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The Firing Line: A couple of PlanetSide 2 concerns

Jef Reahard — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, PlanetSide, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, PlanetSide 2, Sandbox

Now that the glow of PlanetSide 2's GDC demo reveal is a couple of weeks back in the rear-view mirror, I've had time to digest it all and adjust my expectations of the game accordingly. Nothing I saw from Matt Higby and company dampened my enthusiasm for Sony Online Entertainment's MMOFPS opus, but a few things I didn't see are niggling at the back of my mind.

Don't get me wrong -- PS2 is still at the top of my most-anticipated MMO list, but there are a few points of contention that could relegate it to the status of fun diversion instead of zomg-must-play-every-day title.

Continue reading The Firing Line: A couple of PlanetSide 2 concerns

The Firing Line: A couple of PlanetSide 2 concerns originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WildStar unveils questing with a Twitter budget

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Previews, News items, WildStar

Nobody likes reading quest text. Having to sift through five paragraphs of text just to figure out what you're doing isn't anyone's idea of a good time. The latest entry in the WildStar Wednesday series of developer blogs is all about how the team has tried to do away with mind-numbing and ponderous quest text. And the narrative design team does so by paring down quest text to a quick snippet no longer than a Twitter post.

While there are ways to construct smaller entries, of course, the entry discusses how the 140-character limit makes for a good building block to keep players engaged -- it's short enough that you can read it quickly but not so short that it omits important information. In addition to showing a quest get brought down to a quick bite-sized snippet, the entry also talks about keeping control in the hands of the player and letting the story unfold organically, both things that should be of interest to WildStar fans eager for more information.

WildStar unveils questing with a Twitter budget originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Guild Counsel: SWTOR is stealing my (character) identity!

Karen Bryan — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Guilds, Opinion, Roleplaying, Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Guild Counsel

Guild leading is often as much about managing personalities as it is about managing the nuts and bolts of the game. In previous columns, we've looked at all sorts of issues that guild leaders have to solve, and at the root of almost all of them is some sort of personality clash. Show me a nice blend of personalities, and I'll show you a happy guild that will stick together for years.

What makes guild leading so difficult, though, is that unlike real-life leaders, guild leaders need to manage two identities for every member. There's the real-life identity of the player, and then there's the identity of the in-game character, and they aren't always the same. If you talk to a guild that's met at a guild gathering or convention, one of the things you'll always hear is how a particular member is so different from his in-game character. In game, for example, he might be a rough-around-the-edges general, but in real life he's a quiet teddy bear.

MMOs give us the opportunity to be someone completely different from who we are out of game, and even non-roleplayers will sometimes behave differently when they're playing. But Star Wars: The Old Republic has taken away some of our power to construct our own identities in game. In this edition of The Guild Counsel, Let's look at how that's happened and whether it will affect the way we game.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: SWTOR is stealing my (character) identity!

The Guild Counsel: SWTOR is stealing my (character) identity! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Some Assembly Required: A Mortal Online interview

Jef Reahard — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, PvP, PvE, Mortal Online, Some Assembly Required, Sandbox, Crafting

I recently had the opportunity to fire off a few questions to Henrik Nystrom, and the Star Vault CEO was kind enough to provide some interesting insights into the firm's Mortal Online fantasy sandbox.

Though Mortal is thus far renowned for its full-loot PvP ruleset, it's also got a number of nifty features that you may be unaware of, with more on the way. Join me after the cut for a lengthy discussion of the new Awakening expansion as well as a glimpse into Nave's future.

Continue reading Some Assembly Required: A Mortal Online interview

Some Assembly Required: A Mortal Online interview originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pirates of the Burning Sea outlines plans for 2012

Jef Reahard — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Historical, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Free-to-play, Miscellaneous

Remember Pirates of the Burning Sea? Yeah, it's still sailing along after its 2010 free-to-play conversion, and the dev team at Flying Lab Software is gearing up to celebrate the game's fourth anniversary in high pirate style.

Brain "Fodderboy" Taney has offered up a lengthy dev blog detailing what's next for the nautical MMO, and he outlines two main goals: immersion and the desire to "layer" the game.

Immersion is fairly self-explanatory (and in case it's not, Taney says that it entails bringing more authentic 18th century elements to the game). Layering requires a bit more verbiage, but it basically boils down to improving "the game experience for all the different kinds of players we have in our community (e.g., casual, hardcore, PvE-only, PvP-only, etc.)," Taney says. There's quite a bit more, of course, but you'll need to head to the official PotBS website to read about it.

Pirates of the Burning Sea outlines plans for 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What's your favorite item-quality system?

Brianna Royce — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST

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

Grey, white, green, blue, purple, gold. World of Warcraft may not have invented what's become the standard colors for item quality, but it's surely cemented the hierarchy in gamers' minds. Last week, Raph Koster suggested that these tiers of items are part of the "yuck" that leads to the loss of immersion across the games industry.

I think he's right. I miss the days of Ultima Online (which not coincidentally was Koster's baby), when players geared up with basic platemail of invulnerability, chainmail of fortification, and katanas of vanquishing. Halfway through UO's lifespan, that system was gutted in favor of a Diablo-esque item that turned wearables into a numbers game. The charm of my deadly poisoned kryss made by a Grandmaster Blacksmith was gone, replaced by a few dozen stats to juggle.

Do you agree with Koster? Are color-coded item tiers a design shortcut that contributes to the loss of immersion in MMOs and other games? What game has your favorite item-quality system?

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 item-quality system? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leaderboard: Play the game vs. play the system

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, Miscellaneous, Leaderboard

Recently, MMO guru Raph Koster made some waves by lamenting the loss of immersion as a core game virtue. In a follow-up post to his first one, he clarified that he was speaking about the two different sides of game play and game development:

"These are also two ways to play a game. You can come to it as purely a math puzzle to solve, or you can come at it as an experience. And ironically, with all the advances we have made in terms of presentation, it feels like more and more games are less about the experience and more about the acronyms and mechanics."

So in today's Leaderboard, we're going to have it out: immersion versus statistics, the love of the game versus the love of the numbers. Do you play MMOs more for the experience of it -- to be immersed in its game world, reveling in the stories, characters, locales, and feel? Or do you find yourself gaming the system more and more, min-maxing to win at the numbers game while seeking the most efficient path through content?

Vote after the jump and let your voice be heard!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Play the game vs. play the system

Leaderboard: Play the game vs. play the system originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raph Koster: Immersion is not a core game virtue

Jef Reahard — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Opinion, Miscellaneous, Sandbox

Yeah, you read that right, virtual world fans. One of the more celebrated sandbox MMORPG developers is apparently throwing in the towel when it comes to immersion. Raph Koster wrote what can only be termed a lament on his personal blog today, saying that "immersion does not make a lot of sense in a mobile, interruptable world."

Koster characterizes immersion as a style whose time has come and gone, and he concludes that games are no longer for dreamers due to their far-reaching popularity. "I mourn the gradual loss of deep immersion and the trappings of geekery that I love," Koster writes. "I see the ways in which the worlds I once dove into headlong have become incredibly expensive endeavors, movies-with-button-presses far more invested in telling me their story, rather than letting me tell my own."

Whether you agree with him or not, it's a sobering read coming from one of the chief creative forces behind Star Wars Galaxies and Ultima Online.

Raph Koster: Immersion is not a core game virtue originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: The twelve days of Solorius

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Aion, Culture, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, Wings Over Atreia

Aren't I thoughtful? As my present to you, I am going to help banish those Solorius tunes that got stuck in your head a couple of weeks ago. How shall I accomplish this? No, not with a home-delivery amateur lobotomy or a plethora of psychotropics (though these could alternately be helpful I concede) but by replacing them of course! Yes, let's round out the season with a rousing rendition of The Twelve Days of Solorius.

Last year, I shared my first ever Aion holiday wish list. Although nothing from that hopeful list was granted in 2011, there is promise of at least two of those items being introduced to Atreia next year! So while some may have considered my brazen declarations of wants an exercise in futility, I shan't abandon hope! After all, what is a holiday season without hope?

Is there a little something special you'd like to see in Aion? Make your list then check mine twice past the cut.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: The twelve days of Solorius

Wings Over Atreia: The twelve days of Solorius originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Does quest reward realism matter?

Brianna Royce — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

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

While playing Star Wars: The Old Republic this week, my quest partner and I ran into something odd: A group of anti-Jedi Twi'lek pilgrims handed over an elite Jedi robe to his Consular. What were these pilgrims doing with expensive gear from their enemies, and if the quest-givers had looted the garb from Jedi corpses, why would they consider such wearables worthy gifts for us? In a game as story-driven as SWTOR, you'd think the quest rewards would match the lore, right?

Of course, BioWare's new epic isn't alone in these weird quirks. Think about how many fantasy games have monsters that drop abnormal numbers of body parts, or worse, money, when you know that ghost couldn't carry a sack of gold and you're pretty darn sure that bat had two eyes, not just one. But does it bother you? Are your immersions disrupted by such inanities, or do you chalk them up to game mechanics and go about your MMO business, happily accepting illogical quest rewards and looting ridiculous items (like furniture!) from any old white-con mob that wanders into your crosshairs?

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

The Daily Grind: Does quest reward realism matter? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Are you obsessed with jumping?

Brianna Royce — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST

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

I suspect that if you polled players about their biggest Guild Wars pet peeves, the lack of a jump ability would be toward the top. The game world just isn't built with a Z-axis. Even if you could jump, there'd be nowhere to go. ArenaNet has been quick to assure fans that the sequel will in fact have jumping. Jumping! You'd think there were no other important mechanics, like crafting or travel or guilds! Besides, if you build your world for jumping, you also build your world for falling... like off of City of Heroes' tall buildings or those obnoxious Kelethin tree platforms in EverQuest (seriously, learn2railings, Wood Elves!).

Still we crave our spacebar jumping, so much that we demand it even in 2-D sidescrolling crafting sandboxes like Glitch (where jumping neither decreases aggro nor makes you harder to target in PvP, sadly). Are you one of those obsessed with jumping in MMOs, and if so, why? Is it a nervous twitch? A way to immerse yourself in the gameworld? Do you jump for attention? Or is jumping merely shorthand for an interactive three-axis world?

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

The Daily Grind: Are you obsessed with jumping? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Immersion 101

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST

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

This week's course: What were they thinking?!?

Maybe it was running smack into the garish sugary confection amid the beauty of Pandaemonium. No. Honestly, it was a combination of many things that finally exploded my synapses; the sight of that gaudy cake that made me whip my head around looking for little Hansel and Gretel was just the catalyst. I may be missing something, but I just don't quite understand why a game -- one that obviously put a lot of effort into not only making a visually stunning world but interweaving lore throughout the entire experience -- would toss in such jarring breaks of immersion.

There is no denying (even the hating haters agree) that Aion is an extremely beautiful and detailed world; the team even rolled out a graphics upgrade to enhance it. The developers have also obviously spent time developing lore for the players to experience: The campaign quests give personal cutscenes sharing this lore. This implies, at least to me, that the devs want you to immerse yourself and envelop yourself in their world. So why in the Seraphim Lords' names would they toss in things that not only break the suspension of disbelief but yank players out of it so forcefully that they are left dizzy and disoriented?

Join the class beyond the break for Wings over Atreia's look at immersion, why it is important, and what destroys it in our favorite game, Aion. (BTW -- the cake is not a lie!)

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Immersion 101

Wings Over Atreia: Immersion 101 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LotRO dev diary talks Dunland, new dev tools

Jef Reahard — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Expansions, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Patches, News items, Free-to-play

Lord of the Rings Online's latest dev diary is hot off the presses, and to no one's surprise, it's all about Dunland (i.e., the new content region released in this week's Rise of Isengard expansion).

Turbine's Jessie "Vastin" King is your guide to what's new and exciting in virtual Middle-earth, and the blog entry is heavy on LotRO's story elements as it explains the devs' approach to setting the game slightly off the path trod by Tolkien's famous fellowship. "It's in these areas where interesting characters, environments and stories lay in the tantalizing realm of suggestion," King explains.

The dev blog also mentions a new approach to dynamic quests, NPCs, and events, and King says that the expansion is just the beginning as Turbine seeks to make its version of Tolkien's world that much more immersive. "As we settle into the use of some of these new tools, you should discover yourself in the midst of more dramatically changing towns, actively engaged NPC's, and roiling conflicts," the diary states.

LotRO dev diary talks Dunland, new dev tools originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Which MMO world would you inhabit in real life?

Shawn Schuster — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST

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

Some MMOs have horrid character models, let's be honest. But I think we can all agree that game worlds are usually the most compelling part of our favorite MMOs. Whether it's the quality of writing that pulls us in or the realism of the environmental art itself, there are just some games that we'd all love to live in.

So which one would you pick? Would you enjoy skipping through a tater field in The Shire? How about picking apples with Mary Malone in Tyria? Possibly you'd prefer riding a giant Gryphon in Azeroth. Let us know in the comments below which MMO world you'd live in, given the chance.

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: Which MMO world would you inhabit in real life? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funcom's Craig Morrison on background, story, and immersion

Jef Reahard — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Culture, Game mechanics, MMO industry, News items, Opinion, Dev Diaries

It's been a while since we checked up on Age of Conan game director Craig Morrison's personal blog, and the latest update is a lengthy morsel designed to get gamers thinking about MMO story as something more than a marketing bullet point. Along the way, we get a glimpse of Morrison's thoughts on games ranging from MMOs, to Brink, to id Software's forthcoming RAGE.

While you might think that story is all about narrative and characterization, Morrison opines that a sense of place and attention to world-building details like societal structures are equally important. Quest text can be crucial too, and while gameplay is obviously a big deal, Morrison says that it's only part of the equation.

"Sure, a game can be good on its own mechanical merits, and first and foremost a game must be a compelling gameplay experience... but those truly great games? Those are the games that also create a sense of place for the player. A world they can believe in," he writes.

Funcom's Craig Morrison on background, story, and immersion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP video blog talks EVE immersion, Incarna deployment

Jef Reahard — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, EVE Online, Expansions, MMO industry, News items, Dev Diaries

As the clocks ticks down on EVE Online's long-awaited Incarna update, CCP is starting to roll out more PR to get fans in the mood (and to catch the eye of casual observers). The eight-year old title has long been considered one of the massive genre's premier sandboxes, but Incarna's deployment is adding a radical new dimension to the game that is taking time to both design and deploy.

A new video blog featuring EVE creative director Torfi Frans Olafsson and senior designer Craig Scott looks to fill fans in on what Incarna has to offer. It's all about immersion, according to Olafsson, who says that the new avatar-based sections of the game will give players a stronger sense of self and a deeper awareness of the game environment and the scale of New Eden. Olafsson also explains why CCP is taking its sweet time with Incarna's rollout and why it's chosen to do it in stages (the first of which is the captain's quarters update on June 21st). In a nutshell, the staggered deployment is due to the update's complexity as well as to the fact that it's being grafted onto a live service that cannot be taken down for extensive tweaks.

"To be honest, it's like changing the engine on a race car while it's doing 200 mph on a race track," he explains. Check out the full clip after the cut.

Continue reading CCP video blog talks EVE immersion, Incarna deployment

CCP video blog talks EVE immersion, Incarna deployment originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engaging the brain: Funcom talks about the immersiveness of story in The Secret World

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 27 May 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Sci-fi, Video, The Secret World, Dev Diaries

"No designer could ask for more to draw upon," The Secret World's Joel Bylos says. "This world, our world, is the greatest resource of them all."

And so begins a fascinating trip down the dark alleys of storytelling in Funcom's upcoming MMO. In a dev diary posted at MMORPG.com, The Secret World team suggests it's more interesting to set the game in our world instead of in rehashed fantasy lands. By embracing the concept of "everything is true," the writers open the door to every conspiracy theory, every urban legend, and every branch of pseudoscience known to man.

"The story is exploration. The story is discovery," Bylos promises. He says that the ultimate goal of the storytelling team is to get players to stop mindlessly clicking and to start engaging the story on a conscious level. This includes investigating events, hunting for clues and solving puzzles. No, this isn't Scooby-Doo Online (although that would be awesome).

It's also interesting to note that every character in the game has full voice-over and motion capture as a way to pull you into the story instead of jolt you out of it. Bylos also outlines the different types of missions, which include stealth and infiltration, action, investigation, and story.

[Thanks Even!]

Engaging the brain: Funcom talks about the immersiveness of story in The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 May 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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XL Games teases new ArcheAge trailer

Jef Reahard — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, MMO industry, New titles, News items, ArcheAge

The ArcheAge publicity machine is starting to make a bit of noise (and it's about time too, the title's been in development since 2006). XL Games has just released a brief video preview -- which is itself a teaser for a full-length trailer that will debut shortly. The game is also gearing up for its third Korean closed beta, with testing scheduled to kick off on May 24th.

The video crams a ton of new footage into its one-minute running time, and we're unabashedly salivating for the full-length trailer as well as the game. ArcheAge is the brainchild of noted Korean developer Jake Song, and looks to fuse sandbox and themepark elements to create the first "third generation" MMORPG experience. ArcheAge also features music from renowned Korean composers Yoon Sang and Shin Hae Chul, and fantasy novelist Jun Min Hee is involved in the conceptualization of what XL calls "game scenarios."

ArcheAge is being developed using both CryEngine 2 and 3, and aims to set the standard for both graphical performance and varied gameplay options. Feast your eyes on the teaser after the cut.

Continue reading XL Games teases new ArcheAge trailer

XL Games teases new ArcheAge trailer originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: The road (much) less traveled

Beau Hindman — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:00:00 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.

Normally, this column is reserved for some pretty big discussions. This time, however, I would like to talk about one of my specific pet peeves in MMO gaming, or at least one of the problems that I am very interested in solving. If you have ever taken a stroll down a dirt road in your favorite digital world, or if you have found yourself literally taking the long way home, then you might know what I am talking about.

Players similar to me really and truly do not care about impressing other players or about how those other players are trying to impress me. When I log into a virtual world, I want to simply meet people and possibly go on an adventure. The problem is that MMO gaming, like any other activity that humans participate in, has become a hobby with rules and proper guidelines on how to get it all done very quickly.

What about taking the time to travel, though? What about "it's the the journey, not the destination?" No, I mean the journey -- literally. Join me past the cut and let's talk about the need for realistic travel.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The road (much) less traveled

The Soapbox: The road (much) less traveled originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: Atlantica Online

Beau Hindman — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Opinion, Free-to-play, Hands-on, Humor, Atlantica Online, Rise and Shiny, Livestream

Is it possible to be simultaneously annoyed and enchanted by an MMORPG? I think it just might be, now that I've spent several days and hours with Atlantica Online, now published by Nexon. It might not make sense to a lot of you, but the overwhelming and possibly overly complicated UI and systems of gathering basic information ("where's the bank?") filled me with a sense of wonder and even awe. There was so much to learn and see -- or was it just that the poorly designed UI gave me way too much information in too many ways?

For example, if I wanted to locate the bank, I would open up an information window, go into a few more selections until I found the city and then the bank, then either try to find my way there or click on auto-walk to get there. Once there, I would have to join the bank then ask why the bank didn't allow me to store items in addition to money. Then I would find out that the only city with item storage is Rome, so then I'd need to open up the information book to find Rome, only to discover that I had no way of getting there until level 20.

So then I would need to find an NPC through the book, auto-path to him or her to sell the goods that were taking up way too much room in my inventory, then double-click on the quest so I could double-click and auto-path my way top the NPC who gave me the quest (since the quest's mobs were not linked in the book), then continue on with my quests that would result in my bags becoming full again. Phew.

Click past the cut and let me tell you all about it.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Atlantica Online

Rise and Shiny recap: Atlantica Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A peek at Sector 4 of Fallen Earth

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Previews, News items, Post-Apocalyptic

Sector 4 isn't available for players of Fallen Earth just yet, but it's impossible not to know that it's out there, the fourth piece of a building world. As it turns out, however, Sector 4 is more than just the next zone -- it's a look into what the game's world was like before everything went to hell. In a new diary from Chris "Devo" Deavellar, the aesthetics of the new zone are discussed, and he mentions that Sector 4 is the first branch away from the fairly realistic environments seen in the game up to this point.

Deavellar mentions that just throwing a bunch of plant life around would have felt unsuitable for the game, but considering the newest sector highlights the insane experiments of the Globaltech company, the place needed an alien feel. Using several real-world plants such as kudzu for inspiration, the result is a world that still feels true to life in many ways... but also is filled with alien plants weeping amber fluid. Fallen Earth players should take a look at the full diary to get the smallest hint of what this newest zone will look like, a reminder of what would have been the future... before the end of the world.

[Thanks to Scott for the tip!]

A peek at Sector 4 of Fallen Earth originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: When do you get the feeling the developers just aren't trying?

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST

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

Look, creating a game is hard. No one could credibly argue that it's easy. And while some of us can't help but feel slighted by anything less than perfection, most of us do acknowledge that the developers are really doing their best to make the world feel vital. At least until you walk across something that says that, typo or not, someone just isn't trying to preserve the game's sense of verisimilitude.

Of course, it's not just immersion that can fall by the wayside. Some games seem to have ignored PvP for half of an eternity, while others seem to be doing the same thing for the PvE side of the game. Roleplaying might be the last thing on the development team's plate -- or it might be the only thing, leading to everyone else standing around waiting. There are always certain things that just seem to fall off the list, and there's a point when each of us have felt that hard or not, it's possible to do a better job if you just invest a little effort. So when have you felt like the team just stopped trying?

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: When do you get the feeling the developers just aren't trying? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: Sandboxes and the cop-out of FFA PvP

Brianna Royce — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, PvP, Opinion, Star Wars Galaxies, Ultima Online, Roleplaying, 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.

Last week, our own Jef Reahard mounted the Massively Soapbox with an article titled Sandboxes and the fear of FFA PvP. In it, he argued that open PvP was a natural and necessary part of any solid sandbox MMO. He also made waves by suggesting that FFA PvP is crucial to the roleplaying experience and that roleplayers should really face their "fears" and give it a try.

I'm a sandbox gamer and a PvPer at heart. I played the early years of Ultima Online and lived the adrenaline rush of full and brutal PvP and thievery. Dark Age of Camelot's RvR sucked up another year of my life. Star Wars Galaxies remains my sandbox of choice, and I've braved a World of Warcraft PvP server since launch. I know this territory very well. I'll knock it, because I have more than tried it -- in several tasty flavors.

And even though I'm an unabashed Jef-fangirl, I think there are a few debatable issues with his article. Hit the jump for some good old-fashioned counterpoints!

Continue reading The Soapbox: Sandboxes and the cop-out of FFA PvP

The Soapbox: Sandboxes and the cop-out of FFA PvP originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: The Immersion Project, a standard

Beau Hindman — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Opinion, Free-to-play, Roleplaying, Free for All

In preparation for this week's article, I thought I would play through a few games to compare which ones might fit into the Immersion Ruleset. Instead of listing off several games and how a "normal" player might apply the rules to them, I decided to share a few examples of some of the best games that force immersion onto a player -- whether he likes it or not. Of course, this doesn't work for all people and all times.

It might be a good idea to discuss how forced systems affect the game as compared to optional systems. As much as it pains me to say so (I am the biggest believer in allowing players to choose), forced immersion really does make a difference. When there is a standard, all players must abide by it -- no shortcut will do away with it.

So, here are a few games that force a player to immerse himself into a game through a combination of systems, environment, and setting. Of course this might or might not be a good thing, depending on the player.

Continue reading Free for All: The Immersion Project, a standard

Free for All: The Immersion Project, a standard originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Revisiting the rules of immersion

Beau Hindman — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Events, in-game, Opinion, Free-to-play, Roleplaying, Free for All

Years ago, I found myself wanting something more out of my gaming. I never was a "typical" player; I never achieved max level or defeated the greatest enemies. After some thought, I realized that I played the same as I lived: always curious, needing to explore, willing to step into someone else's story, or wanting to create my own. I needed games to mean more than just a stat-sheet or a weekly raid schedule. I needed to feel more connected to this activity that was taking up so much of my time. Otherwise, it was just a job.

At the time, I was very much into Vanguard. I still am, but my schedule has left me without enough time to play as much as I'd like. I loved how the world of Telon sucked you in with its massive landscapes and endless waters. Yes, the game has many issues, and yes, the community does as well. I wasn't going to let that stop me from writing up a series of rules -- more like guidelines -- that would almost force myself to slow down, to connect to the character I was playing, and to have fun.

I've decided to re-examine and update the rules, especially because I could use them now more than ever. We'll start by breaking down the original set.

Continue reading Free for All: Revisiting the rules of immersion

Free for All: Revisiting the rules of immersion originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: Community check-up

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST

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

It's a quiet week around these here parts, what with the Thanksgiving holiday in NA and the lull before the November Update hits on the 29th. As such, I thought it'd be a great time to catch up on the current state of the community, especially as we've seen so many new bloggers and sites and podcasts arrive on the scene in the past year.

I've always said that Lord of the Rings Online is truly blessed with not just a stellar community but an active one as well. Some MMOs see very little in the way of fan-created sites, keeping most of the community action centered on official forums and the like. However, when it comes to LotRO, we have not only the MyLotro.com blogs set up by Turbine, but a cornucopia of web delights fashioned by hard-working players.

So to say "Thanks!" to this wonderful community, today I want to highlight some of the best LotRO resource websites, blogs and podcasts that consistently go above and beyond in making our slice of the MMO landscape a delight to visit.

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Community check-up

The Road to Mordor: Community check-up originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's in-depth interview with SWTOR Community Manager Stephen Reid

Larry Everett — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Interviews, New titles, Massively Interviews, Star Wars: The Old Republic

Last Friday, Star Wars: The Old Republic finally revealed the Crew Skills crafting system. In a slightly less important announcement, BioWare also announced its new Community Manager, Stephen Reid. OK, I'm teasing. It is very important announcement. Since Sean Dahlberg stepped down, the community team has been without a face and voice to the community. Those left behind had to put in extra effort into providing the fans with the latest releases from the SWTOR news room, and for a while, the community was unsure who, if anyone, would be able to fill the shoes. Now, Stephen Reid has taken the helm of the massive community starship.

Now since we have a new voice of the SWTOR community team, Massively thought it would be interesting to get his thoughts on the game, on the community, and on how we, the fans, could best make Star Wars: The Old Republic the game it should be. Massively Senior Editor Brianna Royce sat down with Stephen at a recent LucasArts event for an in-depth interview -- join us past the break to see what he had to say!

Continue reading Massively's in-depth interview with SWTOR Community Manager Stephen Reid

Massively's in-depth interview with SWTOR Community Manager Stephen Reid originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Anvil of Crom: Squashing the negativity bug

Jef Reahard — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST

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

MMORPGs tend to attract a rather ranty segment of the gaming population. Actually, let me back up. MMORPG forums tend to attract a rather ranty segment of the gaming population. Whether or not a given game's general population is as perennially dissatisfied as the vocal folks on the official boards is a matter of conjecture, but conventional wisdom holds (and I happen to agree) that most of the people are contentedly playing while a subset are engaging in all manner of forum drama.

Writers aren't immune to this negativity bug either, as occasionally things will rub us the wrong way about our favorite genre (or a particular game), and we'll feel the need to speak out. I've been battling this particular demon lately myself, and whether it's a matter of burnout, stress, or simply observing that a lot of things really do suck, I feel it's important to occasionally step back and examine why exactly I'm playing a particular game as well as spending a part of my professional life covering this genre. It stands to reason that I wouldn't be here if everything were all bad all the time, so this is as fine a time as any to highlight some of the good.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Squashing the negativity bug

The Anvil of Crom: Squashing the negativity bug originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 31 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Details on event zones in Jumpgate Evolution

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Jumpgate Evolution, Game mechanics, Previews, PvP, News items

There's something about the massive span of space that lends itself to large-scale PvP, and Jumpgate Evolution is certainly heading down the road to having big and meaningful faction battles. This is the core of the game's Event Sectors, hotspots of activity between both players and NPCs in which everyone takes part in a truly epic struggle. In a recent diary on MMORPG.com, Joe Grubb explains the design philosophy behind the sectors and how they're shaping up as the game continues in development.

Grubb explains that one of the first goals the team had with these sectors was that they had to feel meaningful in context -- rather than just featuring good gameplay, it had to make sense why the battle was taking place from a lore standpoint. He goes on to explain how the team began testing and then revising the way content was set up to improve the feel of immersion and realism in each given sector. Take a look at the full diary for a preview of what promises to be one of the most interesting features in Jumpgate Evolution -- and really, who doesn't like epic space battles?

Details on event zones in Jumpgate Evolution originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive Interview: DCUO's Game Director Chris Cao

Larry Everett — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, Interviews, New titles, Comics, Massively Interviews, DC Universe Online

What gamer hasn't wanted to be a superhero at one time or another? Superheroes and comic books have been a part of gaming culture as long as computers. Of course, everyone has wanted to be Superman soaring through the skies of Metropolis, or Batman scaring the pants off the criminal underworld of Gotham City. Sony Online Entertainment has teamed up with Warner Bros. and DC Comics to bring this world -- nay, this universe -- to life. On November 2nd, DC Universe Online will blast its way to game store shelves everywhere.

DCUO gives fans of comic books, action video games, and MMOs a reason to come together and celebrate this incredible amalgam of genres. Create your own superhero! Thrill to the art of Jim Lee! Soak up the voice-acting of Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy! On top of that, if you preorder this deliciously intense action RPG, you will have exclusive rights to a token that will allow you to join a 2v2 PvP arena as the caped crusader himself, using his abilities, gadgets, and fighting style. Plus you'll get all the other preorder bonuses like confetti bombs and batarangs.

Massively snagged an exclusive interview with DCUO Game Director Chris Cao about this groundbreaking game. Up, up, and away! (OK, that was cheesy. Just hit "read more" to read our lengthy interview after the break!)

Continue reading Exclusive Interview: DCUO's Game Director Chris Cao

Exclusive Interview: DCUO's Game Director Chris Cao originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Introducing my trade route

Beau Hindman — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Professions, Free-to-play, Casual, Roleplaying, Mabinogi, Free for All

There isn't a game in existence that will perfectly match every type of player. I have found that even my favorite games of all time could do with some tweaking, which is not the fault of the developer. No game-maker can read our minds, and there will always be limits on technology that will hamper the MMO creative process. But let's not forget the tools that are provided by developers, even within simple games.

In almost every game I play, I try to apply some section of the Immersion Rules, a set of guidelines I made a few years ago that dictate how I interact with the world and other players. It's not a rigid set, though, and I am always bending it to a particular game or style. Lately I've been determined to assign my characters, in all my games, some sort of job to make money with. It could be an adventurer, a collector, or in the case of Mabinogi, a trader. This week I wanted to show you how I do it, so that you might find some inspiration to assign your own character a task or two!

Continue reading Free for All: Introducing my trade route

Free for All: Introducing my trade route originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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R.A. Salvatore talks Copernicus, building believable worlds

Krystalle Voecks — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, Lore, MMO industry, New titles, News items

When it comes to stories of engaging fantasy worlds, one of the premier names that comes to the minds of many gamers is R.A. Salvatore. His Forgotten Realms books chronicling the adventures of Drizzt Do'Urden are fan favorites, and many are curious as to just what he's doing on 38 Studios' upcoming MMO, codenamed Copernicus. Thankfully, Salvatore took some time to sit down with Gamasutra and discuss plans for the MMO, as well as their lore-related single-player game, codenamed Mercury.

In this interview, Salvatore talks both on his gaming past, and whether or not his varied experiences in gaming have affected his writing on this project. He also touches on how important he feels immersion is in terms of getting people engaged -- suspending their disbelief, and jumping into the fantastic worlds he weaves. Another interesting tidbit is how he feels that characters are most important in terms of telling a story -- a tenet that has served him extremely well, if sales of his books are any indication!

If you're looking for more illumination into the mind of the man shaping the overall stories for 38 Studios, then you'll definitely want to pop over to Gamasutra and check out this latest interview. Of course, we also happen to have a pretty sweet interview of our own with Salvatore about Copernicus that you'll want to check out if you missed it the first time around.

R.A. Salvatore talks Copernicus, building believable worlds originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: Unabashed adoration for Final Fantasy XI

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Culture, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Lore, Endgame, Opinion, The Mog Log

Before you go any further in this column, I invite you to join us in today's listening: "Happy Together" by The Turtles. Stare at the above illustration while you listen, and I imagine you'll start laughing before long. But songs that can be turned unintentionally funny aren't the focus of today's column -- that's reserved for praise and adulation of Final Fantasy XI.

See, I got called out not too long ago on being very negative about the game recently. And it's a fair accusation. I was unhappy with the the announcements at VanaFest 2010, I had been a bit critical of the game's obstacles and future before... in short, despite having been writing this column for a couple months, I hadn't said a whole lot of nice things about the game. It's easy to take away the idea that I don't like it any longer. That's not true, of course -- if I'd stopped liking it, I would have stopped writing a column about it -- but I haven't praised the game so much as cranked about it like a hurricane. Thus, I'm taking the today for five unabashedly wonderful things. No caveats!

Continue reading The Mog Log: Unabashed adoration for Final Fantasy XI

The Mog Log: Unabashed adoration for Final Fantasy XI originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 03 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The roles we play, part 2

Brendan Drain — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST

Continue reading The roles we play, part 2

The roles we play, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The roles we play

Brendan Drain — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Culture, Game mechanics, Lore, MMO industry, Quests, PvE, Opinion, Roleplaying

To some people, the term "role-playing" conjures up images of guys with tinfoil swords and shields shouting "Lighting bolt!". Role-playing in MMOs gets a similarly polarised reception, suggesting scenes of people playing pretend and speaking to each other in Shakespearean tone. To those of us that grew up with pen-and-paper role-playing games and single-player RPGs, it might mean the opportunity to play fantastic characters like wizards and rogues. At its core, however, role-playing is something far more subtle and fundamental than we sometimes give it credit for and it underpins the entire MMO genre. In playing an MMO, we are inherently playing roles that the game's developers have created for us. But do most MMO developers really know how to create engaging gameplay for us or are they failing to immerse us in their own chosen roles?

In this probative opinion piece, I delve into the roles we play in MMOs and the things developers often do wrong when designing an immersive game experience.

Continue reading The roles we play

The roles we play originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you like getting lost?

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST

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

In everything from fantasy to science fiction, maps are important. Frequently, navigation comes down to a character picking up a compass, or a sextant, or activating the cross-subspace differential beacon scanner, picking a direction and then heading that way with all the certainty of an indecisive ferret. But that isn't usually a problem in most MMOs. Hitting the "m" key is frequently pre-bound to bring up your map, and you usually have a minimap as well, in addition to a dot on your map representing exactly where you are and arrows pointing you out where to go. In games that support modifications, you usually have several of them devoted to making navigation even easier for players.

Every so often, however, you wind up underground or in an area where your map doesn't work for whatever reason. And there's something to be said for that sense of adventure, that lack of a map and a clear picture where you're going, to have to just strike off in what you think is the right direction. Today, we ask: do you like being lost and having to find your own way? Does it make the game more invigorating for you? Or is it an obnoxious gimmick designed to frustrate players and force them to take more time for simple objectives?

The Daily Grind: Do you like getting lost? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What voice does for MMOs

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Virtual worlds, Star Wars: The Old Republic

One of the big claims about Star Wars: the Old Republic is that the game is meant to be fully voiced, from start to finish. On the flip side, Star Trek Online will not be fully voiced -- in fact, its executive producer Craig Zinkievich recently made some statements asking more or less what the point of voice acting in the game really is. To quote: "It adds something to the game, but I don't think that VO-ing all of your text provides for that big a bang for the buck in terms of immersion."

Bio Break seems to disagree rather emphatically. As he points out, voice is one of the most immersive and important parts of a game world in which our immersion is, by necessity, limited. We can only hear or see what's going on in front of us, which makes the things we hear and see all the more important. (Or makes a USB taste simulator all the more urgent.) He points out, quite rightly, that each of us have at least one or two bosses that we remember more on the strength of their voice acting than because of the fight itself.

Bioware, of course, has long offered a great deal of voice acting in its games. It remains to be seen if the promises of pervasive acting in Star Wars: the Old Republic will be carried out, but the discussion about how important voice is will remain either way. Take a look at the article, and share your thoughts in the comments: is it important that a game have full voiceovers and cutscenes, or is that a distraction without much relevance?

What voice does for MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Telling more engaging stories in EVE Online

James Egan — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Lore, Quests

One of the greatest strengths of EVE Online is its lore, which chronicles generations of struggle between New Eden's races and their continual political and ideological upheavals. Not everyone will agree with that opinion, of course, just as not all players seek out immersion in New Eden. For those who do, EVE has been building up short stories to flesh out the lore over the past six years -- all nicely collected on their site -- gritty tales of New Eden's technological heights and moral depths. It's already led to a novel titled Empyrean Age authored by Tony Gonzales, which will hopefully lead to a follow-up work.

Given all the attention CCP Games has given to adding these dimensions and layers to the game's backstory, the truth is that EVE is as much a virtual setting as it is a game; as such, there's always a need to expand and refine that setting. A solid backstory is important but it's equally important to EVE's players to be able to interact with it, feel like they're really a part of New Eden in some way. Live events and storyline missions (quests) have been used in the past to this end. However, in the case of missions, a player's role in New Eden's story hasn't quite matched up with what many feel it could be. CCP's efforts to make EVE Online's storylines more engaging is the focus of their latest dev blog, titled "Telling Stories: Evolution of the Atlanta Content Team".

Continue reading Telling more engaging stories in EVE Online

Telling more engaging stories in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anti-Aliased: Sometimes, it's the little things in (virtual) life pt. 2

Seraphina Brennan — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, Crafting, Opinion, Virtual worlds, Anti-Aliased

Oh, and by the way, you can't use blue

The Matrix Online may not have captured everyone equally, but one thing they did do very right was the coloring in the game. The city streets are filled with blowing trash as non-interactive NPCs wander the streets, looking for their destinations. When night falls, the street lights give off uneasy blasts of light down onto the asphalt while alleys look more dangerous than usual.

What brings all of this world into the gloom of the Matrix was a very deliberate choice of color. Not only is the entire game given an odd over-tint of pea green that defines the Matrix so well, but the developers made very careful decisions regarding the use of red and blue. Bright red is only used in areas of instability, hence the odd red tints in the decrepit Barrens district versus the strong green and white of Downtown and the fire engine red color of the emergency escape hardlines.

"It's another amazing task when the development team is actually able to freak people out with sunny, happy, beautiful days of blue sky in the Matrix."

The color blue? Well, there is no blue in the standard palette of the game. Blue only occurs once in the system -- when Sati controls the occasional sundown. Past that, blue is kept far from the confines of the Matrix.

It's an incredible task when the art department successfully creates an entire virtual world without using the color blue. It's another amazing task when the development team is actually able to freak people out with sunny, happy, beautiful days of blue sky in the Matrix. To quote my friend Fenshire, "Even if they didn't announce the event next week, you could tell it was coming up. Sky's been beautiful every day of the week. Something is very broken in the system."

The final synopsis

As I said in the opening of this column, our virtual worlds can be more than stats, exp, levels, and killing if the developer takes the time to sneak it in and the player takes the time to look. There's a hidden world of lore, emotion, and depth behind most games that some players just never take the time to explore or learn about.

It's things like these that make our worlds pop out and become something more than just a playground to kill monsters. It's what makes them functioning worlds rather than a device for performing repetitive behavior. When it's done right, or implemented properly, it turns the game into something extremely enjoyable and persuasive. When you're out doing that repetitive behavior over and over again, you get to look around and notice these neat little things that begin to wash away that repetitiveness and let you come back for more.

"Epic purplez" may be what everybody wants, but sometimes there's more epic things in the game than just the loot.

Colin Brennan is the weekly writer of Anti-Aliased who loves the little things of games. 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: Sometimes, it's the little things in (virtual) life pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Do we really ever want full immersion?

Shawn Schuster — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business models, Game mechanics, Opinion, Consoles, Casual

I've caught myself saying it too: I love this game because it's so immersive! Whether it's the graphics, animation, art style, accuracy of game play or whatever; immersion is a popular explanation as to why we enjoy certain games. But is this accurate anymore? Are we past that novelty?

A recent article at Gamasutra explores this topic and the whole psychology of immersion. Despite what some of the most vocal advocates of immersion might preach, the truth is that graphical realism in a game usually only applies to a niche market. For example, just look at the Nintendo Wii and its casual, yet enormous audience. One could argue that there is immersion in the motion control, yet none in the art style. This can also be carried a step further into World of Warcraft. While there are certainly strong opinions against the game's stylized graphics, 11 million people don't seem to mind.

So what are your thoughts on immersion? Are realistic graphics a requirement for you, or would you play a 2D MMO if the gameplay was perfect?

Do we really ever want full immersion? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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