Unlocking weapons can be done with experience or gold. Weapons currently cost a ridiculous amount of experience.

On February 2 patch 0.1.742 released for Tribes Ascend.  Before this patch, I was not impressed with Tribes Ascend (TA) at all.  For some reason it didn’t feel like Tribes to me.  Perhaps some of it was psychological trauma from the cash shop model.  Post-patch, though, I’m completely taken with the game.  The ‘feel’ is closing in on Tribes for me.

The patch brought 16 new weapons, a much improve UI, class customization, and upgrading kits.  All of which are huge improvements.

I’m loving the Technician class.  Right now I’m playing completely as a “free” player because I haven’t spent any real money to buy exp boosts or gold.  I’ve played a decent amount over the last two days which has given me enough experience to unlock the Technician and upgrade his turret two times.  As a Technician I can strategically place turrets that, on some maps, make it so that the enemy has to work very hard to cap the flag.

You can upgrade the Technician's turrets to unlock the ability to place two.

I love playing the “base maid.”  Like it sounds, I take care of the base.  I place turrets, repair our equipment, and protect the generator and our flag.  Some players enjoy the mid-field fighting, some like being disruptors who just cause mayhem, some like being retrievers who wear light armor and chase flags down, and some like being the flag capturers.  The variety of acceptable play-styles has always been a trademark of Tribes, and TA is beginning to capture the feel.

There are still improvements to be made in TA.

• Bigger maps are mandatory.  The current maps are too small.
• Heavies should not be able to drive vehicles. They should rely on transports.
• More vehicles are needed. “APC ready to go, waiting for passengers!”
• Base design needs to be rethought, or at least different on future maps.  Flags should be deeper in bases, not sitting out in the open all the time. Intricate base design was a hallmark of Tribes.

If Hi-Rez continues to make improvements like this most recent patch, I think TA will be a very fine game.  I have to be honest, though, and say that Hi-Rez is on my list of developers I can’t trust.  I fear for their ability to handle the cash shop properly.  I’m currently sitting here wondering if I should get the VIP Starter Pack for $29.99 (which would let me unlock all the classes, etc), and the only thing keeping me from pulling the trigger is whether or not I can trust Hi-Rez.  I’ll let you know what I decide.

Update: I went ahead and got the VIP Starter Pack.  I’m enjoying the game enough right now to justify it.

Full post: WarhammerFeeds.com

Tribes Ascend Improving

Incoming search terms:

• tribes ascend tweaks

• Tribes: Ascend
• Claiming a Fortress
• 1.4.5 hits the PTS
• Saturday Gaming: War in the North and BF3
• SWTOR Patch 1.1 Rumors Dispelled
• Modifiable gear (orange named) in SWTOR
• Would Reckoning make a good MMORPG?
• Would Reckoning make a good MMORPG?
• New Map
• Wrath of Heroes Progress

Goblinworks has done it again with their most recent blog entry which talks a lot about how sandboxes function at a macro and somewhat micro level.

Players fill many roles.  There are the people who love to do nothing but fight, and those who would rather craft, gather, or build.  Each of these play-styles supports and relies on the other two.  Players create content, or as I like to phrase it a ‘purpose’ or ‘reason for existing’, for every other player.

The way Goblinworks describes Pathfinder as a sandbox game summarizes further how a person will play a themepark vs. a sandbox.

You can think of Pathfinder Online as the inverse of many theme park MMO designs—those usually have sandbox elements, but the overall game is driven by the theme park: You go on quests and clear dungeons to get the loot and character power you need to go on harder quests and clear more dangerous dungeons. In between, you might go fishing or you might buy and sell goods in an auction house, or you might just explore the world. In Pathfinder Online, the inverse is true: while you’re engaged in harvesting, crafting or exploring, you may find yourself plunged into an adventure—interaction with the scripted part of the game.

When I play a sandbox game, I have a different mindset than when I’m in a themepark.  Playing becomes entirely about improving my quality of life.  I usually do this by seeking to increase my share of the wealth, my piece of the pie, or my stake in the world.  That usually makes me a crafter. I think that’s why I don’t mind logging in to a sandbox and doing nothing but gathering resources or making things.

Regardless of the why, everyone in a sandbox ends up ‘living’ in the world rather than progressing through it.

When people think of dynamic content in today’s MMO it’s all about scripted events popping up randomly in a zone and how many of X mob must be slain to make that event go away.  When I think of dynamic, the kind I have experienced in years past, I think of a world and community that responds based upon input from the inhabitants.  In SWG or UO a player could find an empty space of land, place a house, and forever alter the world.

I was one of the top chefs on my SWG server.  I required tons of resources and relied on suppliers because I could not meet the demand of my customers by myself.  While I was still building my crafting empire and things were tight, if my suppliers were gone, or there was a resource drought, I would struggle to  pay the rent on my shops and harvesters.  That was dynamic and very representative of the sandbox ecosystem.

I’ve focused a lot on the interconnectedness of the players in a sandbox, but the Pathfinder Online blog entry has a lot of information about how they plan to work their PvE.  It’s a fascinating read.

Full post: WarhammerFeeds.com

The Sandbox Ecosystem

• Pathfinder Online
• SWTOR or Skyrim?
• Would Reckoning make a good MMORPG?
• Would Reckoning make a good MMORPG?
• SWTOR Crafting: A new take on themepark crafting
• MMO Worlds should be like Skyrim
• Raid Lockouts Should Be Removed
• Gameplay over Graphics
• MWO – role warfare, hmmm yum
• My 2012 online gaming schedule

Some great games with simplistic graphics are taking off and showing us first hand the value found in great design.  Everyone’s favorite example is Minecraft, but there are others.  I would play a MMORPG with Minecraft graphics any day if the gameplay was good enough. I would even play an RPG. I just discovered Cube World.  I don’t know much about it other than the fact that I think one guy is working on it and keeps followers updated frequently on his blog.  Check it out.

It looks like a fully realized RPG with levels, stats, gear upgrades, monsters to go out and hunt, combat moves, destructible environments, pets, HOUSING, different playable races, and highly customizable gear.  I think there might even be multiplayer.  This post isn’t about Cube World (although you should go check it out, like right now) as much as it is the fact that I can play a game made with large voxels and have it not matter because the game is immersive, and what I’m doing in the game is not being hampered by the graphics.  Even more, I’m set free by the simplicity of graphics.

I recently returned to Ultima Online.  My first thought was “good heavens, look how far we’ve come.”  Then I found example after example of ways we’ve digressed until the realization set in that UO accomplished 15 years ago things players are constantly saying could never happen in a modern game — and the sad part is that these people don’t realize it’s actually been done before.  When you take away the technological barriers, and leave a little something to the imagination, it’s surprising how much more can be done.

P.S. I watched every video I could find of Cube World and I’m reading through every entry the dev made on his blog.  Really neat stuff.  I’ll keep an eye on it and let you all know if I find out any more details.

Full post: WarhammerFeeds.com

Gameplay over Graphics

• The Lord of the Rings: War in the North impressions and gameplay footage
• Taking my foot off the SWTOR pedal a bit
• Mining in Skyrim
• A bit more Skyrimming
• Skyrim So far
• Keen’s Predictions for 2012
• Tribes: Ascend
• The 5 most Bootaefull games of 2011
• PvP Stats: Not Necessary Before, Not Necessary Now
• MWO – role warfare, hmmm yum

Let us not forget, this is a business.  Their goal is not to provide a free service — they aim to make money.  Sure, you can play that first tier without paying a single penny.  Anyone who knows EverQuest knows that the restrictions on that first tier are enough to make it quite unpleasant for any long-term play.  The point I want to make, one that I feel is very obvious, is that SOE is going to use you if you’re a free player.  You’re not getting -anything- from SOE by playing for free.  They have turned that first tier of free players into value for their own product.  You become a body in a world that makes the game feel alive for the people who truly matter: those $14.99 per month players. If nothing else, you help retain those people.

Know why the $5.00 tier exists?  Because even if it were $1, they’d be making money on you.  Anything is better than nothing, and a free to play model such as this works by increasing volume.  Essentially, they’re hoping they get enough people trying it that someone is caught in their fishing net.

I don’t mean to make this sound so cynical.  It’s reality, though.  This is about retention; retention of those players who would pay $14.99 already. It’s also about a cash grab, which I feel I’ve made plain enough already.  I don’t think what they’re doing with this free to play model is a bad thing, despite pointing out the obvious reasons which in and of themselves sound bad.  It’s just business.

Interestingly, Turbine pipes up in an article on Eurogamer about the subscription model not being dead.  Know why? They make great money using the subscription model because they use a model very similar to SOE — one that prominantly features monthly subscriptions to actually play the game the way it was originally meant to be played!

Turbine takes the ever-popular neutral position by saying that it’s all about giving players options.  My first inclination is to agree.  It sounds neat on paper. Look at the choices, though.  Do you really have choices in a model like the one Turbine and SOE use?  It’s six of one, half a dozen of the other.  You’re going to end up paying about the same price no matter what way you go (if you actually PLAY and not just visit a few times), and the free to play model that they use ends up screwing with buying advantages (a problem Turbine does have, and one I predicted).

Know what would be interesting?  I want to see a MMORPG designed to play free using a model like League of Legends’.  From the ground up, have any purchases be cosmetic or relatively as obtainable as anything in LoL.  Why not?  LoL makes plenty.  Shouldn’t a MMORPG be able to as well?  I can’t vouch for how fun it would be.  I lean heavily to the side that believes free to play games can not offer the same scope or gameplay as subscription games, but I would certainly be willing to give one that claims they can a try.

I encourage you to take a closer look at these “free” to play models.  Be especially cautious about subscription games going free to play.  There is always a business decision behind the reason, and chances are they’re using you one way or another.

Full post: WarhammerFeeds.com

Observations about EQ going Free and other F2P ‘stuff’

• STO is now F2P
• Battle.net Balance and Diablo 3 will earn me money
• MMO Names
• New ping on my radar
• Keen’s Predictions for 2012
• Keen and Graev’s Most Anticipated Games of 2012
• Keen and Graev’s Most Anticipated Games of 2012
• Ilum? Lolum more like.
• Tier 7 Armor Sets – Round 6
• SWTOR vs WoW: Battle of the Bears?

Pitch Black Games held another one of their live chats.  My schedule doesn’t allow me to watch their videos live (stupid classes), so I’m stuck playing catch-up the day after.  I just watched January 27th’s chat and my mind was blown.  They’ve updated their engine (Hero Engine, same engine SWTOR uses) and given the game a huge visual overall from the last preview I saw.  I think in the video, correct me if I’m wrong, one of the guys said there isn’t a part of the game that hasn’t received some update.  The game looks graphically amazing, and in my opinion better than SWTOR (again, same engine so I’m making comparisons.)

During the video they showed some day/night cycles in zones which looked great, but the scenery really shocked me.  The game is looking fleshed out and gorgeous.  Note: These are screen captures from a video, of a video, of a game.

Read on for more screenshots and thoughts!

Makes me wonder why SWTOR doesn’t look as good. The day/night cycles change the atmosphere/scenery’s look.  Compared to what the game looked like in previous show-offs, they’ve come really far.  I’m not a graphics whore, but I can appreciate a world that captures the imagination.

Looks like they’ve spent their time well, and I’d vote for giving them all the time they need if they’re going to continue making such huge improvements.  Keep going guys and stick to the vision!

I think John’s face says it all.  Gimme that beta!

Check out the Official Dominus website for more information on game features.

Full post: WarhammerFeeds.com

Dominus jetpacking to the top of my ‘gimme now’ list

• MMO Names
• Keen and Graev’s Most Anticipated Games of 2012
• Keen and Graev’s Most Anticipated Games of 2012
• DOTA 2 insight and SWTOR replayability
• SWTOR Beta Impressions
• Star Trek Online F2P launch date
• SWTOR Pre-ordered but now I have two Origin accounts
• KDR Leaderboards in MMO’s
• TOR Datacron: Early Access is when?
• SWTOR 1-40 Commentary

Hero Academy for the iOS offers unit customization (for a price) and a very polished user interface.

I’ve been playing Hero Academy for over a week now.  Let’s analyze that statement.  I’m playing an iOS game for a week!  I normally play around with a game on the iPhone for a couple of days, maybe poking around for a few minutes here and there while waiting for my car to be serviced or standing around between classes.  Hero Academy is a game that I’m religiously picking up each night and playing for a solid 30-40 minutes.

Hero Academy is a turn-based strategy game.  You place your units on a grid and compete against another player for positioning.  Positioning is really the key.  Each unit has abilities that take some learning to utilize effectively.  An archer is an amazing ranged unit that, if upgraded, can wreak havoc on a crystal (the objective you want to destroy to win) or soft units.  However, fail to position her correctly and a Void Monk could mop her up and move back to the safety of his side.

Turn-based combat on a board with tiles that provide tactical advantages.

Each turn you have a limited number of ‘moves’ (5) represented by that pizza pie of blue triangles in the bottom left.  Summoning a unit, moving a unit, upgrading a unit, attacking, and healing each take a move.  The best players are the ones who have mastered how to move in, kill, and retreat safely.  I’m still noobing it up by going in guns blazing, leaving my units on the enemy’s side for them to be killed easily next turn.

There’s a lot more than meets the eye. Each unit has detailed stats, attack patterns, different move range, and utility.  I was once wrecked by a guy who advanced one archer into a position on the board who could shoot any of my units that advanced.  Another time I was destroyed by a fully upgraded Wizard that seemed to AOE everything on my side of the board for 4 moves.  I’m still not sure how he pulled that off.

As each turn progresses, your items (on the bottom of the screen) are replenished as you use them — until you run out.   Different items like ability scrolls, upgrades, and board-wide aoe attacks make for additional levels of strategy.

Each unit has complex stats to learn.

Hero Academy is easy to pick up and enjoy, but, as I’ve witnessed first hand, very hard to master.  Since the game is turn based, it’s easy to start a game and pick up at any time.  I have about twelve games going right now.  I can play a turn with someone then jump into another match in seconds.  I can play a turn before bed (or 50) and pick up in the morning.  I’m not sure if there’s any turn etiquette for how long you wait, but I’ve been playing with others who seem to play at a reasonable pace.  Besides, finding another game is instant so you can always have one going.

If you have an iOS device, check it out.  It’s free (last I checked) with the option to buy something to remove the ads (I highly recommend it). The production quality is so high on this game compared to many other games I’ve tried in the past.  I really have no idea how they manage to support the multiplayer so well.  You can invite twitter or facebook friends to battle or find opponents randomly.  The UI is slick, responsive, and I honestly can’t find anything wrong with the presentation.

My in-game name is Keen.  If you want to stomp on me sometime, invite me to a match!

Full post: WarhammerFeeds.com

Hero Academy for iOS

• LEGO Heroica: Castle Fortaan
• The 5 most Bootaefull games of 2011
• Wrath of Heroes Progress
• Wrath of Heroes Beta Update
• First day of SWTOR and plenty more to go
• Observations about EQ going Free and other F2P ‘stuff’
• SWTOR Story Impressions
• My 2012 online gaming schedule
• MMO Names
• Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure … 3DS!

This fellow went on a quest.

We write often about the modern quest being nothing like the old quest design.  Today’s quests are errands, scripted events, and exactitudes that tell you specifically how and where to complete the objective(s).  Old quests were, as the definition right from google says, “A long or arduous search for something.”

I’ll use EverQuest as an example, and I’ll use a very early quest to illustrate my point.  In the Dwarf capital city Kaladim there is a NPC named Vacto Molunel who tells you about his ability to craft armor from the carapaces of scarabs.  Vacto tells the adventurer that his talent is so special that he’s willing to make you some armor if you bring him gold coins and a pristine giant scarab carapace.  That’s the only explanation given, and the adventurer is then sent on their way.

There was no quest log back in those days.  There wasn’t even a minimap.  You were sent out into the world to quest and adventure how you want, where you want, and as a result you complete these quests on your time in your own way.  Turns out it’s not hard to obtain these pristine scarab carapaces from scarabs just outside Kaladim, but players can buy them from others or even skip the quest process entirely and buy the finished product from another player who already completed the quest.  Funny enough, you could even get the carapaces from Unrest, a dungeon that players can go to much later.

It’s the concept of completing quests in your own way that I want to emphasize.  Let players figure out or at least choose how they want to finish a quest.    Quests should send players on a journey, force them to think/problem solve, and provide an adventure worth telling stories about to your friends.

I loved finding a quest and thinking, “Where will I go, who will I meet, and how on earth am I going to pull this off?”

Full post: WarhammerFeeds.com

Quests Should Be An Adventure

• Belsavis and Voss
• MMO Names
• The Sandbox Ecosystem
• SWTOR Story Impressions
• Tier 7 Armor Sets – Round 6
• Promising PvP news for SWTOR in January
• Skyrim Plan
• Drinking from the XP Fire Hose
• MMOs are not given room to grow anymore. Launch perfect or die!
• MMOs are not given room to grow anymore. Launch perfect or die!

In normal mode raids, loot is automatically assigned to a random person that can use the item.  It doesn’t matter if the item is an upgrade or if the person already has said item, it randomly goes to them.  This can not be turned off.

Hardmode and Nightmare modes allow this feature to be turned off, making the loot system identical to WoW.

What the #!$% happened to the loot container system we were told about?  If it was subject to change, I never read anywhere that they weren’t being implemented.  What happened to everyone in attendance getting a bag, and in that bag you could find a piece of loot or some tokens?  What happened to the idea that everyone putting in the time and showing up has something to show for it?  The current system is GARBAGE and I can not believe that we haven’t seen more outrage over a system that randomly passes out loot to people.

Loot containers were one of the reasons I was sold on SWTOR.  I thought the idea was a major step forward in promoting the enjoyment of raids.  Now I’m completely uninterested in raiding and will likely cancel my account if all I have to look forward to are raids that are no better than WoW’s.  What’s the point?

If I sound pissed off it’s because I am. I was looking forward to something this whole time just to learn at the end (when I’m level 50) it isn’t true.  I don’t like feeling deceived.  I don’t like idiotic design decisions.

Can anyone provide me information on the SWTOR raid (operation) loot system?  Do I have my details wrong?

Full post: WarhammerFeeds.com

Seeking info: No Loot Containers in SWTOR?

Incoming search terms:

• Swtor Corellia loot containers

• Modifiable gear (orange named) in SWTOR
• Taking my foot off the SWTOR pedal a bit
• SWTOR thoughts coming soon
• SWTOR Crafting: A new take on themepark crafting
• Choosing a Class
• SWTOR Pre-ordered but now I have two Origin accounts
• Reborn
• SWTOR 2 days later
• SWTOR Beta Impressions
• SWTOR Fears

The world of Amalur impressed me right away.  The setting is vibrant and enchanting.  On the official site are world maps; something about them appeals to my sense of exploration.  Perhaps I like the map because it looks like my old cloth EverQuest map.  I love traditional high-fantasy stuff like Amalur.   Inside this great world are cultures, factions,  and fleshed out races with rich histories.  There is so much substance to the world itself that it’s almost impossible to fit it all into a game.  The richness of information does not feel thrown together or without purpose, unlike many games which feel foundation-less.

Reckoning’s character progression is what I am probably most intrigued by.  I really like this idea of Destinies and molding my character to play the way I want him to play.  If I want to be a Fighter-Mage I can, or even a Jack of All Trades.  The simplicity of Might, Finesse, and Sorcery (like talent trees) within this framework allows for further ability choice.  I hope that Copernicus has the same character progression.  It’s not quite a class system, nor is it a completely free skill system without structure.

Furthest away from any traditional MMO is the combat in Reckoning.  I really like the combat.  It has a certain ‘heft’ to it; a particular ‘oomph’ to the action-feel.  The animations act as a global cooldown, thus limiting ones ability to spam.  Spells, melee, and other actions all seem to flow well.  I was playing a rogue-mage in the demo and I would throw out some lightning and then dash in with my daggers. Charging up attacks makes for some crazy attacks.

The combat functions perfectly without a hotbar (which is why I’ve grown fond of using the Xbox 360 controller), and hotbars are something I would love to see phase out — or at least that standing in place pressing 1, 2, 3.

I wonder if the same engine will be used.  “If only MMOs could look and play like this.”  I say that all the time.  I’m afraid that the world would look less enchanting and the combat would be less dynamic in a MMO, but I don’t think it has to be that way from a DESIGN perspective.  It might be a TECHNOLOGY issue.

Copernicus, if like Reckoning, could be approached as a hybrid MMO: part themepark, part sandbox.  Many themepark elements are there, like questing.  Many sandbox elements are in the game as well, like the non-linearity of exploring the world and going where you want.  Copernicus could easily take the ‘form a party and set off adventuring to find stuff to kill’ approach instead of the themepark method of questing to level and only really grouping at end-game.

To answer my original question, I think Reckoning would make a phenomenal MMORPG.  Reckoning has the world, the lore, traditional action-rpg combat system that I would love to experience in a MMO, and a very unique class system that would function perfectly in a MMO setting.  I hope that someone in charge over at 38 Studios is capable of seeing the vision as clearly as I see it in my mind.  Copernicus can be amazing.

Full post: WarhammerFeeds.com

Would Reckoning make a good MMORPG?

• Would Reckoning make a good MMORPG?
• The Sandbox Ecosystem
• Reckoning Demo Impressions
• SWTOR Crafting: A new take on themepark crafting
• Keen and Graev’s Most Anticipated Games of 2012
• Keen and Graev’s Most Anticipated Games of 2012
• Pathfinder Online
• MMO Worlds should be like Skyrim
• Raid Lockouts Should Be Removed
• SWTOR Beta Impressions

The world of Amalur impressed me right away.  The setting is vibrant and enchanting.  On the official site are world maps; something about them appeals to my sense of exploration.  Perhaps I like the map because it looks like my old cloth EverQuest map.  I love traditional high-fantasy stuff like Amalur.   Inside this great world are cultures, factions,  and fleshed out races with rich histories.  There is so much substance to the world itself that it’s almost impossible to fit it all into a game.  The richness of information does not feel thrown together or without purpose, unlike many games which feel foundation-less.

Reckoning’s character progression is what I am probably most intrigued by.  I really like this idea of Destinies and molding my character to play the way I want him to play.  If I want to be a Fighter-Mage I can, or even a Jack of All Trades.  The simplicity of Might, Finesse, and Sorcery (like talent trees) within this framework allows for further ability choice.  I hope that Copernicus has the same character progression.  It’s not quite a class system, nor is it a completely free skill system without structure.

Furthest away from any traditional MMO is the combat in Reckoning.  I really like the combat.  It has a certain ‘heft’ to it; a particular ‘oomph’ to the action-feel.  The animations act as a global cooldown, thus limiting ones ability to spam.  Spells, melee, and other actions all seem to flow well.  I was playing a rogue-mage in the demo and I would throw out some lightning and then dash in with my daggers. Charging up attacks makes for some crazy attacks.

The combat functions perfectly without a hotbar (which is why I’ve grown fond of using the Xbox 360 controller), and hotbars are something I would love to see phase out — or at least that standing in place pressing 1, 2, 3.

I wonder if the same engine will be used.  “If only MMOs could look and play like this.”  I say that all the time.  I’m afraid that the world would look less enchanting and the combat would be less dynamic in a MMO, but I don’t think it has to be that way from a DESIGN perspective.  It might be a TECHNOLOGY issue.

Copernicus, if like Reckoning, could be approached as a hybrid MMO: part themepark, part sandbox.  Many themepark elements are there, like questing.  Many sandbox elements are in the game as well, like the non-linearity of exploring the world and going where you want.  Copernicus could easily take the ‘form a party and set off adventuring to find stuff to kill’ approach instead of the themepark method of questing to level and only really grouping at end-game.

To answer my original question, I think Reckoning would make a phenomenal MMORPG.  Reckoning has the world, the lore, traditional action-rpg combat system that I would love to experience in a MMO, and a very unique class system that would function perfectly in a MMO setting.  I hope that someone in charge over at 38 Studios is capable of seeing the vision as clearly as I see it in my mind.  Copernicus can be amazing.

Full post: WarhammerFeeds.com

Would Reckoning make a good MMORPG?

• Would Reckoning make a good MMORPG?
• The Sandbox Ecosystem
• Reckoning Demo Impressions
• SWTOR Crafting: A new take on themepark crafting
• Keen and Graev’s Most Anticipated Games of 2012
• Keen and Graev’s Most Anticipated Games of 2012
• Pathfinder Online
• MMO Worlds should be like Skyrim
• Raid Lockouts Should Be Removed
• SWTOR Beta Impressions

I love pointing people towards projects with potential. Today I want to share with you Pathfinder Online, a fantasy sandbox MMO currently in the very early stages of development by Goblinworks.  I could give you guys a lot of the big picture ideas, but their FAQ already does it for me.

How is Pathfinder Online different from World of Warcraft or any other fantasy MMO?

Most fantasy MMOs, including World of Warcraft, are “theme park” games. In theme parks, you’re expected to work your way through a lot of scripted content until you reach the end, and then you play end-game content while you wait for the developers to release more theme park content so you can continue to advance your character.

The other end of the MMO spectrum is the “sandbox” game. In sandboxes, you’re given a lot of tools and opportunities to create persistency in the world, then turned loose to explore, develop, find adventure, and dominate the world as you wish. You and the other players generate the primary content of the game by struggling with each other for resources, honor and territory. There is no “end game” and no level cap.

Pathfinder Online is a sandbox game with theme park elements. You’ll be able to create your own place in the world of Golarion, complete with complex social and economic systems. You’ll form ad-hoc or permanent groups ranging in size from small parties to large settlements and even huge nations, and interact with others in your world in a realistic, unscripted fashion. You’ll also be able to participate in scripted adventures, though, with the outcome of those adventures helping to determine the shape of your world. [Source: Official FAQ]

I often pine for the mechanics of sandbox games.  I talk about worlds where players create social units and fight amongst each other for the upper hand.  The times when death was a bad thing and not a form of quick travel.  I talk about adventures instead of quests, skills instead of levels, persistence instead of scripted temporariness, and what it was like to play games not focused on getting to the end but instead living in the world as if it were real.

Pathfinder Online has several blog entries that take these ideas and expound upon them, describing why they’re important to Goblinworks.  I encourage you to read what they have to say on the various subjects.  I’ve read and agree with a lot of the things they’re saying.

There is a long road ahead for Pathfinder Online.  The picture Goblinworks paints is, to me, an ideologically perfect one.  Whether or not this game even launches, it’s the ideas I support and want you to support as well.

Thanks to @Merketh for tipping me off to the Goblinworks blog entries.

Full post: WarhammerFeeds.com

Pathfinder Online

• The Sandbox Ecosystem
• SWTOR or Skyrim?
• MWO – role warfare, hmmm yum
• Would Reckoning make a good MMORPG?
• Would Reckoning make a good MMORPG?
• My 2012 online gaming schedule
• MMO Worlds should be like Skyrim
• TOR Nexus Updates
• Keen and Graev’s Most Anticipated Games of 2012
• Keen and Graev’s Most Anticipated Games of 2012

Corellia is a planet with some detail!

Bioware seems to have saved some of the best atmosphere and scope for the end.  This planet takes vertical immersion and sense of “woah” to new heights.

There are ships docked, crashed, and being worked on everywhere.  The cityscape atmosphere is slightly annoying at times because it becomes a chore to maneuver around buildings and ledges, but it’s worth it to see the sights.  The quests are also nothing special; more of the same killing droids and Imperials, but the class stories are coming to an end — hopefully a good one!

Moving between questing hubs is done via this tram-like transport.  I love how it acts almost like a tour of the city, zipping in and out of tunnels and maneuvering around buildings and track.

Once we hit 50, we’ll give our impressions of each of the Operations and Flashpoints as well as a look at Ilum (which should be interesting, given today’s news).

Full post: WarhammerFeeds.com

Corellia: Closing in on 50

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Ilum Base

SWTOR Patch 1.1 came out today, and it brought with it a great disturbance in the force — or so the masses would have you think.  Some terribly untrue rumors were spread about Ilum.  Gabe Amantangelo has come out and set the record straight.  My guild members have also tested and clarified that what Gabe said is true.

Let’s dispel some rumors from SWTOR Patch 1.1.

Rumor: Turrets in Ilum “safe” bases give valor and can be farmed.  FALSE!

Rumor: Players farmed in the spawn point gave valor without diminishing returns.  FALSE!

Rumor: NPCs farmed in the safe bases give valor.  FALSE!

Rumor: Imperials outnumber the Republic and spawn camped the crap out of them, thus making for some horrible experiences.  TRUE!

Turns out, there wasn’t some big valor exploit.  Not every Imperial is Battlemaster Valor rank 100. There is believed to have been an exploit with bringing alts to Ilum, but as the community manager said, those separate issues are being looked into.

Gave Amantangelo has also said that they are going to be patching Ilum to make the “safe” bases truly safe, instant killing enemy player.  This will function much the same way that DAOC’s border keep guards worked or how SWTOR’s current Warzones function.

Bioware is warning players to stay out of Ilum until this patch fix can be implemented asap.  Taxi services are being shut down to the location.

The SWTOR Patch 1.1 rumors were pretty crazy.  I have a friend who quit SWTOR over them.  I’m sure others are still unaware and planning to quit.  General chat right now is crazy with people cursing the name of Bioware and saying how PvP is completely ruined with all the Imps being rank 100.  Spread the word, it’s a bunch of malarkey.

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SWTOR Patch 1.1 Rumors Dispelled

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Keen's Xbox360 (left) and PC (right) Reckoning setup.

The Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning demo released today for all platforms!  In a surprise twist, it’s even available for STEAM.  This is an exciting moment for us.  Reckoning is on my personal list of most anticipated games releasing this year and I’m stoked to see the 38 Studios’ first product.

Is Reckoning as good as expected?  What platform should I get it on?  What are some important details worth knowing?  We hope to answer those questions for you by comparing the Xbox 360 and PC versions of the demo.

Before we get into too much detail, let me just say that both of us enjoyed the demo enough to pre-order.  The world really captured our imaginations and the experience as a whole, all things considered, was positive.  It’s nice playing a western RPG with some color!

Read on for our look at the console and PC versions.

Gameplay

Reckoning plays like a  hack and slash action RPG.  Boxes are smacked and broken, yielding loot.  The combat is fast-paced and well represented by videos already available.  The combat feels ‘good’ with the dodge mechanic (direction +Space bar or controller B button) and charging attacks or using spells with quick time events just works.

There are a few oddities, though.  Your shield disappears when you’re not actively blocking.  When not swinging your weapon it is immediately sheathed.  Perhaps this is a style choice?  Keeping with odd choices in style, there is a slowdown that console players will be familiar with in combat — almost a ‘sticky’ feel to the combat giving that slow-mo effect.   I don’t like it, but Graev says he’s used to it and it’s not a big deal.

Combat has some really neat animations, like when you sneak and use daggers to backstab.  There are also neat flourishes performed seamlessly by continually attacking and you can get even more charge-up and different attacks by spending your points to progress your character.

The map opens quickly in the demo to reveal a world that feels about as ‘open’ as some of the larger World of Warcraft zones.  Graev and I both agree that this was the best description we could come up with as a point of reference.  The opposite of this feel would be a game like Fable which drives you on paths blocked by high walls and cliffs, keeping you moving in a direction that some invisible hand wants you to go.

It’s the little things that made me stop and and stare while playing.  I definitely appreciate the attention to detail on the environments.  Characters look and feel powerful.  Armor and weapons are pleasant to look at.  I like the simple complexities of crafting — a system I’m already looking forward to exploring more.

A few things we like:

• The fate system is amazing for character customization.
• Skill/talent trees have lots of options.
• Animations are great.
• The colorful world draws us in to look closely at the pretty details.
• The story is fascinating so far.

A few things we don’t like:

• WHY CAN’T WE PLAY THOSE AWESOME GNOMES?!
• No jumping.  Want to jump.  Want to jump right now.

Console Version: Feels good

PC Version screenshot. Thank you for making a RPG with COLOR!

A few glitches here and there that 38 Studios has already commented saying they are aware.  Other than that, it’s a polished experience.  The first thing Graev told me when I got back from class and hopped on Skype was, “buy me this game.”

Reckoning controls and plays well on the Xbox 360 version.  We both like the control scheme and general ‘feel’ — if you’re a gamer you just know when a game ‘feels right’.

The console version is surprisingly gorgeous.  Compared to the PC version, the console version, in my opinion, looks superior in many ways.  Character faces look smoother and environmental lighting looks more natural, for example.  I haven’t done any tweaking on the PC, but I’m sure the full version will have more options and plenty of .ini tweaks.  That said, on the right you’ll see a screenshot from the PC version which looks quite gorgeous.  I had to turn down my gamma significantly, though.

PC Version: Issues abound

I was really distraught over how bad the PC version felt when I first started playing.  The PC version is a console port, and not a very good one.  The camera is stuck to the mouse, yet your character moves independently of the camera to a certain degree when moving with WASD.  This creates a feeling of having to fight the camera.

The interface is designed for consoles.  The interface is unresponsive on the PC version with a keyboard and mouse and felt very clunky.

Several crashes were experienced, each resulting in a complete loss of progress because of the lack of a save feature in the demo.  Hopefully the release version does not crash to desktop as often.  The PC version also felt less optimized compared to the smoothness of the console version.

Note: Plugging an Xbox 360 wired USB controller into my computer, Reckoning immediately converted to the Xbox 360 control scheme and functioned 100% as the console version does.  Wiggling the mouse, it converted to PC controls and touching the controller buttons reverted back seamlessly.  Using a controller on the PC made the two versions indistinguishable as far as controls and responsiveness are concerned.

Conclusion

Well done 38 Studios and Big Huge Games.  Reckoning is fun, polished, and a game worth picking up (on consoles, at least for now).  We appreciate the very generous demo (45 min in the open-world and a dungeon) because it makes us, as potential customers, feel at ease that you’re willing to share your game with everyone before they buy it.

Reckoning feels like the Fable we were promised.  The world is begging for exploration.  My character is my own to shape and play how I want to enjoy him.  The story has me intrigued.  The gameplay itself is traditional and more importantly true to that good old fashion fun.

We both want to see the PC version cleaned up.  The interface sucks and the controls are wonky.  I read a tweet by @ReckoningGame that said the PC version was a version that received equal love.  Bull crap, guys, and you know it.

The console version is the superior version and the one we would recommend buying.  Yes, we can comfortably say we recommend the game.  If you buy the PC version, use an Xbox 360 controller for a 100% better experience.

I’m not sure which version I’m getting.  I think I need to play through each of the platform demos one more time before making up my mind, but I’m leaning heavily towards 360 and Graev is 100% set on the 360 version.

Amazon (Currently selling the PC download version 15% off!) and Gamestop have the two best pre-order bonuses.  Reckoning is also available on STEAM (TF2 hats), Origin, and Amazon for digital download.

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Reckoning Demo Impressions

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WoW was evolving constantly back then, and surprisingly continues to evolve regularly even today.  There were itemization issues, stat issues, and content issues.  End-game wasn’t clearly defined.  PvP was anything but defined.  It was clear that Blizzard was learning like the rest of us how their future would unfold. I was there for all of it.

I remember playing and having discussions in general chat with the other players about raids.  All we knew at the time was that there was a raid.  Looking back at the 40-man raids of WoW’s launch and all they entailed, then looking at the raid finder experience of today, it’s truly mind blowing how WoW has evolved.  If you played the entire time, you’re even more aware of how many changes the raiding system has gone through and different systems/mechanics/features/implementations the content has seen over the years.

Then there’s the PvP system, which started out … actually it didn’t.  There wasn’t a “PvP system”.   There weren’t battlegrounds, rewards, titles, or gear.  It was just the ability to kill other players in zones like Hillsbrad.  Evolving just like raids, PvP has gone through countless changes over the years.

What am I getting at by giving you this history lesson?

MMO Players have allowed WoW to grow over the years, through the good and the bad — and the horrible.  Why then do we (myself included) have absolutely zero tolerance for new games?  If a game does not release in pristine condition with every subtle nuance figured out, it’s unpolished and not worth our time.  Ironically, most then return to WoW which continues to evolve and implement new ways of fixing something players may even currently hate when they return.

Is it Blizzard’s reputation that we trust?  Do we think “eventually they’ll figure it out” and not worry about the present?

Do we give WoW a free pass since it was the first?  Perhaps nostalgia has allowed WoW the right to be held to different standards.

Maybe we’re just tired of the same old thing.  Every game releases the same, and with each new release the flaws of previous generations agitate us.

I catch myself being unforgiving of young games all the time, and I try to take a step back and think with a relative mind.  The reality is, whether or not I might forgive a few shortcomings in a game, new MMO releases have only one chance to make an impression.   I’m generalizing when I say this, but no one gives second chances.  That’s why I coined the MMO 3-monther phrase.  It’s a real phenomenon, but I think it’s just as much the players fault as it is the developers — and it’s here to stay.

Perhaps the only way to avoid this demand for excellence is change.  The more a new game resembles its predecessors, the less forgiving players become.  If a MMO released which drastically altered how players perceive the act of playing, then maybe the player’s mind will be drawn to other areas, thus giving developers time to actually patch.

Speaking once again in a general sense, both sides of the developer/player relationship have lost sight of the “ever-evolving and changing world” mentality.

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MMOs are not given room to grow anymore. Launch perfect or die!

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Belsavis is a planet with rich atmosphere. See the X-Wing-like aircraft flying in the background?

We’ve nearly completed two planets since our last SWTOR adventure log.  Have things changed since the rather lackluster experiences on Balmorra, Quesh, and Hoth?  Read on!

Belsavis

Belsavis is a prison planet divided into areas of low to high security.  As you progress through the planet as a member of the Republic, you help solve the problems with prisoners, guards and their families, and random sects living on this planet.

The questing itself is decent.  The stories are a little bland, but the convenience of having the quests packed into nice little compartmentalized areas makes things efficient.  The downside to this packing in is a lot of mobs you’ll fight just to move around.

We both enjoyed this planet’s atmosphere.  As you can see in the screenshot I took (right), it’s a mix of flora and fauna with some weird mushrooms and alien-looking plants.  There’s even a hint of snow on the mountains.  It’s a tranquil place for being a prison.  Not a bad place to vacation.

Voss

Voss reminds me of Azshara and Westfall with its golden plains of grass and rocky mountains.  I love the atmosphere here.

The areas of this planet are so open compared to most other planets.  Getting around is easy.  There are plenty of mobs and questing is efficient here too, but you can get around the mobs you don’t want to fight with little effort.

Where Voss falls short is in the story.  It’s a bizarre mix of mystic tribal nonsense and a plight I could not care less about.  *spacebar*

The monsters are neat, though.  Part of this one area we were in was fortified by this militaristic race and the questing there was great exp.  In one of the pictures above you can see one particular monster that was fun to fight in one of my class quests.

In general, things have improved drastically over the last two planets and will hopefully stay that way until 50.  We’re close to level 47 which means we’ll be leaving Voss soon.  Hopefully we’ll even have some commentary on the new patch coming Tuesday, which should update the open-world PvP on Illum.  Stay tuned!

Full post: WarhammerFeeds.com

Belsavis and Voss

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We all have that perfect game we want.  I spend the better part of every day thinking about what I want in a game, how I would make one if I were in charge, and how I can improve whatever game I’m currently playing.  Then a week later I change my mind, or even worse I get what I wanted and realize it’s not what I wanted in reality at all.  We don’t know what we want.

I’m going to spend more time thinking about what the player really needs, or what the game’s design needs in order for the entire game to function better.  I’m hoping to spend 2012 gaining further insight into how we can better the games coming out of this industry.

The other side is the often clueless developer, trying to think outside the box.  Innovating for the sake of innovating without thought to what actually works, often completely unaware, like the player, of what the player really needs or what truly works on a functional level.

I think it’s interesting to analyze the industry earlier in its life.  When the first online multiplayer RPG’s came out, it felt like they were actually fulfilling a need.  Players had been using text and imagination or pens, paper, and figures to simulate these experiences.  Game developers created a visual realization of the classic RPG.  That’s how we got games like Ultima Online, Neverwinter Nights, Meridian 59, and The Realm.  Then came along the recognition that these 2D/isometric environments could become full 3D experiences, and EverQuest created a fully realized 3D environment, thus fulfilling something the player needed.

Everyone, players and developers, can really benefit if the general way of thinking shifts back to fulfilling what is functional, fun, and truly needed.

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What the player really needs

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Anyone else notice that, in the entire galaxy, no water passes your knees?  Imagine the disease from that much standing water.  Did the developers not want to code swimming?  What’s the deal with that?

We’re both bothered by the male sitting animation.  Not very Jedi, at least.

Getting stuck sucks.  It’s always frustrating to be cruising along on your speeder and suddenly being stuck on a pixel of geometry — sometimes out in the open!  Other times you’re on some ledge and slide off to be stuck behind rocks or trees.  Oh well, just use /stuck, right?  Sure, if you want to suffer DEATH PENALTIES!  Okay, so it’s not that big of a deal.  You lose some armor durability.  SWTOR actually has a fairly decent /stuck which bumps you away from where you’re stuck.  It’s just weird to punish players for something out of their control.

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A few months back I gave my impressions of Skylanders and talked about why I liked it so much. Over the holiday break I decided to pick up the 3DS version of the game, despite still working through the 360 version along with a sizeable backlog of other games. I passed over this one initially when researching which version of Skylanders to get, but knew I would come back for it eventually and I’m really glad I did.

First off I should mention that the 3DS version of Skylanders is almost completely different from its console counterpart. The story isn’t the same and the gameplay is VERY different. The console version of Skylanders is more akin to a hack and slash RPG like Marvel Ultimate Alliance, whereas the 3DS game is an action platformer and is reminiscent of the way Crash Bandicoot plays in a moving forward perspective.  In the majority of the games levels you seem to travel forward, fighting monsters, collecting stuff, platforming, etc. Maybe it’s nothing like Crash Bandicoot but it’s the first thought that crossed my mind.

The combat and movement in Skylanders 3DS  is actually something I prefer over the console version. Along with being able to actually jump, there is a sprint button and two attack buttons, which let you pull off some neat moves and attacks. Your Skylander even unlocks more abilities as he levels up. I’m not terribly far into the game yet, but from what I’ve seen there doesn’t seem to be any branching-off specialization path for your Skylanders, unlike the console version. That kind of bummed me out as it was one of my favorite surprises in the console version. One thing that I do like is how unique each character feels. I tried out maybe 10 or so of my figures and each one seemed to play a little different and each had its own unique abilities. There didn’t seem to be any rehashing.

Speaking of figures, any Skylander you already own would work with the 3DS version. They actually work across all versions, as I probably mentioned in my original post. I was actually pleasantly surprised when I scanned in my favorite figure and he came over at the correct level and wearing the same hat I put on him in the Xbox version. I was also able to use my adventure pack figures to bring in new levels to game. I don’t know about any body else, but I just really dig how these toys work cross platform like that. It’s very cool.

Probably the only real negative to the game is the lack of any kind of multiplayer. There is no Vs mode or Co-op mode, which the console version has. This might be a deal-breaker for some people, as the multiplayer aspect was a key feature. This is where the cross platform ability of the figures comes in nice. You could always take your characters to a friend’s house that has the console version.

So is this really the definitive Skylanders game?  It’s a great addition to the Skylanders experience, but  if you want a more rounded game with co-op, multiplayer, and more diverse character customization,  I would go with the console version.  That said, I find the 3DS version to be superior in a few ways (combat and platforming are better on the 3DS) and it happens to be one of the better experiences you can currently get on the 3DS system. The graphics are fantastic, the action is great, lots of polish, blah blah blah.

I want them to release more figures. Go buy it.

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Why do raid lockouts exist?  To stop a majority of players from reaching the defined ‘end’ of the game where there is no more content (or gear to grind), or at least prolong the process.

It’s a flaw in the themepark gear-grind model, and I don’t know yet if a solution even exists or is even warranted.

Step  1: Remove lockouts.  Let players actually play the game instead of forcing them to wait to play.  That much seems right.

[Let's come up with some solutions in the comments.  Brainstorm a little.  I'm certain there's a solution and that we're not forced to give up because this is purely a flaw of the themepark tiered progressions/gear-grind design.]

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