I like massively. I even like Jef Reahard, when he's not busy not-so-subtly reaching for news that suggests anything other than stellar SWTOR performance.
A dive? Kinds of sensational, given the lack of representation about overall sales that this implies, and given that a dip in sales is almost a given post-launch week.
This hardly qualifies as news, in my humble opinion.
I burned out on LOTRO for some odd reason. Loved it (and to this day, still contemplate playing it from time to time)...but I can never stay faithful to it for more than one or two weeks. I start off enthusiastically, but by the next week I'm already dreading logging in.
I still have no idea what it is. Perhaps its the LOTRO setting; while I loved the books+films, and I ADORE the charm that Turbine has injected into the world (the shire, breeland, oh my!), there's something about the...vanilla-ness of the quests that just can't hold my interest.
It's funny really; I've always fancied myself as a sandbox-loving, "living breathing world" adoring MMO player. But really, if I take a step back, the only MMO I've ever played with absolute adoration was WoW, sadly. Oh, it has its flaws, and I don't think I'll be picking it up anytime soon...but the fact remains that games like Fallen Earth, LOTRO, AoC, EQ, EQ2, and EVE (of which I'm aware all are not sandboxes, but some have more sandboxy elements than WoW, to be sure)...just fail to hold my attention for very long.
I think with WoW, and now SWTOR (Which I'm enjoying immensely), the sticking point is that I have a very driven objective when I log into the game. I can jump in, do a couple of quests, feel accomplished, and then keep playing or log off.
In games like EVE, for example, I find myself puttering around without any real sense of direction. While I fancy the "idea" of roaming free, making my own fun with the tools that the developmers have supplied me, participating in player-run communities and economies...
It just never ends up really being all that much fun. Caveat: It might be my limited, bite-sized playing time available (although I still somehow found time to raid in WoW), or it might be my non-committal way of participating in in-game communities like guilds or player-run cities(I have my own real-life communities to foster and participate in).
Regardless, whatever the situation may be I just have more fun jumping in, pew-pewing, collecting loot, and (now with SWTOR) enjoying an absolutely incredible story while I do it.
I think that's a cynical, to be honest. The bottom line is the most important facet, so that they can a) feed their families and b) continue to serve the playerbase. No bottom line, no game.
Sure, there are plenty of money-grubbing companies out there. But it bothers me when people scream about it "being all about the money", and woe to the playerbase due to the fact that they're monetizing content effectively. These developers spend years servicing their game and implementing new ideas - new ideas that, in this day and age, need to be profitable as well as enjoyable. I'm not sure what to think of Turbine's content included in this expansion; it does seem a little slim. But to suggest that "no company truly cares about the playerbase" is a little crazy, given the natural pride and emotional investment required to make and maintain a game for us to play.
Honestly I can't even call folks like that "Uber-Cheapskates". Folks these days are so entitled...
Gripe about the state of the industry all you want, but Devs are putting out free content for you and I to play all the same. People that complain because it's not as free as they'd like it are just being completely unreasonable.
Oh, and that's off-topic by the way. No fingers being pointed here
WRUP: Remaining a horrible person edition
Jan 7th 2012 12:04PM (Massively)-Birk
SWTOR UK sales take a dive
Jan 3rd 2012 6:03PM (Massively)A dive? Kinds of sensational, given the lack of representation about overall sales that this implies, and given that a dip in sales is almost a given post-launch week.
This hardly qualifies as news, in my humble opinion.
-Birk
The Daily Grind: What's the fastest you've ever burned out on an MMO?
Dec 29th 2011 12:24PM (Massively)I still have no idea what it is. Perhaps its the LOTRO setting; while I loved the books+films, and I ADORE the charm that Turbine has injected into the world (the shire, breeland, oh my!), there's something about the...vanilla-ness of the quests that just can't hold my interest.
It's funny really; I've always fancied myself as a sandbox-loving, "living breathing world" adoring MMO player. But really, if I take a step back, the only MMO I've ever played with absolute adoration was WoW, sadly. Oh, it has its flaws, and I don't think I'll be picking it up anytime soon...but the fact remains that games like Fallen Earth, LOTRO, AoC, EQ, EQ2, and EVE (of which I'm aware all are not sandboxes, but some have more sandboxy elements than WoW, to be sure)...just fail to hold my attention for very long.
I think with WoW, and now SWTOR (Which I'm enjoying immensely), the sticking point is that I have a very driven objective when I log into the game. I can jump in, do a couple of quests, feel accomplished, and then keep playing or log off.
In games like EVE, for example, I find myself puttering around without any real sense of direction. While I fancy the "idea" of roaming free, making my own fun with the tools that the developmers have supplied me, participating in player-run communities and economies...
It just never ends up really being all that much fun. Caveat: It might be my limited, bite-sized playing time available (although I still somehow found time to raid in WoW), or it might be my non-committal way of participating in in-game communities like guilds or player-run cities(I have my own real-life communities to foster and participate in).
Regardless, whatever the situation may be I just have more fun jumping in, pew-pewing, collecting loot, and (now with SWTOR) enjoying an absolutely incredible story while I do it.
Cheers
-Birk
Ultima Online celebrates 14 years
Sep 30th 2011 11:32AM (Massively)-Birk
Huge crafting changes in store for Final Fantasy's 1.19 patch
Sep 29th 2011 12:05PM (Massively)-Birk
The Daily Grind: Should stores pull game boxes for games that are no longer for sale?
Sep 27th 2011 9:05AM (Massively)Hmmm...perhaps Earth & Beyond?
-Birk
Funcom's Craig Morrison on SWTOR and MMO industry advances
Sep 27th 2011 9:02AM (Massively)Red Faction actually did that back in 2001!
-Birk
A visual tour through LotRO's Dunland
Sep 18th 2011 9:21AM (Massively)I think that's a cynical, to be honest. The bottom line is the most important facet, so that they can a) feed their families and b) continue to serve the playerbase. No bottom line, no game.
Sure, there are plenty of money-grubbing companies out there. But it bothers me when people scream about it "being all about the money", and woe to the playerbase due to the fact that they're monetizing content effectively. These developers spend years servicing their game and implementing new ideas - new ideas that, in this day and age, need to be profitable as well as enjoyable. I'm not sure what to think of Turbine's content included in this expansion; it does seem a little slim. But to suggest that "no company truly cares about the playerbase" is a little crazy, given the natural pride and emotional investment required to make and maintain a game for us to play.
-Birk
Fallen Earth set to go free-to-play on October 12th
Sep 2nd 2011 10:51PM (Massively)Honestly I can't even call folks like that "Uber-Cheapskates". Folks these days are so entitled...
Gripe about the state of the industry all you want, but Devs are putting out free content for you and I to play all the same. People that complain because it's not as free as they'd like it are just being completely unreasonable.
Oh, and that's off-topic by the way. No fingers being pointed here
-Birk
EverQuest II's GU61 going live today
Aug 25th 2011 2:49PM (Massively)@Aurickle
Thanks so much for your thoughtful insights there mate...very much appreciated!
I have decided to give EQ2 a try. Cheers!
-Birk