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H1Z1 boasts 150-200 early access servers, including 'carebear' servers [Updated]
In preparation for the early access launch of zombiebox H1Z1, SOE's John Smedley has been busy on social media. Over the weekend, he asked Redditors for suggestions for 50 zombie-themed server names. Last night on Twitter, he indicated that the game will have far more servers come Thursday: looking like we'll have 150-200 H1Z1 servers on 1/15. [9:19 PM - 12 Jan 2015] we'll be announcing the distribution of them (i.e. rulesets, etc) in the next day or two. I think people will be happy. [9:19 PM - 12 Jan 2015] even the disgusting PVE carebear servers will be ready day 1. I'm not happy about that but people tell me I need to get over it. [9:20 PM - 12 Jan 2015] Don't worry, PvE players who've been buying SOE MMOs for 16 years. We're pretty sure he was kidding. H1Z1 early access launches January 15th. Smed has previously warned players that they should "NOT BUY EARLY ACCESS" if they are hoping for a completely finished game, but given the number of servers, we expect no one is listening to that advice.
Lost Continent: Carebearing your way through ArcheAge
ArcheAge is, in part, an open PvP MMORPG. "In part" is the key phrase there, and I've had a few people ask me if it's possible to play XL's sprawling sandpark opus without getting ganked or otherwise forced into an ill-fitting playstyle. Not only is it possible, but PvE has made up the overwhelming majority of my gameplay for the past month.
Stick and Rudder: OK, so Star Citizen might be a PvP game
A few weeks ago I outlined why I think Star Citizen is more a PvE title than a PvP title. I'm sure most of you disagreed, so this week I'd like to examine the other side of the debate. Sorta. See, I still think SC is mostly for PvE types, given Chris Roberts' design sensibilities, but I also went back and studied the Roberts PvP quote highlighted in the previous piece as well as the full wall o' text that surrounded it. Roberts, according to that interview, believes that SC will be both a PvE and a PvP game. Fair enough. We often hear devs speaking grandly in the pre-alpha stages of a project and swearing up and down that it's going to make everyone happy. Can it really, though?
Stick and Rudder: Five reasons Star Citizen isn't a dedicated PvP game
Is it just me, or does a new PvP-vs.-PvE fight break out on the Star Citizen forums every five minutes? In fairness to everyone involved, the jousting we've seen over the past few months is pretty typical of every early adopter MMO community. There's plenty of preening, pseudo-intellectualism, and outright trolling on both sides of the aisle as two player groups make their preferences known early and often in a blatant attempt at influencing game developers to develop something more to their liking. With Star Citizen, though, and with the all-PvP-all-the-time crowd in particular, I'm constantly left wondering whether these people have bothered to research the game they're backing.
Stick and Rudder: The five types of Star Citizen guys
I've been through my share of alphas, betas, and early release communities over the years, and without exception, every one of them is chock-full of the same five guys. Oh sure, these guys have hundreds of different forum handles, and in the case of a nostalgia-drenched core title like Star Citizen, some of them may even be old enough to know better. But they're still the same five guys. These guys are in the good pre-release communities and the bad, and while their passion is largely laudible, their busy-body forum hijinks are nothing if not high-lariously predictable.
Massively's Darkfall launch week diary: Day two
I'm doing Darkfall Unholy Wars wrong. See, I'm one of those sandbox carebears who could not care less about PvP. I'll attempt to defend myself if attacked, and I'll add another body to the zerg if I'm in a clan or whatever, but I don't seek out conflict with other players. I mention this because that attitude obviously informs everything I write about Darkfall, which, at its core, is a great big high fantasy murder simulator. Yes, the game has crafting, harvesting, player housing, and better PvE than it's given credit for, but on some level all of this stuff exists to power the FFA PvP meatgrinder that in turn attempts to satiate the bloodlust of Aventurine's target demographic. And would you believe that despite that, Darkfall is still one of this carebear's favorite MMORPGs?
The Firing Line: Star Citizen shouldn't be EVE with joysticks
I've been spending a lot of time on Star Citizen's forums of late. And when I'm not doing that, I'm replaying Wing Commander, Wing Commander II, and Privateer (thanks GoG) and generally wetting myself with excitement for Chris Roberts' newest space sim. The one thing that gives me pause, though, is the unsavory player type that SC is already attracting. You know the guys I mean. They're PvPers, which is great, but they can't type a sentence on a message board without using the word carebear a minimum of three times while making sweeping generalizations about the playstyles, sexual orientation, and parentage of any and all who dare to disagree with them about what makes gaming fun. That said, I like PvP and plan to engage in Star Citizen's version of it. I'm not naive enough to think that the no-holds barred nonsense being advocated by some in the game's pre-release community will result in anything other than a niche title, though.
The Daily Grind: What game would you play if it had an alternate gameplay server?
I'm a carebear, I admit. I find that getting ganked while I'm trying to figure out how to have fun in a game is a bit on the frustrating side. I don't mind organized PvP, but free-for-all PvP in an open world just isn't for this old man. At the same time, I love sandbox games, but I can't understand why so many great sandbox games have to also be FFA PvP. Let's take Darkfall, for instance. I would play that game in a second if it had a PvE server, but it doesn't. I also love Wurm Online, but if it were PvP-only, I would never have given it a second look. Whether it's RP, PvE, PvP, or whatever else you fancy, there's probably a game out there that you'd play if it had a ruleset you enjoy. So which one is it? 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!
Warhammer Online encourages murder most foul
In the happy, carebear world of Warhammer Online, we've reached the time of year when the clouds break to let in a ray of sunshine that warms the souls of all it touches and sprinkles hearts with... oh, forget it. It's Murder-o-Rama, aka the Night of Murder. Mythic's annual WAR bloodfest centers around players attempting to appease a gruesome Elf god by taking out contracts on each other's lives. From February 9th through the 22nd, players will try to complete Tome of Knowledge tasks by completing "Marked for Death" quests and killing those with a dripping red skull-and-crossbones over their heads. The rewards are worth the effort, though, with items like Lobbin' Noggins, Khaine's Caress, and a fun pike sporting your opponent's head that you can slam down next to a defeated foe. It's the yearly holiday your mother always warned you about, but you never listened then and you're probably not going to start now.
Wings Over Atreia: In defense of PvP -- a carebear's conversion
Squealing in delight, the gamer continues down the list, eyes feasting on line after line of the perfect features. Everything ever wanted, dreamed of, right here. Could it be? Could this be The One? Visions of gaming nirvana dance about the gamer's mind. Oh the fun that shall be had! Almost quivering, unable to contain the excitement, eyes finally chance upon the line... wait, what's this? PvP? Window closed/box tossed back on the shelf. What a piece of garbage. Sound familiar? How many times have we heard the phrase "It would have been perfect without PvP" or see gamers just pass over a title that fit their wants and needs almost to a "T" just because of that one feature without even giving it a chance? How many people have been captivated by the beauty and promise of Aion but refrained from trying it because of two little words: "open PvP"? Plenty. Even among my own circle of friends I have heard that refrain many a time. To that I say: It's your loss. In fact, I propose that PvP can be not only tolerated but actually enjoyed by almost everyone. And this week's Wings Over Atreia is dedicated to showing you how. Poppycock! you say? Now, before you dismiss me out of hand, please consider where this declaration is coming from. No one can (accurately) accuse me of being a PvPer. In fact, I more fully fall into the quintessential carebear category than anywhere else -- I am a casual-ish player and a roleplayer. Even so, I can now make the following (qualified) statement: My name is MJ. And I like PvP.* Don't believe that you, too, can make this statement? Take the leap past the break for a look at some tips on how to come to enjoy this integral feature more and not let fear keep you away from Aion.
Generosity scandal rocks sci-fi sandbox
Players of [hardcore MMO] reeled today over the the latest scandal to hit the game. According to our sources, a character by the name of [player #1] of [guild name] flew his [spaceship name] above a neglected outpost on [game location], dumping over [huge number] [game currency] on the players below. The money has an approximate value of [huge number] USD. "[Player #1] is a travesty," one angry citizen declared. "This game is about scamming and swindling idiots out of their money, not giving it away like some namby-pamby carebear in [themepark MMO]." "I could have been killed!" insisted [player #2], who spends his game time [tradeskill ending in -ing] in the town. "All that [game currency] was really heavy. What if it had landed on my [body part]?" [Player #3], who is not an economist, suggested that donations of this magnitude ruin the economy. "We can't just go around throwing free [game currency] out of spaceships. It causes inflation and hurts [insulting term for newbie players]." [Game company] could not be reached for comment. Games Journalism sure is hard work, so we've decided to take a break today and let you write your own news! Too many stories about RIFT on Massively lately? Not enough about the game of your choice? No problem! Much in the style of Mad Libs, today is your day to create the news you want to read, all day on the :30s. Simply fill in the blanks and it's yours. Have fun!
Wings Over Atreia: Shakespeare in Aion
OK, OK, maybe Shakespeare is a bit melodramatic, but the idea of taking on a role and playing it out on a stage is not a foreign idea -- even in Aion. It just so happens that this stage is not under your feet but in virtual space instead. Besides, I happen to love Shakespeare, so props to me for mentioning him in a gaming column! Now, I am the first to admit that NCsoft doesn't make it easy for a gamer to roleplay in Aion; there are scant few tools to support this style of play. But that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Despite this dearth, there is in fact a whole community comprised of legions both large and small as well as individuals. These players use personal connections and a player-created chat channel in-game as well as external tools such as the Aion Roleplayers website to bind themselves together and support the community as a whole. So what exactly is roleplay, and how viable is it in the world of Atreia? Exit stage left (past the cut) to define RP, debunk some RP myths, and explore RP in general Aion.
EVE Evolved: Preparing for war
As a sandbox game, EVE Online allows every person to play his or her own way. Some players like to trade on the market, run missions in whatever spare time they get or manufacture ships for their corporation. Others play for the adrenaline rush of PvP or the strategy of political conquest. EVE's population can be roughly split into those players that PvP regularly and those that don't, with a surprising number of pilots abstaining from it altogether. But what if you're one of those players who doesn't PvP and thinks it's time for a change? Maybe you've had enough of mining rocks and finally want to give piracy a go. Or perhaps your corp is the target of yet another war declaration and you think it's time to make a stand. Whatever your reasons, making the transition into the world of ships blowing each other to smithereens can be a tricky business. In this informative guide, I look at the various things a player or corporation can do to prepare themselves for war and ease the transition into a PvP play style.
A "carebear" perspective on embracing Darkfall
Darkfall Online has a deserved reputation for being a hardcore PvP-centric massively multiplayer online game. The aggressive nature of Darkfall tends to make some gamers shy away from the title, particularly those whose comfort zone is in the PvE that other titles on the market offer. So then, is Darkfall a game that only appeals to the established hardcore PvP'er or can it hold some allure for a wider MMO audience? We came across an article at MMORPG.com today that may help answer this question, written by their Darkfall Correspondent Kelly Price titled "Darkfall: The Conversion of a Self Proclaimed Carebear" that we feel is definitely worth pointing out. Price caught our attention since much of what's written been written about the game on various MMO sites tends to be somewhat negative (or outright slagging) from the standpoint of people into more PvE-centric massively multiplayer online games, while PvP'ers have taken to Darkfall like fish to water. It's refreshing to see Price's perspective on the game, that of a (self-described) 'carebear' embracing the play experience that Darkfall offers.
Behind the Curtain: The spirit of competition
I was going to write a little about the differences between making better games, and making games better. The more I thought about it though, the more I realised that a topic like that doesn't really have a place here at Behind the Curtain. You can take that statement either to mean that an intellectual, investigative piece doesn't really fit the mood of an opinion-based weekly column; or that an intellectual, investigative piece would simply be too hard. Your choice. Also, it's Christmas, I'm Scottish, so I've been drinking a lot. Instead, I got to thinking about competition. I'm not really competitive at all, you see, so most games (computer and real-life) which involve Vs. modes or PvP hold little appeal to me.
EVE Fanfest 2008 PvP Tournament details announced in video
We've mentioned that EVE Online's next PvP tournament will be unusual, featuring a mix of ship combat (as expected) and mining (completely unexpected). The end result promises to be wonderfully chaotic and offers something interesting for players of all types, whether hardcore PvP-er or carebear. In fact, this also creates the new possibility of having industry-focused players giving tournament commentary alongside the PvP veterans, but there's been no word on this to date. While EVE's PvP tournament viewers at Fanfest 2008 can look forward to the pandemonium of coordinating mining lasers with missile fire, it's a safe assumption that the tournament participants themselves would like to know how this is expected to go down. CCP Games now has a video explaining how the tournament will work, and has posted two charts showing the brackets of the EVE Fanfest 2008 PvP Tournament schedule. In fact, devs CCP Mindstar and CCP Claw were filmed randomly drawing teams from a 'hat' and matching them up, which was later solidified into the schedule.
A trader's mindset in EVE Online
In EVE Online, it's usually the harsher side of the game that gets the most attention and has the greatest allure. Piracy, large-scale alliance warfare, and in general the dark side of EVE are what most players find interesting. But still, there are many players who engage in non-violent gameplay and find it rewarding. While hardcore PvP-ers lambast them as carebears, some corporations and individuals have attained considerable wealth and influence in the game through their own form of PvP applied to finance -- market warfare. Among the player-created corporations and alliances in EVE Online that are devoted to helping newer players attain their goals in an often complex system, EVE University and Agony Unleashed are the most prominent. However, there are other corporations in the game that help their members along the way, which are more focused in their pursuits. One such corporation is Trader's Academy, corp ticker: [TRACE], formed in 2005 and devoted to helping pilots maximize profits from trading, mining, and mission running.
What draws players to EVE while keeping others away?
EVE Online is the type of game that doesn't have the broad appeal of fantasy that titles like World of Warcraft. Certainly, it attracts a number of players who are looking for an edgier game experience where actions have consequences. For some, the consequences can be steep, causing those gamers to shy away from EVE. Being wary of your fellow pilots is always a good idea, but it's not all piracy and suicide ganks. The game offers freedom to do what you want in the sandbox, but most EVE pilots stay on the right side of the law. Sam Guss is a writer at EVE-Mag.com, an up and coming site that focuses on EVE Online, who wrote a piece that caught our eye at Massively. His article is titled "Is EVE for You?" and looks at what the attraction to the game is for him, and speculates about the wider appeal of EVE to other dedicated players. If you're an EVE fan, what is it that sets the game apart from other MMOs? And for those that don't play EVE Online, what aspects of the game keep you away?
The freedom of living in EVE Online's lawless space
In EVE Online, there are few things as feared by highsec dwellers as going into 0.0 space. These lawless tracts of New Eden do come with certain perils -- as CONCORD isn't there to protect you -- but there are arguably more benefits to flying in 0.0 than there are drawbacks. Still, there will always be a dichotomy in EVE between players who like the game for the freedom 0.0 offers, and those who prefer the safety of highsec. In 'Living the good life in 0.0,' EVE blogger Xiphos explains his choice to leave Empire space behind. "In 0.0, you are free. Free of Concord, free of hundreds of players, and free to set your own destiny... it is the untamed wild west, where fortune, power, and glory are right for the taking and few have yet to reach out and grasp it," Xiphos writes. Of course, being a member of Agony Unleashed, an EVE corp that provides in-game PvP courses, doesn't hurt in terms of knowing how to handle yourself in 0.0. Have a look at 'Living the good life in 0.0' and see Xiphos' take on the appeal of flying in lawless space. Do you agree with Xiphos' view of the game, and have you largely abandoned highsec in favor of 0.0 and all that comes with it, or simply to experience the most from the game? [Via CrazyKinux]
Flying the not-so-friendly skies
Gustav of Nazjatar started a long thread the other day about air kills (and many times, the lack thereof) in World PvP. These concerns got raised before the expansion, but I haven't heard too much about them since until now (maybe that's what I get for playing on a PvE server). Basically players are saying that when you get a flying mount at 70, you suddenly become immune to PvP-- because there's no way to pull people out of the air, a flying target is no target at all. And that, says Gustav, is yet another example of the "carebearization" (nice) of world PvP by Blizzard.The other issue Gustav has is an upcoming change that will make dead players' bodies fall to the ground after death, instead of remaining suspended there in the air like, as Drysc says, "a magic trick gone wrong." Blue's word on this one is that it's just not "natural" to leave players in the air-- Gustav thinks it's because Blizzard wanted to give people a break on repairs (because now, players left in the air have to rez at the spirit healer), but Drysc says it's just artistic-- let the bodies hit the floor, man.But Gustav's more interesting idea is that every class should have an anti-air ability-- a way to bring your PvP opponent out of the air. To my mind, that kind of thing just opens the door to griefing-- actual air-to-air combat seems like a better idea to me. Drysc's response to the news that PvPers are avoiding a fight by flying sounds about right: staying on a mount when someone below is taunting you just makes you chicken. If you're really interested in world PvP, then get off the mount-- it's time to drop down and throw down.
