Category: General

The Entertainment Software Association announced yesterday that E3 is “evolving” into “a more intimate event focused on targeted, personalized meetings and activities”.

This is unbelievable. I was actually befuddled for a minute or two after reading the press release. And then it all started making sense…especially when news broke that EA has been whining about the increasing costs. This is like Donald Trump whining about how expensive cheesecake is, and then demanding that only apple pie be served at restaurants.

The entire press release, and my comments are as follows:

Continue reading EA Nerfs E3

Because it was superfun last time, let us once again look at game development through the prism of song. This week, our song is Cooking by the Book from LazyTown. (They also have a song that Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates! fans might like.)

In case it is not immediately clear, we are using baking a cake as a metaphor for making a game. Can you beta test cake?

Continue reading Cooking by the Book

Not to get political, but gamers may yet save Western society. Ongoing debates about same-sex marriage frequently touch on polygamy, and it is argued that polygyny creates a large pool of unmarried men who either cause social unrest or are sent off to war. This is just background; we are not going to debate the issue here, because we are not that sort of blog (Lum might go there, but we moderate comments; jokes about accidental online same-sex marriage are fine, if sometimes obvious).

We know, of course, that no such problem exists for the current generation of young men, who are all playing World of Warcraft. Instead of being sent off to war, they will be sent to raid Onyxia. Who has time for weddings and all that stuff when you are running Molten Core and UBRS this weekend? Everyone is counting on your priest to show up.

Indeed, when America legalizes polygamy, it will probably be because World of Warcraft has removed so many marriageable men from circulation. The women are out there looking, and they are hungry.

: Zubon

San Diego Comic Con has changed over the years. The porn industry, especially hentai, used to have to big pressense, but they are all but gone now. Video game companies have begun showing up. EA had a big booth last year to promote its Marvel branded games. NC Soft had a lot of floor space to push City of Heroes and Villians. Even Blizzard had a little booth where the big draw was a playable level and cut scenes from StarCraft Ghosts. If anyone will be attending this year on Saturday, Sony is hosting the SOE Block Party. I would liked to visit but I don’t think I will be there on Saturday.

More details here.

-DC

Today, we are going to discuss the design of online games, to the tune of the international pop hit “Don’t Save Me” by Marit Larsen.

Yes, I am structuring a post around song lyrics. We are going to take the words and just run in a direction that the author never intended in the slightest. My high school English teacher would love this.

Continue reading Don’t Save Me

At the Develop Conference in England Mark Rein (from Epic) questioned the business model for episodic content and game releases. Some of the developers and publishers in the audience didn’t take too kindly to his comments and heckled him. Apparently a few called him a dinosaur…

Continue reading Is Mark Rein Right?

Since my post about community managers is still getting comments, I thought I would point out that many community managers have said, yes, we the won’t-shut-up playerbase are worth the trouble. You are hereby worthwhile. It is an awesome power, and I trust you not to abuse it.

If you have not read through the comments, you might. We may have something from everyone who still works at NCSoft. (Too soon?)

: Zubon

Yes, I have a fondness of ranting and raving about the things in the game industry that irritate me, or that I find to be ridiculous. I have become a bit jaded over the years and pretty cynical. I realized this morning that maybe I have been a little unfair and complained about only part of the problem.

Do gamers have a share in the blame for the problems in the game industry?

Continue reading The other side of the coin…

When was the last time someone thanked you for doing your job in-game: your healer who saved someone, your tank who took a death for the team, your mage who devastated the boss mob? We have all been pleased by others’ simple thanks or annoyed by people who are demanding or lack gratitude.

In our continuing theme of improving our in-game happiness, make yourself happier by making others happier. Show some gratitude and let happiness resonate through the ten thousand things. Thank someone, not for doing something really unusual, but just for doing a job well.

Continue reading Be a Cheerleader

[Hero Online] As I was developing a post on the theme of “please stop making EQ clones,” I stumbled upon the open beta of a new MMO that seems be a bad Diablo clone. Would a lack of instancing make it a bad EQ clone, instead? In addition?

Has anyone tried Hero Online? I ran through ten levels and change last night. My present recommendation would be not to mention the game’s existence except as a warning, but I am open to the notion that things become interesting later.

Continue reading Hero Online Open Beta