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Some Assembly Required: Is the sandbox dead?
Let's face it, folks, 2011 has been a fairly bad year for sandbox MMORPGs. Whether we're talking about the premature (and, ahem, forced) demise of Star Wars Galaxies, EVE Online's public relations disasters and its capitulation to the cash-shop-in-a-sub-based game fad, or Earthrise's rough launch, there hasn't been a lot to celebrate for fans of non-linear MMO gameplay in quite a while. I've even had several friends ask me point blank: Is the sandbox dead? The short answer is not just no, but hell no. Join me after the cut for a few bright spots as we look to the future, take stock of the present, and try to forget about the past.
Guild Wars 2 to provide private server functionality? [Updated]
One of the more interesting reveals to come out of the post-PAX news glut is a blurb about player-created PvP servers in Guild Wars 2. Yeah, we did a double-take as well, and the post over on MMORPG.com is pretty light on the actual details while promising more info later in the week. Apparently, ArenaNet's Colin Johanson and Eric Flannum let slip that GW2 will allow players to "create and host their own servers or games with specific rule-sets as well." The thread title mentions PvP servers, but the "specific rule-sets" bit above seems to indicate that the mechanic could cater to roleplayers, PvEers, or any number of other specialized groups who desire a customizable play experience apart from the meddling masses. Is Guild Wars 2 following the trail that Neverwinter Nights blazed a decade ago? Is it all a misunderstanding? It looks like we'll find out later this week. [Update: ANet has clarified this topic by posting the following: "In the interview {Eric} mentioned that we are considering allowing players to 'create' their own PvP servers, it is not for certain. And we never mentioned anything about 'private PvE server' -- that is something we will definitely not do."]
EVE Evolved: Bringing back the glory days
In years gone by, exploring the unknown far reaches of the EVE Online universe meant setting a course for nullsec. With no way to install a permanent residence in the most lucrative far-off systems, players would launch dangerous expeditions into the deep with the hope of striking it rich. Nullsec was the only place to mine rare ores containing megacyte and zydrine, and piracy wasn't as common as it is today. For putting themselves at the risk of pirates, miners were rewarded with an income stream greater than that of any other profession in the game. It was a golden age in exploration that wasn't to repeat itself until March 2009's Apocrypha expansion opened 2500 hidden wormhole systems for exploitation. Things have changed considerably since those early days of EVE. Player-built starbases and outposts have transformed the face of nullsec, allowing alliances to build themselves an empire in the void. December 2009's Dominion expansion brought a complete revamp of the nullsec sovereignty mechanics, allowing alliances to upgrade their space but dramatically increasing the cost of system ownership. Despite all of these updates and improvements, over the past several years we have somehow lost a lot of what made nullsec great in its glory days. Local industry has been replaced by risk-free logistics, and nullsec's risky but rewarding mining profession is now greatly overshadowed by safe highsec mission-running. With a new iterative nullsec revamp scheduled to begin this winter, I use this week's EVE Evolved to speculate on what can be done to bring back the glory days of nullsec industry.
Some Assembly Required: Issue #4 -- Making music in LotRO
Music to my ears. The Sound of Music. It ain't over 'til the fat lady (er, Dwarf) sings. Time to face the music. Pay the piper. There is no way around it -- music is such an integral part of our lives and culture that there is almost no way to take a step without its influence showing in some part of our lives, be it an idiom, a movie, a popular catchphrase, or even just a tune stuck in our heads that we cannot escape. Music is so woven into the thread of our beings that it is surprising that more music cannot be found in the world of MMOs. Luckily for us, one world has embraced this connection to music and made it an involved part of the game. Unlike any other games, Lord of the Rings Online has moved beyond just adding a background score and a few canned clips of music to the game. In fact, it has introduced an entire system allowing players to not only play a variety of instruments in the game but compose original pieces and play together in bands as well. The musically inclined can either play live or convert popular music into ABC files, and the not-so-inclined can use said files files to play right along with their friends. When it comes to harnessing creativity, the music system in LotRO tops the charts. Want to see how you too can strike up the band and show off your creative prowess with the lute, the theorbo, the clarinet, or even the cowbell? Tune in past the cut for Some Assembly Required's look at the music industry in LotRO.
Storybricks: Opening the Pandora's box of MMO design
"I could make a better game than this!" At one point or another, we've all said this, usually in disgust after we've become fed up with another tired MMO trope or lazy quest design. Unfortunately, most of us don't have the good fortune to work for a major game studio and thus will never see our brilliant ideas come to fruition. Except that this may no longer be true. Enter Namaste Entertainment's Storybricks, a bold and intriguing concept aimed at putting game design in the hands of Joe and Jane Gamer. Namaste is a small startup that began in 2010 when its team members got tired of derivative titles and mechanics in the industry. Storybricks is the team's first project, and while it's still in its infancy, it's already started to capture the imaginations -- and excitement -- of gamers everywhere. At this past week's GenCon, I caught up with Brian "Psychochild" Green and the rest of the Namaste crew as they publicly demoed Storybricks to the gaming crowd. Hit the jump as we look at why this program may just be the answer to a question you've never fully asked.
Some Assembly Required: Issue #3 -- Building a base with SWG's Storyteller system
So... yeah, MMO story. It's a giant buzzword nowadays. Funnily enough, MMO story isn't a new concept. Dedicated MMO storytelling tools are quite rare, though, and the means to build story-related set pieces are rarer still. Enter Sony Online Entertainment and its seminal Star Wars Galaxies sandbox. There are many reasons to dig this particular game if you're a fan of player-generated content, but among the most important is the Storyteller system. Yeah, I know SWG is on borrowed time. There's still plenty of time to enjoy it though, and if you're a Star Wars fan, a sandbox fan, and especially a player-generated content fan, you're going to love it. Join me after the cut as I show you how to create your own makeshift starship base, complete with starfreighters, starfighters, Rebel pilots, and even a few Wookiee commandos thrown in for good measure. Oh yeah, this is all in the live game-world too. No instancing here. %Gallery-129431%
EVE is Real reaches first content milestone, Aurum gifted to active account holders
A couple of weeks ago we told you about CCP's new EVE is Real web endeavor. The ad campaign essentially asks capsuleers to upload artwork, screenshots, videos, and other player-generated metagame content to a new web portal designed to show off EVE's emergent gameplay. CCP kicked off the campaign by offering in-game incentives based on the number of player uploads, and today the company has sent out a PR blast touting the fact that the first milestone has been reached. Players have uploaded over 1,000 pieces of content, triggering a gift of 1,000 in-game Aurum to every active EVE account (you'll recall that Aurum is the controversial new cash shop currency that surfaced with the Incarna expansion). So what will 1,000 Aurum buy your pod pilot at the Noble Exchange? As of today the pickings are somewhat slim. The only offering in that particular price range is a pair of black men's boots.
New ArcheAge trailer and mobile app at ChinaJoy; Song charts MMO generations
The ArcheAge news floodgates have opened this morning, thanks largely to XL Games' showing at the ChinaJoy Digital Entertainment Expo in Shanghai. First up is an iOS mobile application reveal, and the program will allow players to view character details and message their ArcheAge pals (with more functionality on the way according to an article at MMO Culture). The fan site also has an interesting look at XL founder Jake Song's ChinaJoy speech which outlines the differences between first-, second-, and third-generation MMORPGs. Song charts the evolution of MMO gameplay from the "unorganized freedom" of early titles to the passive playground style popularized by World of Warcraft, and says that third-gen titles like ArcheAge will provide the best of both worlds by re-introducting player creativity and removing restrictions while maintaining a high degree of polish. Finally, XL has created a new trailer for ChinaJoy, and the clip features the usual stunning scenery as well as a few new wrinkles (hang-gliding and castle construction!). Check it out after the break.
Some Assembly Required: Issue #2 -- There's no place like home, Kojani style
Good mornin'/day/evenin' everyone and welcome to the second edition of Some Assembly Required. It is my pleasure to be your host this time as we delve into the realms of player creativity and ingenuity. And let me tell you, I am quite excited to take on this challenge; in fact, it is this very aspect of gaming that I love most! Hopefully, you won't mind my skulking around your houses and events as I seek out all that is player-created. On many occasions, Jef and I might very well tag-team as we crash -- I mean attend -- your various functions (although I don't think he is much of a skulker). For my inaugural SAR column I chose to focus on one of my favorite canvasses of creativity: player housing. Both housing and decorating are things I am quite passionate about; there are few aspects in games that let you express your creativity like housing. Of course this is certainly a broad topic, so to avoid a 30-thousand-word column with enough pictures to bog the site down, I narrowed this showcase to the world of Telon (and the continent of Kojan in particular) in Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. Luckily, no packs of wild dogs nipped at my heels as I ventured about for this first exhibition of player decorating. Open the door and enter past the cut for a tour of housing in Kojan.%Gallery-128862%
Star Trek Online producer previews the new Enterprise-F
Star Trek Online producer Daniel Stahl has penned a new dev diary about the recent fan-driven Enterprise design contest. The piece appears on the official Star Trek website and offers a bit of insight on both the winning entry (submitted by STO fan Adam Ilhe) as well as the lore behind the revamped Enterprise-F. "In the Star Trek Online timeline of 2409, the galaxy is embroiled in war with numerous threats to peace and stability. This Enterprise is designed to carry a message of peace, as well as to show the strength of resolve that forms the foundation of the Federation," Stahl explains. Ilhe's ship design will be revealed to players in a forthcoming STO feature episode, and players will get to meet the ship's crew as well as earn their own Odyssey-class vessel. Warp to the official Star Trek website for further details.
Some Assembly Required: Issue #1
Hello folks and welcome to the preview issue of Some Assembly Required. Massively has a whole host of MMORPG-specific columns for your perusal, as well as a few general jaunts that veer off the beaten path to examine several different aspects of our crazy hobby. Some Assembly Required falls into this latter category, and every two weeks either myself or MJ Guthrie will be taking you on various deep dives into the world of player-generated content. What's player-generated content? Well that's part of what makes this venture so exciting. Player-generated content is often seen as some sort of nebulous activity exclusive to sandbox games. Others take it to mean roleplay. Still others see it as unrestricted PvP and the metagame machinations surrounding it. For our purposes, player-generated content encompasses all of these as well as anything and everything that showcases the creativity of both individual players and entire communities.
Planetside 2 to feature persistent territory control, huge battles, and player-generated content
Sony Online Entertainment's big Planetside 2 announcement came and went last night, and while we don't have a release date as of yet, we do have a trailer, plenty of screenshots, and a fairly detailed fact sheet and official press release thanks to the folks at Fan Faire. For you rookies, Planetside 2 is a re-imagining of the popular MMOFPS, and SOE is deploying its new Forgelight MMO engine in order to make thousand-player online battles a reality. Planetside 2 will feature three factions that will seem familiar to long-time fans, and players will be able to choose between the Terran Republic, the New Conglomerate, or the Vanu Sovereignty before heading off to the kill zones. Choice also plays into Planetside 2's character advancement, as the game boasts what SOE is calling a "free-form class-based system" complete with skill trees and unique combat roles. Weapons, vehicles, and outfits are all customizable, and SOE's fact sheet also drops a curious player-generated content hint relating to the game's mission system. "Both SOE and players will be able to drive content, easing new players into the game and allowing veterans to feed content to players," says the press release. Finally, Planetside 2 will feature that rarest of MMO prizes: a reason for all the fighting. The core gameplay revolves around holding territories and controlling resources (as opposed to just a match timer). "Battles will last for days or weeks, and finally taking control of the base means it's yours until someone can take it back," SOE says.
Champions Online adds housing via new hideout feature
Cryptic Studios is adding another feather to its player-generated content cap via a new Champions Online feature called the hideout. As per the Champions website, "every hero should have a place to call home," and hideouts are "themed environments that allow you to choose and customize your own bit of Champions Online real estate." In other words, welcome to the superhero version of player housing. Each hideout is an account-wide perk with a variety of customizable features (including access to a tailor and a Socrates crime computer terminal). Hideouts also come in four flavors: the basement, cave, moon, and Sanctum varieties. Head to the official Champions website to read more about each option and find out how to unlock hideouts on your account. Also, don't forget to check out the video preview after the break.
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite MMO political system?
Politics is a nebulous word when it comes to MMORPGs. Relatively few companies market the "political" aspects of their games, mainly because these aspects are player-driven. There are a few exceptions, and though En Masse is getting a lot of press for the TERA political system that it unveiled at this year's E3, it's not a new idea. Games as diverse as ArchLord, RF Online, and Aika have toyed around with the idea, and Star Wars Galaxies even offered a Politician profession and light-duty mayoral tasks related to the game's player cities. For today's Daily Grind, we'd like to know your take on MMORPG political gameplay. Do you prefer completely free-form player-created content such as that found in Darkfall, EVE Online, and Perpetuum, or would you rather see a mixture of hard-coded mechanics and player interaction similar to what En Masse is hyping for TERA? 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 Daily Grind: What Star Wars Galaxies features will you miss the most?
Yep, it's another Star Wars Galaxies-flavored Daily Grind (if you think the sentimentality is thick now, wait until the week of December 15th). When the long-running sandbox title rides into the sunset this winter, it will be taking with it quite a few unique features that have been deemed unnecessary in all the games since. Whether we're talking about the Dancer, Image Designer, and Musician functionality, the space game that allows for interaction and personalization inside the spacecraft as well as out, or the player-generated content features made possible by the Storyteller and Chronicle systems, there's a lot to love about SWG even if you don't particularly love Star Wars (or the game's disregard for Star Wars lore). Today's breakfast topic follows on from yesterday's, but this time around we want to know about feature sets instead of personal memories. What SWG features will you miss the most? 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!
Ask Cryptic hints at shared Foundry functionality for Star Trek Online, Neverwinter
There's a new Ask Cryptic in town, and this month's Star Trek Online update finds producer Dan Stahl fielding a plethora of community questions that cover a wide range of topics. While many of the questions (and answers) are straightforward one-liners, Stahl does go into a bit of detail about STO's Foundry functionality. He mentions that the content creation tool will be getting a round of bug fixes as well as new map hookups (including Star Fleet Academy) for the library. Stahl also says that Cryptic's Foundry team is currently hard at work on Neverwinter's player-generated content toolset, and the fruits of its labor will eventually be seen in STO as well. "One thing I continue to stress is adding the ability for more acting and blocking features so that players can create their own dramatic scenes," Stahl explains. Head to the official STO website for the full text.
The Soapbox: The absurdity of the endgame
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. Like most of you, I play a lot of MMORPGs. Too many, in fact, and the deluge of new and interesting games in the offing is only going to further erode what remains of my free time. I've managed to see the mythical "endgame" in a fair few titles over the years, so when I say that I play a lot, I don't mean that I boot up a trial and hit level 10 before hopping to the next bright shiny. Off the top of my head, I've dinged max level in Age of Conan (three times), Aion, Star Wars Galaxies (six times), Anarchy Online, Lord of the Rings Online, Global Agenda (twice), Vanguard, and The Matrix Online, to name a few. While many of these games subsequently raised the level cap, I've nonetheless raided, PvP'd, and chased enough gear carrots to have an opinion about the proverbial MMORPG "endgame." And I'm here to tell you that most of what passes for said endgame is repetitive schlock.
The Anvil of Crom: Server merges, separation, and why both are potentially swell
Last week I mentioned that the Age of Conan Unrated announcement has given us a lot to talk about. There's the 800-lb. free-to-try elephant in the room, there's a bunch of new content that's both coming soon and already here, and there's also an endlessly fascinating quote from Funcom game director Craig "Silirrion" Morrison that is, well, endlessly fascinating. This last bit got lost in the big announcement blitzkrieg, and because it was buried in the depths of a thread about roleplay on the EU boards, it's safe to assume that 99.99% of Age of Conan players didn't read it. Regardless, it may well be one of the more interesting and exciting developments in Age of Conan's short history. What was it about? Well, it involves servers, server merges, and new technology that could change the way we think about MMORPGs and server populations.
A sneak peek at Fallen Earth's Progress Towns
Coming soon to a public test server near Fallen Earth is one of the more exciting pieces of content the game has seen: Progress Towns! Icarus Studios wanted to take the concept of a player-built town and make it something truly special. Progress Towns are the next iteration of Fallen Earth's attempt to include player housing, which started with patch 1.2's camps. With the this new system, players will be able to build up their own towns from the ruins of old ones. Three such towns will be in place for testing: Progress in Sector 2, Stronghold in Sector 3, and Citadel in Deadfall. Before players can move in and start performing stunning makeovers, they'll have to fight enemy mobs who've declared squatter's rights. Once the battle is won, the area becomes player-controlled and can be improved upon by using the construction skillset. Progress Towns can be built up to house many useful features, such as merchants, mailboxes, and defensive structures. Once enough construction takes place, special merchants will appear and offer unique crafting components in exchange for a new form of currency. Don't get too comfortable, however. These towns will always be under the threat of enemy raiders looking to take back what once was theirs! This slice of player-generated content will appear on the test servers next week, but you can get a sneak peek at Progress Towns in the gallery below right now! %Gallery-48606%
ArcheAge's Jake Song says balance doesn't mean equality
ArcheAge lead developer Jake Song has answered a round of fan-generated questions at OutpostGamez. The interview starts out with some interesting nuggets on world size and fast travel before moving on to a variety of topics including player content, crafting and the economy, and class balance. "Those balance issues concern us as well. We will test and balance classes constantly. However, we don't think that all the combinations should be equivalent. There will be a class that is far more difficult than others," Song says. ArcheAge is also setting the hearts of sandbox fans aflame courtesy of its deep non-combat gameplay, which purportedly includes an extensive crafting and economic system. Song cautions that while XL Games intends for the player economy to take precedence, the devs are not omitting loot drops and their associated mechanics altogether. Instead, XL is limiting the usefulness of mob drops in relation to their player-made counterparts. "Crafted items will be allowed continuous enhancements and improvements whereas such obtainable items wouldn't," Song explains.
