some-assembly-required
Latest
Some Assembly Required: Creating content for cash
Housing. Mission generators. Player-run festivals. Music. Overall general sandboxy goodness. Since its debut over a year ago, Some Assembly Required has covered a number of topics related to player-generated content as well as the games that offer such features. However, recent events have turned my attention toward a different aspect of PGC. Between the Dota 2 incident and last week's announcement from Sony Online Entertainment, I am actually looking at player-generated content in a whole new way: as a revenue generator. That's right -- collecting cold hard cash for your creativity. Although plenty of titles allow players to create content and share it within the games, very few let players sell that content for real-world money. This column explores the cash-for-content phenomenon in MMOs: what games have it, how to use it, and whether it is likely to become the next big thing.
Some Assembly Required: Guild Wars 2 goes back to the future
Like a lot of you, I've been goofing around in Guild Wars 2 this past week. What does that have to do with Massively's sandbox column? Not much other than that I feel like ArenaNet's game has arrived at an interesting crossroads in the history of MMO development. In one direction, you have World of Warcraft 2.0 and the continuation of the themepark model. In another direction, you have a sandbox akin to Ultima Online or Star Wars Galaxies. A third fork leads to the so-called sandpark hybrid. ArcheAge may live at the end of this road, and even titles like The Secret World and Age of Wushu can be said to mix both sandbox and themepark mechanics when it suits them. ArenaNet avoids all three paths with Guild Wars 2, though, and instead makes a fourth that's 80 percent themepark and 20 percent... well, I don't know what to label it. It's almost like the devs wanted to make a virtual world, though.
Some Assembly Required: Directing your own Star Trek episodes with the Foundry
To boldly go where no SAR has gone before... but not for a lack of trying, I assure you! Yes, folks, I have actually attempted to explore the topic of Star Trek Online's Foundry for Some Assembly Required on numerous occasions since this column debuted over a year ago, but I was thwarted each time. This mission generator, which offers STO players the chance to infuse the game with their own stories, has had a very rocky life; there have been extended stretches when the feature has been in, shall we say, a less-than-working form. Hopefully, that is all in the past now. Luckily for fans of player-generated content, the Foundry has recently come back online. And with the revelations the in the July state-of-the-game letter and the recent Foundry Season 6 dev blog, it appears the system is getting some real attention from the developers. Soon players will have more tools and better customization to compose their missions and tell their own stories. Do you have a story you want to tell? Keep reading for quick guide to the nuts and bolts of this feature that allows you to create your own bit of personal Star Trek lore.
Some Assembly Required: Four sandboxes we need right now
Hello folks, and welcome back to Some Assembly Required. I've been thinking about sandboxes quite a lot lately, and while this is nothing new, a couple of those I've been thinking about are flying pretty far under the radar. As much as I've been enjoying The Secret World in recent weeks, it can't quite scratch that open world, free-roaming, full-blown economy experience that I've been missing since the days of Star Wars Galaxies and Ultima Online. There are a couple of titles in the pipeline that may recapture those experiences, though. Join me after the break and see whether you agree.
Some Assembly Required: EQII's Festival of Unity
Events: From rinky-dink, hole-in-the-wall endeavors to humongous, pie-in-the-sky extravaganzas, you really can't get content that's more player-generated than events designed and hosted by players themselves. Although many smaller venues are regrettably missed (unless you send in tips inviting us to come and check them out, so chop-chop!), Some Assembly Required manages to catch some of the larger events throughout the MMORPG galaxy. One of these events is this week's Festival of Unity being held on EverQuest II's Antonia Bayle server. Since I covered last fall's festival catering to the evil-minded folks in EQII, the Festival of Discord, I felt it was only fair that I go ahead and partake in the cele... I mean, cover the one that brings all the good-hearted folks of Qeynos together in jubilant celebration. And let me tell you, those good guys know how to throw a party! If you have never been to the festival or haven't stopped by yet this year, you are missing out on quite the shindig.%Gallery-160788%
Some Assembly Required: Six essential ArcheAge videos
Now that we know ArcheAge is in fact heading West at some point, I no longer feel bad about discussing the game at every opportunity. Prior to E3, any mention of XL's sandbox and its ginormous feature list felt a little like twisting the knife, you know? Happily, though, that's no longer the case, and I've spent the last couple of days gorging myself on some of the best ArcheAge footage the web has to offer. Some of these clips you may have seen already; some may be new to you. All are worth a(nother) look, though, if only to see just how much gameplay is coming your way courtesy of the genre's most exciting new sandbox.
Some Assembly Required: Desert homes of Vanguard's Qalia
Player housing. Now there's a topic you don't hear from me much. Oh, come now, I talk about other topics, too... sometimes... once in a while! You have to admit, it's hard not to talk about housing. It's by far one of the best canvasses for showcasing player creativity available in MMOs. And Vanguard has top-notch player housing. Back at the inception of Some Assembly Required, I took you on a tour of housing on Vanguard's island of Kojan. Of the three continents, Kojan was an easy first choice; from the very beginning I wanted a house there to soak up the unique flavor of the area. However, Kojan is by far the smallest continent with the fewest housing plots; contrast its six housing isles to the 22 chunks with housing available on Qalia and you can see that more opportunities abound to find the perfect home-sweet-home in the land of Arabian nights. By the sheer volume of plots involved, you can see that touring Qalia is quite the undertaking! Not one to shirk my duties of bringing demonstrations of player creativity to you, I forged ahead to highlight the advantages of Qalian living and compile this gallery of amazing ingenuity -- including a Foosball table!%Gallery-158807%
Some Assembly Required: City of Heroes' Mission Architect
The few. The proud. The quest writers. At the best of times, the fruits of their labors guide us along in our progression of a local or global story, immersing us in the world. Even the nefarious "kill 10 rats" versions can be mini stories that pull players in when done well. But how many of us have ever had a "I could do better than that" moment or have simply wanted to live out a personal story or share in a customized grand adventure with our friends? Someone wished upon the right star because with features like the Mission Architect in City of Heroes you can do just that. I am just going to come right out and say it -- the quest builder is one of the greatest boons ever for player-generated content in MMORPGs. Besides housing, it is the feature du jour for the creative crowd; I honestly can't see how any game can actually go without one. During this latest round of Choose My Adventure, I had the opportunity to check out the system in City of Heroes and revel in the creativity of others as well as try my hand at developing missions. And I tell you, it is addicting. Feel like trying your hand at shaping some stories for heroes (and villains) to star in? Stick with me, kid, and you'll be directing your own missions in no time.
Some Assembly Required: I saw the wilds of Salem (and lived to tell about it)
I spent an hour romping through the woods of Salem last Friday with Seatribe head honcho Bjorn Johannessen. The tiny indie company (current dev population: two) is hard at work on its followup to Haven and Hearth, an acquired taste of a sandbox game notable for its no-holds barred approach that includes permadeath and the ability to summon (and kill) criminal characters -- even while their lulz-loving puppet-masters are offline. Publisher Paradox bills Salem as "the crafting MMO," and boy it's not kidding. Over the course of this particular dev tour, I saw crazy amounts of tradeskill functionality, all kinds of cool world-building stuff, and ultimately, more than enough reasons to spend time with the game when it launches later this year.
Some Assembly Required: Ten years warp by for Vendetta Online
If I were to start describing a game where players have zipped about one persistent universe as one of three factions in customizable ships vying for wealth and territory by mining, dodging hostiles, fulfilling missions, blasting one another to bits, docking at stations, blazing trade routes, and pirating for the past 10 years, you would say... Vendetta Online, of course! Perhaps the longest-running epic space-based sandbox MMORPG, the game hit a milestone last week that few others can boast: It turned 10! Although its major retail distribution was in 2004, Vendetta Online marks its anniversary as the day it was spotlighted in Penny Arcade during the game's completely open and public alpha (which means it basically launched since everyone could dive in and play) and the population exploded! A truly multi-platform MMORPG, Guild Software's game can be played on Windows, Mac, Linux, and even Android, giving pilots the freedom to log in when and where they may, even to surreptitiously check the markets or maybe sneak an event in while at work via a smartphone. After all, who wants to miss an event just because employment gets in the way? Luckily for those of us without an Android, Vendetta Online celebrated its decennial anniversary with some developer-run in-game events over the weekend. Always willing to join the party, Some Assembly Required strapped into a shiny new ship and blasted right into the thick of things in order to share in the festivities.
Some Assembly Required: Can Darkfall and The Repopulation end the sandbox drought?
It's not often that we use this space for news recaps. Generally MJ and I have a particular topic (or game) in mind for Some Assembly Required's biweekly rotation. This time, though, I figured we should highlight some of the recent goings-on with a couple of pertinent sandbox titles simply because Massively news posts don't offer enough space to expound on anything other than the basics. Join me after the break, then, for a rundown on what's new with Darkfall and The Repopulation.
Some Assembly Required: Revisiting Origins of Malu
Many moons ago when the air just started to cool from summer's heat (aka, last September), Some Assembly Required had the opportunity to talk shop with a new outfit that is developing a promising new sandbox MMORPG, Origins of Malu. And you know me: Sandbox is the magic word! As skeptical as I knew I should be, I still came away from that interview with renewed hope that a game with some of the features for player-generated content could exist again. Back then, Burning Dog Media made the bold statement that it would absolutely release its flagship game in 2012, with a target of early 2012 to boot. But as the first quarter of the year quickly drew to a close with scant information available, it became pretty clear the game is still a ways off. In the realm of games, no news is not necessarily good news... and we definitely hit a drought in news. Now that drought has ended. In our second exclusive interview, we spoke with Michael Dunham, Producer, Jason Mitchell, Senior Developer, and Dave Cruikshank, Art Director, to learn what's been going on behind the scenes and get the scoop on more details about those very features that have sandbox lovers salivating.
Some Assembly Required: Is The Secret World a sandbox?
I'm more excited than I thought I would be for The Secret World. After playing it at last week's Game Developer's Conference and getting a preview of the game's crafting system, I think it's safe to say my anticipation went up a few notches. The real-world setting and horror-fantasy elements have always been appealing, but a general lack of info throughout 2011 -- coupled with Funcom's decision to add a cash shop to a subscription game -- conspired to knock The Secret World down a few pegs. Now I'm almost willing to forgive the business model faux pas because it seems like the game will feature significant sandbox elements. Is it a sandbox, though?
Some Assembly Required: Six must-haves for creative expression
Creativity. It is expressed in so many ways in so many mediums. Art, literature, architecture, music, performance... I love it all, conventional and unconventional. Heck, I revel in it! Why do you think my work and recreation include gaming? Wait, gaming?! You betcha! Beyond the artistry of the developers, MMORPGs offer outlets for player creativity in a variety of ways. I am not ashamed to admit that the primary reason I delve into MMORPGs is not for the gameplay but to explore and experience the creative expression of others (and to express some of my own as well). In fact, finding and sharing that very creativity by championing and highlighting player-generated content is precisely what Some Assembly Required is about. Between (or in lieu of) the hacking, the slashing, and the plundering, players seize proffered tools in myriad virtual realms to build works of art, pen masterpieces, construct edifices, compose melodies, and take the stage, all within the pixeled confines of a virtual world. Unfortunately, not all games have adequate tools for such creative expression. While inspired players can make do if they must, having supporting features exponentially enhances a game (and positively affects retention). Thankfully, some games provide a few standard-setting features that -- in my opinion -- should be included in every game on the market. Here are six of those must-have features.
The Daily Grind: How would you define a sandbox MMO?
So yesterday on Twitter I conducted an extensive, exhaustive survey in which I asked, "Hai guyz, what makes a sandbox MMO a thing? You know?" It was probably a little less articulate than that. While I might be seen as the ultimate source of information in video games, the truth is that I'm struggling to come up with a precise definition of what, exactly, makes a "sandbox" MMO. Interestingly enough, the responses that some friends sent back my way were as varied as could be, suggesting that this might be more of a murky area than I assumed. Considering how much we throw the term around, both on Massively and elsewhere, I think it might be beneficial to come to a consensus. So how would you define a sandbox MMO? Is it the tools, the freedom, a lack of traditional leveling, the variety of non-combat activities, the tone, or something else entirely? Can you sum it up in one precise sentence? 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!
Some Assembly Required: A look at Vendetta Online
The setup is pretty familiar. It's an MMO, it takes place entirely in outer space, and your avatar is your spaceship. There's a lot of trading, a lot of missioning, and PvP if you want it -- possibly even if you don't. Crucially, there's freedom to go your own way and precious little hand-holding. It's clearly inspired by Elite, and there's a fair bit of the X series in there as well. Nope, I'm not talking about EVE Online but rather Vendetta Online, an indie sandbox MMORPG that actually has more in common with classic space-trading sims than it does with CCP's New Eden.
Some Assembly Required: Salem dev talks permadeath, griefing, and skill-based gameplay
Hello, sandbox faithful, and welcome to a special interview edition of Some Assembly Required. We recently had a chance to pitch some questions to the team behind Seatribe's upcoming Salem title, and creative director Björn Johannessen was kind enough to answer them. Salem is being advertised by publisher Paradox as "the crafting MMO," but it's also rife with throw-back mechanics including a huge amount of player freedom and a permadeath/punishment system similar to the one in Johannessen's Haven & Hearth.
Some Assembly Required: Xsyon picks up speed
Last year, I had the opportunity to meander around Xsyon for Choose My Adventure. Then, the game was still at the end of its beta phase. Now, with some time under its belt since release, the game continues to grow. And January has seen quite the growth spurt. I won't complain if the momentum that Xsyon has shown in the last month keeps up. Announcing multiple events and an architecture contest? Not to mention introducing new goodies? You go, game! Though it's small and indie, I am totally rooting for this title to succeed. Why? The main reason is that the game is reliant on player generated content: Instead of developers designing every aspect of the game, they built the world as a foundation and gave players the tools to go from there. This game is one of the few out there that offers many avenues for players to generate their own content and have a visible and lasting impact on the world around them. And just how is post-apocalyptic Earth shaping up with the players at the helm? This week, Some Assembly Required explores the once-ravaged land to highlight some of that generated content, from events (both player-run and developer sponsored) to small- and large-scale construction.
Some Assembly Required: A Mortal Online interview
I recently had the opportunity to fire off a few questions to Henrik Nystrom, and the Star Vault CEO was kind enough to provide some interesting insights into the firm's Mortal Online fantasy sandbox. Though Mortal is thus far renowned for its full-loot PvP ruleset, it's also got a number of nifty features that you may be unaware of, with more on the way. Join me after the cut for a lengthy discussion of the new Awakening expansion as well as a glimpse into Nave's future.
Some Assembly Required: A look at EQII's dungeon maker
So you're an armchair game designer, eh? Well, EverQuest II invites you to put your money where your mouth is -- at least as it relates to dungeon creation. While Sony Online Entertainment's venerable fantasy title is no stranger to player-generated content given its spectacular player- and guild-housing mechanics, this winter's Age of Discovery expansion upped the ante a little bit in the form of the new dungeon maker toolset. The system is a bit rough around the edges, but it's nonetheless a fantastic first iteration that adds a lot of fun and replay value to an MMO that was already chock-full of both.
