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The Daily Grind: Are you a fan of account-wide rewards?

Brianna Royce — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

Guild Wars has long been a source of mild frustration for me because not all of the game's achievements are account-wide. While aspects of the Hall of Monuments are based on your account's accomplishments and skill unlocks are accessible by alts, the game nevertheless discourages me from devoting time to my secondary toons, not when there are factions and titles still to grind on my main.

I'm intrigued by games that offer parallel power tracks that show your overall investment in the game, not just in one character. Lord of the Rings Online's Destiny and Star Wars: The Old Republic's Legacy systems do just that: They reward you for playing multiple characters by allotting you currency that can be spent on special rewards.

So today we ask you: Are you a fan of account-wide rewards like Destiny and Legacy points? Or do you think they unduly reward scattered play rather than specialization in one character and class in 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: Are you a fan of account-wide rewards? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Are heirloom items bad for MMOs?

Brianna Royce — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Economy, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

In its Wrath of the Lich King expansion, World of Warcraft introduced a new class of items: the heirloom. Heirlooms can be transferred between all of the characters on your account, even your alts belonging to "enemy" factions. While a cloth-bedecked caster can't exactly wear the heavy platemail of his older Paladin brother, the hand-me-downs are pretty useful for twinking if you plan it out a bit.

The trouble is that heirlooms effectively level up with the player, so an alt who has a truckload of heirlooms has no need to take part in the player market. Why would he need to buy a crafted staff from a Weaponsmith? He's got one that he can use for 80 (85, now) levels. And in that case, why bother crafting as a lowbie Weaponsmith at all?

What do you think -- do the conveniences of heirloom items outweigh their negative impact on MMO economies?

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: Are heirloom items bad for MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Are alts and mules a form of cheating?

Brianna Royce — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

In response to Beau's recent Free For All column on the topic of botters and cheaters, reader Keith wrote in to suggest that there's another form of cheating much more common and pervasive: the use of alternate characters. In games like EVE Online or Star Wars Galaxies, which limit the number of characters players can create, extra accounts are manipulated to allow a single player access to more skills through alts ("skill mules"), more storage space ("bank mules" and "auction mules"), or more avenues for safe PvP scouting. But the problem occurs in alt-friendly games too, like World of Warcraft, where it's not uncommon to see someone five-boxing an entire team of Shamans, or Ultima Online, where it's standard practice for every player to have a "craft mule" who loads up on tradeskills (to the detriment of the player economy).

What do you think? Are alts and mules just another form of cheating, one that allows players with excess character slots or extra accounts unfair advantages? Or are "slave" characters just a natural and necessary part of online gaming?

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: Are alts and mules a form of cheating? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Does a class' popularity influence your desire to play it?

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST

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

There are a few constants that dog my adventures into every MMO. I will play a female character even though I am a man, I will go nuts over pet classes if they are available, I will probably create a legion of alts before ever hitting the level cap, and I will wear stylish hats even if the stats aren't the greatest. But above all of that, the biggest constant in my playing career is that I almost always refuse to pick MMO classes that are extremely popular.

I think it's because I -- like probably most of you -- like to feel unique in games, even though it's usually difficult to achieve. Choosing a class that's in the minority helps with that feeling, and conversely, going with the FOTM or whatever the kids are calling it these days makes me feel like I've got my unique snowflake status revoked.

So is this insane? Do you allow class popularity to influence your desire to play it, or do you just go with whatever sounds like the most fun?

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 a class' popularity influence your desire to play it? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: Making your alts work for you

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Free-to-play, The Road to Mordor

I have a confession to make. My name is Justin, and I'm a Lord of the Rings Online altoholic.

I know. I have a problem! I'm weak! DON'T STARE WITH THOSE ACCUSING EYES!

I always start out in games with the best of intentions: I'm going to stick with just one character, at least until I hit the level cap. I'll only make new characters to reserve names I like. I won't get class envy and wonder what's on the other side of the fence. I'll stay strong! I'll be an oak!

And then I turn out to be a willow tree, blowing about in the winds of whimsy, and suddenly I end up with alts staggered all over the leveling track. It's all right; I've come to embrace my altoholic tendencies because it really is who I am as a gamer. I like to sample everything, to try out different approaches to the game, and if I don't end up with a maxed-out uber-raider, then I can live with it.

If you follow this pattern and are prone to rolling up a lot of alts in LotRO, there are several advantages you can gain over the monogamous players out there. Today I want to take a look at how you can make your alts work for you, if only to give you an excuse to keep rolling them!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Making your alts work for you

The Road to Mordor: Making your alts work for you originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lost Pages of Taborea: Power-leveling alts in an honor party

Jeremy Stratton — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Free-to-play, Runes of Magic, Lost Pages of Taborea, Guides

Over the course of two years, Runes of Magic has had many patches. It has also had many changes and additions that never made it into the patch notes. They're usually nothing major -- maybe a minor graphical tweak or some other incidental improvements. Then there are items, quests, and features that seem to change, but I can never be sure based on my imperfect memory alone. Something seems to be new or different, but because it never made a lasting impression, I can't be sure whether I'm remembering it correctly. That's how I felt about the honor party.

The newbie tutor system seemed to quietly crawl under a rug, but over time it has proven to be operational. Even though the NPC in Varanas does a fair job of informing you what the honor party is and does, I'll give you a quick run-down of how it operates. One of the advantages of knowing about and using the honor party is having a very quick way of leveling alts through the first 20 levels. I wouldn't recommend it for first-time players, but let's take a look at using the honor party to give your alt a huge jump in levels on day one.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: Power-leveling alts in an honor party

Lost Pages of Taborea: Power-leveling alts in an honor party originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Endgame = end of game?

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia

It happens. All good things must come to an end... except (hopefully) your favorite MMORPG. After all, the whole idea of the MMO is to keep going endlessly, right? To supposedly ever-evolve -- there is no final "win" that concludes the story as in single-player RPGs. However, what do you do when you hit the level cap and have "been there and done that" with everything in game? I guess that's the disadvantage of not having a sandbox; as much I love the graphics and my friends in NCsoft's Aion, there really is just a finite list of things to do.

Now before anyone gets up-in-arms or sneers "I told you so," no, I am not quitting and I haven't given up on the game. I still enjoy it. It just so happens that my mind zeroed in on the topic this week as I logged in over the course a few days and just stared at my screen, wondering what I wanted to do. While I was feeling under the weather a bit (which dampened my endurance and enthusiasm to complete any major dungeons), I started wondering about what there actually is to do in Aion after you reach and sit at maximum level for a while.

For me, the two things that keep me interested in my virtual worlds are the community and friends that I find in game as well as exploring and experiencing new things. One involves the company providing regular content updates; the other allows for player-created content. But once there is nothing left to explore or experience, friends can drift away... so what does that leave? Pondering this subject and watching the community around me actually brought up some expected -- and some not quite expected -- answers.

Join me past the cut to look at different ways Daevas spend their time in Atreia and how they keep their interest sparked.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Endgame = end of game?

Wings Over Atreia: Endgame = end of game? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do alts help or hurt game retention?

Justin Olivetti — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST

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

I'm going to share with you something I've struggled with and then ask for your professional opinion, Internet Friends. As a natural altoholic, I'm forever filling up my character select screen with a wide variety of heroes. And by heroes, I mean "experiments." Having a main is all fine and dandy, but sooner or later the winds of whimsy wash over me, and I feel the uncontrollable urge to roll up an alt.

My struggle is this: Is my altoholic nature helping me stay in the game longer or hurting my interest overall? On one hand, having a single character to focus on helps me to bond strongly with that toon, explore high-level content, and dedicate myself to a focused journey through the game. On the other hand, having alts adds the spicy variety that I crave and lets me explore the game in new ways.

But I've noticed that several alts can erode that tight attachment I have to an MMO, especially if I keep bouncing around between them. Does this happen to you? What do you think: Do alts help or hurt game retention for you in the long run?

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 alts help or hurt game retention? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you make stealth alts?

Krystalle Voecks — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST

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

If you've spent any kind of time in MMOs, you've undoubtedly run into at least one person who drives you completely insane. Perhaps your boss heard you mention World of Warcraft at the coffee machine one day and popped up in your guild shortly thereafter, ensuring that you'd never have a moment's peace in-game ever again. Maybe one of your real-life friends is the sweetest person face-to-face but when gaming becomes an unapologetic, egocentric loot-fiend prone to throwing tantrums if he can't gear up his alts over other people's mains. Or you could pick any of the many nerve-wracking examples that Justin so thoughtfully provided us in yesterday's MMO player hell top 10 list.

Most of the time, you have three ways to deal with these types of people. First, you can tell them to sod off. That's not so popular, and in the case of RL friends or bosses, it can be downright dangerous, but it works. Second, you can simply quit playing the game altogether. But that option sucks if you enjoy the game when you're not around the annoying people, and it can cut you off from other good friends you want to spend time with. That leaves you with the third option of the seasoned MMO vet: stealth alts! You know, the alt characters you don't put in-guild, the ones you keep secret purely to enjoy the game with friends who are similarly sick of certain situations. This morning we wondered, with flashbacks of MMO player hell fresh in our minds, if you too have made stealth alts to avoid people -- and if so, whom?

Don't worry, we won't tell them!

The Daily Grind: Do you make stealth alts? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Altaholics anonymous

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Wings Over Atreia

OK, now I've done it... my status as an oddity at Massively is exposed for all the world to see. I confess -- I do not like to play alts. Whew. There, I said it. That wasn't so hard. And being unique is not such a bad thing, right?

In gaming, and in Aion especially, I definitely feel out of place for this philosophy. After all, Aion not only encourages but rewards you for playing alts; what other game gives you an impressive armor set and weapon only after you reach mid-level on numerous characters? And even for those who eschew playing alts, there are times when you are forced to do so (like I was). Pathetic available inventory space? Make a mule. Miss lower-level solo instances because they were introduced after you were too high of a level? Make a noob. But these are only a couple of examples involving mechanics. What makes people create so many alts that they need spreadsheets just to know who has what and is where?

Head past the cut to delve into the pros and cons of managing multiple characters in Atreia.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Altaholics anonymous

Wings Over Atreia: Altaholics anonymous originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise developers seeking community input on alts

James Egan — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, Opinion, Earthrise

Earthrise is an indy-developed science fiction MMO on the way from Masthead Studios in Bulgaria. The developers have stated that Earthrise will be a sandbox game, with a large part of the player experience based on what guilds try to accomplish in the post-apocalyptic setting of Enterra. Given this emphasis on player-driven content, Masthead Studios has been running a Community Consensus over the past few weeks where the devs seek input from Earthrise fans on various aspects of the game's design.

Today Masthead Studios wants to hear what the community thinks about alts. In most MMOs having extra character slots is expected, but alt play in a sandbox game where players will engage in espionage could get out of hand. Would the ability to easily for any player to create a cell of spy alts unbalance the game, or should there be a tight limit on character slots per account?

Continue reading Earthrise developers seeking community input on alts

Earthrise developers seeking community input on alts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: One account is good enough

Brendan Drain — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Guides, Professions, PvP, Tips and tricks, PvE, Opinion, Hands-on, EVE Evolved

In a typical MMO, players will have one main character that they dedicate most of their time and effort to. They may also have alternate characters on the same account that they use to try out different classes or starting areas. EVE Online is different in that it's not really feasible to play multiple characters on the same account. While each EVE account has three character slots, only one can be actively training skills at one time. Taking a break to train up another character means losing training time on your main one. And since any character can learn any skill, it's often better to just train those skills on your main character rather than making a dedicated alt for it. Many players suggest getting a second account but is that really necessary? And what do you do with those two extra character shots on your account?

In this article, I look at some nifty things you can do with your main account's two extra character slots without paying for a second account.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: One account is good enough

EVE Evolved: One account is good enough originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Perspective on the widespread use of alts in EVE Online

James Egan — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Opinion

There are over 250,000 active subscriptions to the sci-fi massively multiplayer online game EVE Online, but have you ever wondered how many players that figure actually represents? The exact number of people that comprise the game's playerbase is unclear due to the common practice of playing with multiple accounts. While the end result is likely the same to CCP Games in a financial sense -- all of those active subs add up to a steady flow of income month to month -- the fact remains that the game doesn't necessarily have 250,000 different people logging into New Eden from month to month. At least, not yet, although the number of subscribers is growing. (EVE set a peak concurrent user record last Sunday of 48,065 players.)

Unlike some massively multiplayer online games, EVE is based on real-time skill training rather than using the system of leveling up central to other titles. Each EVE account has three character slots, but skill training can only be active on one character at a time. And as with most MMOs, a player can only be logged into one character per account at a time -- even if multi-boxing. If a player needs to skill up specialized alts, he or she must either sacrifice valuable skill training time on their main, or run a second (or third) account to really advance. A recent EVE-Mag article by Silene Derbhan, "Alternates: Are We Schizophrenics!?", looks closely at how alt play impacts the game. Derbhan states, "I would like to delve deeper into the game mechanics, to see why players are compelled not only to play different characters, as in any other MMO, but also to pay for every one of these added characters."

Continue reading Perspective on the widespread use of alts in EVE Online

Perspective on the widespread use of alts in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: On MMOs and Alts

Krystalle Voecks — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Economy, Crafting, Opinion, The Daily Grind

Sign in on the auction house mule in World of Warcraft, check mail, and then scan the AH. Log in to EVE Online, pull up the markets, check what's up in Jita. Figure out if you need to make something to sell or use then log in the alts to do the dirty work. For some people, an alt is as simple as having a bank character that you send everything to for selling, or as involved as having a string of alts who can do every single production/tradeskill in your favorite MMO. Personally, I'm one of those folks who has a bank alt on pretty well every MMO account possible and a couple of profession alts purely for the professions I think are fun or interesting. This morning we thought we'd ask you - do you have any of those alts floating around, and if so, what are your alts for?

The Daily Grind: On MMOs and Alts originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP Games kills 'ghost training' on inactive EVE accounts

James Egan — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Business models, Exploits, Forums, Game mechanics, Patches, Professions, News items

EVE Online players who habitually 'ghost train' their alts on inactive accounts are about to be given a wake-up call. The myriad options that a player can take in the sandbox game means that training up specialized alts is a common practice. The time-based skill training system in EVE means that higher ranked skills can take well over a month to train to their maximum of level five. When creating a carrier or mothership alt, for example, it's typical to simply, well, not pay $15 for a month when you're not actually playing on that character while your skill training progresses.

This isn't limited to capital ship alts though. Many players unsubscribe after queuing up a long skill and resub once skill training is complete. This is how it's always been in the game (at least since this writer began playing), and by all indications is something CCP Games has been well aware of. Those days, as confirmed in today's announcement from CCP, are over.

Continue reading CCP Games kills 'ghost training' on inactive EVE accounts

CCP Games kills 'ghost training' on inactive EVE accounts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Are you ready for EVE Offline?

James Egan — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Business models, Game mechanics, Opinion

Zubon over at Kill Ten Rats has written a bit of commentary about skill training in EVE Online. As players subbing multiple accounts used for different purposes know (particularly when training up initial skills), a fair amount of time is spent logging in and switching skill training, and not always so much actual gameplay seen with those characters. So, he suggests the idea of "EVE Offline" -- an extension of the game, played via a website or accessible with a mobile phone. The point of EVE Offline would be to turn skill training into its own game, not a peripheral activity related to EVE's standard (client) gameplay.

He presents this idea in the form of a CCP deal announcement, laying out the conditions and terms of the fictional EVE Offline. Tongue-in-cheek or is there a serious point? You decide. The post is ultimately a way of asking: How many EVE players essentially do this anyway with their characters, paying the full subscription price but not getting enough play time on those alts?

Are you ready for EVE Offline? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online Community Spotlight: a Q&A with Chribba

James Egan — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Interviews

Trust is a rare commodity in EVE Online. Many players are drawn to the game by the fact that almost any form of deceit, betrayal, and outright treachery is allowed in EVE. Not all players head down this path, of course, but plenty do. This element of risk is what makes the game exciting, but even those who are wary of the online personas of some EVE players may still find themselves getting backstabbed and robbed, or worse. Many in EVE have learned to profit from the misfortunes of others. However, this social environment has created certain opportunities for individuals who are able to establish their credibility over time, and through great effort.

Among the most trustworthy in EVE Online is Chribba, a player who's very active in the community and provides a number of services to EVE fans, free of charge. Helped by Chribba's efforts, EVE Online has expanded into a game where players become auteurs, creating videos and sharing their in-game pursuits with others, either for their own glory or their organization's propaganda. Of course, his contributions don't end there, as most everyone in the EVE community knows. Massively recently caught up with Chribba and asked him to share a bit about what he does for the EVE player base, and why he does it.

Continue reading EVE Online Community Spotlight: a Q&A with Chribba

EVE Online Community Spotlight: a Q&A with Chribba originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online patch restores dual boxing alt play

James Egan — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Patches, News items

CCP Games released an optional patch for EVE Online today that should improve performance issues for players who opt to dual box. While the Trinity graphics engine brought new eye candy to EVE players, for some it came with a real downside: it became difficult, if not impossible, to run multiple clients on one machine as they did in the Classic graphics engine.

The fix does seem to be a work-in-progress, as CCP is eliciting feedback from players who've applied the patch, but so far the response has been positive. For those players who run into any snags, removing any optional patch in EVE is a simple uninstall accessed via the ESC menu; no harm done. If the patch does as CCP claims, it looks like it's time to drop the Classic environment altogether and fire up those alts in high-res Trinity.

EVE Online patch restores dual boxing alt play originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Improvements to Tabula Rasa's performance on the way

James Egan — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Guilds, Patches, PvP, News items, Tabula Rasa

The most recent iteration of Tabula Rasa's Feedback Friday brought the announcement of a change to how the client will work in future deployments of the game. "The Bubble," as they call it, is an optimization that the developers hope to roll out in a future build of Tabula Rasa's Deployment 9. Until now, all static map objects such as rocks and trees loaded up front, but at the cost of decreased system performance. The Bubble will limit the client to loading only those static objects within a certain distance from the camera. The end result promises to be a client that uses less memory and delivers increased performance. They would, however, like help from the players with testing the bubble feature once it's viable.

As always, Feedback Friday also addressed player questions and concerns, namely that logout countdowns in PvP will stop being exploitable in Deployment 10. As it stands, players can evade combat during clan-wars by simply logging off. Another issue in the game that's being resolved is the common complaint about how difficult it is to keep track of friends. Presently each time a player creates a new character, they must reinvite all of their friends, ad nauseam. So beginning with Deployment 9, both the friends and ignore list are now user-based instead of character-based. This change alone will eliminate a number of headaches for TR players, but check out the Feedback Friday page for more details on how the game is evolving.

Improvements to Tabula Rasa's performance on the way originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Main Man

James Egan — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Professions, Tips and tricks, Opinion

EVE Online is a game where collective action trumps individual action. It's certainly a game that can be played solo although nowhere near as effectively as when your main's activities are supported or enabled by an alt. CCP provides 3 character slots per account, but skillpoint training can only progress on one character at a time. So where the real alt-play comes in is with dual boxing -- running two accounts at once to facilitate an activity. The main/alt duo can take a number of forms, by no means limited to the following basic examples:

Continue reading The Main Man

The Main Man originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Apr 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forum fun: does Tabula Rasa's cloning system cure alt-itis?

Chris Chester — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Forums, Game mechanics, Endgame, Opinion, Tabula Rasa

Do you or somebody you love find yourself constantly rolling new characters? Are you infatuated with that new toon smell? Have you maxed out the number of characters in your stable on not just you main server, but on two or three other servers as well? You may just be suffering from a condition widely known as alt-itis. There's no known cure for alt-itis, but there are some experimental treatments being used in mainstream MMOs that you might be interested in hearing about.

One of these, is Tabula Rasa's clone system. A discussion on the topic sprouted up on the Planet TR forums on the topic, with the OP going so far as to call the cloning system Tabula Rasa's "lady in a red dress." While I was not sufficiently persuaded that the thread wasn't just an excuse to make a Matrix reference, I think the larger discussion is a salient one. Does a cloning system like Tabula Rasa's really represent a cure for alt-itis? Some would argue that it's a boon for casual players who don't have time to level eight different characters independently to the end-game, but who want to see the content. Others would argue that Tabula Rasa's tiered system means that most cloning opportunities save you a negligible amount of playtime - after all, you only have two ways to go with a clone at level 30, you can't jump branches. It's an interesting discussion worth checking out (even if the topic has since wandered a bit).

Forum fun: does Tabula Rasa's cloning system cure alt-itis? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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