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The Daily Grind: What's your preferred camera distance?
While optional first-person perspectives are pretty common in MMORPGs, I'd be willing to bet that most of us spend our game time looking at the arse-end of our avatars. Some games limit you to intimate over-the-shoulder shots, while others give you such a huge range on your camera that you can pull it waaaay back and effectively grant yourself the equivalent of a top-down strategy-game view. For today's Daily Grind, we want to know where you fall on the camera placement spectrum. Do you zoom way out, way in, or are you one of those odd first-person ducks? In a nutshell, what's your preferred camera distance? 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 Daily Grind: What do you hope to hear from GDC 2012?
Well it's almost time for game convention silly season. First up is the Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco next week, followed by PAX East in April and E3 in June. A gaggle of Massively scribes are heading west in a few days to bring you the best (and the most grammatically correct) coverage of all the happenings at GDC. From preview sessions with The Secret World, DUST 514, and PlanetSide 2, to interviews with dev luminaries and glimpses of all that's new and shiny in the world of MMOs, there looks to be a lot of industry news coming your way next week. Today's Daily Grind is an easy one. Are you looking forward to GDC, and is there anything in particular that you hope to learn from this year's conference? 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 Daily Grind: Are you playing GW in anticipation of GW2?
So last week was basically Guild Wars 2 week around these parts. There were the press beta reveals, ArenaNet's 48-hour beta signup blitz, and a general we-can't-wait-for-this-game vibe in the air. All of that conspired to drive me back into the world of Tyria for the first time in six years, and after I patched the original Guild Wars client, I spent a few hours poking around the pre-Searing bits of the Prophecies campaign. What about you, Massively crew? Assuming you're not in the Guild Wars 2 beta, are you getting ready by playing (or replaying) the original game? 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 Daily Grind: Do you take time off work to play games?
Holy shitaki mushrooms! There are a lot of cool MMOs coming out this year! If 2011 was kind of a downer for new AAA titles, 2012 is more than making up for it with the likes of Guild Wars 2, The Secret World, and TERA (at least two of which will release within a month of one another). The only problem is finding enough time in the day to play all these gems (not to mention making time to keep up with old favorites). Heck, I'm even contemplating a brief vacation of sorts, the better to have some uninterrupted sessions with all these new games. What about you, dear readers? Have you ever taken time off from work for an MMO? 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 Daily Grind: Have media impressions affected your excitement level for Guild Wars 2?
So our first official Guild Wars 2 impression pieces are in the books, and boy was there a lot to digest after ArenaNet's press preview weekend. Whether you're anxious to discover more about the game's combat, intrigued by an MMO that lacks dedicated healers, or looking forward to a transformed Tyria some 250 years after the original Guild Wars, there is plenty to chew on. Even those of us on the periphery of a game's fan community can get caught up in the pre-release groundswell, and though I've barely played the original game, I find myself quite intrigued by the reports coming from my colleagues. What about you, Massively readers? If you weren't already on board the fan train (or even if you were), has the recent media coverage upped your excitement level for Guild Wars 2? 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 Daily Grind: What MMO do you regret leaving?
I've played more MMOs than I can remember over the years, and nearly all of them have failed to capture my long-term interest. Most of the games in my also-ran box got a first look because of some quirky feature. Most of them didn't get a second look because -- aside from said feature -- they sucked. Every once in a while I'll regret leaving an MMO, though, and none moreso than Fallen Earth. Though I played extensively at launch and for a month or so after, I inexplicably forsook the wastelands for the world of Atreia. Upon returning to the game a few weeks ago and reconnecting with some old friends, I had to stop and take a moment to wonder what the heck I was thinking back in 2009. What about you, Massively crew? Have you had any similar head-scratching moments after rediscovering a previous title, and do you regret leaving it? 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 Daily Grind: Would you fund an MMO via Kickstarter?
So the gaming world is abuzz with news of DoubleFine's huge Kickstarter payday. While it's true that there are only a handful of gaming studios with the resume necessary to make such a splash, it's also true that little-guy dev outfits around the globe are now aware of the funding potential inherent in connecting with your fans. RPG maker Obsidian has begun exploring its options, Brian Fargo is interested in creating a sequel to Wasteland via crowdfunding, and it's only a matter of time before a fledgling MMORPG designer follows suit. For this edition of the Daily Grind, let us know how you feel about a brave new publisher-free world. Would you enjoy cutting out the proverbial middleman when it comes to your gaming dollars, and more specifically, would you contribute to an MMO via Kickstarter? 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 Daily Grind: Did you participate in TERA's first beta weekend?
I guess you could say that TERA is one of the most highly anticipated MMOs of 2012. We love the game every time we get our hands on it, but some recent legal and technical problems have cast some doubt in the minds of many potential fans. This last weekend was the first of five closed beta tests for pre-order customers. While our requests for beta keys went ignored, those on the Massively team who did pre-order were plagued by technical problems in the patcher, making the beta weekend unplayable. So as we sit here cursing the fact that we're not able to write about this particular weekend, we're curious about your thoughts. Did you enjoy yourself? Was it more or less than what you expected? There's no NDA, so spill the beans! 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 Daily Grind: Where does gaming fall on your priority list?
Back before I had a family, it wasn't unusual for me to play a video game for eight-hour stretches at a time every day. But now that I'm a father of three, I don't even want to think about playing a game unless I'm playing with my family or it's after their bedtime. On the other side of that coin, there are plenty of people who put gaming before just about everything else in their lives. When you're "too busy" to work or spend time with your family, but not too busy to raid every night, that's a problem in my opinion. This might sound odd coming from a guy who has made gaming his career, but I respect balance and moderation. I could go on and on about how so many people are losing their perspective on having fun by being "hardcore," but I'll save that for a Soapbox article one day. In the meantime, I want to know how you feel about gaming on your priority list. Is it numero uno, towards the end, or somewhere in between? 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 Daily Grind: How many chat channels do you use?
MMO global chat is a funny thing. I've met friends in it, I've ignored half the server because of it, and I'm amused (and appalled) by it on a daily basis. One thing I normally don't do is turn it off completely, unless I'm gunning for an immersive solo or small-group session that's heavy on roleplay. My EverQuest II Sage has 19 (19!) channels on his UI, and though I rarely see any activity in the ratonga or evil chat rooms, I keep tabs on them anyway in case a useful nugget happens by. What about you, dear readers? Does your MMO of choice have multiple global chat channels, and if so, how many do you monitor at once? 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 Daily Grind: Do you have too many alts?
I've been playing a lot of EverQuest II lately, and one thing that the game has in abundance is choice. Whether we're talking about combat vs. non-combat activities, group vs. solo content, or a huge class roster, Sony Online Entertainment's fantasy sequel is pretty ridiculous when it comes to play options. There's so much choice, in fact, that it's occasionally difficult to decide what to do next. Take the aforementioned classes as an example. Thanks to the introduction of the Beastlord in last December's Age of Discovery expansion, the game now has a whopping 25 classes to choose from, and I have 13 of them sitting in various stages of advancement on my character select screen. Which one should I play? Should I make one of the other 12? These are the times that try men's souls! OK, not really, but it can be a tough call. What about you, Massively readers? Do you have too many alts? 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 Daily Grind: Are you currently on hiatus from MMOs?
Something fascinates me about many of the more vocal commenters on Massively. No matter what game is launching, re-launching, closing, expanding, or going free-to-play, someone usually has to make it known that he doesn't play MMOs at all anymore. The fact that he's still reading about MMOs on Massively is a compliment to us, but I'm always curious about what drove him away from actually playing. So if you're a former MMO player and you still like to keep up with the news, let us know why. What drove you away? What makes you still read about it? Are you holding out for the next big MMO, or is it something more? 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 Daily Grind: Could you make your own MMO for $30 million?
Massively gets a certain amount of grief for writing news stories about Richard Garriott. While it's true that he hasn't made a major contribution to the MMO industry since the 1990s, it's also true that he's something of a touchstone when it comes to geekery and ambition. If a guy can go from being a young astronaut hopeful to having a spare $30 million to burn on a spaceflight, that's got to count for something, doesn't it? While we're on the subject of a spare $30 million, yesterday's Garriott piece got me to thinking about what I would do if I had that kind of pocket change. While spaceflight and a lifetime supply of Hershey's kisses are certainly high on the list, I'd use a good chunk of the money to make my own MMO. What about you, Massively crew? Would you self-finance an MMO if you could, and what would it be like? Would $30 million be enough? 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 Daily Grind: Do you want a 'fair' fight?
Fair is a four-letter word. I mean, literally it is; you can count them if you like. It's a figurative four-letter word too, especially when it comes to MMO design and PvP. What's unfair to some is smart tactics to others, and the subjectivity here is responsible for a large part of the rancor that underlies PvP discourse. Funcom's Craig Morrison recently expounded on the subject via his personal blog, and among the interesting nuggets up for discussion was the notion of a fair fight (and more specifically, whether MMO players actually want one). Some do and some don't, of course, but the more important question seems to be what is a "fair" fight? Can it even be defined, let alone coded? Morrison writes that "most people simply don't like being fodder for a dominating force. They don't like to be bullied or out-muscled by a force that the game mechanics have allowed to have a clear position of dominance." He's right, but what's left unsaid is that everyone has the same opportunity to take advantage of those game mechanics. What say you, Massively readers? Do you want a "fair" fight? If so, how do you define the word in this particular context? 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 Daily Grind: What's your favorite zone redesign?
Revamps, redesigns, and restructuring are facts of life when it comes to MMORPG fandom, and if you play these games long enough, sooner or later you'll encounter a portion of your favorite game that has been altered significantly. Often these alterations take the form of class, skill, or ability changes, but occasionally a dev team will up and decide to remake part of the game world itself. Such was the case last month with EverQuest II's famed Freeport locale, and the sprawling capital city now features new textures, new quests, and seamless transitions between its various quarters (i.e., no more loading screens). The lengthy list of Freeport changes comprise one of the best revamps I've experienced in many years of playing MMOs, and I can't wait to see what the EQII devs have in store for Qeynos. What about you, Massively folk? What's your favorite zone revamp? 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 Daily Grind: Do developers troll their fans?
Sometimes I honestly wonder what goes on in the minds of the decision-makers at Sony Online Entertainment. Case in point is the recent decision to add wings to EverQuest II's cash shop. I'm not opposed to cash shops per se, and I'm not opposed to flying mounts or the formerly nifty race-specific quest that allowed Arasai players to earn a pair of functional wings at high level. Now, though, any old ratonga, iksar, or troll can fork over 20 bucks and take to the skies with angel's wings on his back, and while the EverQuest universe has fairly inconsistent lore on occasion, I can only conclude that someone at SOE thought it would be funny to mess with franchise fans a little bit. If not, surely there are more fan-friendly ways to go about designing cash shop items or new means of transportation. This isn't the first time SOE has indulged its baser shark-jumping instincts, either. Ask a Star Wars Galaxies vet about the infamous Ewok-themed Valentine's Day if you need another example. And therein lies today's Daily Grind. Do you think that developers troll their fans? 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 Daily Grind: Should max-level characters give account XP bonuses?
I recently hit EverQuest II's adventuring cap for the first time (yay!), and aside from being surprised that it finally happened, I was also in for a bit of a shock when I logged into the character select screen the following day. You see, EQII gives each character on your account a 20% XP bonus per max-level character. So all my subsequent toons will enjoy an extra 20% XP across the board, and if I were to get another guy to 90, all my toons would then have a 40% bonus (up to a maximum of 200%). While this is fantastic for players like yours truly who despise the leveling process, it seems like an odd design decision given that a lot of people like to grind. Also, EQII has more leveling content than most MMOs put together, and it's crazy to think how much of it you'll miss if you get even more bonus XP. Sure, you can chronomage down a few levels and do zones that you blew by, or you can adjust your XP/AA ratio (or turn off XP altogether if you want), but the bonuses still speed up the curve significantly. What about you, Massively folk? Do you think max-level characters should grant bonuses to the rest of your toons? 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 Daily Grind: What's the fastest you've ever burned out on an MMO?
Well, I'm taking what is probably the first of many breaks from The Old Republic. I played heavily over the last week and I managed to get two classes to 20 (and do a good bit of warzone PvP and roleplaying). While I love the class stories, the rest of the game is pretty bare-bones, and I'm returning to greener and more feature-rich pastures. I'm a notorious game-hopper, though, and this isn't so much an indictment of TOR as it is an inevitability. That said, I did tire of BioWare's Star Wars opus sooner than expected, and that leads into today's Daily Grind question. What's the fastest you've ever burned out on an MMO? 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 Daily Grind: Do other media releases make you revisit MMOs?
This has been quite a week when it comes to geek-related movie trailers. First off, we finally got a proper trailer for the third installment in Christopher Nolan's Batman franchise. Then, Peter Jackson blew us away (again) with a nostalgia-inducing peek at his return to Middle-earth. What the heck do either of these blessed events have to do with MMORPGs? Well, not a lot, admittedly, unless -- like me -- you're now seriously considering a return to DC Universe Online and Lord of the Rings Online. In any event, the trailers are so collectively awesome that I can't help but make a Daily Grind out of them. The traditional question goes something like this: do big-name IP releases make you want to revisit MMOs? 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 Daily Grind: Will SWTOR succeed in Asia?
Gamers (and game executives) are fond of comparing Star Wars: The Old Republic to World of Warcraft. Forums are rife both with discussions on how TOR will (or will not) dethrone the reigning MMO subscription champ and with arguments regarding similar game mechanics. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is a prediction on whether or not SWTOR will succeed in the Asian market. We know, for example, that a huge portion of WoW's 12 million users came from the Far East, and sales suggest that Eastern gaming audiences are very different from their Western counterparts (see the ongoing popularity and profitability of games like Aion and Lineage II, which draw contemptuous sneers from American audiences -- if they notice them at all). When you compare BioWare's focus on narrative with Blizzard's focus on progression, it's very possible to see TOR falling short of WoW's Asian success. What do you think, Massively readers? Will TOR conquer the Asian MMO market? 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!
