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World of Warcraft will offer minipets and nostalgic gameplay for its anniversary
As World of Warcraft gears up for its 10th anniversary in November, Blizzard has announced its plans for celebrating. Of note, the team is creating a 40-player raid finder version of Molten Core for "max-level" characters, who can "relive the experience of hunting down Ragnaros and his minions" and snag a new mount and achievement. A new deathmatch-style battleground will also be opened in an attempt to replicate the early Tarren Mill/Southshore PvP experience. If you don't really care about nostalgic raids and PvP, how about some free stuff? WoW will bestow a Molten Corgi minipet on everyone who logs in during the event.
The Game Archaeologist: Kingdom of Drakkar
You'd think that by now I would be running out of older MMOs and their kin to cover, but I just keep discovering more. Some of those discoveries are helped by Massively readers, who have urged me from time to time to investigate certain games. One such commenter, Space Cobra, has been after me for quite a while (as in years) to do a write-up about Kingdom of Drakkar, and I finally caved. Here you go, good buddy! Kingdom of Drakkar, also known as Drakkar or Kingdom of Drakkar II, is a really odd duck in the MMO history books. While being very small potatoes for the industry as a whole throughout its entire lifespan, it's notable for an extraordinary long run (it began in the 1980s, people!) that's traversed through several format changes and handlers. I've seen it described, somewhat unkindly, as a "shoddier Ultima Online," but I think that is a surface judgment that doesn't take the effort to get to know the game or its legacy. There must be something to this game if it's been around for three decades, yes? Let's find out!
The Nostalgia Machine takes you back to the music of your youth
It's easy to get sucked into a nostalgic listening session, but tracking down the songs of your youth can be tougher than you think -- and "best of" medleys on YouTube will only do so much to scratch the itch. Don't worry, though, as The Nostalgia Machine has come to save the day. Pick a year and you'll see an easy-to-digest list of pop music videos that might just remind you of your high school prom or that big college party. It's definitely not an authoritative source -- what, no New Radicals? -- but it also covers a few artists that you might not remember until you hear them again, like Mark Morrison or Sonique. Give the Machine a spin the next time you're eager to revisit the zeitgeist of years gone by.
The Game Archaeologist: World War II Online
The 1990s saw the rise of flight simulators that thrived on detailed, complicated controls and handling. Such games threw out accessibility and casual-friendliness for stark-raving realism, and a certain subset of gamers really thrived on them. I tried my hand at a couple and found myself breathing rapidly when pouring through keyboard charts and doing basic algebra just to get a plane off of the ground. Not for me, I said then. I don't think there's ever stopped being absurdly complex video games that aim for immersion through detailed realism, even though that appeals to only the fringe of the fringe. Some people have their gaming standards set exactly that high and no lower, and some devs refuse to water down their visions just to sell more box units. For these people, Cornered Rat Software (CRS) created World War II Online, an overly ambitious MMOFPS that stumbled out of the gate in 2001 but has gamely soldiered on since then. Over a decade now an epic war has been raging for control over a continent, and it's been up to the fiercely loyal fans to keep the fight going. Today we're going to take a look at the guts 'n' glory of this project to both praise its complexity and curse it for the same thing. If nothing else, it was a game that could only have arisen from the early landscape of 3-D MMOs, and for that it warrants our attention.
The Game Archaeologist: Tales from Neverwinter Nights' Arelith
Back in May, I touched on the fascinating field of Neverwinter Nights' persistent worlds (PWs). I never expected it to draw so much attention, least of all from the folks still running these communities. But it did, and I was contacted by one of the player developers of Arelith, Mark "Artos" Friebus. Artos and his colleagues wanted to share more about the history and makeup of this 12-year-old server and why, in 2014, they're still as crazy about doing it as ever. If you want an insider's point of view as to what goes on in a persistent world -- and perhaps are open to be tempted to roll a character on one of them -- then stay tuned for the fascinating tale of Arelith.
The Game Archaeologist: The persistent worlds of Neverwinter Nights 1 & 2
At the end of next month, dozens of online worlds will flicker and vanish with the flip of a switch. It's a online apocalypse the likes of which we have not seen in quite some time, although you might be forgiven for not having heard of it before now. When GameSpy Technology goes offline on May 31st, dozens of EA games that relied on the platform for multiplayer functionality will lose their online components by June 30th. Because of this, Neverwinter Nights and Neverwinter Nights 2 will find that their persistent player-made and -run worlds are in danger. For over a decade now, players have poured creative energies and roleplaying enthusiasm into these micro-MMOs. Could an era be about to end? Fortunately, players are already swinging into action to work around the shutdown, keeping their worlds alive and detached from GameSpy's umbilical cord. I see this event as a wake-up call for people like yours truly who are acquainted primarily with BioWare and Obsidian's single-player offerings and are ignorant of the larger Neverwinter Nights community out there. Let's take a look at this engrossing online realm and how it came to be.
Ask Massively: Misconceptions about new, old, and sunsetted MMOs
As the editor-in-chief of Massively, I make it a point to read as many of our comments as I can. We have some really smart people here chatting at the bottom of our posts, and I learn a lot from them. But I also see the same illogical statements and easily countered arguments being made independently by different commenters across many different threads and games. I'd like to address some of those misconceptions today in the first part of a new Ask Massively miniseries. Today's misconceptions are all about new, old, and sunsetted MMOs.
Tim Schafer revisits Day of the Tentacle
Development studio Double Fine made a lot of money back in 2012 when it ran a Kickstarter campaign to fund a traditional point-and-click adventure game which would go on to be called Broken Age - but then, you already knew that, right? What you may not have known is that, as part of that Kickstarter campaign, 2 Player Productions filmed a documentary focused on the company and legendary adventure game designer, Tim Schafer. On Friday, the company made part of that documentary free and public on YouTube. The footage in question follows Schafer as he revisits one of his classic games: Day of the Tentacle. If you've ever wanted to hear it straight from the creator's mouth as to why this game starred an anthropomorphic tentacle, buckle in for this 40-minute trip down Nostalgia Avenue. There's plenty of other information and interesting soundbites to enjoy as Schafer plays through the game. For instance, did you know that Schafer once acted as a tip line for the son of famed film director and producer, Steven Spielberg? "When most people need a hint they call the hint line, when Steven Spielberg needs a hint he calls Lucas directly and - 'I wanna talk to the guy who made this game!'" Schafer says in the video. As Schafer recalled, Spielberg's son Max needed help getting through a particular portion of the game, so Schafer instructed him how to beat the troublesome puzzles over the phone. "He said thanks and that was my brush with greatness from this game, was giving a hint to Max." [Image: Double Fine]
The Game Archaeologist: The silent world of Tibia
If I were to tell you that there's a Western MMO out there that's as old as Ultima Online and yet still has a half-million players, would you believe me? Heck, I wouldn't believe me even if I came back from the future of having written this article to talk to the past version of me who had yet to start it! But that's Tibia for you: a weird underdog of an MMO that's cruised underneath most players' radars for over a decade and a half. From its origins as a student project, Tibia jumped in the unexplored waters of the early MMO era and dog paddled for all its worth. This 17-year-old title remains one of the very few active MMOs from the '90s and one of only a handful that stubbornly stuck to a 2-D graphics format even as 3-D swept the gaming genre. And trust me, those aren't even the most interesting facts about it!
The Game Archaeologist: The danger of expecting lightning to strike twice
It's no secret that many of the more successful Kickstarter projects over the past few years have heavily capitalized on player nostalgia, brand names, and former dev gods who are back for another round. The formula for drawing in the big bucks seems to be the following: Take something players hugely loved back in the day, dangle the concept of a sequel (spiritual or otherwise), and promise some measure of iterative improvement. I once wrote about how we really can't go back again to recreate a particular game experience because it was usually a confluence of several factors that were related to where the industry was then and where you were then. I'm not saying that there isn't value to retro gaming, playing classic MMOs, or involving the past in future development! But there is a danger in how we as gamers become so beholden to our nostalgia that we dare lightning to strike twice -- and we're paying big bucks to see that happen. But can we? Will it?
The Game Archaeologist: Myst Online: Uru Live
The impact of Myst in 1993 was akin to an atomic bomb going off in the PC gaming world. The leap forward in graphical fidelity (aided by the large storage capacity of a CD-ROM and all of the full-motion video and gorgeous images tucked into it) captured gamers' imaginations and made this adventure title the best-selling PC game of all time, at least for several years. Brothers Robyn and Rand Miller's story about a stranger who had to solve puzzles through a good-looking (if deserted) landscape was devilishly difficult, yet that challenge kept players coming back for months and even years. The Myst franchise surged forward at that point, with several sequels, remakes, and ports selling like hotcakes through the final game's release in 2005. Yet something interesting happened along the way when an offshoot of the series -- Uru: Ages Beyond Myst -- evolved into an MMO. With a focus on multiplayer exploration and puzzle-solving instead of non-stop combat, it may be one of the very few MMOs out there that eschews fighting for brainpower. It's an oddity, no doubt, and despite it being an incredibly niche title, it has fascinated me enough to pull me into a research rabbit hole. So let's take a look at Myst Online: Uru Live!
The Game Archaeologist: Ultima Online field report
A recent Daily Grind here on Massively asked about what games readers think deserve more coverage on the site. That's a loaded question, of course, but the answers were still very interesting to me, especially the desire from some of you to read more about older games. Even though I've looked at the history and development of classic MMOs, I don't often know what's going on inside of them right now. With insular communities and a dearth of news being put forth by the studio, the only way that I can think of to find out the real skinny is to ask those who do still love and play these games regularly. So that's when the idea for a "field report" series on Game Archaeologist came forth. Every so often I'm going to track down players of classic MMOs and see what's happening in them and their communities from these first-hand perspectives. Today we've got Dimitri and Common Sense from Ultima Online, who graciously took the time to answer my questions.
Myst and SimCity enter the History of Electronic Games collection
Broderbund Software's legacy is sure to live on through ports, sequels and source code, but what about the game developer's behind-the-scenes history? Thankfully, it won't be fading away any time soon. Company founder Doug Carlston has donated Broderbund's software and corporate records to The Strong, a museum dedicated to all forms of play. The move should help illustrate the creation process behind every title that Broderbund published, including classics like Myst, Prince of Persia, the original SimCity and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego. The collection isn't limited to game assets -- Carlston is donating correspondence, photos and other material that reveals the studio's culture. Few people will get to see this treasure trove of gaming nostalgia in person, but it should preserve Broderbund's accomplishments for a long time to come.
The Game Archaeologist: The care and feeding of older MMOs
When an MMO has reached a certain age and dwindled to a certain player population, what do you do with it? Do you put it out to pasture, nurture it, or put it down? With some of our older graphical MMOs approaching their 20th anniversaries, the question of what studios should do with aging titles is becoming very important. It's not just important for the games in question but as a precedent to the population of games that will one day become just as old. Lately we've seen different studios act on this topic in a wide variety of ways, all of which I find fascinating. Some of these games have seen tragic ends, while others may be entering into the enjoyable golden years. If nothing else, it's shown me that there isn't just one set answer for this and that some devs are hoping to do the right thing by their companies and their players.
The Game Archaeologist: Is Turbine working on Asheron's Call 3?
If you look at the list of major MMO studios, it seems as though many of them have something new in the works or recently launched a title. Sequels and sandboxes are the trendy topics of the time, garnering attention and enthusiasm from the community. And then there's Turbine. As a fan of the "powered by fans" studio and an avid player of Lord of the Rings Online, I have always kept my eye on these Bostonians. While Turbine helped lead the charge on free-to-play adaptations and has kept DDO and LotRO hopping with expansions, its last major MMO launch was 2008. The only known new game that's in the works over there is the Infinite Crisis MOBA. Or is it? What if there's another project that's being kept on the down-low, one that could be a comeback attempt to propel Turbine back into the community spotlight? What if Turbine is working on Asheron's Call 3? I have scant proof that this is so but plenty of suspicion and speculation as to why it may be the case. Plus, the possibility stirs the imagination.
Unfortunately, Guess The 90s is really, really good
There are already enough (or perhaps too many) trivia games on the iPhone. There are all-encompassing gems like QuizUp but most aren't nearly that well done, and to be honest, I was kind of hoping Guess The 90s would be a dud as well. I was born in the mid 80s, so the vast majority of my childhood memories took place during the decade that brought us Pogs and popularized snap bracelets. But to my chagrin, the trivia puzzler is fantastic, and so I've been reliving my childhood in 2-minute bursts for the past week or so. The puzzles in Guess The 90s simply ask you to name whatever object, musical group, tv show, or other piece of pop culture it displays on the screen. You have rows of letters with which to spell out the answer, and you can use a hint if you get stuck (but a simple Google search is usually a quicker way to find the answer if you truly get stumped). What really makes the game special is the wealth of 90s content on offer. There are some truly obscure items here, and you'll need a pretty robust knowledge of 90s media, with a huge focus on the TV shows that were popular at the time. There's also a ton of toys to name, one-hit-wonder bands, and even some fashion trends that will make you cringe. Guess The 90s is free to play, but includes in-app purchases of "coins" (which are used to gain hints), as well as the occasional pop-up advertisement. The cash-making features shouldn't hinder your experience too much, and if you don't want to drop a few bucks to score some cheap hints, you can always use the web. If you're a 90s kid -- or really anyone who wants to take a brief nostalgia break -- you might find yourself getting sucked into it.
Apple fandom starts at a young age
You may have seen this endearing photo circulating across the web before; just your run-of-the-mill shot of an enterprising young kid with MacGyver-like skills immersed in the world of vintage Macintosh. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, and TinEye.com in particular, I was able to track down the original uploader of the photo and get a little bit of backstory to the cute picture that, it must be pointed out, was not staged. The photo was originally uploaded to Flickr on February 19, 2008 by Jeff Jackson, who provided me with some interesting details about how the photo came to be. Some people assume the photo is old but a few clues give it away. I took it several years ago and that's my son Will. He's about to turn 7. ... He loves computers like I do. I was working at a sporting goods store at the time and brought my Plus in after hours to play with. I turned around and saw that he had pulled open a drawer and was standing there playing. I had my camera there so I took the picture. A resourceful little guy who knows quality when he sees it. Incidentally, as a self-proclaimed Apple nerd, Jackson says he prefers the older 680x0 Macs, "especially this Plus with Hyperdrive." I guess it runs in the family.
MMO Mechanics: Three old mechanics I want back
My column has typically heralded modern MMOs as superior advancements of the genre we all adore, but in this week's MMO Mechanics I want to share a small list of some old mechanics I still mourn today. Many older MMOs featured gameplay that could simultaneously exasperate and impress players, especially when the mechanics in question supported a real sense of immersion or realism in otherwise virtual worlds. Recent titles have aimed to open up the in-game world by making it more accessible and much less infuriating, but this has put some of my favourite mechanics and little touches on the development chopping block. I'm particularly fond of game mechanics that make real-world sense. Real life would not reward you for falling off cliffs, running headlong into a crowded room of enemies, or stumbling off the well-beaten track into the untamed wilderness. Consequences in real life can feel rather scary, so I really enjoyed the fear factor of some older MMOs because this allowed for a much more thrilling -- and ultimately rewarding -- gaming experience. I am going to talk about just three older mechanics I particularly enjoy that have fallen out of fashion, but feel free to lengthen my list by adding your favourites in the comments below.
PBS Game/Show probes link between nostalgia, Zelda's success
In its most recent entry, PBS' Game/Show YouTube series wonders if Nintendo's beloved Legend of Zelda series is only so beloved due to an incessant reliance on player nostalgia. While Game/Show doesn't offer an answer to this question – the series is aimed at prompting discussion, not taking any one stance – the points it makes are intriguing. How many of you are immediately transported to the gleeful whimsy of childhood on hearing the Legend of Zelda overworld theme? How often have we seen new entries in the series directly reference prior games, much to the delight of fans? How many times can players explore the Lost Woods before the cartographers of Hyrule finally decide maybe that mysterious grove of trees isn't so lost after all? Watch the above footage, take in its arguments, then post your own thoughts in the comments below. [Image: Nintendo]
Facebook lets users rewrite the past by editing their 'Look Back' videos
Let's be real here: the nostalgic "Look Back" videos Facebook rolled out for its tenth birthday are... let's say, hit or miss. Sure, some of them are tremendously meaningful. Most of them are much less so. But fear not! In the event that your Look Back video doesn't really tell your personal story (or at least not the version you want people to see), Facebook is giving you the chance to edit it. Clicking the shiny new 'edit' button on the Look Back page lets you choose which images and status updates you want to highlight. There are, sadly, some pesky limits. As TechCrunch points out, you're stuck choosing from only a slightly wider pool of content, not the entirety of your lives on Facebook. Then again, even a bit of selective surgery could go a long way in making these videos more tolerable, so tweak away.
