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 Game Archaeologist's fear and loathing in the Kingdom: Joshing with Jick]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/the-game-archaeologists-fear-and-loathing-in-the-kingdom-joshi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/the-game-archaeologists-fear-and-loathing-in-the-kingdom-joshi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/16/the-game-archaeologists-fear-and-loathing-in-the-kingdom-joshi/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Here at the Game Archaeologist Labs, we've been dissecting just what it takes to make a hit MMO that defies normal conventions -- a homemade startup that loves its wordplay long time even in an age when only about 12% of internet forum posters are fully literate. Kingdom of Loathing is an anomaly for all these reasons and more, and yet it's succeeded when MMOs boasting $100+ million budgets have bit the dust.

Like Batman and Robin, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Taco Bell and grease, and "That's what" and "she said," the two creators of Kingdom of Loathing are absolutely inseparable. Where there is Jick, there is Mr. Skullhead, and vice-versa. The pair comprise the public face of the game and are so adored by Kingdom of Loathing's fans that I received a ransom note the other day telling me that I'd never see my cat again if I didn't lavish enough praise on the duo. This was weird to me, as I don't own a cat, but that's neither here nor there.

In our final week of plumbing the depths of Kingdom of Loathing, I had the pleasure of probing Zack "Jick" Johnson's mind, and I haven't quite recovered yet. I have looked into the abyss, and it looked into me -- and winked. Oh, you flirty abyss!

So let's do this thing -- hit the jump and find out just what makes KoL tick from the inside out!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist's fear and loathing in the Kingdom: Joshing with Jick

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist's fear and loathing in the Kingdom: Joshing with Jick originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ascensionasymmetric-publicationsbatman-and-robinbetabrowserbusiness-modeldonationsfeaturedjickjosh-nitekingdom-of-loathingkolkol-radiomr-skullheadmystery-science-theater-3000pastamancerpvpradio-koltaco-bellthats-what-she-saidthe-game-archaeologistwikipediazack-johnsonTue, 16 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist's fear and loathing in the Kingdom: Interrogating Mr. Skullhead]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/the-game-archaeologists-fear-and-loathing-in-the-kingdom-inter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/the-game-archaeologists-fear-and-loathing-in-the-kingdom-inter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/the-game-archaeologists-fear-and-loathing-in-the-kingdom-inter/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I'm sure that after last week's introduction to our Kingdom of Loathing retrospective, many of you out there were going, "What? What is this tomfoolery? Where are my three-dee em em ohs?" Yet I guard a tiny flicker of hope in my heart that a reader or two out there felt their curiosity tingle, then burn, then spontaneously combust as he or she gave KoL a shot.

In contrast to many of the other MMOs we play today, Kingdom of Loathing is downright old-school in terms of development and staff. There's no huge company here, no six floors of cubicles or corporate softball leagues. There's just a handful of gamers and writers who turned a pet project into a long-running success.

Today I got the privilege of putting Josh "Mr. Skullhead" Nite to the question, and it was a treat to end all treats. An armageddon treat, if you will. So what's it like being one of the masterminds behind the most insane MMO in the world? And are the stories of its boozy origins true? Hit the jump and find out!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist's fear and loathing in the Kingdom: Interrogating Mr. Skullhead

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist's fear and loathing in the Kingdom: Interrogating Mr. Skullhead originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ascensionbetabrowserbugbear-bazaarbusiness-modelcommunityf2pfeaturedfree-to-playhuge-pumpkinjames-bondjickjokesjosh-nitekingdom-of-loathingkolkolumbusmr-skullheadnaughty-sorceresspunsskullbatwritingzack-johnsonTue, 09 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist's fear and loathing in the Kingdom: The highlights]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/the-game-archaeologists-fear-and-loathing-in-the-kingdom-the-h/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/the-game-archaeologists-fear-and-loathing-in-the-kingdom-the-h/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/the-game-archaeologists-fear-and-loathing-in-the-kingdom-the-h/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It is, in so many ways, the antithesis of a modern MMORPG. It has crude stick figure drawings instead of lush 3-D graphics. It limits your daily activities to a handful of encounters. It often mocks, belittles and berates you for your stupidity. It uses meat for currency and has a character class that dabbles in pasta-based magic. It's been in open beta for the better part of a decade now. And its endgame is actually an end-of-the-game instead of an eternal raiding grind.

I speak, of course, about The Kingdom of Loathing, one of the oddest online RPGs on the net -- and one of the most beloved. When I mulled over the game for this month's retrospective, I found myself really wanting to talk about KoL but a little unsure whether it truly belongs in the pantheon of accepted MMOs. At best, it's on the fringe; while you do play in a world populated by hundreds, if not thousands, of other players at any given time, it's mostly a solo exercise apart from the chat channel. However, it is a persistent world, it does hold many of the trappings of MMORPGs, and the creators have come up with clever ways for players to interact within a turn-based RPG. I'm also a huge fan, having dabbled in KoL off and on for over four years now, and I love recommending it to friends.

So what the heck -- we're doing it. Kingdom of Loathing is a great success story in its own right and has a lot to teach the rest of the MMO industry about unconventional methods of structuring and presenting these games. Hit the jump and we'll run down eight highlights that separate KoL from the rest of the pack and make it a game well worth your spare time.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist's fear and loathing in the Kingdom: The highlights

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist's fear and loathing in the Kingdom: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>an-adventurer-is-youascensionbeyond-the-palefamiliarfeaturedfunnyhaikuhaiku-dungeonhobopolishumorjickkingdom-of-loathingkolmisspelled-cemetaryninja-pirate-zombie-robotorc-chasmpastamancerpunpunnypuzzlesthe-game-archaeologistTue, 02 Nov 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: You must first pass the test]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/08/one-shots-you-must-first-pass-the-test/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/08/one-shots-you-must-first-pass-the-test/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/08/one-shots-you-must-first-pass-the-test/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Normally we likely wouldn't generally add in a 'screenshot' from a browser-based, primarily text MMO, but we're such huge fans of the Test of Literacy that we simply couldn't resist posting this Kingdom of Loathing screen that was sent in to us by Harmen. Here's what he had to say about this extremely funny screenshot - A One Shot of something completely different: Kingdom of Loathing, browser-based, stick-figures, is hilarious, free, really rather hard and even includes PvP. It has been running since 2003, and is still actively expanded. This is a screenshot of the 'tests' you need to pass when you want to enter the chat channel the first time. One of the tests is the difference between 'their', 'there' and 'they're'. Really, we think more MMOs should have literacy tests.

If you're playing a funny, independent, off-the-beaten-path MMO, we want to see a screenshot and hear a bit about why you think this is a really cool game! Who knows - you may recruit some new players to check out your game. Just email those screens to us at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the game, and whatever you'd like to say about the screenshot. We'll post it out here and give you the credit for sending it in.

Gallery: One Shots

MassivelyOne Shots: You must first pass the test originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asymmetric-publicationsbrowser-basedfunnyHarmenkingdom-of-loathingkolone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotssnarkystick-figurestextSun, 08 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Is there a city of hobos in your cellar?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/is-there-a-city-of-hobos-in-your-cellar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/is-there-a-city-of-hobos-in-your-cellar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/is-there-a-city-of-hobos-in-your-cellar/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The world's most popular stick-figure meat-trading MMO, Kingdom of Loathing, takes a bold step into history with the release of its new hardcore raid expansion, Hobopolis. Where before, your interactions with other people were limited to trading barbed quips in perfectly formed haiku, or robbing their camps when you felt pretty sure the owners might be away, now you can gather to explore the subterranean metropolis of Hobopolis, the City of Hobos.

Seal Clubbers, Disco Bandits, Accordion Thieves and all the other peoples of KoL are now able to come together to take on challenges that are too much for any one Pastamancer to meet. Such are the dangers when clan leaders decide unwisely to build basements in their clan hall, and then wonder what lies behind that door ... that smelly door.

Kingdom of Loathing is a free-to-play, browser-based MMO that doesn't require Flash or special clients or anything, really, but a sense of humor, a taste for puns, and a desire for some surprisingly deep gameplay.

MassivelyIs there a city of hobos in your cellar? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMOs have a variety of currencies. WoW, Dungeon Runners, and dozens of other games have gold, EverQuest one-ups that with platinum, Final Fantasy has gil, and EVE Online has ISK. Like real-world economies, MMO economies can exhibit a variety of interesting characteristics, from inflation to deflation to complete death. Inflation in particular seems quite prominent; in my WoW experience, everything has gotten more expensive over time on every server I've played on. More expensive in terms of gold, that is.

Tobold argues that this inflation is, in effect, not real. His thesis is that time is the real currency of MMOs, not gold or ISK or whatever. And with respect to time, most in-game economies undergo deflation, not inflation. While it may cost me twice as much gold to buy a stack of Netherweave now as compared to when the Burning Crusade launched, I make gold five times as fast, so in fact it takes me less than half as long to get the Netherweave as it used to. Low-level characters are better off as well, because there is now more of a market for what they have to sell, so they'll have more gold to put towards items and training.

Continue reading Time is money, friend!

MassivelyTime is money, friend! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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