travian-games
Latest
.jpg.cf.jpg)
MMObility: Rail Nation is perfect for armchair engineers
Travian Games' Rail Nation, a new browser-based, non-combat MMORPG, is intriguing, especially if you are a fan of trains, sim management, and friendly player competition. Admittedly, much of the competition in the game is just as cutthroat as I have seen in more "hardcore" games, but at least there is no blood involved. Players start off with a very basic train and route, and a friendly NPC called William L. Smith explains things nicely to get things moving. The idea is to connect your trains to goods, open new routes, and upgrade your fleet of trains to help level your city (a group of players) as you pass through six different eras of technology. Each era lasts two weeks, and the last era is a competition between the 10 highest ranking cities in the game. As you grow you'll also need to open more routes by adding new tracks, which require more goods. Many industries are not even visible on the map until the player unlocks them, giving the game a real feel of moving forward in time. Travian Games likes to put a time limit on gameplay, meaning that there is a true "win" scenario for players to pursue. While I'm not a big fan of a time limitation on an MMO, and I'm definitely not very skilled at micromanagement, Rail Nation is a lovely game that is relaxing to play. It does take time to grow on you, and its beta access means that the game still has a few issues that need to be ironed out.
MMObility: Remanum's trade wars stump this chump
It's been a while since I visited Remanum, an interesting trade-based MMO brought to us by Travian Games, the same studio that brought us Travian and other interesting titles. I was initially turned on to the game's non-combat options simply because combat is used so much that many of the current combat systems are outdated or just plain boring. Non-combat, or optional systems for play like trade and exploration, are the hope for gamers like yours truly who cannot stand to play a game as though they're clocking in to work. The only problem with Remanum? I suck at, well, trading. I know that I can grasp the principles of "buy low, sell high" and other market staples, but I simply can't grasp the finer nuances of buying and selling. I have a brother who seems to have a natural way with numbers, but I've always been more of an artist. Numbers and me just sort of stare at each other from across the table. So why do I like Remanum so much?
MMObility: The Chromebook 'All In One' project - Ten standard MMOs
It's time for another installment of my month-long look at the Samsung Chromebook, the newest in the line of all-in-one devices brought to us by Google. Everything has worked pretty well so far, but the light notebook does have its issues. I'm so used to using my Google Nexus 7 tablet for reading emails and now reading articles and magazines that I am having a hard time without the pinch-to-zoom. I love the instant zooming; it's much easier when I am reading or surfing the net. (Wait, do we still say "surfing the net"?) In fact, the main issue with the Samsung Chromebook is its size. I have to hit ctrl-+ to zoom in pages often. Other than the smaller fonts, few other issues have cropped up -- I've found gaming has been really fun on this little guy. I've noticed that everyone who reads of gaming on the device is sort of perplexed. Why would I want to game on such a non-gaming machine? It's simple, really. As the title says, this is another attempt of mine to find the perfect device for doing all that I do using only the browser: writing, gaming, gaming, writing, watching videos, writing, and playing games. This week, I have 10 "standard" MMOs for you. These are games that act more like a common, client-based MMOs than the MMORTS titles I covered last week, but with some exceptions. The desktop browser can handle amazing, 3-D graphics, but a Chromebook does not allow downloads like Unity or Java. Keep that in mind.
MMObility: Fourteen MMOs that you can play anywhere
I thought it'd be fun to make a list of go-anywhere MMOs this week. It's not really hard to find portable MMOs that run on laptops or netbooks. The real issue is locating MMOs that can be played on your desktop while you're at work (while the boss isn't looking, of course!), then on your phone at lunch, and then on your laptop while you sit in bed later that night. The technology to make constantly accessible MMOs is there, namely in the form of HTML5. Adobe recently announced that not only is it moving away from Flash for mobile devices, but it is also specifically targeting Android Jelly Bean. There is a new wave of web technologies coming that will hopefully, once and for all, put an end to the need for special lists like this one. Not all of my choices are HTML5-based, but I tried to keep all of them open for all devices. If you notice any oddities while playing them on a certain device, let me know in the comments section so I can note it. I get a lot of requests for lists like this, so I want to keep things tight. In the meanwhile, enjoy the list. There are others out there, but I wanted to pick out some that give pretty much the same result across whichever device you use.
MMO Blender: Beau's portable, accessible, and casually immersive mashup
I've been pretty excited to take my turn at the MMO Blender wheel. Sure, we all have ideas about how we would build our dream MMOs by mixing up different parts from favorite games, but honestly, I wanted to use my time here to make a point: MMO gaming needs to climb outside of the box, soon. Since there is more and more emphasis on mobile and casual gaming, my game will take that in into consideration. But games have to be fun too, right? I think they can be fun, immersive, and casual all at the same time. I'm hoping that my examples will show how other developers have combined the three such that players can access the game from anywhere. It's also important to me that my game be simple to play and accessible for players with disabilities, so let's just say that I have included all of the proper features like adjustable colors for the color-blind, resizable text, and maybe even audio cues to help those with sight issues. I've been given a budget of one million-billion internet bucks, so let's get to it... this game is not going to build itself!
Rise and Shiny: Remanum
This week I was lucky enough to come across a pretty cool browser-based MMORTS that offers no combat whatsoever. That's right -- this game is all about trading, conquering your neighbors with prices, and building a reputation that is better than everybody else's. Remanum is brought to us by the makers of the famous Travian set of games. Slowly, but surely, the developers are trying out different styles of gameplay that all offer an art style that is obviously their own. I was thrilled to see them again try out something different with Remanum. So how boring is a game that offers nothing but trade wars? Well, that all depends on how much you care for scratching your chin, sitting back, and plotting. It's a game of patience and working with others. I never pretend that most MMORTS titles are supposed to move at the same pace as Vindictus or Guild Wars; games just have different styles. Remanum is a great game to enjoy any place and any time, from a few minutes to a few hours a day. I had a few issues with the game, so let's cover those as well.
Previously On MVTV: The week of March 24th
Ah, spring is in the air. You know what that means! That means that we get to sit inside, away from all of the sunshine and pollen, and watch others play through video games that we just don't have access to or haven't given a chance yet. This week, we worked hard to bring you some more of our digital adventures and got some of our biggest viewership numbers ever! Remember, if you come across a game we haven't covered yet or want to see a certain title covered, take the time to tell us. Give us the website, why we should look at it, and any other information you think we need to know, and you just might see it live on MVTV! First Blake jumped into Global Agenda for his Lunchtime Livecast; then Richie took some time to try out the Mists of Pandaria beta for World of Warcraft. Adventure Mike explored some content in Final Fantasy XIV, while plain old Mike burned some space dust in EVE Online and cast many spells in RIFT. I decided to look at Nadirim because it's been a while and gave the Rise and Shiny treatment to Remanum. Be sure to bookmark our livestream MV Guide, a sort of TV Guide for our livestreams. That way you can blame only yourself when you miss one of our awesome streams!
Free for All: From realistic dragons to a dragon icon
Ah, graphics. If ever there was a deciding factor for most gamers, it would be graphics. How does a game look? How do the graphics make you feel as a player? I'm as guilty as anyone else who might consider himself to be a graphics snob of sorts, but I lean more in the opposite direction. For whatever reason, I am not as easily impressed as I once was and tend to go for more representational graphics. I'm not quite at the stage where my MMO gaming has been reduced to a blob of text on my screen, but I definitely enjoy simplicity. The problem is that many MMOs do not provide that precise formula to hit my graphics sweet spot, or as in the more common scenario, there are parts of certain titles that I would adore if only they hadn't been packaged with the rest of the game. Ryzom, for example, is one of my favorite freemium titles. To this day, it packs more graphical punch and originality than games a quarter of its age. Now I find myself leaning more toward very basic graphics delivered smartly through my browser. I've even gone through an Anime obsession! Yes, it's been one of those years.
Remanum launches first international server, tweaks ports
All roads lead to Rome, even in the world of browser MMOs. Travian Games is trumpeting its commerce-based Remanum title, which puts the player in the role of a merchant-politician at the height of ancient Roman civilization. Travian has just launched the game's first international server, and now English-language players can vie for the rank of Roman emperor while trading goods and engaging in various political machinations. Travian, a Bavaria-based browser game outfit, has also launched a new German-language server for Remanum's open beta. The firm is also updating the game's UI and increasing the range on the game's ports, which will ease the acquisition of scarce resources, according to a Travian statement. [Source: Travian Games press release]
MMObility: The argument for a time-limited server
If there is one thing we MMO gamers love about our favorite games, it's the fact that they go on almost forever. Even when we log off, the virtual worlds we inhabit exist without us. Players continue to adventure, craft and explore the game world as we sleep. It's exciting, and it separates MMOs from the rest of the gaming flock. But what if the world ended? What if the ending of the world was part of the gameplay, an understood happening that marked not only the end of one chapter but the fresh beginning of another? Time-limited servers end, just as I described. While I have not seen the mechanic much in "standard" MMOs, only appearing really in a handful of titles like A Tale in the Desert, there are quite a few MMORTS titles that use it. In fact, some of the most popular MMORTS games out there use time limits in their games. It would seem that many players enjoy the occasional destruction or closing of their worlds. Would the mechanic work for other games? How can mobile gaming benefit from the short-term servers?
MMObility: Travians and socializing on any device
Last week I told you a little bit about Travians, a neat little mobile- and browser-based game brought to us by the same good people who brought us Travian. (Notice the singular title of Travian, the island-based MMORTS.) I was intrigued as soon as I saw it mainly because it looked like it was doing something different: creating a mostly non-combat experience that is so very rare in today's market. I had also a lot of experience with Travian before, and despite not enjoying some of the aspects of the game, I enjoyed playing with friends. I hoped that Travians would allow a player to insert a single avatar into the greater world of Travian islands, and that's sort of what you do. If you have played The Sims before, you'll have a basic idea about the what you have to do in Travians. You must point your little person to the bathroom, aim him toward a food source, and even tuck him into bed. Your character won't die or wet the floor if you don't perform successfully, but he will lose some ability to gain experience and other points. If you have enjoyed a conversation while in an online game, found yourself crafting away an evening, or spent a great deal of time decorating your virtual home, you'll have a basic idea about the optional activities in Travians. Click past the cut and I'll tell you more! %Gallery-124785%
MMObility: Three new games for your browser or smartphone
Welcome once again to your weekly source for all things mobile, portable, browser and handheld. Some weeks I want to discuss something deeper, something that really gets our blood boiling and our gears cranking. It seems as though there are many of you who think that mobile technology as it is now is going to stay as it is for a long time. With that presumption comes a sort of dismissal of the mobile market as nothing more than a toy right now. To clear up some of the confusion, I want to note that my love for mobile games and devices has almost nothing to do with the technology that exists now. Sure, I love my HTC Inspire and my iPhone. My wife uses her iPad so much (and she's a PC gamer, too) that we need to get her an iPad 2 just for the increased usability. She has an iPhone 4, and I also have a basic laptop that we use the heck out of. It's easy to see that mobility means a lot to us. Even with all the wonderful technology that exists now, I am turned on by the stuff that will exist soon. Mark my words. And then there are weeks like this one, a rough one of migraines, PC issues (another reason I like mobile) and other real-life stuff. So instead of diving into a deep discussion about the meaning of the term MMO or how to pick the best portable device, I decided to just show you three new games that have caught my eye. Click past the cut and check them out!
