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The Daily Grind: What's your favorite item-quality system?
Grey, white, green, blue, purple, gold. World of Warcraft may not have invented what's become the standard colors for item quality, but it's surely cemented the hierarchy in gamers' minds. Last week, Raph Koster suggested that these tiers of items are part of the "yuck" that leads to the loss of immersion across the games industry. I think he's right. I miss the days of Ultima Online (which not coincidentally was Koster's baby), when players geared up with basic platemail of invulnerability, chainmail of fortification, and katanas of vanquishing. Halfway through UO's lifespan, that system was gutted in favor of a Diablo-esque item that turned wearables into a numbers game. The charm of my deadly poisoned kryss made by a Grandmaster Blacksmith was gone, replaced by a few dozen stats to juggle. Do you agree with Koster? Are color-coded item tiers a design shortcut that contributes to the loss of immersion in MMOs and other games? What game has your favorite item-quality system? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Game Archaeologist and the Ultima Prize: The Players
Wow! The response to last week's inaugural Game Archaeologist column was phenomenal -- guess we're not the only ones who find MMO history and trips down nostalgia lane captivating stuff! Thanks to everyone who commented, sent in e-mails and (heh HEH) volunteered to be interviewed. Speaking of which, this week we move past the facts of the matter to the experiences. The Game Archaeologist scoured the globe, mostly between coffee breaks, to find some of the most passionate and learned players of Ultima Online. In the second part of our Ultima Online exploration, we injected a tiny bead of Hobi frog toxin into their systems, freeing their tongues to tell the truth and their limbs to jerk uncontrollably. Just what do Ultima old guard chat about at the club on the weekends? We extracted the full scoop from Ultima vets Adam "Ferrel" Trzonkowski, Brandon Crowe, "Professor" B.J. Keeton, Jon Craig and JD DMichael. Read on!
