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 and the What Ifs: Middle-earth Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-what-ifs-middle-earth-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-what-ifs-middle-earth-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/21/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-what-ifs-middle-earth-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I had so much fun walking down the halls of "What if?" last week that I thought I'd keep the streak going for the rest of the month (if you'll allow for some summertime indulgence). It's not that I necessarily wanted MMO history to turn out differently than it did, but it's always tantalizing to wonder what the field would look like with different games out there. Would they have proven more popular than our current crops? Would they have pushed the envelope of innovation?

Of course, it's easy to project greatness onto never-released titles, bemoaning that "if only MMO X had launched, we would've had the perfect game!" What ifs are interesting but should never be taken as absolute fact.

This week I wanted to look at a project that's related to an MMO near and dear to my heart. As most of you know, I'm somewhat of a Lord of the Rings Online nut here at Massively. Sure, the rest of the staff is upset that I smoke pipeweed inside and never wear shoes, but that's just how far I go to understand the game.

But even my LotRO isn't immune to a massive what if. Known to some but not to all, Turbine wasn't the first MMO studio to take a crack at Tolkien's license -- no, for that we have to travel back to 1998 and revisit Sierra On-Line. It was this company that had a brief but memorable run designing Middle-earth Online, aka "What if LotRO had permadeath?" It's a fascinating glimpse into an entirely different approach to the IP, and even though it died a fairly early death, it's important to be remembered. Frodo lives!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Middle-earth Online

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Middle-earth Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2-d3-dbalrogcraig-alexanderdaniel-jameselveseqeverquestfeaturedfourth-agefrodofrodo-livesi-hate-elvesisometricjoe-ludwigjrr-tolkienkings-questlord-of-the-ringslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromeomiddle-earth-onlinemonster-playpermadeathpkpkingplayer-killingpsychologypuzzle-piratessierrasierra-onlinespace-queststephen-nicholsthe-game-archaeologistthe-professorthe-realmthe-realm-onlinetolkienultima-onlineuovivendivivendi-universalTue, 21 Jun 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: The Quest of Vindication]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/24/anti-aliased-the-quest-of-vindication/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/24/anti-aliased-the-quest-of-vindication/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/24/anti-aliased-the-quest-of-vindication/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Happy Holidays everybody! Hope you're all having an exciting time that's full of epic loot drops from purple gift packages sent by the jolly NPC in the red suit.

This week's column is a holiday-tacular rant fest as I feel like tackling one of the major sticking points of an MMO player's behavior: the need to pursue vindication. This isn't something unique to MMO culture or even video game culture at large. We all feel this rather odd need to defend our decisions or opinions to others, even if they will never ever agree with us.

However, when it comes to MMOs, vindication can be a bad thing. When communities become polarized in thought and begin to shut out others it can hurt the game's growth and the game's sense of community.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: The Quest of Vindication

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: The Quest of Vindication originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the development budgets of new MMOs. To stay ahead of the technological curve, a large portion of the budget invariably goes toward the graphics department. Studios produce impressive graphics engines and mountains of art assets in an effort to make their game one of the most visually impressive out there. Amidst all the fuss over graphics and gameplay, audio is often overlooked and underfunded. It's been shown that good music and sound effects can have a significant impact on the perceived quality of a game. This is something that some development studios recognise and support but many continue to neglect this vital part of the gaming experience.

In this article, I examine the importance of good audio in an MMO and explain the underlying psychology involved.

Continue reading The importance of good audio in an MMO

MassivelyThe importance of good audio in an MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audioblack-prophecychoireveeve-onlineeverquest-2everquest-iifantasyfeaturedindustryjoystiqfeaturesmoodmusicorchestrapsychologysci-fisoundworld of warcraftworld-of-warcraftWorldOfWarcraftMon, 15 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Nick Yee puts the Daedalus Project into hibernation]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/09/nick-yee-puts-the-daedalus-project-into-hibernation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/09/nick-yee-puts-the-daedalus-project-into-hibernation/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/09/nick-yee-puts-the-daedalus-project-into-hibernation/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The Daedalus Project, for those who aren't familiar with this fantastic project by Nick Yee, is an in-depth look at the psychology of MMO gamers. As someone who plays MMOs, Nick has always taken a very fair and balanced look at the intricate worlds spanning the MMO genre, with results that were sometimes surprising. During the course of ten years of research, he's looked into everything from basic gender alignment questions to in-depth looks at genre, how emerging changes in game mechanics affect social interaction, and so very much more. To say it's been important, enlightening work is an understatement.

In a recent blog posting, Nick has announced that he's going to be placing the Daedalus Project into 'hibernation' due to time constraints, the rigors of his everyday work, and his need to publish as a PhD. As anyone can imagine, running an enormous project like Daedalus has to take a great deal of time and effort. It would appear that rather than letting the quality of the work for this project of love suffer, he's opted to place it on hold for now. While it's definitely a loss for the MMO - and indeed educational - community, we can totally understand. All of us here at Massively would like to thank Nick for his unwavering dedication to bringing so many important things to light over the last ten years, and hope that all of his future challenges are equally as rewarding.

MassivelyNick Yee puts the Daedalus Project into hibernation originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daedalus-projecteducationhibernationmmo-studynick-yeephdpsychologystudyMon, 09 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chinese game addicts seek help in progressive Internet addiction centers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/10/chinese-game-addicts-seek-help-in-progressive-internet-addiction/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/10/chinese-game-addicts-seek-help-in-progressive-internet-addiction/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/10/chinese-game-addicts-seek-help-in-progressive-internet-addiction/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As the Chinese race ahead to catch up with the West, they do so with the intent of creating better lives for themselves. The past several years have been characterized by rapid progression, but all those perks of modernization come with a price, which some of China's citizens are beginning to pay.

As incomes rise, so does the prevalence of the various maladies of modernization we've come to know well -- not limited to obesity, substance abuse, and addiction. While an addiction to a substance has a physiological aspect to it and is rarely disputed as a true addiction, non-material addictions to work, sex, and even shopping are on the rise in China. Such issues have been difficult to officially label as actual mental illnesses in the country. Others, like Internet addiction, have only recently been classified as such in China.

Continue reading Chinese game addicts seek help in progressive Internet addiction centers

MassivelyChinese game addicts seek help in progressive Internet addiction centers originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abuseaddictaddictionbeijingchinachristian-science-monitorgame-addictioninternetinternet-addictionjonathan-adamsmental-illnesspsychologySat, 10 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: PvPissed]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/anti-aliased-pvpissed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/anti-aliased-pvpissed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/17/anti-aliased-pvpissed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


It's in the nature of every MMO player to snap at change -- it's what we do. When the patch notes reveal that Class X got a decrease in DPS to make them of a "more balanced power", you can expect all players of Class X to lead a revolt across the forums with pitchforks and torches. This behavior has become so commonplace that we tend to just ignore it after a while.

But for once, the intense flaming power of the World of Warcraft forums is being put to good use, if you ask me. Blizzard has announced that they are letting players transfer from standard servers onto their Player vs. Player servers in an outstanding reversal of their original policy on the matter. Now anyone on a normal server can just waltz up past the Gumdrop Mountains to find Queen Frostine and ask her to use her transporting powers to send them to what could be construed as MMO 4chan. (That Candy Land reference was for you, James Egan.)

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: PvPissed

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: PvPissed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementsblizzardfeaturedgame-designgame-mechanicsjoystiqfeaturesopinionpsychologypvepve-serverpvppvp-serverserver-transferserver-transfersworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 17 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Psychologists talk gaming addiction, online friendships]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/31/psychologists-talk-gaming-addiction-online-friendships/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/31/psychologists-talk-gaming-addiction-online-friendships/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/31/psychologists-talk-gaming-addiction-online-friendships/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


1UP's Scott Sharkey has written an article titled "Hook It to My Veins: Can Videogaming be an Addiction?" in which he provides anecdotal experiences with excessive gaming and conversations with two experts -- researcher/author Neils Clark and psychology lecturer Dr. Nadine Pelling. The conclusion is made pretty quickly: yes, video games can be an addiction. Big surprise there! But the details can be wishy-washy, it turns out.

Virtual worlds are the subject of in-depth analysis. Clark borrows from a theory by J.R.R. Tolkien by suggesting that gaming addiction is about a conflict between what ought to be a primary world, and a secondary fantasy world. Gamers with a problem have difficulty prioritizing, or even acknowledging that the gaming world is secondary. Immersion is an important part of enjoying a game, right? But if you're thinking about how you need to make sure the primary world gets its due attention, then you're not immersed anymore -- so begins the problem.

Continue reading Psychologists talk gaming addiction, online friendships

MassivelyPsychologists talk gaming addiction, online friendships originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1upaddictionfriendshipsimmersionnadine-pellingneils-clarkprimary-worldpsychologyrelationshipsresearchresearchersecondary-worldvirtual-worldsworld-of-warcraftSun, 31 Aug 2008 14:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: Crime and punishment in MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/anti-aliased-crime-and-punishment-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/anti-aliased-crime-and-punishment-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/anti-aliased-crime-and-punishment-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

You're grinding in World of Warcraft's Stranglethorn Vale (voted most ganktastic by our friends at WoW Insider) when a level 70 druid finds it hilarious to moonfire your lowbie buttocks and camp your corpse for the next eight hours. You're grinding in Lineage II when suddenly someone completely rips you apart with Demon Sword Zariche, and the proceeds to do it over and over again. Face of Mankind players saw the days of other players killing player character police officers "just because it was fun and easy". Final Fantasy XI players dealt with the controversy of monster player killing, known as an MPK. Diablo had the problem of people raising you, killing you, raising you, killing you, raising you, killing you, raising you, killing you... I think you got the point.

Griefing is a problem in MMOs -- a very big problem. As more users enter our wonderful worlds of fantasy and intrigue, more and more of them think it's hilarious to make others suffer and waste time. So why is this phenomenon occuring, and what can developers do about it?

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: Crime and punishment in MMOs

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: Crime and punishment in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 May 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocblizzardccpcrimedeath-penaltydiabloeveeve-onlineface-of-mankindfeaturedffxifinal-fantasy-xifomfuncomgriefingjanoff-bulmanjerksjoystiqfeatureslegal-systemlineage-2ncsoftojomprisonpsychologysocial-psychologysquare-enixworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 29 May 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Player vs. Everything: Why won't you just take a break?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/player-vs-everything-why-wont-you-just-take-a-break/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/player-vs-everything-why-wont-you-just-take-a-break/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/player-vs-everything-why-wont-you-just-take-a-break/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Everyone plays MMOGs at different speeds. Some people spend just a few hours a week playing, and some of us spend altogether far too much time on these games. I submit, for evidence, that 4-hour raids three nights per week is considered a "light raiding schedule" by most raiding standards. That's almost a part-time job, when you count the time you spend farming for mats and doing random other runs on top of that! Still, it doesn't matter how much time you actually spend playing -- anyone can get pretty wrapped up in their favorite game. Even a "casual" player can get to the point where they're just playing because it's what they do, instead of playing because they're having fun.

Whether you play for 5 hours each week or 50 hours each week, sometimes it's good to step back, take a breather, and get off the game for a while. Right? It seems so simple, so obvious. "Yes, of course it's good to take a break," you say, nodding along with me. "Just as soon as I get my Tier 9 Sword, Epic Firetruck, and Gleeful Gnome Pet, I'll do that. Though, I should really wait until my Tier 10 Sword and Mega-Epic Firetruck... and then help my guildies get theirs." Meanwhile, there's that nagging feeling in the back of your mind: Is this actually fun?

Continue reading Player vs. Everything: Why won't you just take a break?

MassivelyPlayer vs. Everything: Why won't you just take a break? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 May 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addictedaddictionburnoutfeaturedguildshealthjoystiqfeatureslifelifestyleplayer-vs-everythingpsychologysocialWed, 28 May 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New book showcases the sociology of WoW]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/new-book-showcases-the-sociology-of-wow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/new-book-showcases-the-sociology-of-wow/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/21/new-book-showcases-the-sociology-of-wow/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

With over 10 million players strong (and growing), it seems that anything associated with World of Warcraft would be an instant success. We're talking movies, merchandise, novels and anything else Blizzard decides to license. But what about a book detailing WoW from several different sociological and psychological standpoints? Would it be directed at the correct target audience?

In the recently published Digital Culture, Play, and Identify: A World of Warcraft Reader, we see an amazing collaboration among several authors giving their own views of the game, separated by their own chapters of the book. There's one on the economic model of WoW, one on the concept of virtual death and even one on how WoW could be considered a playground for feminism. So if you're into more than just teh phat lootz in your MMO of choice (WoW or not), and the actual sociology of the game is of interest to you, take a look at this book available now on Amazon.

MassivelyNew book showcases the sociology of WoW originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 May 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardbookpsychologyreadersociologyworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 21 May 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: What are we doing?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/22/anti-aliased-what-are-we-doing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/22/anti-aliased-what-are-we-doing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/22/anti-aliased-what-are-we-doing/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click. 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 5, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 5, 1, 1, 3, 4, 1. /cheer

Sitting next to my friend in his room littered with Diet Mountain Dew cans, reports past due, and his girlfriend passed out on the bed, I slowly came to a very scary realization. Some of our best loved MMOs can be boiled down to not just pressing different buttons, but pressing the same button repeatedly.

What really drove this home was me and a bunch of his friends were in the other room adjacent to his room, yet he was neglecting to join our roleplaying session and hang out. He'd rather sit in his small, cluttered room and farm a raid he's done at least 20 times, somehow finding enjoyment from pressing the button "1" repeatedly.

So... what are we doing? Are we drinking the proverbial Windex because someone said it was a good idea?

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: What are we doing?

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: What are we doing? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addictionblizzardccpdark-age-of-camelotdestination-gamesdiablo-2ea-mythicjoshua-smythlevelinglive-eventsmatrix-onlinemonolithncsoftpsychologyresearchsoetabula-rasawindexworld-of-warcraftTue, 22 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST