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Free for All: How to survive an attack in your favorite MMORTS
You know what I love about the MMORTS? It's the massive scale of everything involved. But it's not as though you are hand-crafting every single siege engine or raising armies of monsters one baddie at a time; that would simply take too long. The MMORTS is really a casual genre that is equal to playing with your action figures on a Saturday afternoon when you were nine years old. Don't let its casual nature fool you; just like those battles between plastic toys, the wars that can happen in your favorite MMORTS can suck you in and keep you glued to the screen for hours. It's going to happen to you at some point. Some bigshot is going to send a round of spies, estimate that you're easy pickings, and throw a fresh batch of hurt your way. What do you do? The good news is that it can be a thrilling experience almost every time if you follow a few basic guidelines.
MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten MMORTS titles
Last week I introduced you to my newest device, the Samsung Chromebook. Yes, that's the official way to refer to the newest $249.00 Chromebook, according to my contact at Google. I have pined after one for a while, but the price point finally became too tempting and I nabbed one at my local Best Buy. Why? Why didn't I just spit out a few more bucks and get a "real" laptop or netbook, one that runs Windows 7 or 8? Well, it runs silently and almost without heat. It's essentially a keyboard attached to an 11-inch tablet that runs Flash. The Chromium OS is very secure, and it auto-updates every six weeks. But you're here to read about games. This week I am going to talk about the MMORTS genre and why it works so well on the Chromebook. I'll list 10 of my favorites -- a drop in the bucket for all the MMORTS games out there, but these are easily some of the best and run well on the Chromebook. Stay tuned for future columns, where we'll look at even more Chromebook-friendly MMOs and pseudo-MMOs as well.
MMObility: Windows 8 and gaming in the Metro browser
So, you've heard about the recent Windows 8 release but aren't sure whether or not you should upgrade? How will the operating system affect your gaming, and are you going to go with any of the Microsoft Surface products? All of these questions can be answered in numerous ways, but I wanted to answer it from the standpoint of a mobile gaming fan. After all, it is my belief that mobile gaming will soon dominate gaming in the world... might as well be prepared! But how does Windows 8 affect a mobile MMO fan like yours truly? Well, Windows 8 does a heckuva lot. It offers a ton of flexibility and fun new ways to interact with your PC. But it can also be a very confusing new addition. I sat down to figure out some of these issues with the help of Ben Adams, CTO of Illyriad Games. He knows more about mobile tech than I do and was able to sort out the differences between the Windows 8 browsers for me. Let's get to it.
Free for All: New browser-based converts shine light on issues
I recently threw out a prediction that within five years, most of our MMO content will be coming through our browsers. To be more specific, I think that most players in the United States will be enjoying their favorite MMOs within a browser. That can mean several things but does not refer to games like Free Realms, a client-based game that is only signed-into at the browser level. As with any discussion about genres, mechanics or styles in the MMO world, I have to be very specific. It's pretty likely that a very large percentage of the US playerbase is already playing browser-based games. Look at the American market for games like RuneScape, Battlestar Galactica Online, Club Penguin, Drakensang Online, Evony, and Ministry of War and you might just find millions of players. Next we need to consider that there are more games coming into the browser market. This new batch is essentially a group of standard, client-based MMOs that are porting themselves to the browser. I tend to be a little skeptical about some of these in the short-term, for several reasons.
MMObility: Reaching the MMORTS sweet-spot, slowly
As a player of many MMORTS titles, I have grown to understand that patience is not only a virtue but a necessity. Many titles from the genre are designed to make you spend real time to do anything. It's not that they are boring or tedious; instead, they are representing what it might be like to actually grow an army or trade hub and to explore the often massive world around you. The pacing is meant to be slow. These are not games of instant leveling or non-stop quest grinding. They're meant to be played in as little as a few minutes per day. This explains a lot of their success -- just imagine how popular they are with time-strapped players. There is a time, however, after months of toiling away at building up various structures, growing a small army, or finally getting to the maxed out level in a certain area, when you can finally settle down for some real gameplay. It might sound silly to have to wait that long for glory, but come on... this is city-building we are talking about. It takes time.
MMObility: A few bad design apples ruin the whole bunch
The MMORTS genre is easily one of my favorite genres. There's so much potential in a game that is essentially a giant, endless boardgame with thousands of players. An epic scale occurs in even the smallest of titles because players control not only one or two grand heroes but entire armies that swarm from sprawling cities. Though many of Massively's readers might not hear a lot from the genre, I believe this genre to be one of the most popular out there. Browser-based access doesn't hurt, either, and generally the MMORTS titles I find do a great job of covering their design bases. You know I have to play Devil's Advocate, however. Despite the fact that the genre is packed full of potentially wonderful gaming sessions, there is so, so much that needs to improve. The negative stereotypes exist for a reason, and I want to shine a light on a few of the more popular titles to show just how one or two bad design and business decisions might reflect poorly on the entire genre.
The Soapbox: My MMORTS is more MMO than your MMORPG
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. Have you ever played an MMORTS? No, I'm not talking about a single-player PC strategy game or city sim; I mean an MMORTS. There are so many to choose from that it would be hard for me to even begin to list them all, but I'll try. There's Illyriad, Ministry of War, Evony, Call of Gods, Dragons of Atlantis, Thirst of Night, 8Realms, Lord of Ultima, Golden Age and many, many others. Either you recognize some of those titles or you do not. Oddly enough, I've found that many standard, three-dimensional-world explorers do not consider MMORTS titles to be MMOs. I'm not sure why, but every time I stream an MMORTS live or write about one, I have to answer, at least once, the concern from the audience that what I am playing is not really an MMO. The reality is that the MMORTS, as a design mechanic, genre, and style, is very much an MMO. I'd like to explain why in the hopes that many of you might grow to enjoy the genre as much as I do and that some much-needed light shines on the fact that the MMORTS is actually one of the last true MMOs around. I think the task is to define "MMO" and to show how MMORTS fits in. We've attempted it before, but for a quick refresher, let's go over what I consider an MMO to be. You can add your own definitions in the comments section. I have no problems admitting that my definition could probably use some tweaking.
MMObility: Checking out 8Realms from Jagex
Jagex, maker of the very popular browser-based MMO RuneScape, has branched out into the world of the MMORTS. I call this a good thing, especially since I am such a fan of the genre. There are literally scores and scores of the strategy-based city builders out there. Many of them not only are similar to each other but offer nothing new, not even a slight twist in design. I have a few favorites like Illyriad, Golden Age, and Aloriah, so I was eager to jump into this new one, given that it is made by one of my favorite design studios. 8realms seems to sport a unique design. Players are asked to build up their cities and advance through different ages, from ancient times all the way up to the modern day. A trailer on the front page of the official website shows a commander admiring his army of sword- and spearmen, until suddenly a modern-day jet fighter nukes them to smithereens. All I could think was, "Is this game balanced?" If you would like to join in on the fun along with me, you can join in VIP access by going to the official site and using the code MASSIVELY15 when prompted. Then come back and click past the cut to hear all about my experience!
Rise and Shiny recap: Golden Age
I tend to think of myself as a connoisseur of MMORTS games. If you are not familiar with the genre, imagine an MMO that plays like a city-building sim combined with open warfare and sometimes trade. There are a lot of these titles out there, maybe a lot more than in other genres, and the popularity of the MMORTS seems to be growing. Every week I read about a new one or try a new one out. They are usually browser-based, so it's very possible that this low barrier to production allows for such mass production. Usually I play one and my love affair with it hardly gets off the ground. Generally I find much of the same design and gameplay I have found in dozens of titles. Sure, there are some subtle differences, but overall the gems in this category are few and far between. This week I tasked myself with playing Golden Age, the new MMORTS published by Aeria Games. Was it the same as every other one I've played before? Click past the cut and find out.
MV Guide: July 11 - 17, 2011
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of games to take a look at. During Livestream events, you can participate in the live chat to learn about the game, ask questions, and spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, Livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Follow along after the jump to see what's scheduled for this week!
Ministry of War launches Blood of the Nobles expansion
Strategic minds, rejoice! Today, Snail Games is releasing its Blood of the Nobles expansion for its MMORTS Ministry of War. The game allows players to choose between one of four ancient civilizations: Egypt, China, Persia, or Rome. Players trade, research, raise armies, and of course fight amongst one another for dominance. The new Blood of the Nobles expansion introduces -- rather suitably -- a Nobility system that allows players to become Nobles, which provides them with a "huge collection of exclusive benefits." It also brings the Noble's Work Force, "which provides automatic systems like construction and research, freeing Nobles to focus exclusively on expanding their Empire and defeating enemies." Snail Games has also opened up a brand new server, Triumph, which makes it the perfect time for new players to jump right in, which they can do at the official site! %Gallery-99802%
MMObility: How to real-time-strategize your way into my heart
If there is one thing I can appreciate in my gaming choices, it's flexibility. I want to be able to not only do what I want but do it when I want. If I want to avoid combat or other players, the game should allow me to do that. I don't want to bother with things that annoy me. If I am in the mood for tweaking my character, sure, I'll do that, but I don't want it to be forced on me by a pushy fellow player or virtual progression wall. In other words, give me as many choices as possible and I will love you. Once I discovered the world of browser-based real-time-strategy games, I found a large number of games that provided me with almost everything I needed. While I normally preferred more "immersive" play, I found that the miniature armies and grand scale of most of these newer titles filled in my imagination just fine. In fact, the more I play with them, the more I am reminded of tabletop gaming as a teen. Those were glorious times, despite the fact that I am now, and always have been, horrible at war. Let me tell you all about my recent obsession with browser-based real-time-strategy MMOs. (That's quite a mouthful.) Click past the cut!
MMObility: Fifty games for the mobile lifestyle
I like lists. Lists help keep my candy-coated brain functioning. I see so many games, devices, and developers that I need to write things down periodically or become lost. Not so long ago I made a list of 25 games for your shiny new laptop, but I wanted to update it with other devices as well. I'd like to clarify the devices I have, though, especially since it was brought to my attention that a lot of players use laptops as their primary gaming machines. When I refer to a laptop, it is far from a gaming machine and could not run games like EverQuest II or Age of Conan. So here are some stats: I have an HTC Inspire, an iPhone 3GS, an iPad, a Phenom Triple-core PC desktop with an Nvidia 9800 card, six gigs of ram and onboard sound. My laptop is an HP G62 with an AMD Athlon II P340 dual core processor, three gigs of ram and an AMD graphics chip built in. I also have a more powerful gaming PC, but that is often referred to as "the wife's machine" around here, and it is so packed with her items that I rarely touch it. So most of these games can be run on their native devices, and if they are meant for PC, probably on netbooks as well. When I'm playing on netbooks, resolution is often the major issue. Some games just will not fit on the tiny screens without some slight modding. Anyway, click past the cut to see the list. The first 11 are my favorites, the ones that I play often, if not every day. The rest are in no particular order, so keep that in mind as well. Remember that this year is going to be an incredible one for mobile, thanks to the new games I found at E3. So this list will change!
MMObility: Illyriad, a kingdom in your pocket
There are a lot of city-building, army-amassing, crop-growing RTS-style games in the browser market. Heck, I will wager that they probably make up about 70 percent of the games I come across while researching (my fancy word for lurking through game sites). The genre works really well in a browser, though, so I can see the appeal of making such a game. Of course, as in any popular genre, you will have your duds. After seeing my billionth army-builder, I have to say that I'm just not really interested that much anymore. It takes a unique one to grab my eye. In comes Illyriad. It looks pretty similar to other RTS-style browser MMOs, and it plays similarly as well. Something about it was different, though, and I just couldn't put my finger on it. The hand-drawn art was a nice touch, and the world truly felt large, but there was something else. Join me past the cut as I examine what it was. I also fired off some questions to the developer, Stormcrow, to get his take on the game's success.
MMObility: Battle of the browsers
Before I get too far in this new column, I need to take stock of my weaponry. I now have almost everything I need: an iPhone, an iPad, a new HTC Inspire Android phone, one basic laptop of choice, and a pretty decent gaming rig (if a little old). I have everything I need to test out games across different browsers and devices. I am prepared to slug these pieces of hardware wherever I need to; I am ready to walk with them in hand. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it. I could use some advice, though. I have my preferences, but I wonder what my readers think. Which browser do you prefer? Why? For example, I am in love with Chrome for various reasons, but some games have issues with it. Do I weigh the good against the bad and claim it as my default anyway? Lately, I have all the major browsers bookmarked on my desktop, waiting to go. What about security? I'll be honest: I'm not an expert. Click past the cut and let's discuss. Maybe you can help me.
MMObility: Introduction to the column and a look at Ministry of War
Browsers are not what they used to be. These days, we do so much through our browsers that we do not even notice their ease of use, and we trust them to be entertaining, informative and user-friendly. Browser gaming has come a long, long way as well. It doesn't take but a single run-in with any one of the more fantastic titles out there to see just how much can be done within the confines of your favorite web tool. Not all of our options are text-based or boring. Fully realized 3-D worlds are yours for the taking, as is some of the most clever design in gaming today. I am glad to bring you this new column to cover the world of browser-based gaming, in the hopes that I can speak to those players who might not be able to afford a state-of-the-art gaming machine. This column is squarely aimed at the basic laptop or netbook crowd -- those college students, working mothers and fathers with little time, or even players who are in medical situations that prevent them from owning the latest piece of hardware. Don't worry; it won't be a non-stop parade of repetitive Facebook games. I aim to push that image firmly to the side, replacing it instead with a picture of gaming bliss. Click past the cut and let's get started!
Snail Games' next strategy: A Ministry of War expansion
Snail Games debuted its real-time strategy MMO in November of last year, making it a landmark browser-based game. Ministry of War allowed us to travel back in time to command the great civilizations of Rome, Persia, Egypt, or China. Since the game's launch, the developers have experienced great success and are extremely excited about the community's reaction to the features of the game. Today, the MMO developer is proud to announce the first expansion to Ministry of War: The Arcadian Ladder. This update, featuring a 50-level battle instance, will launch tomorrow, January 22, 2011. The Arcadian Ladder will debut on the new Rage server with the legacy servers receiving the update in early February. With this expansion, players will be able to trade via a newly developed auction house, gamble for a chance at rare drops in the Levers of Fortune slot machine, and experience a better battle view with a fresh user interface. This expansion also features 40 new shop items, online time rewards, experience capsules, and many other epic gear drops and experience rewards. Time-travel to the official website to find more information or try out the game for yourself.
MV Guide: January 10 - 17, 2011
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel. Every week the Massively staff will be logging in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We'll have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of games to take a look at. During Livestream events, you can participate in the live chat to learn about the game, ask questions, and spend some time with Massively staff and readers. Are you worried about missing out due to your schedule? Don't be, because we'll be Livestreaming at various times during the afternoon and evening both weekdays and weekends, so you're sure to find something great up and running at a good time! If you miss a Livestream, we've got you covered there too! Just check out the "latest videos" section of our channel to find past Livestream events to view at your leisure. So if you're looking to check out some new games or see your favorite game from a new perspective, follow along after the cut for this week's installment of MV Guide!
Ministry of War offers gift packs for Massively readers
The Massively staff has been having a great time with our new Livestreaming schedule, and we hope you're enjoying it just as much as we are. We're kicking off week two tomorrow with a special surprise for you. Editor-in-Chief Shawn Schuster will be Livestreaming Ministry of War tomorrow with a few of the game's developers. That's not the only surprise, though! The Snail Games team has arranged for Massively readers to receive a Ministry of War gift package full of items to enhance battle, construction, hero recruitment and more -- and it's yours for the asking! Shawn will be showing off the items during his Livestream at 1:00 p.m. EST tomorrow and telling you exactly how to get your own, so check it out on Massively's Livestream channel. We'll see you there!
This week on The MMO Report
This week on The MMO Report, Casey takes us on a free-for-all ride through the MMOGverse, scratches an itch in Uncle Casey's Mailbag, and shares a timely lesson just before World of Warcraft: Cataclysm launches. Listen and learn, for lo, there is wisdom to be had on this mythical (and not-so-mythical) topic. This episode starts off with a look at All Points Bulletin, which has been pulled back from the grave by GamersFirst, and hopefully will get more of the features it was supposed to actually have when it launched. Moving on from there, Casey touches on the recent opening of Ministry of War as a browser-based MMORTS. Some of the staff here dig it, being a bunch of Civ fiends. Mind you, if we start seeing boob-infested flash ads for the game popping up everywhere, we're going to deny ever hearing its name. In other snark news, Casey takes a look at the continuing saga of the Final Fantasy XIV free trial, which is being extended yet again in an attempt to keep fans happy. Looks like Square-Enix will have a title out for the holidays* -- which might be when this one actually becomes fully playable. Finally, the last bit of news wraps up with a mention of DC Universe Online's new trailer showing off a police station which is strangely devoid of donuts. Guess glazed pastries just don't mix with skin-tight spandex. You can find this week's episode behind the cut and of course every week at G4TV. * Note: 'Holiday' is used here to refer to any/all holidays in a given calendar year. Could be Christmas, could be Arbor Day. Who knows?
