stephanie-morrow
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MMObility: Data caps, throttled signals, and blocked sites
One of the main reasons I enjoy covering mobile MMOs is the fact that many gamers have access to a poor connection at best, and my articles might offer these fellow geeks a selection of games to play. I often take some of the things in my life for granted, like my healthy dogs or the one cup of coffee I have in the morning, but I never take my internet connection for granted, especially when I'm reminded every time I pay the bill just how much it costs me. It's an awesome 150/65 Mb/s, and I tend to get speeds pretty close to that. I often tell people that because my wife works at home with me, our internet connection is our "work vehicle." But many of my friends complain about having a really bad connection to the internet. Some of it is the result of location, but a lot is because companies can actually throttle the signal, providing unlimited yet barely workable internet. While there are several titles out there that are playable on almost any connection, throttling can kill gaming for many of us. So just how bad is it?
The Game Archaeologist and the Legend of the Sims: Our memories
Last week marked the beginning of a brief foray into the world of The Sims Online -- "brief" because the title is defunct (meaning no hands-on experiences to share these days) and I doubt that any of the game's creators are itching to reminisce about this lackluster entry into The Sims franchise. So chances are that today marks the end of our expedition, but we'll put our chins up and try to do it justice. Recently in the Massively office, a few of us spent a bit of time chewing the fat about The Sims Online. It's hard to imagine, but when the beta came out for this title, it was actually pretty hot stuff. The Sims had that crack-like addictive quality to it, and a lot of people -- myself included -- thought that the online version would make it exponentially better. Instead of every copy of The Sims being a little island unto itself, now we could connect and build in ways that were limited only by our imaginations. Oh, and also questionable developer decisions.
Vanguard re-review finds game much improved
We cover a lot of fantasy titles here at Massively, but admittedly one game we haven't been watching as closely of late is Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. The game had its fair share of issues (and some drama) surrounding its launch, but it's been quite a while since Vanguard opened up its servers to MMO gamers. How much has the game improved since that time? That's a question that Stephanie Morrow from MMORPG.com hopes to answer with her Vanguard Re-Review. She writes,"A lot can change in two years, especially when you have a team of dedicated developers working on it and a community that is willing to stand by no matter what happens." Morrow looks at the current state of the game in terms of its technical merits, game play, and customer service. She also judges Vanguard in the light of the game's community that could either make or break the game. "The game would be nothing without its community. Players are passionate about the game, you can find them everywhere," she writes. Ultimately, Morrow's views on Vanguard: Saga of Heroes are positive, but she's quick to point out the title's flaws as well. If you're curious about how this title has shaped up, check out Stephanie Morrow's "Vanguard Re-Review" over at MMORPG.com.Are you currently playing Vanguard: Saga of Heroes? If so, do you feel the game has improved measurably since you began?
