Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

Category: Gaming Page 42 of 44

Thoughts and ponderings about PC and consoling gaming.

The MMO Times: Back For Blizzcon

By

On October 23, 2011

In Gaming, MMO Times, MMORPG

Issue 18

Hello Gamers!! I didn’t think anyone still read these posts or still received the emails but I learned recently that some of you still do and do enjoy them. So, back by popular demand, is The MMO Times and what a better way to come back then with the cool stuff from Blizzcon. Enjoy!

Mists of Pandaria Trailer

I am only providing this video through the blog, obviously I can’t embed a video into an e-mail.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyeZ8khSEC0[/youtube]

Mists of Pandaria Recap

MMO-Champion has the best recap of Blizzcon 2011 including videos and and links to the all of the details around the new World of Warcraft expansion, Mists of Pandaria. I will be honest, I’m not a fan of the name but some of the new features do have me a bit geeked out. So check out the link and see what you think (I also provided the Massively link, they have some good stuff too).
MMO-Champion article
Massively article

STO Creates Difficulty Modes

As all of you may know by now, Star Trek Online has gone Free-2-Play. It seems they are making more changes to their Strategic Task Forces by creating two difficulty modes, Normal and Elite. You can read more about it at Massively.
Massively article

Transformers Universe Q&A Recap

Jagex held a Q&A session at the New York Comic Con this year for the upcoming Transformers Universe. There were quite a few things discussed about it so check out the Massively article to read more about it. I haven’t looked too much into this MMO yet but I am mildly interested so I might try to see if I can get into a beta or something.
Massively article

A Look At SWTOR Editions

MMOMFG has a pretty good article that discusses the various editions that you can pre-order for SWTOR. There are three editions available, Digital Deluxe, Collector’s Edition (which I have already pre-ordered) and the Standard Edition. I thought a long time about just getting the Standard Edition but the more I played the beta the more I enjoyed the game and decided that, while pricey, I enjoyed the game enough to warrant paying the cost.
MMOMFG article

SWTOR Flashpoints & Warzones

In The Old Republic, Flashpoints are Instances and Warzones are PvP Battlegrounds and ars technica has an article with some decent details on these features. They also have the Signs of War trailer. I haven’t tried the Warzones yet, but I have done some Flashpoints and they are pretty fun and fit well with the storyline (though they haven’t integrated class storylines but I hope they plan on doing that).
ars technica article

I also provide The MMO Times in an e-mail. If you are interested in receiving the e-mail version please subscribe

Bioware Has Blizzard Scared

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On October 23, 2011

In Gaming, SWTOR, World of Warcraft

So I have been watching Blizzcon to see all the new things Blizzard is introducing with their various gaming franchises. I think the biggest news from Blizzcon this year is the concept of the World of Warcraft Annual Pass where anyone who commits to keeping WoW for a year will receive Diablo 3 for free and a guaranteed entry into the Mists of Pandaria beta.

I thought that was a pretty bold move by Blizzard and then it occurred to me, I think this is a tactic to combat the release of Star Wars. I think Blizzard is actually scared about losing players to Star Wars. So much so that they want players to commit to playing their game for a year, and if you do, they will let you play their other game for free. I know that quite a few of the Blizzard employees are Star Wars fans, they have made many comments during other Blizzcons and there is the various Star Wars references in the game (ex: an NPC named Landoo). So I know they have been following the development of SWTOR just as much as the rest of us have been following (obsessively?) it.

I don’t know if any of you watched the in-depth coverage of Mists of Pandaria but some of the Monk abilities seem to have a Star Wars influence. The Monks have a Holy Power-like resource called Dark/Light Force and the Death Knights are getting a new ability called Asphyxiate. Asphyxiate is a new silence ability where the Death Knight chokes the target while lifting them in the air … seems blatantly obvious.

Perhaps Blizzard is trying to increase the Star Wars influence in the game to keep players from going to SWTOR. I’m sure that’s just wild conjecture but its hard to deny suspicion when some of these mechanics are “lovingly” ripped off from Star Wars.

Despite their best efforts, World of Warcraft will never be Star Wars. I’m sorry Bilzzard but no matter how close a Gamorrean is to an Orc, the two will never be the same. If Star Wars fans want to play SWTOR, they will play SWTOR regardless of the fact that a Death Knight can do a Force Choke.

Cheers!

SWTOR: Don’t Think I’m a Clone Now

By

On October 20, 2011

In Gaming, SWTOR

I have been following along all the reviews of SWTOR as it makes its circuit to all of the gaming and geek conventions. Knowing what I know from being in the beta it’s fun to see what speculation and theories people craft from the morsels of details they glean from short demos and time boxed test drives.

I really don’t get some of these impressions and comments that are suppose to be taken in the context of “negative reviews”. Some are claiming the story is poor. How can one make that assertion from a short test drive. I have been playing the beta since April. I have tried nearly every class and a couple classes I have played through their starting zone a couple of times. I can tell you that the story is NOT weak! Don’t believe these half wit neophytes that know nothing about the lore. The character stories for all the classes are rich and engaging. All the quests and the dialog is extremely well written. Granted there are some dull quests, but the dulls ones are the ones not linked to the story, they are just XP fodder.

Don’t believe the critics that say the story is weak, it’s simply not true!

Ok, now that I have that out of my system, let’s talk about the thing I keep seeing more and more as a negative mark against SWTOR. Some critics are calling it a WoW clone.

Now I’m not saying it is a WoW clone, but for the sake of argument let’s say they’re right … But why is that a bad thing?? WoW is six years old and still has over 10 million subscribers. If you are going to model yourself off of something, why not pick the one with the best results? I understand wanting to differentiate yourself but that may now always guarantee great success. I mean, look at all the other MMOs released recently where that approach has worked …

So here is my reason why it’s not a WoW clone. Yes, you start at 1 and level, chronologically, up to 50 by picking up a quest and completing a quest. Yes, you get talent trees and you have gathering and crafting professions. That’s about all they have in common and in my opinion (with the possible exception of talent trees) those similarities exist because they are basic MMO mechanics. By the way, the fact that you have class specific quests throughout the leveling experience differentiates this game enough from the questing mechanic in WoW.

Professions barely qualifies because the process of crafting is very different in SWTOR. The work is done while you are questing. You don’t have to stand at a forge for 15 minutes with 25 cloth bracers queued up. You put your companion to the task and you go out and quest some more. Also, I think the third type of profession, mission, is quite interesting and can be very useful for leveling and increasing your dark/light side points.

Ok, so time to end this rant. SWTOR is not a clone of WoW. It shares a few basic mechanics but it has plenty of its own “special modifications” to make it unique.

Cheers!

My Bewilderment Leaves Me Speechless

By

On June 16, 2011

In Gaming, General Cogitation

I’m a gamer, most of you already know that. I get just as excited hearing about games that I don’t or won’t play as I do about the games that I have been playing for years. As much as I can’t wait to read the latest headline about the next MMO, there does come a point where I want so smack some people for their stupid ideas.

I mean, not every idea for an MMO is inane but some are down right ridiculous. I chuckled when I heard about Lego Universe and I even got into the beta for it. It was cute, it brought back very fond childhood memories but definitely not something I would play long term. The challenge for many software companies was to dethrone the king, World of Warcraft. I think, however, that companies are taking the MMO thing a little to far. It has become an obnoxious craze.

Here is some words of advice to those aspiring game manufacturers: NOT EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE AN MMO!!!!!!!!!

When I heard about Transformers Universe I wasn’t too surprised but I did roll my eyes a bit. Then, today, two unveilings had me clawing my head and muttering like an escaped mental patient: Pottermore, a Harry Potter MMO, and Family Guy Online. Now I do like Harry Potter and I love Family Guy but either one of those as an MMO is absolutely absurd! Will somebody please explain to me why someone thought it was a good idea to make an MMO based off of these two pieces of pop culture. It can’t be because they think it will generate ungodly revenue because not everything made into an MMO is a good idea.

Pardon me while I quote Garfield (the next likely candidate to be made into am MMO) but these people need to be dragged into the street and shot!

/endsoapbox

**This post written and published from my iPad**

The MMO Times: Post-E3 Edition

By

On June 15, 2011

In MMO Times, MMORPG

Issue 17

Welcome back gamers to another issue of MMO Times, I hope all of you are still around and reading. Now that all the E3 excitement is over we are back to playing the waiting game for patches, release dates and beta tests. Enjoy gamers!

Dragon Nest Closed Beta Launching
Nexon’s Dragon Nest MMO launched a closed beta on June 15th. It will be a free-to-play and is slated to be released later this year. Check out the Massively and the game website article for more details about the game and signing up for the beta.
Article Link(s): Massively, Dragon Nest Website

Massively SWTOR Impressions
Ok, so one more piece of SWTOR information from E3. This article has the impressions from a few members of Massively’s gifted bloggers. I feel these guys were pretty honest and overall I think SWTOR received pretty good reviews considering its still in a closed beta.
Article Link(s): Massively

Transformers Universe
Yes, its a Transformers MMO and are you really that surprised? I’m sure World of Smurfz is just around the corner. Jagex brought this revelation to BotCon this year complete with a teaser trailer and concept art. Just enough to get all the Transformers fans hot and bothered. The website does have a sign up for the beta.
Article Link(s): Massively, Transformers Universe Website

Steam Offering F2P MMOs
I thought this was really interesting. Steam is now offering free to download and free to play MMOs such as Global Agenda, Forsaken World and Spiral Knights. They are also offering incentives in the form of free in-game items. Massively has the article.
Article Link(s): Massively

WoW-Like MMO … for iOS?
Yes iPad users, GameLoft has an MMO called Order & Chaos that is playable on iOS devices. The article link I provided is about how this MMO, which sells for $6.99 in the App Store, has made over $1 Million in less then a month. I’m very tempted to download this app for my iPad.
Article Link(s): Digital Trends

I also provide The MMO Times in an e-mail. If you are interested in receiving the e-mail version please subscribe

SWTOR: Sith Warrior

By

On June 15, 2011

In MMORPG, SWTOR

For my second round of beta testing I decided I would try out the Dark Side and play the equivalent of my valiant Jedi Knight, the Sith Warrior.

As I said in a previous post, I have always been a fan of the Jedi and their upstanding values and morals, and I am still dda fan of the Jedi. Bioware has turned me to the dark side, however. The Sith Warrior class is loads of fun and there is just something about being bad. I love the Sith Warrior companion, one of my favorite Star Wars races.

You start out as an acolyte on Korriban, home of the Sith. You are training to become the next apprentice, however there is competition and there can be only one chosen.

The advanced classes for the Sith Warrior is the Juggernaut and the Marauder. The Juggernaut is the tanking class and the Marauder is the DPS class. For the purposes of the beta I selected the Marauder class because duel wielding lightsabers is just too awesome. I will most likely choose tank when the game goes live.

I have stopped playing my Sith Warrior at my wife’s suggestion. Since this is the class I will most likely be playing as my main when the game launches I want to reduce the redundancy.

 

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