Poop, poop and more POOP
For the past week, I have been hard at work building a full-featured Minecraft server, featuring the Hey0 Admin as well Google Maps-enabled web access to the server map through the c10t mapping client on an Ubuntu 10.10 virtual server in Virtualbox. Now I realize it was all pointless.
I guess I could host this sucker through our residential Comcast connection, but then I would have to buy a server, right? My desktop isn't terrible by any means -- I'm not entirely in denial if I claim that my Q6600/9800GTX+ is still in the high end of medium-range computers for a little while longer. However, running a Minecraft server over a wireless connection is not happening. Understatement, I know.
I figure in the short run, paying for a year's worth of a decent low-cost VPS is still going to be cheaper than building a brand new computer, and the Internet connection is going to be a whole helluva-lot better. So expect to see more about a semi-public SMP server coming this week.
I recently resubbed to Fallen Earth, but I am having a really hard time getting into the game. It is unfortunate, but I don't think I will be going past this month. I think my time with MMORPGs is almost officially over. Logging into WoW makes me want to vomit. I can't bring myself to log into DDO for whatever reason, and I feel to LOTRO as I do to watching paint dry. That's sad, because I really want to like them, I just lack the ability at this juncture.
Work on WOTAN has slowed to an almost standstill. I think it is just that time of year, though. That and virtually all of my time is accounted for, and what time I have had I have been doing silly things like setting up Minecraft Java/LAMP servers for fun and education. I refuse to call it quits, though. In all honesty, I am strongly considering changing the title to "Wotan Forever."
The main problem I am having right now with WOTAN, is rather bad, as it is not a technical or engineering problem. Rather, I am having a conceptual problem in trying to come up with different ways to present the game that will both set it apart from other online "story world" games and appeal to a wider audience. All of the ideas I have seem to indicate I should just set up a MUD server, but that is not what I want to do, either.
WAAAAA! It is hurting my brain. I would say I should drink more, but I have already developed a half-bottle-of-port-a-night habit. I like port wine the best, because it was the wine Saint James Episcopal served at communion when I was a child. Blood of Christ, baby - that's the real deal.
Regardless, work on WOTAN continues, but slowly, sloggily and lugubriously, in malasiatic fashion which, if you know me, will be entirely true to form. Boy, writing those shell scripts for CRON jobs to maintain a Minecraft server nobody visits sure is fascinating stuff, though!
I should probably just log into DDO.
Back to DDO in Time for Update 5
The thing I like best about Dungeons & Dragons' f2p model is that I have a hard time keeping up a steady playing schedule, but love to come back to the game. Sure, I've probably spent more buying adventure packs and 32-point builds and whatnot, but then again I also haven't paid a subsbscription for months with no playing happening. To me, at least, it evens out in the end.
After having made the Orien server my home during the first part of this year (as it is the home of some real-life mutual aquaintances of myself and Redeye), I am happy to report I am back in my OG hood Sarlona (which I chose as my home server back at launch). Why leave Orien? It isn't my DDO "home" and I lost the desire to play with the Orien guild as I gradually learned they had no clue how to play the game, or even display the slightest shred of intelligence or thoughtfulness.
Not to be too harsh, but within a few not-so-easy instances I realized that the core members' main strategy was ZERG, ZERG, ZERG!! Of course none of them are "vets" and have no clue how to run the instances ... which results in a wipe every few minutes. And like that cliched definition of insanity, there apparently was no learning of how not to wipe happening. Add to that high levels of frustration on the part of those causing the wipes and some rather racist commentary from the same. Partying with imbeciles just wasn't happening for me and so I took a couple months off from DDO entirely.
While I look forward to completing my Exploiter Drow Rogue/Ranger, Emmil Cioran on Sarlona, which I abandoned to move to Orien, I rerolled a copy of the character I played on Orien and absolutely fell in love with: a Halfling Monk/Cleric. It's all personal preference, but I have had the most fun I have ever had in DDO with this class combo. I got him up to level three before the server came down for Update 5, but didn't visit the trainer. His name is Trillax (trill + chillax = gangsta) on Sarlona.
Right now I am actually considering making him a pure Monk. But most likely I will be targetting a 17 Cleric /3 Monk build. He's a Weapon-Finesse/Dexterity build and I to focus on unarmed combat. I've begun with two levels of Monk and now will level him strictly as a Cleric; the third level of Monk will come later, perhaps around level 12-or-so. I'm playing with the build in the DDO Character Planner right now and will probably be posting it on my DDO blog when I get the chance.
I have to admit, I am sorely tempted to make him a pure Monk, however, and taking advantage of Update 5's Ninja Spy enhancements. Though that is more for the coolness factor - the Cleric Radiant Servant enhancements from U5 will suffice just fine. In fact, considering the Monk Ninja spy enhancements, I am willing to bet there is a really solid Rogue/Monk build ... I am sensing synergy with the Drow short sword racial enhancements. This will be something to consider down the road.
In other Update 5 news, Zen Archery is a new feat which should make the Divine Archer (Elven Cleric (or Favored Soul) / Ranger) I want to build even better as it allows you to swap your Wisdom bonus for your Dexterity bonus for damage. Now if only bow-based combat in DDO didn't suck overall - someday I'll bother to work through this build.
You'll also notice that guilds have gotten a lot of love. Most noticeably in the form of renown and guild levels, giving access to all sorts of items and bonuses and whatnot. And the most noteable of these benefits will be DDO's first stab at player housing - the guild Airship. This should be interesting, it definitely makes me want to join a regular guild.
Preferably one that doesn't have members that rush into death over and over pointlessly then scream "F***KING N**GER!!" when they can't figure out why they completely fail at the game - and obviously fail at life as well.
Coming back … again and again
Well, I've taken another couple month break from the old blog. In fact, I've taken a couple-month break from life.
I wish I could say I spent the bulk of January and February in a sensory deprivation tank a-la William Hurt in Altered States, but alas I'm much more boring than that. I spent a few weeks visiting Los Angeles and that was fun. I wasted a solid month-and-a-half being way too old to couch surf but fucking doing it anyway; I wanted to get in touch with my inner hippie.
I have also been having some familial issues, and now they are in the process of sorting themselves out. Of course I will not go into all the gory details here, but lets just say I could have a pretty good treatment for a TV drama if I cared to write it. Everybody is learning, growing, sharing and whatnot.
I do have no compunction relating my gaming experiences herein, as that is the purpose for which this blog exists. Sadly, those experiences are also rather dull.
Sucker for a sale
I spent more money than was prudent during the weeks-long gang bang that was the Steam Holiday Sale. However, I got loads of sweet games for hella cheap (to use the patois of my northwestern American home), mostly comprising games I already wanted but was too stingy to buy at full price.
The winners in the "waiting-for-a-sale-and-already-knew-I'd-like-it" category are Children of the Nile, Company of Heroes and Day of Defeat. I scored on these and I am thrilled about it. Sadly I haven't been able to play Children of the Nile as much as I want and no matter how hard I try I just suck (big-time) at Company of Heroes (though I still love it), but I went on a Day of Defeat bender for a couple weeks and loved every minute. Avalanche is my favorite map so far, though I have developed a bit of a Donner fetish.
The winners of the "impulse-buy-and-didn't-care-for-it" category are Zombie Shooter 2, Evil Genius and Killing Floor. I can't say I cared for any of these, and my reasons are various. I may still enjoy playing Evil Genius someday, but I couldn't get past the tutorial which made me want to punch things -- I believe I had issues with its rather glacial pace. I just can't get into Killing Floor for no particularly good reason (which could change in the future, however) and I outright dislike Zombie Shooter 2. If I would have spent more than $2.50 on ZS2 I would have felt completely cheated. While I don't really dislike Killing Floor or Evil Genius, if I had a second chance I probably would not bother to buy either.
Fly Safe, Capsuleer
The surprise hit of the sale was a brand new $5 EVE online account. I am happy and nerdy to say I have been glued tight to the Verge Vendor region of New Eden since around Christmas, learning the many vagaries of asteroid mining. While technically not a "new" account -- I activated a trial account I originally made in 2007 -- I have been enjoying EVE nearly every day for the past two months and feel as though I have finally "found" an MMORPG I can truly enjoy.
I put "found" in quotes, of course, because I have actually played EVE Online off-again-and-on-again since 2006; I find it a bit strange I only now have actually taken to the game. In my previous attempts to grok the game I always knew there was something about it that I like and enjoy, but I suppose until I tried being a full-time miner I didn't actually know what that something actually is. So right now that something is mining and mineral trading, which I am utterly cracking-out on. Dangling preposition FTW.
And now with the recent announcement of the SimCity-like aspects of the upcoming Tyrannis update, I will probably be hooked for at least another several months, if not longer. If you want to look me up in-game I'm Dank Fortuente and the asteroid belts of the Aidart solar system is currently my main stomping grounds.
The only other MMORPG I am dabbling in at all is Dungeons and Dragons Online, which continues to be a treat now that I can play sporadically without worrying over paying a regular subscription. I don't get to play terribly often but I have been working on a Drow Exploiter Ranger which I named Emmil Cioran. His bio reads only "ennui is the echo in us of time tearing itself apart;" perhaps "reality is a creation of our excesses" would be more a-propos to the venue, LOL.
Moving On
Well, it is nearly time for me to wrap up this post. So I will leave by saying that I am still here, still building cities and RPing like a nerdy dork, even still working on my PBBG, despite various hurdles and setbacks. I suppose I could go on for longer about my love affair with MySQL InnoDB and foreign keys, but I will bore you with that in another post. Until then blaze high -- you know I will.
Torchlight Commence
Well, I went and did it. I pre-ordered Torchlight on Steam.
While I'm sure it's going to be a great game, I'm a little concerned the Diablo-style ARPG gameplay won't hold my attention. Then again, at only $18, it's not that big a deal.
I'm playing DDO more lately, though two weeks ago I was uninstalling it and cursing Turbine. What can I say? So their customer service sucks, the game is pretty good. I just wish I didn't feel like such a sheep, but then again what happens if you have an argument with your DM? Drop out of the group for good or kiss, makeup and keep the adventure alive?
At the moment I am playing with a Drow skill-heavy adaptation of the Exploiter Ranger (18 Ranger / 1 Rogue / 1 Monk). Skill heavy in the sense I plan on investing the extra skill points in Lock-picking and Disable Traps and as a Drow also I will be focusing on rapiers and/or short swords rather than khopesh.
So far I am enjoying this build. I started as a Rogue and will take four levels or so of Ranger before taking the level in Monk. I think after I have my way with this build I am going to start a Divine Archer (Elven/Drow Favored Soul-Ranger).
I am still logging into and playing Fallen Earth a bit, but I am thinking more strongly about canceling. I don't know if it is just me or I am being influenced by other people's opinions, but it seems like FE does have more of a themepark feel the farther you advance. Maybe it is a side-effect from the heavy design reliance on questing. Maybe I have not advanced enough. (After all I am still only level 10.) Still, this game has real potential, so even if I do cancel now I can see myself picking it back up down the road.
I am still experiencing angst over LOTRO. I don't have the time to play it, even if I was so inclined, but geez I miss Middle Earth - even a crude video game rendering of it. I should have become a lifer last year when I had the opportunity, it's just $200 all at once seems so exhorbitant a price. But I have spent at least that much on my sub even at $10/month since then, so looks like I missed out.
I am really jonesing for some Tropico 3 action, but I just can't justify it as an expenditure. I'll wait until its on sale.
I haven't talked much at all about Cities XL. That's because I don't think I'll be buying that one at all - from what I've been reading the single-player seems milque-toast and the multi-player not worth the money. That could all be wrong, but I have more than enough to hold my attention with the various historic city builders I've been into lately. Maybe someday down the road I'll give it a shot. Or maybe someday my not-so-favorite Republican Will Wright will finally make Sim City 5 and make it non-sucky. And seriously, how does one have the insight and intelligence to create Sim City and the Sims yet be duped by the mouth-breathers that would make an utter lackwit like Sarah Palin Vice President? How does that happen?
Anyway, now I'm getting all political so I will end this here. Except to mention that I have delved deep into the world of Regular Expression for my work on project WOTAN, and I have been chilled to the bone by the horror of it all. Oh well, it is my destiny to either become a regex ninja or die trying.
I am hellbent on mastering regex because aside from the fact that it is extremely useful to know in general (technical) situations, I am writing my own form of BBCode to supplement my wiki markdown so I can start adding html elements (mainly forms) directly into the wiki pages. Currently I have things like the character stats and inventory displaying directly through echo in their respective class methods, which works great and all - I am actually debating a bit with myself whether I should leave it as-is because it is more secure but unfortunately far more unwieldy and pasta-like.
GAMING ROOOOUNDUPPPP!!!
The older I get, the more and more amazed I am at how time flies. Combined with my penchant for history it is easy to see what people mean when they say tempus fugit.
In the past two weeks I have been doing naught more than usual, with one exception - I decided to give Fallen Earth a shot. Sorry Ryzom, I'm sure I'll return someday (because you are a genuinely good game) but there is just too much going on right now. On top of Fallen Earth, Torchlight is coming out in 10 days and Dragon Age not long after that. And of course, most of my free time is being spent working on my own RPG project, WOTAN.
Fallen Earth
What can I say? If I was going to spend $50 on an MMO I should have got Darkfall. Seriously, though, Fallen Earth is a great game so far despite its warts. I am currently level 9 and doing my obsessive compulsive rounds of all the starter towns looking for the bonus AP missions. If you are not familiar with FE, that is I am trying to complete all the missions (quests) that award bonus skill points which are used to raise my character's skills.
FE has no classes, only skills, and so far that is my favorite aspect of the game. It is a marvelous antidote to the cookie-cutter EQ/WoW/etc. model where customization is done secondarily through "talents" or "traits" or whatever semi-arbitrary label they are assigned. I am focusing predominantly on crafting, which basically means I am by default a melee character, as melee and crafting have stats that overlap the best.
And that is fine with me as future wasteland ninja. Or, well, maybe. I am already fidgeting around with the cancel subscription button. But it is not because of any problem I have with the game, though the game does need some work - in my opinion it should have a more advanced economy, free-for-all zones like EVE's 0.0 space and there are lots of glitchy little bugs that need to be squashed.
But I, perhaps oddly, am not worried about any of those things. So far Icarus has been one of the more communicative studios I have seen, even going so far as to have a GM active on their global help chat channel all hours of the day. Wouldn't it be nice to live in a world where that was considered normal? I also like that at least one more game has come out that isn't a generic class-based themepark grinder.
This is going to likely be the only time you ever see me mention the game Aion on this site. I don't bear it any animosity, but I also have absolutely zero interest in that game. It is practically by definition a themepark grinder. I have no desire to even participate in a free trial of that game, were it available.
This is maybe why even though I am not sure FE will hold my fickle and buffeted-from-all-sides attention, I have no regret at least giving it a shot. If the Aion bug had crawled up my butt, I think I would be singing a different tune, however.
Torchlight
I am not a huge ARPG fan, but when the 'ol repetitive-stress-injury isn't agonizingly inflamed I enjoy a little Diablo/Titan Quest action. Of course my tendons are soon fire within minutes reminding me why I play those games only very rarely.
Tennis elbow aside, I was really, really, really looking forward to Mythos. So much so I was practically on an Internet candle-light vigil trying to get into the beta. Of course, that game was canceled around the same time flagshipped became a verb. So it wasn't meant to be.
Now imagine my joy at hearing about Torchlight, which is essentially Mythos reborn. And it's a single-player game priced under $20? I am so on this it isn't even funny, to use a favored turn-of-phrase of an adolescent Fortuente. If you read the link, apparently the Torchlight single-player will also be released with full modding tools intact.
Dragon Age
I have considered this a must-buy for quite some time now. Like since 2003. That said, the more I have been thinking about it, the stronger I feel that I am actually going to take a pass on this one for now.
WHAT?!? YOU ARE GOING TO MISS OUT ON THE BIGGEST FANTASY RPG GANGBANG SINCE BALDUR'S GATE 2????
Yes, I actually am. I have my reasons, and they all revolve around perception.
Perception 1: Money. It's expensive. Is it going to break my bank? No, but is $60 still a sizeable chunk when I am already throwing around $20 here and $30 there and even that $50 on Fallen Earth? Yes. It is going to be Christmas soon, after all and I have a child as well as utility bills.
Perception 2: Electronic Arts. Do I really need to elaborate on this? Bioware may be good 'ol same as always (which is doubtful regardless as both they and the industry have grown a lot in the past 12-odd years), but it's a simple fact that they are now an EA brand. And EA is on a weekend bender of a downloadable-content binge the likes of which might make Charles Bukowski proud.
Which means probably having to deal with some sort of asinine EA download manager or even having to use the wretched EA online store. No thanks.
So I am adopting a wait-and-see approach, perhaps even a wait-and-yarrr approach if I have the extra time. If I yo-ho-ho and the game turns out to be a genuine work of genius, I would probably feel compelled to fork over the cash out of respect, even if I continued to use the swashbuckled edition. More than likely, I will probably just pass until it has been out a few months or so.
DDO
OK. I had some issues with DDO. Namely, the Turbine customer service department could not service their way out of a wet paper bag. Or something like that. Whatever the reason, be it drastic overwork, incompetent management, utter lack of morale, plain laziness or all those things (can you tell I have worked in customer service in the past?), they are not getting the job done.
Basically I had a ticket on hold for about a month. All I wanted was for the points I purchased during the summer beta to be applied to my original account. I mean, really. No response for a month. If it wasn't for my increasingly incessant bitching, I can guarantee you I would still be waiting.
In true comedic fashion, the first time they "resolved" this issue also, I was not awarded the points I paid for but rather a large number of points - for being a founder account or somesuch reason - which I had no idea I was entitled to. Alas, in my hasty reply was elicited the mighty F-bomb. However I am confident the reason my actual purchased store points were alotted to my account was due to my having the original transaction IDs. PayPal +1.
All of that being said, it is partly DDO's fault I am considering leaving Fallen Earth. Damn Dungeons and Dragons with your complex, gamist character system, marvelously atmospheric dungeons and interesting, semi-twitch combat.
Wait, Fallen Earth has all of that too (after some fashion)! Oh the conflicting emotions! Wait, no. Fallen Earth has a $15/month subscription and DDO no longer does. I guess we have found out together the mystery of why I'm willing to cast Fallen Earth to the side though I basically enjoy it.
Grand Ages Rome
Ah, City Builders, my true (and truly nerdy) love.
Grand Ages Rome continues to prove itself to me as an interesting side-track from the traditional city-builder formula while still keeping a lot of that formula intact. The thing I enjoy the most by far is the horde-less resource system. What I mean is that the lack of warehouse or stockpile which is in virtually every historic city builder, at least every one I can name off the top of my head.
Managing resources as a streaming figure changes the game up in a refreshing way, though it's not necessarily something I would studios other than Haemimont try to copy. Because I do find myself missing the need to manage roads and resource transportation. But it's OK.
I never mentioned it before, but I play the game at the highest graphic settings and the textures they use are friggin' exquisite. I sat with my three year-old today for a while zoomed in on the city I was working on (Cyrene free-build). I invented dialogue and little stories to go with the various citizens going about their virtual lives and he ate it up.
LOTRO
I basically unsubscribed in a fit of pique relating to the DDO debacle related above. I thought I had uninstalled it as well, but it was still on my computer. Strange, as I am certain I didn't imagine that. Perhaps Gandalf snuck into my interwebs.
I am not sure what my future with LOTRO holds. On one hand I am not excited with the themepark structure of the game - and increasingly so - and I am just not of the mind with all this subscription stuff. In addition, I am yet more fearful of the potential introduction of a "LOTRO Store." While I think the RMT business model naturally works out well in DDO, I really do not think it would work in LOTRO (or many other games like LOTRO).
I'm also not terribly taken with the idea of the Adventurer's Pack. It bears the hallmark of crappy marketing. Plus the Mirkwood "expansion" sounds thoroughly underwhelming. But that is all my opinion. More objectively speaking, they are doing what they have always done which is to make WoW for a different crowd. They did it well and I have no doubt Mirkwood will continue that trend.
I myself am just past that style of game for the most part. Of course this saddens me a bit, because I have a really big boner for J.R.R. Tolkien just like any other fantasy nerd with plastic pointy ears. More internal conflict ... all these emotions over ridiculously abstract things like online video games. Well, no matter. My subscription runs out on December 18th, so we shall have to see what the next two months hold in store for yours truly.
That sounded ominous for some reason.
Thoughts on DDO beta so far
Ok, I know I promised to run down the basic character setup for W O T A N, the PBBG project I am working on. While I could consider myself tardy with that, whatever.
I am angsty over it because I have not been working on it as much as I would like lately. This is largely due to real-life concerns, but also to some semi-serious DDO beta playing. I truly wish I was insouciant enough to break the NDA regarding the various game changes (specifically the Turbine ((micro-transaction)) Store, but alas I won't. Though I think I will say a couple things.
There are some misconceptions floating around about the store and the role it plays in the game. Without going into specifics (that honestly are floating around out there from others who won't let an NDA hold them back) the store is not as "bad" as it seems most are currently making it out to be. Bad meaning it will kill the game.
There are some things available that I really don't think should be, there are some that I think should be available that others don't and there are some things most agree should or shouldn't be available. However, the one thing that stands out in my mind is that, with DDO at least, having all of this and more available in the shop would not really impact the overall game anyway.
What I am driving at, is that DDO has little or none of the community balancing issues that other "regular" MMOs face in terms of crafting and PVP. How does it honestly impact my game if your guild uses store-bought ********** on your raid? (edit: LOL, I actually typed out the full name of the item and caught it at the last second.)
Likewise, while I genuinely enjoy the DDO gameplay, I doubt I will ever be more than "casual" player so how does it impact that raiding guild's game if I choose to unlock certain game aspects by buying them rather than grinding them out with all that extra time I do not have?
I know I do not have the experience of having been following DDO for the past 40 months, however when I have played and what I have read lead me to believe it won't impact either of our games in the slightest. This is also where DDO's reliance on heavy instancing will be a strength.
In fact it is the instancing that has always made me see a little of Guild Wars in DDO. And that convinced me personally that DDO would probably fare better as f2p game - imagine my surprise and delight when they announced that very plan! I also wonder if that plays some part in what seems to be generally a warm reaction to the announcement. DDO never felt like a subscription-based game. Although with the hybrid-payment model they introduced I will probably find myself subbing an occasional month here and there where otherwise I might not have.
Also to clear up a misconception I have read more than once that should not violate the NDA, yes it will be possible to grind all of the important content (you might have to prioritize and forgo some cosmetics or other non-essential stuff). And I am sure there will be some people who do it. I also highly doubt it will be easy or go quickly.
At this point the general Turbine Point-to-dollar ratio is not heavily favorable for those seeking the entirely free route (for obvious reasons, i.e. running a game costs money and if a business doesn't make money it isn't a business), but it can be done. And it becomes easier the more paid shortcuts you take - and easy here is not defined in terms of "gaming skill" but in terms of "grind." (Given the nature of a few store options some might contest this point.)
Well, gotta cut this short - real life beckons. Time to go tie the hangman's noose.
DDO Beta
Hooray! I got into the DDO relaunch beta. The Lammania client is downloading as we speak. I'll make sure to take notes so I can post them as soon as the NDA is lifted.
Also, work on the basic character sheet for W O T A N is almost complete. I ran into a snag structuring the character creation process having to do with my noobish attempts to take my database to as clost to 3N as possible. While I believe I am structuring my database in decent (if not good) way, it is forcing me already to make certain decisions with my programming logic. In this case, the character table is divided into sections like stats, money, skills, inventory, et cetera. Each section has its own table with an ID that is written to the character table. So far so good.
But that means I either can't make the character creation process a 1-click affair, or it would be difficult for me to write it in an expedient fashion because each dependent table requires the character ID which isn't created until the character row is inserted into the character table.I suppose its a quasi- chicken/egg situation.
So I need to split the character creation process into stages. But I had each stage writing itself into the appropriate table, meaning if someone got halfway through and quit, it would create one or more orphan rows in the database. I can see this would be common user behavior, so I could also see my database growing to enormous size with junk data.
So before going to bed last night I decided I would make character creation two-stage: first the name and physical description is entered and then the user can fill out the details at their leisure. I'm not sure if it is the optimal solution, but it should work and it feels more "rp" to me at any rate.
Speaking of old-school rp mechanics and potential user abuse: I am still going ahead with a random-roll stat creation process. Meaning if you roll an 18 for strength you get an 18, if you roll a 6 ... you're gonna be one weak barbarian. Assuming I stick with this system, I know most users are going to abuse the refresh button. Rather than try to prevent that behavior I am considering just designing around it to mitigate its impact on system resources. I have a strange nostalgic feeling for this "exploit" myself, so rather than lock it down or use a distributive point system, I am going to test out leaving it in. I still might move to a distributive system, though, as it has game-play benefits beyond preventing system abuse.
I need to get back to work now, but in the next post I am going to recreate a character sheet and explain the basics of what it means. I'm not sure if it will be final, as there might be more things to add or delete, but it should be pretty representational of what the final sheet will be. If you are interested in the W O T A N project and want to give some feedback, look for the post in the next day or two!
Why should I pre-order Darkfall?
Well, well, well ...
Looks like Darkfall Online has finally entered pre-order. I have been considering trying this game out for some time now, but now that the time to actually put the proverbial money where my mouth is, I'm not sure if I will actually do it.
The biggest reason is probably the price: not expensive comparatively to everything out there, but still the ~$54 buy-in with obligatory $15/month subscription fee is coming at a pretty bad time. Then again, by this time next year it might be cheaper to play an MMO than eat. So why not take the plunge?
Another reason is, basically, what has come to be acceptable for an MMO launch. Meaning, often a steaming pile with an IOU tag affixed promising everyone the bugs will be fixed soon(tm). Why bother paying full-price for a game that may be wonderful, but is sure to fall into the range of non-optimal functionality to bug-ridden dung-heap?
I'm going to single Dungeons and Dragons Online out for a moment. While it's launch problems weren't the worst we have subsequently seen, it did have some issues.
Annoying graphical bugs and a client that stretched the average 2006 computer's abilities a tad too far (in my opinion). There was a backlash against it being an instanced MMO (which did not bother me), if I remember correctly. In fact, if memory serves, there was resistence to DDO's entire design from instancing to forced grouping. There was also a rather extreme dearth of content at release.
There were probably other issues I am not remember, but my aim isn't to rehash events of three years ago, but to point out that DDO has since risen up, refining it's design and adding many more things for people to do. The client works very well on newer computers and I'm sure they have streamlined it and the servers. In short, it isn't even remotely the mess it was at launch - quite the opposite.
The point of this is that I, like many others, paid $50 to launch DDO and subsequently $15 a month to fund this streamlining. As of now players still must pay $15 a month, but you can buy in to the game essentially for free. It costs $14.99 and you get the first month for free.
I did the same with Warhammer Online, and did not play past the first month. In fact, I barely lasted a few days out of open beta. So that was another ~$54 dollars basically wasted. Unless I want to give in to fanboyism and think that it was magically invested in some shadowy future entertainment I will be receiving - and paying each month for like everyone else.
So what is my incentive to fork over $50+ for Darkfall, or any other MMO coming out in the future? Why not just wait six months or a year and pick up the game for $5 (like EVE's $20 buy-in) or even free (like DDO's buy-in)? If the game doesn't survive a year, then would it have been worth the $50 in the first place?
Money is tight for me right now, no doubt about it. I have a pretty good feeling it is tight for a lot of other people as well - and if you aren't one of them enjoy it while you got it. Rich or poor, prudence pays with extra dividends.
I know there is a lot of resistance to the RMT and micro-transaction model. I agree in many ways to the various criticisms of it as well. I need to end this post so I don't want to drag it out, but instead leave you with two questions:
- Are micro-transactions the optimal payment method for online entertainment in a depressed economy in which many people survive on odd jobs rather than a steady paycheck?
- Can a game that uses micro-transactions to generate income make money in an as-unobtrusive way as a game based on a monthly subscription? (By as-unobtrusive, I mean not a psychological burden on the players in the form of over-advertising or an aggressively-designed system that penalizes those who do not spend large amounts of money.) What characteristics do you envision in an unobtrusive micro system?
OK, that was three questions. Have a good weekend and maybe I'll see you in Darkfall next week!
OH NOES!
I renewed my WoW subscription.
I to had look at some of the shiny new changes they made. I really like the idea of achievements and having a separate container for pets and mounts is a much-welcome change. But it kinda feels like they should have been in place a year ago. I know, I'm a complainer.
I did get in a quick four-man of Zul Gurub - that was tons of fun. We did pretty well also, making it all the way to the Edge of Madness. Our group consisted of a Druid for tank, a Shaman for heals, and a Mage and a Rogue for dps. Sadly to take down High Priest Thekal we needed just a bit more dps - the timing in getting all three mobs down before they resurrect each other was too much for us without the additional damage. That and I had to set up my keys on the fly, was struggling to stay asleep and haven't played in a month. Suffice it to say, my equipment was solid red by the time I ported out.
And the best thing about getting all wrapped up in WoW again for a few hours? I got a totally brilliant idea for the next expansion (before this one is even released ... even before I have sufficiently immasculated myself enough to actually purchase the abomination).
OK, so the idea: repurpose all the level-duplicate zones into new high-level content zones. If leveling from 1-60 is a zip-bang affair, why not do away with redundant zones? For instance, Stranglethorn Vale, Arathi Highlands and Swamp of Sorrows all have pretty similar level ranges. Once you reach your 20s and beyond why should you have so many quests in different zones?
In the beginning, I think, this was a good design decision. It gave the world a big, open feel and players had numerous options on how to level their characters. It helped separate Horde and Alliance a bit. Of course a lot of people power-leveled their characters from the beginning and that is now fully endorsed as a play-style by Blizzard in the form of end-game development and the more recent leveling-speed boosts.
So now we have this big, empty world.
Why not pull a Warhammer on Azeroth and create a seamless two-continent leveling path with the disused zones being redeveloped into level 80 (or 80-90 more likely) zones? You could have players leveling 30-40 in refined Arathi Highlands and make Strangelthorn Vale a level 80 zone.
DDO gets right into the Dragons
I've been playing DDO off and on as well mainly to experience the new introduction areas - this game has come a long way in the past couple years. To be honest with you, I've come to look at DDO as one of the better MMOs available right now in terms of originality.
I also have something of a fetish for it's weird, synthesizer music soundtrack. It reminds me of music that seemed to grace a lot of the weird and cheesy sci fi and fantasy movies in the late 70s. I can't get enough.
But the new storyline is great, and the type of thing I love to see in an MMO type setting. The addition of hirelings is also welcome. The seemless integration of the hireling mechanic into the very beginning of the story was also delightful. For a better breakdown (with screenshots) of the new player experience, Syncaine of Pumping Irony has made several informative posts.
I don't think too much of the new character creation system, but as I've mentioned before I'm the type who always hits "customize" in every game that lets me. I can see how the new system would be even easier than the old system for a total D&D newb.
But sadly, I may wind up allowing both my DDO and WoW subscription lapse, as I have finally gone and bought Fallout 3. That's right, it is downloading over Steam as we speak. I was going to pass it up and focus on other games in the hope it will eventually come down to $30 (I'm not a big fan of buying games that cost more than $40), but what the hell? This is a quality title.
And while I'm certain FO3 will hold my interest in the long term, in the short I may set it on the back-burner and focus on LOTRO or continue to scratch my Colonization and Team Fortress 2 itches. I am, however, confident that Left4Dead will be holding my attention like all it's Source-based counterparts I've played and that release is but a mere few weeks away.
But I'm almost certain at this point I won't be bothering with WotLK until next year, if at all. Decisions, decisions - what is the deal with fall and all the new titles, lol?
/neglect
Alas, it is true. I have neglected this site - my blog. As you can see my last post was made in July and featured my own half-baked (or totally-baked, depending on how you look at it) review of a review. The horror! And when I say horror I mean the really nasty moody French existentialist malaise sort of horror, not your average Freddy vs Jason blood-spatter horror.
So what have I been up to in the intervening four months? Oh, the usual ... living under the diffused haze known as Lord of the Rings Online. Would you believe, not that my highest level character is 37, but that my highest character is level 37 and I created him on opening day. That is a testament to me of how much this game has to offer in role-playing and meta-gaming - that I am still playing and having fun with a character who is 13 levels away from cap.
I took part in the Warhammer Online open beta and played it for part of my subscription's free month. There are a lot of things to like in that game - case in point: the Book of Knowledge. I love having access to statistics, statistics and more statistics. I want to know percentages, have comparisons ... I want to know how many times I've one-shotted a newb on the toilet reading the Utne Reader vs. how many times I've been one-shotted while navigating a pvp zone with my big toe because I am using both hands to hit the four-footer. That is what I need and the Book of Knowledge approaches that.
But alas, Warhammer has not been enough to hold my fickle, fickle attention and I have allowed my subscription to lapse. It isn't actually the game design's fault, however. I think it's a great game with a great future - they just need to fix the memory leaks.
I've also been playing a solid amount of Colonization. I still have yet to win on the Pioneer setting. I am getting better, though. Just need to keep reading.
In the last couple weeks, I've also bought Dark Messiah of Might and Magic (price dropped to $10), Red Orchestra (on sale for $5) and Hinterland. So far:
I can't get into Red Orchestra. I find myself spending significant chunks of time downloading server mods only to have the connection fail or be kicked. The single-player practice was pretty cool, though. But I don't see myself playing it. Oh well, $5 wasted.
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic is an extremely good game so far. I'm really enjoying the RPG-lite aspect of it. I've been itching to make another run through Half-Life 2 lately, and this is the perfect scratch. This game reminds me of a cross between Vampire: Bloodlines and Half-Life 2 in a fantasy setting. Pretty solid over-all if you are into that.
I'm officially regarding Hinterlands as a hidden gem of PC gaming at the moment. It's a Diablo/Caesar hybrid which seems like an odd combination but works fantastically. Diablo-style questing to build a Caesar-style town. Though it is an extremely simple game, I think this is one I'll be coming back to on and off, like Tetris or Bejeweled.
And as October is beginning to come to a close I find myself happily re-subscribed to Dungeons and Dragons Online. Like LOTRO (but for different reasons) I just love this game. The combat controls and quest-based advancement are two big reasons. Sometimes it gets a bit lonely (I haven't found a guild yet), but it has a lot of the magic that made me fall in love with Dungeons and Dragons in the first place.
Blogs I Read
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- Ralph Koster
- Stylish Corpse
- Tish Tosh Tesh
- Troll in the Corner
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