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Leviathyn.com's Dean Martin looks into the achievement craze. Is it good for gaming? Also, could we possibly see a unified points system for gamers in the future?
MMORPGS are the ultimate time consumer in the gaming world. Several big names games such as City of Heroes, LOTRO, DC Universe Online have gone free to play. Yet the games that charge the monthly fees WoW and SWTOR continue to bring in players and grow. The question Goozernation has is there room for both to be profitable, to survive, and which is the better model?
Part two of a rant that I posted last week. I'm ranting about stereotypes in the MMO Genre that do more harm to games than good. I also take the time to point out games that are smacking these tropes in the face. You should definitely read part one before reading part two.
This rant points out some of the more pervasive annoyances in the MMO genre, and shows how some companies are doing it right. Part 1 of a 2 part series.
EA has been long at work with Bioware's and Lucas Arts on the most costly video game of all time. They have been working on it for years in the time that they have been working on it there has been 4 COD video games. The new game is set to take aim at some of the biggest RPG and MMORPG video games with aggressive marketing to get users away from other games.
"Several things have been forming dark clouds in front of the windshield of World of Warcraft. It's not just new games either, Blizzard hasn't been trying to be careful lately. But WoW needs to be, because they are slowly getting in trouble."
According to a Canadian astronaut, the internet in space is compared to a poor dial up signal. No online games in space! That burst some bubbles. Check out the full info on the link.
Gus Mastrapa of Joystick Division explores how video games permit great evils, connecting Lars Von Trier, Tyler the Creator, Hassan i-Sabbah and video game Nazis along the way.
Astrum Nival's Allods Online goes head-to-head with Blizzard's billion dollar money maker, World of Warcraft. Find out how each game fares when it comes to features, PvP and endgame content in this three round versus matchup.
Daav from NoobFeed.com goes over all the winners in the Art of Video Games exhibition from the Smithsonian. After about a quarter decade of playing games and a bunch of platforms, NoobFeed goes over what choices are sound and what improvements or better decisions could've made the final cut. Get your nostalgia on!
"The player base for many MMOs (Massively Multiplayer Online) comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and emotional decay. Whether it be the socially awkward twenty-four year old with dominance issues, or the thirty-two year old ‘girl gamer’ who feels that her chest bumps are deserving of the latest and greatest equipment within the game; If you’ve played any MMO at all you are bound to run into one or the other – hopefully not both, but sadly not exactly all that uncommon of an occurrence."
"Although I no longer play, once upon a time I dedicated a large portion of my time to the world of Azeroth. My playtime was well over 100days, and that was just on my main character. From the minute I got home from school to when I went to bed, I would be glued to my keyboard – pausing only for dinner. Despite all this, I would not describe it as an addiction. An addiction leads to negative withdrawal symptoms when your chosen stimulus is not available. This was not the case with WoW. If I wa..."
"For now, the dust has settled. Millions of Chinese players are currently wandering across Northrend, gaining levels and seeing all there is to see. The woes that have plagued them over the course of the past two years seem distant, even as China's Internet addiction treatment industry continues to thrive, and their government remains as steadfast as ever in their efforts to silence dissent and unfavorable controversy. Those things belong in a different place, one far removed from Blizzard's f..."
This is an article about World of Warcraft that intends to show the addictive qualities of Blizzard's MMO are the fault of the users and not the actual design of the software. This controversial view is presented by DualShockers, please enjoy and feel free to reply with your own opinions.
"The latest video game inspired art series will focus on how a MMO might appear if it were set inside of the Mushroom Kingdom. In this case, we're just going to use World of Warcraft as a base for class types (afterall - if you understand what an MMO is then you're, most likely familiar with WoW)."
"The latest video game inspired art series will focus on how a MMO might appear if it were set inside of the Mushroom Kingdom. In this case, we're just going to use World of Warcraft as a base for class types (afterall - if you understand what an MMO is then you're, most likely familiar with WoW).
To kick things off, the series will begin with Mario as a Druid. Taking gamer's back to Super Mario Bros. 3, the famous plumber is placed inside the Tanooki suit in order to become some type of ..."
"3D technology may have been around for generations but the sector has experienced rapid growth over the last year or so. Since James Cameron's Avatar gave cinemagoers a taste of its potential, professionals throughout the entertainment industry have been dreaming up new ways of utilising the hardware. With the launch of 3D televisions and broadcasting services, advocates of the technology are making a bid to ensnare a wider audience. And given that a large percentage of current generation vi..."
Blizzard's upcoming policy of using forum posters' real names in their posts is controversial at best, and people are in an uproar about it. Are they doing the right thing, though? Community management is an elegant art, and one that it seems Blizzard is not interested in managing. An Icrontic op/ed.
"Becoming exalted with the Wyrmrest Accord is relatively easy out of all the Northrend factions. There is an achievement for exalted and a player will be able to purchase item enchants and an exclusive flying mount."
"The girl gamer is a rare breed of lady. Like a ninja or a flying unicorn, she remains perpetually shrouded in myth and/or shadow. Statistics would have us believe that over 40 percent of gamers are female — but come on. When was the last time you got trash-talked on Modern Warfare 2 by the dulcet tones of a woman? The fact is: you have a better chance of meeting a girl with an interest in Gauguin than gaming (girls are a lot smarter than us, y’see).
But that’s not to say that female gamers..."
""According to a recent report on Kotaku.com, Blizzard’s highly touted, and subscription-crazed massively multiplayer online title, World of Warcraft, has stabilized in the past year in terms of growth. The number of players playing it in December 2008 has not changed. Same numbers.
Of course, there are those predicting its downfall. Every new MMO that comes down the pike inevitably – though in hushed tones – gets the question about whether it will be the game that kills WoW.
Let’s get ..."
"Massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs) boast one of the largest player bases of any gaming genre. With 11 million players subscribing to World of Warcraft alone, MMOs are not only a hugely popular form of entertainment, they're also becoming an increasingly popular lab for social scientists."
GameDaily gives its own take at which RPG style is superior in the categories of the classic RPG, the MMORPG, the tactical RPG, the action RPG, most emotionally engaging (contains FFVII and Mass Effect spoilers), and the overall winner.
Though you might not agree with everything stated, it is an interesting read on a topic that continues to spur the interest of RPG fans.
"You wake up, move to your computer, and launch Steam. This has become your routine. This is "normal" to you. Are you addicted to video games or are you simply part of a growing, culturally accepted phenomenon?
Video games are fun, and it's illogical to assume that everyone will be responsible with their gaming habits. Some of us enjoy a few hours of casual play per week while others insist on spending the night in front of a screen. At the end of the day, most of us depend on games for a s..."
"One of the strangest challenges porn faces is competition from online games like World of Warcraft, though the connection may at first seem random. “It is all entertainment that you are getting involved in the same way as porn is entertainment,” said Aiden. “I won’t say everyone, but a lot of people in the industry play videogames. The games are competition for porn. Fans jerk off to porn and are done, but you can keep playing a game.”"
A recent change that Blizzard made to the protection warrior class' "Warbringer" talent is causing a stir on the Blizzard forums and around fan sites.
"NVIDIA and Guinness World Records were offering VISA Gift Cards, high-end computer peripherals and memory, entrance to the expo, a custom shirt, free food and beverage service throughout the attempt and an official medal and custom-made plaque to hold the record certificate to top it all off. I'd also receive exclusive Guinness World recorder branded Nike Presto shoes. Even better: My company would be paying me for my gaming experience, because it was a great way to promote and recruit for th..."
"Despite the fact that the vast majority of games these days are developed for a cross-platform release, available on a combination of consoles, handheld consoles and for the PC, there is and always has been a fundamental difference between the nature of PC games and console games (or perhaps gamers?). In this feature article I’ll consider five reasons to stick to consoles and five reasons to move over to a PC for the majority of your gaming (unbiased – I personally use both)."
"I had never laid my hands on a single bit of MMO action until late 2007. Don’t get me wrong, I had always wanted to play one since the days of Everquest; but to be fair I was a bit young to be shelling out subscription fees and upgrading my computer. However, after hearing about World of Warcraft’s global success of 11 million players and counting, I had just finished with Warcraft III for the PC and I was intrigued. I had actually purchased the client disc for World of Warcraft a few months ..."
While gaming industry analyst Michael Cai thinks people should stop looking for a WoW killer, the truth is that World of Warcraft will eventually die, and we may start seeing the beginning of it in the next round of big MMO titles.
"There are endless discussions on gaming forums, op-ed articles posted on blogs and websites, and a general discourse about how to properly review a game. These people never shut up about appropriate etiquette and what makes a good review. Recently Stephen Totillo, of MTV Multiplayer, posted up a portion of his participation in Shawn Elliots Game Reviews Symposium where he compares game reviews to book, TV, and movie reviews. He makes the very valid point that game reviewers and gamers are co..."
Neoseeker's Lydia Sung aka RabidChinaGirl has a special Special up today in light of everyone's favourite holiday invented by greeting card companies...
Consider it a retort of sorts to GG's earlier article Top Ten Games To Play With Your Valentine -- this one's got breasts and guns and explosions and stuff.
Enjoy!
"One is a pure, bubbly and pretty-as-pink princess who rarely reveals even the skin of her ankle. The other is a sassy, sexy and no-nonsense computer program who has spent her entire existence in the nude. Within the tightly linked and extraordinarily small world of videogame voice acting, however, these two women are the exact same person."
"You know, its not that I don't like people. People are cool. I really do enjoy getting to know people in general. But for the most part, I don't want to participate in headset banter. In some circles, one might label me a jerk.
Don't get me wrong though. I'm not a complete tool. If I'm playing something that involves heavy strategy or tight verbal coordination, I'm throwing on the headset, no question. Call of Duty or Left 4 Dead would be a generally disastrous experience without voice cha..."
"First, I want to point out that the PC gaming industry is not dead, or dying. It's changing, perhaps, but multi-million dollar game sales (that aren't just casual games) prove that it's still going strong. In fact, I would argue that World of Warcraft is actually helping the PC gaming industry, even if it is ruining lives."
"So what hope is there for the PC? Unfortunately, things look grim, though there is hope in unusual places. Of course, MMOs will help to keep PC gaming alive; I dont think WoW will be leaving us anytime soon. And with the increase in casual gaming by women (playing arcade or card games online), those kind of game sales will help to booster the PC as well.
In addition, an alliance was formed earlier this year, including Intel, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Advanced Micro Devices, all companies wit..."
What really makes you say wow? Well this news story certainly will make you go wow... since one gamer alone has done what no man gamer has done before:- Played World of Warcraft using 36 accounts... and most of all... he plays on them simultaneously...
That's right... he goes on raids with a lot of characters... all controlled by him. Spending a total of $5711 on subscriptions, it most definitely an expensive hobby that this guy has... be sure to check out what he thinks of this in his own...
"With some games, ESRB ratings can be either too damning, or not restrictive enough. How many parents buy their children copies of games like Halo 3 and Grand Theft Auto IV, regardless of the warnings on the box, pamphlets shoved into their hands by concerned Best Buy employees, or simple common sense? On the hand, there are plenty of other games that the ESRB just rates poorly. Mass Effect gets an M rating for fictional alien violence, but Call of Duty (which is based on actual military event..."
After having a conversation with his friend Allen about trying to convince him to play the recently released MMO called Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, Adam LaMosca - who writes for The Escapist - lists all the reasons why some people are just not attracted to MMO-type games, such as his friend.
Everyone goes through their stages where they find an addicting game that they just can't stop playing (mine was SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo). You're up late at night, you brush off your friends, your grades start slipping: All for a video game.
Jordan Deam's first addiction was Diablo II while ongoing his senior year. Later, he found World of Warcraft in college, which also devoured a portion of his life. Now, he has the game titled Peggle, developed and published by PopCap Game...
When an avid WoW gamer entered the world of warcraft, he was stunned to find the streets lined up with dead female gnomes... However it wasn't till he zoomed out till he discovered what was actually going on... the Gnomes were in fact an advertisement by a gold farming company. Take a look at the screenshots below.
"Plenty of people use non-expensive laptops and desktop pcs for simple school projects, music management, and web browsing. A lot of these people are also gamers, but don't buy games for their PCs because they think that their setup can't handle anything beyond Bejewled. Well they're wrong. I happen to be one of those gamers. I got my laptop last Christmas and ignorantly popped in the Orange Box and after the lengthy install, dove into Half-Life 2. It wasn't pretty. I thought my computer was g..."
"Some would argue that D3 takes place 20 years after the events of Diablo II - in a happy, joyful world where cute/cuddly bunnies hop around with butterflies in golden-green-meadows under rainbows of bliss. But honestly, this is Diablo: the very word means "devil" in Spanish. It HAS to have demonic creatures, hellish baddies, and dark, creepy themes. Blizzard certainly hasn't forgotten that. Sanctuary ain't no Azeroth, and D3 ain't no WoW 2!"
With today's gamer requiring a fast paced, highly action oriented, and not all that thought provoking game - it is no wonder we have seen the decline of traditional point and click RPGs like most of us grew up with back in the day. I enjoyed spending literally days of my life playing these games, maxing out stats, collecting every secret - no matter how pointless, and growing pale in my basement with my only source of light being the television and and power button for weeks on end.
LordCh...
If you're a whiny nerd with a WoW account, here's what you probably sound like. Warning: If you aren't a WoW player, there's a fantastic chance that you won't have any hint of an idea what this article is talking about.
Penny Arcade have posted the results of their Ten Word World of Warcraft Story contest, complete with comic renders of the top three winners (pictured).
Note: This content contains language that may offend readers.
"On a personal note this was the hardest list I've ever attempted to write. All of these girls are villains in some way, with exception of the Horde. It was a ridiculous quest to find a female in a video games who wasn't attractive. And not just attractive, drop dead, unrealistically gorgeous. I hate to ruin a simple list like this, but why? Why are there no normal to ugly looking females, let alone fat ones. I mean I hate to break it to you people, fats real. People are bitching about how the..."
![Box shot of World of Warcraft [North America]](http://i.neoseeker.com/boxshots/R2FtZXMvUEMvUm9sZS1QbGF5aW5nL01hc3NpdmVseV9NdWx0aXBsYXllcg==/world_of_warcraft_frontcover_small_8HrDimI9kvbMAQa.jpg)