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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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Lost Pages of Taborea: Runes of Magic's potential for EVE combat

Jeremy Stratton — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, Runes of Magic, Lost Pages of Taborea

I've been thinking a lot lately on other ways that Runes of Magic reminds me of EVE Online. Not that any systems are exactly the same, but they have certain similarities. Wurm Online and Minecraft are arguably different in how they function, but they both scratch the same creative itch.

RoM's gear-modification system lends itself to EVE-esque combat. Keep in mind we're not talking about how the mechanics or guts of the games are similar or different; we're talking about how the same itch is being scratched. In the case of RoM's PvP being like EVE, it's more like tickling the itch with a feather, which makes you want to scratch it even more. I want to scratch that itch with a Brillo pad by exploring how RoM's open-world PvP could function more like EVE's, thanks to the arcane transmutor. Let's start with how I think battlefields differ from open-world PvP.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: Runes of Magic's potential for EVE combat

Lost Pages of Taborea: Runes of Magic's potential for EVE combat originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prime: Battle for Dominus releases new game info, dev chat coming tomorrow

Jef Reahard — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Livestream

Yay, sci-fi MMO news! If that doesn't twirl your beanie, how about this: Three-faction sci-fi MMO news! Yes, Pitchblack Games has sent out a new press release, and we're here to tell you that it features some pretty spiffy stuff.

First up is a bunch of website updates for Prime: Battle for Dominus, including backstory and info on the game's 11 explorable worlds. Pitchblack has also put together a combat update, and juicy details include info on the game's death penalty, looting, targeting, and more.

Last but not least is the first official Prime dev chat, and the shindig is scheduled for this Friday, July 15th, at 3:00 p.m. EST. The chat will be available via live stream and will feature co-designers Warren Weems and John Kennison. Head to the official Prime website for more.

Prime: Battle for Dominus releases new game info, dev chat coming tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 14 Jul 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: This is only a test...

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 23 May 2011 18:00:00 EST

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

BEEEEP! The message you are about to hear is from your local public test server. This is only a test. Had this been an actual server, your XP would have been sliced, your loot drops diced, and your AP slashed. In the event of an actual server, the message you would receive would assure you that your characters would be safe from wipes and safer from bugs and glitches. This is the Aion PTS. Remember, this is only a test... server. BEEEEP!

Public test servers. Just three small words. What thoughts and feelings do these words invoke in MMO gamers? Much like the words "open beta," PTS seems to represent more of a sneak-peek playground for upcoming gaming goodness instead of a place to test and tweak said upcoming features before they go live. Come on, let's admit it: In an age when the philosophy of instant gratification seduces new acolytes by the hour, who can truly deny that desire to see all that is new and shiny? Who doesn't want to take a stroll through new instances, test out new weapons, and try on new gear? New equals exciting. And we test-drive cars, so why not games? And if we test-drive games, then why not game patches?

With this in mind, I think it would not be far-fetched to believe that Daevas flocked to New Atreia (as I have dubbed it, seeing as this world certainly could not be confused with the Atreia I already know) when NCsoft opened Aion's test server to the public on May 12th. After all, many players are eagerly anticipating the features offered in the 2.5 patch. So in order to bring you a taste of what's to come, yours truly ventured forth onto the realm of the PTS. What I found was exciting, fun... and a bit surprising.

Vicariously live the crazy whirlwind life of a PTSian after the break.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: This is only a test...

Wings Over Atreia: This is only a test... originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise devs on risk vs. reward with mechas in organized ganks and looting

James Egan — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, PvP, Earthrise

The post-apocalyptic MMO Earthrise will have PvP game mechanics tightly integrated into the sandbox game. Given the statements made by Earthrise developer Masthead Studios in the past, it's confirmed that full player looting will be both a driver and reward for PvP in this game. It's interesting to note that the inclusion of mechas in Earthrise will likely play a pivotal role in organized ganks or piracy of a sort.

The Earthrise devs explained more about this today in "Mechas, Transit, and Loot" on the game's official forums. The game's community manager Moll writes: "Goliaths of steel used for combat and transit, mechas are definitely not invulnerable to damage and destruction. It takes a bit of effort, but even carefully planned and armed attacks can disrupt a planned resource transportation route and destroy a mecha."

Continue reading Earthrise devs on risk vs. reward with mechas in organized ganks and looting

Earthrise devs on risk vs. reward with mechas in organized ganks and looting originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise

James Egan — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, Previews, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage, Earthrise

The futuristic game Earthrise is one of the upcoming sci-fi massively multiplayer games that we can see on the horizon. It's the first MMO developed by Sofia-based Masthead Studios and features the post-apocalyptic setting of a world divided between utopian idealism and revolution. Massively had a chance to sit down with Masthead Studios CEO Atanas Atanasov at the Game Developers Conference 2009 where he gave us a walkthrough of Earthrise, shedding some light on what this new title may bring to the MMO world.

Gallery: Earthrise

Continue reading GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise

GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quick Mortal Online preview

Joe Blancato — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Previews, PvP, News items, Mortal Online

Mike at MMOCrunch has a short look at Star Vault's Mortal Online, a Swedish MMOG still in development. He doesn't get in depth, but does a good job of summarizing the game's selling points.

The game appears to hail from the open world school of design, offering open looting; real-time, Elder Scrolls-esque combat; and level-free advancement (it's still a class-based game).

What sticks out here is the Deva system: "There is a third type called Deva Skills," he says, "which is a skill that links all your created players. For instance, if you learned "Poison Making" and made this your Deva skill, any future characters you create will automatically have this skill so you don't need to retrain them."

Mortal Online is due out sometime this summer, but given how quiet the official site is - and the fact the game isn't yet in beta (sign up here)- a summer release likely isn't in the cards.

Quick Mortal Online preview originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How to stop worrying and enjoy games like Darkfall

James Egan — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, Tips and tricks, Opinion

While they seem to draw a fair amount of controversy and commentary, massively multiplayer online games that offer kick-in-your-ribs PvP aren't really a new thing. Darkfall is the title that everyone's talking about of late, but it's really cut from the same cloth as the progenitor of all MMOs, Ultima Online. Granted, Ultima Online wasn't and isn't purely focused on player killing, but the fact remains that when you log into games that allow for the possibility of being ganked, in some respects it is what you signed up for. While the no-holds-barred style of play isn't for everyone, it certainly is what some players want. Or at least think they want.

MMO world celeb Sanya Weathers, writing for Examiner, says "Darkfall has been, since its conception, an unapologetic return to Ultima Online's original style of full metal ham kicking. The gang at Aventurine never pretended their game would appeal to a mass market, and certainly never pretended that the game would have anything but a vicious learning curve."

Continue reading How to stop worrying and enjoy games like Darkfall

How to stop worrying and enjoy games like Darkfall originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fallen Earth dev update reveals new info on loot drops and more

Matt Warner — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Fallen Earth, Forums, Game mechanics, New titles

The year is 2156, and the Grand Canyon is one of the last inhabitable places on Earth. It's all due to the Shiva plague that wiped out ninety percent of the world's population and left a mutated mess in its wake. There is no corporation or government control as we know today and six factions remain competing in a tug-of-war. All that really matters is that you have enough ammo to blow away your next enemy. That's Fallen Earth, a post apocalyptic MMOG from Icarus Studios, and there are some recent developments that stem from this necro-bump on the alpha milestone announcement but this time it comes packaged with new before and after shots.

The real news comes in the latest round of questions and answers on the official Fallen Earth forums by Lead Developer, Lee Hammock. Seven questions in all are answered. Regarding realistic loot drops depending on equipment and NPC type, in Fallen Earth if you kill an NPC that is wearing advanced armor, Kevlar or titanium components will drop. Most MMOGs eschew realistic looting rules; everyone has killed an NPC decked out in a full suit of blazing bad ass weaponry only to loot moldy cheese from its well dressed corpse. Completed items will drop as well, but components will be the common drop. The other big revelation is that in two months Fallen Earth will be nearing content completion as work on polish is underway.

[Via, Warcry]

Fallen Earth dev update reveals new info on loot drops and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preview EQII's Game Update 43

William Dobson — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Patches, Grouping

It hasn't been long since the momentous Game Update 42 hit EverQuest II, but the update train has kept on chuggin', and we've now got a preview of what's coming in Game Update 43. Of course, it's nowhere near the magnitude of GU42, but was anyone expecting that after the amount of content that has just been added mere weeks ago?

The update is centered around looting, with changes to group loot options and looting "shiny" collectables from the ground. A much missed "Need Before Greed" group loot distribution method is being added, which many players will be familiar with from other games. A "Round Robin" will also be introduced, which distributes loot to group members automatically and in sequence . The other change makes it so that you have the option of leaving a shiny on the ground once you've harvested it and seen what it is. This is to help prevent looting the same worthless shiny over and over amd cluttering up your inventory. Alternatively, you'll be able to shove that worthless shiny on to your group, with the option to include these in group looting.

Continue reading Preview EQII's Game Update 43

Preview EQII's Game Update 43 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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