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The Soapbox: The road (much) less traveled
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Normally, this column is reserved for some pretty big discussions. This time, however, I would like to talk about one of my specific pet peeves in MMO gaming, or at least one of the problems that I am very interested in solving. If you have ever taken a stroll down a dirt road in your favorite digital world, or if you have found yourself literally taking the long way home, then you might know what I am talking about. Players similar to me really and truly do not care about impressing other players or about how those other players are trying to impress me. When I log into a virtual world, I want to simply meet people and possibly go on an adventure. The problem is that MMO gaming, like any other activity that humans participate in, has become a hobby with rules and proper guidelines on how to get it all done very quickly. What about taking the time to travel, though? What about "it's the the journey, not the destination?" No, I mean the journey -- literally. Join me past the cut and let's talk about the need for realistic travel.
Rise and Shiny recap: Atlantica Online
Is it possible to be simultaneously annoyed and enchanted by an MMORPG? I think it just might be, now that I've spent several days and hours with Atlantica Online, now published by Nexon. It might not make sense to a lot of you, but the overwhelming and possibly overly complicated UI and systems of gathering basic information ("where's the bank?") filled me with a sense of wonder and even awe. There was so much to learn and see -- or was it just that the poorly designed UI gave me way too much information in too many ways? For example, if I wanted to locate the bank, I would open up an information window, go into a few more selections until I found the city and then the bank, then either try to find my way there or click on auto-walk to get there. Once there, I would have to join the bank then ask why the bank didn't allow me to store items in addition to money. Then I would find out that the only city with item storage is Rome, so then I'd need to open up the information book to find Rome, only to discover that I had no way of getting there until level 20. So then I would need to find an NPC through the book, auto-path to him or her to sell the goods that were taking up way too much room in my inventory, then double-click on the quest so I could double-click and auto-path my way top the NPC who gave me the quest (since the quest's mobs were not linked in the book), then continue on with my quests that would result in my bags becoming full again. Phew. Click past the cut and let me tell you all about it.
Enzo's Pinball gets you all touchy-feely with your phone
We got a hands-on sample of Haptify's haptic-powered apps a couple months back and came away intrigued, but yearning for more. Well, the company is finally ready to sate our penchant for playtime physicality with its first game, Enzo's Pinball. The game debuts with three tables ("more coming soon"), and is designed to let you feel every bump, rattle, and ricochet as if it were the real thing. It isn't identical to its tangible counterpart, but it is an upgrade over the rumble-free digital competition. Haptify's haptic black magic works with handsets running Android 2.1 and up, so there's an awful lot of potential pinball wizards out there. You can grab the game in the Android Market and it'll cost $1.49 to give in to your tactile desires.
Immersion releases SDK to put haptics in Android, helps smartphones move what their makers gave them
About a month ago, we told you about Immersion's MOTIV dev platform to design Android apps with tactile feedback, and today its release has finally arrived. The SDK comes with predesigned haptic effects, sample code, and the ability to tweak the duration and intensity of the feedback -- allowing developers to perfectly tailor the amount of shake in your groove thang. Interested parties can hit up the source link for the SDK download and start indulging in the haptic dark arts immediately.
A peek at Sector 4 of Fallen Earth
Sector 4 isn't available for players of Fallen Earth just yet, but it's impossible not to know that it's out there, the fourth piece of a building world. As it turns out, however, Sector 4 is more than just the next zone -- it's a look into what the game's world was like before everything went to hell. In a new diary from Chris "Devo" Deavellar, the aesthetics of the new zone are discussed, and he mentions that Sector 4 is the first branch away from the fairly realistic environments seen in the game up to this point. Deavellar mentions that just throwing a bunch of plant life around would have felt unsuitable for the game, but considering the newest sector highlights the insane experiments of the Globaltech company, the place needed an alien feel. Using several real-world plants such as kudzu for inspiration, the result is a world that still feels true to life in many ways... but also is filled with alien plants weeping amber fluid. Fallen Earth players should take a look at the full diary to get the smallest hint of what this newest zone will look like, a reminder of what would have been the future... before the end of the world. [Thanks to Scott for the tip!]
Immersion's MOTIV development platform integrates haptics into Android, we go hands-on
You may know that Immersion's haptic technology is in everything from surgical simulators to game controllers, but we're willing to bet you didn't know it's already baked into over 200 million existing devices -- including every Samsung Galaxy S smartphone and handsets by Nokia and LG. Now, using Android handsets' existing vibrator motors, a cheap software upgrade can inject force feedback into existing elements across the entire Android UI (2.2 and up), and with future devices -- built with multi-dollar piezoelectric actuators that vibrate the screen itself -- the haptic experience goes hi-fi. Now that it's revealed that little easter egg to the world, Immersion wants you to build some apps, and to that end it's releasing the MOTIV developer platform this March. Read all about it after the break. %Gallery-116198%
The Daily Grind: When do you get the feeling the developers just aren't trying?
Look, creating a game is hard. No one could credibly argue that it's easy. And while some of us can't help but feel slighted by anything less than perfection, most of us do acknowledge that the developers are really doing their best to make the world feel vital. At least until you walk across something that says that, typo or not, someone just isn't trying to preserve the game's sense of verisimilitude. Of course, it's not just immersion that can fall by the wayside. Some games seem to have ignored PvP for half of an eternity, while others seem to be doing the same thing for the PvE side of the game. Roleplaying might be the last thing on the development team's plate -- or it might be the only thing, leading to everyone else standing around waiting. There are always certain things that just seem to fall off the list, and there's a point when each of us have felt that hard or not, it's possible to do a better job if you just invest a little effort. So when have you felt like the team just stopped trying? 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!
The Soapbox: Sandboxes and the cop-out of FFA PvP
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Last week, our own Jef Reahard mounted the Massively Soapbox with an article titled Sandboxes and the fear of FFA PvP. In it, he argued that open PvP was a natural and necessary part of any solid sandbox MMO. He also made waves by suggesting that FFA PvP is crucial to the roleplaying experience and that roleplayers should really face their "fears" and give it a try. I'm a sandbox gamer and a PvPer at heart. I played the early years of Ultima Online and lived the adrenaline rush of full and brutal PvP and thievery. Dark Age of Camelot's RvR sucked up another year of my life. Star Wars Galaxies remains my sandbox of choice, and I've braved a World of Warcraft PvP server since launch. I know this territory very well. I'll knock it, because I have more than tried it -- in several tasty flavors. And even though I'm an unabashed Jef-fangirl, I think there are a few debatable issues with his article. Hit the jump for some good old-fashioned counterpoints!
Free for All: The Immersion Project, a standard
In preparation for this week's article, I thought I would play through a few games to compare which ones might fit into the Immersion Ruleset. Instead of listing off several games and how a "normal" player might apply the rules to them, I decided to share a few examples of some of the best games that force immersion onto a player -- whether he likes it or not. Of course, this doesn't work for all people and all times. It might be a good idea to discuss how forced systems affect the game as compared to optional systems. As much as it pains me to say so (I am the biggest believer in allowing players to choose), forced immersion really does make a difference. When there is a standard, all players must abide by it -- no shortcut will do away with it. So, here are a few games that force a player to immerse himself into a game through a combination of systems, environment, and setting. Of course this might or might not be a good thing, depending on the player.
Free for All: Revisiting the rules of immersion
Years ago, I found myself wanting something more out of my gaming. I never was a "typical" player; I never achieved max level or defeated the greatest enemies. After some thought, I realized that I played the same as I lived: always curious, needing to explore, willing to step into someone else's story, or wanting to create my own. I needed games to mean more than just a stat-sheet or a weekly raid schedule. I needed to feel more connected to this activity that was taking up so much of my time. Otherwise, it was just a job. At the time, I was very much into Vanguard. I still am, but my schedule has left me without enough time to play as much as I'd like. I loved how the world of Telon sucked you in with its massive landscapes and endless waters. Yes, the game has many issues, and yes, the community does as well. I wasn't going to let that stop me from writing up a series of rules -- more like guidelines -- that would almost force myself to slow down, to connect to the character I was playing, and to have fun. I've decided to re-examine and update the rules, especially because I could use them now more than ever. We'll start by breaking down the original set.
The Road to Mordor: Community check-up
It's a quiet week around these here parts, what with the Thanksgiving holiday in NA and the lull before the November Update hits on the 29th. As such, I thought it'd be a great time to catch up on the current state of the community, especially as we've seen so many new bloggers and sites and podcasts arrive on the scene in the past year. I've always said that Lord of the Rings Online is truly blessed with not just a stellar community but an active one as well. Some MMOs see very little in the way of fan-created sites, keeping most of the community action centered on official forums and the like. However, when it comes to LotRO, we have not only the MyLotro.com blogs set up by Turbine, but a cornucopia of web delights fashioned by hard-working players. So to say "Thanks!" to this wonderful community, today I want to highlight some of the best LotRO resource websites, blogs and podcasts that consistently go above and beyond in making our slice of the MMO landscape a delight to visit.
Massively's in-depth interview with SWTOR Community Manager Stephen Reid
Last Friday, Star Wars: The Old Republic finally revealed the Crew Skills crafting system. In a slightly less important announcement, BioWare also announced its new Community Manager, Stephen Reid. OK, I'm teasing. It is very important announcement. Since Sean Dahlberg stepped down, the community team has been without a face and voice to the community. Those left behind had to put in extra effort into providing the fans with the latest releases from the SWTOR news room, and for a while, the community was unsure who, if anyone, would be able to fill the shoes. Now, Stephen Reid has taken the helm of the massive community starship. Now since we have a new voice of the SWTOR community team, Massively thought it would be interesting to get his thoughts on the game, on the community, and on how we, the fans, could best make Star Wars: The Old Republic the game it should be. Massively Senior Editor Brianna Royce sat down with Stephen at a recent LucasArts event for an in-depth interview -- join us past the break to see what he had to say!
The Anvil of Crom: Squashing the negativity bug
MMORPGs tend to attract a rather ranty segment of the gaming population. Actually, let me back up. MMORPG forums tend to attract a rather ranty segment of the gaming population. Whether or not a given game's general population is as perennially dissatisfied as the vocal folks on the official boards is a matter of conjecture, but conventional wisdom holds (and I happen to agree) that most of the people are contentedly playing while a subset are engaging in all manner of forum drama. Writers aren't immune to this negativity bug either, as occasionally things will rub us the wrong way about our favorite genre (or a particular game), and we'll feel the need to speak out. I've been battling this particular demon lately myself, and whether it's a matter of burnout, stress, or simply observing that a lot of things really do suck, I feel it's important to occasionally step back and examine why exactly I'm playing a particular game as well as spending a part of my professional life covering this genre. It stands to reason that I wouldn't be here if everything were all bad all the time, so this is as fine a time as any to highlight some of the good.
Details on event zones in Jumpgate Evolution
There's something about the massive span of space that lends itself to large-scale PvP, and Jumpgate Evolution is certainly heading down the road to having big and meaningful faction battles. This is the core of the game's Event Sectors, hotspots of activity between both players and NPCs in which everyone takes part in a truly epic struggle. In a recent diary on MMORPG.com, Joe Grubb explains the design philosophy behind the sectors and how they're shaping up as the game continues in development. Grubb explains that one of the first goals the team had with these sectors was that they had to feel meaningful in context -- rather than just featuring good gameplay, it had to make sense why the battle was taking place from a lore standpoint. He goes on to explain how the team began testing and then revising the way content was set up to improve the feel of immersion and realism in each given sector. Take a look at the full diary for a preview of what promises to be one of the most interesting features in Jumpgate Evolution -- and really, who doesn't like epic space battles?
Exclusive Interview: DCUO's Game Director Chris Cao
What gamer hasn't wanted to be a superhero at one time or another? Superheroes and comic books have been a part of gaming culture as long as computers. Of course, everyone has wanted to be Superman soaring through the skies of Metropolis, or Batman scaring the pants off the criminal underworld of Gotham City. Sony Online Entertainment has teamed up with Warner Bros. and DC Comics to bring this world -- nay, this universe -- to life. On November 2nd, DC Universe Online will blast its way to game store shelves everywhere. DCUO gives fans of comic books, action video games, and MMOs a reason to come together and celebrate this incredible amalgam of genres. Create your own superhero! Thrill to the art of Jim Lee! Soak up the voice-acting of Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy! On top of that, if you preorder this deliciously intense action RPG, you will have exclusive rights to a token that will allow you to join a 2v2 PvP arena as the caped crusader himself, using his abilities, gadgets, and fighting style. Plus you'll get all the other preorder bonuses like confetti bombs and batarangs. Massively snagged an exclusive interview with DCUO Game Director Chris Cao about this groundbreaking game. Up, up, and away! (OK, that was cheesy. Just hit "read more" to read our lengthy interview after the break!)
Free for All: Introducing my trade route
There isn't a game in existence that will perfectly match every type of player. I have found that even my favorite games of all time could do with some tweaking, which is not the fault of the developer. No game-maker can read our minds, and there will always be limits on technology that will hamper the MMO creative process. But let's not forget the tools that are provided by developers, even within simple games. In almost every game I play, I try to apply some section of the Immersion Rules, a set of guidelines I made a few years ago that dictate how I interact with the world and other players. It's not a rigid set, though, and I am always bending it to a particular game or style. Lately I've been determined to assign my characters, in all my games, some sort of job to make money with. It could be an adventurer, a collector, or in the case of Mabinogi, a trader. This week I wanted to show you how I do it, so that you might find some inspiration to assign your own character a task or two!
Gameloft brings Iron Man 2 to the iPad and iPhone
Gameloft has done a Q&A over on Marvel's official blog about their iPhone and iPad versions of the upcoming Iron Man 2 game, and there are some interesting tidbits in there. Gameloft is traditionally a mobile company, and as they say, they've worked on "small to very small" devices, so the iPad is a new trick for them. They say that developing for the iPad allowed them to ramp up the graphics, and helped to make the new game that much more immersive. In my few experiences with the iPad, I've found that very true -- the bigger screen definitely makes a difference in terms of focusing on the game. Gameloft also promotes the game's multiple suits (including a stealth suit, that sounds interesting), and some big bosses to fight against. They say the release is scheduled for next week, so we'll look for it then.
R.A. Salvatore talks Copernicus, building believable worlds
When it comes to stories of engaging fantasy worlds, one of the premier names that comes to the minds of many gamers is R.A. Salvatore. His Forgotten Realms books chronicling the adventures of Drizzt Do'Urden are fan favorites, and many are curious as to just what he's doing on 38 Studios' upcoming MMO, codenamed Copernicus. Thankfully, Salvatore took some time to sit down with Gamasutra and discuss plans for the MMO, as well as their lore-related single-player game, codenamed Mercury. In this interview, Salvatore talks both on his gaming past, and whether or not his varied experiences in gaming have affected his writing on this project. He also touches on how important he feels immersion is in terms of getting people engaged -- suspending their disbelief, and jumping into the fantastic worlds he weaves. Another interesting tidbit is how he feels that characters are most important in terms of telling a story -- a tenet that has served him extremely well, if sales of his books are any indication! If you're looking for more illumination into the mind of the man shaping the overall stories for 38 Studios, then you'll definitely want to pop over to Gamasutra and check out this latest interview. Of course, we also happen to have a pretty sweet interview of our own with Salvatore about Copernicus that you'll want to check out if you missed it the first time around.
The Mog Log: Unabashed adoration for Final Fantasy XI
Before you go any further in this column, I invite you to join us in today's listening: "Happy Together" by The Turtles. Stare at the above illustration while you listen, and I imagine you'll start laughing before long. But songs that can be turned unintentionally funny aren't the focus of today's column -- that's reserved for praise and adulation of Final Fantasy XI. See, I got called out not too long ago on being very negative about the game recently. And it's a fair accusation. I was unhappy with the the announcements at VanaFest 2010, I had been a bit critical of the game's obstacles and future before... in short, despite having been writing this column for a couple months, I hadn't said a whole lot of nice things about the game. It's easy to take away the idea that I don't like it any longer. That's not true, of course -- if I'd stopped liking it, I would have stopped writing a column about it -- but I haven't praised the game so much as cranked about it like a hurricane. Thus, I'm taking the today for five unabashedly wonderful things. No caveats!
Synaptics Fuse concept handset puts a new squeeze on touchphone interaction
In case you weren't aware, Synaptics dabbled in the touchscreen handset game way back in 2006 with the Onyx concept, before phones like the LG Prada and Apple's iPhone came along and proved the idea so convincingly. However, Synaptics thinks innovation has stagnated since, and has girded itself once again to attempt another trend-setting concept. This one's a bit more wild: the "Fuse" involves contributions from Alloy, TAT, Immersion and Texas Instruments, and includes squeeze, tilt and haptic interaction. The big idea is to approach single-handed and no-look operation on a touchscreen handset, no small feat to be sure. The result is a pure kitchen sink of sensors, including a touchpad on the back of the phone, touch and pressure sensitive strips along both sides of the phones, dual haptic feedback motors, a 3-axis accelerometer and of course a new-generation Synaptics touchscreen in front. The TI OMAP 3630 processor powers the TAT Cascades 3D UI Engine which attempts to contextualize UI interaction with perspective tilts and fancy motion, and the haptics feeds back to let you know where your finger is on the screen -- an attempt to emulate feeling out the correct nub for keypad orientation on a button phone. We'll have to play with it to find out if Synaptics is really on to something, but even if the Fuse isn't the next best thing, we could certainly see somebody using some of these sensors to improve existing handset interaction. Check out a quick video after the break.
