MMObility: The best Glitch apps and websites
Glitch is a wonderful game, but it can be a bit confusing. The sheer number of items, places, and ingredients can make navigating the world of Ur difficult. I decided I needed some assistance living in the world of the giants. It took but one post on the forums before the helpful community overwhelmed me with choices. The developer of Glitch, Tiny Speck, made sure that players and third-party developers can have a go at making applications or websites that connect to the game's information and characters. I had no idea how many people had created some sort of app or website so far!
I started to try them all out, and as of the time of this writing, I have barely scratched the surface. There are apps or websites for almost anything you can think of. I have already found some that I really like, and I wanted to share them with you. Feel free to let me know which ones you like, and why, in the comments section.
Writing this article has been one pleasurable experience. Not only do I get to see first hand how nicely a creative and generous community can enhance the experience within an MMO, but I have that lovely feeling of being overwhelmed with choices. It doesn't hurt that the tools I am listing are actually quite useful while you're playing Glitch. I am still working with some of the apps and websites, but within a few hours of tinkering, I has already become more organized in a game that can easily feel disorganized. If you would like to see the bulk of the suggestions I have received so far, check out this forum post.
Keep in mind that many of these apps or sites need to access your character or profile information in order to work. Don't worry -- this is standard stuff, and the developers intended on allowing app or site makers to do this. So read on!
Glitch Academy - This cool site allows players to take "classes," basically scheduling skill learning in a queue. It's a handy tool, but you need to queue skills that you have the prerequisites for or it "suspends" you from class. Just revisit the site to schedule something else. It would be nice if it only showed skills that could be learned at that moment, so maybe that option will be in a future update?
Glitch Autosell - A neat, free web-based tool that allows for automatic auctioning of items. This is great for those of us who might not want to take the time to list every single item as we get it. Glitch is a trader's dream game, but the sheer number of items that can appear in your inventory in just one session can be maddening. Autosell works, but see Gregarious Grocer for a deeper experience. Speaking of...
Gregarious Grocer - This Chrome app is fantastic! I have been using it to automatically list auctions of surplus Musicblocks and other items. It also lists your inventory and gives you plenty of information. While it does cost $1.99, it works really well. I am using it a lot so far.
Glitch Resource Database - This website lists resources so you can stop wondering "where do I go to find butterfly milk?" It's super handy and easy to navigate. You can also add bookmarks and teleport to locations from the website!
Glitch Wiki - This site has tons of info about all things Glitch. It is, you know, a wiki.
Zog's Glitchy Tools - A collection of basic tools that are really just beefier versions of the ones you can find in game. Still, they are handy enough to remain bookmarked. I like the inventory screen in particular. It will tell me if I have wasted space and how I can save space as well.
Glitch's Inventory on the iPad - I have yet to purchase and download this one, but it seems to be another inventory management and auction tool. The real attractive quality of this one is that you can have it running next to you while you play, or you can use it to access your inventory while you sit at the airport or in the doctor's office. $1.99 is the price of a cup or tea, so this one is a steal even then.
Glitch Remote - Glitch Remote is another great website that helps players find, bookmark and travel to any location they can think of. Its lists break it down into resources, shrines or whatever else you can think of and will instantly teleport your character there. I like how legible and easy to navigate this site is.
The World of Ur in Glitch Atlas - This is another nice map tool, but it's also fun to just click around and follow encyclopedia links to find out more about the lore behind the game.
GlitchCrafter - I like this list of recipes, but I would also like to see an ability to list recipes by name or to search the list. I imagine this database still has plenty of uses when you're looking for some of those lesser-known recipes.
FavorSavor - If you've ever had issues trying to figure out how many items might be needed to gain favor with the different shrines in game, this handy website does a lot of the figuring for you. Those emblems are awesome to have, so this website should stay in my bookmarks for a long time.
Glitch time converter - I'm sure there's something useful that this time converter does, but to me, it's just really cool. Heck, I'm not even sure what the dates and times mean in Glitch yet, but I love discovering that stuff.
Glitch cookbook - The writer of this blog is attempting to cook real life versions of Glitch favorites. I hope he keeps it up. Will he make a Flaming Humbaba?
The Glitch Market - Fancy yourself an armchair trader? Love watching the ever-changing image of the stock market? Well, this site is for you. If you play Glitch, that is. It has a ton of information, is well-designed, and updates constantly. Pretty cool, huh?
Feed Your Glutt - If the market is your thing but you want to get it down to a science, this website is for you. One of the best things about it is that it shows you newest auctions, best deals, worst deals and more. Ever wonder how much someone might be overcharging for that Ayn Rand doll? Now you know. (Just don't buy it.)
Gleetch - If you'd like to annoy your friends and followers on Twitter, then use Gleetch to connect your Twitter account to your Glitch account. It will tell everyone when you learn a new skill, snag a new achievement, or gain a level. You can choose which ones and what the Tweets will say when announced. I use it to announce when I learn a new skill.
Find Your Character - This website lets you do a simple search for your Glitch character, and then you can see a list of achievements that you haven't reached yet. Sure, other people can look you up as well, but who cares? Now you'll now just how much more there is to do!
Glitch Mash - This Glitchy equivalent of HotorNot is brilliant. I could sit at my desk all day voting on who is cool-looking. This site perfectly illustrates just how wonderful the simple-yet-robust customization system in Glitch is.
Glitch companion - This little app is a really cool minimap style tool that rests anywhere on your screen while you play the game. It does a few things, but the best by far is the minimap that tracks your Glitchen's movement as you wander across the lands of Ur. There are still many things that need fixing, but it's a nice tool.
So, there you go: several tools to help streamline your Glitch time. I rarely like to use any type of extra, spoilery information that pulls away the curtain on a game, but these tools really just help the experience instead of wrecking it. Check them out -- they're all worth it!
Each week in MMObility, Beau Hindman dives into the murky waters of the most accessible and travel-friendly games around, including browser-based and smartphone MMOs. Join him as he investigates the best, worst, and most daring games to hit the smallest devices! Email him suggestions, or follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
