-classes-would-you-like-to-see-in-neverwin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/the-daily-grind-which-classes-would-you-like-to-see-in-neverwin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Neverwinter Control Wizard
I haven't dipped a toe into the Neverwinter pool yet, but I'm doing a bit of preliminary research for some potential playtime this weekend. One of the things that I'm finding is that the game's class roster is a bit light on, well, classes. Specifically, there are five to start with, which seems somewhat spartan for a title based on Dungeons and Dragons.

Notably absent is my preferred ranged DPS. There's the Control Wizard, of course, and he sounds mighty interesting, but the Neverwinter wiki says his primary role is crowd-control. What about you, Neverwinter players? What sorts of classes would you like to see available in the future?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Which classes would you like to see in Neverwinter? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoclassescrypticcryptic-studiosdaily-grinddndf2pfantasyfree-to-playneverwinterneverwinter-classesopinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpwetdgthe-daily-grindThu, 02 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you avoid 'evil' classes?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/the-daily-grind-do-you-avoid-evil-classes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/the-daily-grind-do-you-avoid-evil-classes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/the-daily-grind-do-you-avoid-evil-classes/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Daily Grind Do you avoid 'evil' classes
Having started to play a Necromancer in Guild Wars 2 lately, I've been thinking about how odd it is that some MMO classes are kind of, well, evil. Or at least really, really gross, unless you think that playing with corpses is something a normal, well-adjusted citizen does. Summoning zombies, consorting with demons, even stealing from others -- sometimes our classes do unsavory activities. One could even call them... evil.

Perhaps this depends on the morality of the beholder, but I know that I've spoken to players from time to time who just don't pick classes that can be construed as evil even if they're using their corpse-exploding habits for the greater good. Usually it just doesn't fit in with their perception of what a hero is, and that is that.

What about you? Do you avoid "evil" classes, are you attracted to them, or do you not think about it one way or the other?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you avoid 'evil' classes? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetbuy-to-playclassclassesdaily-grindevilfantasyguild-wars-2gw2ncsoftnecromanceropiniontdgthe-daily-grindthiefwarlockWed, 01 May 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What was the worst guild meltdown you've ever seen?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/the-daily-grind-what-was-the-worst-guild-meltdown-youve-ever-s/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/the-daily-grind-what-was-the-worst-guild-meltdown-youve-ever-s/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/the-daily-grind-what-was-the-worst-guild-meltdown-youve-ever-s/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

For the record, if every guild you're involved with ends in a free-for-all PvP match, you might want to just stop joining guilds.
Guilds break up. Just like bands, it's a sad reality. Sometimes they just slowly drift apart because some people are leaving The Secret World and other members are developing differing interests, so the guild shuts down with no animosity. Other times the shutdown is accompanied by an explosion of drama so profound that you'd swear you were undergoing multiple simultaneous divorces instead of just dissolving a gathering of EverQuest II players. There is GM intervention, there are angry phone calls, in extreme cases there may even be bricks thrown through windows.

At the time, they're not fun to watch. But those horrible drama-filled guild demolitions do at least make for entertaining stories after the fact. So today we ask you: What was the worst guild meltdown you've ever seen? Were you involved in it or were you just an observer? In retrospect, was everyone blowing things out of proportion or blowing things far out of proportion?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What was the worst guild meltdown you've ever seen? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chaosculturedaily-grinddramadramatic-endingsguild-breakupguild-shutdownguildsopinionplayer-dramatdgthe-daily-grindTue, 30 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST