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: Have you ever facerolled MMO content?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/the-daily-grind-have-you-ever-facerolled-mmo-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/the-daily-grind-have-you-ever-facerolled-mmo-content/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/the-daily-grind-have-you-ever-facerolled-mmo-content/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Keyboard
I've recently returned to World of Warcraft and was surprised to find a much more complex game than when I left (contrary to popular lore in our comments). Several of the classes have been revamped mechanically to be far more interesting and layered, and new dungeon encounters are frequently among the best in the industry.

At endgame, anyway. I realize that outside of heroics and raids and PvP, WoW (like many MMOs) aims for accessible simplicity, which is nice when you're just happily grinding away or teaming up with weekend warriors not looking for a stressful challenge. One of my mates even bragged about facerolling his way through the dungeon finder, and I had to wonder, do people really do that? Even if content is easy, I still try to play it "right." I'll still make sure I know how to play my character, probably because I'm terrified of being that person in a PUG -- you know, the one who makes people hate PUGs. But I have to admit that the idea of honestly just punching whatever buttons just to see if we'll still win has its own amusing charm (and a strange level of challenge too).

Have you ever facerolled MMO content, literally or figuratively?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Have you ever facerolled MMO content? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbrianna-royce-tdgcomplexitydaily-grinddumbing-downeasymodefacerollfacerollingfantasyheroicsopinionpugpugstdgthat-guythe-daily-grindwarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 27 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE tweaking EQII's dungeon finder mechanics]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/02/soe-tweaking-eqiis-dungeon-finder-mechanics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/02/soe-tweaking-eqiis-dungeon-finder-mechanics/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/02/soe-tweaking-eqiis-dungeon-finder-mechanics/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

EverQuest II - Barren Sky dungeon
Once upon a time, EverQuest II's dungeon finder was a hot-button issue. Some players wanted it, others predicted the doom of grouping, the game, and life as we know it if the feature got implemented. Fast forward a few months and now the dungeon finder is hardly used aside from guildless mid-level players looking for a quick PUG crawl.

Sony Online Entertainment has announced a couple of tweaks designed to incentivize the mechanic, and EQ2Wire has the relevant developer quotes as well as a bit of commentary on the process. In a nutshell, SOE is adding contested dungeons and daily rewards into the mix. While this may result in a temporary upswing in dungeon finder interest, it doesn't address the primary reason veteran and high-level players shun the mechanic. The system still won't take player gear into account when forming parties, so it is therefore quite useless when gear-dependent content -- like any of the dungeons from the Destiny of Velious expansion -- is the goal.

MassivelySOE tweaking EQII's dungeon finder mechanics originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>destiny-of-veliousdungeondungeon-finderdungeonseq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfree-to-playgated-contentgeargear-grindpuggingpugssoeSony-Online-EntertainmentMon, 02 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost Pages of Taborea: The poor, lonely looking-for-group tool]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/23/lost-pages-of-taborea-the-poor-lonely-looking-for-group-tool/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/23/lost-pages-of-taborea-the-poor-lonely-looking-for-group-tool/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/23/lost-pages-of-taborea-the-poor-lonely-looking-for-group-tool/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Karen's recent article about RIFT's new looking-for-group tool got me thinking about Runes of Magic's own LFG tool. It seems like such a nifty function, but it hardly ever gets used in RoM. It's such an interesting tool that I'm happy to see in the game, but it also seems to be better on paper than in practice. Part of the reason might be that it's slightly clumsy to use for the first time, which I'll get to a little later. LFG tools are one of those things that a lot of players ask for nowadays, but they only ever seem to be used minimally unless the devs attach incentives.

Let's turn caps-lock off, stop shouting in world chat, and take a closer look at RoM's LFG tool.

Continue reading Lost Pages of Taborea: The poor, lonely looking-for-group tool

MassivelyLost Pages of Taborea: The poor, lonely looking-for-group tool originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 May 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>application-boarddungeon-finderfeaturedfinding-groupsfrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactivegroupinggrouping-mechanicsjeremy-strattonlfglfg-toollooking-for-grouplooking-for-group-toollost-pages-of-taboreapick-up-grouppick-up-groupspugpugsromrunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmentMon, 23 May 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: Solo vs. group]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/07/wings-over-atreia-solo-vs-group/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/07/wings-over-atreia-solo-vs-group/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/07/wings-over-atreia-solo-vs-group/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

OK, now get your collective minds all out of the gutter! There we go. Of course, the title speaks to gaming styles and preferences in Aion. Lately, I've had the topic of grouping crop up in different discussions, from the trend of decreasing group sizes (Star Wars Galaxies had groups of 20, then Lineage II had groups of nine, followed by other games with a maximum group size of six) to questioning the need to group at all. To group, or not to group: Is that really the question?

I touched on this topic a bit a few weeks ago, but an adventure this past week brought my attention back to it; I discovered that you no longer need a full group for one of the more frustrating quests in the game (once you factor in trying to get a group when the rift is up and not have it camped on the other side by the enemy!). Instead, you can complete the quest with just two or three Daevas, a feat unheard of previously due to the difficult dungeon in enemy territory.

Granted, we completed our quest, which would have been impossible otherwise given the circumstances. But on a broader scale, what's with the trend of phasing out group content in MMOs and catering to the solo crowd? This phenomenon puzzles me. When a game is an MMO (read "massively multiplayer"), why discourage grouping by making almost all content accessible to the solo crowd -- especially in Aion (where learning good group dynamics can be crucial in large scale warfare)? In a time when social skills seem to be struggling to survive, why open yet another opportunity for people to avoid interaction?

Type /Invite and join me past the cut to examine this phenomenon and weigh in with your preferred gaming style in our comments.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Solo vs. group

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Solo vs. group originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-gameBeluslanbeshmundir-templefeaturedgroupinggrouping-incentivesgroupslootnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionpugpugsrngsolosoloingudas-templeWings-Over-AtreiaxenoMon, 07 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: Incursion in progress]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/eve-evolved-incursion-in-progress/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/eve-evolved-incursion-in-progress/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/30/eve-evolved-incursion-in-progress/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

In a blaze of fire and glory, Sansha Kuvakei's fleet clashed with players in a major offensive in Yulai. Although his AI-controlled Sansha battleships numbered in the hundreds, the sheer force of capsuleer defense initiatives was brought down on Kuvakei's fleet like a hammer. With the Sansha ships under heavy fire, the fleet opened additional wormholes to call in reinforcements. Amidst the busy buzz of lasers scorching hulls, capsuleers hurling missiles, and CONCORD rescue operations, space itself warped as several massive Sansha supercarriers emerged from the incoming wormholes. Sansha Kuvakei played his biggest and most fearsome card as a show of the incredible forces he now commands. And capsuleers burned them to ashes in defiance.

Since the battle in Yulai, Sansha's Nation has begun launching full-scale occupations of constellations across New Eden. Many players dove straight into the fray without adequate preparation, and Sansha's forces were not forgiving. While most NPC pirate ships found in EVE Online are weak with a very basic AI, the new Sansha ships are both smart and deadly. They use everything from ECM and energy neutralisers to stealth bomber technology and logistic support. Thousands of player ships were destroyed in the first day of fighting as people worked out, through a system of trial and error, how best to tackle EVE's latest supervillain. As the dust settled, I began to get a solid impression of how well the feature is working and whether it really is the breath of fresh air EVE's PvE has been sorely lacking all these years.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I give my first impressions of the Sansha incursions in an attempt to demystify some of the discussion surrounding them and share some basic tips for getting involved.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Incursion in progress

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Incursion in progress originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesdungeondungeonseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlinefeaturedgroup-pvegroupingincursionincursionslogisticspick-up-grouppugpuggingpugspvepvpraidingsanshasanshas-nationsupercarriersSun, 30 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: Making the cut]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/wings-over-atreia-making-the-cut/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/wings-over-atreia-making-the-cut/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/wings-over-atreia-making-the-cut/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


"What position are you applying for?" The interviewer listens and nods.

"Mmhmm. Thank you. Now, what special skills can you bring to the team?"

"Please list all previous experience and describe your major accomplishments." A pause.

"Have you the required equipment to adequately perform your duties?"

The interviewer is quiet while sizing up the applicant.

"I'm sorry, but you just don't quite have what we are looking for. Next!"

Sound familiar? No, this isn't a job interview -- this is the rigmarole many players experience simply to get into a group in NCsoft's Aion. You might think that time of day or availability of people in the right level range would have the most affect on forming up a group, whether in a legion or a PUG. Instead, players often must contend with an entirely different beast before even stepping foot into an instance: group elitism.

Unless you have a regular group of friends with identical play times or a very supportive legion, you are apt to occasionally find yourself in the situation of seeking a group while traipsing about Atreia. Even with a regular group, there are going to be times you are left more-or-less on your own and just want to get something done. Thus begins the (oft times unpleasant) task of creating or finding a group. Like a microcosm of drama played out in short spurts, group formation showcases a variety of less-than-desirable attributes: greed; envy; lust; selfishness; and inflated egos. Just how exclusive can this process become? Your inclusion could ride solely on your class, equipment, or skill set, and have nothing to do with your ability and skill as a player. Heck, even your name may keep you out of groups.

Join me past the cut to explore elitism in group dynamics in Aion.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Making the cut

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Making the cut originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-gamearchetypeArchetypesatreiaclassesclericdramaelitismfeaturedgearedgroupinggroupshealersinstanceslegionnamesnamingnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionpugpugsreputationskillskill-setskillst-labstanktankingtemplartheobomosWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 25 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Singing the PUG blues]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/the-daily-grind-singing-the-pug-blues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/the-daily-grind-singing-the-pug-blues/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/the-daily-grind-singing-the-pug-blues/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Recently I've been having a hard time finding a decent pickup group in Age of Conan. I'm excited to run some of the Khitai 6-man instances as well as the old-world dungeons that I've yet to experience like The Iron Tower, Onyx Chambers, and Atzel's Fortress. That said, whether it's due to being under-geared and one of the thousands of DPS-types crowding the server, or the fact that the high-level game is very cliquish and/or guild-focused, I can't seem to make it work. If it's gear that's holding me back, then it's the classic chicken-or-egg dilemma (how can I get geared if I can't get a dungeon group?). If the answer is a guild, well I've got one, but I'm one of the very few high-level players; the rest are still slogging their way through the middle levels.

Whatever the reason, PUGs (or actually the lack of them) are becoming something of an annoyance. What about you, Massively readers? Are you constantly on the outside looking in or can you get a group whenever you want? Does your game of choice feature a plethora of endgame PUGs or is it mostly premade guild groups?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Singing the PUG blues originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6-man-dungeonsage-of-conanaocatzels-fortressdungeonsfuncomim-so-ronerykhitaionyx-chambersopinionspickup-groupPUGpugsthe-daily-grindthe-iron-towerThu, 19 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively's Community Detective, Issue #3: Aion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/03/massivelys-community-detective-issue-3-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/03/massivelys-community-detective-issue-3-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/03/massivelys-community-detective-issue-3-aion/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


"There is currently a wait of about five days from the time you sent your request. We will continue to do all we can to reduce the wait time." So says a portion of the support email we received from NCsoft over the weekend while preparing the notes for this week's issue of Community Detective. Five days? Five days! Well, the good news is that the debacle had a happy ending. The bad news is that the wait, and a few vocal community members, colored our current perceptions of Aion.

Welcome to another issue of Massively's Community Detective. This week we're changing up our format just a bit to focus on a single MMORPG. Aion goes under the microscope today, and the PvPvE title skews a bit more towards conventional MMOs than last week's EVE/Darkfall duo.

Before we dive into the world of Atreia, let's reiterate the column's purpose, as well as outline our current methods. Fly past the cut for more.

Continue reading Massively's Community Detective, Issue #3: Aion

MassivelyMassively's Community Detective, Issue #3: Aion originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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"We hope you understand that there's nothing we can do at the moment," says the support email we just received from Aventurine, developers of Darkfall. Not exactly what you want to hear from customer service, is it?

Welcome to another issue of Massively's Community Detective, where we're primed and ready to take you into the trenches of MMORPG community and customer service. This week we've got full-blown battlefields complete with land mines, dismemberment, e-peen waving, and all the other things you've come to know and love about PvP. Yes, we're delving into the world of Darkfall, and if that's not enough for you, we'll also be heading for the heavens in a very different (but equally cutthroat) PvP sandbox called EVE Online.

Join us after the cut to see how these two titles fared in terms of community and customer service support.

Continue reading Massively's Community Detective, Issue #2: Darkfall and EVE Online

MassivelyMassively's Community Detective, Issue #2: Darkfall and EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aventurineccpCCP-Gameschatcommunity-detectivecommunity-investigationscommunity-managercsrcustomer-servicedarkfalldarkfall-onlineeveeve-onlineeve-universityfeaturedincarnaopinionpugpugspvpsandboxTue, 27 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flameseeker Chronicles: Heroes ruined Guild Wars]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/26/flameseeker-chronicles-heroes-ruined-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/26/flameseeker-chronicles-heroes-ruined-guild-wars/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/26/flameseeker-chronicles-heroes-ruined-guild-wars/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Oh, settle down. I'm not stating that as a fact, I'm just repeating what others have said. It's an old argument, but one that's recently come to my attention several times over the past week, so I want to take a look at the argument today.

Heroes came to Guild Wars near the end of 2006 with the introduction of Nightfall. They were a huge upgrade from the much-maligned Alesia and her companions. Sure, you had to level them up, but you had as much control over their runes and insignias, skill bars, and weapons as you did your own.

The addition gave players the option to add three of these customized companions, making it much easier to continue adventuring even if you couldn't get a group at the moment. It sounds perfect, right? Not everyone agrees, and it's a debate that flared back up in the past months when the possibility was raised of companions in Guild Wars 2.

Hit the handy "read more" button to check out both sides of the argument.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Heroes ruined Guild Wars

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Heroes ruined Guild Wars originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alesia-you-are-not-a-tankanetarenanetbonusfeaturedflameseeker-chroniclesgroupingguild-warsguild-wars-heroesguild-wars-nightfallgwhero-henchheroeskoss-is-like-a-wild-beast-unchainedmissionncsoftnightfallopinionpugpugssoloingstop-that-orion-everything-is-dead-alreadyMon, 26 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Which MMO has the best PUGs?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-has-the-best-pugs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-has-the-best-pugs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-has-the-best-pugs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Whether you are lucky enough to play with a steady group of good friends or you're more of a soloist, you've still probably encountered the stray pick-up group or random team member here and there. Many gamers even spend all of their time with strangers. But if you've played several MMOs, you may have also noticed that there seems to be a difference in the playerbases. Some games are notorious for having more immature players while others can safely say their players are the best. But which ones? Which MMO do you feel has the best PUGs?

I decided to take this question an extra step by adding a poll in which readers could vote. The top games are included in this poll, but certainly feel free to add your own to the comments below, along with examples.

View Poll

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Which MMO has the best PUGs? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>groupingpickup-groupspugpugsrandomthe-daily-grindTue, 11 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: Yu rack disriprine pt. 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/18/anti-aliased-yu-rack-disriprine-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/18/anti-aliased-yu-rack-disriprine-pt-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/18/anti-aliased-yu-rack-disriprine-pt-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


CasualLolz player, meet OMGHARDCOREBBQ player

The last part of odd group dynamics comes from how much our genre has grown since the days of EverQuest and Final Fantasy XI. Back in the days pre-Warcraft, the MMO community was a small group of gamers who, for the most part, had the same play styles. If you didn't like the genre, you probably didn't play the games. The games presented their basic dynamics to the player very quickly, and people who didn't like how the game was going had the chance to drop out at level 10 or earlier.

That's not how the community is today. Thanks to the rampant success of Warcraft, friends are inviting non-MMO friends. People who haven't even touched a game before Warcraft are picking up MMOs. They jump in, do their soloing, fall in love with those dynamics instead of being immediately introduced to party dynamics, and then enter into parties with explosive consequences.

It's then, at this late point in the game, when they realize that they don't want to be with other people. They don't want to re-learn everything because they feel that they have mastered what the game is all about.

Then you have the player that has played the older games, who does know what to expect, and who runs his endgame content with an iron fist. Do one thing wrong and he screams at you, because in the "olden days" doing one thing wrong netted you extreme penalties and raid wipes.

Putting these two people into the same group is not going to work. Yet, this occurs every day in Warcraft and other MMOs because of how huge the genre has become. Some people come because they want to have some easy fun, but then they falter when they get to the content that is obviously targeted towards people who have been in the genre for some time. The people who have been in the genre can't stand the people who are there for the casual soloing because they act too loosely in raids.

Yet, it's not all that bad

For how much we moan and complain about pick-up groups, you'd think the sky was falling. Sure, the rate of failure in grouping is much higher than it use to be, but that's the way it's going to become.

The bright side to all of this is the very same sentence I used at the beginning of the article -- grouping is all about having experience grouping. As the newcomers and old players adjust to the new ways MMOs work, they will become more experienced. The fail wipes of today will become the successes of tomorrow, as long as players learn to stick with it and take the good with the bad.

Failure will never disappear from online MMOs. It's a necessary game mechanic that can't be removed, no matter how much we try to minimize penalties. Just remember to learn from the mistakes you witness -- you'll be a better player because of it.
Colin Brennan is the weekly writer of Anti-Aliased who thinks people might like to play with other people in MMOGs, but is probably totally wrong. When he's not writing here for Massively, he's rambling on his personal blog, The Experience Curve. If you want to message him, send him an e-mail at colin.brennan AT weblogsinc DOT com. You can also follow him on Twitter through Massively, or through his personal feed.

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: Yu rack disriprine pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10-man25-mananti-aliasedcasualcommunityendgameeqeverquestffxifinal-fantasy-xigroupinghardcoreinstancingpick-up-grouppugspvpraidingsony-online-entertainmentsquare-enixWed, 18 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: Yu rack disriprine]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/18/anti-aliased-yu-rack-disriprine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/18/anti-aliased-yu-rack-disriprine/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/18/anti-aliased-yu-rack-disriprine/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


A few nights ago, I was in one of the worst pick-up groups I have ever seen. It was World of Warcraft, we were in Halls of Lightning, and we had opened up with a dramatic wipe on the first boss. (He wasn't even in his powered mode, which surprised me.)

Valiantly, we tried the battle again, but found the same effect. Everyone looked like they had enough gear -- I had done that boss with "worse" people backing me up. Of course, while I was pondering that, the squabbling had already begun in the party. Priest blames hunter, hunter blames mage, mage blames paladin, then the paladin stops pondering why we were failing, realizes people were blaming her, and becomes flustered that someone would actually blame her for the wipe. Meanwhile, the rogue sat in stealth and went afk. Perfect party dynamics.

Before long I found myself outside of Halls of Lightning again, sitting on the steps in my pristine holy plate armor. I held up a sign that said, "Will tank 4 food," while I kept up hopes that another party would take me in. (Note: Apparently Game Informer used "Will tank 4 food" in their latest magazine, which just read 5 minutes ago, well after this article was completed. Scary.)

Party dynamics seem to be on the decline, but why? Pick-up groups were always a scary prospect, but lately they seem to have become something entirely more nightmarish. What the heck has changed?

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: Yu rack disriprine

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: Yu rack disriprine originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-aliasedcommunitydeath-penaltydungeonsendgameexp-lossfeaturedgroupinginstancesjoystiqfeaturespartiespartyingpenaltiespick-up-grouppugpugsquestsraidingsoloingworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 18 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Behind the Curtain: Hell is other people]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/05/behind-the-curtain-hell-is-other-people/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/05/behind-the-curtain-hell-is-other-people/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/05/behind-the-curtain-hell-is-other-people/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

How often do you your social experiences in MMOs actually satisfy you? How many times have you been part of a PUG that lasted longer than the bare minimum of time it took to finish the instance and left you with the feeling that you'd met some decent people, instead of with a headache from grinding your teeth in frustration for the past hour and a half?

Despite the fact that I'm in a guild full of great people whose sole concern is not being top of the damage meters or who has the most DKP stored up, I still spend a fair amount of time playing solo. Sometime I feel like I'm cheating myself a little bit by intentionally missing out on the social side of World of Warcraft a lot of the time. I guess time is a factor more often than not; being a slave to the evil, capitalist ways of the decadent West, I work a full-time job which involves a fair amount of commuting each day, so on most weeknights I have to juggle what time I have at home, and sometimes I simply can't squeeze in a run through any instance, and I refuse to be the player who skips out of the instance half way through.

Continue reading Behind the Curtain: Hell is other people

MassivelyBehind the Curtain: Hell is other people originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behind-the-curtainfeaturedhell-is-other-peoplepugpugssolosoloingThu, 05 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Games that shouldn't be MMOs: Lemmings]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/games-that-shouldnt-be-mmos-lemmings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/games-that-shouldnt-be-mmos-lemmings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/03/games-that-shouldnt-be-mmos-lemmings/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

If you're one of the few who've never played Lemmings, it's a game where you have a limited set of tools to prevent 100 tiny green-haired creatures from walking steadily to their hilarious doom. Is there a platform that this game hasn't blessed/defiled? Given its ubiquity, we're surprised it hasn't made the jump to MMOville. But if it did, how would it play?

Be one of millions taking charge of their own destiny, in LeMMOings! Work cooperatively with other Lemmings to prevent yourself from being killed! Choose a function to control: are you the parachute lemming? The pickaxe? The builder? Develop trust in your fellow players to execute their ability at precisely the right time for you to apply yours, and save the whole tribe, or perish over and over and over again until you get it right!

*shudder* They could subtitle this 'Groundhog Day, the MMO'. At least PUGs would be a thing of the past.

MassivelyGames that shouldn't be MMOs: Lemmings originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bad-mmo-ideasgame-mechanicsgroundhog-dayhumorlemmingslemmoingsopinionpugsMon, 03 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Collision detection in WAR's PvP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/collision-detection-in-wars-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/collision-detection-in-wars-pvp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/06/collision-detection-in-wars-pvp/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I hadn't heard that WAR would have collision detection (it must be in the whole game, right? can't only be in PvP, can it?), but Hardcore Casual did, and just like him, I'm very interested in the possibilities. He cites it as a problem of premades and PuGs-- premades will know much better how to deal with line-of-sight and positioning and formation problems, while PuGs will trip over themselves trying to get past someone else. Me, I see it more as a problem of pranks and griefing. In World of Warcraft, where Blizzard hasn't implemented collision detection, they're already having issues-- giving players the ability to block space in large numbers just opens up a whole world of griefing.

But as HC says, it's all in the implementation-- it may be that some things need line-of-sight, while others (spells and such) don't, and any blockage depends on just where the hitboxes are-- if characters can sneak past each other, or are able to push each other out of the way, then that would change any plans.

It'll be interesting to see how it all pans out, however. Collision detection is a minefield for developers, but can definitely lend itself to new types of gameplay. While most MMOs have avoided the issue entirely, we'll have to see if WAR is willing to hit the issue (so to speak) head-on.

MassivelyCollision detection in WAR's PvP originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>collision-detectionformationhit-sphereobjectspremadespugspvpthroughwalkingwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlineWed, 06 Feb 2008 23:00:00 EST