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MMO Family: Moving beyond the mundane in kid-friendly MMOs
We're about to enter the "dog days of August," and lately, I've felt as if I'm in the dog days of kid-friendly MMOs. There are many titles to choose from, yet many of them feel all too familiar, and after a while, they start to blend together. Of course, there are some that push the boundaries and shine, and I've been trying to cover those in this column. But in this week's MMO Family, I'd like to get my rant on and look at a few characteristics of kid-friendly MMOs that really need to go. They've outlasted their welcome and are holding back the genre, so I'm calling them out!
MMObility: The pros and cons of Tibia's browser version
Tibia is an MMO that has been hanging in there for many, many years. You have to give it respect for that alone. When you add on the fact that the game seems to be updated relatively frequently and boasts a pretty good-sized playerbase, it becomes even more intriguing. I've played it in the past and have enjoyed the simple graphics and slower-paced gameplay. I like how NPCs chat with you, old-school EverQuest-style, and how there seems to be a lot more to the game than meets the eye. There are plenty of eyesores, however. The developers recently released Tibia in a beta browser form. While the client was always easy enough to download and run on my multitude of devices, I always prefer to just jump into my browser and load it up. I found a lot of neat little systems but also quite a few bugs or odd design choices. Colors and layout can be a problem, and I am not the biggest fan of Flash-based MMOs. Still, I am enjoying myself so far and look forward to more. Let's talk about what I found over these last several hours with Tibia's browser-based version.
Secret of the Solstice is reborn
It's been a while since we've heard anything from Secret of the Solstice, but today we have no choice but to announce that it is no more... specifically, because the game is undergoing a major upgrade. Changing its name to Solstice Reborn, Outspark's isometric free-to-play game is getting a wide variety of improvements including an overhauled UI, a number of 3-D graphical improvements, and a wide variety of new quests and enemies added to the existing gameplay. The game is also heavily tilting toward the social networking side of play, and not just via integration to Facebook. Several new elements tie in directly to social interactions, such as the Marriage quests and the new Master and Pupil system. Whether you've never tried the original game or just want to see what the changes are, Solstice Reborn looks to be an interesting update to an older game and a fun ride for anyone willing to give it a shot. Plus, if you're into winning free trips to San Francisco, the Outspark team is holding a contest to fly you and a friend out to WonderCon 2011. Check the official forums for more info!
