alganon
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One Shots: Tilting at windmills
It's been a while since we've had an Alganon sent in by a player, but with today's One Shots from Niklas, we break that streak. As a small free-to-play fantasy MMO, Alganon has certainly had its share of trials and tribulations, but that isn't stopping players from enjoying the game or stopping to check out the scenery like we see in today's image. Niklas writes in to share his thoughts: "When I was walking around in the world of Alganon, a beautiful free-to-play MMORPG (which some of you hate), I stopped for a moment just to listen to the music. Then after a couple of seconds, I looked up in the sky where the moon was shining brightly on me. I could only hear the sound from the forest and I got a warm feeling. It is strange how a game can make you so emotional!" If we haven't seen a screenshot of your favorite MMO here for some time, why not take a moment to snap a picture and send it in to us. It's easy to do. Email it in to oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing in the image. Please make sure the image is at least 1024 pixels wide and has no visible UI elements. If chosen, we'll post it out here on Massively for everyone to enjoy and give you the credit for sending it in! %Gallery-112285%
The top indie and free-to-play stories of 2010
I have to admit to feeling slightly amazed when I read that someone thought of 2010 as a bad year for MMORPG fans. Then, when I think about it, I realize that he was talking about the year in "AAA" subscription gaming -- something almost alien to me. I just don't get turned on by huge-budget subscription games like I did seven or eight years ago. Well, it might be better to say that I am always suspicious of big-budget gaming. Gaming is a lot like movies, and look at how bad most blockbusters are. They are often silly, over-the-top, special-effects-laden bores. If those movies were the only ones I watched, I might be a little depressed about Hollywood as well. If you pay attention only to what the major publishers are pushing out, you are simply going to have a narrow view of MMO gaming. You will miss too much. The year 2010 offered more than any year before it, and 2011 will top that. Thanks to mobile technologies and the always-dropping price of computers, you will find that smaller or unknown games have much more of a chance of grabbing a gamer's eye than ever before. So, what were some of the high and low points in free-to-play and indie gaming this year? Click past the cut and let's take a look!
Massively's holiday guide to cash shop prices
I've been asked by readers, many times, to put together a comparison of cash-shop prices. I have always avoided the topic for one glaring reason: There is no constant. Sure, I can tell you how much you get for a dollar, but a wonderful mount in one game might not even be recognized as a mount in another! Quality is subjective, so how would I attempt to measure that? Also, if we wanted to compare the hundreds of cash-shop games out there, we would simply not have enough room. Yes, there are hundreds -- with more coming all the time. Let's be really conservative, though. I broke it down into 10 games that Massively readers will probably recognize or care about. Not all Massively readers, granted, but many, I am sure. It would do me no good to compare some tiny, indie game to Lord of the Rings Online, simply because I would be met with the equivalent of a blank stare. Such is the unfortunate state of gaming right now. After I marked up the list of 10, I lost two straightaway because -- while they have a cash shop in the technical sense -- those cash shops aren't something that can be put up against the others, or they have many items that just wouldn't make much sense. For example, I can tell you how much you can get for 10 dollars in Mabinogi and that you can sell some of those items to possibly purchase a house, but then we have to discuss the variable cost of the house, the upkeep -- on and on. I will definitely have to do a much larger list at some point. Anyway, read on, and I will put notes where needed. Let this serve one main purpose: to prove that there is no constant in cash shops and no generalities -- it's all up to the individual to decide on the quality and value of the items.
The Perfect Ten: Most controversial MMO stories of 2010
Well, this is it, folks. The end of the year. A time of reflection, of massive weight gain and of lists. Man, we like our lists, do we not? Fortunately, at Perfect Ten Industries, we've been excelling in lists for months now. Frankly, we're just getting warmed up! While 2010 may not have been much to write home about in terms of newly launched MMOs, there was more than enough controversy to keep the discussion brewing for months. MMOs are big business, and when every move you make is closely scrutinized by millions of gamers, there's no room to slip up unless you like forum hyenas pouncing all over you, snapping and snarling at your faulty flesh. So let's take a jaunt down our top 10 list of the most controversial stories of 2010 on Massively, keeping in mind that it was devilishly hard just to keep this list to 10 at all. What's a week without being riled up about pixels and polygons, after all?
Free for All: An insight on indie from Alganon
Recently I decided that I wanted to ask different indie developers how their world revolves and what it's like to exist within that world. Development is a funny thing and often much more difficult than many of us will ever know. In my experience, the budget doesn't change the basic goings-on in the development studio, but it can effect what developers are willing to talk about. I would never expect certain mainstream developers to ever open up to certain questions, while many indie developers seem more than willing. Last time, I asked the developers of Istaria what they thought, which you can read here. This time, I decided to send some questions to Quest Online, the maker of Alganon. I received my answers from Derek Smart, president of QOL. Alganon has been one of my surprise favorites of the last year, so I was eager to ask some questions -- after all, he says exactly what's on his mind.
The Daily Grind: What games are you shocked to find still running?
When Alganon soft-launched nearly a year ago -- no, really -- many people suspected that it wouldn't make it halfway through the next year. As it turns out, the game is still running and has just recently received a fairly major update, a far cry from dead. The same cannot be said of All Points Bulletin, and if you look at both games, the fact that Alganon is still running and updating might be almost incomprehensible. You might have tried the game once and found it lackluster; you might have just seen early videos and assumed the game was dead in the water. But sometimes you look back and find that the game you wrote off as a definite failure is still going after all, and you just stopped hearing about it at some point. What games are you surprised to find still running? Were they games with rough launches, or ones that just dropped off your radar for a while? 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!
Free for All: Lessons from the world of indie and free-to-play
I'm no expert at anything. I'm sort of like the Mario of gaming -- not an ace in one particular area, but relatively experienced in all. Luckily, this has worked out for me. Name a title; I either have played it or know about it. Name a developer, and I can probably tell you something about it that sticks out. Granted, this ability might not come in handy when Twitter is exploding in the usual "Hey, we all love football" Sunday chatter, but look where you're reading this now. On this turf, being a well-rounded gamer has its advantages. Over the last 11 years, I've noticed quite a few trends and picked up on some unique ways that developers do business. I would never say that the information I have is 100 percent accurate, but it does come from a very open mind. I'll also not pretend that all these lessons will lead to massive piles of cash and free booze. Some of them are examples of what not to do. In fact, stop listening to me. Go read the examples right now, after the jump.
Alganon adding PvP functionality
Despite its checkered history, free-to-play fantasy MMORPG Alganon soldiers on. In its recently released November newsletter, Quest Online details the latest feature set added to the game in the form of PvP combat. The upgrade is scheduled to proceed in stages, with phase one consisting of both dueling and open world PvP, both of which are already available on the live servers. Phase two of the PvP integration is currently slotted for a December release and looks to add an objective system to the open-world PvP mechanics in the form of conquerable towers. Said towers will provide adventuring benefits to factional members located in the zone. Quest is also working on PvP armor sets and accessories for characters between levels 10 and 50. Keeps will be making an appearance in phase two as well and will represent stepping stones along the path to being able to enter the enemy capitol and slay the factional leader for fun and profit. Finally, phase three of the PvP master plan will bring battlegrounds to the world of Alganon. These self-contained PvP instances will feature team objectives and function similarly to the maps found in traditional FPS titles. Quest is also prepping a renown system that will feature weapons, armor, and assorted gear, as well as a resource-control mechanic. Battlegrounds are scheduled to go live sometime in 2011. Check out the official Alganon newsletter for more details.
Free for All: The camera control blues (or how I judge thee, F2P grinder)
This week, I wanted to cover something that must be discussed before I move any further into my career as "The Only Guy Who Liked That Game." Before I worked here at Massively, I used to work for Ablegamers.com, a site for disabled gamers. Although my job was a volunteer position, I learned enough to make it very much worth my while. One of the most interesting facts I learned was that many, many Americans are disabled, to varying degrees. Technically, my poor eyesight qualifies me as disabled, as do my chronic wrist issues due to 20 some-odd years of drumming and art. I've learned my limits but will never apologize for them. I do not expect every developer or game to allow for some of my special (yet common) circumstances, although I think that some of the fixes are so minor that they should have been in the game in the first place. Still, I have to find games that work for my particular set of issues. As I have begun to test and play more and more games, I have had to start enforcing a certain set of rules to pre-judge the games by, otherwise I am stuck with a game that I simply refuse to play. If not, the reviews at the end of the week would simply read: "I couldn't play this game because it asked me to hold down right-click the entire damn time." See whether any of these issues sound familiar. The fact is, if you're an average human being, at some point in your life you will have the same issues I am having. You might as well recognize them now in order to avoid the games that will cause you trouble.
Free for All: Thirteen spooky free-to-play Halloween events
Ah, Halloween. The dark Xmas. Around our house, Halloween is king. Despite the fact that we have no kids to dress up and parade around the neighborhood, we will still hand out tons of candy to all the trick-or-treaters. Until that spooky night, however, we love to spend the time exploring different Halloween events in our favorite MMORPGs. MMOs are perfect for such events -- they have the players to fill them out, the ability to host whatever kind of event they want, and a lot of optional blood and gore. Some of the events fit perfectly in their game-world, and some stick out like a stock broker on D&D night. Either way, there is always a lot of fun to be had, and sometimes very cool loot to snag! (Like that sweet ride pictured above -- got it on my first try.) Read on for some of my favorite events -- none of them costing a dime.
Quest Online legal drama ends in settlement
Months of legal wrangling, accusations of corporate incompetence, and rampant bickering -- all performed as publicly as humanly possible -- is finally over. Derek Smart and David Allen have probably not settled their personal differences, but at least they've settled the ongoing legal issue. Derek Smart posted the news on his personal blog last night: "At approximately 7PM EST on Sept 27th, 2010, the lawsuit between Quest Online LLC and David Allen was settled with the purchase of Allen's equity in the LLC; thus he is no longer associated with Quest Online. " Smart also promises a press release later this week, and hopefully it signals the end of the public drama. And hopefully we never have to speak of it again. Ever. Seriously.
Free for All: Five popular cash-shop item types
Over the next few weeks, I would like to take a look at cash shops. Despite many good experiences I have had with them, even my referring to a cash shop can conjure up not-so-happy images for many players. For myself, a cash shop gives me a sense similar to a visit to a toy store -- a toy store where everything is dirt cheap. Good cash shops can not only make you want to spend money, but give you an item or experience that was well worth your cash. Before getting into the heavy-lifting topics, I will go over five of my favorite cash-shop item "types." Bear in mind that there is always some game that features some variant of each of these types. Also remember that there are always more categories, but that these represent what I think are the most popular and make the most money. Feel free to suggest any categories that you think do something similar, or correct me where you think I'm wrong.
Rise and Shiny recap: Alganon
We have all heard of the controversy surrounding Alganon. Essentially, it breaks down into a few basic points: it is a "WoW clone," and it is being run by Derek Smart, a say-it-like-you-mean-it development bad-boy. Many claim he looks for negative attention and enjoys arguing with players. To be blunt, I don't care what people think about Derek Smart. I have said it before: I actually believe that he reacts to negative attention the way other developers wish they could. I don't keep track of his battles, though; I keep track of what he has done in gaming. All I know is that before he was with Alganon, I did not enjoy the game. After he became involved, the game got better. Concerning the "WoW-clone" issue: If I had a gold piece for every time I've heard that, I could afford that incredible level 50 mount! (*snort*) If I took a moment to break down all games that have similarities to WoW, this article would be much, much longer than it needs to be. WoW was successful, and the industry takes cues from success. WoW took its own cues from other games before that. Still, does Alganon take more from WoW than, say, Lord of the Rings Online? Read on, and let's discuss it.
Alganon making the switch to the full free-to-play model
It's been quite a while since we've heard much from Alganon, with the last major game announcement having been the switch to a subscription-free model back in April. The team over at Quest Online has apparently decided to take that philosophy to the next level, as on Friday, August 13th, the game is going fully free to play. The client will be free to download and play indefinitely, with no time limits. There will be certain restrictions on new accounts, with a lowered level cap and ability cap that can be ameliorated via microtransactions. Said microtransactions are also the game's way of compensating players who had already purchased a copy of the game, with existing purchasers getting several caps removed automatically. The full details, as well as details on a special offer within the first week of the game's free-to-play launch, are outlined within the official announcement. Alganon is certainly no stranger to controversy, but it remains to be seen what the MMO community at large will think about the game in its newest incarnation.
Know Your Lore: The Eternals part three -- the Titans
The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft. The Eternals of Azeroth are by and large fairly well known by the mortal races -- the Ancients of the night elves were a strong presence in the War of the Ancients, and the trolls worked intimately with their Loa gods. But there are still Eternals out there that are by and large unknown quantities in the universe -- vague historical records have been made, but the mortal races are mostly in the dark as to who these Eternals really are, and what their purpose is in the world. Of all of the Eternals, the ones that remain the biggest mystery are the Titans, specifically the Pantheon of titans that were responsible for Azeroth's creation as we know it today. While the dwarves have uncovered a lot of information recently, there are still large chunks of time seemingly out of order or unaccounted for. There are a few different timelines, and varying opinions on what exactly occurred in each timeline -- so writing about the Titans and the creation of the world is an exercise in careful speculation. Today we'll be looking at the Pantheon -- the titan high council -- who they were, what roles they played in Azeroth, and where they are today, as well as taking a look at the creation of Azeroth.
Alganon steals press release from BioWare
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Alganon_plagiarizes_press_release_from_BioWare_s_SWTOR'; The comedy train that is Alganon just keeps on rolling. Ethic over at Kill Ten Rats alerts us to a press release for the newly relaunched fantasy MMORPG that copies, nearly word for word, the verbiage used by Bioware to promote Star Wars: The Old Republic almost two years ago. "'Traditionally, massively multiplier online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars – combat, exploration and character progression,' Derek Smart continued. 'In Alganon, in addition to these we've added the fourth pillar to the equation; a story. We delivered a fun, immersive adventure that gamers expect in a top quality massively multiplayer online game. To top it all off, we're not done yet. A whole new adventure with new updates will follow soon, starting with a consignment house, new classes, PvP and much more,'" proclaims the offending release. Sound familiar? That's probably because it was posted a while back on The Old Republic's official site: "Traditionally, massively multiplayer online games have been about three basic gameplay pillars – combat, exploration and character progression," said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Co-Founder and General Manager/CEO of BioWare and General Manager/Vice President of Electronic Arts Inc., "In Star Wars: The Old Republic, we're fusing BioWare's heritage of critically-acclaimed storytelling with the amazing pedigree of Lucasfilm and LucasArts, and adding a brand-new fourth pillar to the equation – story. At the same time, we will still deliver all the fun features and activities that fans have come to expect in a AAA massively multiplayer online game. To top it all off, Star Wars: The Old Republic is set in a very exciting, dynamic period in the Star Wars universe," reads a BioWare release dated in October 2008. Check out Ethic's post over at Kill Ten Rats. Additionally, Massively has contacted Quest Online for comment and will update the story as information becomes available. [Update: Quest CEO Derek Smart has responded with this post over on Alganon's official boards.]
One Shots: In with the new
With the recent relaunch of Alganon including a change of model to something more akin to Guild Wars than the original box & subscription model, there are quite a few people taking a look at the game and reporting back on their impressions. Today we have a lush One Shots taken recently by Todd L. who has been checking the game out as well. He writes in to give us his impressions on the view in the above screenshot: "I was out adventuring in the woods of Alganon on my Healer and stopped for a second to take in the scenery in the forest before getting back to the tasks at hand. What a great view!" From big to small MMOs, we love to see what you're doing. All you have to do to take part of the fun is to email your image to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and your thoughts/description of what we're seeing. Please make sure your image is at least 1024 pixels wide, and has as little UI showing as possible. Yours could be the next one we feature here on Massively! %Gallery-85937%
Alganon re-release: worth all the hype?
For starters, there are two things that I will not cover in this look at the Alganon re-launch: Derek Smart: I am still not that familiar with the man. I am familiar with his games, and familiar with the snarky jokes made at his expense, but I do not feel it has any bearing on how much or how little I enjoy a product that he is involved in. His religious beliefs probably affect his life and thus his work more than most things, yet I do not care to read about them either. To put it as he does in his forum signature: "Game developers are just human beings who happen to make games for a living. If you want to hold us up to higher standards of conduct, then go ahead...but don't be surprised if we don't uphold them." "WoW clones:": If we spend any amount of time comparing user interfaces, monster types and general looks, we will be here all day. I am a fan of 30's crime novels, a genre that definitely "borrows" stylistically from itself, but I do not dismiss the use of subtle details that separate different authors from one another simply because they sometimes feel the same or are set in the same universe. Let's not compare vehicles for the content, let's discuss the actual content.
Alganon finishes changes, announces relaunch
Alganon has been going through some huge changes over the past few months, and while sometimes it seems like it's taken a back burner to other things, the Alganon employees have been hard at work behind the scenes. Their work paid off yesterday with the grand reopening of Alganon's doors, accompanied by a hearty thank you to the fans from Derek Smart: "We appreciate the valuable feedback from the testers as well as those who bought and played the original December 2009 release. The continued enthusiasm and dedication of players around the world, and the help they gave us in helping to finish and fine tune the game is very much appreciated." Fine tuning might be a bit of an understatement, as the game has gone through an overhaul from the business model up. Yesterday's relaunch announcement provided an overview of what you can expect from the new-and-improved Alganon, so take a look and see what you think of the new direction the game has taken. Keep an eye on Massively too, as our own Beau Hindman will be taking a detailed look at the changes very soon.
Quest Online responds to David Allen lawsuit
Lawsuits aren't necessarily a fact of life in the world of video games, but they seem to be a bit favored over words when two parties just can't seem to get along. David Allen, the gentleman formerly in charge of Alganon's development, has opted for legal action in the matter of his removal from the company, which was followed by Derek Smart taking his position. While Smart has responded to Allen on his personal blog, Quest Online has taken the opportunity to attempt to put the record straight in a more official capacity. According to the official statement, "the company's members, forced to make a decision between David Allen and Derek Smart, unanimously voted to remove Mr. Allen as managing member thereby leaving Derek Smart as President of the company." Those who have been following the debate since the beginning will note that this matches Smart's depiction of events. The company states that it will defend itself against untrue allegations by Mr. Allen, and that they are confident the courts will see that there were no unfair actions taken on their part. The unfolding legal drama certainly has succeeded in stirring up more interest in Alganon, but only time will tell how the legal side will play out.
