Onlife - a comical look at MMOs

*Akasha* · August 08, 2004, 09:07 AM

My name is Miguel Lopez, and I've been tricked by GameSpy into covering MMOs for the site. Why do I feel like I'm putting myself in front of a firing squad? I have no need to fear you guys -- you're basically my kin. Actually, that's not true. I have much reason to phear. The MMO community is probably the most vocal, devoted, and invested group of gamers the world has ever seen. Anyone writing a regular, opinionated column is sure to get hated on, at the very least, and very likely straight-up hunted and quartered. In the virtual sense, anyway. In other words, that person must be a fool.

But here I am. I do it because I love you, and I love these games. That said, I'm only one man, and as you know, to err is human. I fully expect that if I'm ever full of crap in this column, you'll call me on it. Likewise, if you think I missed something pertinent, you'll point it out to me. We're in this together. I'm like Sauron, and you guys are the Nazgul -- my eyes and arms about the world. A world that is too large for any of us. Welcome to Onlife #1, the first of a bi-weekly foray into this twisted world. I beg of you to have mercy on me.

D&D Online

Wow, it's really hard to not spill the beans on this one. Here's the short of it: earlier this week, I went out to Turbine to check out this game for an upcoming feature we're doing, and I have to say, it's not what you're expecting. At all. It hasn't been in development for all that long, but already, the combat system much more fleshed out--not to mention straight-up fun--than pretty much any MMO I've ever seen. Big words, I know, but it's the truth. Maybe it's due to the fact that Turbine has been making these kinds of games for a minute, or maybe the combat designers just struck gold. Whatever the reason, fighting in D&D Online is the business, and sorry, but you're going to have to wait till August 5th before you get anything more out of me.

Star Wars Galaxies

On the other end of the spectrum, in regards to combat, is Star Wars Galaxies. It's no secret that many of the game's most devout players have considered the game's combat system to be tragically b0rked. The basic gist: many feel that melee professions have an unfair advantage, that certain professions' major abilities haven't been fully fleshed-out for combat, and that the faction-versus-faction elements in the game aren't pronounced enough. Since January, SOE has promised a complete overhaul of the combat system, as well as a genuine implementation of the Alliance-versus-Empire dynamics.

Enter Jump to Lightspeed. Earlier this week, SOE announced on the official SWG boards that, rather than devote its full resources to implement the promised changes, it's going to instead focus much of the team on completing the upcoming expansion. You can imagine what happened next: uproar and outrage, of the most vocal sort. Veterans feel ripped off, as if their patience has been betrayed, for the purpose of currying the favor of those yet-to-subscribe. No doubt, it's a timeless drama in the area of ever-evolving, persistent-world games.

What's my take? Well, I guess I'm a little biased. I've played Jump to Lightspeed, and I personally think it's the bees-knees. I never got too into Galaxies, but the more I learn about the expansion, the more motivated I am to start up again, and get up to speed. Not that I don't feel for the gripes of the community's most vocal sector -- I totally do. But screw it, I'm being selfish. I want spaceships, quick and fast. Many of y'all are going to hate me for this, but it's because I love you that I'm honest like this. In any case, we're gonna follow this one to its bitter end -- hopefully, we'll have some words from the team on it very soon.

Final Fantasy XI

Many of you probably want to marry your FFXI characters. Unfortunately, you're going to have to settle for marrying someone else's. Yeah, this isn't exactly breaking news, but as of June 4, the wedding system was fully implemented into FFXI, and I, for one, haven't seen nearly as many Galka/Tarutaru pairings as I'd like. Freaky.

Anyway, just like in real life, summer is hitting Vana'diel, and you know what that means: another seasonal event. This one is called Summerfest, and on top of changing the way the sky looks in certain zones, word on the street is that there will be some kind of goldfish-catching event. Somewhat resembling the egg-collecting event they had for Easter, you'll be able to trade the goldfish you catch for different bits of equipment. This is all hearsay, mind you, and stuff inferred from reading dumped item logs, so don't go and crucify me if it doesn't turn out to be true.

But I know you guys want me to talk on some confirmed stuff, so here you go: a bunch of new monsters have been revealed for the upcoming Chains of Promathia expansions, many of which actually use new models! I crap you not. Do yourself a solid, and peep out the recently revealed menagerie.

Chains of Promathia is definitely looking more and more worthwhile by the minute, but you know I ain't gonna mince words. We need some info on new jobs, and we need it now. What's up with a Blue Mage? What's up with a Magic Knight? What's up with a Time Mage? Squeenix isn't gonna leave us hanging, is it?

Matrix Online

The closed beta officially starts today, so we're psyched to finally be able to play this one ourselves. While we wish we could post some initial impressions for you, we've been assured that if we release any unapproved information, they'll send flying, tentacled robots to our houses to tear the flesh from our bones. That said, our own Allen Rausch is currently attending a demo event for the newly launched program, so hopefully he'll be cleared to post an update for y'all very soon. In the meantime, just go ahead and ogle the Guided Tours we ran earlier this month.

EverQuest II

OK, not much to report here, apart from the fact that the beta is still closed, so those of us playing it would get battered and flayed if we were to report anything. But as a consolation prize, feel free to look at the new race info SOE has posted on the game's official site. Specifically, you get to look at pictures of Humans, Dark Elves, and Half-Elves, as well as read about their stats, starting cities, and all that. Enjoy the Dark Elves' perpetual sneers. Enjoy the Humans' vacant gazes. Enjoy the Half Elves' tragic sunburns. Also, enjoy the scads of coverage we've already put together -- our zone tours, specifically, are super nice.

Anyhoot, that does it for this first installment. It was fun writing it, and I imagine it will continue being so. For those of you about to fire off an angry letter at me, I can assure that I have one of the thickest hides in the galaxy, so do your worst. But please, make it constructive. That's all I ask. Also, if you have anything in mind that you'd like for me dig around for, don't hesitate to let me know. I'm in it for you guys, after all.

Article Source : Gamespy

*Akasha* · August 08, 2004, 09:09 AM

[size=18px]Onlife #2[/size]

Let me jump this one off with a small, heartfelt thank you. For what, you ask? For not verbally flaying me immediately following Onlife's maiden voyage. Sure, there were a couple of nasty e-mails, but I only came close to crying once. To put it in perspective, I had prebooked six weeks of therapy starting the week after my column was set to post. Thanks again, guys.

So let's get right to it. There's been much ado in the world of MMO's these past couple of weeks, including one bit of news that totally came out of left field. But we'll get to that in due time. We're gonna set this off properly, with a big fat EQ2 update, courtesy of our man Fargo. He got to visit SOE in sunny San Diego to get a fresh look at the game. But before we even get to that, I'm gonna put a feedback link here. It's your duty and obligation to write to me if you think I'm wrong/misinformed/lying about something. If you don't call me on it, after all, who will? Also, if there's something you want me to cover, or if you have a hot tip pertinent to this stuff, drop me a line. I love hearing from you guys. Here's the link. Use it.

Also, let me know what you thought of our D&D Online coverage. We're really proud to be able to break this one, and it looks like it'll shape up into something pretty cool.

EverQuest 2

Anyway, without further delay, here's Fargo's report:

So I got to spend a few hours with it on Friday. It's really coming together: developers estimate it's around 70% done, meaning that most of the game's systems and interfaces are in place. At this point, they're just fleshing out tons and tons of content. The world is even more lively, now. NPCs that used to wander mutely around now have cool things to say, and lots more quests are in place. Crafting is now in the game, so you can go to a forge and work raw materials into finished products -- it's not quite finalized, but it's in the game so that the developers can seriously playtest it.

There is now a (very small) non-internal beta running. I'd say maybe a couple hundred people. They haven't announced when they're going to open it up further. Tons of low-level content is in; the high-level stuff is still being tweaked, and they're waiting until the classes are balanced and more final before they can really finish up those areas.

They also recently re-did some of the graphics for the people in the game. People often complained how the characters looked kinda "plasticky" in screenshots -- no more. Skin textures on the humans and elves are much more realistic now. Constant little tweaks like that are just making the game look superb.

The plasticity remedy sounds like a good thing. For a while there, it looked like those models were coated in neon paint. I, for one, am pretty eager to get on that beta. The open-endedness of the early-game kind of reminds me of Lineage 2, but with more options, and I can definitely get into that. Ah, this reminds me. Check out this news story right here. Crazy thing, isn't it? For those too lazy to click, SOE is teaming up with select online retailers to offer pre-buyers a "starter kit," which will include, among other things, a stripped-down version of the game's character creation tool. You'll also get a pair of Journeyman's Boots for your trouble, the original EQ's version of which our own Bryn camped 17 hours for. How's that for a freebie? Am I the only one that thinks this is kind of sketchy?

Keep your dial locked, in any event, 'cause we have some big-time coverage on EQ2 coming next week. What, you think Fargo was out there for fun?

Saga of Ryzom

This one just keeps looking cooler and cooler. I got to sit in on a pretty long demo of it last week, and it looks like the team of Nevrax is definitely shooting for something interesting. What strikes me the most is the character system. Like a few other games, it totally eschews the concept of levels. Rather, your character's abilities gradually increase as it uses certain skills. Using a one-handed melee weapon, for instance, will increase the appropriate skill.

Things get crazier when it comes to magic. You know how in some games, there will be two spells of approximately the same level of power, but with mildly differing attributes? For instance, a pair of fire spells that do just about same amount of damage, but one takes a few microseconds longer to cast? You end up having to buy them both, for completeness' sake, and it's a total waste. The way Ryzom buries that ridiculous concept is by allowing you to, in a sense, design your own spells. Let's say you want to create a ranged fire spell. Depending on what you set its range, damage, and casting time values to be, it'll cost more energy to cast. And you can tweak these any time you want. How cool is that? From what I gather, you can even have multiple versions of spells prepared, to have on hand in a variety of situations. This is the type of customization that I get real excited about, and it's great to see it being implemented into such a cool-looking game.

Guild Wars

I'll briefly touch on this once, since we have a major bit of coverage planned for it in the near future. Don't want to scoop myself, you know? Anyway, I've been messing with it a little bit, and it looks like crazy fun. It's definitely shaping up to be more substantial than I had expected to be. There's a neat, loose character system in place that reminds me of a bit of Final Fantasy XI's, with it's whole primary- and secondary-class thing. While I wonder how effective some of those combos will be (Monk/Ranger, anyone), the prospect of so many different skills intermingling in all these interesting ways is pretty enticing.

Given that the team is comprised of ex-Blizzard developers (specifically, heads who worked on StarCraft and battle.net), it should come as no surprise that the game is heavily influenced by Diablo. One half of it is, anyway. The WarCraft font that the client currently uses doesn't help, either. In any case, the cooperative modes play just like you would expect a 3D Diablo would; it's fast, it's loose, and you'll get your *** handed to you, if you aren't mindful of what your teammates are doing. One of the cooler elements is how you can instantly teleport to a civilized area (called an outpost) if your friends happen to be gathered there. No walking involved. Some cool, subtle touches were added to the multiplayer game, but for any info on those, you'll have to wait for our preview, in the not-too-distant future. But rest assured: it's looking hot.

Shenmue Online

OK, this one definitely falls into the "eh?" category. If you've played any of the games on which it's based, on either Dreamcast or Xbox, you're probably thinking the same thing. Basically, it's a huge, open-ended, single-player adventure game. The story revolves a young Japanese man who's trying investigate the murder of his father. Along the way, he fights a little bit, plays a lot of Sega arcade games, and talks to a whole lot of people. It was created by legendary Sega designer Yu Suzuki (Virtua Fighter, Outrun), and its story was originally meant to encompass 16 chapters. It got as far as game two.

Anyway, an online version of the game is being planned in conjunction with Sega by a Korean company named JC Entertainment. It's set to release in 2005 in Korea and China, and as of yet, there are no plans for a you.S. release. The term "action MMORPG" is being thrown around in reference to it, but to be honest, I'm finding anything related to this project hard to envision. If you've played either Shenmue, you know what I'm talking about. Given how mundane some of the activities in that game were (operating a forklift, feeding a stray cat -- things like this), it's hard to imagine how bringing the experience online would make it anything less than catatonia-inducing. What, will there be crowds of players camping a street corner for the paperboy to spawn, so they can check the day's weather report?

My hunch is that they're gonna take the world in which the game is set, and go off on a completely unrelated tangent. Then, they'll stick the Shenmue label on it, and peddle it to the legions of starving fans (all 138 of you) for a premium.

Uh-oh, Fargo wants to speak on the topic:

"C'mon it'll rock. Thousands of kung-fu badasses picking fights over who will feed the kitten? It'll be like The Matrix meets Tamagotchi."

Yeah man, my thoughts exactly. If that doesn't make your run reflex kick in, I don't know what will.

That's all I got, peoples. Again, if I've missed something huge, or if you want me to focus on anything in specific next time around, don't hesitate to use this link. I'm always in the market for ideas, 'cause it's always better if something thinks for you, right?

Article Source : Gamespy

boscolio · August 08, 2004, 10:45 AM

he covers EQ2 twice and doesn't even mention WoW.

jerk. :x

*Akasha* · August 08, 2004, 09:32 PM

Yeah I noticed that... and I mean come on, if you know about online gaming you HAVE to know about WoW.... ;)

*Akasha* · August 22, 2004, 10:55 PM

[size=18px]Onlife #3 [/size]

I'll get right to it: it's been a very eventful week (isn't it always?), and I'm almost literally out the door to attend this year's Gen Con gaming expo in scenic, and exciting, Indianapolis. I've never been to the Midwest, mind you, so I have no idea what to expect. This will also be my first Gen Con, and though I have a general idea as to what to expect, I'm sure my preconceptions can only touch on the reality. I'm envisioning miles upon miles of folding tables with DM screens propped on them, veritable mountains of aluminum soda cans, and several small countries' net worth of Magic cards changing hands. This is probably only the beginning. In any case, I'm excited as to what I'll see, who I'll get to talk to, and just how many middle-aged men in halfling costumes I'll get to photograph. Wish me luck, especially in accomplishing the latter.

Anyway, on to this MMORPG stuff. Two of the biggest names on the scene have a whole lot going on this week, one of which is yet to be released. That's never stopped anything from being buzzworthy, though, so I'll lead off with that. Before I get to that, let me implore you, as always, to send me any comments, concerns, or criticisms you have about this column. This is a by-the-people, for-the-people production, so do your part. Many of you have asked me to write about Horizons, and trust me, I'm on it. I'm just trying to get up to speed on the (very sticky) matter, as I've never played the game and haven't had a whole lot of time to delve into its community. In fact, if you want to school me on the subject, feel free to do so. I give credit where it's due, and this issue seems like it needs someone close to it to aid in its unraveling.

[size=18px]World of WarCraft [/size]

So the latest patch has brought to the beta two of the features that y'all have been clamoring for the most: the implementation of rogue and priest talents, and the inclusion of the hunter class. There's also been an increase to the level cap (it's now at 55), and a couple of new transportation options have been added -- boats and goblin zeppelins. Of foremost import to you guys is most likely the hunter class.

From here (mind you, I'm yet roll one up), it seems like a substantial pet class, with secondary damage-dealing capabilities, by means of ranged weapons. The ability to train multiple pets is an interesting one, but I'm curious as to how much of a pain it will be to keep their "happiness" rating high enough for them to be effective. I'm kind of liking how one acquires pet abilities -- basically, if you tame a monster, you're able to add its abilities to your general repertoire, which you can teach your other pets -- and it seems like roaming around the world "collecting" new ones will be a cool solo pursuit. The pulling-related skills seem cool, too, though I wonder how exactly something like "Eagle Eye" (which allows you to zoom your view, in order to spot distant targets) will be implemented. Overall, it seems like a cool, versatile, and fun-to-play class. I'm looking forward to giving it a whirl. If any of you out there have managed to make any headway into the profession, let me know how you're feeling it.
[size=18px]
Continue Reading....[/size] There is 3 pages worth.

August 08, 2004, 10:45 AM	#3 (permalink)
boscolio Member Character Info boscolio 60 Gnome Warlock Azgalor US PvP Guild: Dark Echo Talent Spec: 43/7/11	Onlife - a comical look at MMOs he covers EQ2 twice and doesn't even mention WoW. jerk. :x

August 08, 2004, 09:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
Akasha	Onlife - a comical look at MMOs My name is Miguel Lopez, and I've been tricked by GameSpy into covering MMOs for the site. Why do I feel like I'm putting myself in front of a firing squad? I have no need to fear you guys -- you're basically my kin. Actually, that's not true. I have much reason to phear. The MMO community is probably the most vocal, devoted, and invested group of gamers the world has ever seen. Anyone writing a regular, opinionated column is sure to get hated on, at the very least, and very likely straight-up hunted and quartered. In the virtual sense, anyway. In other words, that person must be a fool. But here I am. I do it because I love you, and I love these games. That said, I'm only one man, and as you know, to err is human. I fully expect that if I'm ever full of crap in this column, you'll call me on it. Likewise, if you think I missed something pertinent, you'll point it out to me. We're in this together. I'm like Sauron, and you guys are the Nazgul -- my eyes and arms about the world. A world that is too large for any of us. Welcome to Onlife #1, the first of a bi-weekly foray into this twisted world. I beg of you to have mercy on me. D&D Online Wow, it's really hard to not spill the beans on this one. Here's the short of it: earlier this week, I went out to Turbine to check out this game for an upcoming feature we're doing, and I have to say, it's not what you're expecting. At all. It hasn't been in development for all that long, but already, the combat system much more fleshed out--not to mention straight-up fun--than pretty much any MMO I've ever seen. Big words, I know, but it's the truth. Maybe it's due to the fact that Turbine has been making these kinds of games for a minute, or maybe the combat designers just struck gold. Whatever the reason, fighting in D&D Online is the business, and sorry, but you're going to have to wait till August 5th before you get anything more out of me. Star Wars Galaxies On the other end of the spectrum, in regards to combat, is Star Wars Galaxies. It's no secret that many of the game's most devout players have considered the game's combat system to be tragically b0rked. The basic gist: many feel that melee professions have an unfair advantage, that certain professions' major abilities haven't been fully fleshed-out for combat, and that the faction-versus-faction elements in the game aren't pronounced enough. Since January, SOE has promised a complete overhaul of the combat system, as well as a genuine implementation of the Alliance-versus-Empire dynamics. Enter Jump to Lightspeed. Earlier this week, SOE announced on the official SWG boards that, rather than devote its full resources to implement the promised changes, it's going to instead focus much of the team on completing the upcoming expansion. You can imagine what happened next: uproar and outrage, of the most vocal sort. Veterans feel ripped off, as if their patience has been betrayed, for the purpose of currying the favor of those yet-to-subscribe. No doubt, it's a timeless drama in the area of ever-evolving, persistent-world games. What's my take? Well, I guess I'm a little biased. I've played Jump to Lightspeed, and I personally think it's the bees-knees. I never got too into Galaxies, but the more I learn about the expansion, the more motivated I am to start up again, and get up to speed. Not that I don't feel for the gripes of the community's most vocal sector -- I totally do. But screw it, I'm being selfish. I want spaceships, quick and fast. Many of y'all are going to hate me for this, but it's because I love you that I'm honest like this. In any case, we're gonna follow this one to its bitter end -- hopefully, we'll have some words from the team on it very soon. Final Fantasy XI Many of you probably want to marry your FFXI characters. Unfortunately, you're going to have to settle for marrying someone else's. Yeah, this isn't exactly breaking news, but as of June 4, the wedding system was fully implemented into FFXI, and I, for one, haven't seen nearly as many Galka/Tarutaru pairings as I'd like. Freaky. Anyway, just like in real life, summer is hitting Vana'diel, and you know what that means: another seasonal event. This one is called Summerfest, and on top of changing the way the sky looks in certain zones, word on the street is that there will be some kind of goldfish-catching event. Somewhat resembling the egg-collecting event they had for Easter, you'll be able to trade the goldfish you catch for different bits of equipment. This is all hearsay, mind you, and stuff inferred from reading dumped item logs, so don't go and crucify me if it doesn't turn out to be true. But I know you guys want me to talk on some confirmed stuff, so here you go: a bunch of new monsters have been revealed for the upcoming Chains of Promathia expansions, many of which actually use new models! I crap you not. Do yourself a solid, and peep out the recently revealed menagerie. Chains of Promathia is definitely looking more and more worthwhile by the minute, but you know I ain't gonna mince words. We need some info on new jobs, and we need it now. What's up with a Blue Mage? What's up with a Magic Knight? What's up with a Time Mage? Squeenix isn't gonna leave us hanging, is it? Matrix Online The closed beta officially starts today, so we're psyched to finally be able to play this one ourselves. While we wish we could post some initial impressions for you, we've been assured that if we release any unapproved information, they'll send flying, tentacled robots to our houses to tear the flesh from our bones. That said, our own Allen Rausch is currently attending a demo event for the newly launched program, so hopefully he'll be cleared to post an update for y'all very soon. In the meantime, just go ahead and ogle the Guided Tours we ran earlier this month. EverQuest II OK, not much to report here, apart from the fact that the beta is still closed, so those of us playing it would get battered and flayed if we were to report anything. But as a consolation prize, feel free to look at the new race info SOE has posted on the game's official site. Specifically, you get to look at pictures of Humans, Dark Elves, and Half-Elves, as well as read about their stats, starting cities, and all that. Enjoy the Dark Elves' perpetual sneers. Enjoy the Humans' vacant gazes. Enjoy the Half Elves' tragic sunburns. Also, enjoy the scads of coverage we've already put together -- our zone tours, specifically, are super nice. Anyhoot, that does it for this first installment. It was fun writing it, and I imagine it will continue being so. For those of you about to fire off an angry letter at me, I can assure that I have one of the thickest hides in the galaxy, so do your worst. But please, make it constructive. That's all I ask. Also, if you have anything in mind that you'd like for me dig around for, don't hesitate to let me know. I'm in it for you guys, after all. Article Source : Gamespy

August 08, 2004, 09:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
Akasha	Onlife - a comical look at MMOs [size=18px]Onlife #2[/size] Let me jump this one off with a small, heartfelt thank you. For what, you ask? For not verbally flaying me immediately following Onlife's maiden voyage. Sure, there were a couple of nasty e-mails, but I only came close to crying once. To put it in perspective, I had prebooked six weeks of therapy starting the week after my column was set to post. Thanks again, guys. So let's get right to it. There's been much ado in the world of MMO's these past couple of weeks, including one bit of news that totally came out of left field. But we'll get to that in due time. We're gonna set this off properly, with a big fat EQ2 update, courtesy of our man Fargo. He got to visit SOE in sunny San Diego to get a fresh look at the game. But before we even get to that, I'm gonna put a feedback link here. It's your duty and obligation to write to me if you think I'm wrong/misinformed/lying about something. If you don't call me on it, after all, who will? Also, if there's something you want me to cover, or if you have a hot tip pertinent to this stuff, drop me a line. I love hearing from you guys. Here's the link. Use it. Also, let me know what you thought of our D&D Online coverage. We're really proud to be able to break this one, and it looks like it'll shape up into something pretty cool. EverQuest 2 Anyway, without further delay, here's Fargo's report: So I got to spend a few hours with it on Friday. It's really coming together: developers estimate it's around 70% done, meaning that most of the game's systems and interfaces are in place. At this point, they're just fleshing out tons and tons of content. The world is even more lively, now. NPCs that used to wander mutely around now have cool things to say, and lots more quests are in place. Crafting is now in the game, so you can go to a forge and work raw materials into finished products -- it's not quite finalized, but it's in the game so that the developers can seriously playtest it. There is now a (very small) non-internal beta running. I'd say maybe a couple hundred people. They haven't announced when they're going to open it up further. Tons of low-level content is in; the high-level stuff is still being tweaked, and they're waiting until the classes are balanced and more final before they can really finish up those areas. They also recently re-did some of the graphics for the people in the game. People often complained how the characters looked kinda "plasticky" in screenshots -- no more. Skin textures on the humans and elves are much more realistic now. Constant little tweaks like that are just making the game look superb. The plasticity remedy sounds like a good thing. For a while there, it looked like those models were coated in neon paint. I, for one, am pretty eager to get on that beta. The open-endedness of the early-game kind of reminds me of Lineage 2, but with more options, and I can definitely get into that. Ah, this reminds me. Check out this news story right here. Crazy thing, isn't it? For those too lazy to click, SOE is teaming up with select online retailers to offer pre-buyers a "starter kit," which will include, among other things, a stripped-down version of the game's character creation tool. You'll also get a pair of Journeyman's Boots for your trouble, the original EQ's version of which our own Bryn camped 17 hours for. How's that for a freebie? Am I the only one that thinks this is kind of sketchy? Keep your dial locked, in any event, 'cause we have some big-time coverage on EQ2 coming next week. What, you think Fargo was out there for fun? Saga of Ryzom This one just keeps looking cooler and cooler. I got to sit in on a pretty long demo of it last week, and it looks like the team of Nevrax is definitely shooting for something interesting. What strikes me the most is the character system. Like a few other games, it totally eschews the concept of levels. Rather, your character's abilities gradually increase as it uses certain skills. Using a one-handed melee weapon, for instance, will increase the appropriate skill. Things get crazier when it comes to magic. You know how in some games, there will be two spells of approximately the same level of power, but with mildly differing attributes? For instance, a pair of fire spells that do just about same amount of damage, but one takes a few microseconds longer to cast? You end up having to buy them both, for completeness' sake, and it's a total waste. The way Ryzom buries that ridiculous concept is by allowing you to, in a sense, design your own spells. Let's say you want to create a ranged fire spell. Depending on what you set its range, damage, and casting time values to be, it'll cost more energy to cast. And you can tweak these any time you want. How cool is that? From what I gather, you can even have multiple versions of spells prepared, to have on hand in a variety of situations. This is the type of customization that I get real excited about, and it's great to see it being implemented into such a cool-looking game. Guild Wars I'll briefly touch on this once, since we have a major bit of coverage planned for it in the near future. Don't want to scoop myself, you know? Anyway, I've been messing with it a little bit, and it looks like crazy fun. It's definitely shaping up to be more substantial than I had expected to be. There's a neat, loose character system in place that reminds me of a bit of Final Fantasy XI's, with it's whole primary- and secondary-class thing. While I wonder how effective some of those combos will be (Monk/Ranger, anyone), the prospect of so many different skills intermingling in all these interesting ways is pretty enticing. Given that the team is comprised of ex-Blizzard developers (specifically, heads who worked on StarCraft and battle.net), it should come as no surprise that the game is heavily influenced by Diablo. One half of it is, anyway. The WarCraft font that the client currently uses doesn't help, either. In any case, the cooperative modes play just like you would expect a 3D Diablo would; it's fast, it's loose, and you'll get your *** handed to you, if you aren't mindful of what your teammates are doing. One of the cooler elements is how you can instantly teleport to a civilized area (called an outpost) if your friends happen to be gathered there. No walking involved. Some cool, subtle touches were added to the multiplayer game, but for any info on those, you'll have to wait for our preview, in the not-too-distant future. But rest assured: it's looking hot. Shenmue Online OK, this one definitely falls into the "eh?" category. If you've played any of the games on which it's based, on either Dreamcast or Xbox, you're probably thinking the same thing. Basically, it's a huge, open-ended, single-player adventure game. The story revolves a young Japanese man who's trying investigate the murder of his father. Along the way, he fights a little bit, plays a lot of Sega arcade games, and talks to a whole lot of people. It was created by legendary Sega designer Yu Suzuki (Virtua Fighter, Outrun), and its story was originally meant to encompass 16 chapters. It got as far as game two. Anyway, an online version of the game is being planned in conjunction with Sega by a Korean company named JC Entertainment. It's set to release in 2005 in Korea and China, and as of yet, there are no plans for a you.S. release. The term "action MMORPG" is being thrown around in reference to it, but to be honest, I'm finding anything related to this project hard to envision. If you've played either Shenmue, you know what I'm talking about. Given how mundane some of the activities in that game were (operating a forklift, feeding a stray cat -- things like this), it's hard to imagine how bringing the experience online would make it anything less than catatonia-inducing. What, will there be crowds of players camping a street corner for the paperboy to spawn, so they can check the day's weather report? My hunch is that they're gonna take the world in which the game is set, and go off on a completely unrelated tangent. Then, they'll stick the Shenmue label on it, and peddle it to the legions of starving fans (all 138 of you) for a premium. Uh-oh, Fargo wants to speak on the topic: "C'mon it'll rock. Thousands of kung-fu badasses picking fights over who will feed the kitten? It'll be like The Matrix meets Tamagotchi." Yeah man, my thoughts exactly. If that doesn't make your run reflex kick in, I don't know what will. That's all I got, peoples. Again, if I've missed something huge, or if you want me to focus on anything in specific next time around, don't hesitate to use this link. I'm always in the market for ideas, 'cause it's always better if something thinks for you, right? Article Source : Gamespy

August 08, 2004, 09:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
Akasha	Onlife - a comical look at MMOs Yeah I noticed that... and I mean come on, if you know about online gaming you HAVE to know about WoW.... ;)

August 22, 2004, 10:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
Akasha	Onlife - a comical look at MMOs [size=18px]Onlife #3 [/size] I'll get right to it: it's been a very eventful week (isn't it always?), and I'm almost literally out the door to attend this year's Gen Con gaming expo in scenic, and exciting, Indianapolis. I've never been to the Midwest, mind you, so I have no idea what to expect. This will also be my first Gen Con, and though I have a general idea as to what to expect, I'm sure my preconceptions can only touch on the reality. I'm envisioning miles upon miles of folding tables with DM screens propped on them, veritable mountains of aluminum soda cans, and several small countries' net worth of Magic cards changing hands. This is probably only the beginning. In any case, I'm excited as to what I'll see, who I'll get to talk to, and just how many middle-aged men in halfling costumes I'll get to photograph. Wish me luck, especially in accomplishing the latter. Anyway, on to this MMORPG stuff. Two of the biggest names on the scene have a whole lot going on this week, one of which is yet to be released. That's never stopped anything from being buzzworthy, though, so I'll lead off with that. Before I get to that, let me implore you, as always, to send me any comments, concerns, or criticisms you have about this column. This is a by-the-people, for-the-people production, so do your part. Many of you have asked me to write about Horizons, and trust me, I'm on it. I'm just trying to get up to speed on the (very sticky) matter, as I've never played the game and haven't had a whole lot of time to delve into its community. In fact, if you want to school me on the subject, feel free to do so. I give credit where it's due, and this issue seems like it needs someone close to it to aid in its unraveling. [size=18px]World of WarCraft [/size] So the latest patch has brought to the beta two of the features that y'all have been clamoring for the most: the implementation of rogue and priest talents, and the inclusion of the hunter class. There's also been an increase to the level cap (it's now at 55), and a couple of new transportation options have been added -- boats and goblin zeppelins. Of foremost import to you guys is most likely the hunter class. From here (mind you, I'm yet roll one up), it seems like a substantial pet class, with secondary damage-dealing capabilities, by means of ranged weapons. The ability to train multiple pets is an interesting one, but I'm curious as to how much of a pain it will be to keep their "happiness" rating high enough for them to be effective. I'm kind of liking how one acquires pet abilities -- basically, if you tame a monster, you're able to add its abilities to your general repertoire, which you can teach your other pets -- and it seems like roaming around the world "collecting" new ones will be a cool solo pursuit. The pulling-related skills seem cool, too, though I wonder how exactly something like "Eagle Eye" (which allows you to zoom your view, in order to spot distant targets) will be implemented. Overall, it seems like a cool, versatile, and fun-to-play class. I'm looking forward to giving it a whirl. If any of you out there have managed to make any headway into the profession, let me know how you're feeling it. [size=18px] Continue Reading....[/size] There is 3 pages worth.