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[SWTOR's Daniel Erickson on pulling players' moral strings]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/swtors-daniel-erickson-on-pulling-players-moral-strings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/swtors-daniel-erickson-on-pulling-players-moral-strings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/30/swtors-daniel-erickson-on-pulling-players-moral-strings/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SWTOR
BioWare's Daniel Erickson said that for the writing team, the crunch time came way ahead of everyone else since the script for the game had to be done first. As such, the team has had plenty of time to reflect on how the game's developed while it's moved on to future content. In speaking with GameSpy, the Star Wars: The Old Republic head writer opened up about the difficulties and fun of penning a game with so many personalities, choices, and plot twists.

Probably the most revealing is how Erickson admits that the writers are trying to pull players in multiple directions through a series of moral influences: the game's own light and dark side system, players' own morality, companions' own likes and dislikes, and multiplayer dialogue. Ideally, he said, one of the goals of the writing team was to make quests that would challenge players' set paths to make them want to change. "It's interesting to watch all those dynamic forces affect the player, see how they interact with the storytelling method," he said.

Erickson also says that the project got initial pushback over the notion of centering it on story, because of the past limitations of MMOs and "the expected norm" that had grown over the years: "It was clear, when you played the early MMOs, that they were trying to put as much as they could in for what was there. There were people on each one of these projects that clearly cared passionately about the lore, and were really trying to get it across to the players. So we knew that that was there and we knew from the single-player games what did it."

The interview continues to cover a wide range of writing challenges, including coming up with the script for Huttball, quests that the team was sure would get cut by the ESRB, and how the team enjoyed coming up with intricate stories, connections, and romances for companion characters.

MassivelySWTOR's Daniel Erickson on pulling players' moral strings originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarechoicesdaniel-ericksondark-sideeaea-biowareesrbgamespyhuttballlight-sideloremoralmoral-codemoral-decisionsmoralityscriptingscriptsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorvoice-overwritingwriting-teamFri, 30 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: Archetype discussion -- the Paladin]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/24/storyboard-archetype-discussion-the-paladin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/24/storyboard-archetype-discussion-the-paladin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/24/storyboard-archetype-discussion-the-paladin/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Archetypes, by their very definition, are idealizations. They aren't people; they're abstract concepts that people approach in varying degrees. Most of them aren't conscious aspirations, just a direction and a set of overall goals. Nobody really wants to be amoral in pursuit of a single goal, or an engine of war, or an endless question mark. You just kind of wind up in a place where you can be abstracted in that fashion.

Paladins are not like that.

Staggering numbers of different games have a class named "paladin," including nearly every class-based fantasy game in existence. But that's just a name, a collection of statistics and abilities and genre conventions. There's more to the archetype than that, something that taps into a very fundamental part of the human psyche. So as always, queue up some appropriate listening material, and let's take a look at an archetype that's almost always named as a class but has much more substance than a few holy-themed spells.

Continue reading Storyboard: Archetype discussion -- the Paladin

MassivelyStoryboard: Archetype discussion -- the Paladin originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archetype-discussionarchetypescolumnfeaturedmoral-codemoralitymoralsopinionpaladinpaladinsroleplayingrpstoryboardFri, 24 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: Archetype discussion - the Rogue]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/26/storyboard-archetype-discussion-the-rogue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/26/storyboard-archetype-discussion-the-rogue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/26/storyboard-archetype-discussion-the-rogue/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A disproportionate number of roleplaying characters are heroes. Well, "heroes" might be a bit too strong of a term -- said characters may or may not have actually done anything heroic -- but given the opportunity, they prefer to be on the noble and self-sacrificing side of a conflict. There's nothing wrong with that, to be sure, but there is something to be said for playing someone whose ethics are a bit less grounded in an abstract idea of right or wrong.

Most fantasy games have a class either named as a rogue or some variant thereof, and even when the class doesn't exist, the hallmarks are there. Stealthy and sneaky, usually aimed at quick bursts of damage -- all of those elements speak to how rogues work. But they don't actually define a true rogue any more than a hammer defines a carpenter. So feel free to cue up some appropriate music (at your discretion) as we dive into the second archetype study, taking a good hard look at the most underhanded archetype around.

Continue reading Storyboard: Archetype discussion - the Rogue

MassivelyStoryboard: Archetype discussion - the Rogue originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amoralityarchetypescharactercharactersfeaturedmoralityopinionrogueroguesroleplayingrpself-gainsneakingstealthstoryboardFri, 26 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes previews the coming Issue 19]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/city-of-heroes-previews-the-coming-issue-19/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/city-of-heroes-previews-the-coming-issue-19/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/city-of-heroes-previews-the-coming-issue-19/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

We've known about the bare basics of Issue 19 for a little while now, but City of Heroes players have just been treated to a new explosion of information about the game's next major content patch. And it promises to be quite a big update, with two new task forces, new events in Praetoria, and some alternate animations and auras that had not been previously announced. Several powers will now have a number of locations that can be used as a launching point, so you could fire your Radiation Blasts from your eyes, one hand, both hands, or other possibilities. More tip and morality missions are being added, as well as the option for characters who were not from Praetoria to enter the city.

It couldn't come at a better time, as Praetoria's infiltration and invasion are the center of the two new task forces. Overseen by Apex and Tin Mage, two important lore figures, the chains have characters face off against Praetors and uniquely Praetorian enemies to keep their world safe from Emperor Cole's designs. There are also new live events being added in Praetoria, such as a mass protest that heroes can take part in or help shut down. With the previously announced first Incarnate slot and the move of Fitness to inherent (with a slight clarification of unclear wording), the update promises to be an infusion of both content and systems for City of Heroes, so take a look at the official rundown for more.

MassivelyCity of Heroes previews the coming Issue 19 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alignment-systemalpha-strikeaurascharacter-aurascharacter-customizationcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcontactscovcoxcustomizationgame-updatesincarnate-systemincarnatesissue-19major-updatesmoralityncsoftparagonparagon-studiospatchespraetorianspratoriapreviewstask-forcetask-forcestipsupdatesTue, 05 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Both sides now]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/a-mild-mannered-reporter-both-sides-now/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/a-mild-mannered-reporter-both-sides-now/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/15/a-mild-mannered-reporter-both-sides-now/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Back when Going Rogue was first released, I made a point that I wasn't going into detail on the alignment and tip system. As I saw it at the time, there were two major reasons not to go whole-hog into it, the first being that I was already writing an entire novel on the expansion, and the second being that Paragon Wiki was hard at work putting more details into place. Why try to reinvent the wheel in a weekly column? And there was also a third reason: I'd been spending more time in Praetoria than on my old characters.

So I suppose in some way I ought to thank whichever designer gave my poor brute the chance to fight two elite bosses at the same time with three NPCs as backup in a single-player mission. It gave me plenty of incentive to spend more time with my higher-level characters. (Seriously, that mission is absurd.) That meant I started diving into the alignment system, and that means I'm going to spend more time detailing one of the centerpieces of City of Heroes gameplay at the moment: alignment.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Both sides now

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Both sides now originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alignmentalignment-switchingalignment-systemcity-of-heroesCity-of-VillainsCOHCoVcoxfeaturedgoing-roguemild-mannered-reportermoralitymorality-systemncsoftparagonparagon-cohparagon-studiospraetoriaRogueroguelikeroguesRolePlayingtiptipsvigilantevigilantesvillainsWed, 15 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Two sides to the story]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/28/a-mild-mannered-reporter-two-sides-to-the-story/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/28/a-mild-mannered-reporter-two-sides-to-the-story/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/28/a-mild-mannered-reporter-two-sides-to-the-story/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

I'm pretty excited for Going Rogue. Part of that is kind of inevitable -- I write a column about City of Heroes, I've tried to make a clear point that I'm a fan of comics in general, and quite honestly right now I'm in a bit of a video game drought and could use something new. But there's more to it than that, and it goes right back to my love of BioWare and the motivation to do speed runs of Silent Hill 2 just to see all of the various endings available.

What I'm getting at here is that I'm a big fan of any game that offers me morality or lets the game shift depending on my choices. So when Going Rogue had its two factions explained, I sat up and took notice, because the morals at play are certainly not black and white. No, they're grey and gray -- if not closer to blue and orange -- and that led to the inspiration for what I believe to be two of my most popular columns. And wouldn't you know it, even with both columns written, there's still more to be said.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Two sides to the story

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Two sides to the story originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareblack-and-whitechoicechoicescity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxemperor-colefeaturedgoing-roguegood-versus-evilgovernmentgrloyalistmild-mannered-reportermoralityparagonparagon-studiosphilosophypraetoriansresistanceshades-of-greyWed, 28 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SDCC 2010: Melissa Bianco on lessons and innovations in City of Heroes Going Rogue]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/27/sdcc-2010-melissa-bianco-on-lessons-and-innovations-in-city-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/27/sdcc-2010-melissa-bianco-on-lessons-and-innovations-in-city-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/27/sdcc-2010-melissa-bianco-on-lessons-and-innovations-in-city-of/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

There's less than a month left before the release of Going Rogue, something that many City of Heroes players are looking forward to with heavy anticipation. The team at Paragon Studios has been anything but stingy with information about the upcoming expansion as well -- they've been more than happy to share just how impressive the features are going to be. We had a chance to catch up with the the team at SDCC 2010, which gave us the opportunity to take a closer look and get a few more insights about the game's development.

Melissa "War Witch" Bianco was on hand to share several details about the game's upcoming improvements, and while many of the elements previewed at the convention are familiar to players following Going Rogue, there are some new revelations beneath the cut. If you're allergic to cuts, you can at least take solace in the confirmed fact that the expansion will feature seven new costume sets, including the Praetorian Police costume and the Resistance outfit. For more on missions and how they'll be implemented in the upcoming City of Heroes expansion, click on away.

Continue reading SDCC 2010: Melissa Bianco on lessons and innovations in City of Heroes Going Rogue

MassivelySDCC 2010: Melissa Bianco on lessons and innovations in City of Heroes Going Rogue originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxfactionsfeaturedgoing-roguegrinnovationsmelissa-biancomelissa-war-witch-biancomoralitymorality-systemncsoftparagonparagon-studiossdcc-2010war-witchTue, 27 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Angry, desperate, hungry, cold]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/a-mild-mannered-reporter-angry-desperate-hungry-cold/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/a-mild-mannered-reporter-angry-desperate-hungry-cold/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/14/a-mild-mannered-reporter-angry-desperate-hungry-cold/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Everyone has different definitions of what constitutes a hero. City of Heroes features plenty of them, after all, and even then there's a breadth of different elements that make them heroic. Some of them are bravely fighting against the odds with unreliable powers or no powers outside of training. Some are heroes who have all the power in the world, but they consider the needs of society to be greater than their own needs. But there's one unifying trait so simple as to be almost comical to state.

Heroes do the right thing. No matter what.

So it's kind of silly to try and glorify the actions of Emperor Cole's jackbooted maniacs, rallying under the "loyalist" banner as if stomping on people were something to be proud about. The fact of the matter is that Cole has been named Tyrant pretty appropriately, crushing any chance for an entire world to make its own choices and mistakes and steps forward. And the reward for handing him control has been paradise, sure -- if you consider what he's offering a paradise.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Angry, desperate, hungry, cold

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Angry, desperate, hungry, cold originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allegiancechoicescity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxexpansionfeaturedgoing-rogueloreloyaltymoralityncsoftparagonparagon-studiospraetoriaresistanceWed, 14 Jul 2010 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: A chicken in every pot, an answer for every question]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/07/a-mild-mannered-reporter-a-chicken-in-every-pot-an-answer-for/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/07/a-mild-mannered-reporter-a-chicken-in-every-pot-an-answer-for/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/07/a-mild-mannered-reporter-a-chicken-in-every-pot-an-answer-for/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's the first Wednesday of the month, and like always that means we're going into the questions-and-answers for City of Heroes players. Before we delve into this week's column, I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone for the amount of discussion that took place about our last article extolling the virtues of the Loyalists. It brought a smile to my face to see all of the back and forth about the topic, something I haven't written the last word about. But that's next week's column, and right now it's time to see what other questions the community desperately needs answered.

Superfan asked:
"Why is the game so repetitive and lacking imagination?"

On one level, I can't answer this question because I don't agree with the basic premise. I don't find the game terribly repetitive, and it's lacking in imagination in the same manner that Transformers: War for Cybertron is lacking in robots. But I've acknowledged before that there is a certain rinse-and-repeat feel to City of Heroes, even beyond the equally repetitive feeling in any given MMO. There's something about the game's layout that just gives players that feeling, and I'm not immune to it.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: A chicken in every pot, an answer for every question

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: A chicken in every pot, an answer for every question originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alignmentarchetypecity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcolumncovcoxfactionsfeaturedgoing-roguegrmoralityncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiosroguevigilanteWed, 07 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Going Rogue video documentary hits the City of Heroes Facebook page]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/01/new-going-rogue-video-documentary-hits-the-city-of-heroes-facebo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/01/new-going-rogue-video-documentary-hits-the-city-of-heroes-facebo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/01/new-going-rogue-video-documentary-hits-the-city-of-heroes-facebo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Having celebrated its sixth anniversary back in April, City of Heroes is a bit of an old dog in the MMO world. But it's proving quite adept at learning new tricks, with Going Rogue bringing out a big new trick in the form of its morality system. Allowing players not only to play heroes or villains but several intermediate forms in between, the ability to change allegiance is one of the expansion's biggest selling points -- as well as being the focus of the second video documentary, available on the game's Facebook page.

While the video doesn't reveal every piece of system information on changing from hero to villain or vice versa, it does talk more about the choices that go into such a shift. We've been hearing for some time that players will be making choices within the missions of Going Rogue, and it's explained here as well. It also discusses in brief how Praetoria is a framework removed from the hero-villain dichotomy of Paragon City and the Rogue Isles, allowing players to make choices and shape morality from the ground up. City of Heroes players are encouraged to take a look at the documentary and leave their comments on the page, as the developers are due to check in there throughout the day.

MassivelyNew Going Rogue video documentary hits the City of Heroes Facebook page originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxexpansiongoing-rogueheroesmoralitymorality-systemncsoftparagonparagon-studiosroguesvideovideo-documentaryvigilantesvillainsThu, 01 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: For the greater good]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/30/a-mild-mannered-reporter-for-the-greater-good/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/30/a-mild-mannered-reporter-for-the-greater-good/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/30/a-mild-mannered-reporter-for-the-greater-good/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It didn't take much convincing for people to start assuming that the Praetorians in Going Rogue were fundamentally the bad guys. For all the talk that's been given about how players can choose either path, about how there isn't always good and evil... the players are smarter than that. Being on the side of the jackbooted oppressors is just plain wrong, there are no two ways about it. No matter how heavy-handed the City of Heroes team might be about it, players knew better than to take the bait.

The problem with this line of thinking is that it's wrong on one fundamental level. It's not that there's a lack of evil running through Praetoria, it's that people are seeing it on the wrong side. Loyalists aren't the shoo-ins for villains that the community seems to think they are -- they're heroes, making the world a better place. There might be the occasional misstep, but when you get right down to it, no faction on Praetoria is as well-suited to the ethos of heroism than those loyal to Emperor Cole.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: For the greater good

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: For the greater good originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcovcoxfeaturedgoing-roguegood-versus-evilgrgreater-goodloremoral-compassmoralitymoralsopinionparagonparagon-studiospraetoriatyrantutopiaWed, 30 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: the Old Republic expands Blood of the Empire]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/star-wars-the-old-republic-expands-blood-of-the-empire/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/star-wars-the-old-republic-expands-blood-of-the-empire/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/star-wars-the-old-republic-expands-blood-of-the-empire/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If there's one difficult task that Star Wars: The Old Republic has set for itself -- well, it's set several, but if there's one difficult lore task it would be transforming the Sith into a sympathetic and likable player faction. After all, they've got years and years and years of fiction painting them as unrelentingly evil bastards, while BioWare wants them to be heroic in their own way. It's no surprise, then, that the most recent installment of Blood of the Empire continues to show both the brutality of the Sith as well as their more compassionate side.

Expanding the focus from the young Teneb Kal from the first issue, this installment shows us what happens to Sith who decide to strike out on their own -- successfully or not. It also gives a look into some of the morality of the Sith, where attempts to seize power are expected, but failure to do so means you overstepped your bounds. With a closer look inside Dromund Kaas at the heart of the empire, the latest installment should be of interest to every Star Wars: The Old Republic lore scholar.

MassivelyStar Wars: the Old Republic expands Blood of the Empire originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 May 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mmobioware-mmorpgbioware-star-warsbioware-swtorblood-of-the-empireeaelectronic-artslucas-artslucas-arts-mmolucas-arts-mmorpgmoralitysithstar-wars-gamestar-wars-mmostar-wars-mmorpgstar-wars-the-old-republicstar-wars-torstarwarsstarwars-the-old-republicsw-torswtorthe-old-republicFri, 07 May 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Return of community news]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/24/a-mild-mannered-reporter-return-of-community-news/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/24/a-mild-mannered-reporter-return-of-community-news/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/24/a-mild-mannered-reporter-return-of-community-news/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

There's quite a bit to crow about in the City of Heroes community of late. Since the last time we've taken a look at the community, we've had a huge amount of new information about the next expansion, a double XP weekend, and the usual regimen of alien invasions and parallel universes. (July's release of Going Rogue will greatly increase the parallel universe portion.) And if you live on the east coast, you also have the opportunity to meet the Paragon Studios crew without traveling to the other side of the country!

Have I mentioned that I live on the east coast?

So next week, expect a very weary me to be dishing out a whole bunch of news from PAX East, as I'm going to be following the crew around like a forlorn puppy. But that's then and this is now. Today, we're going to be looking at some of the interesting community threads that have popped up over the last month, from the serious to the amusing.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Return of community news

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Return of community news originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>characterscity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohconceptscovcoxdevelopmentdouble-xp-weekendeconomyfeaturedgoing-roguemelissa-biancomission-architectmoralityparagonparagon-cohparagon-studiospax-east-2010player-generated-contentWed, 24 Mar 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The breadth of morality in MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/02/the-breadth-of-morality-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/02/the-breadth-of-morality-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/02/the-breadth-of-morality-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , ,


It's been touched on before, but there's still more thought to be put into it: morality in MMOs, if you think about it, can be a touchy business at best. Scott Jennings recently took the opportunity to discuss the genre's stance in light of the Modern Warfare 2 controversy, pointing out that the genre as a whole has generally failed to touch on morality tacitly but has frequently done so passively. The game we play are almost relentlessly imperialistic, as he puts it, with an unambiguous march toward taking everything at gunpoint (or sword-point, or laser-cannon-point) and becoming the undisputed master of all you survey.

It's equally true in EVE Online, where the game implicitly sends you up against all other players in a bid for maximum possible gain, or in World of Warcraft, where you can find yourself invading homes for no reason or killing people for holding a legitimate grudge. The only games that even start escaping from the whitewashed attitude are superhero games such as City of Heroes and Champions Online, and even there you most likely send several thugs to the hospital without so much as an effort to negotiate. Whether this can or should change isn't easy to say -- much of the rationale behind it is tied to the game design rather than player choice. It's a topic worth considering, however, and one that will doubtlessly be addressed more as the industry grows in maturity.

MassivelyThe breadth of morality in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>champions-onlinecity-of-heroescocohcultureeveeve-onlinelum-the-madmoralityopinionscott-jenningsvirtual-worldsworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 02 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Moral relativism in Lord of the Rings Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/23/moral-relativism-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/23/moral-relativism-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/23/moral-relativism-in-lord-of-the-rings-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's one thing to accept that in the average fantasy MMO, you're going to be killing a truly astonishing number of creatures. That's not the most commendable concept ever, but it at least falls under the header of expected. But every so often, you find yourself stopping to think about the real-world ramifications of what you're doing. The Angry Bear took a closer look at the activities that Lord of the Rings Online is currently moving through in the Mines of Moria, and come to some rather interesting conclusions about the game's stance of invading the homes of other sentient creatures, killing them, and claiming everything they'd owned for several thousand years as rightfully yours.

Of course, Lord of the Rings Online is hardly the first time you've been tasked with invading someone's home for little reason other than it being convenient, but the argument outlined here is rather compelling and interesting. It also comes to an interesting conclusion after all the moral sides of the argument are fully explored, one that puts you largely back in the same place you started -- but it's still an interesting argument to consider. Take a look at the full piece, and perhaps tread a bit more lightly the next time you venture into Khazad-dum.

MassivelyMoral relativism in Lord of the Rings Online originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>culturelord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromines-of-moriamoralityopinionturbineFri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Latest EVE Online Chronicle a moral tale of sabotage and retribution]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/22/latest-eve-online-chronicle-a-moral-tale-of-sabotage-and-retribu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/22/latest-eve-online-chronicle-a-moral-tale-of-sabotage-and-retribu/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/22/latest-eve-online-chronicle-a-moral-tale-of-sabotage-and-retribu/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


EVE Online differs from other massively multiplayer online games out there in that it's as much a setting as it is a game; its galactic setting of New Eden isn't divided across shards. This helps the game's lore creators conjure up a sense that the stories of New Eden echo throughout and define a single expansive galaxy, at least for those who choose to get into the game's backstory.

EVE's lore has been building up for years as short Chronicles and even in novel form, creating a substantial yet growing body of work that fleshes out the gritty setting. We don't cover all of the Chronicle releases at Massively but we do tend to highlight those that have a direct bearing on the game's lore, rather than those that add flavor. Still, now and again a story comes along that really stands out. That was the case with this week's Chronicle titled "All These Lives are Fit to Ruin" by CCP Abraxas, the description of which was one simple word: "Sabotage". This caught our interest and, in this writer's opinion after having read the Chronicle twice, "All These Lives are Fit to Ruin" may be one of the best stories Abraxas has written thus far.

Continue reading Latest EVE Online Chronicle a moral tale of sabotage and retribution

MassivelyLatest EVE Online Chronicle a moral tale of sabotage and retribution originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backstorycapsuleersccp-abraxasccp-gameseveeve-chronicleeve-chronicleseve-onlinefactionsguristasloremoralitynew-edennpcnpcspiracypiratepiratespveretributionrevengesabotagesci-fisettingWed, 22 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Using a competitor's forum to recruit?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/20/the-daily-grind-using-a-competitors-forum-to-recruit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/20/the-daily-grind-using-a-competitors-forum-to-recruit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/20/the-daily-grind-using-a-competitors-forum-to-recruit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

So we've heard confirmation that Cryptic did indeed use NCsoft's City of Heroes forums to attempt to recruit for the Champions Online beta. Public opinion varies pretty widely from it being a pretty underhanded move to use their forums, to people saying that's just the way business is done and anyone thinking otherwise is expecting too much. We don't think anyone wasn't expecting them to contact their competitor's players, but many were taken aback at the method employed - using the official NCsoft-run City of Heroes forums. After all, to use how Blizzard recruited from EverQuest guilds as an example, Blizzard contacted people on their guild forums and other sites not owned by SOE if they didn't know them personally. Why didn't Cryptic just head for Google and look up City of Heroes supergroups that way? A cursory search on "City of Heroes Supergroup" returns 59,300 hits, and that's not even drilling down into sites like GuildPortal and Guildomatic.

So with the above in mind, and the handling of the situation overall; this morning we wanted to dig a bit deeper into your thoughts about it. Do you think it's ever acceptable to use a game's official forums to recruit for your competing beta or product? Or do you feel that all is fair in love and MMOs, so yes - using a competitor's official forums is entirely acceptable? Is it fair to expect companies to act in a 'gentlemanly manner' while squaring off for a duel, as it were, or is the idea outmoded in today's business world?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Using a competitor's forum to recruit? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betachampions-onlinecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcompetitioncovcryptic-studiosforumsguildsmoralityncsoftrecruitingFri, 20 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Bartle responds to "torture quest" issue]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/27/richard-bartle-responds-to-torture-quest-issue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/27/richard-bartle-responds-to-torture-quest-issue/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/27/richard-bartle-responds-to-torture-quest-issue/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

A few days ago we ran a report on Richard Bartle's take on a torture quest in World of Warcraft, the Art of Persuasion. Since then, the discussion has exploded and some have taken Bartle's quotes out of context. Because of this, Bartle has created a follow-up post to clarify some of the points that may have been misinterpreted.

First of all, he's not talking about the Death Knight quest entitled, "How to Win Friends and Influence Enemies." Bartle does realize that Death Knights, while under Arthas's control, were horribly evil and he understand that this quest is necessary to make them look as evil as they are. That quest makes a very strong point that resonates with the storyline of the game.

He is quite aware that Warcraft involves killing, fireballs, destruction, and more killing. He knows there's a "dismiss quest" button at the bottom of the quest window. He is also aware that the game is not real life, it's only a computer game, and does not contain the Geneva Convention. So then, what's all the fuss?

Continue reading Richard Bartle responds to "torture quest" issue

MassivelyRichard Bartle responds to "torture quest" issue originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Nov 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bartleblizzardkillingkirin-tormoralityquestrichard-bartlethe-art-of-persuasiontorturewarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 27 Nov 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Building a better MMOusetrap: Morality schmorality, where's me sword?!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/building-a-better-mmousetrap-morality-schmorality-wheres-me-s/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/building-a-better-mmousetrap-morality-schmorality-wheres-me-s/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/building-a-better-mmousetrap-morality-schmorality-wheres-me-s/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,



Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men (and women ... and children)? Certainly most MMO players, or to be even more general most people who go on the internet know at least what they expect other people to act like. Certainly they would act like normal people right? Upstanding citizens, keeping the peace, helping old ladies across the street, buying girl guide cookies. But then if you have those fine folks, you certainly would have to have their counterparts, the criminals and scum-bags of the virtual worlds, preying on the innocent and weak. A sort of symbiosis has to exist even online, else you would either have complete anarchy, or pure utopia (and that sort of thing could never happen in a video game, eh Jack?) and neither of those situations truly juxtapose reality, they simply.

And that's what MMO's are supposed to do in some sense or another if I'm to believe what all the articles, thesis's, and marketing materials say. Even in the trailer for the upcoming MMO documentary Second Skin they say things along those lines. So you have to balance the good with the bad to have a virtualisation with reality, but then something is amiss, because it's certainly damned hard to be a bad guy online. Oh sure you can gank people in PvP, or use MPK tactics to train monsters on to groups, but those sorts of things make more of a dickwad than they do a truly evil person.

Something I hear flying around a lot these days, mostly in conjunction with RIchard Garriott's sci-fi MMO Tabula Rasa, is the idea of morality. But can there really be moral choices in an online world, where just about everything a character does is pre-destined, set on rails, and left to run its course on its own time table?

Continue reading Building a better MMOusetrap: Morality schmorality, where's me sword?!

MassivelyBuilding a better MMOusetrap: Morality schmorality, where's me sword?! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choiceethicseve-onlinefeaturedfree-willgarriottmmo-industrymoralitypoliticsrichard-garriotttabula-rasatrWed, 06 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Building a better MMOusetrap: PPOrnography in games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/16/building-a-better-mmousetrap-ppornography-in-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/16/building-a-better-mmousetrap-ppornography-in-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/16/building-a-better-mmousetrap-ppornography-in-games/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Quick turn out the lights, shut your door, and unplug the phone... today we're going to talk about boobs. shh shh shh, I know, please keep it down, don't get all worked up, it's really not anything to worry about. I'm not actually going to show you any boobs, just talk about them, or rather about morality, censorship and the like in our favourite type of video games. As I'm sure you're all aware, as informed gaming news readers, you've read the latest load of tripe about our beloved "sex-boxes" and how they are filling us full of sodomisingly good times. Well, I decided to take a look at MMOs under the same plate, but before you fill the comments section with slander, and my inbox with hate, let me just say I think the fellow who wrote the article is a grade-A ass, but he did make me think about a few things.

First off, let's look at the ESRB rating that comes on most of our MMO titles, generally they are rated T (for teen!) but have the wonderful disclaimer of "experience may change during online play". Now frankly that's pretty much a carte blanche to do whatever they like, because if they get pulled into court they can just grab their Objection! sign and point at the rating. But I think that for the most part MMO game developers take a lot of strong steps towards keeping the playing environment relatively tame. There certainly aren't any terribly un-graphic alien lesbian love scenes in Paragon City, and last I checked, even though the Mithra are cute little cat ladies, there hasn't been any rampant cases of cross-species hot loving in Vana'diel.

I think what I'm trying to get at is, that game developers do in fact keep our online experiences as puritanian as they can (violence aside of course), because they don't really see a need to change their games into online porn. Certainly there are the usual video game metrics of unrealistic body types (for both the women and the men), and the fact that somehow the more armour a female character puts on, the more like a princess leia golden bikini (link is semi-NSFW) it looks. But other than that things are generally tame, that is, until it gets into the hands of the players.

Continue reading Building a better MMOusetrap: PPOrnography in games

MassivelyBuilding a better MMOusetrap: PPOrnography in games originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescoxdevelopmentffximmommo-designmmo-developmentmoralitynsfwpolitics-in-gamingsecond-lifeworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 16 Jan 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The concept of MMOrality, and how players pass it around]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/the-concept-of-mmorality-and-how-players-pass-it-around/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/the-concept-of-mmorality-and-how-players-pass-it-around/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/08/the-concept-of-mmorality-and-how-players-pass-it-around/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ryan Shwayder has a look up at what he calls "MMOrality"-- the idea of a calling within any given game that determines how we as our avatars act. When newbie players first sign on to a new game, they are innocent in every meaning of the word-- they have no idea how to act, and even though they may do things that are against the ingame code (killstealing, ninja looting, grabbing quests without grouping, and so on), they are innocent, because they don't know yet what's right and wrong. Only after they're introduced to the "MMOrality" within the game can they figure out whether they want to be immoral, and go against the codes put in place by the game, or moral, and follow the etiquette and standards laid out by the other players.

It's an interesting thought, and not a new one-- just as we have morality in the real world, our virtual worlds also have their own codes that can be upheld or broken. Shwayder speculates, however, that this morality requires PvP-- players can only uphold the morality they've put in place if they have the option to control other players by ganking them. But I'm not so sure that's true.

Continue reading The concept of MMOrality, and how players pass it around

MassivelyThe concept of MMOrality, and how players pass it around originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behaviorguildsmmoralitymoralitypvepvprulesvirtual-worldsThu, 08 Nov 2007 10:00:00 EST