playstyles
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The Nexus Telegraph: Habits that WildStar should keep
Last time around in this column, I talked about the stuff that WildStar desperately needs to get out of its system, and quickly. I'm pleased with it. With the scaling-back of the update pace and some changes that I expect to be coming, I'm hopeful on that front. (Incidentally, if someone has a link to an actual promise of monthly updates from Carbine Studios, pass that along, since I don't think anyone ever actually promised it so much as just wound up doing it.) So why am I still playing the game? Because it's got a lot to recommend it despite those failings. These are not bad habits that the game needs to kick but things that the development team should arguably double down on. They're arguably the best parts about the game and certain what makes it stand out the most. So in direct counterpoint to last week's article, here are the things that WildStar should keep doing.
Mythos Global wants you to play your way
Mythos Global has been on one crazy rollercoaster ride throughout its lifespan, and the latest incarnation of the free-to-play Diablo-esque dungeon-crawler has been in open beta for a little over a month now. But T3Fun wants players to know that there's more to Mythos than just dungeon-delving, and the studio has released a trio of new videos to prove it. Whether you're a loot fiend, an achievement chaser, or a master crafter, Mythos has something for you. As with most Diablo-alikes, Mythos features a plethora of randomized loot for players to hoard like there's no tomorrow, while the artisans among us can become masters of their trades with the help of the game's unique crafting skill tree system. And of course, achievements and titles abound for those who just love showing off their heroic accomplishments. If any of these playstyles tickles your fancy, just head on over to the game's official site to get in on the action for yourself. [Source: T3Fun press release]
The Daily Grind: What game have you fallen back in love with most often?
Some games you just can't quit. You might unsubscribe and head off for a time, but you always wind up back in-game before too long. And some games just give you new things to enjoy each time you log back in. Even if you're bored with one part of the game, you start playing a bit differently and suddenly it's like the first time. Put simply, you fall in love with the game all over again. Most of the games we play for long periods wind up in the catbird's seat more than once. But there are games that you fall back in love with, and then there are games that you keep falling back in love with all over again even if you'd prefer not to do so. So what game have you fallen back in love with most often? Is it a game that you think of as generally one of your favorite or one that you have sharply divided feelings about to start with? 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!
Ask Massively: Let's stop the tomfoolery edition
Last week, it was brought to my attention that our header image of ham rendered the entire column completely inappropriate for several of our readers. And you know what? That comment was entirely right. We've subsisted on ridiculous headers and general japery for far too long in this serious and businesslike column, and it's time to bring the calm and measured dignity that people expect -- nay, demand -- from Ask Massively. Unfortunately, this decision comes too late to avoid the fact that this week's header image is a kitten attempting to scale the back of an adult cat's head. It will probably help if you imagine both of these cats wearing business suits and discussing profit margins. Moving along: This week's questions should provide you with clean and intellectual discourse, covering free-for-all PvP and the recent free-to-play announcements from Sony Online Entertainment. If you have a question for a future edition of the column, please leave it in the comment field or mail it along to ask@massively.com.
PAX 2011: WildStar panel discusses playing with paths the Bartle way
Before Gamescom, WildStar was nothing more than a title without a hint of what the game would actually promise. But now that the game is being shown off, the combination of a unique aesthetic with a promise of uniquely focal gameplay has gotten a lot of people interested. The visuals, of course, have already been well-displayed by the trailers and preview shots, so this year's panel at PAX 2011 focused instead on the other half of the equation: the paths. The panel began with a brief viewing of the game's cinematic trailer to kick things off, followed by an explanation of the game's core design philosophy. As the team from Carbine Studios (Jeremy Gaffney, Eric DeMilt, and Mike Donatelli) put it, most games are built with a basic set of design assumptions that push players in a fixed direction determined by the designers. WildStar was built from the ground up to let players enjoy the game when they want to, with whomever they want, and most importantly however they want. The paths are the key to that system -- multiple overlaid playstyles that ensure you have your own play experience no matter what class or race you pick.
Blood Sport: How to make a new character for PvP, part 3
Want to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women? C. Christian Moore, multiple rank 1 Gladiator, examines the latest arena strategy, trends, compositions and more in Blood Sport. Please check out the last two articles on how to make a new character for PvP, part 1 and part 2. Those articles discuss trying to narrow down which class is right for you before you play it at 85. We all have that friend who levels an alt up to max level expecting to play on it forever and ever, only to abandon it two weeks later. Don't be that guy! This week, we'll be discussing the most efficient and arguably logical ways of bringing you up to speed on a new character. Keybinds, leveling strategy, and gearing up are important aspects of any class and three of the major traps new altoholics can fall into, especially for PvP.
Blood Sport: How to start a new character for PvP, part 2
Want to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women? C. Christian Moore, multiple rank 1 Gladiator, examines the latest arena strategy, trends, compositions and more in Blood Sport. Please check out last week's article on starting a new character for PvP; we discussed different ways to analyze your own playstyle and alluded to this week's subject of strengths and shortcomings. I asked four important questions about playstyle and gave my answers to the questions; however, because some seemed to be left wanting, here is a little more information on those questions.
Blood Sport: How to start a new character for PvP, part 1
Want to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women? C. Christian Moore, multiple rank 1 Gladiator, examines the latest arena strategy, trends, compositions and more in Blood Sport. How do you know if your class is the right one for you in PvP? One of the best ways to find out if you really want to play the class is to analyze your playstyle. What are your tendencies as a player? Do you rush in and try to battle it up, even if you're a healer? You might want to try out a warrior or death knight. Do you stay back and try to play as defensively as possible? A mage or hunter might be more suited to your tastes. Perhaps you like to annoy opponents by jumping behind pillars when they switch targets to you -- an affliction warlock or holy paladin might be right up your alley. Arena has a flavor for almost everyone. I determined long ago that I love to rush in and play as offensively as possible. My first character I ever made in WoW was a retribution paladin! However, I shifted around a bit before discovering the power of warlocks. I stuck with warlock for the longest time because DoTs were incredibly overpowered and it felt like I couldn't die against seven monsters. Deciding to play a class because it was overpowered while leveling was probably not the best decision, and I wish I had thought about PvP more when deciding on a main character.
The Daily Grind: How do you like your PvP?
Love it or hate it, PvP is an important factor in most current-gen MMOs and also features prominently in all of the heavy hitters coming in 2011. PvP also comes in several flavors, whether it be the fast and furious team action in Global Agenda, the siege mechanics in Aion or Warhammer Online, or the solo and small-group variety found in just about every title that allows player vs. player combat. Indie titles like EVE, Darkfall, and Mortal Online ramp up the intensity a notch or two by throwing free-for-all and full-loot variations into the mix, and a case can even be made for the viability of economic PvP as a playstyle, particularly in CCP's New Eden. Today's breakfast topic deals with PvP playstyles, and more specifically, yours. Are you a lone wolf type, roaming the countryside looking for targets (or PKers, if you're more hero than villain)? Do you PvP in groups? Do you siege? In a nutshell, how do you like your MMO PvP? 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 Guild Counsel: Time to pack your bags?
With the arrival of beta for games like Rift and Star Wars: The Old Republic, and several big games due to launch next year, it's inevitable that some guilds will choose to leave their current game for the green pastures of a newer one. But moving a guild from one game to another can be as challenging as a real-life move. Sure, you might not need to deal with trucks and heavy-handed movers, but you certainly have a lot of baggage to handle! Thanks to some terrific questions sent in by Starseeker, I take a look at the difficult task of moving your guild to a new game. Read on to learn how to transition as smoothly as possible and start your guild off on the right foot in your new surroundings.
Behind the Curtain: The role you play pt. 2
I haven't looked back. I've had a lot of ups and downs on my journey to level 80. I haven't always stayed true to my original goal, and ended up skipping more than my fair share of groups at level 70 – can you believe that I didn't actually visit one Heroic dungeon in Burning Crusade? I've been in groups where the run was smooth as silk, and the chat had be holding my sides from laughing too hard. On the flip-side, I've had groups which made me want to claw my eyeballs from their sockets, and break my fingers so I couldn't play ever again. Seriously, Barrens General had nothing on some of these people. I've discovered that a lot of the things that make me a good healer in WoW also make me a good tank. Situational and tactical awareness, an eye for detail, the ability and willingness to communicate and the ability to make decisions quickly are necessary for success in both roles. Don't get me wrong – I'm not the best tank out there, I'm far from perfect, but I'm bloody good at it, and you could do an awful lot worse. Tanking is a role that puts a fair amount of responsibility on the player's shoulders. Whether you like it or not, whether you even realise it or not, a lot of the wipes that happen in an instance will be your fault. Yes, that Warlock/Mage/Shaman shouldn't be pulling aggro, but you should be watching Omen and warning them about it. Mobs running around one-shotting your healer? You should be picking them up before bad things happen. You might not agree, you might say that aggro is each player's own responsibility – that they should be checking their own Omen, and making sure they're behind you in aggro. That's fair enough, I just calls 'em the way I sees 'em. I never expected to enjoy tanking as much as I do. I've found a role that I never thought would have suited me, but by the same token, might not have enjoyed as much if I'd gone into it earlier in the game. Maybe I was wrong about the other classes I considered, and I'd have ended up feeling as much at home being a Mage or Shaman. Most of us play games for some small amount of escapism, to get away from our real lives and forget our stresses for a little while if we can. But are we drawn to certain classes because they reflect something within ourselves? Do I enjoy tanking and healing because of some personality quirk? Does that mean I enjoy smoothing over people's concerns and keeping them happy in real life? My family would beg to differ. Are Mages running a heavy Fire spec all secret Pyromaniacs? Are those of us with a Druid secret hippies? The analogy doesn't really hold much weight, I'll admit – but there may be something in it. Feel free to comment below, share similar stories of you finding your niche, or even stories of you not finding it. Let me know if agree or disagree with my theories – I'll try not to delete the ones that disagree. No promises though. Back to Part One
Behind the Curtain: The role you play
This week, I'd like to talk a bit about how taking a look at how you play a game, and which class you play, and maybe choosing to change one or both can pay dividends. Before I do that though, I would just like to mention that I did finally manage to get hold of Baron Rivendare's mount after 68 runs - my thanks to all of you who shared similar stories in the comments of last week's column. Or at the very least, my thanks to whatever Blizzard GM read my whinings and took pity on me, if that's what happened. Apart from Keith. Ten runs, two mounts and one sword? Keith, I'll be hunting you down to kill you in your sleep, I just wanted to give you fair warning. If you've been paying attention to any of my columns of late, you'll have noticed that I'm playing a level 80 Protection Warrior in World of Warcraft just now. I may not have Matthew Rossi's deep, rather touching, love for the Warrior class, but I do love being a tank. Which is something of a surprise, because it was never something I thought I would enjoy being. My first character in WoW, away back around patch 1.9 was a Tauren Druid. I won't lie, the whole idealized Native American feel of the Tauren sucked me right in. The serenely beautiful rolling plains of Mulgore certainly didn't hurt my choice either. As for the Druid class itself, I can't quite remember what drew me there. I imagine it was that the theory and lore behind the class match up well with that of the Tauren race itself – they seemed to go well together, so I guess I just went with it. Levelling up, of course, I specced Feral. I knew the Balance and Restoration trees were there, but I avoided them. I avoided Balance because it didn't suit the way I wanted to play, and I avoided Restoration because I wasn't yet comfortable speccing into a tree which required regular PUGs to get the most out of it.
Gamer Interrupted: Playing together with different playstyles
Each week, Robin Torres contributes Gamer Interrupted, a column about balancing real life with MMOs.Last week, we talked about how Duos can help you balance your gametime with your relationship building time. The comments pointed out an obstacle to pure couple-gaming bliss which I like to call the "Crunchy vs. Creamy" issue. Avid gamers who love the same game can still have trouble playing together if they have different playstyles. Back in the 80's, I heard of a relationship book that said a couple can't live together if one likes creamy peanut butter and one likes crunchy peanut butter. (No, I don't remember the book. Yes, I'm showing my age again. Get off my lawn!) Whether it's peanut butter or gaming styles, I do think gamers of different tastes can play together, but it does take some effort.There a few general non-gaming things to remember here:All relationships take effort: They do. Whether roommates or siblings or spouses or whatever, you need to be considerate of the other person and do things to nurture the relationship. If you don't, you will eventually find that your favorite hard-to-find food has been eaten or your mom has found out about that time you did that thing or you're facing legal fees and an empty bed.
Breakfast Topic: Alts for odd reasons
While many of us have alts to try out new styles of gameplay, or to make accessing the Auction House easier, many players create new characters with specific ideas in mind. A friend of mine recently created a pink haired gnome simply because he wanted one the moment he saw one -- instead of levelling up, he just runs around with her and enjoys whatever there is to enjoy about gnomes.After giving one of my new characters a name inspired by a series of books, I decided to create some alts with more "book-inspired" names to give her some company, but I'm sure there are far crazier reasons for making particular alts. What's your story?
Breakfast Topic: Gaming the game
It's a late breakfast today, and the topic is play styles. What do you do when normal WoW playing becomes too easy for you? You start creating meta-games, challenges within the game that add new levels of achievement and complication to the equation. Whether you've roped in some friends to see who's the first to 60 on a new server, or you're trying to beat your own high scores in terms of number of pulls or HKs, there are times when we all set arbitrary targets for ourselves ingame.Especially if you've already taken one or two characters to 60, the game content becomes less of an interesting distraction and more a means to an end. You know all the best grinding spots, areas with decent drop rates and fast-spawning mobs that are especially susceptible to your class skills. You're gaming the game -- plotting the most efficient route through a minefield of quests and levels. If you don't level by the end of today's session, you consider it an inefficient use of your time.Do you find you fall into this behaviour? Do you try to beat your own times to level 10, 20, etc? Or do you sit back and enjoy the ride, whichever character you're on, not caring much about what you get done in a single session?
Breakfast Topic: Alt-itis?
I'll be the first to admit that I may have a slight case of alt-itis--however, with 27 characters spread across sixteen realms, it's perhaps gone a bit far. Many of my characters are placeholders, created so that I could talk with friends on the server, but I've played enough of them to have seen the first 10 levels from every possible angle.I like being able to create a new character when I am in a "newbie" mood--sometimes levelling older characters gets slow and tedious, and the heady rush of starting again is the ideal antidote. Fortunately, WoW's mechanics support this behaviour, unlike some other games which restrict the number of characters you can make.However, I'm now at the stage where I've got too many alts, each of which is starting to make different friends and acquaintances--my playing time is being spread thin to keep up with them all. While character transfer may help with some of this, I fear there is no permanent solution other than to lie low for a while.Are you an alt-addict? Why do you make alts? If you only play one character, do you intend to start again once you hit 60?
