the-grind
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WoW Moviewatch: The Grind Returns, Episode 1: Face Time
You could easily be forgiven for not remembering The Grind from machinima-maker Oblivious Films: The series premiered way back in 2009 and has been quiet since 2010. While that's a long time to be gone, The Grind is looking to make a comeback with a new video, which hopefully has an "episode 1" moniker, which implies we'll also see episodes 2, 3, and so on. So just what stymies our heroes after so long gone? Mostly being confused by the model changes that have happened while they've been away. Check out their latest adventure and, while you're at it, we highly recommend going through the old episodes too -- they're like a WoW time capsule, and some of the jokes are even funnier with the added dimension of "Did we really used to go through all of this to play?" Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
The Soapbox: The grind is good
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Like many of you, I have fond memories of several important video games that carried me through my childhood and teenage years. Some were deep, some were obscure, some were landmark moments in the genre, and some were Chrono Trigger. It's weird, then, with all that variety, that I have strong fondness for a game that had so little going on in the story or progression department as to be a step away from playing marbles or jacks in the street. It was a game that I'd sit down to night after night, not to go on any grand adventures or to raise my level 1 fighter up into the ranks of godhood but to just unwind. It was a game that required such a zen-like concentration that it pushed the thinking portion of my brain out and soothed me with its repetitive gameplay and simplistic motions. That game was, of course, Tetris, a game that was grind personified. It was minimalistic puzzle-solving repeated over and over again, and some days that's all I needed. When my mind was wiped, or when I just wanted to sit back in my chair instead of forward in it, I turned to these silly blocks. When I needed it and wanted it, the grind was better for me than the most complex and innovative video games of the time. The grind is good, especially when you have the option to do it or ignore it, and I feel that this has gotten such a bad reputation in MMOs that its positive aspects are overlooked. Time to remedy that!
The Soapbox: On gold-farming and the grind
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. You're no doubt aware of a certain sci-fi MMORPG that's launching this week. As is the case each time a new major title releases, I'm curious to see how (or if) the developers will deal with the inevitable real-money trade. BioWare has been fairly quiet about gold-farming and the steps it may take to combat it, which isn't too surprising given the unglamorous and often controversial subject matter. Few game devs mention their anti-RMT plans prior to launch, but plenty of dev teams complain about RMT after their game has been released. And yet, the usual solutions to black market currency trading are continuously ineffective at stopping it.
Free for All: Which came first, the grind or the grinding?
Grinding is an interesting thing. I've thought about it a lot lately in an effort to come to grips with the fact that I just don't play MMOs like my friends do. Oh, don't get me wrong; I can log in and blow away five hours of my life on a title, just like I did last night with the newly relaunched APB: Reloaded. Holy moly, I can play that game forever, especially if I have a friend with me. I can also spend countless hours in other games, exploring and generally acting like some kind of virtual hippie, never touching a sword or destroying a foe. A lot of the time, combat just feels repetitive. Exploring for hours and driving a car into mailboxes over and over really shouldn't count as grinding though, should it? Grinding is, in my opinion, defined by the repetition of the exact same action (or close to it) for a long time, usually in the pursuit of a single goal. The thing is, the grind has been around since the dawn of graphical MMOs. Hasn't it? But what started the grind? Was the desire for grind already there? Is the playerbase just better-suited for grinding? Click past the cut and let's chat about it. Grab some tea.
WoW Moviewatch: The Grind - Episode 3
If you've been following machinima for a while, you should definitely remember The Grind. It was a favorite of many fans for a very long time, and it's now come one the street with a new installment. With one of the best opening sequences I've seen on a WoW movie, The Grind: Episode 3 has been released by Oblivious Films. Clocking in at 15 minutes, this new edition has a great deal of comedy and content. There's a handful of cameos and shout-outs to other work, as well as a wrap-up to a dozen loose plot threads. The embed above only has about half the movie; you can check out the full version here at WarcraftMovies.com. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
WoW Moviewatch: The Grind: 3 Minutes
It's been a while since we've seen a new episode of The Grind, so it was great to hear they'd created a new episode for entry into the BlizzCon 2009 machinima contest. The Grind: 3 Minutes did not win. As Macheath put it on Myndflame.com, "it not only didn't win, it really didn't win." That's kind of a shame, because I thought The Grind: 3 Minutes was funny as heck. I laughed out loud during a few of the gags, and the frenetic, energetic pace of the video kept me engaged and entertained. That the author managed this pace without resorting to Robot Chicken style micro-clips is that much more impressive, and reinforces the power of quick dialogue. I'm not sure there's a story taking place here, and the whole thing seems like a stage for that witty exchange between the characters.All in all, I thought the video was strong and funny. Here's hoping it won't be too long before we see another episode. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
Notable Final Fantasy XI column returns as part of 1up's "The Grind"
Game journalist James Mielke resumes his on-again, off-again relationship with Final Fantasy XI in the fledgling 1up blog "The Grind". Mielke's extended hiatus from his "My Life in Vana'diel" column was a blend of time constraints and some degree of burn-out as well. But it seems he missed the game, particularly after the years already spent playing it, hence his column has returned... again. On the subject of returning to the game, Mielke writes, "People ask me to this day whether FFXI is still worth investing time into it, and to that I say: Now's a better time than ever to join the game." He writes that Square Enix has implemented a number of features that reduces the grind and, hopefully for some, brings more fun back to the game. Mielke specifically points out the beauty of the level-sync feature, allowing people to party with higher level characters, and the Fields of Valor quests that have fired up his interest in FFXI once again. If you've been away from the game for a while, have a look at James Mielke's "Reboot" and see what you're missing.
WoW Moviewatch: The Rumpus Machine
The Rumpus Machine is the latest offering from Oblivious Films, of The Grind fame. It's the story of what happens when an easily-frightened dwarf and his friends stumble upon a "metal pig" which seems to grant their every wish. It's not a follow-up to The Grind storyline, but rather a new, self-contained story. It's kinda like what O. Henry would have written if he'd only lightened up a bit. The moviemaking here is top notch and the storytelling is quite funny with everything from sexy dancing girls to throwback dungeons. Make sure you stick around throughout the entire credits roll for some final jokes at the end.Drew "Drewbie" Syring from Oblivious tells Moviewatch that Macheath made this film for the BlizzCon machinima contest and, for you Diablo III fans, "yes, that is really the real Deckard Cain who was kind enough to lend his voice talents to our production." How'd they manage it? Just watch it, you'll see.Updated: In case it wasn't clear to anyone who watched the film: The filmmakers want you to know that they got the actual voice actor for Deckard Cain to perform in their film.[Via Vimeo]If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ...
Cinemassively: How not to make a machinima
It's that time again where I discuss how not to make a machinima. Two months ago, I awarded Crap Mariner the 2007 ZOMG! That Sux! Award for his video effort. This month, we'll be checking out a training video of sorts that was designed to prepare the machinimator for his first real World of Warcraft film.Before there was the award-winning The Grind series, there was Oblivious Hardcore. When Macheath wanted to learn how to use Adobe Premiere Pro, he packed every possible transition and effect in, resulting in a cluttered, but funny video. If you check out Oblivious Films, you'll see that this exercise definitely pointed them in the right direction, but this video lives on as a testimony for overindulgence.[Thanks, Drewbie, for letting me use this as an example!]
WoW Moviewatch: Chronicle of the Annoying Quest, Episode 20
Bakasavant Productions has finished another episode of Chronicle of the Annoying Quest! The good guys are getting further in their quest, but experience some setbacks, including a cavity search. The bad guys are also hindered by their female companion's vanity. In the end, a meeting takes place between the elders and the recruits, where they are tasked with stopping Juran.This series is far from flashy, but I find it enjoyable. While they may not use many special effects, and the voice acting could definitely use work, they consistently produce solid episodes. Look out for a cameo by Drewbie, of The Grind series, at 4:25! If you liked Episode 20, check out the high quality version.[Via Warcraftmovies.com]Previously on Moviewatch...
WoW Moviewatch: The Grind, episode 2
If you enjoyed yesterday's episode of The Grind, today's continues in the same fashion as our intrepid heroes continue their search for a way to defeat Onyxia. (Though if you're wondering where the story goes from here, there's not an episode 3.) And if you don't watch anything else -- skip to the end for the Ask a Ninja feature. (Unless you're a member of the anti-Ninja Pirate contingent, of course!)
WoW Moviewatch: The Grind, episode 1
Somehow this episode of The Grind reminds me a lot of my guild's last attempt at Onyxia... (Don't make the same mistake we did: just because you're level 70 doesn't mean she's a pushover!) However, instead of heading out to Dustwallow Marsh and experiencing Onyxia wipes for yourself, you could enjoy the suffering of others vicariously, with the entertaining characters from The Grind. (Though their Halloween Special took top prize for comedy at BlizzCon, episode 1 isn't new. Sadly, we haven't seen anything new from Oblivious Films since summer.)
Confronting the grind (and finding it in ourselves)
Ryan Shwayder pointed us to this fun little rant he posted on that most nefarious of MMO subjects: "the grind." Yes, the grind, that mythical beast that lies at the bottom of every MMO, slowly sucking the fun out of it. Wait, "mythical"? That's right-- Shwayder says that there is no grinding in MMOs. That constant, repetitive killing that you do to push your character to higher equipment and levels? That, my friend, is what you bought the game for.An interesting point, and in a sense, he's right-- the only RPG I've ever played without a little repetitive grinding is actually Progress Quest (and if you're in on the joke, you know you don't actually play that game at all). It is true that "the grind" only rears its ugly head not when players are signed in and playing the game, but when they're out of game, and looking at all the stuff they need to do to wield that +5 sword of boar slaying. In a good game, actually grinding is actually fun.Then again, we are only human, and there is so much boar killing you can do before you decide to move on. And since playtime is more and more at a premium, there's nothing wrong with developers making something that previous required 100 boars killed to require only 50, and create a whole other reward for those other 50 boars. But Ryan's also right in saying that the grind is mostly in our heads-- if we got everything we wanted right away, there'd be no reason to play the game. "Grinding" to the highest levels is what playing most MMOs is all about.
WoW Moviewatch: The Grind Halloween Special
This entry in the 2007 BlizzCon machinima contest won the Comedy category. It's the latest episode in the series by Oblivious Films, The Grind. You know, squirrels can be deadly when cornered, especially on Friendship Day.
BlizzCon Machinima Contest
You may recall that there were a few contests going on at BlizzCon, one of them being a machinima contest (and the machinima that comes out of major contests like this is always incredible!). Well, in last night's contests session, we found out who won and saw the premieres of the three winning videos, and now they're available online for all to enjoy! Drama winner: Interlude by Slashdance Comedy winner: The Grind: Halloween Special by Oblivious Films Action/Adventure winner and Best in Show: Snacky's Journal, Episode 3: Freaked Out Over Fishing by Stone Falcon Productions And if that's not enough entertainment for you, there's also a few runners up you can check out at the AT&T Blue Room.
