despair

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  • Darksiders 2 statue brings Death and Despair into your living space

    by 
    David Hinkle
    David Hinkle
    12.11.2012

    State of the Art Toys is preparing to let loose Death and his steed Despair on the collectibles world. A $249.99 statue of both Darksiders 2 characters is available for pre-order right now, with the first shipments expected to go out in mid-February.High intensity LEDs are built into Despair, lighting up his mane, hooves and tail. Death rides atop Despair with his scythes in hand, ready to reap the souls of all your other collectibles should they get out of line. What? That movie Toy Story was a documentary, you guys – your toys are alive and move when you're not looking.%Gallery-173141%

  • Would emotional value improve the leveling experience in MMOGs?

    by 
    Matt Warner
    Matt Warner
    07.25.2008

    Grats on your ding, wait, why are you crying? Not again. That last level really hurt your feelings didn't it. Well, some game developers like Indigo Prophecy creator, David Cage believe there is a missing component in the MMOG leveling experience. Cage's own feeling on the matter is that the interconnection is lacking when it comes to invoking a broader reaction from the player. "What's the real narrative or emotional value? Sometimes it's really interesting when you're in the guild in a massively multiplayer game and you attack the fortress or whatever. Some great things can be told, but it's not guaranteed. The value is not always there."Wow, that's deep but in all seriousness there is a certain truth to his sentiment. Leveling can be a painfully dull experience and usually MMOG use the same formula and mimic the same rags-to-riches journey. While there is nothing wrong with that, it can become tiresome and insipid if you no longer care for the redundant leveling experience. So maybe developers do need to instill a sense of danger, a sense of importance and meaning to the leveling experience. Fun is most important, and MMOGs should be enjoyed and not an emotional rollercoaster into dystopia.