Yogi

Thanks for the write up on this, Beau. I'm really looking forward to getting into Wakfu and seeing the differences first hand. I love hearing about the advanced weather and how that has an affect on how gathering/hunting/trades work. Most notably for me, is the removal of the scroll screen to screen system in Dofus. The game would be so much better if you could run around a real world without the nostalgic Zelda movements. Great design choice on their part.

Looking forward to Open Beta!

I had so much fun playing this game over the last week or so. It really is a lot of fun once you get used to the visuals. Community is really helpful when you ask questions and I like the encouragement to group. I think I will be playing this for awhile longer. Can't wait till my fixer actually gets the points to use the speed enhance programs. Then I can zoom zoom all over.

Also if you are having trouble with the map system in game, there is an add on map called CSPmap v1.23 that gives you a much clearer view of the world, warp station paths (think they are called Wompahs), and important characters/points in each area. Ive not needed to buy a map yet. Look it up on google it really helps.

It may look the same, but it is no longer screen by screen exploration. Open world finally :)

@v8dave Whaat? This article needs to be fixed if that is the case. Horribly misleading. I was wondering about 90 days... Had not seen those before.

@v8dave OH ok. I agree that at the very least offer a refund to those players that bought the deal thinking it was legit. Hate to see the game get bad press like this.

I swear I read a press release saying they removed the xp boosts completely because it wasn't needed after Big Bang. Was that just for NA?

Interesting.

@Jef Reahard

As with all words, personal interpretations exist. I can't agree with you that Game Journalism doesn't exist. I can however agree that the professionalism that makes great journalism is sorely lacking in the industry. Hopefully other would be writers will take note of these points and use them (be it agree or disagree) to better themselves in the future.

In any case, this was a great read and interesting to see your interpretations.

I understand what you are aiming at and agree that things need to change in order for the quality of News Reporting to rise in the gaming industry, but you start off the article with only one definition of journalism where there are many listed.

Definition of JOURNALISM (Websters also)

1
a : the collection and editing of news for presentation through the media
b : the public press
c : an academic study concerned with the collection and editing of news or the management of a news medium
2
a : writing designed for publication in a newspaper or magazine
b : writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation
c : writing designed to appeal to current popular taste or public interest

Some of these definitions can easily be used to describe several gaming news sources. The English language is an ever evolving beast. Sure writers may not be as devoted to investigative journalism as say they are to reporting the news with a journalism degree, but that doesn't mean one isn't a journalist by definition. If we used this article to judge all journalism in the US and the world, most would fall short. Given that most fall under the definitions listed for journalism, I don't think that is any reason to say that they are not journalists for not fitting in one definition.

I'm currently working on a degree in this field and I think you bring up valid concerns. I think the industry needs more investigative journalism. That doesn't mean the industry lacks a lot of decent journalists that actively write what I would constitute as journalism by definition.

Yes the industry is chalked full of horrible journalists/bloggers/writers. Not everyone will produce good journalism. Yet in many cases it is journalism, even if the quality is less than we would like to include. By keeping the definition of journalism so narrow, you make journalism elitist in nature.

Reporting on facts is Journalism. Writing an opinion based on facts just writing.

Both are plentiful in this industry. Quality can be debated.

Sorry this took so long for me to notice. Thanks for the outstanding shout out to us at Rift Watchers. Means a lot.

That's awesome MzMarple. I hope I am as cool as you when I am a grandparent :D