greedy
Latest
MMO Mechanics: Three fair ways to distribute loot
I mentioned last week that players throw their precious characters into the MMO meat grinder in the pursuit of higher levels, new achievements, or shinier gear. We gladly jump on the seemingly endless PvE treadmill, cranking up the speed with each new patch in an attempt to catch the dangling carrot of character perfection. Of course, we don't just punish ourselves like this to say we overcame some previously impossible challenge; there's shiny new loot to be had! The best booty usually comes from completing group activities like dungeons and raids, but not everyone can agree on how to share the spoils of joint pursuits. Several different loot distribution methods have been devised over the years to solve the problem of fairly distributing the swag, with most methods starting life as player-made agreements that weren't officially supported by hard-coded game mechanics. Players have long since rolled for gear or took turns to claim items round-robin style, leading developers to implement the most popular methods as actual game mechanics to avoid ninja-looting and then the inevitable public pity parties associated with player-led arbitration. In this edition of MMO Mechanics, I'll break down three of the most equitable loot distribution systems used in MMOs today and look at why this age-old problem doesn't have a one-size-fits-all solution.
Nintendo sued over touch-screen technology
Another day, another lawsuit for Nintendo. Their wacky ideas have probably been done in some form or another over the years, and now everyone wants a profitable piece of the action. The latest candidate for a chunk of Nintendo's payroll is John R. Martin, who claims to have patented touch-screen and pointing gaming technology in 2005. One year after the DS was released. Despite being a bit late, the origins of the patent date back to 1995, so it's fair game for the courts now.This image was submitted with the patent filing, apparently showing a device "switchable between an amusement mode and a gaming or gambling mode." The whole touching thing can be found under "operating a touch screen on a CRT or ICD." But gambling? Looks like that diagram is for someone who hides stuff under the table to cheat at blackjack or roulette.Nintendo has denied the infringement, while Martin is pursuing another suit against Apple.
Summer update adds Merchant class to Dream of Mirror Online
Gametribe, the European carrier of Dream of Mirror Online (run in North America by Aeria Games), announced a new game update this weekend. The update will go live on the 25th, and it will add a new class to DoMO -- the Merchant. The Merchant "uses money to fight and create powerful attacks." Sounds cool, but expensive!The update will also feature a handful of new quests, including a couple new steps to the main quest. The item mall will see the addition of greedy inventory bags. Unsurprisingly, those will increase a character's maximum inventory. Some new visual character customization options will be added as well.We've given kudos to DoMO for its art style in the past. Brenda Holloway (one of the staff bloggers here at Massively) even wrote that it's better than World of Warcraft. Don't scoff until you've tried it! If you have an aversion to microtransactions, though, maybe you should just take our word for it and move on.
Son saves his Dad's life - wants a PS3 for it
Usually when you hear stories about the PS3 on the local news, it's because somebody got stabbed for one or an old lady got punched in the face over it or something -- kind of depressing really. So we were stoked when we saw GamingTarget's story about a 9-year-old boy who saved his father's life and decided he deserved a PS3 for the heroic act.According to the news segment, 9-year-old Matty Lovo was able to gain control of a 100,000 pound tractor-trailer after his dad passed out behind the wheel. He used the truck's CB to call for help and a second driver was able to come and bring the truck to a stop. His grateful father was interviewed by the local news agency, and said his son "keeps telling me he thinks he needs his PlayStation 3 now for a reward."Seems like a pretty reasonable trade -- your son saves your life, you drop 500 dollars (or 600 if you're feeling extra thankful) to get him a PS3. Best part of the story though? When the co-anchor on the news show admits he has no idea how to use his own PS3. Pure Ron Burgundy right there.
