Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Can there be too much community interaction in public?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/25/the-daily-grind-can-there-be-too-much-community-interaction-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/25/the-daily-grind-can-there-be-too-much-community-interaction-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/25/the-daily-grind-can-there-be-too-much-community-interaction-in/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When it's ready!
There are varying schools of thought on interacting with your community in public, but the two main ones consist of either answering every question or giving the silent treatment. Blizzard was notorious at one time for not responding to any community feedback in public, presumably to keep the trolls at bay, but that studio's opened up considerably in the last few years.

On the other end of that spectrum is ArenaNet, whose reps answer just about every single question they get on Twitter. This makes for an open line of communication with fans but seems to be ineffective when the same questions are being asked and answered multiple times a day.

So where do you stand on the issue? Do you think a simple FAQ on the website should be referenced and a support team should answer questions privately, or do you think something like Twitter, Facebook, or even a Reddit Ask Me Anything is the best place to answer questions and address concerns from the community?

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

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Can there be too much community interaction in public? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 May 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-me-anythingcommunitydaily-grindfacebookinteractionopinionpublicreddittdgthe-daily-grindtwitterFri, 25 May 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How do you deal with extended downtimes?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/05/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-deal-with-extended-downtimes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/05/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-deal-with-extended-downtimes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/05/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-deal-with-extended-downtimes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Yeah, this is more important than raid night anyway.
Sometimes, games go down for maintenance, or your power goes out, or there's an internet hiccup. You have to deal with a bit of time out of the game, and it's no big deal. But other times, you have to deal with an extended hiatus from your game of choice due to massive natural disasters or other catastrophic circumstances. You might have bigger problems than just not logging in to Star Trek Online, but it doesn't change the fact that you're going to be out of circulation for a bit.

If you've been messing around exclusively with low-level characters that have nothing time-related on their plates, naturally, you won't be affected. But if you're in the midst of endgame work in RIFT or long-term roleplaying in Lord of the Rings Online, being out for a long stretch of time can cause some issues. So how do you work around it? And equally importantly, how do you manage your time when you're taking an unwanted hiatus from one of your hobbies for a while?

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

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How do you deal with extended downtimes? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakculturedowntimehiatusinteractionopinionserver-shutdownshutdowntdgthe-daily-grindtimeMon, 05 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DC Universe Online developers having a chat with fans tomorrow]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/dc-universe-online-developers-having-a-chat-with-fans-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/dc-universe-online-developers-having-a-chat-with-fans-tomorrow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/08/dc-universe-online-developers-having-a-chat-with-fans-tomorrow/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Are you enjoying DC Universe Online? Would you be enjoying it even more if you had a chance to speak with the developers about what's on deck for the near future and what issues will be getting addressed soon? If so, you're in luck (and you have some strangely focused sources of happiness, but that's not really germane to anything). The team announced earlier today on the game's Facebook page that this Wednesday will see the first post-launch virtual chat with development.

Jens Anderson, Chris Cao, and Mark Anderson will all be on hand for this chat, starting at 8 p.m. EST (5 p.m. PST) on Facebook. The chief focus of the discussion will be on the game's recent February update, covering what went right, what needs more work, and what the team has learned from the first patch in what's sure to be an ongoing update cycle. So if you're a DC Universe Online fan, with or without the oddly specific criteria, you might want to clear out some time tomorrow evening to catch up with the development team.

MassivelyDC Universe Online developers having a chat with fans tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chatchris-caocoming-patchesDC-universe-onlineDCUOdevelopment-chatfacebookinteractionjens-andersonlive-chatmark-andersonpatchesreal-world-eventsoesony-online-entertainmentspecial-eventTue, 08 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What do you really think of your game's community?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-really-think-of-your-games-communi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-really-think-of-your-games-communi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/the-daily-grind-what-do-you-really-think-of-your-games-communi/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's a fact of life that community is the lifeblood of any MMO. While a bad game can be salvaged with a group of fellow players to whom you've grown attached, a good game can be utterly destroyed by a bad gathering. As a result, most of us generally say that we have at least a passable community within our games of choice. But let's be honest -- there are communities that don't so much resemble a group of gamers as a batch of particularly unruly howler monkeys with worse social skills.

We've all played games with a supposedly "great" community that seemed snobbish and elitist, and games that supposedly have an awful community but really aren't that bad. Even World of Warcraft can be seen as a game with a good community if you only focus on your friends, despite the wide-ranging belief that the community is immature at best. So leaving aside the people you usually group with, what do you think of your game's community as an aggregate? Is it a good environment for other players, or do you try to stick to your own little corner of the larger playground?
Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What do you really think of your game's community? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behaviorcommunitycommunity-charactercommunity-dispositiongroupinginteractionopiniontdgthe-daily-grindThu, 04 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Braid creator rips on WoW, talks artificial rewards and social gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/13/braid-creator-rips-on-wow-talks-artificial-rewards-and-social-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/13/braid-creator-rips-on-wow-talks-artificial-rewards-and-social-g/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/13/braid-creator-rips-on-wow-talks-artificial-rewards-and-social-g/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

In an interview with Gamasutra, game designer Jon Blow (who created the critically acclaimed Xbox Live Arcade game Braid) had a few things to say about World of Warcraft. His criticisms could be just as easily leveled against any Diku-based, WoW-like MMO.

He began by saying that WoW employs "artificial rewards" as opposed to "natural rewards." In other words, players play WoW for achievements like leveling up that have little real meaning, and they'll sit through a lot of boredom to reach those goals. That's not an unfair analysis; leveling up is a very empty and artificial kind of catharsis. Perhaps the most controversial statements he made were related to the social aspect of the game.
One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

Continue reading Braid creator rips on WoW, talks artificial rewards and social gaming

MassivelyBraid creator rips on WoW, talks artificial rewards and social gaming originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artificial-rewardsblizzardbraidcommunitydesigndesignergamasutrainteractioninterviewjon-blowmicrosoft-game-studiosnatural-rewardsnumber-nonerelationshipsrewardssocialworld-of-warcraftwowxbox-live-marketplaceSat, 13 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan on single player mode]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/age-of-conan-on-single-player-mode/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/age-of-conan-on-single-player-mode/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/26/age-of-conan-on-single-player-mode/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Age of Conan has gotten an intense amount of exposure lately on virtually every site that covers games. You might have noticed. The influence of AoC is ever-present, burned into the retinas of most of the Massively team as they slash their way through Hyboria. The title seems to have breathed new life into massively multiplayer spheres, with people everywhere either talking about it, reading about it, or playing it. While the AoC launch went smoothly, this is not to say that the game itself is perfect.

Psychochild takes Age of Conan to task in his latest Weekend Design Challenge, for what he perceives to be a potential flaw in the game's design: much of the low-level experience, despite being a massively multiplayer title, is essentially a single-player game. He contends that the point of online games is to interact with people in one way or another, but the difference between instances in AoC is literally night and day. Night quests give personal instances that are wholly isolated from other players. This creates a split where daytime quests are multiplayer; night quests are single player. While a benefit is that players can opt for the night quests to take on their own spawns unchallenged by competitors, doesn't this defeat the purpose of AoC even being an MMO title?

Continue reading Age of Conan on single player mode

MassivelyAge of Conan on single player mode originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 May 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanfantasygame-mechanicsgameplaygroupinginstanceinteractionopinionpsychochildsingle-playersoloMon, 26 May 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Have Clone, Will Travel: Ambulation in the EVE tutorial]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/07/have-clone-will-travel-ambulation-in-the-eve-tutorial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/07/have-clone-will-travel-ambulation-in-the-eve-tutorial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/07/have-clone-will-travel-ambulation-in-the-eve-tutorial/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

EVE Online is like no other MMORPG. In this sci-fi virtual world you are your ship, and the ship is you.

Indeed, despite the fact that a great amount of time is spent creating a specific look for their avatars, many new players are surprised to see all their efforts being wasted, once they realize that their avatar ends up being nothing but a small head shot. This is one of the major differences between EVE Online and the rest of the MMORPGs. You are not your avatar. But that is about to change.

Most MMORPG players enjoy associating themselves with their characters, but for the last 5 years, EVE capsuleers have never seen theirs, nor have they had a chance to control its movements. This deficiency has been recognized by CCP, the developers behind EVE. After looking into the matter, they came to the conclusion that it was hard for their players to emotionally identify themselves with a spaceship, especially the female minority (about 20%).

Ambulation is CCP's answer.

Continue reading Have Clone, Will Travel: Ambulation in the EVE tutorial

MassivelyHave Clone, Will Travel: Ambulation in the EVE tutorial originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 May 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ambulationavatarccpeveeve-onlinefeaturedgame-additionsimmersioninteractionnew-edennew-playerspatchesroleplayingrumortutorialtutorialsWed, 07 May 2008 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Eye Gaze project to enable the disabled]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/22/eye-gaze-project-to-enable-the-disabled/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/22/eye-gaze-project-to-enable-the-disabled/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/22/eye-gaze-project-to-enable-the-disabled/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Someone is always working on a way to let differently-abled people interact with virtual worlds and games. This video shows someone playing World of Warcraft using a system called the Eye Gaze, which tracks eye movement and somehow (I'll say magically) converts the signals into mouse clicks and WASD movement.

This could be big for people with conditions that affect motor control, such as muscular dystrophy or polio. There's also a Second Life demonstration video. Though the team's website is currently down, there's a lot of food for thought in these videos. I can see a system like this dramatically improving quality of life for people with crippling disabilities, and also for, as one commenter put it, 'insanely lazy people'.

Videos after the break!

[Thanks, Aki!]

Continue reading Eye Gaze project to enable the disabled

MassivelyEye Gaze project to enable the disabled originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Mar 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>disabledeye-gazeeye-movementinteractionmotor-controlmuscular-dystrophypoliosecond-lifewasdworld-of-warcraftSat, 22 Mar 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[STO interview comes with first non-space screenshot]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/sto-interview-comes-with-first-non-space-screenshot/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/sto-interview-comes-with-first-non-space-screenshot/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/sto-interview-comes-with-first-non-space-screenshot/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


WarCry interviewed Perpetual Entertainment's Daron Stinnett, the head honcho on the Star Trek Online project.

The interview itself contains very little new information; it covers the reasoning behind the new art style, the interaction system described in the most recent devlog, and the balance between space and land combat. Stinnett also squashes (again) the rumor that STO is going casual and tries to alleviate concerns that STO's future might be in jeopardy. He doesn't convince us that Perpetual is totally out of the woods just yet, but there's no way to know for sure.

Really, the best part about the interview is the new screenshot, and the best thing about the new screenshot is the revelation of how dead-on that old tongue-in-cheek fan video was.

MassivelySTO interview comes with first non-space screenshot originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artcombatdaron-stinnettinteractioninterviewland-combatperpetual-entertainmentrumorsscreenshotstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestowarcryThu, 13 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First STO in-game screenshot released]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/first-sto-in-game-screenshot-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/first-sto-in-game-screenshot-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/first-sto-in-game-screenshot-released/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In the past, Star Trek Online devlogs have been light on gameplay information. Perpetual's Mike Stemmle usually writes about the development team, concept art, and things of that nature. But this time it's different. Not only does Devlog #5 include juicy details about interacting with NPCs, but it also includes the very first in-game screenshot. Sweet!

We can learn a couple of things from this screenshot. First of all, the graphics are neither cutting edge nor outdated; they're right in the middle. This is arguably a sweet spot for MMOs. Second, the LCARS influence can be seen on the UI, but it's not overt. In fact, it's barely there. We do find it a bit alarming that the game features a standard MMO "1 through =" action bar -- a tired convention that's begging for innovation.

As far as the NPC interaction stuff goes, though, it all sounds good.

MassivelyFirst STO in-game screenshot released originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-bardevelopersdevloginteractionmike-stemmlenpcsperpetual-entertainmentscreenshotstar-trekstar-trek-onlinestouiTue, 04 Dec 2007 23:30:00 EST