Tobold says that implementing a single-player RPG like storyline into an MMO would be a huge mistake and predicts that Bioware are running straight into that trap with their upcoming The Old Republic MMO. The main difference, or so he says, between a single player game and an MMO is that single player games end […]

Today’s quickie is all about links. For one, there’s an excellent post by Cinderhelm over at tankspot concerning the future of World of Warcraft raiding with a few interesting game design insights. It’s a forum post, but it’s long enough to be a three-parter on this blog. You don’t have enough to read or maybe […]

All four of you who follow me on Twitter might know that I’ve been longing to play something post-apocalyptic for a while. I played through Fallout 3 again a few months ago and now finally got around to reading Larry Niven’s Lucifer’s Hammer. Add to that the news about Fallout: New Vegas and you’ll have me absolutely […]

In the light of the recent Allods Online cash shop fiasco, let’s have a look at micro-transactions and their impact on gaming. There is a generic dislike for cash shops out there, and many bad examples make that dislike very well justified. But I’m going to go ahead and say that there are cash shops that are […]

I’ve been playing some Fallen Earth lately (yes, you can expect posts on that topic soonish) and noticed something that I never really experienced in another MMO before – the help channel. Characters up to level five automatically join this channel in which they can ask questions and have them answered by the communities or […]

Normally, I focus on AAA titles on this blog, simply because they take the biggest chunk of my gaming time. I don’t just play those, however, and from time to time I get my hands on a nice indie title or two. Indie games are interesting not only because they tend to be cheap, but […]

Remember Richard Garriott? Lord and General British, master of everything Ultima, space tourist, and lately producer of various so-so MMOs like City of Heroes and Tabula Rasa? I thought you would. Well, he has descended into the hell that is social networking and facebook apps. Yesterday he announced his new company Portalarium that has developed […]

A week ago Rohan, from Blessing of Kings, asked whether Blackwing Lair was boring and has stirred a couple of responses about oldschool World of Warcraft raiding.  Keen claims that we should get 40 men raids back, and Spinks wants to grind for resistance gear again. Blackwing Lair was, in fact, boring compared to modern raids […]

Totalbiscuit made me aware of a bundle sale yesterday that I apparently want, nay need. theindiebundle.com offers a limited time sale of six (allegedly) award-winning indie games for only $20 until Friday at noon. I loved World of Goo and have appreciated some other more or less indie titles, so I thought I’d snag the thing up. […]

There have been so many interesting posts this weekend that I’m having a tough time deciding what to comment on first. If in doubt, respond chronologically I suppose. Evizaer, always the game design analyst, posted about his quarrels with vertical advancement in competitive games of skill – i.e. Global Agenda and Command and Conquer 4. […]