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The Summoner's Guidebook: It's time to get serious!

Patrick Mackey — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, Free-to-play, Guides, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook

One of the things that was baffling for me as a League of Legends noob was the overall tempo of PvP games. In bot matches, I got used to staying in my lane, and I was never sure when it was a good time to meet up with my team or go for objectives. I actually didn't really understand what "mid game" and "late game" actually meant.

However, on Summoner's Rift, those terms actually have real meaning. You have different goals in the early, mid, and late game, and if you try to continue laning when you're in the midgame, you're going to run into huge problems, as the entire enemy team is probably ganging up to come and kill you. This week, we're going to talk about the flow of the game on Summoner's Rift, and when you should be switching up your game to accomplish different things.

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The Summoner's Guidebook: It's time to get serious! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Summoner's Guidebook: Get back, get back!

Patrick Mackey — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-play, Guides, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook

Last week, I said I would avoid doing articles on the situational "soft skills" in League of Legends. Well, this week kind of ruins that already. Today we're going to talk about lane positioning, zoning, and harassment. These things are not something I can just give you blanket tips on. There are a lot of nuances involved in good positioning, and every single matchup is completely different. You do not stand in the same places laning against Cassiopeia as you do against Kennen, and those positions change depending on which character you're playing, too.

Even though there is a lot of matchup-specific knowledge involved in lane positioning, there are some general tips I can provide. This week I'm going to only teach you about the basics of lane safety but give you some dirty mindgame tricks that will absolutely ruin your opponents. Interested? Read on!

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The Summoner's Guidebook: Get back, get back! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist uncovers Shadowbane: The battle-scarred blogger

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Interviews, Shadowbane, Free-to-play, The Game Archaeologist

I've long since enjoyed doing this column because, to me, it feels like the next best thing to having been there back in the day, playing these games. No one MMO player can occupy all titles at once, so experiences are bound to pass us by. Fortunately, the gamers who were there have long memories and are often more than willing to share a story or two if given half the chance.

After last week's initial foray into our Shadowbane retrospective, I fished around for a hearty veteran of the minotaur wars who was willing to step up and answer a few questions without succumbing to post-traumatic stress disorder. Within a minute, my good friend Grimnir bit into the topic, and I reeled him in as he flopped and gasped for air. At some point, this metaphor got away from me, but no worries. Hit that jump and let's cast our nets down memory river and see what we can dredge up!

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The Game Archaeologist uncovers Shadowbane: The battle-scarred blogger originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Is free-for-all PvP a dealbreaker?

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST

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

Games like EVE Online, Darkfall, and Mortal Online sell themselves on the premise of being wild and lawless. Like in the Wild West of ages past, anyone can kill you at any time. Of course, also like in the Wild West, this reputation bears only some resemblance to reality, as you're relatively unlikely to be consistently ganked and robbed by someone for no reason. But the fact that it's possible makes a lot of players decide that it's just not worth the hassle. The threat of losing everything to malicious player actions is more powerful than the real rarity of the event.

Obviously, some players embrace the possibility as part of the charm of an open-world game. But it's possible to have a game with broad player options without the constant threat of cruelty, and there's a reason a lot of Ultima Online players happily opted out of being hunted by other players. Is open PvP the sort of thing that makes you write off a game no matter what other features it might have?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: Is free-for-all PvP a dealbreaker? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What's your favorite PvP memory?

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 11 May 2011 08:00:00 EST

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

It's hard to compare with the excitement of PvP. Sure, a well-scripted PvE encounter is exciting, but it's scripted. The same thing will always happen under the same conditions. But in a PvP battle, anything goes. Whether you're taking part in a battle over an open RvR objective in Warhammer Online or you've just come across a hostile player in Mortal Online, playing against another human being introduces new variables and new behaviors that you can't get against a computer opponent. And while the fights can often be harder as a result, the stories stick with you longer too.

Maybe you fought off a would-be ganker and lived to tell the tale. Maybe you met an equal match on the road and managed to get the upper hand. Or maybe you waited and practiced to face off against a rival player only to defeat him when it counted the most. Whether in a PvP-focused game like Age of Conan or a largely PvE environment like Lord of the Rings Online, you can have some truly memorable experiences against other players. So what's your best PvP memory?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: What's your favorite PvP memory? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 May 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Things that go bump in the night

Krystalle Voecks — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind, Humor

Imagine this: You're wandering along, minding your own business, when you hear a Rogue's attack -- then your character is dead. Or perhaps you've been getting your zen on while mining, only to realize all too late that your can of ore was flipped and someone now has kill rights on you. Perhaps your heart started pounding after seeing the big nasty boss you've been working up to finally unleash his fury on your group. Plenty of opportunities exist for us to be scared in our favorite games.

For Halloween, we want to ask this: What's your most memorable MMO scary moment? Was it your guild pulling off a long-standing prank on you? Perhaps it was someone staging a coup on your corp? Or maybe it was something completely innocuous like someone startling you over vent? Leave your tale of MMO terror in the comments below!

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: Things that go bump in the night originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 31 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lost Pages of Taborea: PvP culture

Jeremy Stratton — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST

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

Even though I'm not a very competitive player, I sometimes like having the additional options found in PvP servers. In fact, my main character has been on one since Runes of Magic's open beta, and I've come to really appreciate the fun that can be had on it. Simply being a spectator of all the random and exciting fights has been enough to outweigh the annoyance of being a target for more than a few gankings.

RoM's fully open PvP system makes for an interesting cultural perspective in which the players create the equilibrium of peace and conflict. It may be surprising -- or not -- given the somewhat harsh rules, but life on a PvP server is a fairly peaceful experience. This week I take a look at the past and present of RoM's PvP system. What are some of the system's implementations? How have players adjusted to self-govern? Why isn't there rampant chaos? It's an interesting learning experience if you're new to RoM or you've never played on a PvP server, but it's also a great retrospective for you veterans to get involved with.

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Lost Pages of Taborea: PvP culture originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lock up your mining barges, the Hulkageddon cometh to EVE Online!

Brendan Drain — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Interviews, PvP

Like it or loathe it, EVE Online's infamous fan-run Hulkageddon event is back with its teeth sharpened. During this unofficial week and a half of torture, some of the game's more vicious players band together with one common goal -- the complete eradication of mining ships. Organised by pirate Helicity Boson back in October 2009, the first event was met with strong vocal opposition by miners. Cries that the unofficial event sanctioned griefing and calls for Helicity to be banned flooded the forums, sparking intense debate into what is and isn't acceptable in the sandbox.

Despite opposition, the event made a return early this year, with January's Hulkageddon II destroying a record 278 billion ISK in mining barges and exhumers. With Hulkageddon III scheduled to begin next week on the 9th of July, continuing until July 18th, miners across EVE are in for a rough time. If January's event is any indication, even pilots in high security space aren't safe from attack. Suicide tactics have always been a popular way to kill barges, with packs of destroyers able to kill a Hulk before CONCORD arrive.

Skip past the cut to read our in-depth interview with Helicity Boson on the upcoming carnage and how to stay safe.

Continue reading Lock up your mining barges, the Hulkageddon cometh to EVE Online!

Lock up your mining barges, the Hulkageddon cometh to EVE Online! originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What isn't fair?

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 21 May 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind

To many people, "fair" occupies the same mental space as Santa Claus and the Fallout MMO -- it's nice to believe in, but it doesn't really exist. Balance in an MMO is hard enough without adding in standards of fair play, and in any environment more complex than Team Fortress 2, there will be some things youu consider blatantly unbalanced. (Even in that environment, actually.)

But there are always some things that strike you as just being inherently not fair -- things that on a conceptual level make the game less fun, especially in PvP. Stuff where you find yourself blaming the mechanic even when something is your own fault. Stealth is a classic one, as many players find the idea that you could be killed by a heretofore unseen presence not remotely fair. Another classic is any form of crowd control -- few people are pleased at PvP matches consisting of their character being unable to act while other players unload on them. What about you? What mechanics do you consider inherently unfair to play against?

The Daily Grind: What isn't fair? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hulkageddon II event begins in EVE today, miners despair

James Egan — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Contests, Events, in-game, PvP

A player-run event called "Hulkageddon" kicked off in EVE Online today, the second such event to be held in the game. Hulkageddon II is the brainchild of EVE player Helicity Boson, a pirate who flies with The Python Cartel, and is essentially a contest that rewards the destruction of exhumer (Hulk and Mackinaw) mining ships. The most recent Quarterly Economic Newsletter released by EVE developer CCP Games indicated that the Hulk is the most flown ship in the game, which provides plenty of targets for gankers in the contest.

Hulkageddon exists much to the detriment of the game's numerous miners, seeing as it's a galaxy-wide demolition derby using the very ships they pilot, but has proven very popular with other players the first time around in 2009. Although it's only been a matter of hours since Hulkageddon II began, the event's killboard shows over 250 mining ships destroyed (along with 40 of their pilots). That number will, no doubt, climb over the course of this week. Also, the tears may be just a bit sweeter given the fact that Hulk prices rose sharply in the weeks preceding Hulkageddon II, the result of changes made to Tech II manufacturing requirements with the Dominion expansion.

Whether you're interested in taking part in the contest or want to know what you're in for over the next week, here are a few details about Hulkageddon II:

Continue reading Hulkageddon II event begins in EVE today, miners despair

Hulkageddon II event begins in EVE today, miners despair originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pirates of the Burning Sea to eliminate ganking, restore ambush gameplay

James Egan — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Game mechanics, PvP, News items

Is ganking really such a bad thing? That's the question Isildur addresses in his latest Pirates of the Burning Sea dev blog, where he outlines how ganking evolved in the game -- and how it got out of control. "Ganking has a long and difficult history within our design and development process, so it's a hard question to answer with a simple 'we hate it' or 'we love it," Isildur said. To really understand why the Flying Lab Software developers are torn on the issue of ganking, Isildur explained their concept of 'ambush gameplay' and the contradictions it brings to game mechanics.

Isildur explains how the creators of Pirates of the Burning Sea envisioned the act of piracy. The scenario he outlines involves a lone pirate (or small group of pirates), who catch an unwary merchant by surprise, defeat him and loot, then escape before reinforcements can arrive. This is the ambush gameplay Isildur and the team at Flying Labs pictured -- rewarding for pirates, disheartening for lone merchants. To put a more visual spin on it -- a player sets sail from port, perhaps hoping for an uneventful trip. But then, a sail appears on the horizon. Is it a friend or enemy? As the unknown ship comes into view, so does its pirate flag, signaling a possible fight to the death. But the introduction of the Open Sea to the game changed all this. In some respects, Pirates of the Burning Sea developed in ways contrary to the original spirit of the game.

Continue reading Pirates of the Burning Sea to eliminate ganking, restore ambush gameplay

Pirates of the Burning Sea to eliminate ganking, restore ambush gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Player vs. Everything: Maxed out and bored

Cameron Sorden — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Economy, Endgame, Tips and tricks, Roleplaying, Player vs. Everything

Congratulations! You've hit level 70 (or whatever max level is in your favorite game), and you're officially a badass. For many players, this is a goal they've been striving towards for months -- even years in some cases. The feeling of having that first max level character is immensely invigorating. It's like putting the finishing touches on a long-term project or getting to the last page of a monstrous novel. What an accomplishment! However, after basking in the glow of your newly maxed out character for a few days, you quickly realize you have a small problem: What do you do with yourself now?

The answer to that question is going to depend heavily on what game you play. For most people, it's going to be PvP, raiding, or a nice mix of both. You'll probably continue collecting gear for your character or working on your skills. Depending on the game, you might be able to work on some sort of alternate advancement or achievement system for your character -- maybe even hunt down some unique titles. All of this is pretty standard fare for endgame content. Sooner or later, you'll probably get a little bored of it. Don't fret, though! There's a whole host of other interesting things you can do to keep yourself entertained at maximum level that go beyond the planned content. Read on for a few suggestions.

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Player vs. Everything: Maxed out and bored originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: In my MMO...

Mike Schramm — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind

Kill Ten Rats says that in his MMO, using phrases like "u r" (as in "you are"-- yeah, I don't do it either) should flag you for PvP, as should writing "lol" ten times, or using the word "ghey".

I'd have to say that I agree, but what if you could design your own MMO, tailored especially to your own tastes?

In my MMO, ganking someone below your level would give them a 10 minute buff that would make them stronger than you for 10 minutes or until they killed you, whichever came first.

In my MMO, NPCs would be extremely excited and generous even after seeing you complete the simplest of quests. "Wow, you killed all those rats in my basement? Here, have this Holy Avenger Sword!"

In my MMO, anyone who needed a group could get one without waiting, and all group members would instantly appear wherever they needed to be once the group was formed.

These are all pretty nice, but what can I say-- I'm a nice guy. Your wishes might be a little... harsher. If you had a designer at your beck and call to create the MMO of your own personal dreams, what would be "in my MMO"?

The Daily Grind: In my MMO... originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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