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The Daily Grind: What's your ideal time-to-kill?
There's a lot that I dearly love about The Secret World, but the length of combat is not included in that. Even standard mobs take far too long to down, and when you get up to bosses you could be spamming your attack skills so many times that you'll wear your fingertips to mere nubs. Contrary to what I've heard said in its defense, the length of these fights isn't an indication of higher challenge but of higher tedium. Still an awesome game, though. Time-to-kill (TTK) isn't something we think about a lot when developers tune it right, but when we find ourselves matched against foes that take longer than they should to kill, it can get under the skin in a hurry. On the flip side are games where you're mowing down mobs too fast so that they aren't a worry at all, and that can lead to disastisfaction as well. So what's your ideal time-to-kill? How long should it take you to down a standard mob at an equal level? 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 Secret World's Scenario Weekend starts March 14th
From Friday, March 14th, until Tuesday, March 18th, The Secret World will be hosting a little something that Funcom calls a Scenario Weekend. Players can take advantage of a 50 percent Aureu boost both when looting scenario loot tokens and when receiving Aureu as an end-of-scenario reward. The firm is also gifting five scenario cooldown removers to everyone who logs in over the weekend. Finally, TSW's cash shop features 30% extra Funcom points with every purchase.
Chaos Theory: A guide to finishing off the Filth in TSW's Whispering Tide event
When The Secret World puts on a long-term event, it certainly doesn't skimp on the long part! The Whispering Tide commenced way back in September 2013 and just last month moved into the final phase. During that time, players have unlocked portals, collected lore, and fought the Filth, all with the ultimate goal of opening Tokyo at the end. And while the time of Issue #9 is is almost at hand, it isn't yet here. The best way to hurry it along is to see this event through to completion and eradicate the Filth in this final stage. If you've missed any of the preceding phases, now is the perfect time to jump in and add your efforts to the cause -- not just for speeding up the release of Tokyo but for collecting all the loot and goodies for yourself as well! With this phase players have the chance to rake in all the slivers and fragments needed to purchase the available event loot (sadly, the past lore pieces are one thing that cannot be gotten). Even if you are just starting now, there are still numerous tendrils protruding from the portal, giving you plenty of time to get in on the action. And this guide is going to walk you through it.
CEO Ole Schreiner on Funcom's future and that police investigation
Funcom CEO Ole Schreiner recently spoke with GamesIndustry.biz in a lengthy interview that covers everything from the performance of The Secret World to the future of the company to the recent Økokrim raid. The police action has to do with former CEO Trond Arne Aas and accusations of insider trading relating to The Secret World's launch. "What we know is actually very little and the few things we do know, we can't talk about because it's an ongoing case," Schreiner says. "The charges are two-fold. The first is that Funcom, between August 2011 and August 2012, manipulated the market. The other is that we had wrongfully filed insider information." It's not all gloom-and-doom going forward, though, as Funcom has gotten the Dreamworld tech behind Age of Conan and The Secret World to work on consoles, Android, and iOS devices. "It's not so much about the technology as the knowledge, which we've been building for 13 years," Schreiner explains. "It's a platform -- it has all the elements you need to make, run, and maintain a game from the production tools right down to the customer service and QA tools." Schreiner is also optimistic about Funcom's future, which is currently focused on LEGO Minifigures Online. "This new strategy is a natural evolution of the company," he states. "We would have taken this path anyway, no matter how The Secret World turned out."
One Shots: Moons over Bajor
Outer space: It looks cool whether it's in color or black and white. Case in point? Check out both varieties of today's headlining screenshot, submitted by reader Chris. "Here is the deep space science vessel USS Aurora passing over one of the moons of Bajor in Star Trek Online," Chris writes. Personally, I think the light and dark contrast looks so much cooler in black and white. That's of small consolation to the crew of the Aurora who went blind sailing directly into the sun, but hopefully their families will find some solace in my admiration.
Jukebox Heroes: Top 40 MMO themes, #30-21
We're back with our second part of our Top 40 MMO main themes countdown, this time digging into the middle of the pack. To repeat my self-imposed rules for this list: I limited myself to just one theme from a particular title, even if there were multiple themes in a game. Entries had to be a main theme or the closest equivalent of that; they had to be from MMOs, not from MOBAs; and I had to divorce my weighting of the track itself from the popularity of and my experience with that game. So there were no points added or subtracted based on my love of the game; I'm counting down the best music, period. If you missed the first part, check out themes #40-31. Otherwise, hit that continue button and get listening already!
Funcom's financials take a sharp blow
The earnings report for Funcom's fourth quarter 2013 is in -- and it doesn't look pretty. The studio reported that revenues are down both year over year and quarter over quarter due to deferred billings with The Secret World and increased competition. However, Funcom said that a better business model and new marketing programs are resulting in a stronger first quarter for 2014 and that its MMOs are "cash-flow positive and will remain so in the foreseeable future." Funcom said that it is taking steps to turn around the business with a new strategy to focus on more mid-core online games with smaller budgets and shorter development time. It's also continuing to invest in LEGO Minifigures Online and the Dreamworld technology. The latter is important so that the studio can release games across multiple platforms including Android and iOS tablets. LEGO Minifigures Online is scheduled for open beta testing this summer. The Økokrim charges regarding possible market manipulation between August 2011 and August 2012 were mentioned. Funcom said that no employees have been charged, and the company is cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation.
Director Joel Bylos on The Secret World's Tokyo and Age of Conan's PvP
It's the end of the month, and that means it's time for The Secret World and Age of Conan's director letters. Director Joel Bylos had plenty to say about both games. Tokyo may have been pushed back slightly for The Secret World, but Bylos stresses that the net result will be a much better area that will really come alive with flavor. He also discusses the controversy around the game's Mystery Boxes, noting that the boxes are not lockboxes; they can be purchased only directly from the item store, and they contain nothing that cannot be earned in-game. Hyboria, meanwhile, is due for another pass of PvP reward balancing. The Dragon's Spine dungeons and the tradeskill updates are still approaching completion, albeit more slowly than most players would probably like. Daily quests are also on the table for introduction to tie into the new world boss system, which should give adventurers in Age of Conan one more way to enjoy the game.
Chaos Theory: Every game needs a Gatekeeper like The Secret World
It finally happened. I've been playing The Secret World since launch, wading through lots of lore, wracking my brains on investigations missions, collecting clothes, and soaking up the amazing atmosphere, among other things. But there is one activity that I have successfully dodged participating in that entire time until the moment came when I could no longer justify evading it. I'm talking about the Gatekeeper. For those who aren't familiar with TSW's Gatekeeper, here' the scoop: He's the giant golden golem that stands between you and the PvE endgame. He's the feature that all players who want to participate in the hardest mode of dungeons and acquire the best purple PvE gear must prove themselves against before being allowed to move their play to that next level. Consequently, he prevents those who are completely unprepared for that level of challenge from getting in over their heads and dragging down their groups in the process. Golden boy is a powerful (and merciless) teacher who can humble those not ready for the fight as well as those who are by really testing their knowledge about the game's combat system and forcing all to face up to their inadequacies. So I finally faced this Agarthan nemesis, and he was all I expected him to be. And yes, I was initially schooled. But I did end up laying the smack down on him, learning a few important things in the process. And one of the top lessons? I think every single game should have a Gatekeeper!
Finish off Flappy and the filth in The Secret World's massive raid event
Flappy's time has come! The Secret World fans can now exact some long-overdue payback on the filth-flinging winged nemesis that has been tormenting players throughout The Whispering Tide event. The final phase of the event -- a 40-man raid against Flappy himself -- has now started, and players of all strengths and skill levels can take part in taking this black behemoth down. The instanced raid will open every three hours for 30 minutes, and offers the chance to collect epic raid loot. Once the filth is completely eradicated from Agartha, the portal to Tokyo will open and usher in the long-awaited Issue #9. [Source: Funcom press release]
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Chaos Theory: Controversy swirls around The Secret World's new Mystery Boxes
Although neither the most recent recent patch notes nor the January Game Director letter mentions it, something happened in The Secret World recently that might, if you believe the cries of some, portend the beginning of the end for the horror-filled game. What powerful behemoth will be responsible for slaying TSW and grinding it into the ground? No, not the Økokrim; this time, it's the mighty Mystery box. Players logging in since January 30th have been met with a launchpad announcement heralding the introduction of the new Mystery Box to the item store. And while some players are up in arms about the significance of this addition, I'm going to tell you why it's no big deal.
One Shots: A nuclear explosion of friendship
I'm always so very proud of you readers when you take me up on one of my weekly screenshot challenges, like a proud papa who sees his child take those first few steps to the computer, sit down, and engage in a 40-man raid. So big props today to reader Rhime, who captured an impressive-looking spell effect from Final Fantasy XIV. "My in-game character on the left center is Kavu," Rhime wrote. "Our free company had a photo night, and I managed to capture a lot of shots of our mucking about on the beach near Costa del Sol. This shot depicts a friend and me posing in combat stance with a couple spells running (fire on the ground and the shiny blue star between us). I hope you like it!" I do indeed! We've got a great collection of player-submitted game photos for you to see today, so let's not waste any more time hanging out in this paragraph.
The Daily Grind: What's your most screenshotted game?
I'm a screenshot junkie. Many of us on the staff are. I wouldn't be running One Shots if I wasn't, really. I compulsively take pictures of interesting vistas, events, and glitches in every MMO that I play. However, there are some games that have me reaching for the screenshot key more often than others. For instance, The Secret World has caused me to take so many pictures that I quickly found out that there's an upper limit on how many screenshots a folder can hold (it's a thousand). What about you? What MMO do you take screenshots in the most? And why don't you wing some of the more interesting ones my way for One Shots (cheap plug)? 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 Secret World's Game Director letter heralds open raid of final phase of Whispering Tide
The Secret World fans who have been itching to slaughter Flappy, that annoying flying Filth monster that punts them off the Agartha ledges, will be delighted to hear that their chance to exact revenge is almost at hand! Besides giving an update on the progress of Issues #9 and 10, TSW's January Game Director letter announced that the final phase of The Whispering Tide event will be launching in just a few days. This last step in clearing the way to Tokyo will involve open 40-man raid instances that are available for 30 minutes every three hours. Any player can simply walk into the lair; when that lair is full, a new instance will open. However, the first group to defeat Flappy during each round will receive a reward bag as well as bonus silvers and fragments. Additionally, the reward bags might contain raid-level items.
One Shots: Gnometizers
As a former, fully recovered World of Warcraft player, I always welcome the colorful yet chunky images from Azeroth in my inbox. But reader Jon crossed a line when he decided to serve up, and I quote, "a delicious side of Gnome" in this particular picture. I, and many like me, have been lifelong Gnomes and choose such avatars in-game to show solidarity and to deliver the comeuppance that "tallies" deserve. This screenshot is just a sad reminder that we are often portrayed as the butt of jokes and thoughtlessly killed every single day just to amuse those who had a stronger growth spurt than we. Oh, how I do hope that Troll choked on his first bite of Gnome pie and suffered through explosive intestinal distress shortly thereafter. That's the only way they'll learn.
The Secret World dev Funcom charged with suspected trading violations
Okokrim, Norway's central authority for dealing with economic and environmental crime, charged MMO studio Funcom this morning with suspected trading infringements. The alleged violations are based around information provided by Funcom for the year leading up to the launch of The Secret World, the company's headline game. The news followed the Oslo stock market imposing a "matching halt" at 9.30AM Norway time, essentially stopping trading on company stock. According to a press release issued by Funcom via the Oslo exchange's NewsWeb, normal trading resumed three hours later. We've reached out to Funcom and Okokrim for more details, but according to a press release from Funcom issued to the Oslo exchange, Okokrim believes there's a "probability" the company has not kept up the required records during the relevant time, noted as between August 2011 and The Secret World's launch in July 2012, and the two months following launch. "The company is fully cooperating with Okokrim," reads the press release in closing. There are various reports of Okokrim performing a "raid" on Funcom this morning, with photos of the unit's black vans outside the Dreamfall studio's Oslo headquarters, and Okokrim staff members entering the offices with cardboard boxes. Funcom came under scrutiny in 2012, when former CEO Trond Arne Aas was investigated for suspected trading based on insider knowledge. Aas stepped down as Funcom CEO the day before The Secret World launched, then sold much of his stock in the company in the months after; Funcom's stock had dropped eight-fold from the game's launch to the time of investigation.
Funcom office raided, charged with suspicion of stock infringement
Several reports are coming in this morning of some legal trouble plaguing The Secret World and Age of Conan developer Funcom. According to several Norwegian news outlets, Norway's economic crime unit paid a visit to the Oslo studio to retrieve "packed boxes of seized documents" thought to be financial records involved in a suspected "infringement of the provisions of the Securities Trading Act." Funcom acknowledged to Norwegian reporters that it was charged with breaching disclosure requirements related to The Secret World when the company failed to report company financial information between August 2011 and July 2012. This has resulted in a temporary closure of Funcom's stock during the investigation. We've reached out to Funcom for more details. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in.]
Chaos Theory: First five favorite moments in The Secret World
I've been asked many times why I love The Secret World. And I have always answered enthusiastically about my favorite parts of this unique game. But a more interesting take on the question presented itself recently: When did I love The Secret World? This query gave me pause as I thought back to the point at which my I'm-having-fun feelings turned into bona fide squeals of delight and shrieks of surprise. And I came to the conclusion that all I really needed to love The Secret World I learned in Kingsmouth. If you think about it, that's a pretty good thing. Since Kingsmouth is the first real adventure zone after your tutorial (I'm not counting the faction cities), having experiences that grab folks' interest there is vital to producing long term-players. In a game, just as in a book or a movie, it is important to hook your intended audience early on so its members stick around to see what's going to happen next. And hook me Kingsmouth did. The following are the first five moments that captured my heart (and mind -- this is TSW we're talking about, after all). They are by no means the be-all, end-all of the game; they are very simple, in fact. But these particular moments did help define my appreciation for the game and ensnare me enough to keep me coming back for more.
The Daily Grind: Do you bypass MMOs with learning curves?
I might be getting less patient with new things as I age, because I have found myself becoming frustrated with MMOs and video games that require actual research and learning to play. If I can jump into a game and figure things out, well, great. If I'm going to have to work slowly through a two-hour tutorial while referencing guides on forum posts, I might just shy away. MMOs that go outside of the norm may have a lot more to offer, but the requirement to learn a new way to play or how all of these confangled systems work can be an obstacle to enthusiasm and engagement. I know it makes me sound a little wussy, but it's the truth. I really had to push myself to get into The Secret World and Fallen Earth before falling in love with both of these games due to the learning curve present. So am I alone? Do you bypass an MMO if it just takes too long to learn how to play 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!
Chaos Theory: The best of The Secret World in 2013
When December wrapped up, so too did The Secret World's first full calendar year, having debuted the summer prior. Coincidentally, the timing also marked the first year of the buy-to-play business model; the game transitioned in December 2012. Looking back over those 12 months, I wonder what can be said of the horror-themed MMO. Certainly updates and new content didn't come as quickly as players would have preferred (what game can ever deliver that?!), but there was still plenty of activity during that time. We're going to delve into highlights of TSW's year that started with awarding all players a coveted pet to counter an exploit discovered during the 2012 holiday event and ended with Hel on earth.
