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Ask Massively: Trailers, emulators, and 'skill caps'

Brianna Royce — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO Industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, Legal, Humor, Ask Massively, Community Q&A, Miscellaneous, Crowdfunding, Player-Generated Content

It's time for a grab bag edition of Ask Massively! A reader named Nicholas is up first:

I was wondering if you could help me remember a game studio that was developing a new Korean action- MMORPG game engine (and it wasn't Bless, Blade and Soul, or ArcheAge). In the tech demo, no environment was being shown; it focused on the combat aspect of the engine. All the combat took place against a white background, and it was combo-based and reactive to hits. I remember a slow motion scene with an NPC being punched in the face and the face distorting. At the time, there were no announced games using the engine; the video was just showing what tech the game studio had developed. If it helps any, I remember the comments saying that the engine was just going to be vaporware.

I think we might! Massively's Lis pegged it as NetEase's Dragon Sword trailer. +1 to Lis.

Continue reading Ask Massively: Trailers, emulators, and 'skill caps'

Ask Massively: Trailers, emulators, and 'skill caps' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Has an MMO ever implemented your idea?

Brianna Royce — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous, Player-Generated Content

Earlier this month, Massively's MJ sat down with the City of Steam devs and discovered that you, the Massively readers, had actually influenced one of the game mechanics. Wrote MJ,

There is one new feature that was put into game specifically because of Massively fans: jumping! That's right. You made it clear you wanted jumping in game, and the devs listened. Who says you don't have the power to change things?

Leaving aside the implication that we spent one of our precious wishes on jumping, I thought this was really cool, and I tried to think of other examples of players coming up with amazing (or not) design ideas that were subsequently implemented in a game. I can think of certain demands that were met in classic MMOs. World of Warcraft is infamous for implementing the most popular player mods as official features, and in more recent news, there are Guild Wars 2's efforts to split reset times for different continents after much player protest.

How about you? Has an MMO ever implemented your idea or the ideas of a fellow player?

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!

The Daily Grind: Has an MMO ever implemented your idea? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMObility: Hailan Rising is a lesson in confusion and miscommunication

Beau Hindman — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Bugs, Game Mechanics, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-Play, MMObility

I was excited to try out Hailan Rising, a new PvP-centric MMO being published by GamersFirst. It looks sort of primitive but has an old-school appeal that I thought would suit my tastes. For a long time I also thought it was a browser-based game, perhaps because it was being built in Unity, but at this point I'm confused about pretty much everything connected with the title. To make matters worse, the forums are filled with similarly confused players who just want some answers. Many of them cannot log in, but I was able to. But then all I found was an empty server, literally.

I did some research and read up on some of the information we posted on this site as recently as February of this year. I checked the forums and mailed off an inquiry to GamersFirst that as of press time has not been answered. So what is Hailan Rising and what has happened to it?

Continue reading MMObility: Hailan Rising is a lesson in confusion and miscommunication

MMObility: Hailan Rising is a lesson in confusion and miscommunication originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Soggy beginnings

Justin Olivetti — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Screenshots, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Culture, One Shots, Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, Miscellaneous

Dungeons and Dragons Online newcomers and veterans alike are quite familiar with the waterlogged Sahuagin and all of their wacky antics. Basically think "level 1 mermaids from hell" and you're right with the rest of us. It's a good thing that the game doesn't have smell-o-vision because the tutorial would be reeking of a fishery, that's all I'm saying.

Reader Sharvis photographed his initial journey through the game and delivered this familiar image of an odd cellar. "Oh great, the Wavecrest Tavern's basement has flooded," he writes. "And who let the Sahuagin in? They're making everything look tacky again!"

We'll get the sump pump working while you check out the rest of today's player-submitted screenshots!

Continue reading One Shots: Soggy beginnings

One Shots: Soggy beginnings originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: Game developers actually are rockstars

Larry Everett — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Economy, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous, Crowdfunding

Shortly after this column series started, Massively's Shawn "Epic Beard" Schuster planted his feet on the wooden crate to tell us that game developers are not rockstars. And as much as it frightens me to disagree with him, I believe I have a moral obligation to let him know that he was wrong. Sure, his article pointed out that it takes a team to create a spectacular game and that the personalities of the gaming industry cannot do it by themselves. As he put it, even though Sid Meier didn't code all of Civilization and Richard Garriott didn't construct all of Tabula Rasa, their names sat proudly on the box. But just like rockstars, those two names and many more developers' names belong on the covers of their respective games.

Rockstars from Aerosmith to Beyonce are more than the faces on the covers of their albums. In college, I used to create CD covers for local recording artists, so I can tell you first-hand that even though there was only one name on the front, there were many names on the inside jacket, just as there are many names in game credits. So how exactly are game developers like superstar musicians? The analogy fits in nearly every single way.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Game developers actually are rockstars

The Soapbox: Game developers actually are rockstars originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raph Koster is open to making another 'worldy MMO'

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, Ultima Online, Miscellaneous

On his personal blog, Raph Koster announced that he has left Disney to become an unemployed game developer. The big question is, of course, what's next for the driving force behind Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies. The answer is... he doesn't know.

However, Koster does indicate that he is open to working on another traditional MMO, but not one born of Kickstarter. "I suspect that those of you who want this all want me to make a worldy MMO," he writes. "I may yet make one of those in the future, but I don't think that you can raise enough money on Kickstarter to do it justice."

Koster says that he might be doing some consulting, writing, and speaking, but what he wants to do most is to "simply start making games." He claims that GDC inspired him to get back into the game-making business, big-time. He also says contrary to some rumors, he is not working with Richard Garriott on Shroud of the Avatar.

Raph Koster is open to making another 'worldy MMO' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Debating the current state of classic MMORPGs

Beau Hindman — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Humor, Free for All, Miscellaneous

This will not be another column dedicated to deciding the true meaning of "MMORPG." We've covered that plenty on Massively, but it's safe to say that we allow a lot of different styles of multiplayer gaming to be covered on the site. Half the staff are old fuddy-duddies when it comes to these virtual worlds, but even the fogiest of the fogies sees the writing on the wall: The meaning is changing or at least becoming something different to different people. We can fight it like fighting the latest wave of musical styles, or we can search for the good in all of it and keep up a sense of humor.

I tend to cover whatever I feel like covering, as long as my bosses agree that the games I am writing about do not stray too far away from the MMO core. Some of my readers see my writing as supporting games that are not MMOs, promoting developers who want to ruin true MMOs by selling power, or elevating social games that are anything but MMOs. But I believe I have covered and will continue to cover "true" MMOs. I try to recognize the current state of MMOdom, and I want to capture it all at the same time. It has to be possible.

Continue reading Free for All: Debating the current state of classic MMORPGs

Free for All: Debating the current state of classic MMORPGs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you still play your first MMO?

Brianna Royce — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: EverQuest, MMO Industry, Opinion, Ultima Online, The Daily Grind, Community Q&A, Miscellaneous

With Brad McQuaid's return to EverQuest in the news this week, nostalgia has invaded our comment section. The most veteran of our MMO commenters mused about the days of meditating into spellbooks, losing levels on death, embarking on corpse runs, and waiting on the boat. No one even mentioned camping for jboots, begging to be put on a list for a spot in a dungeon group, or having your raid planejumped right before your eyes!

I think old-schoolers know that the old days had more than their fair share of problems, which is why most of them are probably playing Guild Wars 2 or The Secret World and not Asheron's Call or Anarchy Online. Or are they? Are more people living in classic MMOs than they let on?

My first was Ultima Online, and yes, I do poke my nose in once or twice a year, but it hasn't been my "main game" in a truly long time. What about you guys? Do you still play your first MMO? And if you've ever gone back, was it as you remembered?

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!

The Daily Grind: Do you still play your first MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott is up to... something

Jef Reahard — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, News Items

Oh, Lord British, you coy and rascally devil!

It seems as if Richard Garriott has unveiled a new website called LordBritishPresents.com that comes complete with its very own countdown timer. What waits on the other side? Is it another casino browser game, or could it be something of actual interest to the legions of Ultima Online fans the famed developer still trails in his spacefaring wake?

We'll know in just under a week, and in the meantime we'd recommend following Garriott's Twitter feed for further teases.

Richard Garriott is up to... something originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Should player homes decay?

Brianna Royce — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, Ultima Online, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous, Housing

One of the issues plaguing player housing in MMOs is what to do with those houses after the player-owners have left the game or stopped paying for their subscriptions. In Ultima Online, the granddaddy of all MMO housing, your home drops to the ground if you haven't paid your sub in 90 days (and your shardmates can loot all your stuff in a grand free-for-all!). In Star Wars Galaxies, your house stayed standing until it ran out of pre-paid maintenance money, which worked pretty well to help the active players reclaim city space until maintenance was turned off for a few years in consideration for hurricane victims.

Even games with instanced housing feel the space crunch. In Lord of the Rings Online, failure to pay your maintenance fees in-game leads to the eventual return of your lot to the public pool and your having to buy back all your loot from an escrow NPC.

MMO developers are torn between the desire to lure back former players with the promise that their houses are still intact and the desire to keep the world, instanced or not, clear and open for paying or active players. So what do you guys think -- what should be the more dominant goal? If you step away from a game, should your character's home decay? And if it did, would you ever return to the game?

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!

The Daily Grind: Should player homes decay? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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See Ultima X: Odyssey in glorious action

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Ultima Online

One of 2004's most anticipated MMOs, Ultima X: Odyssey, was struck down by parent studio EA near to its completion date. The strong interest in this title coupled with the advanced state of its development has always been one of the most maddening "what if?" scenarios in the industry.

While it is slightly outside of our power to restore the Ultima X project and push it out the door, the folks over at Ultima Codex unearthed a 34-minute gameplay video to at least show us how this title looked in action. Clear out a half-hour and check out what could have been with the following footage!

[Thanks to John for the tip!]

Continue reading See Ultima X: Odyssey in glorious action

See Ultima X: Odyssey in glorious action originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMObility: Innogames' Fabio Lo Zito on cash shops, quality, and PvP

Beau Hindman — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Business Models, Culture, Game Mechanics, Interviews, Previews, PvP, PvE, Opinion, War, Free-to-Play, Browser, Mobile, Casual, MMORTS, Livestream, Miscellaneous, MMObility, Sandbox, Anniversaries

One of the greatest parts of my job is having the ability to take a peek into the minds of some of the industry's most creative developers. If an interview goes really well, I come away from it with not only a deeper understanding of mechanics or policies but some knowledge about the creative process. For me, MMOs represent a perfect storm of writing, music, art, and math; they click my creativity into hyperdrive. I couldn't write about MMOs if I didn't love them so much.

I'm not sure why I didn't notice German-based developer Innogames until relatively recently, but its lineup is more varied, challenging, and immersive than many of its rivals. It makes titles that offer a variety not only of gameplay but of accessibility. All of its titles can be played in a browser, and now a handful are available even on mobile.

I sat down with Innogames' Fabio Lo Zito during a livestream earlier this week to discuss what makes it all work.

Continue reading MMObility: Innogames' Fabio Lo Zito on cash shops, quality, and PvP

MMObility: Innogames' Fabio Lo Zito on cash shops, quality, and PvP originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist: Rubies of Eventide

Justin Olivetti — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play, The Game Archaeologist

I can't say that Rubies of Eventide has been on my radar, like, ever. And yet practically every time I've asked for suggestions of a game to cover in this column, it seems like someone pipes up asking that Rubies gets a little publicity. That tells me that there's some underground love for this title.

There are two things that separate Rubies of Eventide from the rest of the MMO pack and make it a fascinating case study. The first is that it's one of the very few MUDs that was transformed into a graphical MMO while retaining its roots in old-school play. The second is that it had an absolutely ridiculous number of playable classes: 104, to be precise. Some days I really miss the era when game designers would aspire to reach these incredible numbers.

Faced with the prospect of an early death, Rubies of Eventide miraculously survived and ran for six interesting years. Let's take a look at a MUD-turned-MMO this week, shall we?

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: Rubies of Eventide

The Game Archaeologist: Rubies of Eventide originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What was the best MMO expansion of all time?

Justin Olivetti — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Expansions, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

Whether or not the expansion model is here to stay or on the way out in the industry is a topic for another time. Instead, I want to talk about the best expansion of all time. AOL's Neverwinter Nights supposedly had an expansion in 1992, but the modern age of expansions didn't get going until 1998's Ultima Online: The Second Age. Since then we've seen scores of add-ons to our favorite MMOs. In 2012, we had nine major expansions enter the field (and we're not even counting content updates).

A great expansion significantly improves upon the game that came before. Perhaps it adds a wealth of new content, is just superbly done, or introduces a beloved feature to the game. For you, it could be the expansion in which you fell in love with a certain MMO.

Don't hold back here; if there ever was a time to step up and be bold, now is it. Let's fight it out in the comments over the best expansion that was, is, and ever will be!

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!

The Daily Grind: What was the best MMO expansion of all time? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott throws end-of-the-world party, world survives in style

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, Humor, Miscellaneous

If you've got the means and know-how to throw the world's best apocalyptic party, would there be anything from stopping you doing it? Nothing got in the way of Portalarium's Richard Garriott when he wanted to create one of the most cool- and insane-sounding end-of-the-world bashes on December 21st in Austin, Texas.

"We thought this date shouldn't pass without an interactive soiree," Garriott explained. The creator of Ultima Online is famous for throwing strange elaborate parties, including a Titanic get-together where he sunk the boat with the party-goers on it.

Garriott created a 30-foot Mayan pyramid as the centerpiece of the event. Around the pyramid were four apocalypse-themed tents, including an alien tent with a Sputnik replica and a hedonism display with naked zebra ladies prancing about.

The $1,000-plus door charge for the party went toward the X Prize Foundation.

Richard Garriott throws end-of-the-world party, world survives in style originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yo ho ho: Happy 10th birthday, Puzzle Pirates

Beau Hindman — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Puzzle, Video, Interviews, Free-to-Play, Casual, Interviews (Massively's), Kids, Family, Anniversaries

Puzzle Pirates is still way ahead of its time, despite the fact that it just turned 10 years old. For many years, MMOs have tried to get players to work together in real time in myriad ways, yet Puzzle Pirates is the only one that has approached the problem exactly in this way: having each player work a different puzzle to represent different activities. One player controls the direction and speed a ship travels, two players work a "bilging" puzzle to help keep water from filling in, perhaps a few more players man the sails, and another plays a puzzle that represents keeping the ship repaired.

What you end up with is a pretty realistic depiction of a team working together to sail the high seas, fight NPCs, and attack other players. This same puzzle-based gameplay works its way throughout the entire game, making for a very unique and in-depth experience. It also ensures that players become experts at certain puzzles, something that easily represents the way a real-life sailor would become an expert at his or her station.

In a word, it's brilliant. Massively checked in with CEO Daniel James on the occasion of the game's birthday. Read on for the scoop!

Continue reading Yo ho ho: Happy 10th birthday, Puzzle Pirates

Yo ho ho: Happy 10th birthday, Puzzle Pirates originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny revisit: Dark Age of Camelot

Beau Hindman — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Video, Dark Age of Camelot, Game Mechanics, PvP, PvE, Opinion, Races, Humor, Rise and Shiny, Livestream, Anniversaries

About once a year I like to take a look back at Dark Age of Camelot, the classic PvP MMO by Mythic Entertainment, just to reassure myself that older MMOs are still some of the best around. Dark Age of Camelot comes from that older crop of titles like Asheron's Call and EverQuest, games that still shine despite their age. Of course the next logical question is, "If these games are still so good, why aren't more of us still playing them?" There's an easy answer, really. First of all, we don't spend time sitting around listening to our favorite albums or watching our favorite movies constantly, but we still appreciate them, possibly more than we did when we first found them. Next, all games are finite for us as individuals. There is no MMO that offers endless content if we take away the endless player-made content that comes from roleplay or exploration.

No matter how good a game like Dark Age of Camelot was and still is, many of us have already experienced it quite a bit. It's only human to become slightly bored with something we've played with time and again. But once again, I've spent a week in a game that shows it's always a good thing to check back on our favorites. They just might surprise you all over again.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny revisit: Dark Age of Camelot

Rise and Shiny revisit: Dark Age of Camelot originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny: Mortal Online

Beau Hindman — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Galleries, Screenshots, Video, Bugs, Game Mechanics, Previews, PvP, Opinion, Virtual Worlds, Rise and Shiny, Livestream, Sandbox

There are so many issues and subjects to cover this week, thanks to the limited time I spent in Mortal Online, a free-for-all PvP sandbox by Star Vault. I've played my share of MMOs that are similar to Mortal Online, games like EVE Online, Darkfall, Ultima Online, Wurm Online, Salem, and others. Essentially the idea is to set players loose in a massive, open world that is closer to "realistic" than standard themepark MMOs. Players might spend time farming or fishing or hunting down other players or mobs. It's generally a good idea to prepare yourself for a lot of running around, hiding, and slowly figuring out what to do when playing a FFA PvP sandbox.

Games like Mortal Online provoke questions like "Why is nudity an option at all?" and "Why is there stamina (and other realistic features) alongside magic and no permanent death?" I've learned to forget those questions and just take each specific FFA MMO as it is. Mortal Online stands alone in many ways. Unfortunately, being known as a buggy mess is one of those. I've played many buggy MMOs in my time but have enjoyed myself immensely in some of them (remember, I hosted an early Vanguard: Saga of Heroes podcast!), so I wasn't scared of jumping into an MMO that was supposed to be rough to say the least.

What did I find? Well, I found a ton -- and I mean a ton -- of bugs. But I also found a pretty cool community (yes, I just said that) and some grand adventure. Let me break it down.

Gallery: Mortal Online revisit screenshots

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Mortal Online

Rise and Shiny: Mortal Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Oct 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny revisit: Ultima Online

Beau Hindman — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Business Models, Game Mechanics, Interviews, Opinion, Ultima Online, Community Q&A, Rise and Shiny, Livestream, Sandbox, Dungeons, Anniversaries

What can I say about Ultima Online that hasn't been said before? This week, the grandparent of MMOs turns 15 years old. In MMO terms, that's a long, long time. In fact, Ultima Online is the measuring stick for resilience. Think about it: Does any of us believe that many modern MMOs will last even half that long? While it's very possible, it's also very hard to imagine. For many different reasons, Ultima Online still maintains a playerbase, continues to be developed, and even attracts new players. It also runs on a subscription model and will likely continue to do so. If you read the transcript of my recent livestream with the UO devs that was so generously typed out by Ultima Codex, you know that I asked about a free-to-play or freemium Ultima Online and received this as an answer:

Actually, there's no use to do free-to-play. We have a good number of key players. So, at this time it's not really something we're looking at doing.

That was Producer Bonnie Armstrong. Oddly, I received some form of the free-to-play question from people who are not playing the game currently. The players inside the world seem just fine with the payment model. Has this old-school approach helped the game last this long? I'm not sure, but during this annual return to Britannia, I found the same great game I do every time I visit.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny revisit: Ultima Online

Rise and Shiny revisit: Ultima Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Sep 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Previously on MV TV: The week of September 22nd

Beau Hindman — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Aion, EverQuest II, Classes, Events (In-Game), Interviews, Previews, Wurm Online, Opinion, Ultima Online, Vanguard, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-Play, The Secret World, Casual, Virtual Worlds, Humor, Allods Online, Community Q&A, Livestream, Sandbox, Dungeons, Crafting, Previously on MV TV, Anniversaries, Housing

It's that time of the week again, people! Time for those unlucky few who missed our livestreams as they went live to click beyond the cut and enjoy my favorites of the week. It's hard picking them out, so I reach out to the team and ask which ones deserve to be highlighted. Honestly, all of the livestreams deserve the spotlight, but it should be no surprise to find out that individual streamers find their own streams to be the best of the best. I tend to agree, and every week I am surprised at just how no-nonsense and informative our streams are. Be sure to bookmark our livestream schedule calender so that each week you can tune in to your favorite. Feel free to suggest titles for streaming and to chat it up with our streamers live as they play!

This week we have MJ returning with her favorite games like EverQuest II, Aion, The Secret World, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, and Guild Wars 2. Richie joins in with his current favorite, Guild Wars 2, and I round things off with an hour spent with the Ultima Online developer team, a goblinball session with community leaders in Allods Online, and a tutorial on building a house in Wurm Online! Trust me, if there is one goblin-kicking, dev-interviewing, house-building livestream series that you should watch, it's this one!

Continue reading Previously on MV TV: The week of September 22nd

Previously on MV TV: The week of September 22nd originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Is farming ruined forever?

Brianna Royce — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Humor, Miscellaneous

One of my favorite things to do in games is farm. No, not the kind of farming that involves killing zillions of mobs for mats and money -- real (virtual) farming. Like when you buy seeds and plant them in the ground and wait for them to grow and then collect the literal fruits of your labor.

Think I'm talking about FarmVille? Nope. Lord of the Rings Online, actually. And Ultima Online and Glitch and hopefully, someday, ArcheAge. MMOs actually implement farming so much better than the social game that seems to have redefined it. In UO, I can grow decorative plants and buff petals; in LotRO, I can mass-produce crops that are used by cooks to make food; and in Glitch, I grow flowers and herbs used by tincturers. I suppose even in Star Wars Galaxies, I was farming up corn and tubers in my oversized industrial extractors.

But I have to wonder whether the FarmVille-induced stigma attached to farming as a gameplay concept has ruined it for MMO fans forever. Even when we discuss ArcheAge's amazing farming system, we can't help but crack jokes about tractors, jokes we wouldn't make about big, burly, angry Orcs practicing their fine tailoring skills in World of Warcraft. What do you think -- is farming in MMOs ruined forever?

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!

The Daily Grind: Is farming ruined forever? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMObility: Mobile devices might breathe new life into older MMOs

Beau Hindman — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Asheron's Call, Dark Age of Camelot, Business Models, Culture, Opinion, Ultima Online, Mobile, MMObility

One of the greatest things about the mobile market is the reappearance of older, single-player titles that are now being introduced to a new generation. Tablets and smartphones are quickly becoming go-to gaming devices offering not only more powerful processors and bigger screens but access to the internet and huge stores of digital goodies. Recently, I've been playing through titles I've missed, like Broken Sword, a point-and-click adventure game from 1996. Touch devices are proving to be perfect for many older-style games. We're simply replacing the mouse with the finger, and the move feels natural.

When I interviewed the Ultima Online team during a livestream this week, I asked Producer Bonnie Armstrong about a mobile version of the game. After all, I've played games, like Conquer Online, that look almost identical to Ultima Online, so I know it can be done. Her answer?

I would love to, personally. I think it would be pretty cool. I think somebody kind of joked around and said you know when somebody's 90 years old, they're going to be in an old folk's home playing UO on their phone. [...] That kind of sums us up.

There are many MMOs that I could see offering a mobile version. Would it be better or worse for these classic titles?

Continue reading MMObility: Mobile devices might breathe new life into older MMOs

MMObility: Mobile devices might breathe new life into older MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: How important is intellectual property to your MMO?

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

MMOs began as online versions of your favorite games. Ultima Online brought the familiar world of Britannia to players online, allowing them to play with their friends or meet new ones. But EverQuest showed us that a fresh new world could succeed as an MMO, with future online games exploring both sides of the IP coin.

It's nice to have a familiar world in which to play, as games like World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online, and Star Wars Galaxies have shown us. But fresh-from-scratch worlds are usually just as enticing. Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2 seem to be doing pretty well for themselves.

So which do you prefer? Does a familiar world matter to you, or do you reward originality?

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!

The Daily Grind: How important is intellectual property to your MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Four years of WAR: An interview with Mythic's James Casey

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, PvP, Warhammer Online, PvE, Interviews (Massively's), Anniversaries

To celebrate Warhammer Online's fourth anniversary this week, we got in touch with EA Mythic Producer James Casey to talk about the past, present, and future of WAAAGH!

Massively: Four years is a sizable length of time in any MMO's life. How does it feel to hit that mark?

James Casey: It feels great to have been able to have support from the Warhammer and gaming community for the last four years. That support has allowed us to continue bringing them the thrilling Realm vs. Realm combat and engrossing worlds that they have come to expect from Mythic and Games Workshop.

To your point about four years being a sizable length of time for an MMO, I will say that as a studio, we actually have a stable of MMOs that have been around for a damn respectable amount of time. From Ultima Online hitting its amazing 15th anniversary this year to Dark Age of Camelot having already broken that fabled 10-year mark, we've had a remarkable run in the MMO space, and I think that I can speak for everyone who has come and gone or still remains in saying a heartfelt thanks to all of our fans and customers over all the years. We owe that track record to them, and we hope that as we continue to evolve and develop as a studio and across our products, we can provide more of that sense of community in all of our offerings.

Continue reading Four years of WAR: An interview with Mythic's James Casey

Four years of WAR: An interview with Mythic's James Casey originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Have MMO standards changed for the better?

Brianna Royce — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

When Ultima Online launched in 1997, most of us were happy just to walk from one end of the city to the other without crashing. EverQuest didn't actually offer any quests in those early days. Star Wars Galaxies launched without vehicles, let alone starships, and World of Warcraft issued forth without any sort of formal PvP at all.

But in 2012, our standards have changed. Now we complain when Star Wars: The Old Republic launches without a dungeon finder and when Guild Wars 2 dungeons feel a bit loose two weeks into the game. Our complaints are no longer about basic gameplay bugs and functionality, and so our discussions sound esoteric to all but the most die-hard MMO gamer.

Does this mean our MMO standards have changed as our games have grown up -- and have they changed for the better? Or do we expect more from games than they can reasonably provide?

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!

The Daily Grind: Have MMO standards changed for the better? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 15 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMO Blender: Using older MMOs to build a perfectly paced world

Beau Hindman — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, EverQuest, Fallen Earth, Culture, Game Mechanics, Ryzom, Wurm Online, Opinion, Ultima Online, Guild Wars 2, Free-to-Play, RIFT, Livestream, Miscellaneous, Sandbox, Crafting, MMO Blender

One of the issues I have with so many modern AAA titles is that when I play them, I immediately feel forced through a series of noisy and chaotic moments. I know that these tutorials are supposed to make me feel as though I am stepping into a sort of world-on-fire, but to me it just feels like a mess. RIFT is a great game, truly, but every time I want to start a new character or try the game out again, I dread going through the annoying tutorial. It's so demanding. It grabs my hand and pulls me through a linear series of non-discoveries.

Now, this might just be my fading gamer memory, but I distinctly remember how it felt to be dropped off in the middle of nowhere in an MMO. While there are a few modern titles like Wurm Online that basically do the same thing, the mystery and immersion of those first few levels in most major MMOs has been replaced by sheer noise. I don't like it.

Good pacing is a wonderful thing. If it's tweaked just right, players feel immediately invested in a world even while feeling completely lost. I'd like to make this week's dream MMO using those older-game designs. It's time to slow down.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Using older MMOs to build a perfectly paced world

MMO Blender: Using older MMOs to build a perfectly paced world originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Should MMOs embrace item decay?

Brianna Royce — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Endgame, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous, Crafting

If you grew up on themeparks like World of Warcraft, the very idea of item decay is probably foreign to you. Just go to the vendor and click the repair button and everything's just as it was the day you looted it, right? Well, no. In older games and especially in sandboxes, you'd need a player to repair your gear, and sometimes not even that would help. Sometimes the gear was irreparable, meaning that once it ran out of juice, it was gone forever.

Decaying items are really not all that different from items with charges that deplete (consider Guild Wars 2's and Glitch's crafting tools), but modern gamers freak out at the idea that they might lose their gear to wear, and I don't blame them since many themeparks turn gear acquisition into a huge grind. But even sandboxes like Ultima Online have hedged their original item decay systems, allowing players to repair many artifacts indefinitely.

It might take a fundamental change in game design, but what do you think -- should MMOs bring back item decay?

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!

The Daily Grind: Should MMOs embrace item decay? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Should PvE crowd-control work in PvP?

Brianna Royce — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Classes, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, PvE, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

One of my very biggest pet peeves about playing a Protection Warrior in World of Warcraft is the fact that taunt does not work in PvP. Some players argue that having platemail and a huge bar of health makes up for my losing a core class ability, but I say platemail and a huge bar of health is pretty useless when I can't force players to attack me.

World of Warcraft is hardly the only game that nerfs core skills for PvP. Ultima Online, for example, offers music skills like Peacemaking and Provocation that can't be used on other players, rendering Bards ineffective Felucca-side. But it needn't be that way. Warhammer Online was a breath of fresh air; at launch, I ran around on my Ironbreaker, gleefully taunting other players and forcing their attention to me. Hit me, fools! Muahaha!

Sure, I'd rather see more organic and tactical combat such that taunt as a mechanic isn't even necessary, and some players might say Guild Wars 2 does just that. But what about those games that can't just cut taunt from the skill roster? Do you think PvE crowd-controls like taunt should work in PvP?

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!

The Daily Grind: Should PvE crowd-control work in PvP? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: How should MMOs handle character names?

Brianna Royce — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, Culture, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

Names are a big deal in MMOs. I've struggled through many a horrible launch to score a good name and camp names for friends until they can log in because only rarely does a game allow unlimited copies of a name. Ultima Online is one such game, as is Champions Online, though your global handle there is yours alone. The Secret World requires a unique nickname; your "real" name can be a duplicate. But most games just code for one use of a name per realm. (After all, one Malcolm Reynolds per server is plenty.)

City of Heroes took a stand on the issue. Years before CoH's F2P conversion, Paragon Studios boldly adopted name-recycling. If your account was inactive for three months, your characters' names were put back into the pool for other players to use. You didn't lose your character, but you were forced to rename her the next time you logged in. It was wonderful for active players who could make more immediate use of names no one was actively using but not so great for encouraging former players to return.

So how do you think MMOs should handle character names?

[Thanks to Joel for inspiring this topic!]

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!

The Daily Grind: How should MMOs handle character names? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Aug 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMO Blender: Larry's old-school 16-bit MMO

Larry Everett — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Game Mechanics, Opinion, Ultima Online, Guild Wars 2, Free Realms, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Miscellaneous, MMO Blender, Housing

In August of 1991, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System launched in North America, kick-starting what would eventually be the biggest boom in console roleplaying games. Granted, some of us had been playing RPGs on consoles like the original NES, but RPGs didn't see as big a console boom as they did on the SNES. In fact, console RPGs haven't seen the same level of popularity since the SNES. A quick jump over to VGChartz shows us that out of the top 50 games sold world-wide on any individual console, RPGs on the SNES dominated the NES, the Playstation, and even the Nintendo DS, boasting titles like Dragon Quest VI, Final Fantasy III, and Super Mario RPG. If you take into account some adventure games that should be considered RPGs, like Super Metroid and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, then you have arguably the best platform of all time for the genre.

Nowadays, with online gaming and indie companies sprouting up all over the place, a 16-bit online RPG would probably sell really well, especially if it took some of the best elements from the classic console RPGs of the NES/SNES era. Isn't that right, Cthulhu Saves the World? Let's see what I can throw together from some of my favorite 8- and 16-bit games.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Larry's old-school 16-bit MMO

MMO Blender: Larry's old-school 16-bit MMO originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Aug 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Why the unlimited trials of RIFT, WoW, and Ryzom are perfect for me

Beau Hindman — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Business Models, Culture, Ryzom, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Casual, RIFT, Free for All, Miscellaneous

I think there are some pretty basic but complicated concepts going on behind MMO gaming. There always have been. There's some sort of driving force that makes many of us want to reach that max level or grab every last achievement or (in my case) get to a comfortable level and stay there. I did it in Vanguard: Saga of Heroes: I reached level 32, cast a spell to stop my character from gaining anymore experience, and continued playing and exploring the game. Not only was I tired of leveling, but I knew that if I continued to level, I would probably continue to try to level. Like I said, it's a basic driving force. We all have them inspiring us to play in different ways.

I don't want to reach max level. Not really, anyway. I want to have a unique character, one who is fragile in some ways and strong in others. When I do reach higher levels, I start to feel generic and a bit too powerful. I want to have some force stop my character, to give him his own maximum level while others reach the true maximum level.

Unlimited free trials have shown me just how fun it is to have a sort-of-max-level character within a game filled with other max levels. It's like playing a different race or class, something unique.

Continue reading Free for All: Why the unlimited trials of RIFT, WoW, and Ryzom are perfect for me

Free for All: Why the unlimited trials of RIFT, WoW, and Ryzom are perfect for me originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist: What if World of Warcraft had never happened?

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Game Archaeologist

As you know well by now, I do love me some "what ifs?" from time to time. In an industry as volatile and unpredictable as this one, it's not hard to imagine a world where, say, Ultima X did launch or where Bill Roper is coming off his fourth straight successful game or where a different studio secured the rights to a popular IP over another one.

Perhaps the king of all MMO "what ifs" deals with the former (yes, former) king of MMOs. What if World of Warcraft never happened? Putting aside our own personal reaction, which may range from heartfelt relief to severe heartburn, we should look at this question without bias or emotion. Today I'm going to step way, way out on a limb and talk about an alternate universe where one of the biggest MMOs of all time simply did not happen.

In that universe, how did the MMO industry unfold from 2004 on, and what would we be looking at playing today? Maybe it's an impossible mind exercise, but I've been mulling it over for a while, so here are six outcomes that I think are quite likely.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: What if World of Warcraft had never happened?

The Game Archaeologist: What if World of Warcraft had never happened? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Repopulation devs: Crafting system is similar to UO and SWG

Jef Reahard — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Video, Economy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, PvE, Sandbox, Crafting

Most modern-day MMORPG crafting mechanics are, shall we say, uninspired. With the marginalization of the sandbox and the rise of the combat lobby, crafting and meaningful economic gameplay has taken a back seat in all but a handful of titles.

The Repopulation is one such title, and the dev team has released a new video that shows off the sci-fi sandbox's crafting mechanics. Fortunately for starving tradeskill fans everywhere, the game hearkens back to the days of Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies. In those titles, "players were able to exist completely as a crafter, harvesting their own materials and then using them to create things," according to the game's website. "We have designed our system in a mold similar to those games. If players do not wish to partake in combat, they can still be a successful crafter," the devs explain.

The new Repopulation tradeskills video gives us a good look at recipes and recipe customization via ingredient filters. There's also a brief bit about creature resource extraction, so check out the full nine-minute clip after the break.

[Thanks to J.C. for the tip!]

Continue reading Repopulation devs: Crafting system is similar to UO and SWG

Repopulation devs: Crafting system is similar to UO and SWG originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny: Illarion

Beau Hindman — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Bugs, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Casual, Humor, Rise and Shiny, Livestream

If your plan in life is partially to cover indie MMOs, a niche within a niche, you're bound to come up with some odd games once in a while. You're also bound to come up with boring, bland, bad, horrible, incomplete, waste-of-time, hideous, and of course, amazing games. I went back to my recently thrown-out roots and grabbed a game at random for this week's column: Illarion. Did I find a bad game or an incomplete game? A bit of both, but the game and its creators deserve an explanation.

Making MMOs is hard. We all know this, or at least we should. If you don't, and if you are one of those players who get upset every time their favorite free-to-play title asks them to spend five dollars (usually every six months or so), then you really need to understand that making MMOs is hard.

I understand this, but I still have to cover games honestly. So let me first say that what I found in Illarion was honestly confusing.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: Illarion

Rise and Shiny: Illarion originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist: The Anarchy Online bloggers

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Anarchy Online, Culture, Interviews, Free-to-Play, Interviews (Massively's), The Game Archaeologist

It's a simple fact of life: Newer MMOs get all the blog love. World of Warcraft and EVE Online, in particular, are lavished with so many dedicated blogs that it's almost embarrassing, while most of the games that we look at in this column are practically ignored. It could just be that blogging didn't really come into vogue when these games came out, but whatever the reason, it's kind of a shame that few if any folks are out there blogging about their in-game experiences in Ultima Online or Asheron's Call.

That's why I was utterly surprised to see two brand-new bloggers hit the scene writing about Anarchy Online: Sephora's Closet and Donovan Drones. Both of these blogs came out of a community-wide effort to encourage new game writers in May, and I was so fascinated with their game du jour that I contacted each of them for an interview.

What would drive someone to blog about Anarchy Online in 2012? What is there in the game worth writing? How many more words do I need to write until this paragraph doesn't look pathetically skimpy? Come with me and we'll find out!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: The Anarchy Online bloggers

The Game Archaeologist: The Anarchy Online bloggers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Does instant travel trivialize MMO worlds?

Brianna Royce — Mon, 28 May 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

Among hardcore MMO fans, there's a theory that instant-travel is a bad thing. If you can just click a map or teleport somewhere instantly, they say, you lose your sense of place in the world along with your appreciation for the setting. Everything feels close together when you didn't have to meander there by foot, and sooner or later, you won't bother exploring at all.

But the opposite's been true for me in practice. I've done far more exploring in (and have a much deeper nostalgia for the landmasses of) titles like Ultima Online and Guild Wars, which boast Recall spells and map travel, respectively, than I have in less-travel-friendly titles, and I'm guessing it's because the ability to get to strange and out-of-the-way places quickly means you'll actually go there by choice -- because you can. If it takes me two hours to walk to that cool oasis hidden away in a secret corner of your map, I'm probably not going to bother going at all.

What do you think -- does instant travel trivialize the MMO world experience?

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!

The Daily Grind: Does instant travel trivialize MMO worlds? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMObility: The pros and cons of Tibia's browser version

Beau Hindman — Fri, 04 May 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Browser, Casual, Miscellaneous, MMObility

Tibia is an MMO that has been hanging in there for many, many years. You have to give it respect for that alone. When you add on the fact that the game seems to be updated relatively frequently and boasts a pretty good-sized playerbase, it becomes even more intriguing. I've played it in the past and have enjoyed the simple graphics and slower-paced gameplay. I like how NPCs chat with you, old-school EverQuest-style, and how there seems to be a lot more to the game than meets the eye.

There are plenty of eyesores, however. The developers recently released Tibia in a beta browser form. While the client was always easy enough to download and run on my multitude of devices, I always prefer to just jump into my browser and load it up.

I found a lot of neat little systems but also quite a few bugs or odd design choices. Colors and layout can be a problem, and I am not the biggest fan of Flash-based MMOs. Still, I am enjoying myself so far and look forward to more. Let's talk about what I found over these last several hours with Tibia's browser-based version.

Continue reading MMObility: The pros and cons of Tibia's browser version

MMObility: The pros and cons of Tibia's browser version originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Is customizable housing worth the inevitable eyesores?

Brianna Royce — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Humor, Miscellaneous

Few MMOs nowadays launch with housing, and a vanishingly small number of those have fully customizable housing, the kind that lets you construct your house from foundation to tower, filling in floors, walls, and decor as you go. Ultima Online is one such MMO; it changed over its pre-fab buildings to customizable housing in the early aughts.

Customizable housing in an open-world sandbox setting brings its own set of problems, however, starting with the reality that most players aren't taking time out of their professional architect day jobs to play the game. Consequently, most player homes are decked out in bold colors and tacky tchotchkes and cleverly placed roof tiles that spell "LOL." I don't know about you guys, but my real-life house doesn't have an Escher fountain and mounted fish hanging on the second-story facade (although perhaps it should).

What do you think -- is customizable housing a tribute to creativity and freedom or an eyesore immersion-breaker inflicted ruthlessly on every passerby and neighbor? Is that freedom worth the pain?

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!

The Daily Grind: Is customizable housing worth the inevitable eyesores? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

Beau Hindman — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Game Mechanics, Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous

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

The 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.

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The Daily Grind: Should new expansions include old expansions?

Brianna Royce — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Business Models, Expansions, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind

When Cataclysm launched, a friend of mine who hadn't played since the days of Vanilla World of Warcraft wanted to join in the fun, but when he saw the cost of catching up -- nearly full box prices for The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King, on top of Cataclysm itself -- he balked and decided to stick with cheaper games. Blizzard's policy on charging for full expansions long after they were new always did seem weird to me, since I grew up on Ultima Online and EverQuest, whose earlier expansions usually came bundled for free along with the newest one. Why keep barriers to entry (or re-entry) unnecessarily high?

So I'm happy to see recent sales on WoW's earlier expansions and a free Cataclysm for returning players via the new scroll of resurrection deal, but I can't help but wonder whether it's too late. How many of you have skipped over a game because of the cost of "catching up"? Do you think new expansions should always include the previous ones gratis?

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!

The Daily Grind: Should new expansions include old expansions? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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