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Breakfast Topic: The things that keep us playing WoW
This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW.com. A few days ago, I told a couple of friends who were ex-gamers that after my softball game, I couldn't go grab something to eat because I needed to get home and play WoW. After all, it was our weekly raid night. One friend replied, "Why bother? Why even play WoW? I use to play but then gave up; it all became about the numbers." The other just stood there nodding his head in agreement. This got me thinking, why do I play WoW? After all, it's not like I don't have a lot of other things to do to occupy my time. I have books to write, sports to play and a family and friends to hang out with. My life was perfectly fine without WoW, and I am pretty certain life would be fine if the Blizzard servers crashed forever (God forbid), thus making WoW impossible to play. So why do I play?
Lost Pages of Taborea: Call to arms!
It's only been a few months since I started writing the Runes of Magic column, but it seems much longer than that. I love writing these guides, tips, and opinion pieces for fans of this awesome MMO, but I felt something was missing. Even after all the terrific comments and discussions from players, there seems to be many people who haven't tried RoM yet. Seeing comments -- almost weekly -- about people saying they are going to try RoM is really cool. I am a huge fan of the game, and it's my intention to bring the fun and excitement of it to you, through my articles. I'm not hoping that I stop hearing about new players, because those comments are a small sign I've succeeded in my writings, but I do want to take the opportunity to present a "call to arms". RoM is an amazing one-of-a-kind MMO that has captured my imagination and adventure for fun. It can be all too easy to lump this game into an already complicated world of free-to-play MMOs, and dismiss it as "more of the same". It really isn't more of the same. Let's take a look at how this MMO is different, fun, steadily growing, and branching out into the MMO community. This article should catch everyone up on the current status of the game, and how it has faired in the spotlight.
Why you should be playing Runes of Magic: It's free!
"Why you should be playing ..." is a free form column from Massively.com intended to inform you about our favorite parts of our favorite games. We want you to know why we're playing them, so you can know what to play. It's no secret that free-to-play MMOs have gained a permanent foothold in the MMO landscape. With some titles garnering millions of players and others reporting record profits, it's clear that this business model is here to stay. Like most free-to-play games, Runes of Magic is supported by a micro-transaction system. Players spend cash on "diamonds", which can be used to dye equipment, unlock extra backpack space or buy items in the cash shop. Available items for purchase include tools for upgrading equipment, skill reset stones, XP gain potions, cosmetic pets and costumes. In addition to the usual conveniences and cosmetic options, the Runes of Magic cash shop contains some items that could be considered essential. Yet of the few free-to-play titles I've tried that are supported by a cash shop, I find it the most supportive to players who don't want to spend any money. The method Frogster uses to keep Runes of Magic open to free players is highly effective. While cash can be used as a short-cut or convenience, free players are still able to acquire essential items and make full use of the game. In fact, there's very little a cash-wielding player can do that a free player can't. In this article, I look at how Runes of Magic can be played without spending any cash.
Why You Should Be Playing PlanetSide: It's online war!
War seems to be a hot topic in MMOs today. From MAG to Global Agenda, online war is the place to be. But a few years ago, having an online war with 300 people at once was unheard of until one game pushed the boundaries and made it so -- PlanetSide. Sony Online Entertainment started the concept of having the MMO and the FPS merge together into one being that was above and beyond a persistent online shooter. It had the armor system of Starsiege Tribes, the inventory management of an MMO, the level progression and ability modification of an RPG, and the combat and vehicle control of a FPS, all played to the tune of a persistent war. So why should you choose this game when there are so many newer alternatives available? Follow after the break, and let me outline a few features for ya.
Why You Should Be Playing EverQuest II: It's five bucks
"Why you should be playing ..." is a freeform column from Massively.com intended to inform you about our favorite parts of our favorite games. We want you to know why we're playing them, so you can know what to play. When Steam offers a sale, Steam pulls no punches. This holiday has been one of the best sets of sales in the video game industry that I can remember, mostly thanks to Steam's Black Friday deals and this insanely long holiday special that's currently going on. Their deals are so great that the sales are actually crippling their bandwidth -- quite a feat for a service that has one huge bandwidth pipeline. But we're not here to talk about Steam today. We're here to talk about EverQuest II and specifically why you should consider getting back into the game if you were a former subscriber, or if you're a brand new player. The reason? The game is five bucks. Five. Five dollar. Five dollar MMO game. (Not to be confused with five dollar footlong subs.)
Why You Should Be Playing Fallen Earth: First person combat
"Why you should be playing ..." is a freeform column from Massively.com intended to inform you about our favorite parts of our favorite games. We want you to know why we're playing them, so you can know what to play. Fallen Earth is a staff favorite around the Massively.com offices, yet it's very rare that we really get into why we love it so much. So today I set out to end that little problem and tell you why I love Fallen Earth so much -- the first person combat. Sure, it's not the first time that an FPS system has been used in an MMO. PlanetSide is an FPSMMO, Tabula Rasa ended up incorporating an (awesome) FPS view shortly before it kicked the bucket, and Neocron is built on FPS concepts, but that doesn't mean that an FPS perspective isn't a huge amount of fun in an MMO or any less original.
Why you should be playing EVE Online: One server, one universe
"Why you should be playing ..." is a freeform column from Massively.com intended to inform you about our favorite parts of our favorite games. We want you to know why we're playing them, so you can know what to play. It's been dead for too long, but now it's back. The ultimate opinion column, "Why You Should Be Playing," is making a triumphant return to the pages of Massively! For those unfamiliar with this feature, this is the space where the Massively staff gets to tell you why we play our favorite games. We try to spread the love of MMOs unknown so you get to see some of the great features of MMOs you may not play.Today's feature has all guns locked on EVE Online and the power of the Tranquility server. EVE has a vast universe of countless star systems and now even sports gigantic areas of uncharted space, but did you know that all of that world is housed on multiple servers that act as one?
Why you should be playing Final Fantasy XI: The corsair class
"Why you should be playing ..." is a free form column from Massively.com intended to inform you about our favorite parts of our favorite games. We want you to know why we play what we do! They keep telling me that gambling has no place on the battlefield. Battlefields are the places of warriors, mages, paladins, thieves, and rangers. You need to have a sword in your hand or a spell at the ready, because things can go from calm to chaotic in seconds. There's no time to play games when life and death is on the line, especially when a death can cause lost experience points.Whoever said gambling has no place on the battlefield probably never met Final Fantasy XI's dice rolling, card throwing pirate class -- the corsair. The class where your buffs are based on a little skill, a little intuition, and all the luck the party can lend.
Why you should be playing Tabula Rasa: It's free!
If you're still postponing the dive into NCsoft's Tabula Rasa, because of that whole shut-down thing, I wanted to just let you know that you may be missing out on a historical opportunity here. How often is it that you get to play a game through its last remaining weeks, and actually witness the end first-hand? Right now the game itself is even free to download. I'll explain more on this later, but if you're feeling extra generous, or you're big into souvenirs from dead MMOs, you can pick it up on Amazon or most brick-and-mortar shops for $5 US. If you want to spend the extra cash for a Collector's Edition, to get some dogtags, an AFS Challenge coin, a "Making of Tabula Rasa" DVD and more, you can do that for $15-$30 usually. Or perhaps, you'll be lucky enough to find a dumpster full of boxes behind an EB Games somewhere.
Why you should be playing City of Heroes: Emotes
Sure, almost all MMOGs have emotes. They've been there forever. But much like the incredibly involved character creator, City of Heroes boasts a wide range of very silly and fun choices, perfect for those who love to add in that little oomph when role-playing or just messing around with friends. Also, unlike the fire-and-forget-it emote development of many other MMOs, the City of Heroes developers continue to slowly add new emotes in to the game, both through patches and microtransaction packs. Some are easy to find through the chat menus, while others are a bit off the beaten path, and short of hunting down a listing, you may not have seen them all.For those who haven't ever experienced the wide range of City of Heroes emotes, I've compiled a gallery of some of my personal favorites. That said, this gallery is nowhere nearly the entirety of the emotes in the game. In researching this, I realized there were quite a few I hadn't even seen yet - despite playing CoH for a couple of years now! There are also a few emotes that have multiple /em commands to activate. That being said, there is really no substitute for seeing them in action. So, if you've been considering trying on some tights, there's no time like the present! A handful of cool emotes >> %Gallery-40380%
Why you should be playing City of Heroes: Badges
"Why you should be playing ..." is a free form column from Massively.com intended to inform you about our favorite parts of our favorite games. We want you to know why we play what we do!Non-combat rewards aren't new to MMOs, but for a long time they were entirely player-driven. In EverQuest the success of running guild or friendships within an online community were the primary non-mechanical motivators. Since then, and especially with the advent of Xbox Live, in-game achievement tracking has become a major factor in persistent games. We as players love to be rewarded for success, and pinning gold stars to our sashes is a lot easier (from a game mechanic perspective) than actual monetary or xp doles. Warhammer Online may have perfected this schema with the Tome of Knowledge this year, but way back in 2004 City of Heroes really got the party started with their Badge system. Collecting badges is not only a fun and (often) relaxing alternative to leveling or instance-running, in recent years the NCsoft developers have made it worth your while as well. Supergroup badges, for example, stack up to allow your group the opportunity to teleport straight from your base into the field. There are a number of reasons to enjoy badge hunting, and the addition of this seemingly-simple gratification system is one of the reasons CoH as much fun as it is to play. Read on below the cut for more on how the City of Heroes developers give you more fun, with less grind.
Why you should be playing Puzzle Pirates: Swordfighting
"Why you should be playing ..." is a free form column from Massively.com intended to inform you about our favorite parts of our favorite games. We want you to know why we play what we do!Free to play MMOs just don't get the respect they deserve. The problem is that that the entire submarket is painted by the same brush. Yes, there are many examples of not-so-great Asian MMOs poorly translated and dumped on the US market as free-to-play titles. Despite that, not only are some imports well done but home-grown free games are increasingly high quality. Three Rings has been making high quality free games for years, and Puzzle Pirates is their flagship title. You probably already know the outline of the gameplay just from the name; it's an MMO where everyone does pirate-y things via puzzles. Everything is a puzzle in the game, from sailing and bilging to drinking contests. One of the most popular games in Puzzle Pirates is the swordfighting contest, and rightly so. Truly massively multiplayer, based on the Puzzle Fighter 2 console game, swordfighting is craftily, beautifully fun. Read on below the cut for my thoughts on why this simple puzzling technique may be one of the most engaging combats you can enjoy in an MMO.
Why you should be playing Lord of the Rings Online: The Warden
"Why you should be playing ..." is a free form column from Massively.com intended to inform you about our favorite parts of our favorite games. We want you to know why we play what we do! The Warden class in the Lord of the Rings Online (introduced with the new Mines of Moria expansion) is, all things considered, a blast to play. A capable jack-of-all-trades class, rich in tactical options. Not a class for those who prefer their combat to be a bit mindless, the Warden keeps you thinking. The biggest downfall of the Warden is probably hubris. You see, the Warden is capable. Very capable. Durable in a fight, with a mix of melee and range attacks, and a variety of support powers, when they come up against opponents without special attacks (poison, stunning and so forth) such as orcs or brigands, Wardens can quite comfortably take on foes up to five levels or so above their own. The downside of this is that it can often lead you into trouble. Read on to find out why I love the kind of trouble the Warden offers.
Why you should be playing Lord of the Rings Online: Fishing
"Why you should be playing ..." is a free form column from Massively.com intended to inform you about our favorite parts of our favorite games. We want you to know why we're playing them, so you can know what to play.Almost every fantasy MMO offers some variation on a non-combat activity. Whether you're investing in one of the numerous styles of crafting, the unique negotiation minigame in Vanguard, or just /dancing the night away in an NPC city ... there's always something to do. For myself, I've always enjoyed the idea of fishing in-game. It's always relaxing, often lets you enjoy some quiet time in beautiful natural spots, and usually nets you some kind of tangible benefit. The problem with fishing is that it's often boring. In several games, you really have to really grind away at it to 'get anywhere'. Often the mechanics are needlessly complicated, and some games just aren't that pretty to stand around in for an extended period of time. That's why I've grown to love fishing in Lord of the Rings Online so much. The game is beautiful, the mechanics are simple, and the developers don't force you to stand by the side of a river for hours on end. Read on for a few words on why casting a line might be something you'd enjoy thiscoming weekend.
Why you should be playing RuneScape: Free Mad Skillz
"Why you should be playing ..." is a free form column from Massively.com intended to inform you about our favorite parts of our favorite games. We want you to know why we're playing them, so you can know what to play.RuneScape is about to celebrate its 8th birthday (January 4th, 2009). It's amazing that in this industry, where high-powered games come and go, a java-based in-browser game has not only lasted but absolutely thrived for this long. Why is that? My personal feeling is that it's got the skills to ... well, you know the rest of that saying.This is a game for all those who have never tried a MMO before or never thought of themselves as gamers. It offers everything and requires nothing. No fancy system specs. No minimum levels for skill attainment. No epic armor (though it does help a bit if you venture into the dungeons). Not even a credit card. It offers melee, magic, crafting, and cooking all in the same game through the cunning use of skills - twelve of them in the free version, to be exact, and an additional nine if you're willing to pay about $6 US per month. Follow us on a quick tour of the skills you can get for free and what makes them the heart and soul of this game.
Why you should be playing EverQuest II: Crafting
"Why you should be playing ..." is a freeform column from Massively.com intended to inform you about our favorite parts of our favorite games. We want you to know why we're playing them, so you can know what to play. An accusation that gets leveled at MMOs a lot is that they're too violent. Most people who play videogames have sort of a laissez' faire attitude towards roughing up virtual baddies, and rightly so. It's all make-believe, after all. The problem is that this 'bonking out the baddies' gameplay is the bread and butter of the online gaming trope. All you do, in a lot of these games, is endlessly kill critters, bad guys, monsters, and demons for hours on end. Not only can it get repetitive, it's all a bit ... unseemly? That's why I love the crafting in EverQuest II (EQ2) from SOE. It's an integrated system that gets you out of the killing fields and challenges you without putting you in a morally questionable situation. Read on for a quickie crafting system explanation and notes on why building things up can be a ton of fun.
