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MMObility: Free-to-play and mobile at GDC Online, part 2
Let's continue my look at how free-to-play and mobile gaming showed at GDC Online this year. If you missed the first part, you can check it out in my last Free for All column. There was so much to cover that I had to wrap it into a two-parter. I truly think this was the best mobile showing since I first went to GDC Online four years ago, so be sure to check out all of the games I mention. Mobile is growing, as is free-to-play, and it couldn't be more obvious than when we get to witness so many good games being developed. If I have anything to do with it, I will be playing these games ASAP. That means that you get to read what I think about them, and you get to play along as well!
World of Midgard opens up Kickstarter campaign
All right, so you've probably seen your fair share of Kickstarters for MMORPGs by now. Including ones aiming at being an old-school revival. And you've seen a lot of them offering to let you play on both mobile devices and on your desktop... Wait, that part is kind of new. And if it appeals to you, you should probably take a look at World of Midgard's new Kickstarter project. The game is currently running in a beta state, but the development team wants to move forward and complete the game in a suitable fashion. That means a need for money, and that's why the game is opening the doors to crowdsourcing. The project offers an exclusive mount for players who donate just up to the $15 level, with increasingly extravagant rewards for those who offer more. If it sounds like your cup of tea, take a look at the project and consider sending a few dollars along to help development.
MMObility: The 16 MMOs in my pocket
I have a smartphone that is pretty much filled to the brim with actual, functional, persistent MMORPGs. Some of them are three-dimensional romps through massive worlds filled with dungeons and dragons; others are representational browser-based games that work through the phone's native browser; and the rest are hardly nothing more than a few dots on the screen and impressionistic gameplay. Still, they are MMOs. I love having access to them, and over the last year I have actually grown to love simple, clever design and basic artwork over almost anything else. Forget Guild Wars 2; we'll hear enough about that to make us choke. Sure, it might be a fun game, but I'm a tech guy from the Bizarro universe. I prefer to see how little tech I need to game with. I want to push the limits even lower. Anyway, it's springtime here in Texas, so it's time to clean out all sorts of crap from my life. I organize all of my hundreds of songs, films, movies and art pieces and get my digital life in order as well. This process includes tweaking my current line-up of basic technology and downloading any updates for the games that exist on those devices. It's time to cull the weak and glorify the wonderful.
Free for All: The 'fall' of free-to-play
Here in Texas we have been suffering from one of the worst heat waves in the history of the state. It's the type of constant heat that makes you mad at something, perhaps the sky or the sun. It's not logical, but you start to get mad at the state for being where it is. Then you start to get angry because your lawn is dying off or because your electricity bill is almost double what it was the year before. The next logical thing is to dream of colder times. I have already begun to fantasize about wrapping myself up for a crisp, cold winter's walk with the dogs. Hot cider, the holidays... it's all coming soon. I hope. The next several months will also be the time to keep an eye on a bunch of developing titles. Click past the cut and let's look at what makes me so excited for this fall!
MMObility: Three new games for your browser or smartphone
Welcome once again to your weekly source for all things mobile, portable, browser and handheld. Some weeks I want to discuss something deeper, something that really gets our blood boiling and our gears cranking. It seems as though there are many of you who think that mobile technology as it is now is going to stay as it is for a long time. With that presumption comes a sort of dismissal of the mobile market as nothing more than a toy right now. To clear up some of the confusion, I want to note that my love for mobile games and devices has almost nothing to do with the technology that exists now. Sure, I love my HTC Inspire and my iPhone. My wife uses her iPad so much (and she's a PC gamer, too) that we need to get her an iPad 2 just for the increased usability. She has an iPhone 4, and I also have a basic laptop that we use the heck out of. It's easy to see that mobility means a lot to us. Even with all the wonderful technology that exists now, I am turned on by the stuff that will exist soon. Mark my words. And then there are weeks like this one, a rough one of migraines, PC issues (another reason I like mobile) and other real-life stuff. So instead of diving into a deep discussion about the meaning of the term MMO or how to pick the best portable device, I decided to just show you three new games that have caught my eye. Click past the cut and check them out!
