MMOFTW

open beta doesn't equal ready for shipment

2007-12-19T14:22:00.001-05:00

i know this blog has been neglected for months now, but i'm back to give it another shot. Ravnis on the other hand has been sucked into the world of Pirates of the Burning Sea so hard that even i cannot seduce him away from it. ;-)

one thing that has been bugging me, is that when people try a game (for free!!) when it's in the open beta phase, they complain, saying it's unfinished and needs too much work for them to even bother to play.

my question to those is, when is an MMO ever ready when it hits open beta? has there ever been a game that has been so polished, so free of bugs, one can consider it ready for release? i don't think there ever has, or ever will be a game like that, even at release. the first year usually determines how well the game will do. it should be expected, that when a game is in open beta or first released, that there will be bugs and other quirks that need to be ironed out. i don't think the developers can predict every problem that can occur when the servers go live. it's just not possible.

our expectation of a game that is 'ready for release' is so high, i don't know if a game will ever meet the requirements when it's released. where did this expectation come from, anyway, i wonder? i do agree, that the game needs to be stable and playable upon release, but it's not going to be perfect...

there's also the fact that when you participate in an open beta, you're not just getting to play a game for free because the developers like you. no, you're supposed to be helping them by breaking things, showing them what's wrong so they can fix them. they need to see how the game and servers handle a larger population. when people hear of an open beta, i think it is seen more as a trial for them to see how the game is. i'm not saying everyone needs to be gungho and keep a catalog of all the bugs they find, but at least pay attention to things you find that may be wrong and report them accordingly.

am i the only one who feels this way? >.<

Aion Closed Beta Testing Plans Unveiled!

2007-06-22T22:05:00.000-04:00

here's the *correct* info as translated by Hellrose of aionfuse.com:

"At the media conference that took place yesterday evening in Korea, NCsoft unveiled the various stages of public beta they expect to launch.

The first phase of Beta testing will be held for two days: June 28th and 29th. In this short period the game will be open to "Friends and Family", as well as a select few students from Yonsei Digital Game School.

Sign-ups for a larger Closed Beta will take place later in July, and on July 31st a first wave of 2000 players will be chosen to enter the Aion experience.

Unfortunately, NCsoft Europe has clarified that these dates pertain to the Korean community only. Closed beta dates for North America and Europe are not yet known."

source: Gamemeca

Aion closed beta starting June 20th!

2007-06-10T18:44:00.001-04:00

...in Korea that is. :P i know it stinks. :'( but i will sign up anyway! whose with me?!

/crickets

http://www.onrpg.com/boards/50583.html

edit: that site lied! straight from Ayase from aionsource.com:

"I'm afraid the linked thread is not entirely accurate.

The 20th of June NCsoft Korea is inviting Korean press to join them in a conference at a Korean island called Jeju Island, where they will show several upcoming projects. However - Even though the Korean CB schedule is supposedly going to be announced (as written in the article on the Korean Aion website), as far as I know, it has not been announced anywhere that the Korean Closed Beta or even sign-ups for such will begin at the given date."

so yeah... way to pull that date out of your butt!

if anyone wants to be my personal Korean translator let me know. :P i spent like 5 hours the other day trying to install Korean characters on my pc...i have triumphed but alas all translators on the intarweb suck!

http://www.aion.co.kr/

The Chronicles of Spellborn: Races and Classes

2007-06-10T18:10:00.000-04:00

MMORPG.com has released some more insider info on The Chronicles of Spellborn! maybe the talk about the different classes and races will get you hyped up for it! it has a 7.0 hype rating on MMORPG.com so it must be good! or not..

go check it out!

http://mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/gameId/207/setView/features/loadFeature/1273

Aion: Tower of Eternity, the ray of hope or another failed North American title for NCSoft.

2007-06-09T23:32:00.000-04:00

As you can see from some of our past notes on MMOFTW we find ourselves drawn to MMO's in many different fashions or for a varying degree of reasons. We all find ourselves looking for a game that delivers to us. Everything we each want to have in a game, needs to be there. This is the reason why we, as gamers, have changed from one MMO to the next trying to find that happy medium. Community, raiding, casual groups, solo content and then all of the other factors such as game play, visual aesthetics, and simply how much we can relate to the game are all part of the equation.

After many MMO's and much looking for that ultimate gaming experience I have always found something deeply lacking. For Lineage II it was the hardcore grind style of play that turned away many casual and solo players who simply could not keep up with the hardcore players. For WoW it may be the cartoonish and horrible graphics or the unbalanced and silly PvP. For EQ2, it is the community or the lack thereof. For each game we find our single thing that drive us away from it only to settle with one of them because they meet most of our goals.

This brings me to Aion: Tower of Eternity. A game still in production by NCSoft and expected in beta in Korea in the next six months. Very little has really been leaked about Aion as of now but what I have seen leaves me waiting for the next tidbit of information. Aion is centered again around the open PvP world NC Soft seems to love to use in every game. Why wouldn't they? They are striving for some semblance of reality in this are they not? The graphics of this game simply speak for themselves. Now for what sets this title apart from the budding upcomers such as Age of Conan and the rest. A changing world. Yes, I said it and you saw it correctly. Each server for Aion will be effected by the PLAYERS and their choices in the game. No sever will be the same because of the effect the players can have on the environment/factions and the like. Something I know I was waiting to see in many worlds that have popped up all over the MMO scene. Not only that but currently they have 2 main factions, and word of a third race have come out to the light.

Now we find ourselves looking at a game with the game play that suits our needs. The graphics to sate anyones hunger for beauty and the new world changing nature of the game. Well there is even more. Wings! Yes you have heard me right again, your character can learn to form wings at their back and take to the skies to travel or just to cruise around. Now before you even think it, yes you can also take to the skies in battle. Tossed off a mountain? You simply have to form your wings and take to the air where aerial battles of epic proportions can ensue between players. Now add to this mixing pot of uberness a third faction that is a NPC faction and has AI. So during all the game play, castle sieges and whatnot (yes even Castle Sieges) that a third faction can walk onto the field and either help you or attack you. This is all added in.

All in all I can say I am simply excited by all of this. Everything I find lacking in many MMO's brought to life in a single game. I know I will keep my eye on this game as it evolves and will most likely be one of the people signing onto the beta for it. The rumors have some saying that Aion will be the next generation MMO that defines another set of rules that all will most likely just have to follow to stay competitive. We will find out soon enough if this game fills all the promises they are already making.

want to try Ultima Online 2.0?

2007-06-05T22:58:00.000-04:00

(top screenshot is before, bottom screenshot is reborn.)

EA has opened beta testing for the new and improved Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn! it sports a whole new graphics engine (compared to the old UO). not much has changed it seems, but hey, at least it's an upgrade.

if you want to sign up for a chance to beta test it, click here. if you get accepted, let us know. :) FilePlanet subscribers can partake in the exclusive beta and download the client here.

they are advertising it as "the game that gave birth to the modern MMORPG.." call me a nooblet, but i thought EverQuest did that? i don't know, that's like asking me which came first, the chicken or the egg... maybe someone can enlighten me. i guess i'm not so old school. :(

more information on Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn can be found at the official website for it here.

fourth EverQuest II expansion announced: Rise of Kunark!

2007-06-05T19:27:00.000-04:00

that's right, another expansion. let me put on my excited face! <:O actually, i'm not sure what face that is, but anyway, it is expected to be released November 13th, 2007 along with a new playable race; you guessed it, the Sanark! (ha, so you didn't really guess it... i fooled you!!)

as described on the Sony website, "it is a dragonlike humanoid race who inhabit the land on a quest to rediscover their past."

the new starting city will be in the lush jungle islands of the ocean known as Timorous Deep. it's a level 1-20 area, and other select races will be able to start there as well.

the level cap will also be raised to 80 in both adventure and tradeskill classes. so i guess that means lots of new spells and craftable items, eh? eh?!

a new mount will be added as well--The Kunarkian Rhinocerous!

each of the 24 classes will have a new epic weapon quest and new armor and weapons for those who choose to raid and those who choose not to.

3 new deities will be added. Bertoxxulous (say that 5 times fast!) the Plaguebringer, Karana the Rainkeeper, and the mysterious Tribunal.

oh and they mentioned something about more high level zones, armor, and weapons.

but, if you plan to get into everquest 2 now, don't fret! you can buy this expansion which includes the base game plus all the expansions to date in one! (that does NOT include adventure packs, which are totally different and sold separately.) that's a little bit kinder than Blizzard is to its gamers. :(

the continent of Kurnark will supposedly have much larger outdoor zones than players are accustomed to...but we'll see!

they don't seem to have any screenshots or movies released yet, but i'll be on the lookout gosh darnit! i want some visuals!

visit the official EverQuest II website for their spiffy (but slow) flash page about the new expansion:

http://everquest2.station.sony.com/expansions/riseofkunark/index.vm

or go to GameSpy and read their preview:

http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/everquest-ii-rise-of-kunark/787428p1.html

the first Phoenix mount in WoW belongs to Ezra!

2007-06-04T22:14:00.000-04:00

this totally cool mount was given to Ezra Chatteron, the young man who visited Blizzard's offices with the Make-A-Wish foundation a few weeks ago.

it's just as fast as the Swift Netherdrake arena award mount (310% increase to flying speed) and, according to WoWinsider.com, no one really has a clue where it's supposed to drop except Blue. people are speculating it'll drop from Kael'thas or Al'tar in Tempest Keep, similar to the tiger mount drops from the tiger boss in ZG. so yeah, we know how often that will drop!

for more information on Ezra and his new mount, check out this link!

that's definitely the best present ever. gogo Ezra!

a WoW player's dream...a murloc suit!

2007-06-04T16:43:00.000-04:00

yes, yes it's true, if you attend BlizzCon, you will be granted the oppurtunity to obtain a beta key for an upcoming Blizzard game (Starcraft II, maybe?) AND a murloc suit that you can give to any character that you want! who doesn't want that? if i could, i'd go all the way to california for it! murloc groupies, this is your chance! get one for me too pls. :D

Warhammer Online - Giant Slayer or False God?

2007-06-04T03:23:00.000-04:00

Well as every MMO fan is aware Mythic announced it's new goliath in the name of Warhammer Online. This game has been labeled by many to be the first David to sling a stone and shatter the stranglehold on the MMO community currently held by Blizzard's World of Warcraft. With fast gameplay, stunning graphics and a balanced PvP sytem this heavyweight promises to deliver. So how does it rank up with the fans?

Many times you can look around the WoW community forums and find posts about players awaiting Warhammer to be their salvation. Some have even coined the catchphrase WoW - Waiting on Warhammer.

Warhammer has been a houshold name for many gamers across the world for years and decades in some cases. The name itself holds a lot of power. Taking the structure directly from tabletop to MMO Mythic promises to deliver a game that expands upon the standard system and brings it all to life in an action packed new game. With the online closed beta currently open how has it all held up? Well we cannot comment on that YET. But the beta is in full swing and only time will tell.

The question on this reporter's mind is will Mythic be able to step up to the plate as a game design superpower or will they fall flat on their proverbial faces once again? With such promising games in the past that flopped such as the newer Dark Age of Camelot titles. Will Mythic have the power to vault this Game's Workshop household name into a seat it rightfully deserves?