Ask Massively: Buy Guild Wars now! edition
In this week's installment of Ask Massively, we address topics such as external vs. internal game wikis, EVE Online's continuing sound issues, which Guild Wars chapter to buy and... well, that's really about it. But we do it with love and hugs in every word.
Click right past the jump below for this week's answers. If you'd like to see your MMO- or site-related questions answered next week, add them to the comments below or send them to ask@massively.com. Also, take note that starting next week, Ask Massively will be moving to Thursdays.
Wade asks: Why do so many MMOs make you go search a wiki for item information, crafting information, etc for their games? They could easily have this info as part of the client and have everything listed right when and where you need it. I get really tired of having go search through some website to find out what I'm supposed to do with new item drops I haven't seen before or for things I just don't remember.
Quite honestly, I believe this has to do with the way the developers played the games they grew up on 10-20 years ago. Back then, you had a little notebook on your computer desk to jot down unknowns that you'll research in the game later. I actually still have one 3-subject notebook from my Commodore 64 days that I just can't throw out. The memories associated with that notebook and the hard work put into the research makes it an heirloom. It's some pretty powerful stuff, and I think today's developers would love to bring that gameplay style back, even though we're far removed from it now.
To me, even having a website to search for info is too easy. But putting all of that info directly into the game is one more step towards buying a powerleveling service to play your character for you. Yes, I'm old and cranky. Get off my lawn!
Seriously though, I do think developers don't want to make things too easy... yet. Most of the fun can be found with research and learning about the game. These days, that's just done through external websites instead of laid out for you in the game itself. When you think about it, that's a testament to the dedicated communities for creating these wikis and fansites.
Blacknimbus asks: Since Eve Online came up, I have a question. The reason I quit last time was because the sound and music stopped working. Not completely, I should say...I'd get a crackle and a pop everytime I switched views between the heads up and the map.
Has this been fixed? The thread referencing sound issues in the official forums was months old last time I checked. I'd like to avoid paying a months worth of sub fees just to find out it still doesn't work....again.
I was able to log into the EVE Online forums without registering and I found several threads on this very topic. As early as yesterday, a CCP dev team member posted: "We are aware that there are still some issues with the sound engine and we are working on resolving these. This is part of our commitment to excellence and includes, among others, fixing the issues regarding positional sound and the jukebox not playing back music. However, the problem is that not all of these issues are easily reproducible and thus it is very hard to track down the root cause - and even if the cause is discovered then there is not necessarily an easy, fast and simple way to fix it."
If you (or anyone else reading this) want to learn more about these sound issues and when they may be fixed, check out this giant (current) audio issue thread on the forums.
Blacknimbus also asks: I've never given Guild Wars a try...which edition should I buy?
Music to my ears! As Tempus Magus and Wade so kindly pointed out in response to this, the GW Trilogy is the way to go here. Steam regularly has sales on this bundle and actually has it for $26.79 USD this weekend. Great timing!
