Hey Gang,
Just a head’s up that I’m taking a little time away from the blog this week. News is slow, so it’s a good opportunity for me to step back and recharge my batteries. Fallout New Vegas, aka the single player version of Fallen Earth, — seriously, I have a new-found appreciation for that game — has also been keeping my attention away from MMOs this week, so I’m going to embrace it and see how far I can make it in the campaign before Sunday.
Until I get back, stay classy, Internet.
Hi Everybody – I’m currently writing this from my PSP right next to the Grand Ol’ Niagara Falls. My wife and I picked up for a weekend away, but I wanted to stop in and wish you all a nice, spooky Halloween holiday. From our family to yours…. boo! 😀
Edit just to put this up front: the bugs, really, are a side issue and I’m sure they’ll be fixed (even if I do think this holiday is especially below their usual standard). The main reason I’ve come to this conclusion is the total lack of consistency this expansion will introduce. See the comments section for more discussion.
I’m going to call it now: the age of Blizzard “releasing it when it’s ready” is dead.
Don’t believe me? You don’t have to look much further than the current state of this year’s Hallow’s End. The problem is that most player’s can’t even complete the event. Take Larisa’s recent experience trying to do the run. She calls herself a “pumpkin leecher” because she, like many others, refuses to click the event-starting cogwheel for fear of crashing the game; that’s pretty much the standard, if you even mouse over the item, your client freezes or you disconnect. The commenters over there have pointed out a couple of macros and even an addon which fixes the problem, but, tell me, if this is a big enough issue for the community to have built their own workarounds, big enough where fans are forced to make excuses and hope someone else falls victim to the crash bug, why is the community still waiting nine days into release of a time limited event? More importantly, how did this not get noticed before release? Unless they only tested this on a single machine — or didn’t test it at all, busily readying Cataclysm — I don’t know how something so game breaking can be consider ready.
Going back a month, Corin Direbrew, while not bug ridden, was certainly considered a joke by most players. By the reports floating around the blogosphere, he was 30-second-kill easy and didn’t seem to be updated to reflect new gear levels.
But, really, this is only the most recent issue since the 4.0.1 patch dropped. There’s a sizeable list of “known issues” but the community has been quick to point out a whole lot more. I think we can all appreciate that this was a big patch and that bugs are a reality of video game development. This patch is really endemic of a larger drop in testing over the last six months. Or, perhaps more accurately, it might reflect a new level of what Blizzard considers acceptable when pushing a deadline.
The real impetus from this post, however, comes from something that has been bothering me for since Cataclysm was first announced: this expansion will effectively break any vestige of sense the game makes after level 60. What’s the reason to go to Outland? I thought Arthas was dead, so what’s the deal with the fighting in Northrend? “The problem they ran into is purely a lack of time.“ On a realistic level, I accept that, but by the ideological standard they and PC gamers in general have touted them as holding, it’s absolutely game changing. By definition, they are releasing it before it’s ready to hit a pre-Christmas due date. “We’ll release it when it’s ready” died with Bobby Kotick– whom, if you didn’t know, is now Mike Morhaime’s boss. Well, his boss’s boss, but you get the picture.
Really, without this I probably wouldn’t be writing this post. Let me be clear, however: I’m not saying Blizzard is bad or that WoW is a poor game. This effectively just moves Blizzard off of that lofty height on which we’d held them and into the realm of every other developer. Being on level with every other studio isn’t bad, it’s just disappointing.
Reading Chris Metzen talk about a time deadline breaking any semblance of sense and continuity in WoW… well, I couldn’t help but be reminded of their flagship phrase and note the end of another era. Big publishers strike again. Kind of makes you wonder how well Kotick’s culture of pessimism and fear is going over with his new partners employees.
The past two weeks in FFXIV have been fun. It’s definitely been about discovery for me. I’ve spent a lot of time exploring and seeing where it would take me. The game holds up so well to that kind of gameplay that I really feel like I’ve totally reorganized how I approach the game. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
I started out with a plan. I knew I was going to be working more than usual, so I decided the best way to optimize my playtime was to login every day to do my leves. That was a tragic overestimation of how long I’d really get to play. After getting home, doing dinner, dishes, and setting aside time for my wife, that two hours of so of questing was just too much. On top of that, I started to feel pressured, since not completing them all means less XP all around for that week. Doing leves became a grind of gogogo then logout.
So I gave it up and set a new plan. Instead of doing it all, I decided to go the purest route for advancement: exploring and killing what looked fun. This has resulted in more than a few deaths. I don’t mind, though, because, frankly, I’m having more fun seeing what the world has to offer than I ever did in the little bubble leves hold you in.
For example, did you know that there are some truly dangerous mobs that tend to stalk all around the newbie camps? Or that there’s a deep cave system in the north of Ul’dah? Or that there are other cave systems not marked on the map at all? I feel like Lewis after he kicked Clark to the curb.
That’s not all.
I’ve also discovered the nuance built into the crafting and gathering systems. For example, when mining, you have to decide how deep on the vein you’d like to strike. Depending on where you hit, the materials change. If you’re tapping on the outside, you’re more likely to succeed but will probably only get secondary ingredients, like Rock Salt. If you aim low and deep, you’ll probably find higher quality ores and crystals but are much more likely to fail if you skill level isn’t there.
Armoring is the same. Now, full disclosure, this may just be in my head because I haven’t kept records of each attempt, but it definitely seems like there’s some logic built into the crafting process. If you’re making a bronze helm, for example, you’ll probably want to use a hammer since it basically a big, domed piece of metal. If you’re making chain, however, you’re better off using your pliers to form the little rings. I’ve been using basic tactics like that and gotten much better at finishing products even slightly above my skill level.
More importantly, I’ve been advancing quicker! I only found out this week that story quests are opened by your class rank instead of physical level, so it’s only recently I’ve really been really pushing to advance rank. Leves are great for skill points but most especially so when you’ve outleveled them and can bump up the difficulty rating (or are playing with a group). For me, still working at Camp Drybone ranks, I’ve been going much quicker just by finding groups of orange-level mobs and taking them on. The skill points are good and I’m not dying much at all.
If you try this, I’d recommend going for a lower difficulty unless you’re a tank.
Overall, it’s been a nice couple of weeks. The atmosphere in-game seems to be settling as much as it is in the blogosphere. We’re all finding our places and making the slow inch-march forward towards new zones and new challenges. There’s a really fun game here if you’re the kind of person who can click with it. If I’ve learned anything this week, it’s to play for the moment. There’s no point sticking to something when it feels like a grind. Pull up stakes and find a hidden spot not included on the map. Those other people, rigidly sticking to their leves? They’ll probably miss it entirely while you reap the rewards.
Grumpy Dorf of Raging Monkeys raised an interesting question recently: what goes into a main character? It’s deceptively simple, really, and I’ve never really thought about it much until now. After reading through the post, however, I couldn’t help but question myself. There is certainly more to each it than which character I happen to play the most. Quite a bit more, actually.
When I think of an MMO I’ve played, it’s always paired with the character I played it with. In LotRO, that’s my Dwarf Guardian. In WoW, my Orc Death Knight. In FFXIV, it’s my baby Lala’fell. The list goes on even beyond MMOs. I do the same thing in most single player games too, with the exception of first-person-shooters. Each game has a face to go with it.
Each of those, with the exception of the Death Knight, has been my first character. That’s no coincidence, and I’d bet many of yours are firsties too. Part of that is because first impressions really are everything. The only reason my Death Knight is up there instead of my true first character is because I’ve made him as carbon copy as it’s possible to make without being the same class. His model is identical; his name is the same. My main characters are firsts because mentally I each fresh earth of a new world with the fresh face that explores it. I almost feel guilty working on an alt, like they’re sitting there waiting, stuck in whatever spot I left them.
Those first decisions are also some of the most meaningful I’ll ever make in a game. Before I see the world for the mechanics behind it, I approach the game looking for my place in the fiction. I mean that literally, where would I, the player, fit in should I magically be transplanted. In LotRO, I’m a Dwarf because, in the world of Middle-Earth, I’d want to be Gimli. In FFXIV, I want to be the small guy fighting against the odds. In each game, I wield a sword because, to me, that is the stuff of heroes. Nothing after these first few steps comes as close. You’re birthing a set of eyes through which you see the world; it is your surrogate.
So, to me, my first character is my main character, and my main character is myself. Sometimes, most times, I’ll make up some little backstory. The personality is always the same, though, because when people talk to the character Syeric, I want them to talk to the person Syeric. Roleplay often seems a bit forced because I have to step outside of my comfort level so much more. That’s also probably the reason I’ve found it more memorable and fun when I’ve been able to do it. It’s so much more like playing make believe as a child than deliberately injecting “aye” and “lass” and “mead” into every sentence. For a little bit, I’m able to slip my skin and become that brewer’s son or Orken orphan (cliched, I know).
For me, my mains are mainstays of each game I play even when I’m not playing them; even when an alt elevates into my usual login choice, I sooner consider myself having two “mains” instead of letting the first slip. There are times when I’ll linger on the character select page, wondering if I should pick up one of these long dusty yet forever youthful old friends and take them for a romp through an old haunt. Sometimes I even do.
At the end of the day, I wonder how similar I am to other players out there. Lots of people stick with one character forever and others roll dozens of alts. I keep a small roster in each game and usually consider most, if not all, of them mains. The only real way to separate that with me is by having too many main characters forcing, them into alt-territory (never a problem), or by simply putting months or years of time between logins.
Happy Monday Folks!
Another week, another Multiverse! This week we talked about lots of fun stuff, including:
This show was especially nice because we got to spread the Minecraft epidemic even further and infect Maxivik in the chat room. He bought it during the show and played it until 2AM. Welcome to the club, buddy!
We’re playing around with bed music this time, so please let us know in the comments what you think.
Enjoy the show!
Relevant Links:
Vagary Homepage
Subscribe to the Show
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It’s been interesting to watch how the public interpretation of The Old Republic has changed since it was announced. It went from godsend, to F2P (oh noes!), to godsend, to the current point of “It’s a WoW clone” disappointment. On one hand, I empathize with people that want something new and are tired of the same, rehashed diku tropes that have dragged the industry into the Great Stagnation of 2010. Then again, I have to wonder if people really know what they want at all. The cattle call is “different.” As in, “give us something different” and “I already played WoW, I want something different!”
Yet, the majority of MMO players began their MMO careers with WoW and have only fleeting tried other games, if at all. These players, bitter as some may be, expect new MMOs to be like WoW, if not in form than in function. I hate to generalize like that but it’s human nature, isn’t it? We compare to what we know. If we like one MP3 player, we expect our next to be pretty much the same with a little extra shine.
But, that expectation isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I mean, WoW is a little basic, but can we really argue that it’s a “bad” game? What’s not worth copying there? Alright, a carbon copy wouldn’t be a good idea – there’s always room for improvement, after all – but there is a core of a very good, addictive experience there. Copying the WoW formula would be the smartest decision Bioware could make if they want a successful game.
Say what you want about the endgame, but how many hours does the average player spend chasing that eternal carrot through instance and raid dungeon? 100? 1000? You don’t get to be the market lead – and stay there for five years – by making a bad game. I understand that people get bored and sometimes feel burnt when it’s time to move on, but most of us can admit to having enjoyed WoW at some point. Could it be deeper, look better, stand a change of pace or a few more options at the level cap? Of course, but that doesn’t negate the hundreds of hours and millions of XP we’ve earned over the years.
So, when people knock on TOR for coming off as a WoW clone with an added fourth pillar, I can’t quite say I agree or would be upset if that turned out to be the case. If TOR turns out to be half the game WoW is, it will be doing alright. That means quality PvE, fun dungeons, and a long life past the level cap. That’s exactly what a PvE game needs to be.
Let’s not forget that even if it takes its cues from WoW, it’s only a starting point. Add in story, add in depth, add in all of the originality and polish that’s given Bioware its name, and you can see the Blizzard Approach in practice: take what works and make it great; make it your own, and add to it. The playstyle of WoW may not be what every MMO player wants, but it seems to be what the mainstreamer enjoys, and that’s what Bioware is after.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t need SW:TOR to reinvent the wheel. I need it to be a fun game with a great story. I think they’re on track with that. Maybe you don’t like WoW. If the millions of hours we’ve spent there, and the millions more others will spend there, say anything, it’s that most people do. It’s easy to forget that the playerbase of WoW more than likely outnumbers those of every other major MMO combined. Building from there, targeting the highest density of players, and expanding on the familiar, how is that a bad thing?
Maybe you can enlighten me, though, as to why I’m wrong. The rocky reception of FFXIV can be attribute to a clunky interface, but I think another part of it is just that’s is so starkly different from what we’re used to. Is that the direction we’d want TOR to go? Action bars and well thought out dungeons are no reason to disregard a potentially fun game, IMO.
When I first started writing this blog, I had a plan to interview my favorite bloggers. Partly I wanted to do this because it would make for good reading, but mostly it was because I always find myself wanting to ask specific questions of those I read the most. I’ll also often wonder about who the *person* is writing the blog and where they’re coming from and bringing in with them. And so, the Community Spotlight segment was born. Somewhere along the line it got put by the side, but I always wanted to bring it back.
Today is that day with what is, in my opinion, an excellent interview with Keen from Keen and Graev’s Gaming Blog. Keen was one of the first bloggers I ever read getting into MMOs and he’s been in my RSS reader ever since. Always opinionated and articulate, his posts are always an entertaining read no matter what side of the issue you fall on. I’d like to thank Keen again for sitting down for the interview and for being so open with his responses. It was fun to do and I think it makes for an excellent return to an old favorite of a feature.
Enjoy the interview!
GbN: Let’s get right into it. You’ve been an MMO blogger for some time. I know you’ve documented some of your history on the blog, but for those who haven’t seen it, take us back. How did you get involved with blogging and did you ever expect to be received in such as way as you’ve been?
Keen: In 2007 I went on a trip with a lot of downtime in the Hotel and found myself spending most of it browsing the internet. At this time I had actually never once – ever- read a blog. Admittedly, I didn’t even know what they were or why anyone would write one. Graev was with me and we were both sitting on the couch talking about video games when I realized that what we were saying felt pretty unique. We had been doing this ‘gaming discourse’ for years. I was writing for IGN at the time and I realized that it would not take much for us to start a blog and just transfer exactly what we’re thinking, unedited, from our thoughts to the screen.
When I wrote the first entry, that very night in the hotel, Graev told me no one would ever read it. I believed him, but I knew that what we had to say must interest or be useful to someone out there. From there the whole process ignited and before I knew it the blog was quite popular.
GbN: Over the years, you’ve done a lot to try to expand your blog and interact with your community. What does the blog represent to you? Is it some place just to share your thoughts or is it more than that, and are there any things you’d like to do that you perhaps haven’t or would like to take up again?
Keen: The blog is first and foremost a place where Graev and I speak our minds about gaming, share our thoughts and insights, and simply divulge our perspective to anyone interested. We do this whenever we have something to say. This happens regularly for me and less often for Graev but regardless of who posts, it’s still the product of our private discussions about gaming.
Over the years we have tried many things. We’ve done comics and podcasts several times and those were always well received. It started to take time though and that’s a valuable commodity. Since neither have us have once made a dime from the blog, we simply had to scale it back and just write. It was clear that we needed something else though because a community was forming around us. We created a forum which is now extremely active — more so than the blog — where people come and chat about games. We’ve also turned into a ‘guild’ or ‘clan’ community and have had “Keen and Graev’s Gaming Community” guilds like “Happy Fun Guyz” and “Haven”.
We have a few plans that are in the works. Whether or not anything comes of them will probably be left up in the air for now. The one thing that I will divulge is that we’re stepping up our efforts to Livestream and record footage of the games we’re playing. This is especially interesting given that we are Alpha and Beta testing several titles people would be… how should I say it… ecstatic to watch when we’re allowed to share footage.
GbN: Followers of your blog can definitely attest to your love of the virtual world concept versus quest-centric, theme park model currently dominating the industry. As the industry has moved away from its roots, do you feel this has changed what we perceive an MMO to be? Essentially, are we aiming at the same core ideals today as we did when Everquest and Ultima were the big games on the block?
Keen: The core ideals have been abandoned. I am very blunt about this and often it is mistaken for elitism. Games are not what they used to be and are in fact moving backwards. The games we see today are so underdeveloped conceptually that they represent works that should have been precursors to the originals. It’s like Star Wars. We had episodes 4, 5, and 6 for years and now we’re getting episodes 1, 2, and 3. The fallacy here is that not only have these games been made which are inferior to the originals, but they’re now being heralded as a step “forward” when they lack crucial ideals that define them as a MMORPG. It’s a step back and then a step in the wrong direction, so much so that we are quickly diverging to a path that will lead us off a cliff.
GbN: Following up on that, I’m curious, do you feel that shift is a good thing or bad for the genre? We’ve obviously made strides since the first MMOs came to pass, but I’m wondering if it’s all for the better. As a side point, is there anything you wish carried through from those times that didn’t or, perhaps, is there anything you wish we would have left behind?
Keen: Asking me this question is like asking me to write you a novel, which I very well could since this subject would easily span hundreds of pages of fleshed out. Short version: It’s bad for the genre. It’s bad for gaming in general. You can already see the effects out there. How many game companies now want to make MMO’s? Lots. How many are making true MMO’s? Almost none of them when you look at the numbers. The lines are being purposely blurred to accommodate this idea that every game is a MMO.
I wish that the idea of a virtual world would be kept along with the sense and ideal that what you’re doing should be meaningful. That’s been set aside for something I wish would be shunned: Accessibility. It’s a cancer for this particular type of game. One or two games offering a more accessible experience are fine. However, now that we’ve seen a startling response to it, most companies feel that’s the direction they should head. They are wrong and if they don’t wise up they will crash the industry.
GbN: Okay, moving beyond things past. In this last year and the one to come, we’re seeing a lot of MMORPGs come out that really challenge what we accept as part of the genre. Vindictus, Global Agenda, and the late APB come to mind, with games like Black Prophecy and Jumpgate Evolution on the horizon. Is this expansion of the genre a good thing or does it dilute the core of what makes an MMO an MMO?
Keen: Let me correct you. APB, Global agenda, and Vindictus are not MMO’s. They are multiplayer games. This goes back to what I was saying along the lines of every game being a MMO. They are NOT MMO’s and they’re diluting the industry by being associated with it. If Global Agenda is a MMO then so are Diablo, Call of Duty, and Team Fortress 2. Jumpgate Evolution is going through ridiculous amounts of redesign and I have no clue where it will end up. When I was given a private demo at E3 2008 it was an entirely different game. I haven’t followed Black Prophecy enough, which is already a sign of “iffy” things to come.
GbN: On that same token, there seems to be this idea that fantasy is dead. You’ve said you don’t agree with that. In your opinion, what is the state of fantasy in the MMO genre and how can we revitalize– or maintain– the concept to keep it fresh for new generations of gamers?
Keen: Fantasy is the strongest of all the genres and its growing faster than any other. We have TERA and RIFT which both seem to be on the top of the list. Cataclysm is releasing. 38 Studios is creating a Fantasy title. These are BIG titles compared to Black Prophecy, Jumpgate, and the like. Now, Fantasy may be hitting a bit of a dry patch. We’re not seeing a lot of innovative ways of representing the theme anymore. The solution? A Fantasy Sandbox title. I have the plans for one written down that would revitalize three parts of the industry: Sandbox, Social dynamics, and true Virtual World MMORPG feel. Now if only I had some money to make it.
GbN: Let’s talk about something a little more divisive among the community: PvP. Several games have come out in the last couple of years promising to provide the definitive PvP experience to their players. Nearly all of these games have performed under what we’d have thought pre-release. Is this simply a matter of quality or is it related to something else? I’m curious to know if you believe a PvP-centric MMO is truly viable post-WoW world and how you feel a game with such a focus should be approached to avoid the fate of its predecessors.
Keen: Designing your game to be a “PvP Game” is the wrong approach, and that’s why most are “failing” today. You need to design PvP around your game, not your game around the PvP. That also means you can’t leave PvP as an afterthought either. There are two definitive successes that come to mind: UO and DAOC. Neither of which were solely designed as PvP games, yet both maintain a strong sense of having PvP woven into the reason behind playing. In UO, a sandbox, it was part of that experience of living in a very open environment where anything goes. In DAOC it was because of the three way realm war and the desire to participate in a meaningful territory struggle for the glory of your realm.
PvP is very viable post-WoW. Remake DAOC and UO and they would sell millions. Make a game that respects the ideals in both and you’ll sell millions. Ignore the ideals and people will quickly ignore you and your game. We have Warhammer and Darkfall as shining examples of what not to do.
GbN: Related to that, the under-performing of new games isn’t limited to PvP titles; PvE games have been falling into similar states of quiet progression, as well. Yet, even these hover between 100k-300k subscriptions, typically. In your opinion, what is the mark of a “successful” game and why haven’t we seen more break the million subscriber mark without entering the F2P market? Is there any validity of the idea of a true competitor to WoW or is it wisest for new games to compete for second place over market dominance?
Keen: Actually, I think they hover between 50k-100k these days; it’s bad. The problem goes right back to what I spoke about earlier and what I wrote about recently on my blog. Current developers are either stupid, held back (by some mystical force) or they lack the talent necessary. I told you straight up that I know (and would bank my reputation on it) that if a game like DAOC or UO released today it would do well. Let’s look at some of the “Successful” titles pre-WoW: UO, EverQuest, DAOC, and SWG. No game has released since then with the same scope, social complexity, and mechanics depth.
“We need to move forward!!!” <— That is the most ignorant statement anyone can make when used as an excuse for why we do not see games like the aforementioned pre-wow successes. You do not — let me emphasize DO NOT — move forward by ignoring what defined the genre in the first place. We do need to move forward, but we need to start from the right place. It’s tough, but if you’re not willing to make the game right then please do not make it at all.
We’re not breaking the million mark, or coming ANYWHERE close, because players subconsciously (even when they claim otherwise) recognize a lack of substance. Even having not played the original greats, they know something is mission. New MMO players must be really confused. It’s like reading The Two Towers before Fellowship of the Ring. It’s that feeling that something must have come first and that this must be based upon something but it’s not clear.
GbN: I’d like to take a second to talk about Darkfall. I played with you during those early months of European release and I think we all had a great time setting out. You made no secret of the fact that you enjoyed it but felt like they missed out. The game, while doing well, has settled into its niche. What could a game like Darkfall have done better, what did they do right, and what lessons can future games of that vein take away?
Keen: Darkfall was just under-funded to be honest. Had they had money and a real testing cycle they would have realized quicker that the skill system was broken at the most basic level. Serious other mechanics were busted as well. Combat wasn’t tight, the lack of content both player and developer driven was sparse, and the world was without a soul. It looked nice on paper, but without the ability to truly test these things it’s no wonder it all turned out just shy of ‘right’. Had they gotten those things ‘right’ then they would have been able to polish the game. Polish isn’t to be scoffed at. Shame on you who undervalue it.
Darkfall succeeded in creating an atmosphere where players, under the right circumstances, could rely upon each other. This is why my guild had so much fun and why, even today, we reminisce about how wonderful our time spent playing was despite how bad the game turned out. That’s something that needs to be duplicated, but in a game that’s fun.
GbN: You’re playing WoW at the moment, this having been this first serious play-through since before the Burning Crusade expansion. There’s no arguing that the game is a hit, yet many players take issue with the repetitive and even defeatist nature of its endgame. In the past, you’ve spoken about your disdain for the raiding treadmill. I’m wondering, having experienced it first hand both in Vanilla WoW and WotLK WoW, have your feelings changed at all? Do you think Blizzard has made any progress in evolving its endgame from those early iterations on the Everquest raid model?
Keen: It really is still a repetitive and self-defeating end-game. The only difference being that now more people can experience it too! My feelings have not changed. I still love the encounters. I love the challenge of completing them and doing it with friends. I hate the amount of time that it takes and how it wears players down. That said, I’m glad I do not play WoW for the end-game anymore. I play because I enjoy how polished they’ve made it. I love the lore. I’m a fan of Blizzard at heart. However, give me something better to play and I’m gone. There won’t be one for at least six months.
GbN: While we’re on the topic of WoW, this is a question I like to ask all of our Community Spotlight guests: With WoW such an undeniable force for such a long period of time, do you feel the game is an asset or a hinderance to the industry? Are they opening more doors or preventing other studios from taking the risks it takes to advance into the next generation of MMOs?
Keen: Neither. It’s an anomaly. They are neither opening or closing doors for other developers. It’s the other developers who have control over those doors and whether or not they open them or not is up to them. NO GAME deserves as much attention as WoW gets. WoW hasn’t done enough to deserve the attention. It may deserve the players, but it doesn’t deserve how much people talk about it and how much other developers focus on it. It’s time to get over it, folks.
GbN: As we round the corners of the interview, let’s move away from games. As a reader, I’m always curious to know a little bit more about the person behind the keyboard. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you bring with you into your blog. What do you do outside of gaming and blogging?
Keen: I’m a reasonable person more than anything. I know that I have extremely opinionated views, but I’m also not adverse to changing them instantly if I feel that it is warranted. That’s something I feel translates very well into the blog. I may love a game one day but hate it the next — usually I communicate why. I may hate a game but grow to love it. I always hope that whether or not my readers agree with that that they can glean something from what I have written to help them in their own decisions.
GbN: You’ve revealed on your site that you’re currently going to college. First off, kudos on that. Now then, tell us, what are you studying and where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Keen: Business Management with my emphasis in Marketing is the direction I’m headed. In ten years my dream job would probably be working in some capacity in the gaming industry. Whether or not I use my degree, I know this industry well and I feel at home in it. Since we rarely get our dream jobs, I still enjoy the idea of working with people and communicating ideas. I tend to understand why people like things and that has helped me a lot in marketing. If I can do something along those lines, I’ll be happy.
GbN: Great. Before we let you go, Keen, tell us one thing we would never guess about you. What’s a hidden fact that nobody online knows?
Keen: This is a tough one since I am such an open book these days. Perhaps most do not know that I play the Oboe and Clarinet and love classical music. That ‘music’ on the radio today? Noise. 😉
GbN: Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview. It was a pleasure doing it and getting the chance to know you better.
Keen: You are most welcome.
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For our previous Community Spotlight segments, please click here.
I have a funny relationship with LotRO. We’re an on-again, off-again kind of couple. Sometimes she gets all hot and bothered when I’m ready to sleep for the night. When I’m in the mood, she immediately tells me to run to Rivendell for some milk. But, honestly, most of the time I’m just out with another game, because, well, let’s face it, I’m a bit of a floosie.
Since I’ve started playing FFXIV, I’ve had this crazy urge to get back into the game, though. It’s a bit strange, actually, since the two games are pretty black and white. LotRO is highly structured and leads you from point A to B, where FFXIV only gives you the bare minimum in guidance and structure, all of which you can choose to ignore. Those differences are it exactly. They are explicitly what makes me want to play them both at once in some kind of crazy, MMO orgy. If only I had four arms.
Tonight, I succumbed to my baser urges and forewent a few extra hours of sleep to get back into the game. It was fun, even spending most of it on horseback. I’d forgotten just how beautiful and immersive the game is. It’s easy to forget when you’ve spent the last few levels deep within the reaches of Angmar. My first quest was to ride to Rivendell and I almost logged out right there (I hate those long travel quests) but I’m glad I didn’t. The journey turned out to be exactly what I needed.
For the first time in what seems like ages, I felt entranced with the game again. Rivendell is the apex of MMO atmospherics. The sounds of birds chirping, leaves crunching underfoot, and a wonderfully majestic, yet mysteriously low-key score rising and falling in the background; you can almost feel the approaching storm, feel the pounding of the enemy’s war drums. The sights too: flowing waterfalls and trickling streams, the lazy fall of leaf and petal, and that pitch-perfect harmony of trees held in perpetual autumn; you want keep them in your view, see them fade away over the horizon. Everything about the zone has this wonderful attention to detail where you just know the developers spent hours crafting it as only true fans could. Going into the Last Homely House and seeing the intricacies of the ironwork and the soft purple effulgence from the stonework is almost perplexing. Did Tolkien describe all this? How long did some artist spend simply designing trellis after trellis, expertly blending form with function– because you can believe that it is the Last Homely House and that it is the home of Elrond Half-Elven.
I didn’t spend long in the game since it was already 2AM but I did a few quests and got a couple chapters of Book 7 done. The enjoyment I had coming back felt just like coming home. That struck me, since I’d never previously considered it my home game; I don’t even have a level capped character.
Playing and so much enjoying simply being in Middle-Earth again really underscored something for me, though: tying yourself to one game is simply a sad thing to do. Don’t misunderstand, I certainly understand that not everyone can play multiple games or would even want to do so. Still, there’s something akin to growing up once you break out of your shell and see what the MMO-world has to offer. It’s eye opening. Each of these games has something unique to offer, something that, even if you choose not to stay in the long-term, enlightens you as a gamer and makes you a little happier for having experienced it.
I guess that’s why I might understand players who are bitter or find it hard to be optimistic, but I have trouble joining them. It’s simply not worth it. When a game turns out to not be for you, it’s disappointing, but I can’t help thinking that there’s already so much good out there, it’s hard to hold out against one single title.
I like FFXIV because it’s different. I like LotRO because it’s similar, yet still unique and beautiful. I like WoW because… well, it’s WoW and they do what they do very well. It’s not about making things new for them, it’s about making things fun, and I like that.
The point is, we get different things different ways. It’s possible to like many different games without being devoted to any single one. When we can embrace each game’s differences for the good they bring and the people that enjoy them, we make the gaming community stronger.
Try an old favorite, guys. It may not grab you like it once did but the feeling going home gives sure is nice.
Producer Hiromichi Tanaka (left) and Director Nobuaki KomotoAn Update After Experiencing the Market Ward System: After a couple of commenters mentioned how much more functional the system is, I hopped in-game a little earlier than I'd planned. Good news: the system is much more functional than it was before. I've updated the title of this post to reflect that.
An Update After Experiencing the Market Wards Firsthand: After a couple of commenters mentioned how much more functional the system is, I hopped in-game a little earlier than I’d planned. The good news is that the system is much more functional than it was before (I’ve updated the title of this post to reflect that). The bad news is that there’s still quite a bit of item flooding going on.
Let’s put it in perspective, though. This last week, I spent around three hours in two attempts trying to find a shield. With no form of sorting between wards, it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Today, I went right to the battlecraft ward and found it within about 10 minutes. I could still see it being a pain from time to time, so there’s still a need a true auction house with search functionality.
Since players only have one free retainer included with their monthly account cost, I wasn’t surprised to find more than just weapons and shields in the battlecraft ward– but at least many of them did. This may not be the case on every server, though. Regardless, the first day on Mysidia is a marked improvement. The true test will be how the sorting pans out in a week or two, once more people get their stuff posted.
TL;DR: The market wards are much better; however, finding specific crafting items or rare drops may still be a challenge. They’re not an auction house but this is a more workable option until one gets implemented.
It was a pleasant surprise this morning to find that Square Enix is stepping up and trying to make right with their players. It’s no surprise to see that they’re rushing to fix things players have complained about, but it is a surprise to see that they’re giving anyone who bought the game another free month of play time. I’m sorry, but that’s just straight-up a classy move. They didn’t have to do that and lots of people doubted that they’d even pay attention to complaints. We painted this picture of a company that doesn’t listen, fairly enough from what I’ve heard about how FFXI was ran, but I think this proves otherwise. This might actually prove to be a saving grace for the company if they scramble and add a lot over the next month.
The Message From the Director released alongside today’s patch definitely seems to look in that direction, too. Over this next *free* month, they’ll be reworking the control scheme and UI. They’re also planning to rework how their server side architecture handles player congestion to get rid of a lot of that city-lag we’ve been experiencing. Then, in December, we can look forward to our first major content patch, of which they’re aiming to release every three months. This all makes me very happy.
While I’m excited at the prospect of getting another free month (my investment in the game is now down to $30), I have to wonder if it will really make much difference to the people they’re trying to reach. What I mean is this: the community is pretty much split. The people who like the game love it and would have been happy to pay for another month. Most of the people who don’t, well, they dislike it because it’s not the normal MMO we’ve come to expect. Short of adding a bunch of quests, allowing jumping, global chat, and completely reworking the UI and control scheme, I don’t think they’ll suddenly discover FFXIV is the game for them. Maybe I’m wrong, but from where I’m sitting, XIV is a niche game if ever there was one.
Take the comments on the “free month” post as Massively. Will those people ever be satisfied with the game? I doubt it. I mean, where are the people HAPPY for the free month over there? No one’s even talking about watching or holding out to see. It’s all the same cynicism that’s been espoused and *will be* espoused so long as XIV doesn’t pull up roots and go Kill Ten Rats on us. If they did, those same people are only going to complain that it’s not original enough. Square can’t win, but, heck, at least it’s nice to see them extend an olive branch and say “hey, give us a chance, we’re listening.” … Even if the responses they get from the LCDs is “you’re just like a dominatrix, leather and sodomy, HUR HUR HUR.”
They also patched in their first round of fixes to the Market Ward system, but let’s be honest, these aren’t any kind of a fix. They might *help* make things better but they will still be the utter dredge they’ve always been.
The way it worked before was simple enough, there were multiple, unsorted instace ward where players could summon their shops and sell things. In theory, it sounds alright, kind of like a swap meet. In practice, it was an utter nightmare. The first time I went in there was after I discovered you could no longer buy a shield from any vendor in Ul’dah. I spent, kid you not, over an hour and a half searching upwards of 40 bazaars only to not find it. I did the same thing last night and gave up after an hour.
*The next two paragraphs are my thoughts on reading the release. Please see the update at the top of this post for my personal impressions after seeing the system.
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The patch today now sorts the wards by item type. Again, that sounds good in theory but I doubt that it will make much difference for a couple of reasons. First is the incentive. Why should players put their retainers in the right ward? For a discount on the listing tax. Okay, good, except that, if they leave them in the wrong ward, it won’t cost them any more than it ever has. Second, players are only given one free retainer. That means, unless you’re only planning on selling one item type, markets will still be flooded with unsorted items. They say we’ll be given more retainers in the future but, for now, they’re another dollar a month. The path of least resistance is to put up the retainers wherever.
Yeah, it will help and is a step in the right direction, but Market Wards will still be a pain. Until there is some kind of sortable list (coming in November), clicking from merchant to merchant will still take far too long. This system just needs to be scrapped, IMO. It doesn’t work.
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Then again, hey, it’s not like we’re paying anything while we wait. I’ve also found it much more efficient and cost effective to talk to guildies and work together to make items, rather than spend forever and a day searching. So, there are ways around it. The whole economy is still obtuse, however, and I’m glad it’s high on their priority list.
Overall, I’m happy with today’s flood of news and information. Square is stepping up their communication both ways. We’re on the path towards fixing up some much needed issues and they’re taking ownership of the frustrations players have encountered. You can’t ask for much more than that.
I know a lot of your have put the game to the side though. Will this encourage you to come back or keep an eye on it or is it too little too late?
