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The Daily Grind: Do progression barriers annoy you?

Jef Reahard — Tue, 08 May 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Daily Grind

It's been several years since I played Lord of the Rings Online on a daily basis. For the most part, I'm loving my latest Middle-earth rediscovery tour. After the initial honeymoon phase wore off, though, I did re-encounter some of the things that irritate me about the game (in particular, Turbine's fondness for artificially limiting progression).

Now, I'm not a grinder at all, but on the rare occasions when I do want to put my nose to the proverbial stone and check some things off the list, there's nothing more frustrating than running up against the you-can't-advance-that-skill-any-further-today brick wall. This type of arbitrary limitation is somewhat common in LotRO, and whether we're talking about fishing or even the lengthy cool-downs on festival horse races, it rubs me the wrong way to have my gameplay directed in such a fashion.

What about you, Massively readers? Do progression barriers annoy you, or do you shrug it off and do something else?

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

The Daily Grind: Do progression barriers annoy you? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: The grind is good

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Like many of you, I have fond memories of several important video games that carried me through my childhood and teenage years. Some were deep, some were obscure, some were landmark moments in the genre, and some were Chrono Trigger. It's weird, then, with all that variety, that I have strong fondness for a game that had so little going on in the story or progression department as to be a step away from playing marbles or jacks in the street.

It was a game that I'd sit down to night after night, not to go on any grand adventures or to raise my level 1 fighter up into the ranks of godhood but to just unwind. It was a game that required such a zen-like concentration that it pushed the thinking portion of my brain out and soothed me with its repetitive gameplay and simplistic motions.

That game was, of course, Tetris, a game that was grind personified. It was minimalistic puzzle-solving repeated over and over again, and some days that's all I needed. When my mind was wiped, or when I just wanted to sit back in my chair instead of forward in it, I turned to these silly blocks. When I needed it and wanted it, the grind was better for me than the most complex and innovative video games of the time.

The grind is good, especially when you have the option to do it or ignore it, and I feel that this has gotten such a bad reputation in MMOs that its positive aspects are overlooked. Time to remedy that!

Continue reading The Soapbox: The grind is good

The Soapbox: The grind is good originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wasteland Diaries: Player-run economy

Edward Marshall — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Economy, Patches, PvP, PvE, Opinion, MMOFPS, Wasteland Diaries, Post-Apocalyptic

The economy in Fallen Earth has been stagnant for a while. The auction house has been just a place for trader clones (with maxed social skill) to post wares with a small markup from the NPC vendors prices. In some cases, these traders would post mats that could only be bought in PvP conflict towns or found in secret or dangerous scavenging spots. It was hard to be competitive in a market like that. Every resource had an unlimited supply thanks to the vendors. There were a few items that actually worked on the supply and demand principle, like vibrant and volatile chemicals and pre-fall tech. These items had prices that were dictated completely by the players. Through competition, the prices got pretty reasonable (and I even bought a few pre-fall techs to allieviate the Citadel grind).

All that has changed now, and the Fallen Earth team has made some massive changes to the way the economy works. In this post, I'll take a look at what has changed. I'll try to give my best guess about what will happen to the economy in the coming weeks. A great many players are already freaking out about this concept on the forums and in global chat. While I admit it's too early to tell what will become of us in the near future, there's no need to panic. People were rage-quitting the game mere hours after the changes were made. If you ask me, it's a bit premature to make a decision like that. Nobody really knows what will happen, but click past the cut to see my best guesses.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Player-run economy

Wasteland Diaries: Player-run economy originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Double XP coming to EverQuest II this weekend

Jef Reahard — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Events, in-game, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play

Citizens of Norrath, mark your calendars! Bonus experience is coming to EverQuest II this weekend and you'll want to be sure to avail yourself of what the EQII website calls a "true double XP promotion (+100% XP)."

The bonus applies to adventure, tradeskill, and alternate advancement experience, so don't leave your crafter alts or level-locked and AA-starved characters out in the cold. Double XP starts at 12:01 a.m. PDT on Friday, July 29th and runs through 11:59 p.m. PDT on Sunday, July 31st. It's also good across all the game servers including the free-to-play EQII Extended shard and French, German, and Japanese realms.

Double XP coming to EverQuest II this weekend originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Which came first, the grind or the grinding?

Beau Hindman — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real life, Culture, Opinion, Free-to-play, Free for All, Miscellaneous

Grinding is an interesting thing. I've thought about it a lot lately in an effort to come to grips with the fact that I just don't play MMOs like my friends do. Oh, don't get me wrong; I can log in and blow away five hours of my life on a title, just like I did last night with the newly relaunched APB: Reloaded. Holy moly, I can play that game forever, especially if I have a friend with me. I can also spend countless hours in other games, exploring and generally acting like some kind of virtual hippie, never touching a sword or destroying a foe. A lot of the time, combat just feels repetitive.

Exploring for hours and driving a car into mailboxes over and over really shouldn't count as grinding though, should it? Grinding is, in my opinion, defined by the repetition of the exact same action (or close to it) for a long time, usually in the pursuit of a single goal. The thing is, the grind has been around since the dawn of graphical MMOs. Hasn't it?

But what started the grind? Was the desire for grind already there? Is the playerbase just better-suited for grinding? Click past the cut and let's chat about it. Grab some tea.

Continue reading Free for All: Which came first, the grind or the grinding?

Free for All: Which came first, the grind or the grinding? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Impressions: Mythos

Beau Hindman — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Previews, PvE, Opinion, Mythos, Free-to-play, Hands-on, First Impressions

I've played plenty of Diablo-style games, games filled with endless hours of dungeon grinding and loot collecting. I'll be honest: They're not usually my thing. I like a little more variety in my adventure and not such a linear experience. When I was asked to take a look at Mythos, a "new" (read: older title that is receiving a re-do) game that is currently in closed beta, I was pretty skeptical. After all, I've played this style of game before and enjoyed it in Torchlight and others, and the developers are adding on an MMO element to it now.

This could mean a few things.

First, the game could be a horrible, buggy mess that would turn me off instantly. Or second, it could be something completely charming and different that could work really well as an MMO. Which did I find?

Click past the cut and I promise to tell you.

Continue reading First Impressions: Mythos

First Impressions: Mythos originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eskil Steenberg talks LOVE, progression, and making indie MMOs

Jef Reahard — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Interviews, News items, Love

Eskil Steenberg's LOVE has been flying well under the radar of late, even more so than is usual for an indie MMORPG. A little phenomenon called Minecraft happened over the past year since LOVE's launch, and while both games hail from Sweden, that's about where the similarities end. In fact, comparing LOVE to any other game is rather challenging (but also instructive), as evidenced by a new Eurogamer interview.

Steenberg is literally a one-man development show, and the piece covers a lot of fascinating ground including everything from how you measure the title against more traditional fare to how players react when confronted with LOVE's open-ended paradigm shift. Gamers will "play a game like mine... and they'll go back and play something scripted and say 'oh my God this is so archaic.' It's like if you play Dragon's Lair today. I'm not controlling it, it's all fake," Steenberg says.

The interview also touches on why Steenberg opted for a non-traditional approach to massive development, or put another way, why he didn't fall into lockstep behind World of Warcraft (and EverQuest before it) as the vast majority of the industry has done. "I'm trying to do something completely different," Steenberg says. "What they're doing is limiting what you do. You follow, you grind upwards. [Progression] is something you should do if you want to make money because you get that hook. But I was never interested in making my players addicts."

Eskil Steenberg talks LOVE, progression, and making indie MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: Perfect World

Beau Hindman — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Perfect World International, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-play, Hands-on, Humor, Rise and Shiny, Livestream

Perfect World International, brought to us by Perfect World Entertainment, is a beautiful game -- I'll give it that. I am not sure whether the newbie area I was playing through (which consisted of a race of mermaid- and mermen-type creatures) is newly made or recently redone, but the scenery, special effects, and characters are downright gorgeous. While near-realism (with a huge touch of pointy fantasy) is definitely not my favorite art style, I can see how much hard work went into the game. Props to everyone on the team!

Still, a beautiful game does not guarantee a fun game. PWI is obviously very successful and boasts a massive population, but does that translate to a friendly community? I wonder, also, what the average age of players is. I would put hard-earned money (playing video games, so it's fitting) on the table and say that the numbers would surprise us. In fact, that could sum up a lot of how I felt about PWI while I played it: surprised -- a lot of the time.

Click past the cut and I'll tell you more.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Perfect World

Rise and Shiny recap: Perfect World originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: The difference between East and West

Beau Hindman — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Culture, Economy, Opinion, Free-to-play, Humor, Free for All, Miscellaneous

Like many gamers, I find myself going through stages of obsession. Once in a while, I'll get on a PvP kick, followed by having a thing for immersion, then I'll be consumed by running dungeons or grinding. Lately I have been investigating older Western MMOs, games like Asheron's Call, Ultima Online, Anarchy Online, and EverQuest. While I have already played all of these titles at one time or another, they can become different games between visits.

This recent kick of mine started me thinking about the first free-to-play MMOs I enjoyed, as well. The first one was either Flyff or Rose Online, around six or so years ago. I've chatted with a developer who used to work on Flyff, and she claimed that those were some of the very first free-to-plays to see success in North America.

What are the differences between the two, Western and Eastern? Is there a difference? If there were, are there still differences between Eastern free-to-play games and Western games? Click past the cut and we'll take a look.

Continue reading Free for All: The difference between East and West

Free for All: The difference between East and West originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: Defining the word "grind"

Jeremy Stratton — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Ravious has a post about grind and content over on the blog Kill Ten Rats, which started a great discussion that immediately attracted me like a rare earth magnet. Ravious presented a fake quest example and asked readers whether it equated to grind. Like he says, grind isn't a new concept, but revisiting it has the word-nerd in me hashing it over.

Can we all agree on the term? On some level I think we can, but when it comes into use as a way to describe specific details about the grind itself or other aspects of MMOs that are affected by grind, confusion can easily set in. What I wanted to do was congeal my thoughts about this term, what its purpose is or should be, what I think it should mean, and why I dislike Wikipedia's entry on grinding. Maybe in the end we can all come to terms with it.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Defining the word "grind"

The Soapbox: Defining the word "grind" originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Top 10 of 2010

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST

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

It's the end of the year, and although many are in food- and good-cheer-induced comas, we will still drag ourselves to the keyboard to delve into Aion. Why? Because we enjoy our game. And maybe, just maybe, there is a smattering of addiction in there. I'm not judging, mind you, as I also logged some holiday time with a shugo!

Many things have happened throughout the year, and this Daeva has flown about, soaking up the news and activities, in order to report them back to you. From the sweeping changes of three major patches (expansions, updates -- whatever you choose to call them) adding content, removing content, and re-adding content (*cough* rifting *cough*), to holiday events, to everyday life in Atreia, 2010 has had its ups and downs, with a variety of twists and turns thrown in. The year certainly cannot be called uneventful. And in true end-of-the-year count-down style, I am going to rattle off my top 10 favorite columns of Aion tidbits.

So what columns made the cut? Grab a noisemaker and shimmy on past the break to see which were my favorites as well as share yours in the comments!

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Top 10 of 2010

Wings Over Atreia: Top 10 of 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure: Special treatment, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the gank

Jef Reahard — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Darkfall, Massively Meta, Hands-on, Choose My Adventure

Well, so much for the theory that the Darkfall community has banded together to ensure I only see the good side of the game. This past week was an interesting one, and despite an encounter that most players would probably consider griefing -- as well as various and sundry inconvenient ganks -- I remain enamored of Agon.

Aside from recurring instances of the Darkfall version of "special treatment," much of the week was spent leveling greatswords on my public main and crafting/harvesting on my private alt. In between there was a NEW-sponsored PvP event, a kracken run, and various dungeon excursions, not to mention more exploring than I've done in my last three MMOs combined. Finally, I'm also beginning to see the grind that a lot of current and former subscribers complain about.

Join me after the cut to see how I dealt with it as well as a recap of week two.

Gallery: Choose My Adventure - Darkfall Gallery #2

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Special treatment, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the gank

Choose My Adventure: Special treatment, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the gank originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you turn off XP?

Jef Reahard — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind

Craig Morrison's latest blog post got me to thinking about MMORPG design, progression, and the sweet nectar of the gods known as XP. When you get right down to it, XP is a huge part of why we play these games, whether it be the simple pleasures inherent in watching the bar move, or the fact that we're hell-bent on a particular plateau that will allow us to equip the one-shotting batarang of WtFpwned!!11! +1.

There are some among us that do the unthinkable, though, or would if their game of choice gave them the option. Yes, a few hearty souls turn off XP gain. I know, right? The horror!

What could possibly motivate such a bold and rebellious act? Is it to avoid out-leveling a compatriot? A desire to continue questing in a particularly awesome section of the game world? Even the wisest cannot tell why you'd want to disable the almighty XP, so today's question is a bit simpler (but feel free to expound on it if you wish): Do you turn off your XP?

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

The Daily Grind: Do you turn off XP? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: War of Angels

Beau Hindman — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Screenshots, Video, Events, in-game, New titles, PvE, Opinion, Free-to-play, Hands-on, Rise and Shiny, Livestream

To continue my investigation into "imported grinders," I have moved on to check out War of Angels, a new game being published by gamigo. I have to say, I found plenty of good stuff and plenty of bad stuff in the game, as well as some of those obvious tiny fixes that will hopefully be undertaken after this open beta. Let's be honest -- an open beta is considered a release these days, and I don't think that's fair. Yes, many games use it (and I have heard developers admit to this) as a way to make money while continuing to roll out basic development, but I say we allow them to just drop the "beta" part and get on with it.

As far as the background story: I do not log into a game to memorize the lore. I do not go to the website to write down notes on the lore in the hopes that I will get it right in my first impressions article. Just like any stranger in a strange land, I am not going to know everything right away. It should be no different for me in a game, and one of my litmus tests is to see whether the game will provide me with an understanding of who and where I am. It's not impossible; other games do it. I didn't find much lore in the quests at all, so I cannot comment on it much.

But let's talk about how War of Angels plays.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: War of Angels

Rise and Shiny recap: War of Angels originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 31 Oct 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Extra Life extravaganza: Donate to (and watch) our 24 hours of live marathon MMO gaming

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Culture, Events, real-world, Massively Meta, Livestream

Hey Massively readers! We need you guys to rally up and help us help an awesome cause! As we reported on earlier, the Extra Life charity video game marathon is going on this weekend, and we're participating in it! Beau Hindman and I (Seraphina Brennan) will be stepping up to our keyboards for 24 hours of non-stop grinding this weekend, and we'd love it if you could support us!

Extra Life is asking for donations of $24 (but you can donate whatever amount you wish), and this year the money is going to Children's Miracle Network. Beau is supporting the Texas Children's Hospital, while I will be supporting the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Every dollar donated is 100% tax deductible and will go towards helping out these two fine hospitals and the many kids who depend on them. So please click on this link to support Beau, or click on this link to support me (Seraphina).

If you're participating, you can also join our site's team and lend your fundraising efforts to the Massively.com Mob! For more information on participating, check out the Extra Life homepage here.

Even if you can't spare the money, you can still join us this weekend and cheer us on as we livestream our gaming to the masses! I will be livestreaming my gaming on Massively TV, while Beau will be streaming on his own channel, Beau Turkey TV. The madness begins at 9:00 a.m EDT for Beau and me, but you can drop by at any time that day to watch us and cheer us on!

Please contribute if you can. Every amount helps, and your donations will help give kids an extra life in their fight!

Extra Life extravaganza: Donate to (and watch) our 24 hours of live marathon MMO gaming originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Mira, mira, on the wall...

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST

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

Who is the happiest to be done with it all? If not me (I will certainly defer to those who endured 10+ attempts at the hot heart of magic craft), then I surely rank right up near the top! Yes folks, there is a Santa Cl... I mean an end to the Miragent/Fenris questline in Aion, and I have found it. To those naysayers, those unbelievers who think otherwise, I say I am living proof that Mira does not stand for mirage!

I admit, I am indeed grateful to be looking back on the experience, instead of ahead to it. Between the grinding, the spawn camping, and the curse of the RNG, to say that the journey to obtain Miragent or Fenris armor is a rough road is putting it mildly. I spent a fair share of time just being grateful the questline doesn't include belts and hats; I think there would be a mass exodus if NCsoft introduced Miragent/Fenris jewelry.

Although each leg of this race has had rough patches, I still believe it has been worth it. Make a final dash past the cut to experience the end of an era: the completion of the quest for Miragent armor.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Mira, mira, on the wall...

Wings Over Atreia: Mira, mira, on the wall... originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Tattered Notebook: A newbie look at alternate advancement

Jef Reahard — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Opinion, The Tattered Notebook, Guides

So my little ratonga wizard is fast approaching level 50, and I figured it's high time I started worrying about his AAs. Actually, it's probably past time (he's got a paltry 29 at this point), as I've been too busy running willy-nilly around the world of Norrath flinging fireballs, exploring, and collecting junk for my South Qeynos rat hole. Yes, I've been terribly remiss about properly planning out an alternate advancement strategy so that my furry friend isn't horribly gimped upon his eventual arrival at endgame, but thankfully it's not too late (in fact, it's never too late, thanks to the awesome sauce that is chronomagic).

EverQuest II vets may be rolling their eyes at the prospect of an AA article, but for newbs on both the Live and F2P shards, alternate advancement can be a tad confusing if you're averse to reading a lot of tooltips. In this week's chapter of The Tattered Notebook, I'll break down EQII's AA system to give you a baseline of knowledge and a starting point for thinking about your own builds.

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: A newbie look at alternate advancement

The Tattered Notebook: A newbie look at alternate advancement originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: No grind?? No pre-order!!

Jef Reahard — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, New titles, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Final Fantasy XIV

This week's internet furor over Final Fantasy XIV's fatigue mechanic has been fascinating to watch. First off, as I'm a relative outsider to the franchise, it's given me an excuse to read up on the title as well as its predecessor, Final Fantasy XI (one of the few MMORPGs that couldn't hold my attention for the full free month).

More importantly though, the walls of flame incoming from fans all over the internet about what amounts to a grind-limiting mechanic has been, shall we say, perplexing. Regardless of whether the actual mechanics and their effects have been lost in the language translation (which I'm still unclear on, to be perfectly honest), the fact remains that many, many players clearly want to grind when they play MMORPGs.

A quick perusal of the comments on Eliot's article confirms that for many folks, nothing in these games aside from the ability to continually advance your character matters. The question of the day, Massively readers, is this: do you have to grind to enjoy your MMORPGs? Is there nothing aside from character advancement that compels you to play an MMO?

The Daily Grind: No grind?? No pre-order!! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: From start to finish in no time

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST

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

There is a grind. There is almost always a grind in any MMO, whether it be the real-time skill progression of EVE Online or the slow acquisition of deeds in Lord of the Rings Online. Conventional wisdom shows that the grind has to be there, that slowing progression is what keeps you playing, and removing it entirely would result in players leaving the game in short order.

Anyone who is having flashbacks to the state of MMOs in the heyday of EverQuest would not be entirely incorrect. After all, conventional wisdom at the time was that you had to force players to party early on, or no one would keep playing. More recent games have greatly streamlined the need for grouping, and the idea of being unable to solo to the level cap in most games is a thing of the past.

So, would you play a version of your favorite game that removed all of the grind? Would you keep coming back, day in and day out, if there was almost nothing grindy left? Or would you lose interest if the pacing was closer to a game like Mass Effect 2, where any level grinding is almost an afterthought?

The Daily Grind: From start to finish in no time originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Anvil of Crom: She's crafty, but not my type

Jef Reahard — Sun, 23 May 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Opinion, The Anvil of Crom

Know, O Prince, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, and the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars. Thither came Joe Gamer, a crafter, a harvester, to grind the gems of Funcom's Hyboria beneath his sandaled feet.

Ok, so maybe I embellished Robert E. Howard just a tad with that last bit, the point being to illustrate that there's something a little off-kilter about the tradeskilling system in Age of Conan. As enjoyable as I find the combat, exploration, and various other aspects of Funcom's sword and sorcery MMORPG (not to mention the Rise of the Godslayer expansion), it's odd that I'm almost completely meh about the crafting system. Part of it has to do with being spoiled by more complex crafting mechanics in other games. The other part, well, I don't what it is exactly, but maybe I will by the end of this week's column.

Click past the cut for more.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: She's crafty, but not my type

The Anvil of Crom: She's crafty, but not my type originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 May 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funcom's Morrison asks for your AoC feedback

Jef Reahard — Thu, 20 May 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Expansions, News items

Age of Conan executive producer and game director Craig Morrison is no stranger to the game's official forums, and earlier today he stopped by the boards to solicit feedback from fans. Specifically, he's interested in your thoughts regarding progression in the recently released Rise of the Godslayer expansion.

"What do you consider to be your first priority for progression in the expansion content? As we move forward it's one of the important areas for us to consider at we look at any potential balance changes to the methods and sources of progression, so I am interested to see what you folks think," he writes.

Head on over to the official Age of Conan boards to cast your vote and make your voice heard in the discussion.

Funcom's Morrison asks for your AoC feedback originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 May 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Difficulty sliders and grind reduction due for Champions Online

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 17 May 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Game mechanics, Patches, Previews, Champions Online

With additions like the melee review patch and the first adventure pack either out or coming on fast, the obvious question about Champions Online is also the simplest to ask: what now? The latest installment of Ask Cryptic certainly does answer the question; unfortunately, said response includes saying "no" to some things that players want. The addition of a base construction feature is a prime example and the biggest negative -- while it's acknowledged to be frequently requested, the development team apparently lacks the time to add it in a fashion that they find interesting.

On the other hand, there are features which almost any player can welcome, such as the difficulty slider seen in Star Trek Online, currently slated for release along with the first adventure pack. There's also a promise that the development team will look into grinding as being the most "rewarding" activity in the game via adjusting drop rates and overall rewards. In the somewhat more mixed news category, the team plans to do another review of powers after the adventure pack goes live, although they're not yet certain which sets and mechanics will be undergoing examination. Read the full list of questions and answers at the official Champions Online site.

Difficulty sliders and grind reduction due for Champions Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 May 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Everybody needs a question answered sometime

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 05 May 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Culture, Expansions, Game mechanics, Opinion, A Mild-Mannered Reporter

If you haven't read Jason Vuic's excellent history of the Yugo, you're doing yourself a disservice -- at least, if you have any interest in terrible cars, history, or just the crazy stylings of Malcolm Bricklin. What does that have to do with today's bevvy of City of Heroes questions, hot on the heels of our anniversary? Well, not everyone can afford the Batmobile. There are places where the Paragon Monorail (aka Justice Mass Transit) won't take you. And on those occasions, well, you truly wish that you'd just dropped the ten dollars on the Martial Arts booster or taken the darn travel power. Onward!

Dashel asked:
"When will Blasters get more secondaries, original or proliferated?"

Soon! Maybe. I've heard tell that we may well be due for another wave of powerset proliferation with the release of Going Rogue, although that's far from a confirmed fact. So Blasters can expect to get some more love there. But we don't have any idea of exactly when we'll see more secondaries as opposed to more primary sets. The trouble is that as Blasters have been designed, they have the undesirable trait that Masterminds share: they've got a setup for one of their sets that nobody else shares.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Everybody needs a question answered sometime

A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Everybody needs a question answered sometime originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 May 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wasteland Diaries: Spinning the wheel

Edward Marshall — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Game mechanics, Guides, Leveling, Tips and tricks, Quests, MMOFPS, Wasteland Diaries

Every game has a group of number-crunchers that want to get the most out of a character build. Whether you call them min-maxers, power gamers or munchkins, they are intrinsic to any RPG system ever made. They are the direct antithesis of the roleplayer, and often referred to as roll-players. There is a very clear-cut process to maximize your character's power in Fallen Earth. This process is called "Spinning the Wheel". When I use the term "wheel", I am referring to the faction wheel. While some do choose to spin the wheel, most players usually flip the wheel. I'll explain the difference later.

So what does the wheelspin do for you? It gives you about 30 extra AP and unlocks all the mutation lines. The important thing here is that you will be noticeably better than those who don't bother to do it. Why would you do it, and how do you do it? Read on.

Continue reading Wasteland Diaries: Spinning the wheel

Wasteland Diaries: Spinning the wheel originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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To level no more forever

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, Leveling, Opinion, Humor

There's one constant in nearly every new MMO we play, and for many of us the games we play offline -- gaining levels. And Don't Fear The Mutant recently has set forth a sentiment that we're sure many players have shared -- the absolute, intolerable dread of having to level up again. Of having to go from Level 1 to Level Whatever, quickly at first and then ever so slowly as we creep toward the finish line, a finish that doesn't so much tell us what to do as gives us the option to do what we wanted to in the first place.

Sometimes it's a slog, sometimes it's easy, but all of us have felt the pain before of the fact that the barrier to entry gets higher and higher over time. After all, to pick a random example, the community of City of Heroes is full of characters at Level 50. The majority of the game is played out there. It's difficult to suggest a solution that doesn't require partitioning off the world or vastly shortening the level grind a la Guild Wars, but if you've ever found yourself staring at that bar and dreading even stepping out of town to fill it a bit -- and you certainly have -- you may wish to take a look at the full entry.

To level no more forever originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you play on Facebook?

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EST

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

Facebook is a haven for simple social games these days -- emphasis on simple. The gameplay frequently consists of nothing more than a few clicks and then waiting for the game to do what it wants to, a type of mechanic once memorably referred to as sandwich gameplay. (There's nothing interesting for the player to do, so you may as well get up and make yourself a sandwich.) And yet games of this breed can acquire more subscribers than World of Warcraft, which is one of those concepts that seems baffling at first, but once you think about it, it's still baffling.

The games are certainly massive, multiplayer, and online. About the only thing we could argue they're not is games, since there's little to no skill involved at the best of times. But they certainly don't seem to have problem bringing in money or subscribers, and they're becoming omnipresent. Do you take part? Do you play one or two because your friends do, or several of them? Do you use them to eat up downtime in your game of choice, or do you play them on their own merits? Or do you dislike them precisely because they're barely-disguised treadmills?

The Daily Grind: Do you play on Facebook? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chasing carrots, and why we do it

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, Leveling, Opinion

A while ago, Kill Ten Rats advocated a rather interesting approach to solving the problem of any tedious grind: cheat. More viable in a single-player game (but still possible if you're willing to use methods of dubious legality), the reasoning was to cut away the reward portion and see if you were enjoying what you were doing on its own merits. Two follow-up posts have been made since then, further extrapolating the question and getting into the way our brains fire in response to anticipation of reward.

Grind, of course, is both a dirty word and a quintessential part of any current MMO, which means that we generally aim at games with the most enjoyable grind. But are we focusing on an enjoyable grind, or just one that's not too painful as we head toward the end goal? Is the problem with Aion (to pick a game routinely raked over the coals for its grind) the basic structure, or could the grind become irrelevant if it were just a hair more enjoyable? The very structure of MMOs encourages a certain amount of grinding, and it's interesting to take a look at whether we're doing it because the grind is fun, or just because we've tricked ourselves into thinking it's not all that bad.

Chasing carrots, and why we do it originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: How much grind is too much?

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST

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

We aren't always gung-ho about it, but somewhere deep down we realize that MMOs kind of need a certain amount of grind. After all, that's part of what keeps us in the game and playing, and there are some areas where avoiding the grind arguably injures your overall experience. But there are still degrees of grind. Guild Wars, for instance, is notable as being largely free of grinding with a few small exceptions. On the flip side, Aion is almost universally agreed to be a nonstop extravaganza of grinding in one form or another, which has been one of the elements that turns many players off from the game. Both are good games, but they're targeted to people who enjoy differing levels of the age-old pastime of grinding.

Today, we ask our fine readers how much of a tolerance they have for grinding. Are you able to sit at the computer for hours on end, whistling away as you relentlessly kill things without a twinge of regret? Or does the mere thought of repeating something for rewards send you screaming to the hills? What games have struck you as too focused on grind, and which ones seemed too eager to hand out rewards?

The Daily Grind: How much grind is too much? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Too late to start playing Lord of the Rings Online?

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Leveling, Opinion, Academic

The trouble with any long-running game is that it gets top-heavy. This is especially a problem in games such as Final Fantasy XI, where you simply have to group to accomplish most things in the game, but it's really a problem even in the most solo-friendly game with an expansion or two. After all, more often than not there's an ever-raising level cap, gear curve, and expected knowledge about the game, not to mention stretches of previously endgame content that's no longer relevant. When A Casual Stroll to Mordor asks if it's too late to start playing Lord of the Rings Online, the question could be extended to many other games.

Of course, it's probably not exceptionally surprising that the conclusion is "no," duly pointing out that the only time it's technically too late is when the game is shutting down soon. There are also tips about making the areas at lower levels less of a ghost town, which largely boil down to being proactive. People will almost always have alts or restarted characters, and actively trying to get your foot in the door can make up for a lot of inexperience. It's as true in Lord of the Rings Online as it is everywhere: putting forth the effort makes a lot of difference, even if it won't close the expanded level gap by itself.

Too late to start playing Lord of the Rings Online? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disguising the grind, part 2

Brendan Drain — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Continue reading Disguising the grind, part 2

Disguising the grind, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disguising the grind

Brendan Drain — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Age of Conan, EverQuest II, Culture, Game mechanics, Lore, MMO industry, Quests, PvE, Opinion, Hands-on, Virtual worlds

Believe it or not, grind is an essential part of an MMO and we might be pretty lost without it. Repetitive content is the cornerstone of the MMO genre but it's not all just smacking monsters over the head for hours on end or completing yet another "kill ten rats" quest. The repetitive elements in an MMO give us predictable gameplay in a form we can digest. We don't feel lost when we pick up a quest because it uses similar mechanics to previous quests we've done. From a development standpoint, the amount of time it takes to create new and unique gameplay for an MMO is quite large and it's just not feasible to churn out unique gameplay with every new piece of content. Instead, developers are forced to re-use the same gameplay mechanics over and over again. So if we genuinely appreciate predictable, repetitive gameplay and it's not feasible to do otherwise, why are we always so up-in-arms about the evils of grinding?

In this probative opinion piece, I look at why we need repetitive gameplay in MMOs and the various ways developers disguise grind to keep the game entertaining.
Update: Link to page 2 fixed. Thanks Brian!

Continue reading Disguising the grind

Disguising the grind originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A look back at Aion's first month and impressions

Brooke Pilley — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Opinion, Massively Hands-on

43,829 minutes. That's roughly how long Aion's been out in the West. Depending on your tolerance for grinding, it may or may not have felt like that amount of time passed. There's no doubt it's been a busy month full of ups and downs, so we'd like to take an extensive look back at the last 30-days and give our impressions on the game.

Smooth criminal

Aion experienced one of the most technically smooth launches in MMO history, which was the result of hard work, innovative design, tough decision-making, and of course nearly a year between the Eastern and Western releases. Anti-cheat software, GameGuard, was stripped from the client in the 11th hour. This no doubt eliminated most of the open-beta issues that would have sent a lot of potential players packing shortly after release. Players just aren't as forgiving as they used to be.

Continue reading A look back at Aion's first month and impressions

A look back at Aion's first month and impressions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One month: Aion October community address

Brooke Pilley — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, News items

Aion has officially been out for one full month and NCsoft just released an October community address in response. The notice reads less like a giant pat on the back and more like a checklist of major issues they are working on, which is bound to churn up speculation about how well the title is doing. Oh, we're sure Aion is doing quite well even though we haven't heard the official numbers yet, but developers usually use these opportunities to shout about their accomplishments rather than their shortcomings.

The top three issues mentioned in the letter are experience curves, client performance, and spammers/botters. Most players will agree that it can feel like a part-time job to level your character at times. Some players have had performance issues specifically related to "Cryssystem.dll." And finally, everyone has been forced to /ignore the odd spammer... or fifty. NCsoft is using this opportunity to yet again tell players they are aware of these issues and fixes are on the way.

We're curious how this may relate to differences between eastern and western gaming cultures. Aion has been released for nearly a year in Asia and yet only the outcry from European and North American players against experience grinds and gold spamming specifically seems to be sparking a change.

One month: Aion October community address originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Five more quick tips for Aion (p2)

Brooke Pilley — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, New titles, Tips and tricks

Continue reading Five more quick tips for Aion (p2)

Five more quick tips for Aion (p2) originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Five more quick tips for Aion

Brooke Pilley — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, New titles, Tips and tricks

We spent a lot of time playing Aion last weekend and have another round of quick tips to share with you. Check out last week's list in case you missed it. Enjoy!

1. Cheaply level your craft

This tip assumes you know the basics of crafting. The fastest and cheapest way to raise your crafting skill is to complete work orders given out by your crafting trainer in the Artisan district in your capital city. Crafting costs kinah (money), but there are three important things you should bear in mind to maximize your savings.

First, only grind up your skill on work orders 10-15 levels below your current crafting level. For instance, if your Tailoring is at 40, only do work orders that require a 30 Tailoring until you reach 50 skill points. Each work order will give you around 1-1.5 skill points, will complete more quickly with a higher level of success, and your extra ingredient(s) cost will be lower from the crafting vendor.

Second, only make as many items as needed to complete your work order. Each work order only requires that you create 6 items but the trainer gives you enough basic ingredients for 8. Too many people click "Craft All," which ends up wasting additional resources (i.e., money). Manually type in "6" and then press your craft button.

Continue reading Five more quick tips for Aion

Five more quick tips for Aion originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: The journey versus the destination

William Dobson — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Leveling, The Daily Grind

Whenever a new MMO or expansion is released, whether it's a AAA title or a lesser known game with a tiny population, you can be sure that there will be a group of people racing to reach the maximum level. Some may start out gung-ho and drop out of the race as the levels get a bit slower, but there will always be those that complete the whole journey to the level cap at a blinding pace. Sometimes there is end-game content that they are racing towards, but that certainly isn't the only motivating factor for tearing through the levels. There are those that just enjoy getting it done fast no matter what. Those that don't have the time to play enough to win the initial race may still spend each play-session in a grinding and questing frenzy.

As a contrast, we would also be able to find players that log on too much to be considered casual, yet still haven't got a character at max level in their chosen game. This is the "stop and smell the roses" approach to leveling, with the emphasis on the journey rather than the destination. This type of player will probably take the time to read every word of every quest, engage in activities that aren't related to progression, and just generally move at a far more relaxed pace.

We think there's definitely room for both types of players, and also realize that the player's approach may depend heavily on what a particular game offers. What we'd like to find out from you this morning is how you normally approach the leveling in a new game or expansion. What factors contribute to that approach?

The Daily Grind: The journey versus the destination originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anti-Aliased: My first 30 levels with AFK... er... Jade Dynasty pt. 2

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Betas, Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, Opinion, Free-to-play, Anti-Aliased

So that's why it's called AFK Dynasty...

When I finally found a new area to level in as my awesome level 30 self, I actually found that the quests had surprisingly become more tedious. Now it was kill 30 of a monster, or collect 10 to 15 of an item that would only drop once every 7 monsters. This is when I began to make crazy use of the invigorate feature, where I'd press the "kill stuff" button and my character would go off killing whatever she pleased.

Was I worried about dying? Pfft, no! Using my wonderous cash shop gold I got a health and mana battery! These two items carried 700,000 HP and 700,000 SP inside of them, and would use enough of their charges to bring my character back up to full HP and SP when I dropped below 10% in a category. I had absolutely nothing to fear now all because my character was basically on a potion IV drip. Everything in my path was easily slaughtered, and I didn't have to be present for any of it.

It scared me.

Is this what an MMO is?

Other games try to hide it with cutscenes, story, diversions, and other tactics. Jade Dynasty is the full, unabashed version of what a MMO is -- grindy grindy grind. But when the game becomes so advanced that it can play itself, then I need to ask an important question What the heck is the point?

"Jade Dynasty is the full, unabashed version of what a MMO is -- grindy grindy grind."

A better designer than I once said, "Making video games for a living comes down to one cold, hard truth -- you're making pushing buttons fun. Your job is making an extremely mundane task into an experience with impact." The fact that a game like Jade Dynasty exists is a scary proposition for our industry as a whole. It means we're walking the path of making timesinks, not games. It's like one of those old addages -- "How can we have fun playing a game when we're not playing the game?"

I sound like a broken record, but this is a very strong reason why I preach about the necessity of storyline and impact in a game. While gameplay is very, very important, any repetitive activity will become boring unless it is spiced up with enough change to keep it engaging. We use to have a strong grasp of making worlds with engaging content. That grasp, however, has diminished since the dawn of the EverQuest and the rise of "kill X to level" quests.

How do I know that we've lost our path regarding storyline? Well because Bioware is touting storyline as a new feature in The Old Republic. When we've gotten to the point that storyline is a "on-the-box" feature for a game, then we've done something horribly wrong in our designing.

Our original designs focused on the adventure in the world, not the quick grind sessions to max level and the repetition of raids. I wish we could re-find those designs.

My final note to you all for this week: if you want to play a game of numbers without playing the game, I have a recommendation for you. It's a "game" that runs on anyone's computer thanks to low graphical requirements and provides all of the same action and features that Jade Dynasty provides. It's called Progress Quest, it's equivolent to Jade Dynasty, and it's 100% free. Try it, you'll love it.

Colin Brennan is the weekly writer of Anti-Aliased who is totally level 45 in Jade Dynasty by only playing it for an hour. When he's not writing here for Massively, he's rambling on his personal blog, The Experience Curve. If you want to message him, send him an e-mail at colin.brennan AT weblogsinc DOT com. You can also follow him on Twitter through Massively, or through his personal feed.

Anti-Aliased: My first 30 levels with AFK... er... Jade Dynasty pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anti-Aliased: My first 30 levels with AFK... er... Jade Dynasty

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Betas, Fantasy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, Opinion, Free-to-play, Anti-Aliased

So I learned a few things since last week. One, writing an opinion column on how much I like Final Fantasy XIV can push people into a frothing internet rage, and two, people apparently forgot that I write an opinion column.

Therefore, because my column may induce emotional states similar to some drugs, I've been asked by the FDA to include a legible warning prior to each of my column topics.

The FDA would like me to tell you that reading Anti-Aliased can, in rare cases, cause extreme emotional upset, eye strain, monitor punching syndrome, a feeling of discomfort around Mithra, itchyness, nausea, resurrection sickness, paralysis of the eyelids, and carpal tunnel syndrome. You should stop reading Anti-Aliased and consult with a World of Warcraft priest should you develop any one of these symptoms while reading.

With that legalese out of the way, let's talk about Jade Dynasty -- dubbed by the illustrious James Egan as AFK Dynasty as it's the one MMO where you pay microtransactions to not play it. Yes, you heard me, it's more beneficial to not play Jade Dynasty than it is to play Jade Dynasty. EVE players, there is finally a game that puts your skill training system to shame.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: My first 30 levels with AFK... er... Jade Dynasty

Anti-Aliased: My first 30 levels with AFK... er... Jade Dynasty originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Grinding: The world's newest hobby?

Seraphina Brennan — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, Opinion

Kill Ten Rats just put up an interesting, if not verging on controversial, take on some of the more repetitive and mundane parts of our MMO experiences. The main point of the article looks at MMOs not from the standpoint of a game, but rather that of a hobby.

Ravious, the article's author, defines a hobby element of an MMO as something we may do in our gameplay that's not fun, but aids you having fun in future gameplay. Things like grinding to get that awesome new sword, all the looting you do to make potions for that next big raid, or perhaps just sitting in battlegrounds and getting all the honor points you can take.

Ravious makes one important part at the end of the article -- too much "hobby element" in your game just makes for a sour game. He uses salt for his metaphor in this context. Salt makes food taste better, but too much salt or salting the wrong thing leads to ghastly consequences.

Grinding: The world's newest hobby? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A five-hour look at Ryzom

William Dobson — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Classes, Game mechanics, Crafting, Ryzom, Opinion

Ryzom certainly has a very shaky time-line, changing business models, being canceled and then saved. This sounds like a bit of a disaster, but in reality, it's proved that it can survive in the often-harsh MMO industry. A huge part of this resilience is the game's loyal fanbase, and in a recent first-impressions piece over at Eurogamer, it looks like the single server's community is still going strong -- in fact, it might be one of the reasons to give Ryzom a try.

The author of the article documented his first five hours with the game, reporting on each hour's experiences. He learned about the lack of restrictions with class choices, the stanza system (which allows players to customize their abilities), and discovered that Ryzom is definitely a lot more hardcore in terms of the hand-holding gameplay hints that most MMOs offer these days. Luckily, he found a lot of real people willing to help him out in learning the ways of the world.

This all sounds fine and dandy, but there are a lot of negatives too -- chief among these, the unintuitive crafting system, the grinding to raise different levels, and the harsh penalties associated with failure. These things are apparently bad enough to turn a lot of folks away, but for some, it's easy to look past them and enjoy what is there. We'd be interested to know where our readers stand on this title at this more peaceful stage in its life.

A five-hour look at Ryzom originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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