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Storyboard: Roleplaying hasn't gone anywhere
Certain phrases just tend to stick in my craw. For example, the idea that back in the day MMORPGs really supported roleplaying, but now they don't any more. You can't really lose yourself in modern games. You get the idea; I've talked about this before. The calls that roleplaying is dead are quite convincing except for the fact that roleplaying continues and does not appear to be going anywhere. If anything, I'd argue (from anecdotes, so without much scientific merit) that roleplaying populations seem to be expanding, which makes sense, since with more and more people playing games online, more and more of them are going to be totally keen on pretending to be an elf. But I can understand the sentiment because from another perspective it can seem totally on the mark. So I'm going to just go for the simple version and discuss the ways in which things haven't changed all that much after all.
The Mog Log: Final Fantasy nostalgia
There's nothing quite like Final Fantasy XI. Nor is there anything quite like Final Fantasy XIV. The two are similar enough that you can use one as a substitute for the other in a pinch, but both possess a certain feel that just isn't found in any other game. That's neither good nor bad; it just is. Watching the trailer for Seekers of Adoulin gave me a powerful blast of Final Fantasy XI nostalgia, and while I could wax poetic about how the game I remember isn't the game that exists any longer, that's not really the point. The point is that for all the frustrations of the games, there's a lot of joy in both. So today I just plucked my top five memories from both FFXI and Final Fantasy XIV to share with you, since I bet that some of you have the same sort of glowing nostalgia. Even if you don't want the good old days to come back (I sure don't), you can still remember them with a smile.
A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Remembering my time in City of Heroes
Not long after my first column on the City of Heroes shutdown, I received an email that contained several of the testimonials from this full-to-bursting thread on the Save CoH boards. And they're not the only ones out there. There are countless stories about what the game means to people, ranging from the silly to the sublime, stories that can only really accumulate in a game that's run for eight solid years. When it comes to recollections about the game, I'm not Mercedes Lackey or Scott Kurtz or even Eric Burns-White. I'm what the byline says: a mild-mannered reporter. But I'm also a guy with a lot of feelings about the game, one that I've been playing on and off for nearly all of its eight-year run. To be blunt, I've got the microphone and you don't. So I'm going to go ahead and throw my hat into the ring when it comes to remembering City of Heroes, starting with the game that I played at launch for less than two weeks.
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite PvP memory?
It's hard to compare with the excitement of PvP. Sure, a well-scripted PvE encounter is exciting, but it's scripted. The same thing will always happen under the same conditions. But in a PvP battle, anything goes. Whether you're taking part in a battle over an open RvR objective in Warhammer Online or you've just come across a hostile player in Mortal Online, playing against another human being introduces new variables and new behaviors that you can't get against a computer opponent. And while the fights can often be harder as a result, the stories stick with you longer too. Maybe you fought off a would-be ganker and lived to tell the tale. Maybe you met an equal match on the road and managed to get the upper hand. Or maybe you waited and practiced to face off against a rival player only to defeat him when it counted the most. Whether in a PvP-focused game like Age of Conan or a largely PvE environment like Lord of the Rings Online, you can have some truly memorable experiences against other players. So what's your best PvP memory? 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 PvE memory?
Rare indeed is the game that allows players to avoid the PvE side of the game altogether. Of course, that's assuming you'd even want to. Fighting great beasts and horrid beastmen in Final Fantasy XI, hunting down villains and preventing dimensional incursions in City of Heroes, aiding the quest of the Ring-bearer in Lord of the Rings Online... there are great experiences to be had in the PvE of most any game you care to name. But it's not always the most epic events that stick in your memory after the game has faded. Today, we'd like to know what PvE moment in a game is your fondest memory. It could be from a game you no longer play or your current game of choice, but it should be the sort of experience that's stuck with you as a happy recollection. It could be defeating Kel'thuzad in his original form, or it could be facing off against the Borg in Star Trek Online. What's your favorite memory from the PvE 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: What NPCs stick in your memory?
I'm not fond of a lot of the storytelling on display in the Prophecies campaign of Guild Wars, but I have to admit that, against all logic, I was happy when Gwen showed up again. I joked about her, I complained about her uselessness and her irritating habits, but the fact that she turned up alive again always tickled me on some level. When I think about the game, I think of her, and her trials and tribulations stuck with me long after Prince Rurik had all but vanished into memory. In an MMO with any sort of story, some NPCs are going to stand out to different people. Even beyond the signature characters of a game's box art, incidental figures wind up getting embedded in the consciousness of players. Maybe it's one of the recurring heroes in the City of Heroes tip missions, or perhaps it's one of the more amusing mission NPCs in Star Trek Online. Whatever the reason, what NPCs stick in your mind regardless of their importance or lack thereof? 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!
