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Chaos Theory: How The Secret World has spoiled an MMO vet
Well ladies and gents, The Secret World has basically done the impossible: It's turned me into a one-game guy (for the moment, at least). I've been an unfaithful game-hopping MMO tourist for longer than I care to remember, and while F2P has made that gaming lifestyle more affordable than it used to be, it hasn't made it any more fun. Oh sure, I'll dabble in PlanetSide 2 and Guild Wars 2, but as far as my MMO home goes, it's The Secret World by a landslide (at least until ArcheAge heads west). Why is that? Well, plenty of reasons, more than I can relate in this week's column, in fact. I will say this, though: The Secret World's launch feature set has made me a bit pickier in terms of what I'll put up with in competing games.
Enter at Your Own Rift: Wardrobe blues
One of the aspects of RIFT that I keep trumpeting to friends and strangers alike is just how wonderfully quick, responsive, and engaging Trion Worlds' updates have been. It's almost as if the dev team is engaging in a pillow fight with players, swinging away and trying to pummel us into submission with great content that's not always perfect but usually is great. In comparison, many other MMOs have become stodgy dinosaurs, creaking along with long-promised but never-arriving features. So while I praise Trion for the bounty of nine major updates since launch, there's one feature that I've felt discontented with every since its inclusion: the wardrobe. For me to say this is kind of a big thing; anyone who knows me knows that I adore it when MMOs give us the option to dress up our characters the way we like. An appearance system was a big wish list item for me, and when Trion casually tossed it in the game early on, I was ecstatic. Yet over the months, I've grown to dislike the system as a whole, especially in comparison to cosmetic gear systems in other titles that I play. It's a little difficult to put a finger on why, but I've got another 1000 words or so to make the attempt and then discuss solutions. Let's get to it!
Trion showing off RIFT expansion, Defiance PvP at Gamescom
Gamescom is coming next week, and most major publishers are gearing up to make the trip. The latest announcement comes to us from Trion, which is showing its stable of games including RIFT, End of Nations, Defiance, and Warface. Next week's convention will mark the "consumer debut" of RIFT's Storm Legion expansion, and MMORTS End of Nations will be playable on a massive 24-PC setup. Defiance is bringing "previously unseen PvP gameplay" to the table, while Warface will be presented inside a giant helicopter-themed display arena. [Source: Trion press release]
The Daily Grind: Have you ever bought a sparkle pony?
Two years ago, a marketing firm produced a study showing that 75% of gamers partake of microtransactions in their online games. Not long after that study was published, World of Warcraft enraged opponents of "double-dipping" by kicking off the sale of a $25 luxury mount that gamers pseudo-affectionately dubbed the sparkle pony. And then EverQuest II released a mount for a similar fee. And then TERA. And then RIFT. For all the hatred these high-end cash-shop mounts provoke, people are buying them -- enough people to make it a model worth copying. Some of these subscription games will sell sparkle anything. I'll fess up first: I bought myself a sparkle pony when Blizzard put the mount on sale for 10 bucks a while back, and I love it (it reminds me of celestial gear and creatures in Guild Wars, so I was weak!). But I still feel a little guilty. What about you? Have you ever bought an overpriced mount for cash in an MMO? Why did you do it, and do you feel the pang of guilt I do about supporting a double-dipping subscription game? 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!
Storyboard: The RIFT project - week 3
I can't believe that this has almost been going on for a month. Well, all right, I can believe it but still find it somewhat baffling. Yes, it's the penultimate installment of RIFT project recaps, and it's been an interesting week. This one has been mostly focused around broadening the scope, adding in some new characters to the mix and seeing how they've played off the quartet already in play. In short, it's been good... but it highlighted a weakness that neither Ms. Lady nor I was really conscious of until we sat down and articulated it. Of course, if you've been reading steadily, you may have already guessed at the problem, but that's all the more reason to catch up on the events. There's a higher than usual dose of unmitigated crazy this week, too. So what happened on a week when we should really have been bringing things toward a conclusion? Anything but.
Chaos Theory: The Secret World's one-month checkup
Huh, has it been a month already? Time flies when you're having fun, I guess, and yep, I'm still having quite a bit of it in The Secret World. Yesterday brought us the big 1.1 patch, the one patch to rule them all (thus far), and the first post-launch content drop. Funcom has famously promised updates like this on a monthly basis, and as first starts go, this was a good'un. We got seven new story missions (five of which were the meaty investigation variety), all of them chock-full of interesting stuff to do and interesting cutscenes to ogle. All of that said, the one-month mark is also when subscription MMOs find out whether they've got staying power or whether they're going to bleed, and if Funcom wants The Secret World to fall into the former category, it's still got a bit of work to do.
Enter at Your Own Rift: What Scott Hartsman's AMA portends for RIFT
The Trion team is nothing if not persistent. In an elaborate plot involving Dr. Pepper and a one-way locked office, the devs were able to finally get Trion CCO and RIFT Executive Producer Scott Hartsman to participate in an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit. It was an engaging discussion that touched on a variety of topics, from up and coming titles such as End of Nations to Hartsman's journey from GM of the MUD Scepter of Goth to his time with SOE and his current endeavors with Trion. We learned that he's a pretty hardcore raider, that he plays incognito, and that his raid drink of choice is Grimbergen Blonde. But the focus of the conversation was RIFT, and while he didn't shed too much light on the upcoming expansion, he did drop a few hints about what we might see in the future. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, we'll look at some of the highlights!
Storyboard: The RIFT project - week 2
This week, the RIFT project slowed down a little bit. Oh, we didn't stop playing by any stretch of the imagination, but when you're also playing (and roleplaying) in two other games, you're going to find some time crunches, especially when the novelty of a game starts to wear off and gets replaced with the more mundane tasks of playing the game into the doldrum levels. And the middle levels are always the doldrum levels, no matter how elegantly they might be handled on a whole. New characters were made and played, but as of yet, they haven't really interacted with the main group, so the focus remains on the same quartet as the first installment. As such, I'll be jumping right into a recounting of the week's events and an examination of where the project is going. And the splinter I mentioned in passing is still there, but I don't think that needs to be discussed this week, does it?
RIFT exclusive: Storm Legion lore bonanza
With fall on its way, the dark forces of the Storm Legion are preparing to invade RIFT and give its players a new challenge. Fans of Trion Worlds' maiden MMO are no doubt scouring the internet for any scraps of relevant information about the expansion, which is why we're pleased to offer you two exclusive lore pieces on the Infinity Gate and the Storm Legion itself. In addition to this lore, we've got brand-new concept art and screenshots to give you a taste of what's to come with Storm Legion. When you're done soaking all of this in, you may want to check out Executive Producer Scott Hartsman's Reddit AMA (ask me anything) that's going on today!
SWTOR dominates GDC Online Awards nominations
The nominations for the Third Annual GDC Online Awards are up, and Star Wars: The Old Republic is represented across the board. BioWare's sci-fi MMO netted six nominations, including one for Online Innovation. That's not to say that SWTOR is the only MMO in the running; quite the contrary. Glitch is up for Best Online Game Design, World of Warcraft has a shot at Best Community Relations, RIFT is a strong contender for Best Live Game, and TERA might snag Best Online Visual Arts -- and that's just the tip of the iceberg. There's also a broader Audience Award that encompasses an even wider field. 2012's Game Developers Conference Online is taking place from October 9th through 11th and will be keynoted by John Smedley.
RIFT community team answers (almost) anything
RIFT's intrepid community team took to Reddit for a freewheeling ask-me-(almost)-anything (AMAA) today, and we've gleaned a few nuggets of knowledge from the discussion. Why "almost" anything? The CMs said they couldn't address unrevealed information about the expansion or things like balance mechanics. Taking part in the AMAA were James Nichols, James Weeks, and Amanda Fry. So how does the CM team think the game is doing and what does RIFT need at this point? Weeks addressed this one: "We've definitely added content faster than the speed of light. Honestly, as RIFT is here to stay, most everything I would want is probably coming at some point. Keep in mind, I started playing RIFT before I came to Trion. It was already the game for me." Nichols did speak to the crowd of anxious would-be RIFT homeowners about Storm Legion's Dimensions: "We're dying to show you -- but the reality is Dimensions were brand-new, still drying on the whiteboard. We're making progress towards them becoming a reality but it's probably going to be around or after Gamescom/PAX that you'll really get to learn more!" Other topics of the AMA included what goes on during server downtime, what other games the team plays, favorite moments with the team, and of course, the game's fascination with Corgis.
Chaos Theory: Four essential Secret World tips
So you've been playing The Secret World for a couple of weeks now, possibly longer. Maybe you're well into Blue Mountain, or heck, possibly even Transylvania if you're a really efficient type. On the other hand, maybe you just picked up the game last weekend and are overwhelmed with ability points, decks, and investigation missions. Whatever your comfort level with Funcom's new MMO, there's always room for a few off-the-wall tips, wouldn't you agree? Join me after a break for a few things I wish I'd known earlier.
Enter at Your Own Rift: The RIFT mobile app
In this day and age, it's a complete mystery to me that pretty much everything in the world has an official mobile app except for most MMOs. If there was ever a clear call for mobile synergy, here it is, and yet most developers keep such a project on extremely low priority if they're even considering it at all. Fortunately, some studios seem to be coming around in this respect, and Trion's ahead of most of them with its portable connection to the game. Available for both iOS and Android devices, the RIFT mobile app was an extremely pleasant surprise when it came out early this year. I know Karen's touched on it already, but I've been spending a good deal of time with it lately and thought I'd give it my own overview. Is this "eternally in beta" application a useful tool, a silly toy, or something in the middle? What could this app expand to include in the future? And what does Trion have to say about its continuing development? The answers you seek are on their way... now.
RIFT gives previous subscribers a free weekend of play, hosts Conquest event
To prepare for the coming of RIFT: Storm Legion, Trion Worlds is throwing open the doors to previous subscribers in an attempt to lure them back to Telara. From July 25th through the 29th, anyone who's previously played the paid version of the game can access the full version for free. Trion's also putting the spotlight on its new three-faction Conquest PvP during the week. Players have a limited opportunity to snag special titles if they engage in combat or craft with excellence in Conquest, but these titles are going away as of the 30th. The dev team will be joining the fun as well; the devs plan to make appearances in each Conquest wargroup for those foolhardy enough to take them on. These grudge matches are scheduled on the 26th and 27th.
Storyboard: The RIFT project - week 1
While I had expected this project to get shoehorned into a footnote over the next few weeks, the majority vote was in favor of seeing this recapped every week. So it's time for the first recap of the RIFT project, which will cover just about a week of time spent in the game as of Wednesday. That means recapping characters, giving a brief summary of events, and giving everyone an idea of how well the project is working out thus far. I'm going to go on the record stating two things, just in case they weren't clear from the first column. The first thing is that this project is not an official Massively thing by nature, just something that I had dreamed up and figured would be interesting to read about. Second, I'm well aware that I'm probably going to have one or two enormous lore holes in my recaps or character summaries. Those of you who read regularly probably already know that I lose precisely no sleep over this fact, and you should not either. It's just a game; we should all really just relax. With the preamble out of the way, let's get into the story so far.
Chaos Theory: The Secret World's single-server tech
Something went missing during this month's launch of The Secret World. Do you know what it was? No, snarkonauts, it wasn't "fun." The game is certainly an acquired taste, but it's nonetheless doing pretty well for itself in terms of word-of-mouth and happy early adopters. No, what was missing was a parade of lengthy launch-week queues (and QQs for that matter). I've been present for every AAA MMO kickoff since Star Wars Galaxies in 2003, and The Secret World marks the first time I've been able to log in when (and where) I wanted to log in on day one. RIFT, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Aion, Lord of the Rings Online -- all of these were "polished" launches by most accounts, and yet all of them featured horrendous launch queues that often stretched from minutes to hours. Why was The Secret World so different?
Enter at Your Own Rift: The joy of mentoring
One of the reasons I like RIFT so much is that it has similar features to my other favorite MMO, EverQuest II. That's not really surprising, since RIFT's Executive Producer is Scott Hartsman, who was formerly EQII's Senior Producer and Creative Director. Since mentoring is one of the cornerstones of Norrath, it's something I was hoping would make its way into the world of Telara. But mentoring in RIFT is a little different what's in EQII, and it's worth taking a closer look at those changes because they've broken the major hurdle to allowing high- and low-level players to do things together. In fact, I think mentoring is something that every level-based MMO should add as a standard feature.
The Elder Scrolls Online's Matt Firor on moving the franchise online
There's a lot of pressure on Matt Firor these days as he heads production on The Elder Scrolls Online. Fans of the franchise have a lot of expectations about what the game will look like when it finally launches, but as Firor explains in a recent interview, his main concern is making the best possible game for the widest possible audience. Thus, rather than marketing specifically to everyone who loved Skyrim, the team is concerned with making the best possible overall game for a wider audience. Firor also elaborates on the fact that the success of the game does not determine the future of the franchise. Bethesda and ZeniMax are different studios with different priorities, and the success of either helps the other. If you're interested in the production values behind the upcoming title, take a look at the full interview. It's light on game details, but it's an interesting glance behind the scenes.
The Soapbox: BioWare, meet ZeniMax; ZeniMax, this is BioWare
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. Once upon a time, a group of decision-makers at a big AAA studio set out to brave the wilds of the MMORPG. This studio had several hugely successful single-player RPGs under its belt, and it also had quite a bit of consumer goodwill in the bank thanks to its pre-MMORPG efforts. The studio spent a ton, and I do mean a ton, of money recreating an MMO that already existed in dozens of different games. It also spent a ton of money trying to convince gamers and gaming press that it wasn't making a retread and was instead adding another pillar of awesome to the standard MMO formula. This studio was, of course, BioWare. Unfortunately for Elder Scrolls fans, it's also ZeniMax.
Trion releases new concept art for RIFT's Storm Legion
The last bit of news coming from the RIFT front was about a new feline mount players could purchase. Today, Trion Worlds turns the attention toward the game's upcoming expansion, Storm Legion, slated to release later this year. To help ease the wait (or simply to whet players' appetites), developers have decided to give fans a taste of some expansion foes by releasing new concept art. Check out the four new images as well as other RIFT screenshots in the gallery below.%Gallery-101448%
