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 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Massively SpeakingJoystiqMassively Speaking<![CDATA[The Soapbox: What it means to be a game journalist]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/the-soapbox-what-it-means-to-be-a-game-journalist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/the-soapbox-what-it-means-to-be-a-game-journalist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/the-soapbox-what-it-means-to-be-a-game-journalist/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

How we see ourselves. Well, when we're playing Champions Online, anyhow.
The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Additionally, this article is written in contrast to Jef Reahard's Soapbox on how video game journalists are not real journalists; Massively's writers' opinions on the subject vary.

People have, on a few occasions, asked me for advice on becoming a game journalist. My usual response, which is only half-joking, is, "Don't."

In just a handful of months, I'll be hitting my three-year anniversary for working Massively. That means I've had one of the longest tenures at the site, which is kind of staggering in my mind. I still fundamentally think of myself as one of the new kids on the block. But for better or worse, I've been doing this for a while and have a pretty good grasp of what the job entails.

Of course, that's still a subject of debate. As with a lot of topics, people as a whole can't even decide on what makes someone a game journalist instead of just an enthusiast with some advertising revenue. To some people, it's not even a real job, just a hobby. I'm one of those people who never like to pin down an exact definition of something that's ambiguous... but I can define what I see as my responsibilities in this job.

Continue reading The Soapbox: What it means to be a game journalist

MassivelyThe Soapbox: What it means to be a game journalist originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>editorialfeaturedgame-journalismjobjournalismjournalistsmassively-metametanews-reportingop-edopinionrantrantsresponsibilitiessoapboxthe-soapboxTue, 22 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/the-soapbox-translating-elder-scrolls-online-dev-speak/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/the-soapbox-translating-elder-scrolls-online-dev-speak/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/the-soapbox-translating-elder-scrolls-online-dev-speak/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The Elder Scrolls Online - Giant orchid monster thing
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Language is a pretty fascinating thing, and studying a second one is something I've long intended to do. Aside from entertaining thoughts of learning Korean to play ArcheAge, though (seriously, I looked into it), I haven't gotten around to much beyond college-level Deutsch.

But as I watched last week's interview with The Elder Scrolls Online creative director Paul Sage, I realized that I already have some pretty good second-language skills. I'm fluent in both English and MMO dev-speak, so as a public service, I'm going to translate some of what Sage said into the former.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdabethesda-softworksbethsoftdaggerfalldev-speakdeveloper-speakeditorialelder-scrollselder-scrolls-onlinefeaturedmehmorrowindoblivionop-edopinionpaul-sageplease-dont-suckpvprantrantssandboxskyrimsoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardtamrieltestesothe-elder-scrollsthe-elder-scrolls-onlinethe-soapboxthemeparkthree-faction-pvptodd-howardtranslating-dev-speaktranslating-elder-scrolls-online-dev-speakzenimaxzenimax-mediazenimax-onlinezenimax-online-studiosTue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: There is no gamer community]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/the-soapbox-there-is-no-gamer-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/the-soapbox-there-is-no-gamer-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/the-soapbox-there-is-no-gamer-community/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Broad similarity is not the same as companionship.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Some of our younger readers may not remember this, but a time existed when video games were not ubiquitous. Having a game console in your house was somewhat unusual, having a computer that could run games was also not a given, and being someone who played games meant you were part of a group. Sure, there were people who just played an occasional video game, but by and large, we were a single community. We were gamers.

That was then, however, a world that existed in the wake of the '83 crash, one that thrived on limited technology and divided groups. I think in the years since then, we've witnessed the very idea dissolve, to the point that we don't currently have a gamer community. And I'd even go so far as to say that part of the bitterness between various groups of gamers is due to the fact that the community no longer exists.

Continue reading The Soapbox: There is no gamer community

MassivelyThe Soapbox: There is no gamer community originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communitycommunity-issueseditorialfeaturedgame-communitygamer-communitymmo-communityop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxthe-soapboxTue, 08 May 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The perils of passive gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/the-soapbox-the-perils-of-passive-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/the-soapbox-the-perils-of-passive-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/the-soapbox-the-perils-of-passive-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Couch potato cat
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

My folks don't really understand my infatuation with video games (and MMORPGs in particular). "How can you sit there and play a game for two or three hours at a time?" my mom is fond of asking. Ironically, this usually happens on a visit that ends where most of our visits do: on the couch in front of the television.

Don't get me wrong; she's no couch potato, and in fact she has the meanest green thumb you'll ever see. When the sun goes down, though, my parents (like most of their generation, I'll wager) park their butts in front of the TV. That I should park my own posterior in front of the computer is exceedingly strange to them even though online gaming is to the 21st century what television was to the 20th.

I wonder, though, if games are starting to become more passive forms of TV-like entertainment.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The perils of passive gaming

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The perils of passive gaming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualchallengecomplexitycouch-potatoeditorialeqeq1everquestf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgame-mechanicsgames-vs-tvhardcorehardcore-vs-casualinteractivitylets-playlivestreamlivestreamingmmo-industryop-edopinionpassivepassive-consumptionpassive-gamingpassive-vs-activepassivitypaying-to-skip-contentperils-of-passive-gamingrantrantsskipping-contentsoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardsoesonysony-online-entertainmentthe-perils-of-passive-gamingthe-soapboxTue, 01 May 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The grind is good]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/the-soapbox-the-grind-is-good/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/the-soapbox-the-grind-is-good/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/the-soapbox-the-grind-is-good/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Tetris
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Like many of you, I have fond memories of several important video games that carried me through my childhood and teenage years. Some were deep, some were obscure, some were landmark moments in the genre, and some were Chrono Trigger. It's weird, then, with all that variety, that I have strong fondness for a game that had so little going on in the story or progression department as to be a step away from playing marbles or jacks in the street.

It was a game that I'd sit down to night after night, not to go on any grand adventures or to raise my level 1 fighter up into the ranks of godhood but to just unwind. It was a game that required such a zen-like concentration that it pushed the thinking portion of my brain out and soothed me with its repetitive gameplay and simplistic motions.

That game was, of course, Tetris, a game that was grind personified. It was minimalistic puzzle-solving repeated over and over again, and some days that's all I needed. When my mind was wiped, or when I just wanted to sit back in my chair instead of forward in it, I turned to these silly blocks. When I needed it and wanted it, the grind was better for me than the most complex and innovative video games of the time.

The grind is good, especially when you have the option to do it or ignore it, and I feel that this has gotten such a bad reputation in MMOs that its positive aspects are overlooked. Time to remedy that!

Continue reading The Soapbox: The grind is good

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The grind is good originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asteroidschrono-triggereditorialfeaturedgrindgrindingop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxtetristhe-grindthe-soapboxTue, 24 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The curious case of Vanguard]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/the-soapbox-the-curious-case-of-vanguard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/the-soapbox-the-curious-case-of-vanguard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/the-soapbox-the-curious-case-of-vanguard/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Vanguard - magic hour duo
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

"Yaaay!"

"FU-- yeah!"

"Finally."

"WOW! This is the best MMO news I have heard in a long time!"

These are just a few of the comments that greeted our recent announcement of Vanguard's upcoming free-to-play conversion. The reactions were overwhelmingly positive, and Sony Online Entertainment's open-world fantasy themepark was lavished with praise by a wide cross-section of Massively readers. This makes me wonder where all these folks have been since the game's launch in early 2007. It's not like Vanguard shut down and is being resurrected, you know? More importantly, I wonder whether free-to-play can actually save the game from the scrap heap of shuttered SOE MMOs.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The curious case of Vanguard

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The curious case of Vanguard originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-mcquaideditorialeqeq-2eq-iieq1eq2eqiieverquesteverquest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardsoesonysony-online-entertainmenttelonthe-soapboxvanguardvanguard-f2pvanguard-free-to-playvanguard-saga-of-heroesvgTue, 17 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: If you want to sell special items, just do it already]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/the-soapbox-if-you-want-to-sell-special-items-get-to-it-alread/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/the-soapbox-if-you-want-to-sell-special-items-get-to-it-alread/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/the-soapbox-if-you-want-to-sell-special-items-get-to-it-alread/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Vanguard screenshot
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

I've argued before about the merits of being an honest cash-shop salesperson. You have to be upfront, blunt, and willing to take some heat. Bigpoint is one of my favorite examples of a cash-shop dependent developer simply because it says what it means and means what it says. It sells items, sometimes powerful items, in several different titles. Granted, the studio usually offers a way to get those same items through in-game means, but that doesn't make for as good a story.

We reported on Bigpoint a while ago when its reps essentially said that if a developer is going to make an effort to sell in-game items, it should do it the right way by making those items have a significant impact on the game by being either powerful or desirable. I cannot agree more. Bigpoint is a car lot that sells beautiful luxury automobiles. It also sells junkers and even gives out a lot of cars for free, but its charity once again does not make for a good dramatic write-up. I tend to think that if you you are going to make a cash-shop, depending on the style of game, of course, you as a developer have got to consider just what sort of impact you want that cash-shop to have on your players, and you can't be afraid to push your idea from the beginning.

But just get on with it.

Continue reading The Soapbox: If you want to sell special items, just do it already

MassivelyThe Soapbox: If you want to sell special items, just do it already originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlestar-galactica-onlinebeau-hindmanBigpointbsg-onlinecash-shopccpcylonsdark-orbiteditorialeve-onlinefeaturedlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroMicrotransactionsop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxthe-soapboxvirtual-goodsTue, 10 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Casual is as casual does]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/the-soapbox-casual-is-as-casual-does/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/the-soapbox-casual-is-as-casual-does/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/the-soapbox-casual-is-as-casual-does/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Just a casual raid. Of roleplayers.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

It's time to put an overused MMO term to bed, and by "put to bed," I of course mean that it should be executed with great prejudice. Actually, there are lots of terms that I'd like to see retired permanently. "Toon" can go, for instance, as can "mob" for single enemies. And people have really worn out "nerf" beyond belief. But those are all issues of personal preference.

No, the term I'm talking about is "casual." As in "casual player," a creature as rare and mythical as the Loch Ness monster. Also like the Loch Ness monster, it doesn't actually exist. In the case of the latter, it exists only through a handful of doctored photos and a lot of people who really want to see a pleisiosaur in Scotland; in the case of the former, it's a strawman concept that no longer has any purpose in our collective lexicon.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Casual is as casual does

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Casual is as casual does originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualcasual-playerscultureeditorialfeaturedgaming-stylesmmo-cultureop-edopinionplay-stylesrantrantssoapboxthe-soapboxTue, 03 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Mechanical buildup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/the-soapbox-mechanical-buildup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/the-soapbox-mechanical-buildup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/the-soapbox-mechanical-buildup/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The image is somewhat apt.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

I was in high school when I discovered a love for simplified tabletop games. I'd long been fond of the absurdly detailed and baroque structure that you could find in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, going so far as to purchase all of the various little add-ons that allowed you to reinvent the game systems in dizzying density. And I can pinpoint the moment when I decided that all of that was for the birds.

Specifically, it was the moment when I sat there with Skills & Powers open to one page, the Player's Handbook open to another, and the Complete Psionics Handbook open to yet another. It was when I stared at three separate passages and realized that I was on the second hour of making a character that resembled nothing so much as a math project. On that day, I understood intuitively why designers would look at the whole thing and advocate sweeping the mess away altogether -- just like what many, many MMOs do as they grow long in the tooth.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Mechanical buildup

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Mechanical buildup originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>designeditorialfeaturedgame-mechanicsgame-systemsmechanical-cruftmechanicsop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxsystemsthe-soapboxFri, 30 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Leveling isn't bad -- its implementation is]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/the-soapbox-leveling-isnt-bad-its-implementation-is/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/the-soapbox-leveling-isnt-bad-its-implementation-is/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/the-soapbox-leveling-isnt-bad-its-implementation-is/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Leveling picture
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

It's funny how tastes can change. I know mine certainly have, especially when it comes to entertainment. Heck, I used to swear by The Ramones and a bit of Slayer; now I tend to think that this Joni Mitchell song is a work of sheer genius. It seems that as I grow older, the less I care about impressing other people. My gaming tastes have changed, but maybe not as dramatically. I've never been a hardcore player and have never enjoyed spending countless hours repeating the same task. That sort of behavior tends to turn a hobby into a boring job. MMORPGs are notorious for being filled with content that is often ripped off from other games, so it surprised me when I thought about today's topic.

I came to the conclusion that leveling is not a bad thing. When I say leveling, I mean growing a character by performing an activity, getting better at it, gaining experience and hitting a new level. It's not a bad way to represent real-life growth. The problems come when developers use the same boring systems that are based on leveling to facilitate that growth.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Leveling isn't bad -- its implementation is

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Leveling isn't bad -- its implementation is originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanbiowaredesigneditorialfeaturedlevellevelingop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-soapboxultima-onlineTue, 27 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Nobody's hero]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/23/the-soapbox-nobodys-hero/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/23/the-soapbox-nobodys-hero/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/23/the-soapbox-nobodys-hero/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Heroes (which would make an awful MMO, btw)
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

We're not heroes, at least in the ubiquitous Hollywood sense. We're teachers and janitors and businessmen, and we may occasionally be heroic in the eyes of our kids or our colleagues, but rarely are we celebrated beyond a tiny circle of family and friends.

Games can meet this emotional need, at least temporarily, and that's a major reason they've become such a booming business over the last couple of decades. We get to be Kratos for a couple of hours, or fem-Shepard or a thousand other pixelized pariahs -- until we set foot in an MMORPG, that is.

Software companies sell pre-packaged heroism in ways that book publishers and filmmakers can only dream of, and it doesn't really matter that it's fake heroism or impersonal heroism crafted on an assembly line and shipped out to millions of consumers. Shouldn't it matter, though, when it comes to MMORPGs?

Continue reading The Soapbox: Nobody's hero

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Nobody's hero originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-heroclassic-mmodesigneditorialeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iif2pfake-heroismfakeryfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgalaxiesgame-designheroismlucasartsmmo-designmmo-fakerymmo-heroesmmo-industrymmo-narrativemmo-storynancy-mcintyrenobodys-heroop-edopinionpessimistic-soapbox-is-pessimisticrantrantssandboxsci-fisoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardsoesonysony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgswgothe-soapboxthemeparkFri, 23 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The hidden perils of Guild Wars 2's microtransactions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/the-soapbox-the-hidden-perils-of-guild-wars-2s-microtransactio/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/the-soapbox-the-hidden-perils-of-guild-wars-2s-microtransactio/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/the-soapbox-the-hidden-perils-of-guild-wars-2s-microtransactio/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2 screenshot
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

The ArenaNet post about microtransactions in Guild Wars 2 reveals that the "gems" currency will be bought with real money and be available for purchase with in-game gold in GW2. But people seem to have forgetten that Runes of Magic's cash shop operated this way three years ago. I've been playing RoM since closed beta, and the cash shop is one of the reasons RoM is so different from other F2P MMOs of its era.

Frogster eventually removed the ability to buy diamonds with gold because of fraud, so I'm curious to see how ArenaNet handles that issue. My time in RoM has shown me that there are other issues involved here, issues of security, players gaming the system, botting, and pay-to-win debates. In other words, there's more at stake here than whether cash shops sell gear or items toward gaining power.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The hidden perils of Guild Wars 2's microtransactions

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The hidden perils of Guild Wars 2's microtransactions originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetauction houseauction-housecash-shopdiamondseditorialf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactivegemsguild-wars-2gw2item-shopjeremy-strattonmicro-transactionsmicrotransactionsncsoftop-edopinionpay-to-winrantrantsreal-money-tradingrmtromrunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmentselling-powersoapboxtaboreathe-soapboxWed, 21 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Voice chat is the worst thing ever]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/the-soapbox-voice-chat-is-the-worst-thing-ever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/the-soapbox-voice-chat-is-the-worst-thing-ever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/the-soapbox-voice-chat-is-the-worst-thing-ever/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We're not friends, headset.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Part of me thinks that voice chat is a product of the miraculous and wondrous age we live in. I can still remember when the very idea of the internet seemed like a magical idea. I could search an entire world full of knowledge and ideas at once! The fact that video games have evolved into games where I can log in to a shared world and speak to someone in a real-time discussion is nothing short of astonishing.

Most of me, however, really just hates voice chat.

I've used voice chat extensively before, and I didn't like it then. I still don't like it now. And for all of the advantages it offers, I can't say it's something that I consider a positive addition to the MMO landscape any more than I'm happy about the widespread adoption of the colloquial term "toon." It might not be a cultural issue that needs to be addressed, but I really hate voice chat.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Voice chat is the worst thing ever

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Voice chat is the worst thing ever originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cultureeditorialfeaturedhumormumbleop-edopinionrantrantsskypesoapboxthe-soapboxventvoicevoice-chatTue, 20 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: What you loved is still there]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/the-soapbox-what-you-loved-is-still-there/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/the-soapbox-what-you-loved-is-still-there/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/the-soapbox-what-you-loved-is-still-there/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Yes, I'm familiar with liking something most of the world doesn't.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

One of my greatest fears as I slouch toward 30 is that my tastes will become immutable in certain fields -- music, especially. The last thing I want to do is be the obnoxious guy listening to music that was popular when I was in high school complaining about how bad modern bands are. So I try to broaden my horizons because I know that everything I already like is still waiting for me. I want to create a broader range, not just stick within the familiar.

It's probably for the best, then, that I don't share that worry about video games in general and MMOs in particular. I don't cry for a return to the MMOs I played in older days because in most cases they're still running. True, in many of them a great deal has changed to the point of unrecognizability, but I never ask what happened to the game I once loved. After all, just because I loved it doesn't mean that anyone else did.

Continue reading The Soapbox: What you loved is still there

MassivelyThe Soapbox: What you loved is still there originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>culturedesigndesign-conventionsdesign-typeseditorialfeaturedgame-developmentgamesold-gamesop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxthe-soapboxFri, 16 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The inevitable Mass Effect MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/the-soapbox-the-inevitability-of-a-mass-effect-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/the-soapbox-the-inevitability-of-a-mass-effect-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/the-soapbox-the-inevitability-of-a-mass-effect-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Mass Effect - The Normandy (SR1)
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

I don't know about you, but I've yet to play Mass Effect 3. This is not by choice, mind you, and now that I've returned from the wilds of last week's GDC, it's time to settle in for another 30-hour tour with Shepard and company.

What does this have to do with MMOs? Well, nothing really, except that BioWare hasn't exactly closed the door on a Mass Effect title. On the contrary, the company's dynamic doctor duo have hinted at the fact that this, ahem, theoretical game would need to be somewhat different from the firm's maiden MMO voyage.

At this point I think an ME MMO is inevitable, so join me after the cut to discuss whether BioWare can really break the mold with its second effort as well as what that effort could look like.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The inevitable Mass Effect MMO

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The inevitable Mass Effect MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-comfort-zonecomfort-zonecutscenesdesignea-biowareeditorialelectronic-artsfeaturedfourth-pillargreg-zeschukmass-effectmass-effect-mmommo-comfort-zonemmo-industrymmo-storyop-edopinionplayer-contentplayer-generated-contentpossibility-spacerantrantsray-muzykasandboxsandparksci-fisoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardstorythe-fourth-pillarthe-soapboxthemeparkuser-generated-contentTue, 13 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: My MMORTS is more MMO than your MMORPG]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/09/the-soapbox-my-mmorts-is-more-mmo-than-your-mmorpg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/09/the-soapbox-my-mmorts-is-more-mmo-than-your-mmorpg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/09/the-soapbox-my-mmorts-is-more-mmo-than-your-mmorpg/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Golden Age screenshot
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Have you ever played an MMORTS? No, I'm not talking about a single-player PC strategy game or city sim; I mean an MMORTS. There are so many to choose from that it would be hard for me to even begin to list them all, but I'll try. There's Illyriad, Ministry of War, Evony, Call of Gods, Dragons of Atlantis, Thirst of Night, 8Realms, Lord of Ultima, Golden Age and many, many others. Either you recognize some of those titles or you do not. Oddly enough, I've found that many standard, three-dimensional-world explorers do not consider MMORTS titles to be MMOs. I'm not sure why, but every time I stream an MMORTS live or write about one, I have to answer, at least once, the concern from the audience that what I am playing is not really an MMO.

The reality is that the MMORTS, as a design mechanic, genre, and style, is very much an MMO. I'd like to explain why in the hopes that many of you might grow to enjoy the genre as much as I do and that some much-needed light shines on the fact that the MMORTS is actually one of the last true MMOs around.

I think the task is to define "MMO" and to show how MMORTS fits in. We've attempted it before, but for a quick refresher, let's go over what I consider an MMO to be. You can add your own definitions in the comments section. I have no problems admitting that my definition could probably use some tweaking.

Continue reading The Soapbox: My MMORTS is more MMO than your MMORPG

MassivelyThe Soapbox: My MMORTS is more MMO than your MMORPG originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>8realmsbeau-hindmacall-of-godsdefining-mmosdragons-of-atlantisevonyfeaturedgolden-ageillyriadillyriad-gameslord-of-ultimaministry-of-warmmommorpgmmortssoapboxthe-soapboxthirst-of-nightFri, 09 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: That's the way it should be!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/the-soapbox-thats-the-way-it-should-be/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/the-soapbox-thats-the-way-it-should-be/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/the-soapbox-thats-the-way-it-should-be/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There have been more than ten other incarnations of this character. None of them have ever committed suicide over losing a video game.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Every fandom has it. In Transformers fandom, it's the segment of the population that insists the franchise peaked with the original G1 cartoon (and its numerous animation errors, bad scripting, and downright ridiculous plots). Star Trek fans will insist that the franchise should be more like the original series, where every plot revolved around Kirk's trying to bone someone or Spock's acting stoic. And then there are the tabletop gamers who miss the days of early Dungeons & Dragons, as if the books stopped working once the line stopped being active.

Some fandoms have terms just for this crowd; some don't. But they're all in the same general group -- they're the One True Way crowd. They're fans who insist that one particular incarnation was the right way to go and everything afterward has been a poor imitation. The camp exists with MMOs, as well, and just as with any other franchise, it's arguably the most harmful portion of the fanbase.

Continue reading The Soapbox: That's the way it should be!

MassivelyThe Soapbox: That's the way it should be! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnsdesigneditorialfeaturedgame-designgame-industryinnovationolder-gamesone-true-wayop-edopinionrantrantssandboxsoapboxthe-soapboxthemeparkthrowbacksTue, 06 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: There's no such thing as a miracle MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/the-soapbox-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-miracle-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/the-soapbox-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-miracle-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/the-soapbox-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-miracle-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Soapbox
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

They're out there, in every forum, in every comment section, and across the blogosphere. They number in the thousands if not tens of thousands (just spitballing here), and they all share three common traits. One, they're discontented with any and all current MMOs; two, they love to gripe about said discontentment to anyone who will listen; and three, they have a grand hope that a particular upcoming title will finally break the discontentment code to become the be-all, end-all MMO for them.

The miracle MMO, if you will.

This is going to be the MMO that will right all wrongs. It will shift paradigms, break us out of whatever rut we're supposed to be in, and make us all fall down on our knees in gratitude that we have the privilege of living in such a grand age as this.

So let's cut to the chase: There's no such thing as a miracle MMO, and there never will be -- except in your mind. If you can come to terms with that, you'll be a lot happier as a gamer.

Continue reading The Soapbox: There's no such thing as a miracle MMO

MassivelyThe Soapbox: There's no such thing as a miracle MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredguild-wars-2gw2jesus-mmomiraclemiracle-mmoopinionrantstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorthe-soapboxvanguardTue, 28 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The illusion of balance]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/the-soapbox-the-illusion-of-balance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/the-soapbox-the-illusion-of-balance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/the-soapbox-the-illusion-of-balance/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's a nice idea, at least.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Somewhere, on a lone computer in a lonely room, sits the archetype for a balanced MMO, one in which every set of abilities in a skill-based MMO is just as useful as every other set of abilities and every class in a class-based game is just as potent as every other class. There are no disparities in terms of power level, no massive gaps in gearing, and no issues with the specific fights. It is an entirely balanced machine.

And as long as we're creating a myth with no place in reality, let's assume that it's being guarded by unicorns. That's the problem with balance -- it's an idea that doesn't actually work in a real environment. We talk a lot about wanting games to have balanced systems, and there are players devoted to declaring with great fervor that classes aren't balanced against one another, but balance is such a hazy concept that no matter how much you want a balanced game, it doesn't really exist.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The illusion of balance

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The illusion of balance originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ability-balancebalancebalance-issuesbalanced-systemsbalancingclass-balancefairfair-fightfarinessfeaturedopinionskill-balancesoapboxthe-soapboxunbalancedTue, 21 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: TERA's rocky road to release]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/the-soapbox-teras-rocky-road-to-release/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/the-soapbox-teras-rocky-road-to-release/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/the-soapbox-teras-rocky-road-to-release/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

TERA - Castanic avatars
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

What a difference a year makes, eh? February of 2011 found me drooling over my keyboard as I devoured all the screenshots and gameplay footage leaking out of TERA's Korean launch (yes, the westernization process really has been dragging on for a year).

Fast-forward 12 months and the game is losing a little bit of its luster because of certain En Masse decisions and in spite of the fact that the firm has a potentially awesome MMO on its hands.

Continue reading The Soapbox: TERA's rocky road to release

MassivelyThe Soapbox: TERA's rocky road to release originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ad-campaignblueholebluehole-studioelinelin-raceen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasyfeaturedfeminismip-blockingip-blocksmarketingmmo-feminismmmo-foncsoftopinionskimpy-armorsoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardteratera-elintera-ip-blockingtera-lawsuitthe-soapboxTue, 14 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST