Ask Massively: It's beginning to look a lot like I'm not getting a new keyboard just yet edition
I'm going to blame my guildmate Sindharin from World of Warcraft for this. She was the one who first gave me the push I needed to buy a Naga, and now I want the darn Anansi already, but I can't seem to order the bloody thing just yet. I just look at the pictures and it sits there, taunting me. Daring me with what I could do. And since I have to blame someone, I blame her. The other option involves personal responsibility.
Leaving aside what I'm definitely not getting as a present on Saturday, it's time for Ask Massively, and that means questions are being asked, because what is coming with the holidays is the chance to sit down with friends and family, or even just the time to start thinking about what you want to see from the gaming world next year. So hop on past the break, and you can feel free to leave your own questions in the comment field or send them along to ask@massively.com.
Wild Colors asked: With holidays upon us, many of us will have a few days off to see siblings/family/friends. Any suggestions for a relatively cheap or free MMO that's fun to play with a few people in the same room, just for a day or two?
Of course, there are always lots of options for games that can be played casually in a group, ranging from Minecraft to Starcraft II to Team Fortress 2. But I'm going to assume you've already discounted those options as not quite what people are looking for.
My suggestion is going to be one that's just darn fun to play and should suit everyone looking for a quick hop into a game: Dungeons and Dragons Online. It's free-to-play, incredibly quick to get up and running, and it gives you plenty of opportunities to run through some adventures with the rest of your friends or family. Plus, it means that when you return to your normal circle of friends, you can say that you played either video games or Dungeons and Dragons and be equally accurate.
If you're willing to drop a little more coin, the complete Guild Wars trilogy is still pretty cheap and doesn't require a subscription, and it's also a pretty easy game to get into and be playing in short order. Just don't be surprised if you find yourself a bit more fixated on the game afterward than you had intended. (There's a lot in there.)
DemonXaphan asked: Has there been any hint that we will hear about the secretive MMO Carbine Studios is making for NCWest this year?
Our magic 8-ball does not predict terribly good things. There's been precious little concrete information on what the actual game will look like -- not even more teaser images or previews. Several of the big-name folks have already left, including founder Kevin Beardslee back in 2009. It's still totally possible that we'll see a sudden explosion of game information, but current circumstances do not tend to encourage that line of thinking.
Jejeune asked: What do cute animals have to do with MMOs?
Looking for some advice on which class is best for soloing in Aion? Not sure who this Raph Koster fellow is? Curious about the release date of NCsoft's newest MMO? You've come to the right place! No one knows MMOs like we do. If there's anything you'd like to know about the MMO genre or the site itself, Ask Massively is here to help every Thursday afternoon. Just ask!
