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Neverwinter Days: A one-month evaluation
It's been a little over a month since Neverwinter soft-launched as a no-wipe open beta. Perhaps some folks are holding off until the "official" launch to play it, but I wager that most anyone who is interested in this game is already leveling up like mad. I always think that the one-month mark is a good time to pause for evaluation. There's just too much drama and over-excitement and new car smell that goes on during the first week to keep a level head, so first impressions can be tainted by an atmosphere that will soon settle down. But 30 days seems like a good span of time to get a feel for how Neverwinter is doing, how it's being received by the community, and what needs addressing. I've been playing every day since the soft launch, although two re-rolls because of guild/server conflicts means that I haven't achieved the level cap the way that some players have. Still, there's no shortage to my opinions on what I like and dislike about this title, but I'll see if I can sum up the salient points for you today.
Neverwinter Days: The great economic collapse of 2013
So funny story: In planning out in advance what I wanted to talk about in this biweekly Neverwinter column, I had selected something that recently caught my eye about the game and made me happy. That something was the Neverwinter Gateway, a web portal that allows out-of-game players the ability to fiddle with their character sheets, auctions, professions, guilds, and mail. I thought -- and I still do -- that this was a nifty service that deserved a day in the sun. As I was getting set to write that column, Neverwinter's economy exploded and then imploded over the course of a weekend, thanks to a nasty exploit that involved, yup, the Gateway. Suddenly my topic had to shift from "isn't this a neat tool?" to "check out what the tools are doing with this tool." Seeing the economy effectively destroyed in a matter of hours and how Cryptic Studios dealt with this PR nightmare might be old news at this point, but it's definitely worthy of reflection, analysis, and speculation as to how trust can be rebuilt in this fledgling title. Let's get cracking -- we have a lot of ground to cover!
Neverwinter Days: The 14 guides you need to read
I've had a strange start with Neverwinter, to be honest. While I did get in on the 25th with the early-early crowd, shortly thereafter I had to boogie on off to a vacation that canceled out eight days of soft launch gaming time. So even though I got an early start, I'm probably behind many of you -- even those who started on the 30th. That's OK; I'm not in a rush. I'm not the type to get into a speed race or feel the compulsion to become an instant expert by the end of week one. My experience so far has been feeling out what Neverwinter has to offer, mostly by going through the solo quest line, participating in skirmishes, and queuing up for dungeon runs when time permits. And I'm enjoying myself so far, although I still have that "slightly lost" feeling that comes with exploring a brand-new MMO. I need to learn how to create Foundry missions and I haven't even touched professions yet. Maybe you're like me. Maybe you assume that everyone already knows the ins and outs of the game as though he's been playing it for years, while you're an ignorant noob wandering the streets. I don't think you're alone if that's the case, and to help both you and me out, I've done some research to find the top 14 most helpful threads, sites, and articles that all fledgling Neverwinter adventurers should at least skim over.
Massively's Neverwinter early access launch diary: Day two
After yesterday's initial foray into Neverwinter, I was eager to get back to it. I was still trying to figure everything out, including frustrating little issues (is there a screenshot key that saves to a folder? Can I keep the little notifications from constantly popping out of the side of the map?). There's that period of acclimation in new games when you're excited but also feel a little lost. I'm guessing it's going to be another day or two before I truly feel comfortable in my Neverwinter home. From what I can figure out, there are six main options for a typical Neverwinter play session. There are general PvE quests, skirmishes (think instanced public quests), zone-wide events, group dungeon runs, Foundry missions, and PvP fights. There's also playing the auction house, crafting, and making your own Foundry missions. Yesterday was about the first two, so I decided that the second day would be all about the Foundry. At a certain level or part of the quest line (around level 11), you gain access to daily Foundry quests. These give you astral diamonds as incentive to run player-made content, so I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain!
Neverwinter Days: Choosing your first class
Ready to play some Neverwinter? It looks as though Cryptic is ready to pull the trigger on this bad boy, with a soft launch (open beta with no wipes) starting on April 25th for founders and April 30th for everyone else. While I'm not surprised that the studio is moving ahead with the launch, I still wish that Neverwinter were being held back a few months to get more testing time and to add more classes. You see, five classes doesn't seem like enough to me, especially in a D&D MMO. Yes, there's plenty of room for growth here, and I'm sure that Cryptic will be charging for each new class rolled out, but five? That's pretty paltry, especially when you read this prospective list. But I'm not in charge of development and schedules; I'm just a humble gamer and writer. So I'll lift my chin and get excited for the fact that, hey, we're going to be playing non-wipeable Neverwinter soon! That means that we all have just a couple of weeks to make a crucial decision: What class will we roll first? Let's take a look at the big five and see what the options are.
Neverwinter Days: Can the Foundry succeed?
For many gamers, the name "Neverwinter" goes hand-in-hand with player-created content. BioWare's 2002 Neverwinter Nights and the 2006 sequel allowed players to whip up their own story modules for friends and strangers to enjoy. While many RPGs put us on the receiving end of the developer's storytelling, user-generated content (UGC) in Neverwinter Nights and other similar games allowed the common gamer a chance to try his or her hand at making an adventure from scratch. In my opinion, UGC is the holy grail for MMOs. We all know how developers can never create content faster than the community consumes it, so utilizing the community's creativity, time, and energy to assist in making that content theoretically eliminates a content limit. There's always something to do because people are always, always creating. But UGC is notoriously tricky to handle in a persistent online world, and it comes with many trouble spots that haven't been fully addressed. Considering just how much Neverwinter is relying on its UGC, via the Foundry, to flesh out the game, I have to wonder: Can the Foundry succeed?
Harmonix receives more financial backing; three new games in pipeline
Harmonix, the developer of the Rock Band and Dance Central franchises (and creator of Guitar Hero), has received investment from venture capital firm The Foundry Group. The VC previously backed Zynga and Sifteo."Last fall, Alex Rigopulos and his partner Eran Egozy showed me the three new games they were working on. Each addressed a different HCI (Human Computer Interface) paradigm. Each was stunningly envisioned. And each was magic, even in its rough form," wrote Foundry Group Managing Director Brad Feld, who will now take a spot on the Harmonix board. "Earlier this year I saw each game again, in a more advanced form. And I was completely and totally blown away – literally bouncing in my seat as I saw them demoed."HCI is essentially an exploration of interacting with computers beyond the keyboard and mouse interface, which is something Harmonix has demonstrable experience with, given its history with new tech like Microsoft's Kinect.Although Feld's words should not be taken to mean Harmonix is working on several peripheral-based games, it does mean that the developer is utilizing different concepts for player-game interaction. There's still no word on when Harmonix will reveal these projects, but Microsoft has been a good partner for the company. We've got E3 coming up, as well as an expected new Xbox announcement in the coming months.
Choose My Adventure: Star Trek Online III - The search for the Foundry
Captain's log, Stardate 86234.1. The USS Xiang Yu is reporting back to Starfleet Headquarters for a debriefing following a mission containing a cascading temporal anomaly linked to the ship's warp signature. My first officer has been asked to give a report on the observable effects of the phenomenon and what might be done in the future to prevent a similar incident from reoccurring. During what should have been a fairly simple search and rescue assignment, the Xiang Yu was trapped in a repeated cycle of destruction and temporal displacement. Upon closer examination, my chief engineer identified a concentration of chroniton signatures that corresponded with the impact points of torpedoes during an earlier engagement with the Orion Syndicate. Her theory is that these weapons were somehow responsible for this phenomenon. My first officer, meanwhile, is convinced that interpersonal relationships are in some way connected to this incident. I am occasionally unclear why Admiral Celeste encourages her in this fashion.
Neverwinter Days: The DDO connection
You know what's something I didn't think I'd be saying about Neverwinter prior to getting my hands on the beta? It shares way more in common with Dungeons & Dragons Online than I'd assumed. Yeah yeah, they're both D&D games and MMOs, and there's bound to be similarities on a basic level. But what I'm talking about is more than that: an uncanny connection between the games and a deliberate design philosophy that both seem to share. As a player who's done a couple of tours of duty in DDO, I think I have enough experience to claim this. Besides, everyone's already thinking about "the Dice Duel of 2013" as the papers are calling it. Two D&D MMOs will be facing off against each other, one with a new expansion and the other with a game launch, and both are gunning for the same piece of the pie. So let's deal with this situation now rather than later and look at why DDO and Neverwinter are more than kissing cousins.
Neverwinter beta weekend features Control Wizard, new zones, Foundry content
Perfect World has officially unveiled Neverwinter's next beta weekend. It starts tomorrow, March 8th, and runs through March 10th. New to this phase are the Ebon Downs and Lair of the Mad Dragon zones as well as the opportunity to advance all the way to level 40. Players may also test drive the Control Wizard class for the first time. Perfect World and Cryptic are also opening up a bit more of the game's player-generated Foundry functionality for public consumption. Finally, the devs have released a new video teaser which is viewable after the break. [Source: Perfect World press release]
Neverwinter Days: The allure of bite-sized gaming
Before we get into the really hectic period of the pre- and post-launch frenzy, I wanted to take a week to discuss both why I'm looking forward to playing Neverwinter and why I decided to take on a column covering the game. Oddly enough, I've only been following this title very casually since its first announcement. Sometimes I get swept up in all of the pre-launch hype, and sometimes it just passes me by. In this case, I've dipped my toes into the waters of interest from time to time and found it pleasingly warm. Yet it's kind of a no-brainer to be interested in this game for me because I do love Cryptic's titles and free-to-play philosophy (especially for Star Trek Online) and also because I'm at the right point in my life to appreciate some bite-sized gaming. Bite-sized gaming? Is that just vernacular for "fun size" candy bars that are neither filling nor sized for a party? Nay, I say to you. It's just a good alternative to have in a gaming diet.
Neverwinter Days: Money and knowledge
If you've been following Neverwinter's development closely and combing the internet for every scrap of information about it, chances are that this week's column isn't for you. But if Cryptic's newest D&D dungeon crawler has arrested your interest as of late and you're trying to catch up with the rest of the crowd, I think we can be accommodating. Prior to a game's release, I like to bone up on the basics without crossing over into spoiler-heavy territory (especially guides and extensive video walkthroughs, but that's just me). It's a great time to get into dedicated podcasts on the game as well; I swear that podcasts at pre-launch are always more interesting than afterward. So this week we'll go over a few essential resources that all Neverwinter fans, current and aspiring, should include in their bookmarks, as well as a brief discussion about the game's monetization plans.
The Daily Grind: Is powergaming via PGC tools acceptable?
Any game that implements a player-generated content system runs the risk of creating a system that's more fun -- or more lucrative -- than the original game itself. Players of the now-sunsetted City of Heroes, for example, were forever finding ways to turn experience and currency gain within the player-content tool known as the Mission Architect to their advantage. Imagine designing a mission with mobs that deal nothing but fire damage, then bringing your fire Tanker with her anti-fire shields to blaze through a group's worth of mobs while soaking up the levels and loot. Overpowered? Most definitely. Fun? Frequently, especially when you just wanted to level up your 50th alt to get to the good powers. Exploitable? Some people did consider such activities to be expoits, and to pacify them, the developers brought so many nerfhammers down on the system that by the end, it was seldom used except by the most diehard storygoers. This same battle is now being waged on the forums of Neverwinter, which game will also implement a player-generated content system that allows participants to design and play each other's missions. Cryptic plans to curtail potential powergaming by limiting rewards earned through the tool, but there's always a danger of limiting rewards so much they're not worth the bother. Today, let's discuss what you think about the potential dangers of PGC. Are powergaming and farming acceptable uses of PGC tools like the Foundry? Do you prefer studios crack down hard on people who aren't doing it the "right" way? Or do you have a different solution? 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!
Neverwinter Days: Beta blitz
Welcome to Neverwinter Days, a fresh new column that will be pulling on our +1 boots of game exploring while we go tramping through dungeons and fantastic locales. I'm fairly excited about this game and wanted to explore it from top to bottom while bringing you along for company. Neverwinter is a Cryptic title, and with that comes a laundry list of expectations: Players will be pretty divided on it, it'll skew toward "fun" and "buggy," there'll be a lot of visual customization, and "F" always, always interacts with the world. And it's a Dungeons & Dragons title, so there are even more genre expectations. For example, we're going to be laying the smackdown on Kobolds early and often. Poor buggers. Usually we begin a column by showcasing the community resources out there, but we're going to put that off until next time in favor of discussing this past weekend's beta event. Yours truly and several other Massively staffers were on the scene to chow through Neverwinter and see how it's shaping up in these final months prior to release. So what did I get out of it? It's going to cost you one click to find out!
Captain's Log: Star Trek Online tweaks Season Seven
It's been just over two weeks since Season Seven went live in Star Trek Online, and a lot of tweaks to the new reputation systems have already been implemented. Because of what seems to be low turn-out on the Tribble test servers, the team placed its focus on major performance bug squashing and decided to wait to make changes to the system mechanics until after it could get more solid data from the players on the live (Holodeck) server. Once that information was received, the changes were fast and furious. Star Trek Online's Executive Producer, Daniel Stahl, released two blog posts over the course of the last week, outlining not only the alterations to the Season Seven material but also answers players questions in the November Ask Cryptic. Join me as I go over a few of the changes!
NYCC 2012: Neverwinter panel, Helm's Hold video, Foundry screens
If you're anywhere near New York City this week and you're a fan of Neverwinter or pop culture conventions (or both), the New York City Comic Con is the place to be. Perfect World is hosting a panel called Neverwinter Adventure Zones: From Campaign to MMO World on Saturday, October 13th. It's all happening at 1:30 p.m. EDT in room 1A23 of the Javits Center. To mark the occasion, Perfect World has also released new screenshots, including a couple of images focused on the title's Foundry player content toolset, and a new video tour of Helm's Hold. Check out the gallery below and the Gamespot video after the cut! [Source: Perfect World press release. Thanks to Paul for the tip!] %Gallery-152607%
Captain's Log: Star Trek Online, story, and 'new Trek'
This week, I'd like to give a short overview of some of Star Trek Online's latest happenings, including news that STO fiction has once again been published outside of the game and that Cryptic has once again begun to feature player-made missions on a weekly basis. Join me past the jump to learn more!
Some Assembly Required: Directing your own Star Trek episodes with the Foundry
To boldly go where no SAR has gone before... but not for a lack of trying, I assure you! Yes, folks, I have actually attempted to explore the topic of Star Trek Online's Foundry for Some Assembly Required on numerous occasions since this column debuted over a year ago, but I was thwarted each time. This mission generator, which offers STO players the chance to infuse the game with their own stories, has had a very rocky life; there have been extended stretches when the feature has been in, shall we say, a less-than-working form. Hopefully, that is all in the past now. Luckily for fans of player-generated content, the Foundry has recently come back online. And with the revelations the in the July state-of-the-game letter and the recent Foundry Season 6 dev blog, it appears the system is getting some real attention from the developers. Soon players will have more tools and better customization to compose their missions and tell their own stories. Do you have a story you want to tell? Keep reading for quick guide to the nuts and bolts of this feature that allows you to create your own bit of personal Star Trek lore.
Captain's Log: Star Trek Online in Las Vegas
This weekend, Massively, along with Trek Radio, hosted the formal Star Trek Online Discussion with the Devs panel at the official Star Trek convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. And if I judge by the personal feedback received and the unanticipated (yet much appreciated) turn-out from players who attended the panel, all seems to have been very well received. Join me past the jump to learn more about what the STO developers said in response to questions posed by Massively and those in attendance at the convention and on the game's forums.
Captain's Log: The state of Star Trek Online
This past week, Star Trek Online's developers proved they're listening to community feedback. STO Executive Producer Daniel Stahl has released this month's state-of-the-game letter, Foundry missions are playable again, and a few of the game's developers began preparations for their appearance at the upcoming Discussion with the Devs panel, which will be co-hosted by Massively and Trek Radio at the official Star Trek convention in Las Vegas. Still, there are some outstanding issues that haven't been addressed by Cryptic or Perfect World, and some players are beginning to wonder whether PvP has been laid to rest in STO. Also, the addition of a new EV suit to the ZEN Store has ruffled quite a few feathers, including mine. Join me while I sift through what happened in STO over the past week!
