Tag Archives: bioware

01/23/13

MMO Radio: Episode 5 – The Fall of F2P?

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Guest starring: Sister Julie and Sister Fran from No Prisoners, No Mercy!

Is a 5th episode an anniversary? Not quite, but it’s certainly a special one. This week we’re pleased to be joined by Sister Fran and Sister Julie of the No Prisoners, No Mercy podcast. It was an absolute pleasure to have them on, especially since Adam and I have been longtime fans of their show. Considering the recent news about (F2P) Allod’s Online offering a subscription option and Julie’s enthusiasm for the model, we decided to look at exactly where the MMO business model might be headed. It’s certainly on people’s minds. Is F2P still the saving grace for the industry or is it unsustainable in its current incarnation? More importantly, if that’s the case, what will come up to replace it: Buy-to-Play, the revivification of subscriptions, or some refined version of the cash shop model?

We would once again like to thank Julie and Fran for joining us. It was a wonderful time and the resulting show is something we’re proud to add to our library. What’s more, they had us as guests on their show as well for a lively discussion on violence and video games, so stay tuned for when that goes live!

Sister Julie and Sister Fran’s Links: Virgin Worlds, No Prisoners, No Mercy Website
Chris’ Links: Hooked Gamers, Game By Night, Vagary.TV
Adam’s Links: Epic Slant Press

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02/13/12

PS Vita comes out Wednesday and I will have it; Making Money in SWTOR

A new handheld hits the gaming market Wednesday and I’ll be picking it up. The system, I’m sure you already know, is the PS Vita.  It’s Sony’s last great effort to prove handhelds are viable. They’ve packed everything into this thing to make sure it sells: advanced HD graphics (early PS3 level), dual analog sticks, touch screens in the front and back, 3G and WiFi, motion sensitivity, AR — not to mention huge developer support. Still, it’s expensive. The wifi version is $250, the 3G fifty dollars more, plus the cost of a proprietary memory card that begins at $20. That’s a bit of a joke, though, because $20 gets you the smallest possible card (4GB). With PSN and downloadable content being a big push for Sony on the Vita, most users will want at least 8GB ($30) and possibly more. Factor in a couple games, a screen protector, and case, total investment jumps to around $375 for the most basic version. Thankfully, I have a bunch of stuff to trade — including my 3DS.

So why am I getting this thing? Because it’s effing cool, that’s why. Sony went all out to make sure it’s impressive and succeeded. The graphics, as shallow a consideration as that might seem, look great on that 5″ screen. The rear touch panel is an immediate win, too; though admittedly it sounds like a bit of a gimmick, but with the way you hold the Vita it feels incredibly natural to have that extra finger control.  Developers are already using it to great effect. Another nice thing about that rear touch screen is that sections can be mapped by game creators to simulate a traditional DualShock controller. More than anything, though, is that developers have really gotten behind this thing. When it “officially” launches on February 22nd, it will do so with the biggest launch line-up of any game-dedicated machine ever. There are some really cool things devs can do with this system and it really is like a console in your pocket.

I’ll wrap by sharing this amazing trailer for Gravity Daze. It’s a game coming out in May that looks really innovative and fun. This trailer, though, just like IGN says in their caption, is stunning.

(If you can’t tell from the trailer, turning the Vita alters the direction of gravity)

The second thing I wanted to mention is that I seem to have found a sweet spot making money in SWTOR. Everything in that game becomes ridiculously expensive as you get up in levels (anyone else notice this?), so I took up slicing early on.  Now, at level 34, I’m sitting on 350k in credits with another 36k in stuff for sale. I don’t know if that’s great or average or what, but I have a feeling that if I keep this up all the way to fifty I might be sitting on close to 700k or more even after my level 40 mount. This is a load off. I hate feeling like I’m perpetually broke, so having a steady income for once is pleasant.

If you’re having money problems, this is what I do at 400 slicing: send multiple companions out to gather, but only on Bountiful and Rich yield missions. There’s a common misconception that slicing gets you rich out of the money lockboxes. In fairness, they’ll usually pay for the mission, but the real money is in the rare and legendary mission discoveries. Bountiful and Rich yield-types have a much better chance at including these in the reward. Underworld Trading, Treasure Hunting, and Slicing missions (340), all net around 15-18k each. I send another companion out on Bountiful/Rich yield augment missions. Augments have a huge range in sell value but sometimes you get lucky. I sold one a couple days ago for 85k.

Still, I don’t think it’s necessarily good design to make players grind gold just to get something as basic as a mount, especially in a game as large as SWTOR. But I digress.

In any event, I’m here and playing. Hope you’re all well.

01/23/12

Does anyone appreciate scale anymore?

Just a quick post to say the following: I love that SWTOR is so effing big. I love feeling like I’m part of a huge zone or inside a massive structure. A lot of people don’t. The cynics will tell you that it’s all an artificial way to keep you playing longer (because tedium = retention, right?). I read a comment from someone just yesterday saying, “you don’t have to look beyond the too-big space stations and empty hallways” to see that Bioware is milking you.

I have to ask, what is it exactly people want? We complain when things are too big; we complain when they’re too small. We complain when zones are too linear; we complain when there’s poor flow. We even complain that they’re not doing enough with the hallways. 

When I first started playing MMOs, what spellbound me was the idea of connecting to a virtual world. I have always, always felt that tiny zones, unenterable buildings, and the “look how big we seem to be but actually aren’t!” window-dressing did as much to destroy the virtual world as the quest progression system. So when it comes to TOR, it’s almost refreshing to see a game finally bring back the sense of scope we’ve optimized out these last few years. There are moments where you can’t help but to stop and appreciate how grandiose everything is. When you see a pyramid, it looks like a pyramid, rising high into the sky above you. When you enter a headquarters, there’s multiple floors, bunches of rooms, and lots of “extras” playing out all over the place. It’s atmospheric.

I find it so odd that people would want to strip that from the game. Isn’t Star Wars all about the infiniteness of space — being a part of a tapestry much larger than yourself or any other one player? Can you even approach that going small? I understand that running between objectives gets boring, but when that starts to get to me, I ask myself: would I change it even if I could? And the answer is no.

Scale is one of those things that might annoy players in the moment but that sparkles in the memory. It’s also a passive means of drawing you in and forcing you to appreciate the world you’re running through. Artificial slowing? Maybe. But then again, it’s like we tell our kids in school, it’s better to do too much than too little. Bioware opted to go big or go home. We received the many worlds and space stations of SWTOR a result. The other approach we’ve already seen. It’s the Cryptic model; release early, expand later. If that’s what people are asking for, to take a step down, then I suggest waiting here until something better comes along.

01/17/12

The horror of dismissing in space [SWTOR]

It was on the way to an unknown planet that I, your host, killed my entire crew! I must confess a certain, softness in my trepidation before doing it, but then, I only meant to penalize the one for being so mopey. I would have freed you Khem Val, my ol’ buddy, if only you’d given me the option. But damned if he wasn’t a depressing kind of guy to hang around with.

I couldn’t help myself. Since you can’t summon them inside the ship, I targeted him with my selector and clicked. He always glowed a little when I did that. I opened the chat window and the characters rained down like hammer falls from Heaven itself. /__D__I__S__M__I__S__S__ . And with that keystroke he looked at his feet and disappeared.

I breathed a sigh of relief. It worked. All that was left was a red lightbulb were he had stood. Heading out into the hallway, I thought that Khem would meet us at our next stop, safe and sound. The light from the holoterminal bloomed in my eyes as I passed it. We’d be fine. In the meantime, the robot or our new-hire, some Tatooine pirate or some such, would take over responsibilities.

But there was no robot. R2-NV isn’t allowed to leave his charging point by my very orders, yet his receptacle stood empty. It looked downright eerie. The light from the red blub above gave the compartment a blood-slicked look.

This wasn’t good. Oh no, the pirate – the cockpit – manning the flight! I raced into the cockpit, tripping over the heavy metal. All three seats stood empty. Auto-pilot had been at some point engaged. I turned to where he most often stood, leaning against the rear wall.

Another red light.

Red is the color of blood and something I’ve done here is staining my ship with it. I had to get out.

I sat down at the captain’s chair and open the galaxy map to resume controls. I select ‘fleet’ where I had a room to think. The screen flashed red. I couldn’t afford the fuel cost. I ran to my room and checked my coffers and found them empty. It was then the alarm started to sound. LOW ON FUEL. LOW ON FUEL. Red warning lights flashed at me in rhythm. They were against me, the whole damn ship, it knew what I had done. Red is the color of blood and blood is the truest color of guilt.

There was no way we’d have enough fuel to make it to the next station. What was this? Did those Tattoine bastards not fully restock us?

And just like that, all the lights went out on the Fury. All of the buzzes and whirrs ceased entirely. Even the repetitious beeping of things requiring attention stopped. No more thrusters. No more ventilation. The only thing that remained was the feeling of drift as we floated through space.

I clawed my way to the cockpit and looked outside. A planet! Alderaan. Probably only a few light years away. The computer was unresponsive. I tried it, again and again, until I relented and began beating upon it in earnest. Close enough to see saving and yet too far to ever reach.

So now I sit in this empty, black shell that used to be a spacecraft and dwell. I have enough food to last me several months, and there is enough air that seeps in to prevent my suffocating. But there is very little to do in space and I fear I’ll lose my mind before rescue comes. Already, just so soon in, I feel the tendrils of darkness begin wiggle and burrow inside my mind.

Heed this message! And learn:  Don’t /Dismiss on your ships!

Seriously, it’s kinda creepy when a crew suddenly disappears mid-flight. I made Khemmy-poo sad and wanted to get rid of him. Dismissed! Then, I see the robots gone, except for a second where I could see his silhouette through the light of the holoterminal. The pirate left no trace since he just seems to be catching a ride. Reminded me of an old sci fi story by George R.R. Martin.

12/31/11

RIFT Versus SW:TOR – An Observation on With It-ness

I find it very interesting that RIFT gets mass appeal for being a game that’s adapted to the times, yet SW:TOR has absolutely not. In fact, I’d say the folks at Bioware pretty much stopped learning right around 2008 with WAR’s warfronts. Few people mention this, despite their being back to back releases (figuratively anyways). The only lessons Bioware seem to have applied since are those they’ve taught themselves with single player RPGs.

And for all that, I’ve had a hell of a lot of fun. The voicing, while sometimes an obvious mask for “kill ten rats” advancement quests, really does make leveling more engaging. On the other hand, I also feel like my character has been planned out for me, like a single player RPG. That’s always been there, though,  in games gone by, but I guess it’s easier to ignore when everything isn’t spoken.

I do wish they would implement some of RIFT’s improvements. It needs better tutorials and a more customizable UI. It needs better quest planning — either that or earlier mounts. I love the massive scale of everything but it’s tiresome when you have to run back for the second or third time. And, as small as it is, I really wish the minimized window would flash red when I was being attacked. I’m an alt+tab blogger and that’s a death wish when you stay logged in.

Overall though, there’s still this looming question over fanboy love and jaded bitterness. I’ll say this: SW:TOR is a very polished, very familiar game that harkens back to the 2004 era of MMO scope. It’s picked up some things better left behind and, yeah, I hope they fix them quick. I feel very spoiled by Trion’s quick turn around time, though, so I hope it’s a lesson they learned. While SW:TOR’s first patch was three yards short of underwhelming, and their communication is EA Mythic acceptable, this could be the second life for the WoW quality MMORPG.

Is it as up with the times as RIFT? Not by ten feet of tent pole. Is it still a shining example of how compelling and exciting this genre can be? Yes — and for that, I hope you try it.

12/21/11

SWTOR: Impressions and _Impressions_

Like most of the MMO world, I’ve spent the last week knee-deep in The Old Republic. Talk about a good game. Single player? You bet, more than any other MMO I’ve played. Featuring more group content than our other darling child, RIFT? Without a doubt. And isn’t that something? We can have the most exclusive type of single-player questing, the kind that drives the anti-themepark nuts, and yet have more and better reasons to find friends than in recent memory. Bioware, you’ve struck gold.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and step back from the jaded, “I’ve seen at least THREE MMO releases and that means I’m vet” self, and admit that TOR has inspired more awe in me than any MMO since my first. I was skeptical of their very stylized art style right up until I played it in beta – and I’ve been blown away since then. There is a level of detail here we’ve never seen in this genre before. From the spaceships outside the fleet dock, to the arcs of lightning in your first real instance, TOR delivers the periphery better than I ever thought they could. It is, in a word, immersive.

I’ve been playing a Sith Assassin and having a fun time, if a little disappointed in the side quests. The main questlines are fantastic. Sure, you get your fair share of “go here, collect that” but between the lines are some real nuggets of good storytelling. For every kill quest worthy of skipping, there are three well-acted, well-told story quests. I often listen to podcasts as I play, yet I find it almost impossible to do so when entering a cut scene for my class. There a simply too many interesting characters, twists, turns, and lore tidbits to offer half my attention. It’s engaging to be sure.

PvP is an interesting proposition. It doesn’t change from start to end; you have three warzones, no brackets, and skippable cutscenes. The battlegrounds are two-thirds fresh. Huttball is a good time, especially when you can knockback players into walls of fire or acid pits. Voidstar is an MMO take on Battlefield’s Rush mode. Alderaan is Alterac Valley… or Domination or Conquest, take your pick. The Assassin is an incredibly capable class and I’ve managed to top-three every match I’ve played – and this from the self-professed mascot of noob-PvP. Once again, I must remind rogues that you are overpowered and should be loving every minute of it (the assassin is effectively a rogue if specced right). My one issue is that PvP gear is only awarded at levels 20, 40, and 50. Successful PvPers could easily acquire all of the available gear as soon as they ding, leaving little reason to grind the in-between. PvP specific players will very likely have earned the vast majority of commendations needed to buy a full PvP set before they even reach those levels. Or so says an Assassin.

Overall, I’ve been extremely impressed. I’m on Dromund Kaas, almost finished, and if one thing has sunk in, it’s this: it took millions and millions of dollars, but a game has finally matched WoW’s level of polish right out of the gate. We wonder why TOR took so long or cost so much, but the answer is effectively this: they set to match a seven year shined game and succeeded. People said that was impossible and Bioware just did it. Even if you hate themeparks, that deserves a nod.

Thanks for reading,

03/16/11

Dragon Age II: First Impressions

If you were a fan of the first Dragon Age, word has surely dropped from the apple tree that it’s sequel, creatively titled DAII, has hit store shelves to much split opinion. Some people really dislike it and I can see why. For my part, I’ve enjoyed it. In it, I’ve found a beautiful game that expands the more you put into it. I’ve found combat that is strategic where you want it to be, action where you need it to be, and satisfying with the blood-spattered character only found in the Dragon Age franchise.

See, the thing about Dragon Age 2 is that it’s not Dragon Age 1. Usually sequels follow the same mold as their predecessor. Not here. DA:O was massive. DA2 is a handful of locations. DA:O was strategic. DA2 is about action. DA:O gives you lots of freedom. DA2 hands you a character, a personality, and doesn’t let you gear out companions beyond rings and amulets – and very few are named beyond “ring” and “amulet.” DA:O has a strong plot thread leading you through the experience. DA2 doesn’t become clear until the end (or so I’m told). These are huge departures. And can leave you wondering, “what happened?”

Consoles are what happened. Unlike Origins, console design seems to take prominence over many of perks PC players grew used to in 2009. Instead, what we have is a visceral RPG experience that keeps the dice rolls and adds class-combos for even greater destruction. The experience both on both PC and console seems uniquely fitted to a console audience – and that’s not a bad thing. What we’re seeing here is a gap being bridged. There is enough to love here for both groups of gamers.

Early on, it’s easy to wonder what your goal is. The game starts slow, almost painfully so, once you’re out of the introduction. Once you make it to Kirkwall, what is the point? Act I opens with you trying to secure a spot on an expedition to the Deep Roads. The expedition leader is a curmudgeon, however, and makes you buy your spot. And so your questing begins, scraping together meager pieces of coin to afford the journey. Patience is your friend, however, as you soon discover the mysterious amulet you were to deliver actually holds a powerful secret. Before long, you’re knee deep in slavers, bandits, undead, and giant spiders. (Arachnophobes? Might want to take a pass on this one.)

These first quests really help you get to know your companions and I found myself playing with a tankless party just because I liked the characters more. That’s a testament to the great writing Dragon Age 2 has to offer. Choosing to have Hawke be fully voiced may remove some of your imagined autonomy from the first game, but it does allow you know him, and through his interactions, everyone a little bit better.

The story this go ‘round is actually pretty contentious among gamers. At ten hours in, I’m not nearly qualified to talk on it, but the word on the street is that Dragon Age 2 suffers “second novel syndrome,” where the second book in a trilogy is often lackluster compared to the first and final entries. While we don’t know what Dragon Age 3 might offer, we know enough to expect it. From what I’ve done and read from others, it helps to take the long outlook, where you view the game not as a single continuous epic adventure, but more as the sum of many parts leading to Hawke’s eventual becoming of the Champion of Kirkwall. These are the makings of a hero and not necessarily a hero’s quest.

There are some down points, however. I’m about ten hours in and I’m already noticing some repeat maps. On one hand, this is annoying but I’m not overly bothered by it yet. The combat is satisfying enough to make up for it and only grows progressively more so each time you level up. Time will tell whether this becomes a major issue.

I’m also a bit bothered by the fact that gear is much more limited. Why is Hawke the only one who can change clothes? All of the armor has a “Garret Hawke” restriction on it, making it so the only useful items your party can use are weapons, amulets, and rings. While there are some neat and powerful items they can equip, especially so now that mages are some of the flashiest combatants on the field, what with their fiery-electrical boomsticks and whatnot, the lack of creativity in naming (literally, lots of stuff is just “ring” or “amulet”) and the star-based rating system really undermines the immersion the game seeks to generate.

Overall though, I’m very happy with the game. Perhaps one of its biggest accomplishments is that it made me want to play Dragon Age: Origins again. I never finished it the first time, and there are just enough little hints to make me want to go back without making me feel lost. I can’t wait to level up some more and see how my character evolves. And how about those Deep Roads? I hear it’s dark down there.

01/21/11

March: Feels Like November, Doesn’t It? [3DS, DA2, ETC.]

Update: Well, looks like PSOM was wrong. L.A. Noire just announced a May release date.

Wow, March is fast approaching and it feels like November. We have some very big things approaching: Rift, Dragon Age 2, L.A. Noire, and, of course, the 3DS. Let’s see…that’s, what, about $400+ in goodies to buy? I don’t think I’d have enough in trade-ins if I got rid of my whole library. How much is a Nintendo 64 going for these days?

As a Day One Buyer for the things that excite me most, I find myself a little confounded. We have four biggies, each with it’s own incredible level of polish and pizzazz, vying for the top spot. How does the budget conscious gamer even approach a month like this? More importantly, how does he explain it to his wife?

Well, the long and short of it is this: he doesn’t. He makes hard choices. Thankfully, the good folks at Bioware and Nintendo have helped me pare down the list a little bit.

Let’s face it, guys, the 3DS launch window is a huge let down. I’m as excited about the handheld as anyone but the launch titles for the first three months just aren’t there. The biggest releases to catch my eye are the nostalgic Pilotwings Resort (I loved that game for the N64) and Resident Evil: Mercenaries, the multi-player only, non-Resident Evil, Resident Evil. And, frankly, the last game sucked. RE5 was a massive let down on every front. Where’s Mario, Kirby, and Link? Why is Kid Icarus being replaced with Super Monkey Ball and Dead or Alive: Dimensions? This isn’t the line-up that justifies dropping $250. I’d go so far as to say that this is the most disappointing game line-up we’ve seen for a new console since before the PS3.

So, the 3DS is out for at least the next three months. /sigh of relief. Now maybe I’ll be able to finish up my last few PSP games before trading in.

Aside: Am I the only one who’s starting to feel a little torn after hearing the rumors about the PSP2? 3D is great and all but PS3 level graphics, dual joysticks, and the end of UMDs kind of blows that out of the water. Add in advanced online functionality (we assume, since the PSP had BY FAR better online than the DSi) and you have the recipe for truly portable next-gen gaming. Online CoD that doesn’t sacrifice functionality? I’m in.

Then there’s Dragon Age 2. I’m really holding out hope that I won’t have to buy this one. Through Vagary I was able to get in touch with a great PR rep who put me on the list for a review copy “pending availability.” We’re still a small site, so it was especially nice to see one of the biggest and most upcoming companies in gaming give us the time of day. The sad truth is it’s pretty hard for a new site to break into the PR consciousness. But we’re getting there and if my first review (we’ve done many others; I hang on the back-end mostly) can be of a game I’ve looked forward to since it’s announced, I’ll be a very happy guy.

That still leaves Rift and L.A. Noire. I have a couple of games to trade in, so I can offset those by at least 20 bucks a piece. This time I might even go online to get a better ‘used’ discount, since it’s an extra $5 savings. Here’s hoping they offer some kind of decent deal, though.

Anyways… wow. Kind of feels like the holiday season, doesn’t it? I’ve got to say, even though I’m relieved that I won’t be chomping at the bit for the 3DS, I’m really disappointed that this is all Nintendo has to offer. Oh well. Hopefully while they decide to actually sell the stuff they advertised the system with, we’ll find out more about the PSP2. I’m not buying a new console for a bunch of remakes and I think it’d be a mistake to think the 3D will be anything more than a gimmick this time next year. They’re really going to have to make some good games. Until then, DA2, L.A. Noire, and Rift will keep me satisfied.

11/8/10

The Multiverse – Episode #31: “They’re Barely Even Games”

Happy Pre-Black Ops, Folks!

Don’t let that mislead you. We don’t talk about Black Ops on this show; I’m just excited.

There was a lot of great news this past week, MMO and gaming in general, so we thought we’d take a show and break it all down for you. There’s lots of great MMO talk from the headlines we picked, so buckle in and get read to hear about:

Most of the conversation focuses around the three major stories, but we spend some time talking about Fallout New Vegas too. Come Fly With Me, Internets.

Enjoy it and don’t forget to drop us an iTunes review. Share the love, gamers!

Oh, and PS: Last week’s show, though discussed through for the full hour was lost, once again, due to the Skype recorder we previously used. We’ve switched to something new, improved, and much more reliable. Please let us know what you think of the quality!

We also welcome your email at multiversepodcast@gmail.com.

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UPDATE: Whoops! Looks like editing something at the end threw off the track alignment in the beginning. We’re reuploading a fixed version now. Sorry about that!

10/20/10

TOR Might Wind Up a “Clone”– Why Is That Bad, Again?

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.