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: Are load screens a deal-breaker?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/29/the-daily-grind-are-load-screens-a-deal-breaker/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/29/the-daily-grind-are-load-screens-a-deal-breaker/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/29/the-daily-grind-are-load-screens-a-deal-breaker/#commentsFiled under: , ,

So you're adventuring along, minding your own business on the huge, expansive world map, when you reach a cave. That cave connects you to where you need to go, so you eagerly jump through it only to find... a load screen.

Well, no matter, you're on the other side of the cave and in a brand new area! All you have to do now is reach the entrance to this dark, scary forest so you can find... a load screen.

Ok, well, you're in the forest. Now the quest log says you have to lift up a rock, jump down a hole and slay the... load screen.

Grinders, are load screens a deal-breaker when you consider purchasing your next MMO? Do you look for games that consist of one huge, open world, a la World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online or Fallen Earth? Or are you willing to put up with heavily loaded games like Star Trek Online and Pirates of the Burning Sea? Or, third option, do load screens even matter to you at all?

Take your words, put them in the comment box, hit the submit button, and let loose. You know the drill.

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Are load screens a deal-breaker? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>load-screensloadingopinionthe-daily-grindFri, 29 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How do you feel about load screens?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-feel-about-load-screens/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-feel-about-load-screens/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-feel-about-load-screens/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We've all experienced them: long and short loading screens. Some MMOs have just one when you log into the game and maybe one or two extra on the rare occasion. A great example of this type of MMO would be World of Warcraft or Lord of the Rings Online where you have your initial load screen and additional loading screens only for specific instanced content (Dungeons, Battlegrounds, etc) or whenever you move between large bodies of land. The other example would be City of Heroes or the recently released Age of Conan. These games contain several loading screens, some examples being first entering the gameworld, whenever you enter or exit building, dying and choosing to revive as a rez point, moving between a zone, etc.

Certain players would contend that they prefer an open world, as that type of experience feels more engrossing to them -- or in other words it helps maintain interest in long play sessions. While other players are willing to forgo such a world for gussied-up graphics, faster combat or some other game enhancement a multi-instance world offers. So which do you prefer: the large-scale worlds or the heavily instanced worlds?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How do you feel about load screens? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 May 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardage-of-conanaocblizzardcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcoxeidosfuncominstancesloadinglord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromidwayncsoftturbineworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 28 May 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Player vs. Everything: Loading...]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/21/player-vs-everything-loading/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/21/player-vs-everything-loading/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/21/player-vs-everything-loading/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


A few weeks ago, I was reading an Age of Conan interview with Shannon Drake where he was discussing several of the features that would be present in the game. One of the questions he was asked was why Funcom made the choice to use world zones for AoC instead of a seamless world. If you haven't heard the terminology before, games with world zones are games like EverQuest, EverQuest 2, and Guild Wars, where you have a loading screen when you pass from area to area. Seamless worlds include games like World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, where you can pass between different game areas without a loading screen. Seamless worlds still have loading screens, of course-- just not for most major zones that you'll be traveling through.

Shannon's answer was interesting. He admitted that their choice was partially due to the trade-offs required when designing a next-gen game (graphics are a major resource hog), but then he also talked about immersion and world design. Although Hyboria was supposed to be an enormous landmass, they didn't want to make a game that took forever to walk across. On the other hand, they didn't want to reduce the epic scale of the world by reducing a cross-continent journey to five minutes. Now, maybe that's just their canned answer to keep the fans happy with loading screens, and maybe it really was part of their game design-- probably a nice helping of both. Either way, it's worth considering. Do loading screens really help your game immersion?

Continue reading Player vs. Everything: Loading...

MassivelyPlayer vs. Everything: Loading... originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conaneverquestfeaturedimmersionlandscapeloadinglord-of-the-rings-on...lotroplayer-vs-everythingtraveltravel-timevanguardworldworld-of-warcraftworld-sizezoneszoningMon, 21 Apr 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New LotRO screenshot contest more rewarding than the last]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/new-lotro-screenshot-contest-more-rewarding-than-the-last/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/new-lotro-screenshot-contest-more-rewarding-than-the-last/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/new-lotro-screenshot-contest-more-rewarding-than-the-last/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A couple months back, Turbine booted up a screenshot contest in which players of The Lord of the Rings Online were encouraged to submit screenshots showcasing the new graphical features that were available to users running DirectX 10. While the selections turned out to be pretty nice, there wasn't a worthwhile reward for the winners.

Now a new contest has begun, this time with an actual incentive; the winning selection will be the backdrop for a new loading screen! So if you want your screenshot to be seen by literally every single LotRO player, read the rules and send your submission to Turbine by the 29th of February.

MassivelyNew LotRO screenshot contest more rewarding than the last originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>contestloadinglord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroscreenshotturbineThu, 31 Jan 2008 21:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Is it time to get your joystick on?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/16/is-it-time-to-get-your-joystick-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/16/is-it-time-to-get-your-joystick-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/16/is-it-time-to-get-your-joystick-on/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


TenTonHammer's daily Loading... column is usually scribed by John "Boomjack" Hoskin, but today's blogisode ("Get your joysticks ready") is written by Managing Editor Cody "Micajah" Bye. I like Cody's point of view (not that I don't like Boomjack's) mostly because he and I seem to share a lot of the same game likes and dislikes. Much like my fellow bemoan-er of sword and sorcery games here at Massively - Samuel Axon. But I digress...

Cody tackles hype. A topic that could easily be taken up as a doctoral thesis at any major college. In particular though Cody addresses the over-the-top game hype surrounding "better known" games like Warhammer Online, Age of Conan, Stargate Worlds, and The Agency. That my friends is only four of the 5..6..7..8... oh hell, I lost count. Well, the innumerable MMO's slated to come out this year alone. Can you say: saturation point?

However, as Cody points out there's one game that has slipped quietly under the radar (much like Michael Jackson has over the last few years). And it's left both of us wondering why. That game? NetDevil's Jumpgate Evolution. Oh sure, NetDevil might have slammed headfirst into a concrete wall with Auto Assault, but Jumpgate has been around much longer. NetDevil's just reimagining it, much like the Sci-Fi Channel did to Battlestar Galactica, and based on what I've seen thus far I expect the same out of nowhere, smash hit experience.

But what really got me stoked while reading Cody's article was this comparison: "Jumpgate Evolution may finally be the game that reaches out to those gamers who cut their teeth on products like X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter or the Wing Commander series." Oh sweet mother! For those of you old enough (like myself) to have played any of these games (X-Wing and TIE Fighter are usually on many veteran PC gamers top ten games of ALL TIME list) when they originally released - then you have truly lived. One of gaming's great mysteries has always been why LucasArts never bothered to redo or expand on them. So if NetDevil can turn Jumpgate Evolution into the space flight experience those phenomenal games offered, and morph it into an MMO... well, as the title says, it really will be time to (dust off and) get your joystick on!

MassivelyIs it time to get your joystick on? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Age-of-ConanCody-Micajah-ByeJohn-Boomjack-HoskinJumpgate-EvolutionLoadingNetDevilstargate-worldsten-ton-hammerthe-agencyWarhammer-OnlineWed, 16 Jan 2008 13:45:00 EST