Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Diablo III's auction house ruined the game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/the-soapbox-diablo-iiis-auction-house-ruined-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/the-soapbox-diablo-iiis-auction-house-ruined-the-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/21/the-soapbox-diablo-iiis-auction-house-ruined-the-game/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Soapbox Diablo III's Auction House ruined the game
After his departure from the Diablo III development team, Game Director Jay Wilson released a statement that the introduction of an auction house "really hurt the game." While players predicted doom the moment the Real Money Auction House was announced, Jay argued that the gold auction house was equally to blame for the game's fall from grace following an absolutely stellar launch sales. I don't normally agree with what Jay has to say on Diablo III, but in this case he does have a very valid point.

Diablo II was consistently popular for over a decade thanks to its immense replayability. At its core, D2 was a game about building new characters and gearing them up by any means necessary. Every enemy in the game was a loot pinata just waiting to be popped, and players farmed endlessly for a few sought-after unique items. You almost never found an item that was ideal for your particular class and build, but you could usually trade for what you needed via trade channels and forums.

Blizzard claimed that the auction house was intended just to streamline this process, but when Diablo III launched, it was clear that the entire game had been designed to make the auction house almost necessary for progress. The fault here lies not just with the concept of an auction house but with the game designers.

That's right: I'm here to argue not only that Jay Wilson was right about the auction house ruining Diablo III but also that it was his own damn fault.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Diablo III's auction house ruined the game

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Diablo III's auction house ruined the game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved Fanfest 2013 video roundup
Last month saw the huge tenth anniversary EVE Online Fanfest, a three-day convention packed full of exclusive reveals, behind-the-scenes talks, and community events. This year's Fanfest was the biggest one yet, celebrating EVE's tenth anniversary with special guest speakers from the scientific community, the reveal of a new virtual reality dogfighter, DUST 514's launch, and details of the upcoming Odyssey expansion. Massively was there to bring you coverage of the big news as it happened, and CCP streamed some of the key talks and events live to viewers at home.

This year's Fanfest sold out so quickly that many people who wanted to go didn't get a chance to, and only a select few talks were shown on the public livestream. With such a packed event schedule, even players in attendance couldn't be there for every interesting talk. Thankfully, CCP recorded over 30 of the most anticipated events and has now uploaded the videos to YouTube. Highlights include the Make EVE Real videos, the EVE keynote, the CCP Presents Keynote, and the talks on how DUST 514 integrates with the EVE economy.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I round up all of the EVE Fanfest videos in a handy list.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Fanfest 2013 video roundup

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Fanfest 2013 video roundup originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alliance-panelapocalypseasteroidasteroid-miningasteroidsbattleshipccpccp-gameschinaconcept-artconsoleconventioncrimewatchcsm-paneldustdust-514economyeveeve-evolvedeve-fanfesteve-fanfest-2013eve-is-realeve-onlineeventeventsfanfestfaster-than-lightfeaturedfpsftlgame-designgearinternet-spaceshipskeynotemake-eve-realminingmmofpsodysseyopinionplanetary-conquestplaystationplaystation-3progressionps3pvpsandboxsci-fishooterspace-elevatorspreadsheets-onlineuprisingSun, 19 May 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Allods Online explains designing a raid in great detail]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/allods-online-explains-designing-a-raid-in-great-detail/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/allods-online-explains-designing-a-raid-in-great-detail/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/allods-online-explains-designing-a-raid-in-great-detail/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Who knows you might even see this guy?
Have you ever wanted to know exactly what goes into designing a new raid for Allods Online? Because there are apparently a lot of moving pieces at play. The latest article from the community team is penned by one of the game designers, and it explains extensively just what is involved in bringing a raid from the concept stage to the actual playable level.

For Allods Online, the first step is the writing team coming up with a concept for the raid that makes sense in the game world and ties into major figures. That leads to the creature and object designers getting a sense of how much can be done for any given raid -- how many new enemies can be created, how many bosses can be made, how big the maps can be. From there it's on to layout and battle mechanics. For a more in-depth overview, take a look at the full entry on the official site.

MassivelyAllods Online explains designing a raid in great detail originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 May 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allodsallods-onlineastrum-nivaldesignf2pfantasyfree-to-playgala-netgame-designgpotatomail-ru-gamesmail.ru-gamesmailru-gamesraid-designFri, 03 May 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Has an MMO ever implemented your idea?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/the-daily-grind-has-an-mmo-ever-implemented-your-idea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/the-daily-grind-has-an-mmo-ever-implemented-your-idea/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/26/the-daily-grind-has-an-mmo-ever-implemented-your-idea/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

City of Steam
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!

MassivelyThe 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgbring-back-precastingcity-of-steamdaily-grindgame-designGuild-Wars-2gw2ideaideasjumpingopinionplayer-ideastdgthe-daily-grindultima-onlineuoWorld-of-WarcraftwowFri, 26 Apr 2013 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Five years of EVE Evolved]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/21/eve-evolved-five-years-of-eve-evolved/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/21/eve-evolved-five-years-of-eve-evolved/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/21/eve-evolved-five-years-of-eve-evolved/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
About five years ago, on April 27th, 2008, I joined the Massively team and wrote the very first issue of the EVE Evolved column. Five years later, the column is still going strong and delivering its weekly dose of EVE Online to thousands of readers. I used to worry about running out of ideas to write about, but regular game updates and hilarious player shenanigans mean there's always something interesting going on in New Eden. When EVE hits its 10th anniversary in May, this column will have been running for just over half of the game's lifetime. In that time, I've written over 250 in-depth articles, guides, in-game stories and opinion pieces on EVE Online and a few on DUST 514.

As usual, I'll be celebrating this anniversary by rounding up this year's column highlights and giving away two 30-day Pilot's License Extensions to two lucky readers. To enter the competition, write a comment explaining which EVE Evolved articles from this year you liked best and what topics you'd like to see covered in the coming year. You will need an active EVE account to claim the prize, so be sure to include your character name in your comment if you want to be in with a chance. If you'd rather not give out your character name or don't have an EVE account but would like to give the game a go, you can sign up a new trial account and use the name of your new character.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look back at the highlights from the column's fifth year!

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Five years of EVE Evolved

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Five years of EVE Evolved originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetanniversaryapocryphaasakaibaitingbounty-hunterbounty-huntingccpccp-gamesconsolecrimewatchcruisersdecadedustdust-514eoneveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexpansionsexplorationfeaturedfive-year-anniversaryfive-yearsfpsfrigatesgame-designguideguideshistoryhulkinfernolowsecmmofpsnyphurodysseyopinionopinion-piecepiracyplaystationplaystation-3ps3pvepvpretributionrisk-vs-rewardsandboxsci-fiship-fittingship-fittingsship-setupsshooterspeculationstoriesstorystorytellingthe-battle-for-caldari-primewormholewormholesSun, 21 Apr 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Game of Thrones, MUDs, and the perfect quest text]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/mmo-blender-game-of-thrones-muds-and-the-perfect-quest-text/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/mmo-blender-game-of-thrones-muds-and-the-perfect-quest-text/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/19/mmo-blender-game-of-thrones-muds-and-the-perfect-quest-text/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Game of Thrones Ascent screenshot
Nothing seems to suck me into a game more than a good story. The brilliant thing is that the story doesn't have to be complicated or intense as long as it's original and easy to follow. I want characters to meet, locations to discover. I need to immerse myself into a story more than I need to raise a level or obtain powerful loot. In this edition of MMO Blender, I wanted to use three main games as prime examples of systems that, when combined together in some form, would deliver the best story-driven experience I can imagine.

There are several factors to consider: story, movement, character, and interaction. I want to use War of Dragons as an example of movement in a mostly text environment, Gemstone IV for character and interaction, and Game of Thrones Ascent for story. Hopefully, when I am done, I'll have convinced someone to give me a few million dollars to create this dream MMO.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Game of Thrones, MUDs, and the perfect quest text

MassivelyMMO Blender: Game of Thrones, MUDs, and the perfect quest text originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armchair-game-designbeau-hindmanbrowserfavorite-mmofeaturedgame-designgame-mechanicsgame-of-thronesgame-of-thrones-ascentgemstone-ivmechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologymudopiniontext-basedwar-of-dragonsFri, 19 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott clarifies his 'most game designers really just suck' statements]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/richard-garriott-clarifies-his-most-game-designers-really-just/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/richard-garriott-clarifies-his-most-game-designers-really-just/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/21/richard-garriott-clarifies-his-most-game-designers-really-just/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Richard Garriott addresses '
Richard Garriott made some serious waves yesterday with some fairly inflammatory statements in an interview with PC Gamer. Citing a few exceptions like Chris Roberts, Garriott said, "I've met virtually no one in our industry who I think is close to as good a game designer as I am. I'm not saying that because I think I'm so brilliant. What I'm saying is, I think most game designers really just suck, and I think there's a reason why."

This statement, and others like it that were delivered in the interview, caused no small amount of backlash. Today, Garriott posted a response (titled Words taken out of context) in an attempt to "clarify" his words. He cites a lack of context and "broader real time discussion" for the simplification and inaccurate representations of his statements. "By no means," he says, "did I intend to disparage others who have led the many great games of each era in gaming history." He then went on to re-tread some of his ideas about the difficulty about being a designer versus being an artist or programmer. "Sadly," he concludes, "I really do think that most people who get into design roles on a team have no more skills at design than the programmers and artists."

Lest we do him the disservice of taking his words out of context, you can read his full rebuttal at the Portalarium website.

MassivelyRichard Garriott clarifies his 'most game designers really just suck' statements originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>competition-is-harddesigndeverlopers-suckgame-designgame-designersgame-industrylord-britishmmo-industryrichard-garriottThu, 21 Mar 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Garriott: 'I think most game designers really just suck']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/20/garriott-i-think-most-game-designers-really-just-suck/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/20/garriott-i-think-most-game-designers-really-just-suck/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/20/garriott-i-think-most-game-designers-really-just-suck/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Shroud of the Avatar - Hopefully it won't suck
Richard Garriott has some harsh words and a bit of tough love for game design professionals in a new interview at PC Gamer. Lord British, more visible in the press these days as a result of his successful Shroud of the Avatar Kickstarter project, sat down with the mag to talk at length about what ails gaming and who he thinks is capable of doing something about it.

"I think there's really very few great game designers," Garriott says. "I think Chris Roberts is one of them, Will Wright's another, Peter Molyneux is another. They clearly exist, but on the whole, I think that the design talent in our industry is dramatically lower than we need, as an industry. It's a very hard skill to learn."

Garriott cites a lack of education and a lack of extra-design skills as problems plaguing many designers and the industry at large.
If you're not a good artist and not a good programmer, but you still like games, you become a designer, if you follow me.

You get into Q&A and often design. And the most valuable part of creating a game is the design, which the programmers are technically executing. And they'd be happy to just execute some of them. But in my mind, most artists and programmers are just as much of gamers as the designers, and I usually find in my history that the artists and programmers are, in fact, as good of designers as the designers. They're often better, because they understand the technology or the art.

So we're leaning on a lot of designers who get that job because they're not qualified for the other jobs, rather than that they are really strongly qualified as a designer. It's really hard to go to school to be a good designer."

MassivelyGarriott: 'I think most game designers really just suck' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>designdevelopers-suckgame-designgame-designers-suckgame-industryinterviewlord-britishlord-british-thinks-game-designers-suckmmo-industryrichard-garriottshroud-of-the-avatarWed, 20 Mar 2013 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: New Ancillary Armor Repairers aren't up to the task]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/24/eve-evolved-new-ancillary-armor-repairers-arent-up-to-the-task/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/24/eve-evolved-new-ancillary-armor-repairers-arent-up-to-the-task/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/24/eve-evolved-new-ancillary-armor-repairers-arent-up-to-the-task/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
EVE Online's Retribution 1.1 patch went live this week, overhauling armour tanking and rebalancing some ships that traditionally fit armour tanks. Last week I looked at why people usually choose passive buffer tanks for PvP over active tanks and how the Ancillary Shield Boosters changed all that by giving shield users a huge free burst tank that can often outperform a front-loaded buffer tank. The new Ancillary Armor Repairers look similarly amazing on paper with their ability to consume nanite repair paste to triple repair output, but how do they stack up against their shield-based counterparts?

Now that the patch is out and I've finally got my hands on the Ancillary Armor Repairers, I'm not sure they're any good. They're limited to one per ship even though most active armour tanking ships use dual or triple repairer setups, and they can run for only eight repair cycles before running out of paste. They're also only 68.75% more effective than tech 2 repairers and still require the same amount of capacitor. Ancillary Shield Boosters may provide a slightly smaller 63.33% repair boost over tech 2 boosters, but they can cycle at double the rate of Ancillary Armor Repairers and don't require any capacitor.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at what makes Ancillary Shield Boosters a strong contender in PvP and show that the new Ancillary Armor Repairers just aren't up to the task.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: New Ancillary Armor Repairers aren't up to the task

MassivelyEVE Evolved: New Ancillary Armor Repairers aren't up to the task originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Feb 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultima Forever wants you to learn about yourself
Mythic Lead Designer Kate Flack has an interesting interview up on Gamasutra about her experiences with developing MUDs and how she's rejecting the industry standard when it comes to crafting Ultima Forever (legal disclaimer: This online multiplayer title is not an MMO, but hey, it's online Ultima so shh.).

Flack says that because most MMOs are based on a DikuMUD standard, they all more or less play the same. She says that there's a freedom to starting from a different standard and developing from there: "It's a way of playing that doesn't necessarily have the same assumptions underlying them. It gives you a breadth of background and heritage that you can pull from. Just because it's always been done that way doesn't mean I have to do it the same way."

Part of this design shift is in asking "sophisticated questions about ethics" to players, which is a vital part of the Ultima franchise. Flack says that Ultima Forever will be more nuanced and involve tough choices that will make a personal impact on gamers: "I want to make you stop, think, and go, 'Huh!' and then learn about yourself, because games can do that."

MassivelyUltima Forever wants you to learn about yourself originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaelectronic-artsfantasygame-designkate-flacklord-britishmobilemudmythicmythic-entertainmentsandboxultimaultima onlineultima-foreverultima-online-2UltimaOnlineuouo2Fri, 08 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Bring on the big expansions!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/20/eve-evolved-bring-on-the-big-expansions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/20/eve-evolved-bring-on-the-big-expansions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/20/eve-evolved-bring-on-the-big-expansions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
I don't normally jump out of my seat shouting "hell yes!" to an EVE Online dev blog, but this week's announcement on the direction of future expansions has me a little bit excited. In two somewhat dry and lengthy posts, Executive Producer Jon Lander and Senior Producer CCP Seagull detailed the approach they intend to take to ongoing development in 2013. Instead of announcing any big headline features or making vague promises, the developers looked back at the success of 2009's blockbuster Apocrypha expansion.

Apocrypha was hands-down the best expansion EVE has ever had, adding 2500 hidden solar systems accessible only through shifting unstable wormholes. We saw a renaissance of exploration, collaborative research, and colonisation efforts that defied EVE's war-like reputation, and moreover, we saw a rebirth of small-scale PvP. The magic sauce that made Apocrypha work was lateral design: Rather than add one massive vertical feature, the expansion offered a little something for everyone. Apocrypha was EVE at its best, and hearing that developers are going back to that style of expansion honestly makes me a little giddy!

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the future for EVE's expansions, why the Apocrypha model works, and why I'm optimistic for 2013 and beyond.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Bring on the big expansions!

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Bring on the big expansions! originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaccpccp-gamesccp-seagullccp-soundwaveccp-unifexcrucibledominioneveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionsfantasyfeaturedgame-designgame-developmentincarnaincursioninfernojon-landeropinionretributionsandboxsci-fityranniswodworld-of-darknesswormholesSun, 20 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Mike's spaceflight of fancy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/21/mmo-blender-mikes-spaceflight-of-fancy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/21/mmo-blender-mikes-spaceflight-of-fancy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/21/mmo-blender-mikes-spaceflight-of-fancy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

MMO Blender
You know what I love? Space. Not real space, so much; real space is a vast expanse of horrors that generally confound and cripple the mind if considered too seriously. I'm talking about "space," as in the setting of some of our favorite movies, games, and cancelled television properties.

The problem with space, of course, is that it is a setting and not a story. You can't prime an audience by simply shouting, "Space!" The space needs context. Is it "final frontier" space? Is it the space in which your screams go unheard? The greatest space tales have always used the deep black as a backdrop, not a subject.

My perfect MMO would almost certainly take place in space, but the way in which the space is used is what makes it worth playing.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Mike's spaceflight of fancy

MassivelyMMO Blender: Mike's spaceflight of fancy originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Dec 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Of course, it would still likely be smothered by waves of people stating how tiring fantasy is at this point. So maybe it's not worth bothering.
Fantasy, at this point, is almost tragically boring.

That seems like a contradiction in terms. A fantasy setting is supposed to be fantastic by its very definition; you should be surrounded by neat and astonishing things at every term, immersed in a rich and baffling setting where magic is a valid explanation for almost everything. Unfortunately, we've seen so many versions of the same old fantasy setting that it's become boring. It's another round of the same elements with slightly different names, and while you can give them floppy ears and call them Asurans, they're still just gnomes with better public relations.

So let's stick a fork in it and say we're done... or maybe not. There's some fantasy out there that could be collected into an interesting state, I think, something a bit further afield of the bog-standard elves and humans and dwarves dealing with dragons and whatever else. So let's mash this stuff up in a blender and see if we can't come up with some fantastic fantasy again.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Eliot ponders a fantastical fantasy

MassivelyMMO Blender: Eliot ponders a fantastical fantasy originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Dec 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ambiancearmchair-game-designemotionepicfantasyfantasy-genrefavorite-mmofeaturedfeelgame-designgame-mechanicsmechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologyopinionsettingFri, 07 Dec 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What degree best suits an MMO developer?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/the-daily-grind-what-degree-best-suits-an-mmo-developer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/the-daily-grind-what-degree-best-suits-an-mmo-developer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/the-daily-grind-what-degree-best-suits-an-mmo-developer/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

They're talking about Daniel Erickson (SWTOR) and Greg Street (WoW)
Until relatively recently, the idea of a degree in game development seemed bizarre. That means that most of today's industry vets didn't start out planning to make games their career. You might expect programming degrees, art degrees, management degrees, creative writing degrees... but you're likely to find stranger degrees by far, marine biology and ancient history among them. That's even true in games journalism. Massively is staffed by pilots, farmers, historians, claims adjusters, clergymen, artists, salesmen, ex-military, radio announcers, teachers, musicians, and yes, even some full-time writers and editors. It's a weird place, and that diversity widens our perspective.

Raph Koster of Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies fame recommends that budding game developers acquire a broad education, not necessarily a specialized game design degree. Learn to program, draw, and write, he says, but "don't choose a narrow education. Choose a broad one. History, economics, psychology, art, science. A classic liberal arts education is the best training for a designer."

What do you think -- what degree best suits an MMO developer?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What degree best suits an MMO developer? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Nov 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgcollegedaily-grinddegreegame-designgame-design-degreeliberal-arts-degreeopinionraph-kostertdgthe-daily-grindFri, 30 Nov 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The trinity isn't so bad]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/27/the-soapbox-the-trinity-isnt-so-bad/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/27/the-soapbox-the-trinity-isnt-so-bad/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/27/the-soapbox-the-trinity-isnt-so-bad/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

You go on ahead. We'll wait here to see what eats you.
The role trinity in MMOs has gotten a pretty hard drubbing over the last two years or so. Ask a lot of people with knee-jerk responses and they'll tell you that it's what's killing MMOs. Well, unless they tell you that tab-targeting is killing MMOs. Or themeparks. Or free-to-play. Or World of Warcraft or Star Wars: The Old Republic or subscription fees or lack of housing, or...

All right, so there are people quick to announce the death of MMOs based on pretty much any feature that the announcer dislikes. But the trinity has still been falling out of vogue with players. Guild Wars 2 even made a selling point out of the fact that it didn't have a proper trinity, instead having a series of roles that no one seems entirely clear on. There's a very consistent idea floating around that a game based on the standard trifecta is in some way flawed or not trying hard enough.

Except that the trinity isn't a bad thing. Tank, healer, and DPS is not a model that's lacking in some crucial area. And it deserves a bit more appreciation than it gets.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The trinity isn't so bad

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The trinity isn't so bad originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>designdesign-elementseditorialfeaturedgame-designgame-mechanicsgroup-mechanicsholy-trinityop-edopinionoverall-mechanicsrantrantsrole-trinitysoapboxthe-soapboxthe-trinitytrinityTue, 27 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: How would you build a sandbox?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/18/eve-evolved-how-would-you-build-a-sandbox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/18/eve-evolved-how-would-you-build-a-sandbox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/18/eve-evolved-how-would-you-build-a-sandbox/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
Themepark MMOs and single-player games have long dominated the gaming landscape, a trend that currently seems to be giving way to a resurgence of sandbox titles. Though games like Fallout and the Elder Scrolls series have always championed sandbox gameplay, very few publishers seem willing to throw their weight behind open-world sci-fi games. Space simulator Elite was arguably the first open-world game in 1984, and EVE Online is currently closing in on a decade of runaway success, yet the gaming public's obsession with space exploration has remained relatively unsatisfied for years.

Crowdsourced funding now allows gamers to cut the publishers out of the picture and fund game development directly. Space sandbox game Star Citizen is due to close up its crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter tomorrow night, adding over $1.6 million US to its privately crowdfunded $2.7 million. The creator of Elite has also launched his own campaign to fund a sequel, and even the practically vapourware sandbox MMO Infinity has announced plans to launch a campaign. While not all of these games will be MMOs, it may not be long before EVE Online has some serious competition. EVE can't really change much of its fundamental gameplay, but these new games are being built from scratch and can change all the rules. If you were making a new sandbox MMO from the ground up and could change anything at all, what would you do?

In this week's EVE Evolved, I consider how I'd build a sandbox MMO from the ground up, what I'd take from EVE Online, and what I would change.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: How would you build a sandbox?

MassivelyEVE Evolved: How would you build a sandbox? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Nov 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaasteroidccpccp-gameseliteelite-dangerousemergenceemergent-gameplayeveeve-evolvedeve-onlinefactoryfeaturedfrontiergalaxygame-designgame-developmentminingplayer-ownedplayer-owned-housingplayer-owned-starbaseplayer-owned-stationsandboxsci-fishardshardlessshipyardsingle-shardstar-citizenstarbasestargatestargatesSun, 18 Nov 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Beyond Shawn's Thunderdome]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/mmo-blender-beyond-shawns-thunderdome/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/mmo-blender-beyond-shawns-thunderdome/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/mmo-blender-beyond-shawns-thunderdome/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

MMO Blender Beyond Shawn's Thunderdome
If there's one thing I've noticed about these MMO Blender articles, it's that the Massively staff members seem to really like their sandboxes. Maybe it's not even so much a staff preference as it is a statement about where we all are as MMO players. Themeparks have been done and have been perfected, but many of us want to stretch the limitations of a truly persistent and open online world.

At least that's what I'd like to think. It's an ideal situation I can dream about, but do we all really want a truly open world with limitless possibilities? What would we do with so few rules?

My perfect MMO has what I'd consider to be the best of all worlds. The trick is, of course, getting it all to work in one game.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Beyond Shawn's Thunderdome

MassivelyMMO Blender: Beyond Shawn's Thunderdome originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-tale-in-the-desertaction-mmoarmchair-game-designatitdbiowareeaegenesisegyptelectronic-artsf2pfallen-earthfantasyfavorite-mmofefeaturedfree-to-playg1game-designgame-mechanicsgamersfirsthistoricallucasartsmad-maxmechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologymythologynexonnexon-americanexon-entertainmentopinionpost-apocpost-apocalypticsandboxsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feeswtortaletellingthe-old-republictorvindictuswastelandsFri, 16 Nov 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Larry's anti-power-creep MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/09/mmo-blender-larrys-anti-power-creep-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/09/mmo-blender-larrys-anti-power-creep-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/09/mmo-blender-larrys-anti-power-creep-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

MMO Blender Larry's no power creep MMO
On Tuesday, I suggested ways to get rid of power creep in MMOs. You know power creep: the constant treadmill of stats that keep getting better and strong but ultimately start to feel like more of a grind? It's very annoying to long-term players, and I'd imagine that it's frustrating to game designers because it's time and talent wasted when game content is no longer useful to anyone.

In my quest to find the ultimate MMO, I have searched for game elements that reduce the amount of power creep but still come together to support a themepark game. Let's be honest: Sandbox games might suffer power creep, but because most sandboxes are skill-based, that power creep is not as prevalent or can easily be mitigated by tweaking classes. But themeparks are linear by design, and to remain fun, they have to retain part of that linear quality. Progression and continually racking up numbers and achievements is enjoyable to a large number of MMO players, otherwise it would be games like Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies dominating the market, not World of Warcraft.

Believe it or not, there are online games that have done a tremendous job of trying to defeat power creep, but unfortunately, they do not exist as one game... until now in my Anti-Power-Creep MMO!

Continue reading MMO Blender: Larry's anti-power-creep MMO

MassivelyMMO Blender: Larry's anti-power-creep MMO originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Nov 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetarmchair-game-designbiowarecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohconquestcovcoxdotae-sporteaelectronic-artsendgame-treadmillesportf2pfantasyfavorite-mmofeaturedfree-to-playfreedomgame-designgame-mechanicsguild-wars-2gw2leagueleague-of-legendslollucasartsmechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologymobancsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiospower-creeppvpriftrift-literift-planes-of-telarariotriot-gamesrvrsci-fistar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsubsubscription-feesuperherosuperheroesswtorthe-old-republicthree-faction-pvpthree-way-pvptortreadmilltriontrion-worldsFri, 09 Nov 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Eliot's rock odyssey]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/02/mmo-blender-eliots-rock-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/02/mmo-blender-eliots-rock-odyssey/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/02/mmo-blender-eliots-rock-odyssey/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

First person to mention Black Heaven in the comments gets a cookie. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, look it up.
I'm upset with bards in MMOs.

Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that they exist. But every single game that features bards uses them wrong. The bard is always a back-line character, someone who sits in the back and heals people through gently strumming on a lute. And that depresses me, because I want to see some bards that actually rock. I want to see some music used offensively. I want to have the option of making my bard kill things through careful use of sweet riffs.

You can say it sounds ridiculous, but tell me that it's somehow more ridiculous than having a bard heal you via magical singing and I will call you a liar.

So let's go for it. Let's dedicate an entire MMO to bards who aren't about muzak and nurturing new age songs, but bards that are going to defeat things through the unmitigated power of rock. My only regret is that this is a week too late for Rocktober.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Eliot's rock odyssey

MassivelyMMO Blender: Eliot's rock odyssey originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetarmchair-game-designbardscity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohconsoleconsolescovcoxf2pfactionfantasyfavorite-mmofeaturedffff14ffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivfree-to-playfreedomfuncomgame-designgame-mechanicsguild-wars-2gw2horrorlinuxmacmechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologymusicmusical-genresmusical-stylesmythologyncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiospcrockryzomsandboxsci-fantasysci-fisecret-worldskill-basedsquaresquare-enixsuperherosuperheroesthe-secret-worldtswwinch-gatewinch-gate-property-limitedwinch-gate-property-lldwinchgateFri, 02 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Jef's SWG/Star Citizen mashup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/26/mmo-blender-jefs-swg-star-citizen-mashup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/26/mmo-blender-jefs-swg-star-citizen-mashup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/26/mmo-blender-jefs-swg-star-citizen-mashup/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

MMO Blender: Jef's SWG/Star Citizen mashup
Thus far I've managed to keep my nose out of Massively's MMO Blender column. This is primarily because I don't need 1000 words to describe the ideal MMORPG when a short phrase like "Star Wars Galaxies minus the IP" basically sums everything up.

That said, something happened a couple of weeks ago that caused me to expand on this idea. Chris Roberts returned to the ranks of gamemakers, and when he announced his Star Citizen multiplayer title (which I desperately hope he renames, incidentally), it set in motion an MMO flight of fancy that I would love to experience.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Jef's SWG/Star Citizen mashup

MassivelyMMO Blender: Jef's SWG/Star Citizen mashup originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armchair-game-designchris-robertsclassic-mmoeconomyfavorite-mmofeaturedgalaxiesgame-designgame-mechanicsjedi-suckmechanicsmission-generatormmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologymmo-storyopinionplayer-generated-contentsandboxsci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentspace-simstar-citizenstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-galaxies-minus-the-ipstar-wars-galaxies-without-the-ipstorytellerswgswg-minus-the-ipswg-without-the-ipswgouser-generated-contentFri, 26 Oct 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: A real-time Farmville MMO minus the Zynga]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/19/mmo-blender-a-real-time-farmville-mmo-minus-the-zynga/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/19/mmo-blender-a-real-time-farmville-mmo-minus-the-zynga/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/19/mmo-blender-a-real-time-farmville-mmo-minus-the-zynga/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

FarmVille screenshot
Let's talk about FarmVille for a minute. Yes, I mean the Zynga-produced FarmVille, the one that helped social gaming become what it is today. There are a lot of things that have been said about the game, like "it's not even a game" or "it preys on gamer's addictive natures" and all sorts of sufficiently evil-sounding things. Say what you want about the evil monster that is Zynga and make all the jokes that you can about FarmVille and other social titles, but I want to tackle it from a different view. Let's look at it as the sandbox game that it is and use that example to invent a brand-new MMO, although I'm sure ours would not meet with even a fraction of the success that FarmVille has.

FarmVille is arguably the most popular sandbox title in the world. We've defined "sandbox" a million times on this site, but it's easy to see just how open and flexible FarmVille is. Is it limited to the confines of its unique set of tools and designs? Of course, but so is every sandbox.

FarmVille has successfully introduced the wonders of sandbox gaming to people who might never give a similarly described game a chance.

Continue reading MMO Blender: A real-time Farmville MMO minus the Zynga

MassivelyMMO Blender: A real-time Farmville MMO minus the Zynga originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armchair-game-designbeau-hindmanEnergyenergy-mechanicseverquestfacebookfarmingFarmVillefavorite-mmofeaturedgame-designgame-mechanicsmechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologyopinionsocial-gamingsocial-networkSOESony-Online-Entertainmentwurm-onlineZyngaFri, 19 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Eliot swings for internet spaceships]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/12/mmo-blender-eliot-swings-for-internet-spaceships/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/12/mmo-blender-eliot-swings-for-internet-spaceships/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/12/mmo-blender-eliot-swings-for-internet-spaceships/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

This looks like a game I would like. It is the exact opposite.
Honestly, EVE Online always depresses me.

I know some of you really love the heck out of EVE Online, and that's great. The problem isn't that the game is bad but that it's a game which holds basically zero interest for me except for the fact that it's a game about spaceships that you play on the internet. That part interests me because it's almost a textbook description of the things that I find interesting. Throw in some giant robots and psychological horror and I'm completely sold. Move on to open PvP, corporate warfare, and shuffling through spreadsheets while playing the ore market, and you've lost my interest.

This isn't a lamentation on the fact that games exist that aren't meant to please me. No, this is a lamentation of the fact that I want another internet spaceships game. I want my spaceships on the internet, but I want them to be my kind of spaceships. And so with all due respect to the existing contenders, I'd like to talk about my version.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Eliot swings for internet spaceships

MassivelyMMO Blender: Eliot swings for internet spaceships originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armchair-game-designcity-of-heroescoheveeve-onlinefavorite-mmofeaturedffxivgadgetsgame-designgame-mechanicsGuild-Wars-2gw2internet-spaceshipsmechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologyopinionriftscience-fictionspaceshipsstar-trek-onlinestoFri, 12 Oct 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Own your game's mistakes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/02/the-soapbox-own-your-games-mistakes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/02/the-soapbox-own-your-games-mistakes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/02/the-soapbox-own-your-games-mistakes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

There's no huge monster there. We're good.
To the developers of the MMO industry, I say this to you: Your game has some pretty big issues.

No, stop. Don't go consult the PR team. Don't talk with the community managers. Don't spend time explaining why those issues aren't really issues. Just say it with me. Your game has some pretty big issues. I don't care what game you call your own; it's still replete with issues, including ones that by all rights should have been fixed months ago. Just say that with me, and then possibly follow it with a "sorry."

There. That wasn't so bad, was it? Kind of liberating, actually. There's a lot to be said for owning up to the failures of your game and admitting that some things are just plain wrong. I can think of great reasons to just take a deep breath, eat crow, and just say that part of your game is a mess.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Own your game's mistakes

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Own your game's mistakes originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugsculturedesigneditorialfeaturedgame-designmistakesoopsop-edopen-letteropinionpoor-choicesrantrantssoapboxthe-soapboxTue, 02 Oct 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Eliot's online brother from an offline mother]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/28/mmo-blender-eliots-online-brother-from-an-offline-mother/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/28/mmo-blender-eliots-online-brother-from-an-offline-mother/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/28/mmo-blender-eliots-online-brother-from-an-offline-mother/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

No, more online than that.
We don't need to go online to have a good time, oh no.

Obviously Massively's writers like us some online games. I am no exception to the rule. But I also started playing video games back when the internet existed only in its most nascent form. I started out by liking video games, period, and the online component came much later, with a lot of benefits, to be sure, but I still love some offline action just as well.

I don't feel the need to bring every game into the online arena. There are games that just don't work as well in a multiplayer environment. But there are also a lot of offline games that translate quite well to an online space, and I'm not just talking about ones that play like MMORPGs stripped of the first three letters. Today's MMO Blender is taking inspiration only from games that do not have a primary online component. Let's see about making a nice big MMO from single-player offline offerings.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Eliot's online brother from an offline mother

MassivelyMMO Blender: Eliot's online brother from an offline mother originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armchair-game-designfavorite-mmofeaturedgame-designgame-mechanicsmashupmechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologyoffline-gamesoffline-to-onlineopinionremixsingle-player-gamesFri, 28 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Diablo III's endgame is fundamentally flawed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/25/the-soapbox-diablo-iiis-endgame-is-fundamentally-flawed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/25/the-soapbox-diablo-iiis-endgame-is-fundamentally-flawed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/25/the-soapbox-diablo-iiis-endgame-is-fundamentally-flawed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

The Soapbox title image
Diablo III was arguably the biggest online game release of the year, but its predecessor's decade of consistent popularity left some pretty big shoes to fill. Despite being the most pre-ordered PC game in history and selling more than 6.3 million units in its first week, Diablo III has started to seriously wane in popularity. I've seen over a dozen friends stop playing completely in the last few months, and Xfire's usage stats for D3 have dropped by around 90% since June. Guild Wars 2's timely release accounts for some of the drop, but there's a lot more going on than just competition.

The Diablo III beta showed only the first few levels and part of the game's highly polished first act, and soon after release it became obvious that parts of the game weren't exactly finished. PvP was cut from release, the Auction House was a mess, and Inferno difficulty was a poor excuse for an endgame. Poor itemisation made the carrot on the end of the stick taste sour, and the runaway inflation on top-end items is crying out for some kind of ladder reset mechanic. But there is hope for improvement, with new legendary items, the Paragon level system, and the upcoming Uber boss mechanic taking a few steps in the right direction.

In this opinion piece, I look at some of the fundamental flaws in Diablo III's endgame and suggest a few improvements that would make a world of difference.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Diablo III's endgame is fundamentally flawed

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Diablo III's endgame is fundamentally flawed originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIFT Sanctum creenshot
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

MassivelyMMO 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armchair-game-designbeau-hindmaneverquestfavorite-mmofeaturedgame-designgame-mechanicsGuild-Wars-2Immersionimmersion-rulesimmersivemechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologyMythic-Entertainmentopinionriftrolf-janssonRyzomSandboxSOESONYSony-Online-EntertainmenttrekkingtrionUltima-Onlinewurm-onlineFri, 14 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Has EVE Online boxed itself in?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/eve-evolved-has-eve-online-boxed-itself-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/eve-evolved-has-eve-online-boxed-itself-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/eve-evolved-has-eve-online-boxed-itself-in/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
When I was first introduced to EVE Online in 2004, it was an empty shell of a game. There were only three classes of ship, no alliances or starbases, and neither exploration complexes nor level 4 missions existed yet. EVE consisted of 5,000 systems of almost completely empty space populated by less than 50,000 players. The user interface was an order of magnitude worse than it is today (if you can imagine that), and the tutorial just dropped you in the middle of space with the ship equivalent of a pea shooter and a less-than-enthusiastic "good luck!"

Though much of the game was empty, it sat before players like a blank galactic canvas. Not only could players paint their own stories into the game world, but EVE's highly active development team was updating the game at lightning speed. Players instinctively filled the voids in the game with their hopes and dreams, projecting all the things that EVE could be into the gaps. People shared ideas on the forum directly with the developers, and practically anything was possible. Things aren't quite the same today, as new ideas have to be compatible with over nine years' worth of updates, and developer CCP Games really can't afford to rock the boat and potentially lose subscriptions.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I consider whether the past nine years of development has boxed EVE in, forcing the gameplay down an ever-narrowing branch of choices.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Has EVE Online boxed itself in?

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Has EVE Online boxed itself in? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaboxed-incastorccpccp-gamesconsolecrucibledominiondustdust-514emptyempty-spaceeveeve-evolvedeve-onlineexpansionexpansionsfantasyfeaturedfpsgame-designgame-developmentgothichorrorincarnaincursioninfernoinnovationlife-cyclemmo-life-cyclemmofpsnyphuropinionpatchpatchesplaystationplaystation-3potentialps3revelationssandboxsci-fishootersupernaturaltyrannisvampireswhite-wolfwodworld-of-darknessSun, 09 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Karen's kid-friendly game with grown-up appeal]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/07/mmo-blender-karens-kid-friendly-game-with-grown-up-appeal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/07/mmo-blender-karens-kid-friendly-game-with-grown-up-appeal/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/07/mmo-blender-karens-kid-friendly-game-with-grown-up-appeal/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

MMO Blender A kidfriendly game with grownup appeal
I regularly explore the good, bad, and the ugly in kid-friendly MMOs, so I was eager to have a turn with the MMO Blender to see if I could concoct a game that would be appealing for kids but also have some features that should be standard in grown-up MMOs as well. There are a lot of MMOs out there that are aimed at a young audience, but I think the industry sometimes holds back and opts to make a game that's safe. The result of going safe, though, is that it's also not that compelling. Let's take a look at a few features that would make a (nearly) perfect kid-friendly MMO, one that might even be appealing to adults.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Karen's kid-friendly game with grown-up appeal

MassivelyMMO Blender: Karen's kid-friendly game with grown-up appeal originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armchair-game-designbiowareClone-Wars-Adventurescwaeq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iifavorite-mmofeaturedfree-realmsgame-designgame-mechanicskingsislemechanicsminecraftmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologyopinionpirate101robloxswtorwizard101Fri, 07 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Mog Log: Lessons from Guild Wars 2 for Final Fantasy XIV]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/the-mog-log-lessons-from-guild-wars-2-for-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/the-mog-log-lessons-from-guild-wars-2-for-final-fantasy-xiv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/the-mog-log-lessons-from-guild-wars-2-for-final-fantasy-xiv/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Mog Log header by A. Fienemann
If you read all of the columns I write in a given week, then I believe that you're a wholly fictional creature. But beyond that, you'll remember that my Wednesday column was all about the systems that City of Heroes could comfortably borrow from Guild Wars 2. You may also be expecting the same sort of column here. That is definitely not the case.

For starters, neither Final Fantasy XI nor Final Fantasy XIV is in a state where it can borrow anything. The former is set in its ways, and the latter has a major update around the corner that makes suggestions about mechanics pretty suspect. Furthermore, neither game is really into the whole "borrowing" routine, preferring instead to reverse-engineer a concept into some bizarre reinvention of the wheel that makes both games at once wonderful and incomprehensible.

No, today I'm looking not at mechanics but at lessons for Final Fantasy XIV. The game is going to be relaunching soon, and that's when Naoki Yoshida's core principles will really be put to the test. And as the development team puts the final touches on the game, I think there are a few things to be garnered from the design of Guild Wars 2 that might nudge development around a touch.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Lessons from Guild Wars 2 for Final Fantasy XIV

MassivelyThe Mog Log: Lessons from Guild Wars 2 for Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetconsoleconsolesdesignfantasyfeaturedffff14ffxivffxiv-version-2.0final-fantasyfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivgame-designguild-wars-2gw2mog-lognaoki-yoshidancsoftnew-titlesopinionsquaresquare-enixsquenixthe-mog-logSat, 01 Sep 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Eliot's Copernican dream]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/mmo-blender-eliots-copernican-dream/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/mmo-blender-eliots-copernican-dream/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/mmo-blender-eliots-copernican-dream/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Whoops, that was apparently the place I lived. Well, spilled milk.
When I tried Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning for the first time, I fell in love. Not with the story, and not with the art, but with several elements of the actual game itself. The idea of having all of that brought into the MMO space filled me with a lot of excitement, but I had a feeling that we'd never actually see it come to pass.

For those of you who missed out on what happened with 38 Studios, possibly because you read the internet on some bizarre time-lapse system, here's the deal: We're never going to see Project Copernicus come to pass. Oh, sure, we might wind up with something that vaguely resembles that game, but odds are low. More likely the franchise is going to be sold off by the state of Rhode Island for a pittance, and if the game ever resumes production, it'll bear only the faintest traces of its origins -- some art assets and little else.

I'm not shedding tears over the world, though. In fact, I'm not going to shed tears at all because I think there's something to be built upon from the ideas of that single-player game, ideas that could make for an excellent MMO. And like any good gestalt, it reaches out to be something much more than the sum of its parts.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Eliot's Copernican dream

MassivelyMMO Blender: Eliot's Copernican dream originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>38-studiosarmchair-game-designcancelled-titlesfavorite-mmofeaturedff14ffxivfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivgame-designgame-mechanicsguild-wars-2gw2hypothetical-titleskingdoms-of-amalurkoamechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologyopinionproject-copernicusriftryzomsaga-of-ryzomstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorwarwarhammer-onlineFri, 31 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Larry's roleplay sandbox]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/mmo-blender-larrys-roleplay-sandbox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/mmo-blender-larrys-roleplay-sandbox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/17/mmo-blender-larrys-roleplay-sandbox/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

MMO Blender Larry's roleplay sandbox
I can't say that I represent every roleplayer in the MMO space, but I have been a part of MMO roleplay communities going on eight years now. I think it's safe to say that I have a pretty good handle on what roleplayers want out of MMOs. Fortunately, there are existing game designs that can give us what we are looking for.

When developers stop giving roleplayers new content, we -- unlike other gamers -- start to create our own. In fact, the vast majority of us don't rely on the game developers to give us any story content beyond the backdrop of the world our characters are living in, but that's not to say there aren't tools developers can give us that help with our level of immersion. Let's explore what makes a great sandbox for an MMO roleplayer.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Larry's roleplay sandbox

MassivelyMMO Blender: Larry's roleplay sandbox originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Aug 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>above-and-beyond-technologiesanetarenanetarmchair-game-designbiowarecity-of-heroescity-of-villainsclassic-mmocohcovcoxcrypticcryptic-studiosf2pfantasyfavorite-mmofeaturedfree-to-playgalaxiesgame-designgame-mechanicsguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw2hero-enginelarry-everettmechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologyncsoftNeverwinter-Nightsopinionparagonparagon-studiosperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpwerepopulationroleplayroleplayerRolePlayingRPsandboxsci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentstar-trekstar-trek-mmostar-trek-onlinestar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesstosuperherosuperheroesswgswgothe-repopulationFri, 17 Aug 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Europe 2012: Designer says American gamers can't handle failure]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/15/gdc-europe-2012-designer-says-american-gamers-cant-handle-fail/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/15/gdc-europe-2012-designer-says-american-gamers-cant-handle-fail/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/15/gdc-europe-2012-designer-says-american-gamers-cant-handle-fail/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

GDC Europe 2012 Designer says American gamers can't handle failure
Game designer Don Daglow turned a few heads while participating in a GDC Europe panel this week. The industry veteran and co-designer of AOL's 1991 Neverwinter Nights MMORPG said that Americans don't deal well with failure, particularly in gaming.

"The idea of failure has been dramatically reduced," Daglow said, before going on to opine that this stems from an educational system where failure has been removed from the curriculum. He also said that many gamers blame their failures on the game itself instead of analyzing their mistakes and trying again.

MassivelyGDC Europe 2012: Designer says American gamers can't handle failure originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conconferenceconventiondesigndon-dagloweuropefailfailurefailure-as-encouragementgame-designgame-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-2012gdcgdc-2012gdc-europegdc-europe-2012Wed, 15 Aug 2012 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Eliot's superior superheroic romp]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/10/mmo-blender-eliots-superior-superheroic-romp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/10/mmo-blender-eliots-superior-superheroic-romp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/10/mmo-blender-eliots-superior-superheroic-romp/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If you're reading this and you haven't yet seen The Dark Knight Rises, really, what's your deal?
I like superheroes. So I'm not unhappy at the presence of several superheroic MMOs, but I am unhappy at how the games handle heroes. I think there's space for a game that does superheroes better than they've been done yet, one designed to be unmistakably about superheroics while still being a really great MMO. That means taking little bits and pieces from several other games and blending them into one unified whole, something that's more than the sum of its parts.

The problem is that superheroes aren't just people with powers beating up other people with powers. There's more to it than that, and there are a lot of little elements that depend entirely upon the setting. Some stories just don't work in the Marvel universe, some don't work in the DC universe, and some need a completely different setting altogether. So let's look at this from the ground up while I show you my dream superhero MMO, one that would deliver exactly what I'd like to see.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Eliot's superior superheroic romp

MassivelyMMO Blender: Eliot's superior superheroic romp originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armchair-game-designfavorite-mmofeaturedgame-designgame-mechanicsheroesmechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologyopinionsuperhero-gamessuperheroessuperheroicFri, 10 Aug 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Larry's old-school 16-bit MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/03/mmo-blender-larrys-old-school-16-bit-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/03/mmo-blender-larrys-old-school-16-bit-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/03/mmo-blender-larrys-old-school-16-bit-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

MMO Blender Larry's old school 16bit
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

MassivelyMMO 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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetarmchair-game-designbiowarebrowserbrowser-basedclassic-mmoconsoleconsolescthulhu-saves-the-worldeaelectronic-artsf2pfantasyfavorite-mmofeaturedFinal-Fantasyfrfree-realmsfree-to-playgame-designgame-mechanicsguild-wars-2gw2kid-friendlykidskids-mmolarry-everettlord-britishlucasartsmechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologymythicmythic-entertainmentncsoftNESninendonintendo-dsnintendo-entertainment-systemopinionplaystation-3playstation3ps3richard-garriottsci-fiSNESsoesony-online-entertainmentSquareSquare-Enixstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicsuper-mario-rpgsuper-metroidsuper-nintendosuper-nintendo-entertainment-systemswtorthe-legend-of-zeldathe-legend-of-zelda-a-link-to-the-pastthe-old-republictorultimaultima-ivUltima-OnlineultimaonlineuoFri, 03 Aug 2012 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Bree's big-budget sandbox]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/27/mmo-blender-brees-big-budget-sandbox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/27/mmo-blender-brees-big-budget-sandbox/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/27/mmo-blender-brees-big-budget-sandbox/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

That genie was kinda sneaky. (Credit: Disney's Aladdin)
Writing MMO Blender feels like getting three wishes from a magical lamp and having to think very, very carefully about what you ask for. You have to word it just right and ponder the consequences of each wish on the others because you just know that Genie's going to screw with you.

If I were stronger, I'd reject the wishes (here, the 1000 words) outright, knowing they're a trap, but I just can't resist a turn at this column. I want a new sandbox. A good one, not one made by gank-obsessed fanboys on a shoestring budget. I don't think sandboxes are dead; I just know it takes money to make money, and modern indie sandboxes are forgetting that rule. Fortunately, I don't need money for this column. I'll take my MMO Blender wishes and build a sandbox that's more than just a pile of sand and an empty box.

Continue reading MMO Blender: Bree's big-budget sandbox

MassivelyMMO Blender: Bree's big-budget sandbox originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acaladdinaladdins-lamparenanetarmchair-game-designasherons-callbazaarblizzardblizzard-entertainmentccpccp-gamescharacter-creationcharacter-customizationcity-of-heroesclassic-mmocohcovcraftingdisneyeconomyeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieveeve-onlineeverquest-2everquest-iifactional-pvpfavorite-mmofeaturedffa-pvpfireflygame-designgame-mechanicsgenieguild-warshousingl-e-modesittlinden-labmechanicsMicrotransactionsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologymobile-appmonarchymusic-systemncsoftoffline-levelingopen-world-housingopinionparagon-studiospgcplayer-driven-economyplayer-economyplayer-housingreclucesandboxsci-fantasysecond-lifeskill-basedsmartphonesoesony-online-entertainmentspace-operastar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgthe-saga-of-reclucetradeskillsturbinevirtual-worldwarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 27 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Adapt or die]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/22/eve-evolved-adapt-or-die/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/22/eve-evolved-adapt-or-die/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/22/eve-evolved-adapt-or-die/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
When EVE Online was first released in 2003, it sold mostly based on its future potential. Everyone I played with in those early years got into EVE in order to be on the ground floor of an awesome space game that was getting more awesome by the month. Features were undergoing continual revision, and new content was released regularly, making EVE a radically different game every six months. Players met this design strategy of continual iteration head on with an "adapt or die" attitude, and it kept the game interesting for years on end.

Fast-forward to 2011 and the story looked very different. The Dominion, Tyrannis and Incursion expansions introduced new gameplay but didn't heavily iterate on any other features. By the time Incarna released, most of EVE's gameplay and content had been the same for two years and players had nothing new to adapt to. For the Crucible and Inferno expansions, CCP finally iterated on hundreds of small features and even introduced new modules to reboot EVE's "adapt or die" PvP ship design metagame. With a lot of the small things now covered, I think some of the game's big features are due for iteration.

In this week's EVE Evolved opinion piece, I look at how EVE players adapt to new challenges and explore several areas of stale gameplay that are in dire need of iteration.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Adapt or die

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Adapt or die originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Jul 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaccpccp-gamesconsolecrucibledominiondustdust-514eveeve-evolvedeve-onlineeventeventsfeaturedfpsgame-designgroupgroup-pveincarnaincursionincursionsinfernoiskiterationlive-eventsmmofpsopinionplaystationplaystation-3professionsps3pvesandboxsanshasci-fishootersleepertakmahltalocantyranniswormholewormholesyan-jungSun, 22 Jul 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Matt's immersive cyberpunk monstrosity]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/20/mmo-blender-matts-immersive-cyberpunk-monstrosity/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/20/mmo-blender-matts-immersive-cyberpunk-monstrosity/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/20/mmo-blender-matts-immersive-cyberpunk-monstrosity/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

All right, maybe not that immersive.
Let's take a look at the acronym MMORPG for a moment. If you're reading this site, you surely know what it stands for: massively multiplayer online role-playing game. Ever since World of Warcraft hit the big-time, MMOs have been cropping up left and right in more shapes and sizes than many would have ever guessed. Swords and sorcery: check. Spreadsheets and spaceships: check. Roman orgies: coming soon.

But somewhere along the line, game developers have forgotten something. Before there were MMORPGs, there were just RPGs, played by folks gathered around the kitchen table armed with nothing more than pencils, paper, and their trusty dice. I'm not going to pretend that "I was there, man" because -- being a '90s kid -- I didn't get into pen-and-paper games until my teens in the 2000s. But even I know that those games put an emphasis on the "RP" part of RPG in a way that MMORPGs simply don't, and in some ways, can't. But I'm sure that I can't be the only one who still wants to escape to another world, to become fully immersed in that world and in my character. So in my Frankenstein's monster experiment today, I'm going to try my best to meld modern MMO features into an immersive fantasy roleplaying world. Won't you join me?

Continue reading MMO Blender: Matt's immersive cyberpunk monstrosity

MassivelyMMO Blender: Matt's immersive cyberpunk monstrosity originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinarmchair-game-designasherons-callchampions-onlineeverquest-iifavorite-mmofeaturedgame-designgame-mechanicsguild-wars-2gw2mechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologyopinionstar-wars-galaxiesterathe-matrix-onlinethe-secret-worldFri, 20 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Blender: Beau's portable, accessible, and casually immersive mashup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/13/mmo-blender-beaus-portable-accessible-and-casually-immersive/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/13/mmo-blender-beaus-portable-accessible-and-casually-immersive/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/13/mmo-blender-beaus-portable-accessible-and-casually-immersive/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Die2Nite screenshot
I've been pretty excited to take my turn at the MMO Blender wheel. Sure, we all have ideas about how we would build our dream MMOs by mixing up different parts from favorite games, but honestly, I wanted to use my time here to make a point: MMO gaming needs to climb outside of the box, soon. Since there is more and more emphasis on mobile and casual gaming, my game will take that in into consideration.

But games have to be fun too, right? I think they can be fun, immersive, and casual all at the same time. I'm hoping that my examples will show how other developers have combined the three such that players can access the game from anywhere. It's also important to me that my game be simple to play and accessible for players with disabilities, so let's just say that I have included all of the proper features like adjustable colors for the color-blind, resizable text, and maybe even audio cues to help those with sight issues.

I've been given a budget of one million-billion internet bucks, so let's get to it... this game is not going to build itself!

Continue reading MMO Blender: Beau's portable, accessible, and casually immersive mashup

MassivelyMMO Blender: Beau's portable, accessible, and casually immersive mashup originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armchair-game-designbeau-hindmanbrowser-baseddie2nitef2pfavorite-mmofeaturedfree-to-playftpgame-designgame-mechanicsgemstone-ivhtml5illyriadillyriad-gamesmechanicsmmo-blendermmo-mechanicsmmo-mix-tapemmo-mixologymudopinionremanumRyzomryzom-ringspiral-knightsthe-chronicles-of-spellborntraviantravian-gamesFri, 13 Jul 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Raph Koster wants to know why we can't all just get along]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/06/raph-koster-wants-to-know-why-we-cant-all-just-get-along/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/06/raph-koster-wants-to-know-why-we-cant-all-just-get-along/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/07/06/raph-koster-wants-to-know-why-we-cant-all-just-get-along/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Raph Koster
Raph Koster, MMO guru and erstwhile creative director of Star Wars Galaxies, has had it up to here with you people and your intolerance of one another. Yes, you, game designers. In a recent blog post, Koster makes shame carrots at those on both sides of the science-versus-humanities schism in the game design community. He states that people on either side of the spectrum can be right and that there's room for both emotional value and scientific fact in games. Too many people, he says, are entrenched in their viewpoints, and that makes progress more difficult for everyone. The result is an abundance of "hipstery, self-indulgent, artsy, self-referential, slight, pretentious work all over the place that people are claiming as the One True Way or the best way to push the boundaries of the field."

Koster says that rather than fiercely defend a specific type of game design, designers need to embrace a both/and mentality, in which multiple viewpoints and approaches are accepted as valid and worthwhile.
Narrative designers should try making a game with nothing but counters and dice and no story. System designers should try making a game that is about telling a story.
While we're at it, the world should really learn how to sing in perfect harmony.

MassivelyRaph Koster wants to know why we can't all just get along originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Jul 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2
How do you think Guild Wars 2 came about? Mystic dream-journeys to consult with unicorn sages atop mountains of inspiration? Late-night voodoo with developers dancing around a bubbling pot of inactive World of Warcraft accounts? Well, ArenaNet game designer Ben Miller is here to set the record straight. In a recent blog post, Miller outlined some of the golden rules that have served as ArenaNet's polestar on the journey of creating Guild Wars 2.

The first and most important rule is to make the world come alive and lay the foundation of the game's design philosophy. The world of Tyria has been thoroughly established, from geopolitical histories to cultural development to ecosystems. This kind of planned-out depth makes certain that game-world elements added in throughout the design process fit in the world being created and that the game has a consistent and coherent feel, which adds to its liveliness. The second rule, that cooperation is key, is behind mechanics like individually tracked resource nodes, a universal revival ability, and loot and XP rewards for everyone who helps kill a foe or complete an event.

Continue reading ArenaNet explains golden rules of Guild Wars 2

MassivelyArenaNet explains golden rules of Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetben-millerdesign-elementsdevelopmentdevelopment-processfantasygame-designguild-wars-2gw2ncsoftUIunicorn-sagesTue, 03 Jul 2012 13:30:00 EST