Tag: MMO
Two Weird Ideas for MMOs
There’s no conversation more boring than the one that hashes out what’s wrong with massively multiplayer online games. Everybody has an opinion, based mostly on having played one or two or a shit-ton. I tend to take these game design critiques with a dump truck of salt. Gamers only know what they want. And often that desire is what makes the game fun. Designers, on the other hand, I am terribly interested in how they think they can save the MMO. Back in 2007, I went to a conference for independent MMO designers. I was somewhat amazed to meet a
Massive: Guild Wars 2 – Reinventing a Genre
Most of the recent MMO releases have been as original as vampire movies mired in teenage angst. They seek to capitalize on conventions established by their predecessors. It’s not a bad starting strategy to construct a game that is instantly familiar to the masses. These titles tend to have one or two gimmicks or twists of their own: “Because orcs are so last year, we allow you to play bipedal space otters instead.” This trend has led to stagnation. Players that have tried MMOs in the past and not enjoyed them aren’t suddenly going to become fans. Those that do
Gaming in the Raw: CrimeCraft Episode 1
In the latest Massive article, I spewed my impressions of the shooter MMO CrimeCraft: Bleedout. While my feelings on the game were decidedly mixed, there’s no denying that enjoyment can be found while running around wasting people while wearing high heels and short shorts. Gaming in the Raw captures my initial reactions to playing a game I know nothing about and in this episode I’m really out of my element. Check out my mad sharpshooter skillz (read noob) as I try to scrape out a meager existence in the brutal streets of Sunrise City.
Massive: CrimeCraft Doesn’t Pay
“We got exactly what we deserved. We hooked everything up to a dying mule. Built a world economy on an obsolete fuel source we knew wouldn’t last. It all came crashing down around our heads faster than any of us could react. That was 10 years ago. You can either be a victim or you can fight back.” CrimeCraft (CC) is an MMO that is described by its developers (Vogster Entertainment) as a persistent world next-gen shooter or “PWNS.” It was released in August of 2010 to spotty reviews and has, despite the odds, managed to survive among throngs of
