Surprise! Vivendi wants Blizzard to make them money.

I see that the rumour mill is once again in full effect saying that Blizzard is going "all MMORPG on the games industry" based on a slide taken out of context from a presentation to some pack of clueless businessmen. Regardless of whether this might actually be true (just look at the amount of backpedaling Gamespot has done!), I find it hard to believe this is coming as a surprise to anyone. There have been talks about Blizzard turning their three franchises into MMORPGs since World of Warcraft was released. What's the big deal? It's not like Blizzard had plans to create anything new...they've been milking their trinity of IP for almost eight years! Even if their new game wasn't an MMORPG, what was it going to be? StarCraft 2?

The real surprise in all this is the lack of any snide commentary from Matt Gallant, who usually goes out of his way to slag off the gaming website community when they parrot frivolous rumours like this.

another crusade, but this time it's burning

I'm going to feign surprise at Blizzard's recent announcement of the Draenei as the Alliance race for The Burning Crusade expansion due later this year. Details of the expansion - unofficial, of course - were available almost immediately after the initial announcement last October. I can't say I've gained any more appreciation for the idea.

Let's get the cosmetic stuff out of the way: the new races are boring. The Blood Elves simply look like re-skinned Night Elves. Though I find it interesting that a "pretty" race was added to the ranks of the generally nasty-looking Horde. I'm sure this will cause an influx of new Horde players to try the new Spellbreaker class, which up to this point seems to be only available to the Blood Elves. The Draenei look like a cross between Hellboy and the Twi'leks from the Star Wars universe, sharing their overall soft appearance with the Night Elves. They certainly look friendly enough to be an Alliance race. But no new class for them. Judging from the race's ability to wield Holy Magic I can see Paladin, Preist, Warrior and Mage being available.

A new profession will be offered: Jewelcrafting. It follows, then, that socketed weapons and armour will now be part of loot drops and Blacksmith recipes. I get the feeling that Diablo II really was their model for the simplistic, action-oriented gameplay. This is a good addition for those that want to customize their gear without having to level up any crafting skills to the point where they actually produce useful items. I'm assuming of course that socketed items and gems will be readily available to all players of the expansion. It will be interesting to see how this feature is handled for people without the expansion, because there is no doubt there will be a high demand for these materials at the Auction House.

The expansion also adds a new area: Outland. Formerly the Orcish homeworld of Draenor, it has since been ravaged by the Burning Legion. Being able to explore the floating remains of this planet seems like a cool concept, but it sounds way too much like Everquest II's Kingdom of Sky. Flying mounts are also made available in Outland, but I question the decision to limit them to Outland despite their immediate practicality in this new wasteland. It seems kind of pointless when more content is being added to the core game; why not allow players to explore it on their flying mounts? It's probably just another case of keeping the expansion pack owners separate from the rest of the players, a tactic used in Star Wars Galaxies for their own flying expansion. But at least SWG had an excuse: you can only fly in space. I could buy a ship and go anywhere in the galaxy without having to buy transport tickets. Blizzard is basically telling me that I still have to pay for griffin rides when I own a flying mount.

The Burning Crusade certainly expands the content of the existing game by adding new areas to explore, quests and instances to raid. However, I don't see it addressing the fundamental problem with the endgame that requires so much time and effort to gain any measurable benefit from. The additional 10 levels seem arbitrary when you consider what's involved in getting through them. It essentially propagates the idea that high level players not involved with raids or guilds must start yet another alt or gain the next 10 levels through grinding instances in pick up groups. I know there will be many people that buy this expansion the day it comes out, but are they really that desperate for more of the same? I had hopes that this expansion would be alluring enough to make me want to play the game again, but it seems like Blizzard is continuing its construction of another Everquest.

massive update to Star Wars Galaxies admits defeat

I still hold fast to my belief that Star Wars Galaxies was the best MMORPG I've ever played. Looking back through past writings, it read like an emotional rollercoaster where my fondness for the game fluctuated drastically over a short period. Through five months of playing, I was exposed to an incredible variety of roleplaying experiences, high-level monster hunts, and taking part in producing average-level goods for the game world's economy. I was quick to dismiss the Jump to Lightspeed expansion as the first nail in the game's coffin, because the mechanics of the land and space-based portions of the game felt so disparate. I didn't want a twitch shooter, I wanted an extension of my adventures planetside. Though in hindsight the "X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter" model is probably the only way it could have been done in such a small timeframe. Three expansions later Star Wars Galaxies has changed dramatically, to the point that players started leaving in droves.

evolving virtual worlds

In hindsight, David Sirlin's seemingly harsh remarks about what World of Warcraft offers the MMORPG scene could be considered flame bait - they certainly caused enough of a stir within the games community. I think the important point he brings to the discussion is the insistence of the current game model to reward players based on time spent in the game. Based on my own experiences in World of Warcraft, it was often infuriating to watch friends who had more time to spend gaming accelerate through the game, participating in high level instances that I could never hope to be a part of. As a result I was forced to play solo - definitely not a bad thing - but still feeling like I was missing out on something. While pure exploration is always a worthy pursuit, the game should be able to be experienced by all participants - not necessarily the ones willing to spend the most time staring blankly into their monitors.

Sirlin's article prompted a thoughtful list from Raph Koster, which in his words was more of a lament of the state of MMORPGs than a bona fide response. I think the most fascinating aspect of this list is that is speaks as much about the gamers than the games themselves (see: "Staring at someone who is talking the politest thing you can do. Because the only other option is to not look at them at all.")

There is an ongoing conversation at Terra Nova about this list. Ignoring the attack and defense of SOE and Koster, I think the antagonist in the discussion brings up an excellent point:

From this point on Talent will be one of the biggest determining factors in the success of any given MMORPG. When you see a screenshot from WoW you know it’s WoW. When you see a screenshot from Eve Online you know it’s Eve Online. When you see a screenshot from Chronicles of Spellborn you know it’s Chronicles of Spellborn. You can’t create the artistic talent reflected in those games with polygons, pixel count, or realism. You can’t replace the musical talent in those games with a movie soundtrack. You can’t substitute the depth and beauty of the lore created for these games with player created events. In order for a MMORPG to be a true success it has to have genuinely talented and inspiring artists working together to bring it to life – just like in any other artistic endeavor.

The first thing I noticed when I joined the beta of World of Warcraft were the incredibly unique environments. I was able to ignore the low poly character models and drawn-on shadows, because this game had style. The limited amount of background established by the Warcraft series had been fleshed out to make you feel like you were living amongst a contintent-spanning conflict. While I enjoyed Star Wars Galaxies immensely (before it was irreversibly changed into another Everquest), I tend to agree that it suffered from a lack of a definable style. To be given such a powerful license and still not manage to convey what made the movies so magical did irreperable damage to the game's reputation. And placing immediately accessible, famous NPCs into the revamped version is no substitute. There's nothing unique about World of Warcraft's gameplay - in fact, before I cancelled the gameplay had become mind-numbingly tedious. But that never stopped me from exploring, because there was no shortage of skillfully constructed atmosphere to take in.

I'm all for changing the current play model for modern MMORPGs; Star Wars Galaxies gave me a taste of what was possible. But first and foremost, I want to be entertained.

goodbye to Azeroth

I wasn't kidding; the deed is done before my next billing cycle starts tomorrow. While it's terribly easy to cancel an account, I find it a bit unnerving to be told that by doing so I'm "making the Peon cry".

Truth be told, I probably haven't touched my main (a night elf hunter) for about two months, and haven't been the worse for wear. I simply don't have the time to spend on what is essentially just something to occupy all of my game time, when I'd rather be enjoying something, well, newer. It certainly makes writing about games a lot easier.

Before making the final decision to cancel my account, I was then presented with an animated gif of a robed figure begging for forgiveness, and the following:

The peon is full-on weeping now. We hope you're happy. Are you positive you want to deactivate your subscription?

I never got this kind of guilt trip with Star Wars Galaxies, though navigating SOE's Station Subscription site was a bit of a headache. Everyone knows that MMORPGs have addictive qualities. Some people's lives are so upended by them they seek professional help - or do nothing and lose everything. Why is Blizzard trying to make this process harder for someone who's looking to turn their life around? Though these comments may be intended as a humerous send off, I don't think the guy who lost his wife and kids to a game is laughing.

auto assault: traversing irradiated highways

In the future, there are cars with guns. Lots of guns. There are vast, unending reaches of post-apocolyptic wasteland to explore, in varying shades of brown and grey. And sometimes it rains, making the polluted atmosphere almost tangible as your headlights attempt to penetrate the gloom. Then the mutants come, the pallor of their tainted skins reflected in your high-beams. You mow them down with machine gun fire, one by one, running over a few for good measure. But they don't die. The machine gun only does 1-2 damage. The mutants rise again after your 2 tonne vehicle just ran headlong into a crowd of them. Something isn't right here.

Welcome to Auto Assault.

there is an end, and I don't like it.

And this is why I'm cancelling before it's too late.

In the context of the article I'm definitely a "casual" player of World of Warcraft - I just don't have the time or the patience to get involved in a guild, only to serve as a single-function entity in some 30 person raid for possible drops of elite gear. Which is really only useful for more raids. Where's the adventure? Forget that, where's the roleplaying?

I like soloing. I only have to worry about myself and I can have fun for as long as I want. I also don't mind grouping with friends for a few quests here and there. There's less of an investment required in these activities. It's this point in the game where high level characters perpetuate the need for high level group raids or PvP combat that turns me away. As Jennings points out, this isn't the game I started playing, and certainly isn't the one I plan on finishing.

and it corrodes my soul

welcome to Azeroth

I consider myself off the skag that is World of Warcraft; I have had enough of a break from the game that I can view my experiences with it objectively. I've got an article over at The Cultural Gutter that is an attempt to capture the essence of what is arguably the most popular MMORPG in existence right now. With an expansion looming in the distance that tears my heart in two, and holding on hope for the last three patches that something might actually be done to deepen the experience, I consider the article a purging of that other life.

in my new pattern shirt

online gaming addiction: a new disorder?

A great article by Nick Yee explores the foundations of "Internet Addiction Disorder" (IAD) and whether it actually applies to habitual online gaming. His conclusion is that it does not, and in fact attempts to disassemble the criteria established by Kimberly Young in a 1996 study to diagnose "internet addiction" in general. I really like how he compared gaming to what our society deems as acceptable timesinks: watching TV (annoyingly passive for a gamer), playing golf every weekend or working long hours. While he makes his own share of generalizations, the crux of his argument is that this "disorder" is not new, and actually stems from underlying problems the person usually possesses like low self esteem or depression - the same approach taken to address addiction to drugs, alcohol and gambling.

By calling it "online gaming addiction", the media encourages us to think that we're dealing with a very new problem…If people can develop behavioral dependencies on any activity, then why are we surprised that some people develop dependencies on online games? Why is it news? I contend it is mostly because we've always used the word "addiction" to mark out deviant social activities in a way that treats them as unique predators, as emergent problems which we've never seen before. But once we shift our framework to one of general behavioral dependencies, then we have to abandon this view. What we're seeing is actually a very old problem.

After enjoying World of Warcraft for just under a year, I contend that I drifted dangerously close to the point of what may be considered "addiction", where I actually questioned my level of involvement with the game. I never played for more than 4 hours at a time, but it was the routine of it all - nothing else seemed to matter. I needed to log in every day to check my mail to see if I won auctions, or to journey to a new area so I can get some quests off of my list. In-game social activity was minimal, which was even more disturbing. On days where there was server maintenance or I couldn't log in, I occasionally felt listless and didn't want to do anything else - not even play other games.

I can appreciate the allure of MMORPGs, because they are dynamic in the sense that there is real-time interaction between actual humans. Whether it's trading goods or joining a pickup group, even if no actual words are exchanged, it's easy to get the feeling that maybe there is more to the game than originally thought. Sadly, there isn't, and it's no replacement for real life. One of my favorite mental checks for any game is to think about what was actually accomplished after each session. What did I really have to show for the past two hours? Though don't be alarmed - this is no different than sitting in front of the TV for hours on end. I would much rather engage in a series of inconsequential quests than passively subject myself to someone else's idea of what is entertaining or exciting.

All of this also makes me wonder about the term "addiction": should we really be using it as a favorable descriptor for games? Many reviewers like to fall back on calling a game "addictive" because there really is no other way to describe an immediately absorbing brand of gameplay. But we have to be reminded that society at large views this term in a wholly negative light, and as Yee points out in his article, is associated with "deviant social activities". With gaming enthusiasts eager to have their passion recognized as an art form, perhaps it's time to start viewing the games on their individual merits instead of wedging interchangeable words into a game's qualities, which only serve to perpetuate the negative reputation of the medium in the long run.

no sinister plague will poison us

Red 5 standing by...

With the requisite Star Wars reference out of the way, GamesIndustry.biz has word that former Blizzard employees Mark Kern, William Petras, and Taewon Yun - some key figures responsible for World of Warcraft - have started their own studio, Red5. According to their website, they have been secretly working on an MMO project of their own, that will "take things in a new direction and push the limits of [their] creativity."

"Our work on World of Warcraft has really opened up people’s eyes to the potential of online gaming in huge, persistent worlds…We want to continue to shape the future of online gaming by tapping into new worldwide trends and pushing the limits of our creativity." says Kern in the studio's first press release. I think what he really means is "we can't fucking believe how many people are playing that game, and we definitely need to figure out a way to secure a slice of that action."

Let's just hope they don't plan on painting the grind in brighter, shinier colors, and offer up something that can actually be called "roleplaying". Fingers crossed, and all that.

World of Warcraft plays dress up

The options for visual customization at the character creation stage in World of Warcraft are extremely limited in comparison to Star Wars Galaxies and Everquest II. I always thought that what WoW lacked in initial customization, they made up for with the unique looking armour and weapons found in game. However as the endgame approaches, every player wants their avatar festooned with the most powerful of epic gear. Ultimately, everyone in each character class ends up looking more or less the same.

With the upcoming 1.7 patch, Blizzard intends to implement a feature called the Dressing Room, where a separate window shows your avatar wearing armour, clothing and weapons before purchasing them. This feature works regardless of the required level of the equipment, allowing you to plan your snazzy new outfit in advance. I can see this also being useful for any Soulbound items you may find that are otherwise unsellable to other players once you've worn them. Though the entire prospect of simply previewing clothing on your character seems ridiculous when compared against a system that actually allows you to customize your outfits.

Tailoring and Leatherworking are the only professions that allow the use of dyes to be used in the crafting process, but even then they're only for use in certain recipes. When I look back to the item creation system in Star Wars Galaxies, it not only allowed players to change the appearance of the item, but also experiment with the item's stats themselves. Through probability and the Engineering skill level, even lower level Artisans in Star Wars Galaxies are able to create powerful items relative to their character's level. World of Warcraft has a similar system in that the recipes you obtain when you first select a profession are usually useful for your character at that level, but the process by which the items are created is extremely stringent in comparison. Indeed, even the player-enchanted items in World of Warcraft's Auction House begin to seem repititious in light of some of the unique or rare drops you would find by simply killing monsters. The entire crafting system seems underdeveloped in this regard.

World of Warcraft has turned into a completely absorbing experience for me; this is a world I can spend hours simply wandering through, paying no heed to the tasks I may have volunteered myself for. The first time I visit a new region I take a few moments to simply observe my surroundings - sure, the monsters may have simply changed names or color, but the environments are easily the most carefully designed elements of the game. With such limited choices for building new characters, I'd like to see more effort put towards allowing players to customize their characters during the game. The social aspect of World of Warcraft is certainly part of the appeal of playing, but careful examination of the gameplay reveals a startlingly slim difference from the typical stat-pumping RPG.

I know you too well

trial of the isle

I never thought I would see the day where a company like SOE would issue a completely stand-alone demo of an MMORPG that's only been out for four months. That's what you get in Everquest II: Trial of the Isle, a 16 MB client and close to 24 hours worth of updates. Now that World of Warcraft has reached 1.5 millions users worldwide, Everquest II is looking pretty meek in comparison - even next to its predecessor. It's also quite telling that Everquest II is now selling for about $39.99 CDN, while World of Warcraft is still at its launch price of $59.99-69.99. I thought I would give Everquest II the benefit of the doubt with this seven day trial, and try and get an idea about what it was offering. In a couple of words: not much.

speaking of roleplaying events

The Matrix Online beta ended with a crash this week, as users were treated to a complete breakdown of the Matrix. A massive agent assault, spontaneously combusting player characters, and instant deaths were all experienced by players in the beta's final hours. As with the gesture towards Galaxies players, using the universe to convey such a simple act of shutting down the beta program made it seem almost worth looking into.

It was an open beta, and despite my comments I would have liked to give The Matrix Online a try. According to some quick impressions at Render, the feel of the movies was captured, but without any real content to fill out the rest of the package. The combat system is probably at the crux of the entire game, because after seeing the films everyone wants to know Kung Fu. Suprisingly, hand to hand combat shows actual connecting blows, instead of the familiar "wave your arm/weapon in the enemy's general direction". But what about classes? That's one thing I wanted to uncover for myself, because for a game that's steeped in environments similar to real life, what skill archetypes are used to differentiate players? Is everyone aiming to be The One? Player motivation is really unclear in the Matrix Online. I would find it hard to accept if the entire purpose is to run around hacking computers or beating up other NPCs, because we've already seen how much more is going on beyond the Matrix itself (not to mention the thought of paying a monthly fee for a fighting game). A story arc involving the universe's deeper elements would do a lot to push gameplay in a more absorbing direction.

the sound of many enraged...wookiees

The Star Wars Galaxies expansion pack I alluded to the other day is called Rage of the Wookiees. A mild surprise, to be sure, but that's probably because I was expecting something a little more...exciting. Then again, they've already covered the jump into hyperspace, so what else is there besides adding a few new planets or playable races from the films?

According to the announcement, both land and space around the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk will be added, along with many new missions to go along with this new locale. In their contribution to the slave trade, the evil Trandoshans have set up several camps, and it will be the duty of players to either put and end to it or see that it flourishes. This ties in with one of the settings of the upcoming Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, as well as one of the missions in Republic Commando.

I find it a bit ironic that Episode III is going to be using Kashyyyk as a setpiece, because that was supposed to be the setting for the endgame of Return of the Jedi. Up until Chewie was established in a late draft of Star Wars as a technologically aware being - and a remarkable mechanic - Wookiees were to be a race of savages. In fact, that whole sequence where the Ewoks take on the Empire was supposed to be with Wookiees. After A New Hope Uncle George felt he was kind of screwed - there was no way people would believe that Wookiees would fight with rocks and logs after they'd seen him fire his bowcaster or fly the Millenium Falcon. To this day I still believe that Wookiee plush toys would have sold equally well, but that's neither here nor there.

Also added in the expansion will be some new space faring vehicles, the most notable being Anakin's Jedi Starfighter As Seen In The Film. This sounds like such a movie tie-in doesn't it? I thought Galaxies would be able to avoid this kind of cross marketing, since it's a game that's been out for a while already. Due to the nature of its dynamic content though, I guess it was a valid target. It's also pretty transparent that Lucasarts is calling the expansion "Episode III" - I mean, Jump to Lightspeed had "Episode I" right on the box. I know that they're counting from the first release of Galaxies, but really, does the promotion have to be this obvious?

Players who enjoy the space based missions will now be able to take on "space mining" missions, where you can harvest resources from asteroids and contribute to the land based game's economy. This is a great idea, and a step in integrating the two completely different experiences. Another addition is the ability for players to add cybernetic components to their characters, that will in turn offer improved abilities that are more than likely related to your performance in combat. Why this was done is anyone's guess, because the cybernetic enhancements look far too crude to mesh with the period Galaxies covers in the Star Wars timeline. When Luke gets his new hand at the end of Empire Strikes Back, it's clearly meant to be an extension of his existing body. In this new expansion, it seems that these enhancements are meant to look like enhancements, instead of adding a feature in the game to allow characters to improve on their stats without any visible side effects. But maybe I'm just nitpicking.

I'm not sure if this additional expansion was such a great idea, but I think Star Wars is experiencing some kind of fallout with the fans that it recollected after the new action figures and novels came onto the scene in the early to mid 90s. This kind of game and media integration will keep Star Wars in the geek collective consciousness, and that's generally where they want to be. I just hope the playability of Galaxies isn't sacrificed again by a hasty expansion that does little to change the game's intrinsic shortcomings.

to smooth the unattractive truth

inform the troops Lord Vader has arrived

A setting as rich in content as the Star Wars universe, where the story is already embedded in the consciousness of gamers everywhere, allows the possibility of truly seamless role playing in a game like Star Wars Galaxies. Next to its contemporaries, the quasi-modern setting of Galaxies allows people to just be their characters instead of worrying how they'll react to each situation in the technologically stunted worlds that form the basis for fantasy MMORPGs. Some of the most satisfying roleplaying experiences I've had in an MMORPG were in Star Wars Galaxies, because when the grind got boring you could always enjoy what the engaging community had to offer.

My initial reaction to hearing that the 203rd Tatooine Expeditionary Stormtrooper Legion was paid a visit by Darth Vader himself was one of derision. Next to the mass hysteria surrounding World of Warcraft, SOE must be really desperate to retain subscribers to pull a stunt like this. Based on Bruce Woodcock's MMORPG Chart, after just over three months of operation World of Warcraft has a significant hold over the current market, accelerating to 1.25 million subscribers. After a year and a half, Galaxies remains topped out at just over 250,000 subscribers. What happened?

I've discussed in the past the weaknesses that Galaxies has in comparison to the more traditional MMORPG. Galaxies is a job in the truest sense, and requires more time than is reasonable. To develop your character into something that's actually worth playing, you have to suffer through a grind that is both tedious and frustrating. The awards are all long term: become a master armoursmith by crafting millions of items, work your way through Jabba's ranks by taking on increasingly hard missions, or better yet, master multiple professions that may unlock your Force potential so that you can begin the long journey towards becoming a Jedi. To some, dedicating hours to this would seem ludicrous - we're playing a game here, right? It should be fun! Though I always saw it as a perfect adaptation of real life into the Star Wars mythos. Not all of the classes and occupations are glamorous, but they do have their place and make the game world that much more immersive. These store owners and tailors and shipwrights are controlled by real people.

If I was a member of that stormtrooper guild I'd probably feel very proud, but also a little relieved. Relieved that the constant drilling and patrols did actually serve a purpose, because there's no fucking way Galaxies was doling out any experience for that. This was roleplaying in its purest form: players living the life of a stormtrooper when the Empire still had its oppressive grip on the galaxy. Maybe they'll get some interested recruits as a result of this event, which couldn't come a more opportune time. SOE says that the Galactic Civil War is near completion, with updates allowing players to take sides and engage in the struggle to control the galaxy. It sounds like they've really thought about this system, and apparently the legendary Combat Revamp and an as yet un-named expansion pack will actually be released as well.

Sadly, this unplanned inspection by Darth Vader seems to be relegated to fan sites only - it wasn't even listed as a news item on the official Galaxies website. It's not like famous NPCs like this make an appearance every day - as they shouldn't - but this could have been used as a clever marketing tool to get people interested in the game again. Especially the former players that quit the game in frustration after broken promises and an inconsequential expansion pack. It showed that even seemingly insignificant devotion to this game might actually pay off.

So I'll take back my cynical comments, because I know that the dev team on Galaxies has taken a lot of shit from players over the past year and a half. It's nice to see them notice this die hard subset of the larger community. It doesn't correct the game's many underlying problems, but for that moment it at least provided a little context on why people wanted to play this game in the first place.

World of Warcraft big in Europe

Over the weekend I learned of Gamma Fodder's wholesale plunge into World of Warcraft. Though I was basically labelled as the dealer of some hyper addictive drug, I can't blame him for wanting to try it out.

Interest in this game doesn't seem to be letting up: the European launch press release cites sales of 280,000 copies last Friday, with 380,000 by the end of the first weekend. Not suprisingly, the official site for WoW Europe warned of choppy seas ahead, as the account creation site was out of order like the North American release, with players experiencing wait times just to be able to get into the game. I find it a bit concerning that Blizzard's European team was not able to foresee this kind of response with so much evidence to support the tidal wave of new users that would hit its servers at launch. Though things appear to have settled down it doesn't negate the fact that they were once again unprepared.

I'm not sure if this is a global sales tactic by Blizzard, where they firmly establish that their product is unplayable so that new users are deterred, but it's not working. People flock to this game with blinders on, eager to drink the sweet, sweet nectar of an MMORPG that is actually fun to play. I fully acknowledge this as indisputable; World of Warcraft injected into every MMORPG fan's mainline exactly what they were looking for - when they can play it. Though when gamers continue to line up for the high-population servers only to have to wait or trudge through a lag-crippled session, it calls into question the reasoning of the gamers themselves.

Due to its level of accessibility and favourable conditions for short game sessions, I plan on getting into World of Warcraft eventually. However at this time I'm finding it more beneficial to observe this growing community from the outside. It seems to me that the game still revolves around a discrete model of "Player vs. Everything", where inter-player communication and cooperation is almost unnecessary. As it stands, World of Warcraft could operate interchangably as a locally-run game. To me, the Battlegrounds are simply something they've been dangling in front of players to convince them that they've made the right decision. These are tactics SOE used when Star Wars Galaxies first launched. The Galactic Civil War was going to change the way people played the game, making Galaxies a true representation of the war-torn universe shown in the films. Though this never happened, and instead the development team pushed out a space expansion while they tried to alleviate the more important class balancing and changes to the combat system, because that's what the players wanted.

After just over two months, it's impossible to predict how World of Warcraft will weather the test of time. I know first hand there is plenty of material in the game to keep players busy, but there are only so many quests you can throw at a player before they start realizing that what they do has little effect on their surroundings. Indeed, waiting while a quest "boss" respawns is enough to remove me from a game world that hinges solely on a player's desire for more experience. Those that have fallen in with guilds have had better experiences in community building, but is the game world deep enough to secure long term interest? For the sake of the players, I'd like to see Blizzard use World of Warcraft's success to build something worthy of its name and not simply rely on its short-term addictive qualities. It's obvious Blizzard can get players to jump in. The real test will be to see if they stay there.

trapped in the sun

About The Matrix Online...

Sega and Warner Brothers Interactive announced the pricing scheme for The Matrix Online today, to about as much fanfare as Sega's announcement at this year's E3 about publishing it. The game is slated to launch in January 2005, but the sales numbers for World of Warcraft and apathy towards the franchise condemn this game to an early death. I'm curious to see how well The Ultimate Matrix Collection has done in its first week, because the two sequels have sufficiently pissed off a once loyal fan base, all but terminating interest in spin off media. Warner would have been smarter to realease this game shortly after Revolutions; maybe it would have made people forget about Enter the Matrix.

Just take look at the screenshots. The game feels about three years old, the environments look barren, and the characters blockier than even Enter the Matrix. From what I've read, the game takes place in one city, and every session is essentially your character "jacking in" to the Matrix. What about Zion and the war against the machines? Are endless battles with Agents or Matrix-controlled NPCs the only things you have to look forward to? If the city the game takes place in is supposed to be a battleground, the only concession I would ask is that humans could take on the role of agents, infiltrating the resistance or foiling the plans of the last hope for the human race. The Matrix Online sounds diasppointing and unmotivated; more like painting a run-of-the mill MMORPG with Matrix colors than a game willing to capitilize on the Matrix storyline and mythos. Aside from learning different styles of martial arts, or donning "designer sunglasses" that provide some aribtrary bonus, where's the compelling gameplay? Proabably the worst offense is the developer's assumption that players will accept an experience grind when it's already been shown to us in the films that things can be learned instantaneously.

you just took your last breath

World of Warcraft prepares for launch

Blizzard officially closed the World of Warcraft Open Beta test on Thursday, announcing that they would be wiping clean the servers in preparation for the game's launch this Tuesday. According to the official site, over 500,000 people signed up for the World of Warcraft open beta, before they had to turn away account requests. The game was absolutely packed during the first few days of the open beta: wandering around my test server I couldn't stretch my arms without hitting another player. Adding to this percieved chaos were the truckloads of monster swarms surrounding each population centre. Low level character quests thrive on these "Kill X number of [Monster]" quests, but at peak hours it was like walking through the killing fields. The server lag was equally troubling - but what a perfect way for Blizzard to test their architecture.

The amount of traffic settled down after a while, and I was able to continue my adventures in earnest. I created another Human Warlock, an Undead Warrior, and a Night Elf priest. Once again I was amazed at how well designed each race's homeland was. This was my first time playing a Night Elf, and though some of the quests were a little uninteresting, the virtual realm that was sprawled before me kept me thinking about other things. And when you die as a Night Elf, you are converted to Wisp form instead of the standard ghost form every other race must endure, allowing a few extra degrees of freedom when trying to find your corpse. Blizzard has to be commended for really dipping into every piece of Warcraft lore and making it so believable. Originally I thought the low-poly graphics were a little too cartoony compared directly with my experiences in Star Wars Galaxies, but looking deeper at the World of Warcraft reveals a cohesive whole.

There are many areas to explore: the dwarven mountains of Khaz Modan to the undead stronghold of the Undercity are all reachable by foot. And you can hop on a Zeppelin to travel between the islands of Kalimdor and Azeroth if you wish to explore the homeland of the Orcs. I have to admit it was pretty amusing to see my Undead warrior hanging out with some Tauren Shamans and an Orc warrior in the barren lands outside the orcish city of Ogrimmar. Mounts are also available to travel great distances, and though I talked to players who had ridden on the back of a mighty griffin, my own efforts to obtain a mount were fruitless. I wanted to get a skeletal horse for my undead warrior, but a level requirement (and significant amount of money) was needed. This wasn't a huge deal, though, because the game's quests mostly depend on the surrounding area they are assigned in.

This time around I paid particular attention to the initial character building stages. I found that beginning characters don't feel as useless as in Star Wars Galaxies, and can fend for themselves on all of the beginner and intermediate missions. Any mission you pick up that would be a challenge for your character will be marked in red in your quest journal. You can either team up to complete this mission, or level up a few more times until the quest is marked in green. And because each quest will more than likely take place in one region, this makes it easier to prioritize and plan your trips. It also makes your game sessions much more manageable, instead of spending your time marathon running to your next objective. I found I was able to have satisfying gaming sessions that were sometimes less than an hour with a feeling that I've actually accomplished something: whether it was levelling up or completing a few quests.

But this gives rise to a serious flaw surrounding quests, weapons, and monsters: once you get out of a town or region you have no real direction except to go forward. Going back to previous towns and locations will always contain lower level monsters that don't give out as much experience or better loot, which is understandable to some degree. But I also remember clearing an older quest after levelling up a few times in a later area, and my reward was a weapon that was a lot weaker than what I was currently using. As a result, you will rarely see higher level characters going back to the starting areas, unless they are grouped up and helping out some newer characters with the more difficult quests. In that sense, the game world seems like a bunch of "zones" of increasing difficulty tacked together - something I've heard a number of times used to describe Everquest.

I made a conscious decision to put myself onto a roleplaying server, to see if this would affect the way the game is played. I know that during the first stress test roleplaying was the farthest thing from people's minds as all of the servers were made up of first-time players. During the first two days of the open beta, players on my test server did their best to keep conversation in character. But as new players joined, some not even knowing what "roleplaying" was, this diluted the effect and all but eliminated any hopes of getting a believable game world up and running. With newbies asking questions on one side of me, I had powergamers challenging me to duels on the other. The Blizzard-sanctioned game masters tried to keep out-of-character (OOC) conversation in check, but when you have hundreds of players in one zone, it becomes a large and unmanageable task. I doubt this will change for the full release. But as I have said in the past, I can't imagine this action and levelling-focused game will be attracting the serious roleplayer. To give some perspective about the game's intentions, out of the 12 or so Eastern test servers only one of them was for roleplayers.

On the Player versus Player (PvP) servers, Alliance and Horde characters are automatically at war. Anytime you encounter a player of the opposing side, you can fight them - or be promptly killed - without any warning or authorization. On the Player versus Everyone (PvE) or "Normal" servers, if you wander into an Alliance or Horde area and are of the opposing side you will not be touched. If, however, you decide to attack a town NPC or character while in this area, you will be identified as hostile and will become a potential target. This allows potential for massive, player-driven faction wars befitting of its source material - something that Star Wars Galaxies still hasn't been able to nail down a year after its launch.

This final leg of the Beta testing phase was a good indicator of what things will be like at launch, and allowed Blizzard to prepare for the new user onslaught unlike certain other developers. I said in my first experiences with World of Warcraft that the traditional level grind didn't feel like a grind, and was more like part of being a resident of this virtual world. I would often wander the wilderness while completing my quests, slaying a few beasts on the way just to pick up a little extra experience. Certainly this side effect of all MMORPGs will get tiresome, but during the Open Beta I put any negative thoughts about the grind aside and actually enjoyed absorbing everything this unique game world had to offer. As stylized as the environments are, Blizzard has done an excellent job in converting their legendary universe to a MMORPG. They just have to stay ahead of the curve, and make sure players stay interested once they discover the grind has just been dressed up in some new clothes.

why can't we just look the other way?

Guild Wars preview aftermath

The first time I tried out Guild Wars, I thought it was amazing. An ultra-thin client that downloads the game's content on demand, the simple hack and slash gameplay and the absolutely stunning graphics made up an experience I would not soon forget. In my mind, ArenaNet has essentially created Diablo III - for anyone that misses the point-click-kill-loot formula, Guild Wars will be your ticket to paradise. But after two preview event weekends, for me this is where most of the game's shortcomings lie.

I played during the World Preview Event on the 29th, and then took advantage of a 7-day trial of Gamespot Complete to play another Preview offered for members the following weekend. Conveniently, any characters created during the WPE were carried over to this Gamespot preview. There had also been a significant increase in monster toughness between the two events, and as a result the weapons and armour I collected were almost useless in some of the later quests. To balance this out, I noticed the item drops were a lot more numerous to give every party member something nice to take away.

Guilds seem to have been implemented since the E3 event, although I never did figure out how to start my own. Guild members are identifiable by the tabards they wear emblazoned with their Guild logo, and at this point I can't really see how Guilds will make a difference in the co-operative quests. Because the world is essentially made up of discrete locations, Guilds seem like more of a status symbol than anything else, because you have to be invited to be a part of one.

Although ArenaNet likes to make the distinction of Guild Wars not being a MMORPG in the traditional sense, there isn't a very "massive" quality to the game. I had a great time doing the quests and exploring the new mission areas, but things really start to break down when you actually think about what's involved. Each quest is instanced on the group leader's computer. You will never see other players wandering the wilderness of the quest areas outside of the members of your party - you will only encounter AI controlled NPC characters. The only time you will ever encounter other players are the Tournament or Competitive missions areas, like the Gladiator arena. I'll admit it was fun to just throw down with my character in a cleverly designed arena, and the random team matching makes sure things are balanced, but there isn't much substance to it beyond the standard deathmatching.

The game world is extremely disjointed, as well: after each successful quest is completed, you gain a new point on the world map. To go back to town, all you have to do is click on the town's location and you're there. Returning to a mission area works the same way. The enormous world map implies that there is great potential for adventure settings, but in reality you're just visiting portions of a pre-ordained path. The location for each mission is basically a staging area for groups to get together, optimize their ranks (a party made up of mostly warriors and healing spell-wielding monks is a good start) and then start the mission. And it's at this point that you realize there isn't anything different beyond your run of the mill action RPG.

Going back to town is much like Diablo II, but the worst parts. People selling items, people looking for items, power-gamers looking for a group, etc. It quickly becomes tedious and leaves zero room for any roleplayers. I may not have been fair to World of Warcraft in this respect, because there are taverns and locations you can go to sit and relax after a hard day's adventuring. The potential for roleplaying was there, I just didn't see it amongst all the powergaming. As an aside, for the recent open beta I have joined one of the roleplaying servers - but so far my attempts at maintaining a roleplaying encounter have been pretty dodgy.

Guild Wars is a different kind of massively multiplayer game, and because of that it's really hard to fault it for expecting things the development team never said would be part of the package. I guess that after playing a few MMORPGs, I begin to expect a few conventions that make it seem like an entire world to explore, instead of a container for a set of missions connected by a static storyline. During the preview events, Guild Wars was once again in an extremely playable state, and the only thing I could really complain about technically was the amount of lag experienced in town. When you're in missions, it's entirely dependent on your party's internet connections. In the end, anyone who hasn't grown tired of Diablo II's successful formula will absolutely love this game. And despite the game's shortcomings, the free service should overcome the hesitation of prospective players who are reluctant to commit to a monthly subscription. Unfortunately, after playing Star Wars Galaxies, and then experiencing the action of World of Warcraft first hand, I think my imagination may have unfairly assigned qualities to Guild Wars it never had.

the gazing eye won't lie

trailer binge

The new Episode III teaser trailer leaves me feeling a bit crestfallen. It was supposed to be an exclusive for paying members of Hyperspace, but as everyone knows this exclusivity doesn't last long. I found a few mirrors, but you can also grab it on the official site if you don't mind the wait. I liked how Obi-Wan Kenobi was spliced into the trailer to tell the story of Vader from his "certain point of view", connecting the two trilogies and preparing us for the ultimate fall from grace. Indeed, a battle between capital ships, a climactic face off between old friends, and the Emperor hovering over his new creation were all merely hinted at. I have to admit, regardless of how these movies turn out, the trailers have all been outstanding at building up expectations.

Planet Gamecube posted links to a massive number of demo reels from Nintendo Japan, most of which I've only been able to take cursory glances at. Fire Emblem for the Gamecube looks like, well, Fire Emblem for the Gamecube. I was completely enthralled by the GBA version, and this Gamecube version looks like a straightforward transplant into three dimensions. This isn't to say that its receiving the same treatment as Advance Wars, mind you, because the turn based strategy thankfully remains intact.

Seeing the DS in action was pretty fascinating, and even though Advance Wars DS only got a split second I can see how the second screen will be coming in handy. And naturally WarioWare will have some cleverly distracting minigames that utilize the touch screen. I have to admit I was a little uneasy about the Nintendo DS when I first heard about it, but I avoided outright condemnation of the thing like so many media outlets were quick to do. As the feature list became more tangible, most were quick to change their tune. I'm this close to adding it to my Christmas list, as the unique gaming possibilities are seemingly endless. I've also determined that the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS are not direct competitors; where one is satisfied to pander an existing mindshare, the other is pushing portable gaming in new directions.

You can also find some gameplay videos of assorted Gameboy Advance titles, and if there's one game I'm more interested in after seeing it in action it would be Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. A sound decision was made to include Advance Wars and its sequel in one cart - any fan of turn based strategy that missed out the first time now has no excuse.

I thought that Blizzard was the master of introductory cinematics until I played Dawn of War. That doesn't mean that the World of Warcraft intro video misses the mark; rather, it does a fine job of mixing together the various races of the game and puts them into a short film to let you know what kind of mess you're getting into. I read about the possibility of the Open Beta starting today, and I envisioned an Internet that was incessantly bursting at the seams.

"And lo, Blizzard did begin the Open Beta, and there was much rejoicing. But it was like a mighty flood unto their servers, as thousands of keys were secured in an instant."

i knew it wouldn't last

Jump to Lightspeed impressions

Soon after I joined Star Wars Galaxies, I enlisted myself in the Beta program for Jump to Lightspeed. Being a fresh recruit into the Galaxies fold, I envisioned this expansion as being the game's saving grace. How could SOE/Lucasarts make a better Star Wars MMORPG experience? Easy. Add in the spacecraft and dogfighting that made the movies so fun to watch and you've got yourself an instant hit. And for a good portion of the beta, I almost believed it. But after signing off the day before the expansion's official release last week, it hit me: Jump to Lightspeed is just a clever distraction.

Guild Wars World Preview Event

Today ArenaNet launched the next Guild Wars World Preview Event that can be enjoyed by everyone until November 1st. Starting early like the E3 for Everyone event before it, all prospective players should go and download the client. Other options are to visit one of these gaming centres near you, or pre-order the game. Pre-ordering has become a kind of epidemic as n0wak angrily points out, and appears to be the only way you can get major releases at specialty retailers the day it hits the shelf. That aside, ArenaNet has included some juicy sounding bait in the pre-order pacakge: portions of the soundtrack by Jeremy Soule, artwork from the game, and most importantly a spot in what they are calling "Beta Weekend Events". ArenaNet describes these weekend events as a way for pre-purchasers to try out the game right up until release. It doesn't sound like an outright closed beta, but you do get two keys to share as you see fit so you don't have to be alone in the playtest.

Overall I was greatly impressed with the shape of Guild Wars earlier this year, and look forward to this weekend's playtest and purchasing the full version in February. Because of the free service and its focus on combat and character tweaking, I'm curious to see how many players turn to Guild Wars after growing weary of paying $15 for Blizzard's massively multiplayer levelling simulator.

so we burned all our uniforms

preparing the jump to lightspeed

Having multiple email addresses can be quite hazardous, and I've been doing my best over the past few weeks to consolidate all former points of contact to this domain. Something possessed me to check one of my Hotmail accounts after a number of weeks, and I found a notice for acceptance into the Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed beta that I signed up for during the summer. The notice is almost a week old, categorized as spam, and was just few days away from permanent deletion. A stroke of luck or meddling with destiny? I'll let you know if the 2.5 GB download was worth it.

Regardless of my comments to the contrary, I'm not about to pass up this chance to check out what SOE is planning to unleash upon Galaxies players later this month. SOE's non-disclosure agreement tries to seem menacing, but I'll probably be posting some brief notes as they coalesce. One thing I will make a point of doing this time around - unlike my short time in World of Warcraft - is trolling the Beta forums, to salvage this spacefaring experience somewhat. From one night of play I can already see where this expansion is headed. It's really hard to avoid putting spin on this initial impression, but for anyone that's considering this expansion please play Freelancer and X-Wing Alliance first.

Shrouded negativity aside, I consider this opportunity another stroke of good fortune. I guess now I'm just waiting for my email from ArenaNet.

a full blown case

the brief life of a World of Warcraft stress tester

Next to the mass hysteria surrounding the release of Star Wars Galaxies, the MMORPG scene could never have anticipated the reaction to Blizzard's first foray into this growing marketplace. The difference being that most of the people waiting to play a space faring smuggler or bounty hunter were Star Wars fans that just happened to be gamers; this time around, existing MMORPG gamers and neophytes alike are eagerly awaiting the chance to try out what could potentially become the Everquest slayer.

Standard game commentary hyperbole aside, after spending five days and just shy of 20 hours with World of Warcraft I can say that this description is more than adequate. The easiest comparison I can make is to Blizzard's own Diablo II, which transplanted the simple "kill-reward" system into a decent looking game where the goal is not just to complete quests, but to get better equipment and level up as many times as possible. Along with a free online component, all of these things created a theoretically endless game. And deftly executing this simple design concept is where World of Warcraft succeeds. The level grind in MMORPGs is a design contrivance that will never go away, unfortunately. But in World of Warcraft, it doesn't have to feel that way.

still waiting at star's end

When I first heard about the Star Wars Trilogy coming to the GBA, without seeing the game I immediately assumed that UbiSoft was simply publishing LucasArts' incredibly fun games for the SNES. After seeing these screens though, it becomes painfully evident that this is not the case. If anything, it looks like UbiSoft used the same engine found in the GBA version of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Due for release in a couple of weeks, this game hopes to capture "all the exiting moments from the classic trilogy" in one game, while capitalizing on the release of the classic trilogy DVDs. The game looks as astoundingly terrible as Flight of the Falcon, and like an idiot I'll eventually give in to the Siren's call. This whole situation reminds me of the Star Wars Gameboy game that my friend stuck me with to replace my copy of Mario Land 2: The Six Golden Coins that his brother sold while on loan. That game was probably one of the worst I've ever played, and the only reason I forced myself to even touch it was deep resentment towards myself for ever lending Mario Land 2 out in the first place.

Adding to these feelings of betrayal is news about how Jump to Lightspeed is going to work. Sure, SOE is luring people in to pre-purchasing the game with a juicy guaranteed spot in the Beta this October, and an exclusive Naboo Flash Speeder to pimp yourself out in, but there is something about this ploy that absolutely reeks of "bait and switch". Going to the official SWG website, you can read all about how flying into space requires a visit to a terminal planetside, where you click "launch", are subjected to yet another loading screen and then suddenly you're floating in space. This might as well be a separate game, because as the design stands there is no real connection to the original planet-based game. With my initial fears confirmed, I doubt I'll be picking up the expansion, out of principle if nothing else. The game has way too many loading screens as it is, and to completely neuter what made the movies so exciting takes a lot of potential immersivity and further world building out of the game. I've definitely given Galaxies the benefit of the doubt, and I've done my best to see past the community backlash and empty promises from the development team on the vitriol-soaked bulletin boards. I wouldn't blame the development team entirely, though, as they're probably overworked to meet their deadline and secure more players before Blizzard does. As for the launch of Everquest II, the money is all going to the same place so I doubt it really matters. Galaxies does have some good qualities, though, and I'm not about to give it up just yet. I'm already starting a new character to become a Jedi as a result of the new publish. Nevertheless, the temptations brought by playing World of Warcraft will lead to a very tough decision this November.

Now, please excuse me as I dust the cheetos off of my Revenge of the Sith t-shirt.

don't play truth or dare

World of Warcraft stress test beta

Along with other catch up material like the demo for Rome: Total War, the Tribes: Vengeance Beta, The Jedi Trials publish, and the gigantic Pacific Assault demo, I found a most suprising email decorating my inbox when I returned - I had been accepted into the World of Warcraft Stress Test Beta which was extended until this Sunday. The lucky bastards who have been playing this game since last year probably look upon us stress testers as an unrefined mob of inconsequential characters that Blizzard is throwing at their servers - which is true, for the most part - but I'm going to enjoy every minute of this opportunity and hopefully find the time to record some impressions here. The Stress Test is being kept separate from the Closed Beta that is still going on, and there is a Level-grinding contest that will allow some players to secure a spot in the Closed Beta after the Stress Test is over. There is also talk of an Open Beta that is allegedly taking place before the game's release this November. I can feel another delay brewing on the horizon, but you can't fault Blizzard for testing the shit out of their software, and likely providing the MMORPG world with the smoothest rollout in the genre's history.

a chemical embrace

a fan-driven postscript

It's easy for me to sit here and praise the wonders of SWG, being a player that's been active for just under two months. It's also easy for me to say that I signed up at the perfect time, because I haven't had to put up with the loudly proclaimed hardships that the original game's subscribers had to deal with over the past year. Despite the largely negative reactions to the game upon its release, these people stuck through it thinking that their monthly fee will at least mitigate some of the many bugs and balancing issues that plagued it.

The player community has now reached a dull roar, as Slashdot Games refer to the SWG forums simply exploding with people waving their accounts around like some kind of hostage. The players have reached a consensus over the recent updates that have not addressed core gameplay issues and SOE's increasing focus on Jedi and the Jump to Lightspeed expansion. I can't really put myself in their shoes - but in the PC gaming industry the release now, patch later mentality is sadly all too common. This practice has permeated every stage of the development process such that games will actually advertise features that aren't even in the boxed product.

While I sympathize with both sides: the developers who have unreasonably split their resources across two major projects and the players who continue to accept the developer's empty promises and slipped Patch deadlines, there comes a point where you have to cut your losses and either pack up or weather the storm. I have not encountered anything particularly broken about the basic game, and though the Smuggler class apparently needs some work this does not affect my choice to pursue it. But I do agree with the players that argue that there is too much of a short term focus on the Jedi and Force Sensitivity, instead of balancing combat and putting a damper on the "god-like" Jedi characters. In fact, those Bounty Hunter missions that I mentioned before are rarely pursued, as it has become near impossible to successfully take on a Jedi. And the Galacitc Civil War, the so-called centerpiece of the game at launch, has been crippled and essentially pushed to the side until after the release of the new expansion.

Obviously there is a demand for Jedi characters, and the developers are working to meet this demand with the next major update: The Jedi Trials. The recent focus on fine tuning Jedi and Force Sensitivity was addressed in an interview with Hayden Blackman, producer of Galaxies and the Jump to Lightspeed expansion. I don't think anyone could have predicted the negativity that would well up in the wake of the interview, though, because the players took it as some kind of an insult at their expense. I share some of those sentiments, as this interview was mainly intended as PR to keep prospective players interested, and the less vocal players content with the hope of what's to come. Still, I think most players fail to realize is that Force Sensitivity will apply to all character classes, allowing a Marksman or Teras Kasi novice to further improve their skills without having to become a Jedi.

With the impending release of Everquest II and World of Warcraft, it's pretty clear that Jump to Lightspeed needs to be something special to avoid a massive exodus of players. Some of the previews recently released for Jump to Lightspeed on the official site have made me look at it a little more closely. Will space flight be limited to the regions just outside a planet's graviational field? If I want to fly to say, Naboo from Tatooine, will I get a loading screen or will I be able to employ hyperspace? If Lucasarts/SoE expects me to suspend my disbelief while I watch another loading screen and then all of a sudden find myself in space instead of jumping into my fighter and actually flying there, that would be an incredible cop out. I should also be able to use jump gates like in Freelancer, allowing me to travel large distances in short times. Space is huge - I want it to feel that way. Otherwise, Jump to Lightspeed may very well end up as some kind of insubstantial distraction from the main game.

getting crafty in Star Wars Galaxies

I must confess that every gaming related thought lately has been infiltrated by Star Wars Galaxies. With each session comes a new revelation, as if the game knows to expose itself slowly to keep players enveloped in its perpetual warmth. In my character's present state I can't imagine anything else except gettting those last few thousand Unarmed Combat experience points so that I can finally attain the status of Novice Smuggler. And yet, on the other hand, my skills as a builder of armour and weapons is being nurtured in parallel. The extent of the Wife's preoccupation with the game has materialized as well, albeit in a different format. I won't make the presumptuous claim that this game is for everyone, but if you find yourself interested from what you've read so far then there's no valid reason why you shouldn't be downloading the free trial right now.

secrets of the Force

Moving up through the ranks of Jabba's crime syndicate, it becomes increasingly hazy as to what my original intentions were in my character's development, because this is no way for a future Jedi to behave. Still, there was something appealing about addressing his corpulentness personally, while relaxing with the palace's many denizens. I've reluctantly accepted my lot as a future smuggler in the ranks of Jabba's cronies.

It's hard for me to determine what exactly drew me into Star Wars Galaxies, but I will freely admit to it rejuvenating my love for the Star Wars Universe. Much like the feelings that erupted during my playthrough of Knights of the Old Republic, it has made me appreciate the uniqueness of the setting and diversity of the planets I am free to explore. I'm sure it also has something to do with the need to achieve in most MMORPGs, which usually translates to grinding: a process that many players learn to despise after being forced to endure it to wield better weapons, wear more powerful armour, or craft more complex items.

As an alternative, I saw City of Heroes as being kind of an epidemic, using the utmost caution when encountering anything related to the game. The more I read about it, the more it seemed like a game that's filling a temporary need - and had more in common with the gameplay of Guild Wars than something like Everquest. I suppose there was something more inviting about adventuring across the planets and locations shown in the films that were so much a part of my growing up. Even The Wife, during her usual over-my-shoulder game watching, was enthralled by the prospect of creating her own avatar in the Star Wars universe. After spending roughly an hour creating her Rodian medic, I soon had a partner to hunt womp rats and run away from haggard looking bandits in the harsh deserts of Tatooine. I've basically found my niche until Blizzard decides World of Warcraft is ready for human consumption.

Once you've been inside the player ecosystem, it quickly becomes something you learn to depend on. You can only obtain weapons and armour if an Artisan has built some; you won't ever get that kind of stuff from most NPC/monster drops. Raw materials such as hides and minerals must be traded amongst Artisans and Scouts, so that they can create armour and clothing. If you are seriously injured in battle and lose a portion of your Health, Action, or Mind pool, you must be healed by a medic. Entertainers may encroach on new standards of geekery, but they do have a purpose - they cure battle fatigue, something that affects your ability to recover Health and Action pool points after combat. They can also add buffs to your character if you watch or listen to them for an extended period of time. As I said in my original post, there are ways of surviving in solo play by carefully selecting your professions. But there is still an underlying need to interact with other players, although not to the point that it hinders day-to-day gameplay.

I may have been a bit misleading about last week's official game publish, Secrets of the Force. It was mainly intended to convert existing Jedi characters to the new system that was put in place for the next publish - The Jedi Trials - and the Jump to Lightspeed expansion.

With Secrets of the Force, all existing Jedi players enter a Force Ranking System, which is essentially a ladder for PvP characters, allowing competition for prestige within the player's respective Jedi Order (whether they adhere to the Light or Dark side of the Force). Lightsaber crafting has become more of a prescision science as well - you will require a specialized Lightsaber Crafting Tool, where you can tune your Force crystals before constructing it. And this isn't just for blade color like creating your lightsaber in KotOR - you will be creating a finely a