Massively

New Firefall dev blog discusses raising the skill ceiling

Matt Daniel — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: News items, Free-to-play, MMOFPS, Dev Diaries, Firefall

The other day we talked about Red 5 Studios' new development philosophy for its upcoming MMOFPS, Firefall, and its decision to take things in a direction that's more focused on player skill than levels or gear. Today, the studio has released a new dev diary that expounds on this philosophy by discussing how it plans to make the game "approachable and exciting to players of all skill levels," while ensuring that it remains rewarding to the truly hardcore.

The post begins by taking a look at the game's core combat, which contains "a number of weapons and abilities that are lower-twitch and lower-skill," such as beam weapons, AoE abilities, and splash damage. The post goes on to discuss a number of potential solutions to these problems, such as changing the high-splash-damage plasma cannon into a gun that deals lower splash damage, but with devastating direct-hit damage. It's an interesting read for players who are looking for a bit more skill-based gameplay in their MMOs, and Firefall fans in general would do well to go check out the full post on the game's official site.

New Firefall dev blog discusses raising the skill ceiling originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The obligations to the useless

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Game mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-play, Humor, A Mild-Mannered Reporter

I'm going to let all of you in on a secret. Actually, it might not be a secret; everyone might have figured this out by now independent of any admission on my part. But here it is, just the same.

I'm not actually a very good City of Heroes player.

I mean, I'm "good" in the sense that I play the game, enjoy it, think about it, try to improve my character appropriately... but I'm not actually very skilled at the game. My rotations look awkward, my slotting is usually sub-optimal, and my ability to recall important data is pretty paltry. I understand the mechanics just fine, but when it comes time to log into the game, somehow I wind up as the guy who just subtly makes the entire team worse. I'm not terribly skilled. And for all that I'm going to be playing the game for some time to come, I don't think that I'm ever going to reach the point that I say I'm really any good.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The obligations to the useless

A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The obligations to the useless originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Drakensang announces 'massive content updates'

Matt Daniel — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Patches, News items, Free-to-play

Bigpoint Games has announced that its free-to-play hack-and-slash title Drakensang Online is receiving a "massive content update." Between now and December 25th, Drakensang players will be receiving a couple of large updates, plus a few smaller changes as well.

The updates will introduce players to the Norlande, which will provide "a dozen new levels, numerous monsters and champions, new bosses, and new character items and equipment." To top it off, a player can experience all of this content as a new class, the agile Ranger. Rangers will also bring with them "a whole new skill system that makes skills easier and better to use, and significantly improves gameplay." To get in on the action, head on over to the game's official site.

[Source: Bigpoint Games press release]

Drakensang announces 'massive content updates' originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leaderboard: Level-based vs. skill-based

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, Opinion, Miscellaneous, Leaderboard

When you think about it, the concept of "levels" in MMOs is downright strange -- and contrary to how we live life. I mean, do you suddenly "ding" to a new, arbitrary level after gaining a whole bunch of generic XP for killing spiders because your spouse/roommate/sibling is too scared to do so? Or do you increase your skills and abilities separately through training, learning and practice?

And yet level-based gameplay continues to dominate the MMORPG field, since along the way game designers thought we were too dumb to comprehend anything other than "Big number good. Small number bad." Although, to be fair, level-based gameplay has widespread recognition going for it, a quick and simple way to gauge your status versus an enemy's, and a long and storied tradition in video game history.

Then again, there are a few MMOs that have said, no, we're going to give skill-based gameplay a try. These are the titles that allow you to focus on some abilities above others, deepening your character's growth at the cost of increased complexity (not to mention increased difficulty for devs to balance!). Whether it's accumulating a collection of skills or simply choosing which ones to improve, this type of system allows for more individual choice.

Ultimately, the choice is yours as it is today. Which do you prefer: MMOs that go the level-based route or the skill-based one? Vote after the jump!

Continue reading Leaderboard: Level-based vs. skill-based

Leaderboard: Level-based vs. skill-based originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Should MMOs offer respecs?

Brianna Royce — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

MMOs last for so long that you're almost guaranteed to get bored or make a mistake at some point during character development. Most games know this and allow you a do-over, be it through unlearning skills in sandboxes like Glitch and Ultima Online or respecing talent point choices in World of Warcraft. Lest your choices be trivialized, certain games insist on making respecs prohibitively expensive; City of Heroes and Champions Online even charge real money for respecs should you deplete your in-game allotment.

But other MMOs simply provide no outlet for a do-over at all, like Star Wars: The Old Republic, which currently locks you into your advanced class choice at level 10, long before you're really capable of making that kind of decision. While the devs are still debating respecs as a post-launch addition, a surprising number of players are vehemently opposed to the entire concept on the grounds that it makes character choices irrelevant.

What say you -- should all games have respecs, or are do-overs just another form of "easymode"?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: Should MMOs offer respecs? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Firing Line: Getting into Global Agenda

Jef Reahard — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, Opinion, Free-to-play, Global Agenda, The Firing Line

OK, so you've heard about this whole Global Agenda thing, and you've talked yourself into giving it a shot. It's completely free-to-play from start to finish these days, and the Unreal graphics, sci-fi setting, and strange mixture of hyper-competitive PvP and ultra-accessible PvE have always held a certain appeal.

You're not sure, but you think it's kind of an MMO, given that it has persistent territory control, lots of quests, and plenty of progression-based gameplay. Maybe you're a pro skillz baller, or maybe the extent of your shooter knowledge is which end of the gun gets pointed at the bad guys.

Either way, you'll likely have a good time in Hi-Rez's spy-fi action title, and you'll have an even better time if you understand a few key points about the game prior to diving in.

Continue reading The Firing Line: Getting into Global Agenda

The Firing Line: Getting into Global Agenda originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Dragon Nest videos show off Saint's Haven, new abilities

Matt Daniel — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Classes, Patches, Previews, News items, Free-to-play, Dragon Nest, Family

Nexon's dungeon-crawling beat-'em-up MMO Dragon Nest is gearing up for its launch in just a couple of days, and the company has released a pair of videos to help pump up some excitement for the official release. The first trailer welcomes players to Saint's Haven, the new city to which players will be able to venture once the game officially goes live. The city provides players with a whopping 10 new dungeons as well as over 500 new quests.

But what good are all those dungeons if you don't have the mad skills to clear 'em out? Don't worry, Nexon has you covered. Video number two focuses on all the fancy new abilities players will be granted when the game launches on the 28th. So whether you're a nimble Acrobat, a brutal Mercenary, or a zealous Paladin, you'll have plenty of new tricks up your sleeve to help turn the tide of battle.

But less babble, more bashing, am I right? Head on past the cut for the full videos.

Continue reading New Dragon Nest videos show off Saint's Haven, new abilities

New Dragon Nest videos show off Saint's Haven, new abilities originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What is player skill, anyway?

Matt Daniel — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

Today it's time to tackle the somewhat touchy subject of player skill in MMORPGs. With Guild Wars 2 touting its active dodging system and TERA just on the horizon with its action-based combat, many games seem to be attempting to force individual player skill to weigh more heavily in overall gameplay. Guild Wars 2's PvP takes it a step further, putting all players on an even playing field with equal gear and equal stats, leaving the only undecided factor to be the skill of each individual player.

But what is player skill? Some people argue that twitch-based gameplay (such as GW2's dodging or TERA's movement and aiming system) isn't skill but rather is a matter of reflexes. Some argue that regardless of gear or character stats, a truly skilled player will always come out on top. Some argue that skill is a matter of knowledge -- knowing your class and the class of your opponent.

So today we ask you, what is player skill? Is it the ability to aim a shot in such a way that you lead a player across the map and nail him in the head? Is it knowing to save your cooldowns for when a particular class lands a nasty CC ability on you? Does gear play a part, or does it simply impede a truly balanced experience? Perhaps it's some combination of the above. What does player skill mean to you?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: What is player skill, anyway? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Learning to let go

Brendan Drain — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, PvP, Endgame, Opinion, EVE Evolved

Bombarded by the epic stories emerging from EVE Online's colossal social sandbox, thousands of MMO addicts per month give in to temptation and pick up a free trial. Most drop the trial for one reason or another, but those who continue on to a full game subscription often fall into a common trap. Some enjoy the concept of the game enough to subscribe for a month, and a portion of those get invested enough in skill plans and the mission grind to stick about for two or three months. It's rare for a new or trial player to actually get into PvP or start creating the same epic sandbox stories that drew them to the game in the first place, but this is exactly what they should be doing right from day one.

New players often spend their entire trial or first month of gameplay attempting to grapple with the enormity of EVE, absorbing as much information as they can in order to make informed decisions for themselves. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking months of training skills and learning the basics of the game through reading or PvE will be required before you can PvP competitively or begin crafting your own epic story. I firmly believe that the real learning curve of EVE is in learning to let go of these ideas and to accept the loss of ships or items as part of the game. I believe new players need to discard their pre-conceived notions of death penalty, what skill points represent, and the idea of preparing for endgame.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at how EVE is actually very forgiving for new players getting into PvP immediately, I challenge the learning curve myth, and I encourage new pilots to drop themselves into EVE at the deep end.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Learning to let go

EVE Evolved: Learning to let go originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: Grinding skill instead of gear

Patrick Mackey — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, PvP, Endgame, PvE, Opinion, Massively Meta, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous

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 the most troubling things I see in gamers these days is their incessant pursuit of loot. If you happen to play World of Warcraft, you know that getting into a pick-up raid involves a lot of people waving around GearScore like it's an actual measurement of player ability. Ever tried to get into an Ultra-Max Security group in Global Agenda? I hope you've got top-quality token gear and are level 50 because the time you spent getting those things matters a lot more than actually having any sort of skills.

As a tournament fighting-game player, I take offense to this. You don't need to have an epic'd-out Chun Li to win in Street Fighter. In online games, gear is important, but it isn't the first thing you should be pursuing.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Grinding skill instead of gear

The Soapbox: Grinding skill instead of gear originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Firefall dev blog talks skill vs. progression

Jef Reahard — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries

If you're a bit apprehensive about the balance between progression mechanics and skill-based gameplay in Red 5's upcoming Firefall title, you're not alone. You're also in luck since senior designer Dave Williams has just posted a new dev blog on that very topic.

So what's the answer to this age-old design predicament? That's hard to pin down, and Williams spends quite a few words attempting to wrap our brains about the firm's plans for the game. In a nutshell, we can expect something called horizontal progression -- basically an "enlargement of your toolset" -- as opposed to the vertical progression in a typical RPG that often results in god-mode for players a couple of levels above their opponents.

"At the end of the day we want your ability to place your crosshairs over your enemies and pull the trigger to matter," Williams explains. It's clear that Red 5 also wants to keep players engaged over the long-term, and how Firefall manages the delicate balancing act between grind and fun will be interesting to watch.

Firefall dev blog talks skill vs. progression originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure: Making the world (a better place?)

MJ Guthrie — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Polls, New titles, Opinion, Hands-on, Virtual worlds, Massively Hands-on, Choose My Adventure, Xsyon, Post-Apocalyptic

Here we are, drawing closer to the end of our Choose My Adventure journey, and I feel like I have just barely gotten started in Xsyon! There is so much left to do; I haven't even scratched the surface of my goals yet. Since construction is a slow process and gathering resources is taking longer and longer each day (you should see the workout I get hauling logs!), my personal fortress is still just a few completed walls and one pillar. I also haven't managed to circumvent the lake, find any chalk, or convince anyone to let me be President/Supreme Ruler of the Lake.

All right, maybe I haven't really tried hard at that last goal, but this week has seen your CMA correspondent meeting and greeting neighbors throughout the region, gathering resources, politely declining tribe invites (I will remain true to the vote throughout our adventures), and attempting to improve my skill in architecture. Also, I have enjoyed some relaxing fishing. As jaunts into the wilds for wood became longer each day, I kept watch over my shoulder with a touch of apprehension, always on the lookout for hostile folks and animals alike. There is always some question as to whether or not the elusive animals are in the game, but I have had a couple of run-ins with a mama and baby bear that ended poorly for me, so I try to never let my guard down.

What else did I learn this week about life on the shores of Lake Tahoe? Hike past the break to take a look at this week's adventures in Xsyon and then vote on how we approach combat for our final installment of Choose My Adventure.

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Making the world (a better place?)

Choose My Adventure: Making the world (a better place?) originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What's your least favorite sort of boss fight?

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Game mechanics, Endgame, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

If you study a fair bit of literary theory, you'll come across the idea that there are only a handful of different stories at the most basic level. The same is true of boss fights in most MMOs -- while there are variants, you can generally break a fight down to its component elements. DPS races, gear checks, endurance fights, add management, positioning battles... from World of Warcraft to Lord of the Rings Online to City of Heroes, there are going to be fights where you have to avoid standing in things while killing the boss gradually.

Of course, each of these fights can bring different challenges, but not all of them are entirely welcome ones. So which set of mechanics do you find the least appealing? Do you find positioning fights irritating as they completely disregard character stats in favor of dancing? Do you dislike DPS races where everyone just brainlessly pounds on the keyboard? Are you sick of burning down non-entities in order to fight the actual boss? Or is there another mechanic altogether that gets your goat?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: What's your least favorite sort of boss fight? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Snowballs piling up in Hell: Faxion Online enters its second closed beta test

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Patches, PvP, Free-to-play, Faxion Online

"Free to pray, free to prey, free to play," the tagline goes. While Faxion Online continues to milk all of the religious-themed puns the team can think of (and it's hard not to add your own!), this afterlife MMO continues to charge ahead with the second phase of its beta process.

UTV True Games announced that Faxion Online has entered its second closed beta test, which has been expanded to include new players and a number of improvements implemented after the first test. Faxion now has an improved starter tutorial that invites players to learn about heavenly living or hellish confluct, depending on the class chosen. Other improvements include class reballancing, new areas and teleportation stones that help warriors get to the conflicts even faster than before.

UTV's Frank Lucero credits the players for shaping the game's development: "The responses to the first closed beta have been incredible in helping us determine updates for this second phase."

You can check out this tongue-in-cheek PvP MMO by signing up for the beta test or by vicariously experiencing the spiritual planes in our Faxion Online first impressions.

Snowballs piling up in Hell: Faxion Online enters its second closed beta test originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Massively: Massively is one of those multiple-robot Transformers edition

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Ask Massively, Miscellaneous

The technical term depends on how much of a fan you are and whether or not you want to be a jerk. The only term that has been officially used with any regularity is "combiner," which describes nicely what's going on but isn't terribly evocative. "Gestalt" is always a popular fan term, but it's also clearly the sort of term that bored 20-year-old psych student comes up with when talking about a cartoon online instead of doing homework.

You know what? Let's just say we're a supergroup, like Asia. That's easier.

So while you're queueing up "Heat of the Moment" and cursing me for getting that song stuck in your head for the next four days, it's time for Ask Massively, which this week features questions about the staff's opinions on games past, present, and future. Fun for everyone! And of course, you can send in your question to ask@massively.com, or you can just leave it in the comment field.

Continue reading Ask Massively: Massively is one of those multiple-robot Transformers edition

Ask Massively: Massively is one of those multiple-robot Transformers edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XI details big experience and skill gain increases

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Consoles

While we still don't know exactly when February's mini-version update will fall, Final Fantasy XI players are going to have two very big things to look forward to when the change goes live. Previous updates had promised adjustments to skill gains and experience points, but without any hard numbers to back up those statements, some fans were quite reasonably skeptical. But the team has spoken, and now we have some idea of what to expect -- Even Match monsters will give roughly double their current experience, and skill gains are possible on Decent Challenge or higher enemies.

The former could well mean that the amount of experience seen by players will be doubled across the board, or it could simply mean that the scaling will work a bit differently. Similarly, the skill gains will allow players to level up weapons far more easily, especially with the promise of larger numbers for each gain, easing the pain of finally getting a 0.1 increase after half an hour of work. Players will have to wait a little while longer to see the specifics at work, but the two adjustments should give Final Fantasy XI's players a much easier leveling experience, especially for neglected jobs or subjobs.

Final Fantasy XI details big experience and skill gain increases originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: Making the cut

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST

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

"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

Wings 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.

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EVE Evolved: What not to expect from EVE Online

Brendan Drain — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, Hands-on, EVE Evolved

Of all the MMOs on the market today, few are as polarising as EVE Online. While the game has over 330,000 active subscriptions and I've absolutely loved it for over six years, I still find myself introducing new people to it with the words "It's not for everyone." It does seem to be the case that EVE just doesn't mesh with some gamers. The user interface can look overwhelming, the combat can seem detached and the gameplay is often written off as boring.

Players coming from other MMOs are at risk of bringing some fundamental preconceptions about MMO design with them that don't really apply to EVE. These basic misunderstandings in how the game works can be a source of frustration or confusion for people who genuinely want to get into EVE. I find myself answering the same barrage of questions each time I introduce someone to the game, ranging in complexity from "What's the best race?" or "What's the best ship?" to the inevitable "How can I catch up to older players?" or "What should I do now?"

In this article, I look at three key ways EVE differs from the MMO norm and what new players can do to overcome these potential stumbling blocks.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: What not to expect from EVE Online

EVE Evolved: What not to expect from EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 06 Jun 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Trek Online to feature skill-based leveling

Kyle Horner — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, News items, Star Trek Online

So, Star Trek Online is using a skill-based progression system where experience earned translates into new skill points instead of new levels. Players start at the wide end and specialize into the "point" of the triangle as they progress in rank. Speaking of ranks, there are five of them: Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, Commander, Captain and Admiral.

It sounds like the nature of the system is to allow players some granularity in their specialization as they level. The types of skills invested in at the Lieutenant rank will determine what kinds of more specialized skills are available at the Lieutenant Commander rank. Then, once a player invests enough skill points to become a Commander, they'll dig even further into their chosen specialty.

There's a lot more detail in the Ask Cryptic write-up, and you can even post questions directly to the devs in the forum thread linked to the article.

Star Trek Online to feature skill-based leveling originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anti-Aliased: Serious business guys, serious business pt. 2

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Game mechanics, PvP, Raiding, Endgame, Grouping, PvE, Opinion, Anti-Aliased

You might see where this is going now...

This is a hard concept to explain, yet it's the concept that drives all social games, real-life based or online based. If you're taking the game so seriously that you're not having fun, then you've found the line where the problem begins.

"Serious business" sounds like a joke, but all games have some degree of seriousness in them. The only ones that are truly unbound by this rule are the ones that are entirely luck based, like The Game of Life, Chutes and Ladders, or Trouble, where the dice determine the progress of game play. Players have no true input into the game, thus no true focus is required.

"So are games getting too serious? Nope. They're doing the same things they've always been doing."

Once decision making is introduced, strategies begin. Once strategies are introduced, players will formulate efficient ways to win and those winning methods will always win unless luck determines otherwise or a more efficient strategy is found. Regarding our MMO games, which require player movement, button presses, and (to some degree) luck, you will need players who are focused. If players aren't standing in the right places or if the right skills aren't being used, then loss will almost constantly occur. Players don't gather in raids to lose, they gather in raids to win.

A football team and a raiding party are actually closer than one might think. Both get together to overcome a challenge presented to them, whether it be the Blue Mountain Eagles from the other side of the county or Patchwerk of Naxxramas. The fun comes from the work of overcoming the challenge; from "winning" the game. Sure, there might be rewards involved, like trophies or purple loot, but there is also going to be work involved. So are games getting too serious? Nope. They're doing the same things they've always been doing.

So next time you're in that raid group, or next time you're on that PvP team, or in that corporation war, or sieging that city, remember that focusing is not being overly serious. It's about working to get the task done, not screaming at one another. It also means that perhaps you might want to save your list of jokes and gossip for another time.

There's always more time to kid with friends. But right now is one of the few times you may be standing in front of Malygos.

Colin Brennan is the weekly writer of Anti-Aliased who is still forced to make decisions he totally doesn't want to. 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.

Anti-Aliased: Serious business guys, serious business pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's EVE Online new player guide

Brendan Drain — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Guides, MMO industry, PvP, Tips and tricks, PvE, Hands-on, Massively highlights, Education, EVE Evolved

Since I began writing the EVE Evolved column, I've always prided myself on making the articles I write as accessible as possible to new EVE Online players and even people who don't play the game. From my first guide on EVE's skill system to my most recent guide series on the art of tanking, I like to think people of all levels of familiarity with EVE can get something out of them.

In the past few months, the column has been aimed at informing new and prospective players about the varied world of New Eden and giving them the helping hand they deserve in getting started. In this handy wrap-up (or should I say warp-up?) article, I've collected all of the articles aimed at new and prospective players into a set of handy clickable image links.

Gallery: Exploring New Eden

Massively's EVE Online new player guide originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Where's the grind?

Brendan Drain — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Sci-fi, EVE Online, Economy, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Professions, Leveling, Making money, PvE, Opinion, EVE Evolved

Everyone who plays MMOs will be familiar with the concept of "grind", possibly one of the most debated topics in the MMO industry. Grind is essentially where users are forced to repeat something over and over again to get what they want. An example would be killing a certain type of monster repeatedly to get a certain piece of rare loot they can drop. Some people, such as World of Warcraft's Jeff Kaplan, suggest that grind and progression are essentially the same thing. Jeff asserts that we call progression a "grind" when it's not a fun experience and that grinding can be properly tuned. Whether you love it or hate it, repetitive elements exist in all MMOs and are necessary to maintaining long-term playability.

No grind in EVE Online?:
EVE Online is a game that's often lauded by players as having eliminated the grind present in other MMOs. However, it's clear that EVE still has a large amount of repetitive gameplay that can be considered grind. While nothing is forcing you to run missions over and over again or mine for hours on end, those areas of gameplay where heavy grind exists are very heavily used. When given a universe in which they don't have to grind, why then do so many players actively seek out something repetitive to grind on?

Join me as I take a look at the industry obsession with grind and identify where the grind is (and isn't) in EVE Online.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Where's the grind?

EVE Evolved: Where's the grind? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The tyranny of skill training

James Egan — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Game mechanics, Opinion

One of the nicest features of EVE Online is the fact that skill progression doesn't go hand-in-hand with a monotonous grind. Rather, the game uses a time-based system of advancement. But this seemingly casual aspect of the game is a double-edged sword; in the earlier stages of skill training, a newer player needs to log in very frequently to switch up low level skills. Some EVE players set their alarms and drag themselves out of bed in the early morning hours to switch their skill training, so as not to lose hours of time where progression halts. PC gaming blog 'Life is a Mind Bending Puzzle' has a post about how EVE's system "creates significant pressure to log on and pop a new skill on every time one finishes." Logically, a new player would assume that it's possible to queue skill training in advance. That assumption, however, would be wrong.

Thus the early career of an EVE pilot is one of setting alarms, calendar reminders, and sticky notes... all to avoid that guilt over losing hours of advancement because of something trivial like sleep or a job. But as time goes on, skill training intervals lengthen at higher levels and thus require far less maintenance. Implementing a skill queue was one of the issues brought to CCP Games by the player-elected Council of Stellar Management (CSM), as it's one of the complaints most players have when getting to know the game. How do you feel about skill queues? Is it a necessary feature that CCP should implement, or should the developers be focusing on more pressing matters?

[Via]

The tyranny of skill training originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mixing skill into a multiplayer game

Mike Schramm — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 06:30:00 EST

Filed under: Jumpgate Evolution, Game mechanics, PvP, Leveling, Opinion, Tabula Rasa

Clockwork Gamer posted an interesting look at skill in MMOs the other day. He categorizes skill in online games into three areas: character gear and advancement, game knowledge, and player skill.

Character gear and advancement can be done by anyone-- the longer you've played a game, it's almost guaranteed that the better your character will be. Game knowledge is usually something cultivated both outside the game, and by social interaction inside the game. It's only by reading sites like this one and talking to your friends that you can learn strategies to defeat enemies (or other player classes). And player skill is the hardest form of skill to get a grasp on. It's that weird measure of how good you are at aiming the mouse and hitting the right buttons when necessary.

Usually, when people say "playing skill," they're talking about games that require twitch and computer knowledge to conquer: first person shooters, real-time strategy games, and so on. MMOs don't usually fit into that because in most cases, the other two forms of skill can match up or even outweigh actual "skill"-- a level 1 character will never topple an endgame character, no matter how great his aim is. But there's a lot more research to do here-- it seems like there is definitely a sweet spot for player skill to be found in MMOs. While some have tried (and are trying) to find it, we haven't quite hit it yet.

Mixing skill into a multiplayer game originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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