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[Free for All: A week of scheduled playtimes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/13/free-for-all-a-week-of-scheduled-playtimes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/13/free-for-all-a-week-of-scheduled-playtimes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/13/free-for-all-a-week-of-scheduled-playtimes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

After a loose week of playing scheduled games, I can say that I have a lot of work to do to perfect my system. Once again, Tim and Jon from the Van Hemlock podcast are my inspiration. They are both dedicated to the art of playing games, to "finishing" games, almost to the point of obsession. It's certainly not for everyone, but they seem to maintain a real balance while skipping around. Perhaps the podcast they host helps them with this balance? I've hosted several podcasts over the years, so maybe putting my weekly gaming thoughts into audio form is necessary to keeping my sanity?

In reality, what I need to do is just stick it out and stay the course. I am not sure of many things in this world, but I am positive that repetition and scheduling are more powerful than almost any plan. Humans are habitual creatures, even with their gaming. Especially with their gaming. Over this last week, I started to settle into the role of a scheduled player and even looked forward to it each night.

Click past the cut and I'll let you know how it went.

Continue reading Free for All: A week of scheduled playtimes

MassivelyFree for All: A week of scheduled playtimes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alganonbeau-hindmaneq2eq2xeqiieverquest-2everquest-2-extendedf2pfeaturedfree-for-allfree-to-playftpmabinoginexonnexon-americaonetoofree-abonetwofree-abquest-onlineryzomsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentvan-hemlockwinch-gatewinch-gate-property-limitedwurm-onlineWed, 13 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: So what do I play now?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/30/free-for-all-so-what-do-i-play-now/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/30/free-for-all-so-what-do-i-play-now/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/30/free-for-all-so-what-do-i-play-now/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Last week I talked about celebrating your MMO transient status, something that drove some readers into a mini-frenzy. Perhaps my point was not clear enough, or perhaps the two or three sentences I dedicated to clearly stating my satisfaction with the "dedicated" player lifestyle were not enough. I did not talk so much about the players who dedicate most of their time to one or two MMOs because, well, it wasn't an article about them. It wasn't an article about celebrating some kind of digital floozy lifestyle, either, although some readers seemed to take it that way. It was an article about becoming comfortable -- or more comfortable -- with the fact that you, as a ramblin' player, might not gain that virtual glory that your more dedicated buddies will.

This week's column will still avoid the topic of the dedicated player simply because I am not one. As I have now indicated several times, I have no issue with such a lifestyle, but I would rather talk about something I am more familiar with. Many of my friends are hardcore dedicated, dedicated to the point of being married to one MMO experience, and although I am somewhat jealous of them, I am even more jealous of a different type of player.

Click past the cut and we shall discuss it!

Continue reading Free for All: So what do I play now?

MassivelyFree for All: So what do I play now? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanchesseve-onlinef2pfeaturedfree-for-allfree-to-playftpmabinogipodcastriftRyzomspiral-knightsstatic-groupvan-hemlockvanguardvindictuswurm-onlineWed, 30 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Meet the Team: Tim Dale]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/12/meet-the-team-tim-dale/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/12/meet-the-team-tim-dale/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/12/meet-the-team-tim-dale/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Once a week our writers will give you a glimpse into their lives, to let you get to know them and the characters they play a little better. Click here to read more Meet the Team.

What do you do for Massively.com?

I'm a Columnist which is a fancy way of saying that I tend to go on at great length on a much more infrequent basis than real news writers. I'm quite new here so am still working out the rest of this answer as I go!

What's your favorite MMO?

I think I'm still looking for my favourite MMO, which might be one reason I tend not to settle in any one title for years at a time. With any luck, I'll know it when I do see it! Past MMO lifetimes I have enjoyed a great deal include Star Wars: Galaxies, back when it was new, and not a very Star-Warsey game at all, a long spell in Anarchy Online living a very Bladerunnerish life in an imaginary distant future and my first and only run from 1 to 60 in pre Burning Crusade World of Warcraft, a game which is as popular as it is for good reason.

Gallery: Meet the Team

Meet the Team: Tim DaleMeet the Team: Jon ShuteMeet the Team: Lemuel PewMeet the Team: Lesley SmithMeet the Team: James Egan

Continue reading Meet the Team: Tim Dale

MassivelyMeet the Team: Tim Dale originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredmeet-the-teamtim daleTimDalevan-hemlockFri, 12 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa crafting: What didn't work then, and what works now]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/10/tabula-rasa-crafting-what-didnt-work-then-and-what-works-now/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/10/tabula-rasa-crafting-what-didnt-work-then-and-what-works-now/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/10/tabula-rasa-crafting-what-didnt-work-then-and-what-works-now/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Several times I've wanted to just sit myself down and write an in-depth article explaining the original crafting system in Tabula Rasa (before it was announced to close), but it's just one of those things where the explanation would not make much sense unless you've frustrated yourself with it firsthand. It was complicated, time consuming and you would only need to kill 3 or 4 more Bane to get a better item anyway. Yet in Deployment 13, the crafting system was completely overhauled, simplified, and caused players to actually craft again. But was it just too late?

Over at Van Hemlock's blog, he takes a practical look at the past and present of TR crafting, explaining what we once dealt with versus the new and improved system. For anyone who has simply ignored the crafting in TR based on previous bad experiences, this post if worth a read.

MassivelyTabula Rasa crafting: What didn't work then, and what works now originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingcrafting-systemdestination-gamesncsofttabula-rasatrvan-hemlockWed, 10 Dec 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Empyrean Age warfare takes its toll on new recruits]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/18/empyrean-age-warfare-takes-its-toll-on-new-recruits/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/18/empyrean-age-warfare-takes-its-toll-on-new-recruits/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/18/empyrean-age-warfare-takes-its-toll-on-new-recruits/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


It's hard to be a noob, or at least a noob character, and simply drop into EVE Online's factional warfare. But that's just what Van Hemlock has been doing. Although he's learning by trial-and-error, he does have significantly more experience than someone who's new to the game and impulsively enlists in a factional militia.

Van Hemlock's latest dispatch from the front lines imparts his readers with some more lessons, building on what he's already relayed to fledgling capsuleers in recent weeks. Despite what he's learned, Van Hemlock also faces what most combat pilots in EVE Online have at some point -- knowing what you should do, but then (in panic) doing something entirely different that gets you killed. Also knowing the Tech II variants of standard ships will allow you to avoid fighting against hopeless odds, as Van Hemlock encountered the much-feared Ishtar and Sacrilege heavy assault cruisers, which quickly reduced he and his wingman to flaming escape pods. Check out Van Hemlock's 'The Skirmishes of Space' to read about the exploits of a new pilot up against sometimes overwhelming odds.

MassivelyEmpyrean Age warfare takes its toll on new recruits originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesempyrean-ageeveeve-onlineexpansionsfactionfactional-warfaregame-mechanicsishtarmilitiasacrilegesci-fiterritorial-controlvan-hemlockwarFri, 18 Jul 2008 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Lessons learned in Empyrean Age's factional warfare]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/lessons-learned-in-empyrean-ages-factional-warfare/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/lessons-learned-in-empyrean-ages-factional-warfare/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/lessons-learned-in-empyrean-ages-factional-warfare/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Podcasting hero Van Hemlock has been blogging about EVE Online quite a bit of late. His recent post 'The Lessons of War' chronicles his experience of learning the factional warfare rules of engagement in the Empyrean Age expansion. He writes about being a solo pilot for the Minmatar Tribal Liberation Force, when the entire militias of the Amarr and Caldari races have kill rights on him anytime and anywhere. It's even harder to do well when you're running with an alt fresh out of the academy but, win or lose, he seems to be having a good time.

Van Hemlock's approach is to spend very little on any individual ship (it's likely to be blown apart anyway) and learn what he can from the experience of trying to survive. As he explains a bit about the mechanics of factional warfare, and its objectives, Van Hemlock imparts three key bits of wisdom in "The Lessons of War...": there are ways of preventing a (single) rival from engaging you, flying fast and nimble can trump much greater firepower, and as fast as you may be -- there can always be someone faster who will try and take you out. Although he openly states that he doesn't know a great deal about PvP in EVE yet, it's clear that he's learning very quickly from his mistakes, and doing so with minimal emo rage. See Van Hemlock's "The Lessons of War" to learn a few things from his successes and failures in EVE Online, it's certainly a good read.

MassivelyLessons learned in Empyrean Age's factional warfare originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amarrblogbloggerccpccp-gamesempyrean-ageeveeve-onlineexpansionfactionfactional-warfaregame-mechanicsmilitaminmatarpiratepodcastpodcastingpvpracessci-fivan-hemlockWed, 09 Jul 2008 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars PvP: A new perspective]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/guild-wars-pvp-a-new-perspective/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/guild-wars-pvp-a-new-perspective/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/01/guild-wars-pvp-a-new-perspective/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Sure, we've shown you how to get into Guild Wars PvP if you're strictly a PvE player, but what about putting that knowledge into practice? What about reading a first-hand account from someone who writes exceptionally well? Luckily, Van Hemlock has done the dirty work for you by telling us his story of how he finally made the plunge into GW PvP, and how much he's actually enjoying it.

He starts out by describing his team's adventure in the Zaishen Challenge arenas, and eventually moves on to the craziness that is Alliance Battles. This team, affectionately named the Tuesday N00b Club, was recently joined by Scott from Pumping Irony. The beauty of this blog post is the way Van Hemlock describes so much of his initial PvP experiences from a perspective that many veteran players might take for granted. The best part is, it ends on a positive note.

MassivelyGuild Wars PvP: A new perspective originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guild-warspumping-ironypvpvan-hemlockzaishenTue, 01 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Van Hemlock: The distrust of recruits and the path of acceptance]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/van-hemlock-the-distrust-of-recruits-and-the-path-of-acceptance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/van-hemlock-the-distrust-of-recruits-and-the-path-of-acceptance/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/16/van-hemlock-the-distrust-of-recruits-and-the-path-of-acceptance/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Podcaster and PlanetSide-fragger extraordinaire Van Hemlock recently had a look at EVE Online's Empyrean Age expansion, and gave his take on what's needed to get the most from factional warfare. He tackled The Empyrean Age in two parts: The Distrust of Recruits... and The Path of Acceptance.

In The Distrust of Recruits, Van Hemlock was surprised that factional warfare isn't quite as accessible as he envisioned. He wasn't daunted though, and prepared to move his main character into the battlefield. Except, there were one or two issues. Perhaps the main one, which is a core mantra in EVE, is that you "don't fly what you can't afford to lose." By joining up with any of the militia, you become a war target for two other factions, who will attempt to kill you on sight -- no matter where they see you. No matter what you've done. That's the price you pay for access to this level of PvP, a first in the game, but for some that price tag is too steep.

Continue reading Van Hemlock: The distrust of recruits and the path of acceptance

MassivelyVan Hemlock: The distrust of recruits and the path of acceptance originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amarrcaldariccpccp-gamesempyrean-ageeveeve-onlinefactionfactional-warfaregallentegrindminmatarmissionmissionspvpstandingsvan-hemlockMon, 16 Jun 2008 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The suspicion of [Name Removed]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/the-suspicion-of-name-removed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/the-suspicion-of-name-removed/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/the-suspicion-of-name-removed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Van Hemlock would like to talk about a certain virtual world, but, alas, he cannot. It's not because he doesn't want to -- he does. Or because he thinks any less of ... this place, because he doesn't. It's just because he's careful. A certain entity has laid claim to some letters placed next to other letters, and he's just respecting their rights. Van Hemlock isn't angry. He's just confused.

Other games and virtual worlds have trademarks and yet manage not to anger their fan communities .... Right or wrong? We don't know, but Van Hemlock's hilarious take on the matter had us smirking and turning certain trademarked properties into pieces of public art for fun.

MassivelyThe suspicion of [Name Removed] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggerscopyrighthumorlegallinden-labopinionsecond-lifesltrademarkvan-hemlockvirtual-worldsThu, 24 Apr 2008 10:31:00 EST