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 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Aion gets a post-launch discussion in Game Developer magazine]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/10/aion-gets-a-post-launch-discussion-in-game-developer-magazine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/10/aion-gets-a-post-launch-discussion-in-game-developer-magazine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/10/aion-gets-a-post-launch-discussion-in-game-developer-magazine/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With a couple months under its belt and a more stable playerbase, Aion is no longer in the state of just-launched new hotness any longer. You might be one of the game's still-numerous fans, or maybe you stepped away from the game because of the grind. Either way, there were a number of innovative and interesting features in the game, which was designed from the ground up to appeal to gamers on both sides of the pond.

The latest issue of Game Developer magazine has a lengthy feature on what went right and what went wrong from the Aion team's point of view. The CryEngine and the game's overall level of polish are both cited as decisive positives for the game, helping the game feel more vital and engaging. The limited amount of flight early in the game is also pointed out as helping to simplify the learning curve, as navigating combat in three-dimensional space can get overwhelming for first-time players.

On the flip side, the developers also talk about the amount of pressure on the frequently-changing team, as well as the technical and conceptual troubles with working on the Abyss. If you're interested in reading the full article, you should pick up a copy of the magazine, which is only around $4 for a digital copy.

MassivelyAion gets a post-launch discussion in Game Developer magazine originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Game designer Soren Johnson has written an opinion piece titled "Game Economics", essentially his analysis of the sticky problem of creating a balanced game economy, which is of course integral to massively multiplayer online games. Johnson has worked as a designer and programmer on titles like Civilization 3, Civilization 4, and Spore, and his "Game Economics" originally appeared in Game Developer Magazine.

Johnson writes, "Game design and economics have a spotty history. Designing a fun and functional economy is no easy task as many design assumptions tend to backfire when they come into contact with the player." He discusses a few MMO economies in light of this issue. He mentions the early game economy issues with Ultima Online, and how things have since progressed to the auction houses of World of Warcraft, and even how CCP Games hired an economist to analyze the economy of EVE Online. The bulk of his article isn't necessarily MMO-centric, but no less interesting a read.

[Via GameSetWatch]

MassivelyCreating balanced virtual economies originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingeconomyeve-onlinegame-developer-magazinegame-mechanicsmmo-industryopinionsoren-johnsonultima-onlineworld-of-warcraftSun, 01 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard takes third in comprehensive best developer of 2007 list]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/blizzard-takes-third-in-comprehensive-best-developer-of-2007-lis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/blizzard-takes-third-in-comprehensive-best-developer-of-2007-lis/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/07/blizzard-takes-third-in-comprehensive-best-developer-of-2007-lis/#commentsFiled under: , ,

What do you get when you take Game Developer magazine, Game Developer Research division, Gamasutra and combine their various developer information gathering efforts? Well, you get an all-encompassing list of the top 50 best developers of 2007 that takes not only weekly sales and ratings into account, but an anonymous survey on developer reputation fielded by Gamasutra itself. The survey asked community members to score game developers on overall reputation and direct interaction working for or with said developer, where they had actually done such.

The list puts Blizzard at third for Burning Crusade, just under Infinity Ward at second for Call of Duty 4 and Nintendo Kyoto (Brain Age, Wii Play) at first. It's an interesting method of rating developers, since they have to of had a game released the previous year to be eligible -- yet rankings also depend on developer reputation, which is a longterm concept. We weren't surprised to see Blizzard sitting pretty high on the list, beating out a lot of other developers responsible for some pretty great titles last year. (sorry, Valve)

There is a nagging question in the back of our minds, however: Which carries more weight in determining placement on the list -- sales or reputation?

MassivelyBlizzard takes third in comprehensive best developer of 2007 list originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardbrain-ageburning-crusadecall-of-duty-4gamasutragame-developer-magazinegame-developer-research-divisioninfinity-wardnintendowii-playFri, 07 Mar 2008 20:30:00 EST