Tag Archives: darkfall

02/21/13

Where Exactly Is Darkfall: Unholy Wars?

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Like many of you, I’ve been waiting anxiously for Darkfall: Unholy Wars so I can finally sink my teeth into a good, old school fantasy MMO. For a while there, things looked promising. The game was slated to release in December but it was pushed back into the new year to address bugs and get itself ready for Steam after a two-day Greenlight process (people don’t want this kind game anymore, right guys?).

Except the NDA was slated to drop a month ago and it never did. Nevermind that surprise betas are, well, surprising to we players, but I’m suspecting that Aventurine got some feedback that made them second guess how prepared they really were. With such a huge scope of gameplay, I thought it was crazy they weren’t planning for a beta in the first place.

Then again, the reports I’ve heard repeatedly indicate that the biggest issues have been addressed and that the game is in OK shape or at least better than it was before Greenlight came into the picture. So where’s the update from Aventurine? Even players in the beta are starting to worry that we’ll all have moved on when it’s finally ready for sale. That might be the case for newcomers, but I think a lot of us will still check it out when it’s time comes. Still, squandered opportunity.

When they announced, the hype wave was big and bold, and the Unholy Wars box art was surfing proudly on its crest. Come buy me… it called, over and over, and we wanted to! Then the wave changed course and flowed far down the shore. Months later, that wave is barely a ripple we’re still searching the weeds hoping the box will turn up again. The fans will search, the spectators will drift off, maybe saying “huh” when they read about it in the paper.

I really wish someone would help Aventurine with their PR. Their lack of communication hurts them more than any problem with the actual game ever has. And now more than ever, the MMO world needs a game like Darkfall, and we need it to be quality. To that end, we can probably all lend them our blessing in refining things. Just tell us so we remember we’re worth your time.

11/20/12

Why You Should Try Darkfall: Unholy Wars

Darkfall is the kind of game that scares new players away, but with the upcoming launch of Unholy Wars, I want to encourage you all to give it a shot. Now I know, I haven’t always been kind to the game, but Darkfall is something I truly feel all players – PvE and PvP alike – can have fun with and, with a good clan, is one of the best MMO experiences available today.

The fact is, a lot of what you’ve heard is probably half-truth or based on assumption and fear of how “hardcore” the game is. Yes, the game is full loot. Travel takes a while and means something. Anyone can attack anyone and griefing happens. What doesn’t get the coverage in those criticisms is that they come together to make a game that feels more like a true MMO — you know, when we aspired to virtual worlds rather than quest rides — than any other game out there than maybe, I hear, EVE.  But believe it or not, Darkfall is a far more accessible and much more action-driven game than EVE ever was. Get yourself used to the idea of playing with other people again and it can provide some of the most memorable, fun, and MMO-like experiences you’ve had since EQ or Ultima.

And to be clear, I’m not a hardcore PvPer, I’m not a big grouper, and I don’t like games that punish the crap out of me. I’m probably like a lot of players — and yet I sit here saying, “play Darkfall.” Here’s why:

Full Loot is Nowhere Near as Bad as You Think It Is

This is my biggest gripe with naysayers. If someone has told you that losing your gear when you die is a big deal, let me be clear, they weren’t actually playing the game. First off, it’s based on skills. You can die, get a basic weapon from a vendor, and still be strong enough to go back out and get on your feet. That’s number one. Number two, you’ll collect enough basic gear just playing that you’ll be re-outfitted within minutes, even if you never play with another person. Number three, there is no epic gear to be lost here (though there is some good stuff), so it’s not like you’re losing weeks of investment. Here’s a rule: Bank the gear you find. Do that and you’ll never have to worry about FFA PvP in the same way again.

This is also where clans come in. Any clan worth its salt — even most clans that aren’t — will have a bank full of basic gear for you. If they don’t it’s because they’re inactive and you should probably leave.

Full loot isn’t something to be scared of because the impact is minimal. Bank your stuff. Be happy. Once you get in that habit, it becomes second nature. Dying is disappointing, especially if you were carrying a lot, but it also makes your choices meaningful. If you stay out in the world with a treasure trove of stuff and you die, it’s because you pushed it. This is the kind of tension that makes things exciting. If it becomes stressful, change up how you do things. Carry less you’re unwilling to lose. Learning how to survive in Darkfall is in experience unlike most MMOs out there.

No Levels:

If you want to get better at something, use it. This is something MMO players have been clamoring for since Ultima fell out and Darkfall still has one of the best implementations out there. In vanilla DF, there were issues of players macroing and cheating to build up certain skills, and there was a wall that built up over time where new players felt disadvantaged. That’s said to be fixed in Unholy Wars. If that’s the case, this will be the single best skill system in any modern MMO out there.

From DF1.0, this will likely be different in UW

Non-Linear Gameplay:

There are quests in the game but don’t expect a quest hub tour of Agon. Your gameplay is determined by your own goals and those of your guild. Some people look at this and scoff but those people either a) didn’t give it enough time, b) tried to be solo cowboys, or c) never tried it at all. In this game, you have personal goals and social goals, from your clan or your friends, and they intermingle. What you do depends on where you want to go — even if that’s just a direction on the map. Some of the best experiences I’ve had have been based on grabbing a buddy and heading out to see what we can find.

Here’s the thing, other games push you through quest hubs because the world can’t hold up on its own. Darkfall’s does. Just finding a new spawn area or, even better, a new dungeon is an adventure that tends to top most dev-content. Honestly. Combat is truly action based and not simply dodge-distance-directional. And the possibility that at any point another player could come along and totally change the dynamic — for better or worse — adds a layer or dynamicism other games don’t touch.

Exploration is Fun, Rewarding, and Pretty Much the Best Out There:

Like I said, mobs drop things you need. You might come across a den of skeletons that stock you up on basic armor to re-gear with if you die. Or maybe you’ll find a cave where the monsters drop “epic” gear (there is no epic) that makes you look and defend like a king. To get good gear in this game, it’s not about grinding a dungeon 50 times. It’s about finding the right spot in the world and figuring out a way to take down your enemies.

Other things support exploration, too. Chaos chests spawn all over the world and can drop great and valuable things. Maybe you find a new, fast mount. Maybe a deed to a home. Maybe you find a player village to pillage. Maybe you come across an unsuspecting player and make a new friend… or kill him outright just to make sure he doesn’t move on you first. Maybe you find a dungeon or a dragon’s lair. How about a floating island with excellent spawns for all your magic ingredients. I’ll say it again, this is as close to a virtual world as modern MMOs get. Darkfall does it well. If you are into the idea of a lush, breathing, deep, and engrossing game world, you should try this game.

Combat is Active, Action-Based, and Better Than Hotbar Games

I like Guild Wars 2, I do, but Darkfall just beats it. It’s not dodge based but that’s pretty much a gimmick anyway. Darkfall combat is about positioning, and reach, attacking and defending, aiming and choosing the right ability for the situation. It is deeper and much more impactful than Guild Wars or TERA even hint at. When you get with a clan, large scale warfare akin to WvWvW takes place but carries much more weight. You are literally fighting for control of the game world, literally making your own history to be posted on YouTube and debated on the forums.

Cooperation is Key and a Ton of Fun:

If there is one thing that keeps Darkfall from attracting new players apart from the PvP, it’s that it’s at its best when people play together. This really isn’t so bad, honestly, and neither is scheduling. I am an extremely busy guy these days. I don’t raid for just that reason. But in DFO, this is answered simply by joining a large clan. Because cooperation is intrinsic to the best game experience, if there is another person online, the chances are they’ll be open to teaming up with you.

So much of the game is built to be experienced with other players that when you do get the chance to do something with a full group, it is an absolute blast. Even if you walk away having been summarily defeated, the experience of waging your own mini war on player or NPC is memorable. If you want dynamic content, look no further. It doesn’t get better than simply stepping outside yourself and joining up with another player in Darkfall Online.

Naval Combat:

This one is worth ending on because it’s just plain cool. You can sail the seas on your own ship and wage naval warfare. You can be a pirate, pillaging the shoreline. You can also be eaten by a kraken. True story, check it out:

Overall, Darkfall isn’t for everybody in the same way that WoW isn’t. It is for a lot of people who simply won’t give it a chance. That’s a crying shame because in a lot of ways DF is the exact game players have been asking for for a long time. Give it a try. What have you got to lose?

09/18/12

Darkfall: Unholy Wars – Worst Announcement Ever

I got a fun little email this morning stating that, yup, Darkfall: Unholy Wars is a thing.  And that’s pretty much all it said. For those who don’t know, Darkfall is a pretty neat, action-combat MMORPG that features full looting, an active skill system, and a distinctly old-school approach to just about every game system. Plus large scale PvP, yo. Back to the expansion, or patch, or re-release — whatever this is exactly is still unclear.

Oh good, a website to answer our questions!

Here’s a paragraph of lore to set the scene:

Agon, a land that has suffered hundreds of years of divine vengeance and demonic conspiracy, has been given a moment of relief. After declaring war on each other and mortals alike, the Demon and the Goddess have pulled back to reorganize and assemble their forces. If ever there was a time for the mortal races to regroup, reclaim the lands and rise to power, it is now!

Is it just me, or did they just write away a whole game and say “come back because nothing’s happening”? That’s kind of what it looks like. Aventurine has a pretty terrible track record on updates, so I’m not sure if I should be surprised or nodding sagely that this is their draw.  It does look like they’re planning on resetting land ownership, though. Something might happen, sometime, but until fight over this stuff you already had.

A features list! Surely this will tell us what they’re planning!

KEY FEATURES

  • Massive Land and Naval PvP Battles: Thousands of players can participate simultaneously in wars and sieges on land and sea, in real-time, on a single server.
  • A Huge, Seamless World: The world of Agon is a large open world that consists of both land and water and gives the freedom to players to uncover its hidden secrets.
  • Flexible Roles: Choose role at will, switching from meat shield to master mage to benevolent healer. Players can switch between roles, skills, spells, and ability boosters on the fly. Develop your skills in all roles and experience the game in a multitude of different ways over time or specialize in a single role and be the one your friends depend on to fulfill that calling.
  • Full Loot: You keep what you kill. Players can loot all of the goods from a slain enemy, and vice versa.
  • Persistence: Players can affect the fabric of the game world, constructing and fortifying cities across Agon and building empires that last as long as they can defend them.

So… Darkfall? It is a terrible, terrible sign when the only thing you can announce about your “new game” is that’s it’s the old game. What exactly is being announced? A sub-title? That a patch is coming SoonTM? We’ve known that. It’s actually been “over two years in the making.”

Okay, okay. Let’s not get out of hand. There’s a video. Let’s have a look.

Most uninformative dev video in recent memory. Seriously. You know what they revealed there? Wait for it… Unholy Wars… is… a… THING! Holy crow, stop the presses, and slap you mother with an oven mitt! A THING did you hear?! Oh yeah, and something about sieges and remembering critics’ names. But a THING! Someday!

All snark aside, I like Darkfall. It’s a unique, compelling game with a better combat system than almost any other MMO, a huge open world, full looting, and lots of appealing old-school mentalities. Darkfall is the kind of game this genre needs more of both in PvPand PvE. I want them to come out with 2.0 and have it be something so brain-crushingly awesome that the whole world stands up to take notice.

That said, this “announcement” was a complete and unbridled disappointment. If they’re selling a box (are they selling a box?) — or trying to stir up much of anything besides ire,  they need more than “hey guys, remember us? We’re here, in SUBTITLE form.”

Yeah, more details will come (assuming this doesn’t take 2 more years to release), and I’m sure there will be stuff worth getting excited over. Maybe they should have included just one of those in this announcement. Just sayin’.

Syncaine seems to be optimistic, though, which is actually worth more note than anything in the video! Maybe he’ll tell us why better than Tasos.

07/21/11

The Multiverse – Season 02 Episode 08 – “Milk Them Mode”

Hey Gang,

It’s been an interesting set of weeks and we thank you for sticking with us and awaiting this episode! Adam and I have our travel behind us, so we came together Saturday to talk about the utter WEALTH of MMO news that’s cropped up this last month. On the docket today:

  • RIFT’s state of the game address and looking into the future – too much open world PvP?
  • Fan Faire – What doth thou learn, ser Adam?
  • A brief trip down monocle lane…
  • Darkfall 2.0… a NEW game?!?
  • And much, much more!

This episode was very fun to record and Adam did a great job of putting it together. As always, if you like it, please consider dropping us an iTunes review!

Enjoy the show!

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11/16/10

Exchanging Server Communities For Game Communities

She's hiding because she plays Darkfall

Green Armadillo had an interesting post up yesterday where he discusses the coming battlegroup merges in WoW. He points out that it’s another step closer to global servers and I couldn’t agree more. One of the cons he mentions, amongst several others, has to do with server communities becoming less meaningful.  My first reaction similar to GA’s, a mixture of disdain for the ever lessening meaning of our servers and optimism at the new possibilities these advancements bring to the game. I let it sit, though, and I’ve come to the conclusion that server communities really aren’t important anymore – not just in WoW, but in almost every game – and that we’d all be better off leaving them in the past.

I understand why people want to hold onto them. It’s a kind of identity, the server you call home. You get to know people better – theoretically, anyways – and can make a name for yourself. How you perform on battlegrounds and in open world PvP are meaningful because you start to recognize the key players on either side. More importantly, the community of each server takes on its own identity. In LotRO, Landroval is the RP server because the players have made it so. In WoW, servers build names through leading guilds. Servers very much shape how we experience the game. They’re important.

They’re also divisive and bad for the community. We take on this nationalist vibe for the servers we play on; “Realm Pride,” “Battlegroup Pride.” To be nationalist also means to hold oneself apart from everyone on the outside. Sure, we see melting pots, like forums and the comments sections of popular blogs. For the most part, people want to stay where they rolled their first character and feel awkward anytime they try a new server. In turn, players across the game feel left out when Landroval holds a special event while theirs does nothing. That’s why I left Meneldor; I started to see it as sub-par while the better, more active, servers had better, more fun things going on all the time. $30 later, I’m on Landroval with a new name.

Most importantly, they separate out friends. It’s a royal pain to try to get a bunch of MMO players on the same server.  The companies running the game love that; it’s like built in peer pressure to spend, spend, spend. No one wants to pay $25 just to run a few dungeons with their pals and most people simply won’t – they’d have to leave their own server to do so. And, as GA so rightfully points out, games like WoW now have the technology to overcome this. We can chat cross-server. Surely more is within reach.

The problem is that moving into a single server is frightening. All the sudden, you’re faced with the GAME community instead of the SERVER community. What would it mean for Landroval if it were suddenly combined with every other server? Would that wonderful community prevail or get lost in the midst of all the non-RP servers? How about WoW.  Would the weight of all that mouth-breathing, gear scoring, forum blather suddenly outweigh the honest folks who just want to have some fun running a dungeon?

Honestly, I don’t think so. When I look to the single-server games I’ve played, they’ve all been positive experiences (with the possible exception of Darkfall). Fallen Earth stands out as one of the best, most cohesive single-shard game communities I’ve ever taken part in. Now, I’m not saying that there’s not idiots and jerks in every game – because there are, lots of them – but that players become part of one cohesive unit. When you see somebody on the forums, there’s a chance of meeting that person in the game. When you log in you know that this is it, everyone playing the game is here, with you. It changes the atmosphere. There’s no, friend X is on Meneldor, Y is Argent Dawn, let’s all roll alts on Burning Crusade. It simply is and it aids immeasurably to the sense of world evoked by the game.

So while I appreciate server community, appreciate the great folks who come in and make each game worth playing, I can also appreciate that those same people would be there if servers were dissolved entirely. In point of fact, there would be more of them, all around you, and more accessible than ever before.

The question, when we take technology out of it, is if we feel the community in our games is strong enough to support it. If you ask yourself, would I still play this game if every server was combined as one, and the answer is no, I’d have to ask what that says about the playerbase.

10/18/10

Community Spotlight #4: Keen of Keen and Graev’s Gaming Blog

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.

====

For our previous Community Spotlight segments, please click here.

10/11/10

The Multiverse – Episode #29: “Refer a Nation, Get a Mount”

Hey Guys,

Another week, another Multiverse! This week, the part of Riknas is being played by Jeremy of the MMO Voices podcast! We always have a good time when members of the MMOV crew join us and this time was no different. Thanks to him for joining us and best of luck to Riknas who was out for the SATs!

We talk about the weeks news, including:

  • Turbine doubling their revenues and tripling their mailbox dancing!
  • Darkfall comes out with its latest expansion and releases rockable ponies for players to race on!
  • More information on Undead Labs zombie MMO!

We follow up with a talk about free trials, demos, and other fun “try it now” options and weigh out the merit/drawbacks of each.

It was a great show. Be sure to stay until the end for a special surprise from Ferrel. Remember, if you like the show, participate by sending us an email at multiversepodcast@gmail.com or leaving an iTunes review.

See you next week for Germany-cast number two!

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08/16/10

Darkfall Combat is NOT So Special.

We’re starting this Monday out on a more sour note, I guess. Sorry for that. This got to me over the weekend, enough to inspire a whole post. You’ve probably seen Darkfall players talk crap about action bar MMOs. Yeah, well, they’re full of crap. Here’s why:

This guy secretly plays WoW. Don't tell the goblins.

There’s a common theme that runs in posts supporting Darkfall: the combat is leaps and bounds above other MMOs. I’m sorry but no, no it’s not. Now, that’s not to say that the AI supporting it isn’t good, because it is. Mob AI is leaps and bounds ahead of other MMOs. What I’m talking about it this idea that people playing normal action bar games are somehow dimwits.

The only thing substantial Darkfall adds to the mix is mouse squiggling. Here’s a typical set of combat encounters:

LotRO: 1, 2, 4, 5, 0, 2, 1 – repeat

Darkfall: 1, click, squiggle, click, 1, click, squiggle, 3, click – repeat.

See what I’m saying? What I find especially funny is that all of these people forget to mention that Darkfall uses action bars. The only difference is that you have to left click to make the ability go off! Making the user face the target and click repeatedly does not deep combat make.

Let me dispel a couple other misconceptions. Despite all that advanced AI, everything still seems pretty basic. I don’t doubt that there’s a lot going on behind the scenes, but when a Greater Servant “sees” me from half a mile away, I don’t think “oh crap, it’s dark so he must see better at night.” I think, “gee, he has an aggro range.” When a mob runs around me in circles, then runs away, stops, jitters, runs back, and runs away again, I don’t think “wow, he’s really aware of the situation and trying to trip me up.” I think, “oh look, he moves, and I have to face him.” If having to face your enemy is what the ForumFall-ites are priding themselves on, I suggest they get a reality check.

Look, I like Darkfall. A lot. The sum of all those little parts adds up to combat that is a lot more active but not necessarily more challenging. If anything, I’d say that, for PvE at least, action bar combat is the more complex. Where most Darkfall players will keep to a single action bar and a handful of skills for all situations, the average WoW player manages 3-4 packed with abilities. The current state of action bar combat allows players to not only react to any situation but also strategize what to use and when on the fly.

For many, myself included, the active swinging of a weapon is a lot of fun. And I’m not making any bones about PvP – I firmly believe that DF beats most other games here, if we’re talking skill. Other people find it stressful and annoying. To each their own. But that doesn’t make them stupid for preferring traditional controls over FPS-lite.

It’s pretty simple. Not many of you have played Darkfall or ever will. So, imagine your last fight in DDO. Now imagine the mobs running around you and trying to flee before they die. That’s pretty much it. Except, I don’t see many DDO players calling the rest of us idiots for playing normal MMOs.

07/30/10

Why “Quit” an MMO?

I just finished up the last few lines on this week’s article for Lagwar (it’s a good one, too, if I do say so myself – link incoming soon) and, as I re-read, I noticed mentioning how I “quit” Darkfall, once in the past. I don’t understand why we use that word. Does anyone really “quit” a game, anymore?

I may be stating the obvious here, but I think “quitting” an MMO is just silly. We shouldn’t say it. Quitting implies some kind of charred ending, like you left on bad terms. You quit drinking. You quit smoking and gambling. You quit adopting red haired children just to make them watch the “ginger” episode of South Park. But, unless you’re addicted, why exactly would you need to “quit” an MMO?

Then there’s the question of what quitting actually means. In my article, I talk about it in reference to a long break. Yet, here I am playing it again. I don’t feel guilty. I didn’t relapse on Darkfall. No giving in to temptation here. It looked like fun, so I’m playing again. Did I really quit, was there any permanence like when we quit other things in life? No, not at all. If I intended to “quit” Darkfall, then I failed.

I find it interesting that so many players claim to quit their MMO. Without fail, and with WoW especially, those players will probably be back. They obviously didn’t quit, but some part of them must have felt better for telling themselves that. Does this imply guilt for continuing to play? The lack of “I’m baaaack” posts seems to say yes. Players quit and then silently creep back to the tap that made them bitter in the first place.

But, why should players have to “quit” anything? Isn’t that a little silly? We’re talking about games here. It’s unique to the multiplayer experience, too. I never remember anyone saying they were quitting Tetris. Players have had hours and hours of fun with single player games, but you don’t hear them say they’re quitting. They simply move on. They put the game they’re bored with to the side and play something else. There’s no bitterness there; it was fun while it lasted. Maybe someday down the line they’ll pop it back in and play it again. They wouldn’t even need to sneak back and hope no one found out.

So, my personal pledge is to get rid of this idea of “quitting” an MMO. I might get tired of a game. I might even get bitter and fed up with a game. But, I’m not going to quit. I’m going to put it to the side and keep it as an option. I’m a gamer, options are what make life exciting. As a gamer, playing more makes me smarter. I know games and I know myself. It’s an education.

It’s time we recognize that quitting is an illusion. It’s something we tell ourselves to feel better about giving up the everything we’ve accomplished in the games we leave. As gamers, it’s not about quitting so much as experiencing. We leave one game to try another and, if we want, we can always go home again.

Gamers don’t quit, they take breaks. Sometimes those breaks are long. But, I won’t invalidate all the fun I had because it was time to move on. When I leave WoW, it might be for a year or more. When I go back, I’ll do it all over again. I’ll do it because it’s a game and that’s how it’s meant to be played. Games aren’t about starting and quitting. They’re about playing. Playing is never a commitment. It’s about living in the moment and having a bit of fun while you can. Why would you ever want to give that up with an “I Quit” post?

Have a great weekend, everyone.


07/28/10

The Multiverse – Episode #23: “The Little Things are Best in Space”

This big thing is made up of lots of little things, other little things are going to land on the big thing. Do the little things blow it up?

Hey gang,

Another week, another Multiverse! This week we touch on the Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning trailer, FFXIV’s recommended requirements, the cast of DCUO, and more! We have a clarification from last week, too. It seems that the reported 200k new subscribers for LotRO were actually beta applicants. Still impressive, in my opinion! Thanks to Green Armadillo and Doc Holiday for catching that. Green Armadillo also has a post up inspired by our conversation on GW2 from last week. Check it out here.

Our round table this week focused on atmosphere. After playing through a few of Cataclysm’s new starting zones, I started to notice just how immersive they felt – but not because of narrative; rather, atmosphere! We discuss what makes of breaks the illusion and what little noticed pieces we appreciate the most. Ending the segment, we answer an email from Deloryan, who writes:

Hi muliverse crew!! A lot of my friends turn off the music in wow and I don’t get it. I LOVE video game music and think it adds a lot to the experience. Do you guys listen to the music in games and do you have any favorites from the mmorpgs you play?

The last half of this show represents one of the funniest times we’ve had together. Riknas is finally shut out from the furry club. You’re in or you’re out and, unlike some kinds of club, we don’t mind talking openly about it!

Don’t forget to check out my blog of the week, Hunter’s Insight (latest post), for a great look at the upcoming Guild Wars 2. And, if you need a laugh, check out Riknas’s F2P game of the week: Arch Lord.

The ending music of this week’s show is also changed. In honor of my re-downloading the game, we’re featuring one of the most epic scores from Mass Effect 2.

Oh, and before I forget, my new year’s resolution (new year for the blog, anyways), I’m resolving to fit editing time into my Monday to get you these in a more timely manner.

Thanks for listening!

PS: We had some technical issues, so this show is a longer than usual. We’ll be back to our normal one hour format next week.

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