Category: General

General

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Copy / Paste

New MMORPGs are accused of being rip-offs of WOW. Before that people compared MMOs to EverQuest. New MMOs always copy what they think is working and slap on a new theme and and tweak a few mechanics. We could say that the developers are greedy and want a piece of that WOW pie, but I hardly think that’s all there is to it.

I used to play Muds, and every mud I played was a rip-off of some other Mud. I don’t just mean they copied some game-mechanics or ideas about leveling, I mean they copied entire zones and sections of code. I played Vampire Wars, which was a rip-off of God Wars, which was an altered version of Merc, which was a modified version of DikuMud. I coded for Cythera, which was a split off from World of Carnage, which was a heavily modified version of CircleMud, which itself also derived from DikuMud.

To this day, slash commands like /bow from early Muds are still used in the most modern of MMOs. We still have hit points and mana points and we still work on getting better gear when we’re done with leveling. We still have these things because they work. Why fix what isn’t broken?

League of Legends: Free

You know how rarely I link to game companies’ press releases. This is an interesting announcement: League of Legends (DotA: the next generation) will be free.

RMT shop? Yes, of course. The stated intent is that the paid-for options will be cosmetic, convenience, or quicker access. You pay for options to be unlocked that you would otherwise need to earn. This could be done perfectly properly. This could also be done by making the non-pay option a ridiculous grind. City of Heroes intended the paid-for packs to be mostly cosmetic; each has included a very nice but not overly devastating power, and you mostly pay for costume pieces and travel convenience there. I reserve judgment until we have details (some to come Friday).

The most important developer quote:

Yes, the person who plays a lot and pays us $0 will have everything that the guy who pays us money but plays a moderate amount does except:
1) He will be missing some champion SKINS (not champions, but goth annie, black minotaur, plus more to come).
2) He may be missing a few minor convenience features.

What they will have in common at that point is:
1) Access to all champions
2) Access to all runes (the hardcore guy who pays $0 may have access to more realistically)
3) Max level summoners
4) Access to the new maps, matchmaking modes, etc as they come available.

: Zubon

Another Dip Test

Sometimes people make pretty quick judgments.  A dip test.  That’s why the starting areas, quests, music, etc. of an MMO have to be polished to near-blinding.  What about a dip test for the game in the middle?  Many times gamers lie awake at night – not “tired” –  thinking about games.  There is some amount of activation energy required to roll out of bed, log on, and play in a way where it was meaningful to roll out of bed in the first place.  A midnight dip test.

I was also not “tired” the other night, and I wanted some quick MMO play to calm my furied mind.  Wizard 101 was the easy choice.  I could log on, warp close to a play area of choice and run there in under a minute, and log off within a 15 minute time span.  I opted, actually, to play the mini-games to refill my potions and see how high a level I could get.  Games like Wizard 101, Puzzle Pirates, and Guild Wars rule at this quick guilt-free amount of play where activities that occur are meaningful. Continue reading Another Dip Test

The Dangers of Self-Insertion

Quite a few writers and artists have abused the fourth wall by putting themselves in their works. By sheer mass, the majority must be fanfic writers. Some use veiled substitutes for themselves or idealized versions (see Atlas Shrugged and Twilight), but others go right ahead and dive in. The wisest have done so in works under their exclusive control.

There is no way that Statesman “is” Jack Emmert in this sense. That was his handle and a role he played occasionally, and it can be unfortunate to put something you think of as your character under someone else’s control, but few people think they are killing Jack Emmert by proxy in the Lord Recluse Strike Force. Are Guards Black and Moor closer to the (now) 38 Studios employees? I really don’t know that they have any background, just a reference someone mentioned to me.

I mention this because Chris Sims, your friend and mine, points out the odd case of Grant Morrison. He wrote himself into an Animal Man comic, which means that he is an official, in-continuity DC character. (One can argue about whether DC can claim copyright on his person or likeness, make action figures, etc. This is not my point today.) Another writer took advantage of this and used Grant Morrison as a villain in his comic, killing him off quickly.

: Zubon

As of now, Kill Ten Rats is the only place on record in the entire universe (well, Google) as using the phrase “see Atlas Shrugged or Twilight.” It takes a rare sagacity to put those words together.

Zombie Is the New Vampire

I have been saying it since Generation Dead came out, but I am convinced after a tour through the coming books. Generation Dead‘s sequel is already out, and the zombie cheerleaders are starting to line up. Zombie movies and games started moving that way a while ago, with 28 Days Later and Left 4 Dead featuring fast-moving zombies like angry rabies victims, with the former even having them convert victims with a single bite. Vampires started going sparkly sometime in the Anne Rice years, and I am surprised how quickly the zombies have followed. We are probably on the verge of a unified undead-dom, or maybe the next author will decide that they are all variant forms of revenants, and we will see epic fantasy adventure wherein revenant dragon-slayers work with undead witches to save the kingdom. I see movies, lousy console game tie-ins, and a cartoon version that mimics anime stylings.

: Zubon

Interview with Guild Wars Guru’s Inde

For many MMO fans, a large part of the hobby comes from communication outside of the actual game. Fansites and their forums are one of the best places to get the latest news, interact with devs, and discuss the game down to its base mechanics. Inde is the site administrator of Guild Wars Guru, which has one of the most active Guild Wars forums. She, along with a cadre of other moderators, keeps the site and community in good condition. Inde agreed to let me ask her a few questions on running an MMO fansite with an active community.

Continue reading Interview with Guild Wars Guru’s Inde

Mirror World Myers

It would have been a better read if he decided to roleplay the Pied Piper in Everquest 1 to rid the region of invaders by training the mobs of that zone.  I do like how Myers tried to distance himself from Twixt’s actions by writing as if Twixt was the one acting.  Hopefully Myer’s peers that reviewed his paper are not themselves new to online gaming.  Hat tip: Broken Toys.

–Ravious
we have no future because our present is too volatile

MMO Twittering

I have given my thoughts on Twitter, and my fervor is beginning to erode.  I even camped out a name.  No, I didn’t get Ravious.  Some impostor has squatted on my namesake.  I did get my “real” name though, which depends on who you ask: my mom or Magneto.  Recently, an add-on for World of Warcraft was made that allows people to tweet in-game.  This (and the fact that nearby taco trucks tweet location) brings me from doubtful to enlightened in my view of the micro-blogging application.

I like signing on and checking my guild page to see where people are adventuring.  That small amount of information can be helpful, but rarely has it helped me group up with guildmates.  Most of the time I have grouped up in guild chat where pertinent information can be exchanged.  Sure, it helps to know that they are in the Lonelands, but they might just be passing through.

A simple tweet could change that if it is used as some active status report.  I always feel guilty when a guildmate expends will and energy to let his band of brothers and sisters know that he will be farming trolls for the next hour.  Would any of us like to join him?  Now, instead of guilt-tripping some hobbit healer to be turned into troll foot-jelly, the guild member can just update his playstyle on Twitter.  It’s brilliant!  Sign on and scroll through meaningful information immediately.  Hey, you say, Bobthefarmer is working on Yak rep, I will join him.  It becomes your choice rather than a reaction to a plea for help.

Stupid Turbine’s add-on policy.

–Ravious
wanderers wandering all round the town

No More MMO Heroes

Yesterday, the gods of Team Fortress 2 felt the need to bestow upon me a glorious moment for my birthday.  The payload was in a trench, and just then someone threw a jarate at the bomb cart.  This lowly pyro did jump into the fray pushing the cart thereupon critting down two heavies, a medic, an enemy pyro, and some other hapless being before succumbing to enemy fire.  The moment was epic.  I just had to share.  Allow me this one small indulgence.

I, as well as Zubon, have been playing a lot of Team Fortress 2.  I really enjoy the chaotic style of play that public servers are ripe with.  One can usually find me amidst the Lotus servers.  Now back to regularly scheduled Kill Ten Rats thoughts:

Continue reading No More MMO Heroes