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 Soapbox: What it means to be a game journalist]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/the-soapbox-what-it-means-to-be-a-game-journalist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/the-soapbox-what-it-means-to-be-a-game-journalist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/22/the-soapbox-what-it-means-to-be-a-game-journalist/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

How we see ourselves. Well, when we're playing Champions Online, anyhow.
The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Additionally, this article is written in contrast to Jef Reahard's Soapbox on how video game journalists are not real journalists; Massively's writers' opinions on the subject vary.

People have, on a few occasions, asked me for advice on becoming a game journalist. My usual response, which is only half-joking, is, "Don't."

In just a handful of months, I'll be hitting my three-year anniversary for working Massively. That means I've had one of the longest tenures at the site, which is kind of staggering in my mind. I still fundamentally think of myself as one of the new kids on the block. But for better or worse, I've been doing this for a while and have a pretty good grasp of what the job entails.

Of course, that's still a subject of debate. As with a lot of topics, people as a whole can't even decide on what makes someone a game journalist instead of just an enthusiast with some advertising revenue. To some people, it's not even a real job, just a hobby. I'm one of those people who never like to pin down an exact definition of something that's ambiguous... but I can define what I see as my responsibilities in this job.

Continue reading The Soapbox: What it means to be a game journalist

MassivelyThe Soapbox: What it means to be a game journalist originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>editorialfeaturedgame-journalismjobjournalismjournalistsmassively-metametanews-reportingop-edopinionrantrantsresponsibilitiessoapboxthe-soapboxTue, 22 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/the-soapbox-translating-elder-scrolls-online-dev-speak/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/the-soapbox-translating-elder-scrolls-online-dev-speak/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/the-soapbox-translating-elder-scrolls-online-dev-speak/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The Elder Scrolls Online - Giant orchid monster thing
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Language is a pretty fascinating thing, and studying a second one is something I've long intended to do. Aside from entertaining thoughts of learning Korean to play ArcheAge, though (seriously, I looked into it), I haven't gotten around to much beyond college-level Deutsch.

But as I watched last week's interview with The Elder Scrolls Online creative director Paul Sage, I realized that I already have some pretty good second-language skills. I'm fluent in both English and MMO dev-speak, so as a public service, I'm going to translate some of what Sage said into the former.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdabethesda-softworksbethsoftdaggerfalldev-speakdeveloper-speakeditorialelder-scrollselder-scrolls-onlinefeaturedmehmorrowindoblivionop-edopinionpaul-sageplease-dont-suckpvprantrantssandboxskyrimsoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardtamrieltestesothe-elder-scrollsthe-elder-scrolls-onlinethe-soapboxthemeparkthree-faction-pvptodd-howardtranslating-dev-speaktranslating-elder-scrolls-online-dev-speakzenimaxzenimax-mediazenimax-onlinezenimax-online-studiosTue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: There is no gamer community]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/the-soapbox-there-is-no-gamer-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/the-soapbox-there-is-no-gamer-community/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/the-soapbox-there-is-no-gamer-community/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Broad similarity is not the same as companionship.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Some of our younger readers may not remember this, but a time existed when video games were not ubiquitous. Having a game console in your house was somewhat unusual, having a computer that could run games was also not a given, and being someone who played games meant you were part of a group. Sure, there were people who just played an occasional video game, but by and large, we were a single community. We were gamers.

That was then, however, a world that existed in the wake of the '83 crash, one that thrived on limited technology and divided groups. I think in the years since then, we've witnessed the very idea dissolve, to the point that we don't currently have a gamer community. And I'd even go so far as to say that part of the bitterness between various groups of gamers is due to the fact that the community no longer exists.

Continue reading The Soapbox: There is no gamer community

MassivelyThe Soapbox: There is no gamer community originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 May 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communitycommunity-issueseditorialfeaturedgame-communitygamer-communitymmo-communityop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxthe-soapboxTue, 08 May 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The perils of passive gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/the-soapbox-the-perils-of-passive-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/the-soapbox-the-perils-of-passive-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/the-soapbox-the-perils-of-passive-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Couch potato cat
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

My folks don't really understand my infatuation with video games (and MMORPGs in particular). "How can you sit there and play a game for two or three hours at a time?" my mom is fond of asking. Ironically, this usually happens on a visit that ends where most of our visits do: on the couch in front of the television.

Don't get me wrong; she's no couch potato, and in fact she has the meanest green thumb you'll ever see. When the sun goes down, though, my parents (like most of their generation, I'll wager) park their butts in front of the TV. That I should park my own posterior in front of the computer is exceedingly strange to them even though online gaming is to the 21st century what television was to the 20th.

I wonder, though, if games are starting to become more passive forms of TV-like entertainment.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The perils of passive gaming

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The perils of passive gaming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualchallengecomplexitycouch-potatoeditorialeqeq1everquestf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgame-mechanicsgames-vs-tvhardcorehardcore-vs-casualinteractivitylets-playlivestreamlivestreamingmmo-industryop-edopinionpassivepassive-consumptionpassive-gamingpassive-vs-activepassivitypaying-to-skip-contentperils-of-passive-gamingrantrantsskipping-contentsoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardsoesonysony-online-entertainmentthe-perils-of-passive-gamingthe-soapboxTue, 01 May 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The grind is good]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/the-soapbox-the-grind-is-good/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/the-soapbox-the-grind-is-good/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/the-soapbox-the-grind-is-good/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Tetris
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Like many of you, I have fond memories of several important video games that carried me through my childhood and teenage years. Some were deep, some were obscure, some were landmark moments in the genre, and some were Chrono Trigger. It's weird, then, with all that variety, that I have strong fondness for a game that had so little going on in the story or progression department as to be a step away from playing marbles or jacks in the street.

It was a game that I'd sit down to night after night, not to go on any grand adventures or to raise my level 1 fighter up into the ranks of godhood but to just unwind. It was a game that required such a zen-like concentration that it pushed the thinking portion of my brain out and soothed me with its repetitive gameplay and simplistic motions.

That game was, of course, Tetris, a game that was grind personified. It was minimalistic puzzle-solving repeated over and over again, and some days that's all I needed. When my mind was wiped, or when I just wanted to sit back in my chair instead of forward in it, I turned to these silly blocks. When I needed it and wanted it, the grind was better for me than the most complex and innovative video games of the time.

The grind is good, especially when you have the option to do it or ignore it, and I feel that this has gotten such a bad reputation in MMOs that its positive aspects are overlooked. Time to remedy that!

Continue reading The Soapbox: The grind is good

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The grind is good originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asteroidschrono-triggereditorialfeaturedgrindgrindingop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxtetristhe-grindthe-soapboxTue, 24 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The curious case of Vanguard]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/the-soapbox-the-curious-case-of-vanguard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/the-soapbox-the-curious-case-of-vanguard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/17/the-soapbox-the-curious-case-of-vanguard/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Vanguard - magic hour duo
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

"Yaaay!"

"FU-- yeah!"

"Finally."

"WOW! This is the best MMO news I have heard in a long time!"

These are just a few of the comments that greeted our recent announcement of Vanguard's upcoming free-to-play conversion. The reactions were overwhelmingly positive, and Sony Online Entertainment's open-world fantasy themepark was lavished with praise by a wide cross-section of Massively readers. This makes me wonder where all these folks have been since the game's launch in early 2007. It's not like Vanguard shut down and is being resurrected, you know? More importantly, I wonder whether free-to-play can actually save the game from the scrap heap of shuttered SOE MMOs.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The curious case of Vanguard

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The curious case of Vanguard originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-mcquaideditorialeqeq-2eq-iieq1eq2eqiieverquesteverquest-2everquest-iif2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardsoesonysony-online-entertainmenttelonthe-soapboxvanguardvanguard-f2pvanguard-free-to-playvanguard-saga-of-heroesvgTue, 17 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: If you want to sell special items, just do it already]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/the-soapbox-if-you-want-to-sell-special-items-get-to-it-alread/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/the-soapbox-if-you-want-to-sell-special-items-get-to-it-alread/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/the-soapbox-if-you-want-to-sell-special-items-get-to-it-alread/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Vanguard screenshot
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

I've argued before about the merits of being an honest cash-shop salesperson. You have to be upfront, blunt, and willing to take some heat. Bigpoint is one of my favorite examples of a cash-shop dependent developer simply because it says what it means and means what it says. It sells items, sometimes powerful items, in several different titles. Granted, the studio usually offers a way to get those same items through in-game means, but that doesn't make for as good a story.

We reported on Bigpoint a while ago when its reps essentially said that if a developer is going to make an effort to sell in-game items, it should do it the right way by making those items have a significant impact on the game by being either powerful or desirable. I cannot agree more. Bigpoint is a car lot that sells beautiful luxury automobiles. It also sells junkers and even gives out a lot of cars for free, but its charity once again does not make for a good dramatic write-up. I tend to think that if you you are going to make a cash-shop, depending on the style of game, of course, you as a developer have got to consider just what sort of impact you want that cash-shop to have on your players, and you can't be afraid to push your idea from the beginning.

But just get on with it.

Continue reading The Soapbox: If you want to sell special items, just do it already

MassivelyThe Soapbox: If you want to sell special items, just do it already originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlestar-galactica-onlinebeau-hindmanBigpointbsg-onlinecash-shopccpcylonsdark-orbiteditorialeve-onlinefeaturedlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotroMicrotransactionsop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxthe-soapboxvirtual-goodsTue, 10 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Casual is as casual does]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/the-soapbox-casual-is-as-casual-does/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/the-soapbox-casual-is-as-casual-does/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/the-soapbox-casual-is-as-casual-does/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Just a casual raid. Of roleplayers.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

It's time to put an overused MMO term to bed, and by "put to bed," I of course mean that it should be executed with great prejudice. Actually, there are lots of terms that I'd like to see retired permanently. "Toon" can go, for instance, as can "mob" for single enemies. And people have really worn out "nerf" beyond belief. But those are all issues of personal preference.

No, the term I'm talking about is "casual." As in "casual player," a creature as rare and mythical as the Loch Ness monster. Also like the Loch Ness monster, it doesn't actually exist. In the case of the latter, it exists only through a handful of doctored photos and a lot of people who really want to see a pleisiosaur in Scotland; in the case of the former, it's a strawman concept that no longer has any purpose in our collective lexicon.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Casual is as casual does

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Casual is as casual does originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualcasual-playerscultureeditorialfeaturedgaming-stylesmmo-cultureop-edopinionplay-stylesrantrantssoapboxthe-soapboxTue, 03 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: Flag a server]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/storyboard-flag-a-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/storyboard-flag-a-server/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/storyboard-flag-a-server/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I need to spend either more time or less time getting irritated by the people of the Internet from now on. Depends on how this article is received, I guess.
A couple of weeks ago, Matt Daniel, Elisabeth Cardy, and I were talking amongst ourselves about the dearth of official roleplaying servers in Guild Wars 2. Lis was contending that the primary defense from ArenaNet was the idea that the GMs wouldn't be able to properly police these servers, so as a result the, studio didn't want to designate them that way in the first place. As she put it, she'd rather see them not do the servers at all than do them in a slipshod fashion, and she believed an unpoliced roleplaying server was worse than no roleplaying server at all.

This prompted me to ask whether anyone actually expected roleplaying servers to be policed, but honestly, that's a tangent to the real issue. I can convincingly argue that there are ways that the servers should be policed, but regardless of whether or not roleplayers expect this to happen, I think it's pretty absolute that not having a roleplaying server is much more slipshod than having one with inadequate support. The alternative suggests you really don't care whether your game has roleplayers or not.

Continue reading Storyboard: Flag a server

MassivelyStoryboard: Flag a server originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredopinionrantroleplayroleplayersroleplayingroleplaying-serversrpserver-flaggingserversstorystoryboardFri, 30 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Mechanical buildup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/the-soapbox-mechanical-buildup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/the-soapbox-mechanical-buildup/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/30/the-soapbox-mechanical-buildup/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The image is somewhat apt.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

I was in high school when I discovered a love for simplified tabletop games. I'd long been fond of the absurdly detailed and baroque structure that you could find in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, going so far as to purchase all of the various little add-ons that allowed you to reinvent the game systems in dizzying density. And I can pinpoint the moment when I decided that all of that was for the birds.

Specifically, it was the moment when I sat there with Skills & Powers open to one page, the Player's Handbook open to another, and the Complete Psionics Handbook open to yet another. It was when I stared at three separate passages and realized that I was on the second hour of making a character that resembled nothing so much as a math project. On that day, I understood intuitively why designers would look at the whole thing and advocate sweeping the mess away altogether -- just like what many, many MMOs do as they grow long in the tooth.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Mechanical buildup

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Mechanical buildup originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>designeditorialfeaturedgame-mechanicsgame-systemsmechanical-cruftmechanicsop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxsystemsthe-soapboxFri, 30 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Leveling isn't bad -- its implementation is]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/the-soapbox-leveling-isnt-bad-its-implementation-is/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/the-soapbox-leveling-isnt-bad-its-implementation-is/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/the-soapbox-leveling-isnt-bad-its-implementation-is/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Leveling picture
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

It's funny how tastes can change. I know mine certainly have, especially when it comes to entertainment. Heck, I used to swear by The Ramones and a bit of Slayer; now I tend to think that this Joni Mitchell song is a work of sheer genius. It seems that as I grow older, the less I care about impressing other people. My gaming tastes have changed, but maybe not as dramatically. I've never been a hardcore player and have never enjoyed spending countless hours repeating the same task. That sort of behavior tends to turn a hobby into a boring job. MMORPGs are notorious for being filled with content that is often ripped off from other games, so it surprised me when I thought about today's topic.

I came to the conclusion that leveling is not a bad thing. When I say leveling, I mean growing a character by performing an activity, getting better at it, gaining experience and hitting a new level. It's not a bad way to represent real-life growth. The problems come when developers use the same boring systems that are based on leveling to facilitate that growth.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Leveling isn't bad -- its implementation is

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Leveling isn't bad -- its implementation is originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanbiowaredesigneditorialfeaturedlevellevelingop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-soapboxultima-onlineTue, 27 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: Producing info]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/26/wings-over-atreia-producing-info/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/26/wings-over-atreia-producing-info/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/26/wings-over-atreia-producing-info/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Wings Over Atreia header
Betcha thought this Wings Over Atreia was going to be about 3.0. Well it's not... and it is, sort of. It is related to Aion's upcoming expansion, but it's not the focus. Instead of gunning for specific features, my real focus is on information dissemination -- or lack thereof.

Here we are closing in on the biggest change in Aion's history, but players still have very little idea of what to expect. How will the change affect them? What will be different? heck, what items are going to be in the cash shop? Inquiring players want to know! And so far, NCsoft is not being very forthcoming; the offered "information" is all fluff with little to no substance. And Daeva cannot live by fluff alone! (Unless it's marshmallow, but that's another story.)

Case in point: this week's producer interview. Juicy reveal or disappointing tease?

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Producing info

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Producing info originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionAion-Ascensionascensionf2pfantasyfeaturedflufffree-to-playncsoftopinionpr-speakrantwings-over-atreiaMon, 26 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Nobody's hero]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/23/the-soapbox-nobodys-hero/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/23/the-soapbox-nobodys-hero/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/23/the-soapbox-nobodys-hero/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Heroes (which would make an awful MMO, btw)
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

We're not heroes, at least in the ubiquitous Hollywood sense. We're teachers and janitors and businessmen, and we may occasionally be heroic in the eyes of our kids or our colleagues, but rarely are we celebrated beyond a tiny circle of family and friends.

Games can meet this emotional need, at least temporarily, and that's a major reason they've become such a booming business over the last couple of decades. We get to be Kratos for a couple of hours, or fem-Shepard or a thousand other pixelized pariahs -- until we set foot in an MMORPG, that is.

Software companies sell pre-packaged heroism in ways that book publishers and filmmakers can only dream of, and it doesn't really matter that it's fake heroism or impersonal heroism crafted on an assembly line and shipped out to millions of consumers. Shouldn't it matter, though, when it comes to MMORPGs?

Continue reading The Soapbox: Nobody's hero

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Nobody's hero originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-heroclassic-mmodesigneditorialeq-2eq-iieq2eqiieverquest-2everquest-iif2pfake-heroismfakeryfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgalaxiesgame-designheroismlucasartsmmo-designmmo-fakerymmo-heroesmmo-industrymmo-narrativemmo-storynancy-mcintyrenobodys-heroop-edopinionpessimistic-soapbox-is-pessimisticrantrantssandboxsci-fisoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardsoesonysony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiesswgswgothe-soapboxthemeparkFri, 23 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The hidden perils of Guild Wars 2's microtransactions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/the-soapbox-the-hidden-perils-of-guild-wars-2s-microtransactio/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/the-soapbox-the-hidden-perils-of-guild-wars-2s-microtransactio/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/the-soapbox-the-hidden-perils-of-guild-wars-2s-microtransactio/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2 screenshot
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

The ArenaNet post about microtransactions in Guild Wars 2 reveals that the "gems" currency will be bought with real money and be available for purchase with in-game gold in GW2. But people seem to have forgetten that Runes of Magic's cash shop operated this way three years ago. I've been playing RoM since closed beta, and the cash shop is one of the reasons RoM is so different from other F2P MMOs of its era.

Frogster eventually removed the ability to buy diamonds with gold because of fraud, so I'm curious to see how ArenaNet handles that issue. My time in RoM has shown me that there are other issues involved here, issues of security, players gaming the system, botting, and pay-to-win debates. In other words, there's more at stake here than whether cash shops sell gear or items toward gaining power.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The hidden perils of Guild Wars 2's microtransactions

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The hidden perils of Guild Wars 2's microtransactions originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetauction houseauction-housecash-shopdiamondseditorialf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfrogsterfrogster-americafrogster-interactivegemsguild-wars-2gw2item-shopjeremy-strattonmicro-transactionsmicrotransactionsncsoftop-edopinionpay-to-winrantrantsreal-money-tradingrmtromrunes-of-magicrunewakerrunewaker-entertainmentselling-powersoapboxtaboreathe-soapboxWed, 21 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Voice chat is the worst thing ever]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/the-soapbox-voice-chat-is-the-worst-thing-ever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/the-soapbox-voice-chat-is-the-worst-thing-ever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/the-soapbox-voice-chat-is-the-worst-thing-ever/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We're not friends, headset.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Part of me thinks that voice chat is a product of the miraculous and wondrous age we live in. I can still remember when the very idea of the internet seemed like a magical idea. I could search an entire world full of knowledge and ideas at once! The fact that video games have evolved into games where I can log in to a shared world and speak to someone in a real-time discussion is nothing short of astonishing.

Most of me, however, really just hates voice chat.

I've used voice chat extensively before, and I didn't like it then. I still don't like it now. And for all of the advantages it offers, I can't say it's something that I consider a positive addition to the MMO landscape any more than I'm happy about the widespread adoption of the colloquial term "toon." It might not be a cultural issue that needs to be addressed, but I really hate voice chat.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Voice chat is the worst thing ever

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Voice chat is the worst thing ever originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cultureeditorialfeaturedhumormumbleop-edopinionrantrantsskypesoapboxthe-soapboxventvoicevoice-chatTue, 20 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: What you loved is still there]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/the-soapbox-what-you-loved-is-still-there/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/the-soapbox-what-you-loved-is-still-there/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/the-soapbox-what-you-loved-is-still-there/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Yes, I'm familiar with liking something most of the world doesn't.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

One of my greatest fears as I slouch toward 30 is that my tastes will become immutable in certain fields -- music, especially. The last thing I want to do is be the obnoxious guy listening to music that was popular when I was in high school complaining about how bad modern bands are. So I try to broaden my horizons because I know that everything I already like is still waiting for me. I want to create a broader range, not just stick within the familiar.

It's probably for the best, then, that I don't share that worry about video games in general and MMOs in particular. I don't cry for a return to the MMOs I played in older days because in most cases they're still running. True, in many of them a great deal has changed to the point of unrecognizability, but I never ask what happened to the game I once loved. After all, just because I loved it doesn't mean that anyone else did.

Continue reading The Soapbox: What you loved is still there

MassivelyThe Soapbox: What you loved is still there originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>culturedesigndesign-conventionsdesign-typeseditorialfeaturedgame-developmentgamesold-gamesop-edopinionrantrantssoapboxthe-soapboxFri, 16 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: The inevitable Mass Effect MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/the-soapbox-the-inevitability-of-a-mass-effect-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/the-soapbox-the-inevitability-of-a-mass-effect-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/13/the-soapbox-the-inevitability-of-a-mass-effect-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Mass Effect - The Normandy (SR1)
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

I don't know about you, but I've yet to play Mass Effect 3. This is not by choice, mind you, and now that I've returned from the wilds of last week's GDC, it's time to settle in for another 30-hour tour with Shepard and company.

What does this have to do with MMOs? Well, nothing really, except that BioWare hasn't exactly closed the door on a Mass Effect title. On the contrary, the company's dynamic doctor duo have hinted at the fact that this, ahem, theoretical game would need to be somewhat different from the firm's maiden MMO voyage.

At this point I think an ME MMO is inevitable, so join me after the cut to discuss whether BioWare can really break the mold with its second effort as well as what that effort could look like.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The inevitable Mass Effect MMO

MassivelyThe Soapbox: The inevitable Mass Effect MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-comfort-zonecomfort-zonecutscenesdesignea-biowareeditorialelectronic-artsfeaturedfourth-pillargreg-zeschukmass-effectmass-effect-mmommo-comfort-zonemmo-industrymmo-storyop-edopinionplayer-contentplayer-generated-contentpossibility-spacerantrantsray-muzykasandboxsandparksci-fisoapboxsoapbox-jef-reahardstorythe-fourth-pillarthe-soapboxthemeparkuser-generated-contentTue, 13 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: That's the way it should be!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/the-soapbox-thats-the-way-it-should-be/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/the-soapbox-thats-the-way-it-should-be/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/06/the-soapbox-thats-the-way-it-should-be/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There have been more than ten other incarnations of this character. None of them have ever committed suicide over losing a video game.
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Every fandom has it. In Transformers fandom, it's the segment of the population that insists the franchise peaked with the original G1 cartoon (and its numerous animation errors, bad scripting, and downright ridiculous plots). Star Trek fans will insist that the franchise should be more like the original series, where every plot revolved around Kirk's trying to bone someone or Spock's acting stoic. And then there are the tabletop gamers who miss the days of early Dungeons & Dragons, as if the books stopped working once the line stopped being active.

Some fandoms have terms just for this crowd; some don't. But they're all in the same general group -- they're the One True Way crowd. They're fans who insist that one particular incarnation was the right way to go and everything afterward has been a poor imitation. The camp exists with MMOs, as well, and just as with any other franchise, it's arguably the most harmful portion of the fanbase.

Continue reading The Soapbox: That's the way it should be!

MassivelyThe Soapbox: That's the way it should be! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columncolumnsdesigneditorialfeaturedgame-designgame-industryinnovationolder-gamesone-true-wayop-edopinionrantrantssandboxsoapboxthe-soapboxthemeparkthrowbacksTue, 06 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: There's no such thing as a miracle MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/the-soapbox-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-miracle-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/the-soapbox-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-miracle-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/28/the-soapbox-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-miracle-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Soapbox
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

They're out there, in every forum, in every comment section, and across the blogosphere. They number in the thousands if not tens of thousands (just spitballing here), and they all share three common traits. One, they're discontented with any and all current MMOs; two, they love to gripe about said discontentment to anyone who will listen; and three, they have a grand hope that a particular upcoming title will finally break the discontentment code to become the be-all, end-all MMO for them.

The miracle MMO, if you will.

This is going to be the MMO that will right all wrongs. It will shift paradigms, break us out of whatever rut we're supposed to be in, and make us all fall down on our knees in gratitude that we have the privilege of living in such a grand age as this.

So let's cut to the chase: There's no such thing as a miracle MMO, and there never will be -- except in your mind. If you can come to terms with that, you'll be a lot happier as a gamer.

Continue reading The Soapbox: There's no such thing as a miracle MMO

MassivelyThe Soapbox: There's no such thing as a miracle MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredguild-wars-2gw2jesus-mmomiraclemiracle-mmoopinionrantstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorthe-soapboxvanguardTue, 28 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: Top 10 of '11]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/02/wings-over-atreia-top-10-of-11/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/02/wings-over-atreia-top-10-of-11/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/02/wings-over-atreia-top-10-of-11/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Wings Over Atreia header
Where in the Seraphim Lords did the year go? Daevas aren't the only ones who fly; time certainly has one powerful set of wings (though I haven't quite determined whether they are light or dark)! It's a bit hard for me to believe that a full year has come and gone. Yet even as I doubt, a cursory glance back over the past 12 months shows me I didn't Rip Van Winkle the time away.

In fact, much has transpired in Aion since 2011 rolled in. Between pining away for things to come and dreaming of things that may never be, chronicling the life and social scene of Atreia, offering guides and hints, and reporting on (sometimes surprise) announcements, Wings Over Atreia has covered a variety of topics over the past year. While each column is but one glimpse, together they show the evolution of our game.

Traipse past the break and down memory lane with me as we reminisce about Aion in the time-honored Massively tradition of top-10 lists.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: Top 10 of '11

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: Top 10 of '11 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-gamealter-egodaevas-of-our-livesdramafeaturedhousingmusicnc-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionrantrantsreal-liferoleplayroleplayersroleplayingtop-tentop-ten-listtrolltrollsWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 02 Jan 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: The gatekeepers of story]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/storyboard-the-gatekeepers-of-story/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/storyboard-the-gatekeepers-of-story/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/storyboard-the-gatekeepers-of-story/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Storyboard
There's a notion floating around the MMO mindspace, one that you've no doubt heard over and over again, especially in light of the recent heartbreaking closure of Star Wars Galaxies. It's the idea that creating a capital-S story in an MMO is by definition a flawed enterprise. According to this argument, the whole point of an MMO and the point of good roleplaying is to create a story that's unique to the players. Real memorable stories should come from players, not from developers.

I could just write "no" here and be finished, but instead I've gone into full-on rant mode on this one. About a year ago, I wrote up a piece explaining that players are not individually storytellers, not even if you're roleplaying. That extends further, though -- a group of roleplayers does not suddenly become a storyteller, like a version of Devastator that's made up of literature majors. This isn't right, and it's doing a great disservice to the things that roleplaying actually does well.

Continue reading Storyboard: The gatekeepers of story

MassivelyStoryboard: The gatekeepers of story originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>columnfeaturedin-game-storyloreopinionrantroleplayingrpstoriesstorystoryboardFri, 23 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott describes his 'ultimate' RPG]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/10/richard-garriott-describes-his-ultimate-rpg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/10/richard-garriott-describes-his-ultimate-rpg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/10/richard-garriott-describes-his-ultimate-rpg/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Richard Garriott
Before Tabula Rasa, before Ultima Online, before any of the Ultimas, Richard Garriott had a vision for what he called the "ultimate" RPG. In a lengthy Facebook post, Garriott takes us back to 1974 when he first got the idea for such a game after being influenced by Lord of the Rings and Dungeons & Dragons. Starting with BASIC games on his school's teletype and moving up through the modern era of MMOs, Garriott details how he's been pursuing a dream of creating and refining one RPG to rule them all.

He doesn't have kind words for how Ultima Online's shaped up since his absence, however, saying that elements like Elves and Ninjas were added against his wishes.

"This is only a small example of why and how Ultima has drifted away from Richard Garriott, but I have not drifted away from Ultima," he writes. "It is clear to me that I, Richard Garriott, am an essential ingredient of at least the Ultimate Ultima, if not more broadly the Ultimate RPG. Perhaps one day, now that the people who pushed me out of EA more than a decade ago are long since gone, EA will recognize that together, we could rebuild that franchise in a way that they have failed to do in the intervening years. Richard Garriott is an essential ingredient in the Ultimate Ultima!"

He ends his passionate speech with a few glimpses into the design for this "ultimate" RPG that he and his team are currently designing: "You will have customized Avatar homesteads and real roles to play in a deep, beautifully realized highly interactive virtual world. It will have virtues and the hero's journey reflected back to the player. It will have the best of synchronous and asynchronous features in use. Fiction will support your arrival from earth into this new world. I even hope to make maps, coins and other trinkets available to players of the game."

MassivelyRichard Garriott describes his 'ultimate' RPG originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avatarbasicdungeons-and-dragonseaelectronic-artsfacebooklord-britishlord-of-the-ringsrantrichard-garriotttabula-rasaultimaultima-onlineultimate-rpgultimate-ultimauoThu, 10 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Speaking Episode 168]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/05/massively-speaking-episode-168/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/05/massively-speaking-episode-168/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/05/massively-speaking-episode-168/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Glitchy Glitch Glitch
Massively Speaking Episode 168 is back as Shawn and Rubi rant about the week's craziness, both in MMO news and site news! If you think you'll be offended by your hosts being self-righteous and complaining about negative Massively feedback, you might want to skip this week. Just sayin'! Oh, and for the news portion, discussion includes DC Universe Online's newest content patch, APB: Reloaded's anti-cheat dev blog, Star Wars: The Old Republic's email blunder, and Blizzard's next MMO, which will not be mentioned at BlizzCon this year.

Also, if you want an invite to Glitch, send Shawn an email. There are only three available, so first come, first served!

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to shawn@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes.
[RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator.
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.
Listen here on the page:



Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Massively Speaking is the official podcast of Massively.com. Hosted by Editor-in-Chief Shawn Schuster and Community Manager Rubi Bayer, Massively Speaking takes on the week's biggest news and dev interviews with plenty of opinion, rants, and laughs thrown in for good measure. Join us every Wednesday afternoon to listen in and see what we'll say next!

Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 168

MassivelyMassively Speaking Episode 168 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>heavy-opinionmassively-metamassively-speakingno-seriously-we-voice-our-opinions-hereopinionpodcastingpodcastsrantWed, 05 Oct 2011 16:30:00 ESTMassively Speaking Episode 168Massively.com Staff1:20:01podcasts<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Rooting for the fail]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/the-soapbox-rooting-for-the-fail/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/the-soapbox-rooting-for-the-fail/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/02/the-soapbox-rooting-for-the-fail/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

I'm going to start this with a strange admission: I love MMOs. I love them as a lumpy, imperfect collective; I love specific ones immensely, and I love being a fan of the genre. I feel that I have to clarify my stance when I sometimes -- often -- see people who apparently follow MMOs quite closely become a neverending fount of bile and venom toward these games. Apparently, not all MMO fans love MMOs, and that perplexes me.

Odd as that may be, whatever, I can accept that we live in a topsy-turvy world. What I really don't get are the folks who hate specific games so greatly that their entire bodies and minds have been honed into a dedicated game-loathing entity. Mention that title anywhere on a forum, a blog, or in a post, and these people come out to scream through clenched teeth how this MMO sucks beyond the telling of it and that we are all fools, fools for getting anywhere near it.

They aren't just content to say their piece and be done with it, oh no; their vitriol literally knows no end. They will rant, they will attack, they will laugh with derision, and above all else, they will root for the fail. Their greatest desire in life is for this specific game to die so that they can rend their clothes and let out a blood-curdling victory howl. And I don't get it. I feel like an alien in their presence, perplexed at their rage and fixation. Why do people root for MMOs to fail with such intensity? What motivates them and what do they hope to achieve?

Continue reading The Soapbox: Rooting for the fail

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Rooting for the fail originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boodoomfailfeaturedgrinchhatehello-kittyhello-kitty-onlinei-told-you-soinsecurejeeringloveopinionrantrantingrantingsrantsriftsoapboxstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-the-old-republicstoswtorthe-old-republicthe-soapboxtorvanguardwhoswhosvilleTue, 02 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wings Over Atreia: What's in it for me?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/wings-over-atreia-whats-in-it-for-me/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/wings-over-atreia-whats-in-it-for-me/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/04/wings-over-atreia-whats-in-it-for-me/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

That does it. No more Ms. Nice Wings. This time I am just going to unleash! Let my rant all hang out. Admittedly, I am not normally one to complain; I can see the good in most every situation, and I can roll with the punches like it's an Olympic event. But even my feathers get ruffled sometimes. It's true! And sometimes you just can't bite your tongue anymore or all you will have is a very sore tongue.

Now I know I am not a rant-master like Jef, but even fledgling ranters must begin somewhere. And this week, I found just such a place: immature, self-serving, can't-pull-their-thumbs-outta-their-ears-unless-there-is-something-in-it-for-them-gamers in Aion. You know the type -- those who think the world revolves around them. Those whose spoiled-rotten antics ruin groups and legions alike and who are the reason why many a block list is so full. They without whom drama would die a quick death and be a forgotten plague. They're the bane of chat channels everywhere -- they are the trolls.

Throw yourself past the cut for a look at some recent Aion tantrums and sure-fire ways to minimize the effects of blatant immaturity. Careful, though -- I cannot be held responsible for any resemblance to gamers near you.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: What's in it for me?

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: What's in it for me? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-gamebuffbuff-leaves-in-a-huffhuffdaevas-of-our-livesdramafeaturedgroup-dynamicsgroupinggroupsimmatureimmaturitync-softnc-soft-aionncsoftncsoft-aionrantrantsselfishselfishnesssiegesiegessingle-playersingle-player-gamestantrumtantrumsteamworktrolltrollsWings-Over-AtreiaMon, 04 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Alter-Ego: Working together is hard to do]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/29/alter-ego-working-together-is-hard-to-do/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/29/alter-ego-working-together-is-hard-to-do/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/29/alter-ego-working-together-is-hard-to-do/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Wake me up when chat is working.
The news earlier this week that DC Universe Online is now Sony Online Entertainment's best-selling game probably won't come as much of a surprise to anyone who has actually played it. There's an enormous amount of fun to be had in running through the game, and the storylines are incredibly well thought-out. However, for all that I personally love the game, there is one thing that I and many other people I've talked to find to be incredibly lacking, and in this case, it's something so integral to the MMOG experience as to essentially make or break parts of the game.

Essentially, what point is there to an MMO in which you can't really reliably interact with the other people you're playing with? It's also rather eye-opening just how much your enjoyment of a game like this can be impacted when you can't effectively talk to other people. As such, this week I'll look at several crucial problems with the DC Universe Online chat interface, as well as things that can be done to improve the overall experience.

Continue reading Alter-Ego: Working together is hard to do

MassivelyAlter-Ego: Working together is hard to do originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alter-egochatchat-problemscontrollerdc-comicsdc-universedc-universe-onlinedcuoissuesmmogmmorpgmmospgmumbleopinionrantskypesocial-interactionsocial-systemssoeSony-Online-Entertainmentteamspeakventrilovoice-chatvoipwhere-is-my-massively-multiplayerSat, 29 Jan 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: You are not a storyteller]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/storyboard-you-are-not-a-storyteller/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/storyboard-you-are-not-a-storyteller/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/storyboard-you-are-not-a-storyteller/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I know that some of you are looking at that title in disbelief. Others are probably just reading already, figuring that in a few lines I'm going to set up what the central joke is and explain how I'm subverting the title -- you know, a nice eye-catching title that draws everyone in, then a paragraph or two where I explain how I'm not being serious.

That's not what we're doing here. That title is one hundred percent accurate. If you are a roleplayer, you are not a storyteller. Close, maybe, even in the same basic food group, but you're not a storyteller.

I've spent the better part of the last several months talking about how to work on telling a story, developing a character, all of that stuff. But it occurred to me that I was leaving out a very important part of the equation, something that I was aware of in the back of my mind -- and many of you likely are aware of, as well -- but I never said outright. I'm saying it right now. Roleplaying is not storytelling, and if you're trying to be a storyteller, something is not going right.

Continue reading Storyboard: You are not a storyteller

MassivelyStoryboard: You are not a storyteller originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backstoryfeaturedloreopinionplaystylerantroleplayingrpstorystoryboardstorytellingFri, 21 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Waging WAR: White Lions ite domum]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/11/waging-war-white-lions-ite-domum/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/11/waging-war-white-lions-ite-domum/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/11/waging-war-white-lions-ite-domum/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

This week in Waging WAR, Greg shows off the rather large chip on his shoulder and talks about one particular career in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Despite the following column, Greg wants it to be known that he does indeed love kittens of all kinds and does not condone harming them in any way, unless it involves several Doom Bolts and a few handfuls of Flickering Red Fire, in which case he enthusiastically gives his approval.

For the most part, I consider myself pretty easygoing when it comes to scenario PvP. I don't flip out when I die, I try to not take failure to heart since the next scenario is usually right around the corner, and DPS-healers don't bug me like they bug many other players out there (I used to play one, neener-neener). But recently, I've noticed a particularly aggravating trend growing among Order players on Badlands in the lower tiers. There is an inordinate number of White Lions being rolled, and objectively, it isn't difficult to see why. They're extremely mobile, they can cause outrageous amounts of damage in a very short time, and their pets represent more than mere harassment -- they actually hurt. Sadly, objectivity comes at a pretty hefty price these days. When it has run dry and all I find myself left with is the hot, bitter aftertaste of subjectivity, the result is something like the rant that follows.

Read along after the break and enjoy my rant about White Lions.

Continue reading Waging WAR: White Lions ite domum

MassivelyWaging WAR: White Lions ite domum originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWarebioware-eaBioware-MMObioware-mmorpgbioware-mythiccoordinated-strikeEAea-mythicElectronic-Artsfeaturedmythicmythic-eaMythic-Entertainmentopinionopinion-columnopinion-piecepouncerantsundering-chopwaging-warwarWarhammer-Onlinewhite-lionwhite-lion-of-chraceSat, 11 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: To flow like water]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/storyboard-to-flow-like-water/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/storyboard-to-flow-like-water/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/05/storyboard-to-flow-like-water/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

After having heard about a small explosion of RP drama earlier this week (not within my immediate sphere, but relayed to me anyway), I was initially going to make this week's post all about that most hated of all interactions. Then I found myself thinking about it a bit more, and I realized that really, most RP drama has an easily identifiable source that's easy to change if you actually want the change. And the solution is so simple it's almost insulting.

Be flexible.

Seriously, it's that simple. It's so fundamental that I put it into the very first column I wrote for this franchise, which should tell you something. But even though -- or maybe because -- it's so obvious, it's also stunningly easy to overlook our own inflexibilities. It's one of those things that we all know on a conscious level and ignore in practice, and if that's not rant-worthy, boy, I don't know what is.

Continue reading Storyboard: To flow like water

MassivelyStoryboard: To flow like water originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communitydiplomacyfeaturedflexibilitykindnessmannersopinionpolitenessrantroleplayingrpstoryboardFri, 05 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: UI see what you did there]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/12/anti-aliased-ui-see-what-you-did-there/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/12/anti-aliased-ui-see-what-you-did-there/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/12/anti-aliased-ui-see-what-you-did-there/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Dear user interface designers: please stop making trashy-samey UIs. (Bree is going to kill me for making up a word.) I really am sick and tired of seeing World of Warcraft in every game I pick up.

While many people say that graphics are the game's "first impression" tool, I'd disagree. UIs are the game's true first impression. These are the menus, artwork, and tools that will make a huge impact on how you perceive any game, yet we seem to be stuck in a rut with them as well. Many of today's UIs, instead of taking advantage of new approaches to deliver information in a stylish way, seem to fall flat against the screen.

So this week I'm going after my biggest beefs with the default UIs that games ship with, and how I'd like to see user interfaces improve. Interested? Well then keep up with me and jog past the break!

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: UI see what you did there

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: UI see what you did there originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessibilityanti-aliasedfancyglamourinformationnerdrageopinionprettyrantreadibilityu-g-ui-ly-you-aint-got-no-alibiuiuser-interfaceThu, 12 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Mog Log: Not the happy fanboy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/06/the-mog-log-not-the-happy-fanboy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/06/the-mog-log-not-the-happy-fanboy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/06/the-mog-log-not-the-happy-fanboy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Imagine, if you will, that a nice man comes up to you and tells you about a fantastic room. He leads you to this room, and at the far end of the room from the door is a cake. That cake is clearly delicious, and you're told as much. Unfortunately, in order to reach said cake, you have to walk barefoot across an entire room full of rusty nails, broken glass, and scorpions with a serious hate-on for human beings.

But then another nice man runs up to you. He says that he has excellent news for you about this cake, that it will make you very happy.

"So I don't have to walk through all this broken glass and stuff?" you ask.

"Oh, no, you still have to," replies the man. "But we've made the cake at the end taste even better. Isn't that awesome!"

And at this point, anyone in the world would turn around and walk away. I don't care how much you like cake, that cake just isn't worth the trouble.

That, in a nutshell, is how I felt while looking at the announcements for VanaFest 2010. Because they're going to make that endgame cake taste ever better, and that's great. But that's all the way over there.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Not the happy fanboy

MassivelyThe Mog Log: Not the happy fanboy originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communityeqeverquestfeaturedff11ff14ffxiffxivfinal-fantasyfinal-fantasy-11final-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xifinal-fantasy-xivjeunopet-food-alphapfarantrantingsquare-enixunahppyvanafestvanafest-2010xbox-360Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bartle to old guard: "We've already won"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/29/bartle-to-old-guard-weve-already-won/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/29/bartle-to-old-guard-weve-already-won/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/29/bartle-to-old-guard-weve-already-won/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


In a wonderful, feel-good-story-of-the-year type of article, Richard Bartle, the father of online gaming, has written a laudable rant in the Guardian, essentially informing the old school haters that they're officially obsolete. You know the ones -- every reporter making a quick buck off of the party line that videogames are dangerous to our psyches; every politician riding the easy ticket of attacking our hobby in the name of protecting the children; every concerned parental activist group calling for the heads of the developers who worked on our chosen pastime -- Bartle has given them notice.

In his delightfully-worded article, Bartle reminds us all that these witch hunts are generational: previously, it was television; before that, the enemy was rock 'n' roll, comic books, even the novel. People fear what they don't understand, and aggression is what they employ to mask that fear. Every previous generation seeks to destroy the entertainment of the new generation, and for our age, it's the videogame that's under fire. Bartle understands this and quite calmly uses this knowledge to signal an end to the previous generation's influence. Yet he doesn't just condemn, he also offers a way out.

Continue reading Bartle to old guard: "We've already won"

MassivelyBartle to old guard: "We've already won" originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>childrencomic-booksnovelrantrichard-bartlerock-n-rolltelevisionthe-guardianworld-of-warcraftTue, 29 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Common Sense on cell phone MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/09/common-sense-on-cell-phone-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/09/common-sense-on-cell-phone-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/09/common-sense-on-cell-phone-mmos/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Common Sense Gamer published a reality checking rant on the coming wave of mobile MMOs. The author of the editorial pointed out that limitations in the technology and a lack of platform standards in the industry will only lead to mediocre if projects. He also suggested that users who aren't near wi-fi hotspots won't be able to get much done.

He probably hasn't used a 3G phone yet; 3G networks are plenty fast. But for the most part, the rant was insightful -- especially on the issue of standards. All these cell phones use totally different platforms for running games, and they vary widely in performance and power. Is it feasible to develop for a dozen different platforms at once? Most game developers have enough trouble as it is with three!

So maybe the best we can hope for is a Snake MMO. Actually, that could be kind of cool.

MassivelyCommon Sense on cell phone MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Jan 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cell-phonescommon-sense-gamerdevelopmenteditorialmobilerantsnakewirelessWed, 09 Jan 2008 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Should the dead live on in avatar form?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/29/should-the-dead-live-on-in-avatar-form/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/29/should-the-dead-live-on-in-avatar-form/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/29/should-the-dead-live-on-in-avatar-form/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Tragedy struck hard in Second Life this year. I can think of at least three influential residents that passed on in real life - Feliciaa Feaver, Jesse Malthus, and Ginny Talamasca. While some have been honored posthumously, and others are petitioning for a Remembrance Day for all fallen residents, there's a trend going on that really disturbs me.

When Jesse was tragically taken from us, his mom decided to continue his work in SL. This meant that she would need items from his inventory, requiring her to log into his account. Every time I saw his name pop up as logging in, I remember recoiling in shock. When Ginny died, it was revealed that there were two people behind her popular clothing line. However, the operator of the Ginny avatar, and the person we came to know and love, was the one taken from us. Yet I still see blog entries on her blog and group notices of new products.

Once an avatar's typist is gone, the avatar should be removed after a certain period of time. In Jesse's case, I felt pain every time he was logged in from the afterlife, but in Ginny's case, I feel anger that the name/image is allowed to continue on hawking products. That brings me to my question - Should these avatars live on even though their creators haven't?

MassivelyShould the dead live on in avatar form? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>feliciaa-feaverginny-talamascajesse-malthusjust-askinlinden-labrantremembrance-daysecond-lifeslThu, 29 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Drew Carey goes on dates with fiancee inside Second Life]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/drew-carey-goes-on-dates-with-fiancee-inside-second-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/drew-carey-goes-on-dates-with-fiancee-inside-second-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/22/drew-carey-goes-on-dates-with-fiancee-inside-second-life/#commentsFiled under: ,

The next time you see a couple being cutesy in SL, it might just be Drew Carey and his fiancee. According to PARADE Magazine, they use Second Life to go on dates when they're in different cities. While I think that they deserve kudos for finding a way to stay close to each other when away, I do take issue with Drew's explanation.

You see, he seems to think that SL is a website that is like a virtual world. For those unaware, you would go to the official Second Life website to download a client for the virtual world. Come on, Drew! That's like saying that The Price is Right is a reality tv program that's like a game show. Are you sure you're not meeting up in Habbo Hotel?

MassivelyDrew Carey goes on dates with fiancee inside Second Life originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Nov 2007 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>drew-careyhabbo-hotellinden-labparade-magazinerantsecond-lifeslthe-price-is-rightThu, 22 Nov 2007 14:30:00 EST