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MMO Family: Four ways to improve kid-friendly MMOs
Right now, there's a small war going on in our house. It's winter, we're all cooped up inside, and we're interested in different games. What's particularly interesting is that my kids will tolerate most of the games I play and join in, except for one: Star Wars: The Old Republic. They aren't remotely interested in it, and any time I fire it up, they push back by demanding their favorite game, which is Minecraft. It got me thinking about why kids would prefer a 16-bit, block-shaped world to a glitzy, voiced-over, multi-million dollar title. Adult gamers love to hash out why they love one game over another, but what makes games appealing from a kid's perspective? Furthermore, we often see differences in kid-friendly MMOs and their features compared to games for grown ups, but can those features be improved?
The Tattered Notebook: Plat, loot, and the morality of cash
There's a dirty little secret going on in EverQuest II, and every now and then it bubbles up to the surface in forum complaints from players. With the arrival of Station Cash, the Marketplace, and Legends of Norrath cards, players have worked out a way to buy in-game coin with real money, without fear of getting banned. And with the transition to free-to-play, it seems like that practice has grown even more. The problem is that there are several things that factor into the plat-for-cash scenario, so it's impossible to find a quick fix. Are we at a point that SOE should just put plat on the marketplace and be done with it? Let's look at a few reasons for and against it.
The Guild Counsel: Does running a guild have to be so hard?
When you hear people describe the role of guild leader, you often hear descriptions like "herding cats," "constantly busy," or "running the crazy house." Guild leaders are often easily identified because they're the ones running around at a frantic pace, trying to micromanage every last detail. It's no surprise that few people actually want to be guild leaders because the way the role is described, you're almost expected to take on a second job. But sometimes guild leaders make things harder than they need to be. Part of that is from a desire to take on too much, but part of that is because there have traditionally been certain things we all assume have to be done. Whether you're a brand-new guild leader or someone who's been running the show for years, it's worth stepping back and questioning whether we really need to be doing all of the things we're doing. Let's put on some Bob Marley and look at a few ways to cut down on the busy work.
Enter at Your Own Rift: Server merges? Call Henny Penny!
When I was younger, I used to love Bobcat Goldthwait (before he went on late night TV and tried setting the studio on fire). One of my favorite jokes was about him losing his job, and he'd say, "Well, I didn't really lose it. I know where it is, but every time I go there, there's this new guy doing it." In RIFT, I find myself saying, "A while back, my server merged. Well, OK, it didn't really merge, but every time I log in, all the guilds and players who were there are on another server." I still have a low-level character over on Dimroot, a server that became a trial server during the summer, but I really can't do anything with her unless I transfer her to another non-trial server. Last week, 11 more servers were flagged as trial, and while players were given suggestions on which servers to transfer to, everyone is free to transfer to any non-trial servers. But how should we interpret the news, and what does it mean for RIFT players?
The Tattered Notebook: If you think wings are weird...
Last week, EverQuest II rolled out two new Marketplace items: the nightmare flight wings and the Pegasus feather flight wings. At first, I didn't think much of it because it was just another flying mount, but as I watched the promotional video, it seemed strangely out of place for characters of all races to be sprouting wings and flying around of their own power. While many players are excited about the new flight wings, others question whether they fit into the lore and the world of EQII. And this isn't the first time an item has left players with tilted heads and confused expressions. Read on for a collection of oddities from the world of Norrath!
The Guild Counsel: Star Wars guilds need more love!
A few weeks back, I wrote about the impressive pre-launch guild system in Star Wars: The Old Republic, pointing out that not only is it wildly popular but that it indicates that BioWare recognizes the validity of guilds. So it surprised me when I began to slowly notice the absence of various guild features and tools that I've grown accustomed to seeing in other games, tools that are almost a necessity in this day and age. In fact, at one point, I had to ask myself if there was any benefit at all to being in a guild other than having guild chat and a cool tag. I'm certainly haven't lost hope yet because after all, it's only a few weeks into the game, and features like the guild capital ship have already been mentioned as being on the way. But this week, I'm playing amateur developer and adding my list of guild-friendly features that are must-haves for SWTOR (and for all MMOs, actually!).
MMO Family: Games of chance vs. MMOs
From childhood on, I've always been a gamer. But I grew up when computers were just emerging as something that didn't just belong in the bowels of the Defense Department. My games were primarily of the board game variety, with a smattering of classic card games, and my exposure to video games didn't begin until later on. Today, I see kids being raised on video games, and I see it as a good thing. "But board games are the good games," you might protest, and while they're still relevant today and I'm glad to see the recent revival in family board game night, a good portion of board games do not compare to what video games offer to children. This edition of MMO Family explains why!
The Tattered Notebook: The problem with leaderboards
If there's one thing you can say about EverQuest II, it's that it has a community that's as varied as cogs in a Gnomish do-hickey. There's a substantial and long-time community of hardcore players, made up of people who must also be math majors because the number crunching that's involved is impressive. There's also a good-sized portion of the playerbase that prefers the non-combat features, like crafting, decorating, and more recently, dungeon designing. (Some players have made a fortune hiring themselves out to decorate others' homes, for example.) In a previous column, I talked about whether there will be a strain on the team to continue making quality content for the broad spectrum of players, but this week, I'd like to look at it from a different perspective. Two of EverQuest II's newest features, the housing leaderboards and the dungeon maker leaderboards, are both designed similarly, with rankings, a hall of fame, and a voting system for various categories. But the leaderboard listings for each system look very different, and while the housing directory tends to be a good representation of EQII players' creative genius, the dungeon maker boards haven't reflected that as much. Read on to see why, and to look at what, if anything, should be done about it.
Enter at Your Own Rift: Of apps and patches
On the surface, things have been relatively quiet in RIFT. The Fae Yule Event moved along merrily, but there hasn't been much revealed about update 1.7 yet. Fans are so used to the rapid pace of updates that they've made a minigame out of guessing what's coming and when it will arrive. But if you're wondering whether the team took the holidays off and left behind its work, fear not! Just a few days ago, Trion Worlds revealed a new iPhone app called RIFT Mobile and held its first developer Q&A with the community, during which it provided lots of new tidbits of information for RIFT fans to look forward to. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, we'll look at the highlights.
The Tattered Notebook: An insider's guide to the Beastlord
Beastlords have only been in game for a few weeks, but already quite a few EverQuest II fans have rolled one up to and taken it for a test drive. There are several new facets to the class that are refreshingly new to the usual EQII adventure classes, and it's little surprise that they've become arguably the most popular class around lately. I tracked down a good friend and guildie, Nauralea, who has already reached the level cap with her Beastlord and has also finished her class epic and done a little raiding. If you're curious about how the class works or whether it's still fun to play at the higher levels, read on for a great look at the nuts and bolts of the class and even some helpful tips for leveling up one of your own!
The Guild Counsel: Does SWTOR need a better LFG tool?
Often, this column has focused on guilds and communities in MMOs, both the good and the bad. With the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic, it's interesting to look at the ways in which a community is slowly gelling on each server. Already there are players I'm bumping into more and more often, and while I tend to huddle around guildies most of the time, I find that I enjoy things much more when I'm surrounded by a good community of players. There's already been a lively discussion among SWTOR fans about whether the current LFG tool is good enough or something more is needed. Do we need something more "meaty" to help do the job of grouping for us or not? Read on for some pros and cons, and weigh in on whether more is needed to help bring the community closer.
MMO Family: LEGO Universe, autism, and heartbreak
Often when the topic of video games comes up, it's followed by comments about the negatives, such as violence, antisocial behavior, or inappropriate content. But if they do have harmful effects (and it's arguable how many players really are affected in a negative way), they can also be helpful as well, yet you rarely hear a news story about the good. I've written before about how companies like IBM have studied MMO guilds in order to improve team-building and organization within their company. More recently, MMOWGLI focused on global issues, such as the future of piracy, to study what solutions players could cooperatively generate. There are also positive benefits to children as well, and while we've touched on a few in recent columns, this week we'll focus on the impact LEGO Universe has had on autistic children. Sadly, the game will be shutting down in a few weeks, and while many parents are thankful for how much it's helped, they're also concerned about what will happen once the game is gone. Read on for a bittersweet look at how this LEGO-based game is leaving behind a legacy.
The Tattered Notebook: A wish list for EQII's 'phase two'
EverQuest II has had quite a year, but I was recently thinking about a comment that Executive Producer Dave "SmokeJumper" Georgeson made regarding the future of the game. In a recent interview, he discussed plans for "phase two," which is an ongoing list of things the team wants to do to improve the game but don't make it to live. With all of the new changes to the game, the team usually comes up with lots of extra ideas, and Georgeson said the focus going forward will be to knock out some of those ideas on the "phase two" list. I thought it would be fun to put together a list of things I'd like to see on the phase two list, and since it's the season for wish lists anyway, the timing is perfect. Read on for a look at a few things I'd like to see in EQII next year, and then share your ideas below!
The Guild Counsel: Guild life in SWTOR
If you thought the future looked cloudy for guilds in MMOs, Star Wars: The Old Republic's launch stomped out any doubts. The pre-launch list of guilds was so enormous that it rivaled the total player populations of other MMOs. But there are some interesting aspects to guild life in SWTOR, and this week in The Guild Counsel, we'll take a closer look at them. If you're interested in some first impressions from a guild perspective, or if you're wondering how to make a guild now that the game has launched, read on for a look at guild life in SWTOR.
Enter at your own Rift: A holiday wish-list for Telara
The holidays are upon us, and one of the most important parts of the season is making wish lists. Mine came in at a rather modest four pages, with another two pages of in-game items for my characters. Trion certainly has had a busy year, and while the game looks a lot different now than it did at launch, there's always room for more changes and improvements. Since I'm on a roll with making wish-lists this year, this week's Enter at Your Own Rift will give a rundown of what should be added to the game in 2012. Read on for the list, and then add your own below!
The Tattered Notebook: Six things not to miss during Frostfell
The timing is probably purely coincidental, but EverQuest II's transition to free-to-play is coming at the best time of the year in Norrath: Frostfell! EverQuest II has always done a lovely job tying together seasonal events with the larger lore of Norrath, but Frostfell is the biggest event of the year. Now, everyone can check it out for free, and it's a great way to get acclimated to the game and get some really nice (and valuable) items in the process. In this week's Tattered Notebook, we'll cover the must-sees for Frostfell. From snowball fights to snow cloud mounts to heavy-breathing Gigglegibbers dressed as Santa, this is a list you'll definitely want to check twice.
The Guild Counsel: What if the game leaves you?
In previous Guild Counsel columns, we've tackled the issue of players leaving their guilds or even their games, but what about when the game leaves you? Recently, this has become an issue that, sadly, we're seeing more and more often, with announced closings of MMOs and even studios. This week, Star Wars Galaxies' eight-year-plus run will come to an end, and the servers will shut down at midnight EST tonight. I saw a terrific tribute video made by Kyranna Mythina from the Starsider server, and I wanted to get some thoughts about the game and its closing. Read on for Kyranna's best memories of the game as well as thoughts about the end... and where to go from there.
MMO Family: Heroing-up in Super Hero Squad Online
There's a growing number of great kid-friendly MMOs available, and one that I've been meaning to check out for a while now is Super Hero Squad Online. The game has only been out for eight months, yet in that short time, it's reached over a million registered users and added lots of new content and characters. I've spent some time in the game, along with my two young testers, to find out what the buzz is all about. We formed up a squad and set off to check out missions, the card game, our headquarters, and the opportunities for exploration out in the world, and our first impressions are found below. If you've ever wanted to know what the little super heroes eat or what holiday treats are available at the Parker household, you'll definitely want to read on!
The Tattered Notebook: Discovery arrives!
The Age of Discovery has arrived, along with the Freeport Reborn game update and the free-to-play transition. On top of that, Frostfell is also upon us, with even more new rewards, tradeskill books, and quests. That's a pretty hefty amount of change to EverQuest II, and it's brought back many former players (as well as new ones). In this week's Tattered Notebook, let's take a look at the first week of launch. I rolled up a Beastlord along with the rest of Norrath, so I'd like to give some first impressions on the new class, take a look at the dungeon maker, and share some overall thoughts on the past week.
The Guild Counsel: Stop teasing me!
Let's face it: As thrilling as it can be to slay a dragon or blow up a spaceship, MMOs all have their fair share of dull moments at times. And when guildies get together, they can often resort to pranks, teasing, and all sorts of jokes in order to liven things up. That's often when you have some of your best memories in game, and I think it's part of what makes MMOs great. But sometimes, jokes can fall flat, and what was supposed to be a funny moment ends up turning into major drama. In this week's Guild Counsel, we'll take a look at joking around and how to avoid a joke gone wrong.
