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The biggest game phenom in 20+ years: World of Warcraft [update 1]
Today's New York Times examines the success of World of Warcraft from a global perspective, concluding that "World of Warcraft has become the first truly global video-game hit since Pac-Man in the early 1980's." In addition to the new angle, this piece provides a nice benchmark for mainstream media coverage of MMOGs. Just a few years ago, media were wont to "report" on the gameplay habits of Everquest and Asheron's Call players with a sensational "watch these people ruin their lives playing games!" tone that just wasn't fair. Often, introversion, depression, and suicidal tendencies were ascribed to people who choose to play games for hours at a time. The Times's coverage is much more balanced, finally allowing an eloquent gamer (Jason Pinsky) the opportunity to defend his hobby: "I play this game six nights a week from 8 p.m. to midnight.... most people watch TV at least that much, and television is a totally mindless experience." Word. [Update 1: fixed a clumsy headline and formatting in body of post.]
LOTR Online gameplay footage
Turbine has released a new five-minute gameplay vid from Lord of the Rings Online: The Shadows of Angmar. You'll get to see humans, dwarves, and elves in a variety of combat scenarios, and watch little hobbitses traverse a faithfully rendered Middle-earth. Based solely on the literary works of Tolkien, the DDO developer has done a nice job creating a look and feel that you will never mistake for the EA line of film-inspired LOTR games (for better or worse). However, the forthcoming MMO could use a little more work in the sound effects department. As of right now, just about every cleave, slash, and arrow pierce sounds like a punch. In fact, if you only heard the audio, you would think you were listening to a Street Fighter game. There is still no release date for Shadows of Angmar, but hopefully Turbine will have enough time to address the audible issues.See also: Tom Bombadil featured in LOTR Online Midway to co-publish Lord of the Rings MMO LOTR Online creature feature
DDO: Litany of the Dead previewed
Turbine Entertainment has posted a preview of the next Dungeons & Dragons Online module, to be released this month. The appropriately titled Litany of the Dead will have players exploring various tombs and forming unholy alliances to combat the rise of a dangerous lich.Now that solo play has been added, do Joystiqers find this MMO more appealing? It's pretty big in China these days.
Tom Bombadil featured in LOTR Online
The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar web site has been updated with some background info on the home of Tolkien fan favorite Tom Bombadil. While Peter Jackson may have felt this mysterious denizen of the Old Forest was unnecessary to the film's overall plot, Bombadil and his wife Goldberry will be most welcome by the virtual inhabitants of Turbine's forthcoming MMO. Shadows still has no release date, but the beta is expected to launch by the end of the summer.See also: LOTR Online creature feature LOTR Online playable classes updated
LOTR Online creature feature
If you've read Tolkien's novels, then you're probably already familiar with Eriador, just west of the Misty Mountains. This will be one of the playable regions when Turbine launches The Lord of the Rings: The Shadows of Angmar later this year. It's filled with nasty goblins, orc-kind, and a few new beasts exclusive to the game, such as the gruesome Dark-water and the Watching Stones.See also: Lord of the Rings Online official trailer LOTR Online playable classes updated
DDO solo play now available
Last month at E3, Turbine announced they would be adding solo play to Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach -- a decision based on user feedback (and most likely, to bring the game a step closer to World of Warcraft). According to the company's web site, a "Solo" option is now available to players at the earliest levels, and dungeon difficulty is adjusted accordingly, although there are certain maps that still require team play. PvP functionality will also be added in the future.[via RPGPlanet]
DDO adds solo play in new expansion
Turbine is making its presence felt at E3 with the announcement of Twilight Forge, the next Dungeons & Dragons Online expansion module. D&D aficionados can look forward to the addition of eight new monsters and the ability to create characters based on the popular Drow race of dark elves. However, the most significant enhancement is an improved single player experience, which was absent in the core game.Turbine head dungeon master Jeffrey Anderson said DDO subscribers can expect additional character levels and PvP battles in future modules. The game's first expansion, Dragon's Vault, was free of charge, although no pricing information has been announced for Twilight.Check out GameSpot's updated image gallery.
Turbine offers free DDO trial
If you're still on the fence about Dungeons & Dragons Online, Turbine is offering a free seven-day trial so you can build a character and experience the world of Eberron. Should you decide to buy the game after this period, you can continue with your trial character. Many MMO enthusiasts have been hesitant to purchase DDO because it isn't single player-friendly, and some initial reviews mentioned the difficulty in forming parties and keeping them together. However, the game has been out for over a month now, and if you're looking for an alternative to your current MMO, it might be worthwhile to give DDO a free spin.See also: Metareview - Dungeons & Dragons Online[via Eurogamer]
