theory-crafting

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  • Chaos Theory: The Secret World community roundup

    by 
    MJ Guthrie
    MJ Guthrie
    04.15.2013

    You've heard me express my thoughts quite a bit over the last couple of months about everything from what I want to see in The Secret World (like housing and an encore to special events) to my experiences with different aspects of the game (such as sabotage missions and Issue #6). Now it's time to share yours! Yes, folks, this week follows in a time-honored tradition of community roundups, where we dive into the topics that are in the forefront of the community's collective mind. Of course, we can't touch on everything here (that's what official forums are for), but we can explore a smattering of the topics raised. So what are TSW players chattering about lately? Among the ongoing conversations are discussions about veteran rewards, clothing, PvP tournaments, and builds.

  • The Daily Grind: Are you a theory-crafter?

    by 
    Jef Reahard
    Jef Reahard
    07.10.2012

    God bless MMO theory-crafters. They've saved me so much time and irritation over the years that I can't possibly overstate my gratitude. Did you know there are guys (and gals) out there who literally log into MMO test servers and spend precious hours poking at combos, abilities, builds, and strategies? Did you know that they typically chart their results, publish spreadsheets, and then write exhaustive guides about how to get the most from your game/class of choice? Prior to a couple of weeks ago, this mindset was utterly alien to me, and the work itself sounded quite like the statistics classes I slept through in school. With the release of The Secret World, though, I find myself actually doing these things. Funcom's skill- and ability-point systems are incredibly dense, and figuring out build synergies adds another layer of satisfaction onto the game. What about you, morning folk? Do you just look up builds and strategies in your MMO of choice, or are you a theory-crafter? 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!