“Let me explain what an overflow server is and what it does. It is a technology we also use as our version of a queuing system. When a map or a world you want to log into is at capacity limit, the game will ask you if you want to play on an overflow server – so you can actually play while you are in a queue. Once space opens on your world, the game will ask you if you want to join your friends on your world. And you keep all the progress you made while you were playing on the overflow server.” [Source]

I think this solution is highly innovative and quite possibly the best solution we’ve ever seen to deal with queues.  A lot of speculation is floating around about how this works.  Do you play with other people from other servers?    Most of these questions are not negative in any way, but three points have me wondering.

(1) What is a “map”?

If a map is a zone, that could be really weird and fragmenting for a server.  If a map is an instance, it wouldn’t really matter, but I have never heard of an instance server having queues that warranted an overflow system.   I’m trying to think of places that would be called a map that would have large enough numbers to justify a queue, and the only real one that makes sense is WvWvW.  Overflowing WvWvW makes no sense, though.

(2) Can you choose to remain in overflow and not return?

I assume that if you’re asked if you want to join your server again that you can ay “no” — what happens if you say no?  How long are you on the “overflow”?  I assume until you re-log.  If someone is farming, it would make sense that the those only interested in their own gains would stay where it is less popular to free-farm then being allowed to rejoin say the most popular server… it seems sketchy.

(3) Does overflow have WvWvW?

For the system to work, I would guess there isn’t any WvWvW on overflow.  It would not make sense.  Maybe instanced BG’s or Arenas would work.

Innovative, but still very much a mystery as to how exactly Overflow Servers will be handled.  If anyone has any details to answer my questions/concerns, please let me know!

Finding a video that wasn’t some guy just saying the game is awesome (without showing us anything) or finding one that wasn’t trying to be all about the person talking was hard (that’s the annoying part of press betas — let me in so I can make some!)  Most of the videos of PvP were also just some guy standing there instead of actually participating.

//UPDATE//
I had to throw this one at the top. Want to know why WvWvW in GW2 will work? Because ArenaNet is putting in incentives that will get people out there fighting for bonuses for their entire server. This is like DAOC’s relic system. Now all we need are some really cool dungeons or locations within the mists that only the server ‘winning’ can access.

The best WvWvW video so far.  Lots of action, a cool mech suit, etc. 20 min mark a lot of action starts.

Check out the video below from MMORPG.com.  I want you to see how big the WvWvW zone is when he zooms all the way out.  It looks massive! Also, take note of the players banging on the door.  It reminds me of Dark Age of Camelot.  This keep he’s in looks like it will be a lot of fun to defend.  I can imagine having hundreds of players from all factions clashing together.  It’s a little unsettling to see the lag, though, but that may be from his computer since the IGN video seems to handle it better.

Next, IGN has a decent video explaining and showing some WvWvW stuff.  It’s funny how he talks about the map and thinks there are only two worlds instead of three… but he doesn’t zoom out to see he’s in just ONE of FOUR massive zones.  Anyway, lots of really cool things to see here like the staging area, a brief glimpse at what your “Competitive PvP character” will look like — that’s the one you’ll do Arenas and battlegrounds with (the inferior kind of PvP) — and how you can customize.

In the video I see him “waypoint” to the keep.  I think this may be a mistake for ArenaNet to allow people to just teleport to the keeps.  Keeping reinforcements from reaching a keep seems like a strategy that gets ignored if the keep can be flooded with people just teleporting there.  I think this might be only for the main big keep in each zone, though, and I am not sure if it can be done when the keep is under siege.  Anyone know?

Jump to 7:35 if you’re just interested in some keep fighting action.

I’m hyped about GW2.  If it’s not obvious, I’m hyped about WvWvW more than anything else.  Watching this stuff brought tears to my eyes … but I think that might be all the sneezing from my cold.

Read on.

Here’s a video showing different combat abilities with different weapons on the Mesmer.  One that stood out to me was the off-hand, and how it grants two abilities.  There was an arc attack that I thought looked cool.  I’m still learning a lot about GW2; one thing I’ve been picking up on is how most abilities have aoe or arc.

I’ll keep updating this as I find more stuff to share.  If you find anything that I haven’t seen, link or tell me about it!  I could really use some good links to PvE videos.

Those familiar with DAOC will already have memories of how most of this works.  For those who missed the DAOC experience, I hope that GW2 finally brings you up to speed with the best way to do PvP in a MMORPG.

I really like the idea of server vs. server now.  In DAOC, each of the three factions grew very close because you were an entire team against two other teams.  You were fighting for meaningful objectives, for reputation, for honor, and glory.  In GW2, you’re fighting for all of those and for the ability to move up in what sounds like a ladder system.  Every two weeks your server is evaluated based on how you did and then given a new server to fight against.  I like the sound of creating healthy competition between servers; maybe that’s what’s needed to create the infamous “realm pride” in today’s market.

I’m in love with the idea of lower players joining the fight and continuing to progress while playing.  Giving everyone the opportunity to play removes segmentation and contribute to the server’s victory that week.  I hope that ArenaNet improves their bolstering system over that of WAR and SWTOR, but even if they don’t I can’t imagine why having more bodies would be a bad thing in this type of PvP (whereas in 8v8 having lowbies sucks).

Just a few great notes:

• Four “absolutely gigantic” zones, one for each realm as a “border land” and one in the middle. (DAOC style)
• Keeps with relics (DAOC style)
• Upgrading Keeps (DAOC style)
• Taking resource camps to earn supply to use on siege/upgrades (cool system)
• Siege weapons
• Mercenary Camps
• Bolstered players continue to level and gear up in PvP
• Guilds can hold locations and attach bonuses to them (like stats), but holding them helps the entire server not just that guild

A PvP system like this emphasizes the whole realm and removes the focus off of the individual and even off of the guild.  Guilds still benefit the server through their organization, but I can be in a guild of 5 friends and jump into WvWvW to contribute 100% as much as the next person.  Since the maps are “absolutely gigantic”, players can spread out and stratigize movement, smaller groups can avoid zergs, and a real battlefield experience can be had.

ArenaNet is giving me everything I want in PvP.  I don’t even care about their PvE game anymore.  I haven’t even read up on any sort of PvP progression (is there one?).  With no subscription fee, playing GW2 has become a no-brainer.  With this type of PvP and no subscription fee… it almost feels wrong.

]]> http://www.keenandgraev.com/2012/02/16/gw2-wvwvw-explained/feed/ 119 http://www.keenandgraev.com/2012/02/14/copy-gold-leader-out/ http://www.keenandgraev.com/2012/02/14/copy-gold-leader-out/#comments Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:16:13 +0000 Keen http://www.keenandgraev.com/?p=6700

"Copy, Gold Leader. I’m already on my way out."

The time has come to update you all on our SWTOR status.  I wish I had good or surprising news, but it appears my suspicions were correct: SWTOR is a tide-me-over game.  SWTOR falls into the category that I call “The 3 monther,” but it’s actually lasting under two months for us.  SWTOR is a tide-me-over or a game to play when you don’t have a more engaging or long-term MMO.

I bought the game to enjoy it as a Bioware RPG with multiplayer.  In reality, it’s a stereotypical themepark MMO with Bioware RPG elements tacked on.  The overall experience was still fun, and I do not regret my purchase.  I feel like I got my money’s worth economically, but perhaps was shorted on my expectations.  DCUO fell into this category for me.  I had an absolute blast for one month and loved it, but the game comes a screeching halt.  SWTOR is the same way, since I do not enjoy their end-game activities  enough to continue playing on a treadmill.

I’d like to just point out a few of my biggest issues with the game.

Questing

• Too repetitive
• At first the story disguises the grind, but when you’ve reached the 5th planet giving you the same cliche story arcs, it’s hard to suspend disbelief.  The writing for a lot of the quests was bad.
• Too boring, maintaining a very generic feel.

Replayability

• I have no desire to make alts.  Maybe this falls under questing.  I can’t do it again.
• Only a few of the classes felt fun or interesting, and the mirrors were a little too obvious.  I can’t, for example, go play a Juggernaut after playing a Guardian.  They are the same thing.

Crafting

• In many ways, pointless.  Only Biochem and maybe Cybertech are useful.
•  No meaningful connection between players.  Crafting is pretty much a solo experience.

Dungeons

• All but the first dungeon felt very boring to me.  I couldn’t bring myself to do them more than once.
• They didn’t have that replayability factor that WoW dungeons had — I could run Scholomance a dozen times but I cringe thinking about running a SWTOR dungeon.

End-game PvE and PvP

• Gear treadmills aren’t fun for me.
• I don’t like the Expertise stat at all.

How the game feels

• Combat feels off for me as a Jedi Knight.  There’s a disconnect somewhere.  Maybe a delay, maybe a GCD issue, maybe the animations.
• It’s not quite “WoW in space” because I think SWTOR falls short of what WoW achieved in the ‘feel’ department.  For what it is, WoW has a lot of depth (which might sound like an oxymoron because themeparks do not have a lot of depth) and SWTOR did not capture the player in any sense of “world”.  The game actually felt closer to Warhammer Online’s truncated questing hubs.

Community

• There isn’t a community at all.  This feels like a single-player game.  I rarely saw another player while leveling.  People are just crammed into the station.
• No one needs to communicate with or interact with other players on any level.
• Players do not have to rely on each other.
• Essentially there is no “massively multiplayer” feel.

It’s okay to walk away from a game saying, “I had fun while it lasted.  I’m done for now.”   I asked the same question when I stopped playing DCUO, “Can this really count as a MMORPG if it only lasts a month?” I think most people are just shocked when a MMO only lasts a month and think it a failure if it can’t hold people for years.  What do you think?  Can we classify SWTOR as “successful” or even broader “a good MMO”?

Graev and I both agree that we liked SWTOR enough, and had high enough hopes for the game, that we are willing to resubscribe later down the road when more content is added or changes are made. For now, we’re once again on the prowl.

P.S. Many Bothans died to bring us this information.

Some people probably wouldn’t consider me much of a Resident Evil fan, seeing as my first foray into the series was with RE4. I have, however, managed to snag almost every new entry into the series since then and even poked around in some of the older games.  The stories are a bit goofy and the controls are sometimes awful, but I enjoy myself most of the time. I was actually pretty excited when it was announced that a full console-like RE experience was coming to the 3DS, in what felt like the way distant future at the time. Oddly enough, time seemed to zip by and I found myself holding a copy of Resident Evil: Revelations.

The game takes place some time between RE4 and RE5. The story jumps from the perspective of Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield, along with a few other members of whatever initialism is in charge of defending the world from virus outbreaks. Apparently a terrorist organization has resurfaced, which in the past was responsible for releasing bio-weapons upon cities, turning people into monsters. Like I mentioned earlier, a bit goofy, but maybe it’s just me. All I know is that I need to make my way around zombie/monster infested areas while trying not to get my ass bit, and that works for me.

The game plays like the newer generation of RE games. You get a 3rd-person, over the shoulder perspective and hold a button to aim your gun, etc. According to most people, Capcom has attempted to add a classic feeling of survival horror to the game, i.e. limited resources, but I’m not feeling it. I always seem to have enough ammo and healing items to take care of business. I’m hoping to get a bigger challenge from the Hell difficulty.  As for controls, RER utilizes the tank control scheme that people seem to either love or hate, though most people seem to gravitate towards the latter. It feels similar to how RE4 felt, as far as I can remember. It’s okay, but not great. There are other control options, but they tend to be worse, unless you have a Circle Pad Pro, which I’ll get into later.

In terms of visuals, it is by far the best looking 3DS game that I’ve played and probably the best looking portable game I’ve played ever. They really managed a pull a lot from the system and I found myself quite impressed at how well it ran. The 3D elements of the game don’t seem to be that exciting, though. It adds to depth to the game, but I don’t think you really even need it on. The game actually seems to look better with the 3D off, which seems like a win/win as it will also save you on battery life.

Unfortunately, there is no campaign co-op. That bummed me out, especially seeing as how you get an A.I. companion with you through almost the entire game. I don’t understand why they opted not to do it. We may have lost out on that, but Capcom did deliver a different kind of co-op experience that is actually quite good. It’s called Raid mode, which has you, by yourself or with a friend, running through portions of the campaign levels trying to get from point A to B while shooting enemies and gathering loot. Unlike the singleplayer, enemies come in different varieties as evidenced by a small tag near their name. Some are smaller and faster, other are bigger and stronger, or have a crap-ton more defense on them. Killing them can get you ammo, keys to progress through the level, or loot items that reward you with new guns at the end of the round. You gain points and level up, allowing you to utilize higher level guns and mods, along with unlocking new characters and costumes. There are 20 levels and three difficulty modes, the later ones needing to be unlocked.

Resident Evil Revelations is ridiculously fun and the only real negative I can think of is that Keen wont buy the game and play it with me.

Circle Pad Pro

Holy crap, I really love this thing. For those who are unaware, the Circle Pad Pro is an accessory for the 3DS which not only adds an additional circle pad, but two shoulder buttons to the system. I was skeptical at first because it didn’t match my teal 3DS, and I would have to take off my awesome crystal armor. Not only that, but I’m not a fan of giving money to Gamestop (it’s exclusive, WTF?). I went through with it anyway and I’m SO glad I did.  You pretty much just stick your 3DS into the device and it works using the infra-red connection. It’s really easy to pop it in and out whenever you need. What I find to be the best part is that I can actually hold my 3DS comfortably now and without getting hand cramps from it being ridiculously small.

Unfortunately, I don’t think it does anything for a game that doesn’t specifically utilize it, which might make you say,”Woah, forget that, why would I want one then if I can’t use it for all the 3DS games that I already own?”, which I would then proceed to shush you and explain further. Sure it may seem like it has limited uses right now but soon some of the greatest games coming out will utilize it. Metal Gear Solid 3D, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, Kid Icarus uprising, and Monster Hunter Tri G (If Capcom localizes it, please) are all some of the games that will utilize the Circle Pad Pro.

Not only that, but using it while playing Resident Evil Revelations actually makes the controls GREAT! The camera controls just like it would using an Xbox or PS3 controller. You can aim, shoot, move, strafe all at once. I tried doing that on every other control scheme and I just couldn’t. I tried for 20 minutes and now my thumb makes this clicking sound; you don’t want that. Even when playing online I see my poor teammate awkwardly trying to aim in combat while trying desperately not to get hit. I can tell he doesn’t have a Circle Pad Pro. Don’t be that guy… because I will mock you.

A screenshot taken from my recent adventures in Ultima Online.

The consensus seems to be that Dr. Richard Garriott has lost his marbles.   Some call(ed) him the father of online gaming.  Some only know him for the failure of Tabula Rasa.  Some know him as Lord British, the creator of one of best (if not the ultimate) massively multiplayer online role playing games.  Despite thinking he may have been replaced by some alien (hence his reasons for wanting to go into space), I feel some loyalty to him; some inexplicable duty to respect him, to tip my hat, and to pay attention when he actually writes something that makes sense.

I read Richard Garriott’s ‘Ultimate RPG Defined‘ novel biography article.  He basically walks the reader through the history of Ultima.  Throughout the piece are these nuggets of wisdom that read like a list of ingredients for what makes the ultimate RPG.  Some of them are out there; actually, some of them are crazy and made me chuckle.  But some of them are truisms and some are statements that I believe are not given enough thought from the industry at large.

I’ve included almost all of them below.  Read on!

Graphic style is not the essential element of an Ultimate RPG.

Participating in the world alongside you, is a valuable part of an Ultimate RPG.

Detailed world interactions are part of the essence of Ultimate RPG.

Cultural history, unique languages and writing are part of the Ultimate RPG.

The Ultimate RPG can live in many worlds and settings.

Physical game components can deeply enrich a virtual world.

Connecting with the audience is essential in crafting the Ultimate RPG.

Living and playing through detailed realistic worlds with stories about virtue and social issues, became the central essence of my Ultimate RPG.

Holding a mirror up to yourself is part of an Ultimate RPG.

Fiction supporting your journey from Earth to the new world is part of The Ultimate RPG.

An original deep and consistent world is a critical part of the Ultimate RPG.

Logically constructed internally consistent fiction is part of an Ultimate RPG.

Multiplayer is desirable and very challenging in any Ultimate RPG.

Yet I remain convinced, the Ultimate RPG can be made in the MMO medium.

Most MMOs, like most solo player games, are not Ultimate RPGs, they have devolved into level grinds in beautiful but generic fantasy or sci-fi settings. While sales may be great, the Ultimate RPG is far from these examples.

Overused, irrelevant & reused RPG elements are not the essence of my Ultimate RPG.

It is clear to me that I, Richard Garriott, am an essential ingredient of at least the Ultimate Ultima, if not more broadly the Ultimate RPG.

Reading the list went something like this for me: “Amen! mmhmm! Yep! Uh huh.  Right on! … urr .. okay I can see that … what the… *sideways look*.”

The last point on that list is how Garriott essentially turned the whole thing into his leverage to get back into the game, so to speak.  He wants to try again.  He wants to make the Ultimate RPG.  He concludes by saying:

Lord British’s Ultimate Role Playing Game, which may be called “Akalabeth” or may be called “New Britannia” or may be called “a name I cannot yet say as it describes the setting I am considering and think I should keep secret at least until I know if it’s likely true,” will be an Ultimate RPG. You will have customized Avatar homesteads and real roles to play in a deep, beautifully realized highly interactive virtual world. It will have virtues and the hero’s journey reflected back to the player. It will have the best of synchronous and asynchronous features in use. Fiction will support your arrival from earth into this new world. I even hope to make maps, coins and other trinkets available to players of the game.

…

Come play with us in the brave new world. Help us grow it. Teach us about what you have learned in your years of playing.

Yes, m’Lord.  Ahem, I mean.  Okay, I’m willing to give it a shot.  Why not?  I respect Ultima Online for what it was — before Garriott was tossed out and Ninjas were added.  I recently went back to UO and felt the same burning passion I have for the true virtual world.  I may not swear fealty to Lord British, but I am loyal to the idea and will answer his call.

[Thanks to The Merovingian for showing me the article.]

Phandy talks about the visuals being “absolutely breathtaking”, but the compliments end there.  Here’s his conclusion:

I went into the beta with an open mind. I had literally read nothing about the game prior. The only advance knowledge I had was that the combat system was supposed to be “Awesome!!!” so I wanted to give it a try. Unfortunately, I was utterly bored after the first 10 levels. Between the simple combat system, the non-engaging storyline, repetitive quests and npcs I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’ve done all this before and could not see a reason why I should keep playing the game.  In fact, it made me want to play Kingdoms of Amalur more. An MMO making me want to play a RPG? What is going on here?

I played Aion with Phandy and he seemed to enjoy it more than I did… so if he says TERA is boring then I can’t imagine what I would think.  (Phandy told me I would be smashing my face on my keyboard.)

Anyone else play in the beta weekend and want to share thoughts?

Killing rats is fun when they're this cool looking!

I want to update you guys with more of my Reckoning Impressions.  I’ve logged over 10 hours with the game which is far fewer than I would like, but I’ve been cramming for a midterm.   My pure mage is coming along awesome.  I have some very powerful spells now like my upgraded lightning, a passive chain lightning component, some fire executions, a summoned skeleton, a heal, and soon some ice shards.

Reckoning’s combat is still winning me over.  Combat is very action-packed, but don’t get the impression that it’s all crazy swinging and spazzy.  Combat feels very thought out.  If mobs get close, I’ll staff attack them with three attacks to cause an ice push-back.  When they’re at range, I’ll continue attacking with my chakrams.  If the mobs gang up on me, I have my fire and lightning to bring down larger numbers.

Dodging and blocking are thoughtful as well.  I’m learning to intelligently dodge attacks to give me better positioning for attacks.  Blocking at the right moment parries, giving me the chance to either roll away or strike them with my staff.

Reckoning mode makes fights much easier. Try to save it for when you need it most.

The stories in Reckoning have received mediocre reviews from some sites.  I’d challenge those sites by pointing to their reviews of Skyrim, which was not docked for side-quest mediocrity when the quests read nearly identical.  In my opinion, both games have good quests.  I just finished a quest line in Reckoning where I tried to figure out who was behind attacks on a village.  The story started out simple but culminated with a great boss fight and a great reward.

I don’t want to compare Reckoning to Skyrim all the time, since they’re quite different, but Skyrim is a newer RPG that many are still playing or contemplating playing over Reckoning.  Reckoning feels more ‘pick up and play’ than Skyrim.  One reason I haven’t progressed as far as I would like in Skyrim is that I get discouraged when I realize to get anything done in-game I have to sit for several hours.  I can hop on Reckoning for an hour and get things done.

Yes, Reckoning is more linear than Skyrim.  The world has a slight funneling feel.  I would argue, though, that the world of Reckoning is very large and given how much of the map I’ve explored vs. how much more I have to go, I’d say it feels as big as Skyrim.

More to come.

[If you're looking to buy Reckoning, Amazon has the PC download version 15% off.]

I’m playing the PC version via STEAM with an Xbox 360 controller.  I have no issues to report with performance.

Keen the Dokkalfar Mage

I made a Dokkalfar that I am playing as a pure Mage.  What I already love about my character is how awesome his combat feels.  I’m a Mage, but I’m busting out all these staff spins with fire attacks and throwing my chakrams around like Xena (eeeee lalalalala!).  Combat is so fluid!  Not only can I do all those attacks, I can chain them into combos that flow seamlessly together.

My magic abilities are very strong.  I’ve specialized into max lightning stuff with points into reducing mana costs and upgrading arcane weapon attacks.  I feel unstoppable!

Chakrams! Eeeee alalalalalal

Monsters in Reckoning look great.  I haven’t come across a single dull looking mob.  Even the bears have a look about them.  The brownies might be my favorite so far.

I’ve worked my way through several mini dungeons, plenty of forest, many quests, found epic items, and stumbled upon some amazing sights.  Amalur is beautiful.  The combat feels slick, but I think the world is what really has me in a trance.  I like to walk around zooming into the view that lets me look around.  I look up, down, zoom in on textures, and simply admire my surroundings.  At least 30 minutes have been spent just drooling at a beautiful world.

Another great thing about Reckoning is replayability.  I’m avoiding evil choices and trying to play how I envision a Dokkalfar mage would play.  I’m already certain I can go back and play a second time and enjoy the game from a different perspective.   There are also a lot of side quests that I have essentially followed to the point of completely ignoring the main story line.  I might be able to ignore some of the side quests and focus on them during a second play-through.  I’ll have to investigate that more.

I only have a few complaints with the game so far.

• Why can’t I be one of those awesome Gnomes?!
• Can’t jump
• Sometimes camera angles are wonky

I hate bringing everything back to MMORPG’s, but Reckoning -is- acting as an introduction to a property that will become a MMORPG in the future (Copernicus).  My friends might be sick of me saying “Why can’t MMORPG’s play like this?!” on Ventrilo.  The sad reality is, RPGs are eclipsing MMOs for me.  MMOs just aren’t giving me the levels of “WOAH! AWESOME! FUN!” that I can find in RPGs.  38 Studios may be the ones to save MMOs for me if they can deliver a MMO on par with Reckoning.

Reckoning is a winner; that’s a conclusion I can draw with only five hours played.  Like I tweeted within the first hour of play, Reckoning is the most fun I’ve had gaming in months.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

Reckoning launches for me in just two hours!  I pre-ordered via Steam and Graev will get his copy delivered to the house in the morning because of Amazon’s free release-date shipping.  He decided to get the Xbox 360 version, and I went with the PC version.  I’m going to use a Xbox 360 controller, though.  I really didn’t like the PC controls at all, but the controller felt natural.

I think I’ll be going with a Mage and may branch out to Mage-Fighter if the pure magic doesn’t do it for me.  I’m currently debating normal mode vs. hard… that might be a last minute decision.  I’m completely beside myself with anticipation.  Lots of us on Ventrilo plan to talk while we play, and even the guys who don’t usually play RPG’s are excited to play after they tried the demo.

"Stand and deliver, that my hamster might have a better look at you."

Baldur’s Gate II

Back in December we both picked up BG2 from GoG.com.  We installed the game along with some mods that improve the functionality (but keep the game true to ‘vanilla’) and finally managed to get the multiplayer working.  We’ll be playing through one of the greatest RPG’s ever made together for the first time.

We both have nightmares of getting the game to work on our old PCs.  It proved to be difficult again as we realized you have to run the game in window mode and sometimes use Gameranger to establish a connection to each other.  It works, though, and we’re ready to begin our epic adventure.  Graev went with a Ranger and I went the Mage route.   We got into the game, troubleshooted our issues, and have everything set and running beautifully. I can’t wait to get explore.

Go for the eyes Boo, GO FOR THE EYES!! RrraaaAAGHGHH!!!

Guild Wars 2

My excitement for Guild Wars 2 is growing as my friends begin to hype videos.  I’m still trying to wrap my head around the idea of “no end-game” in Guild Wars 2.  GW2 is sitting on the fence between themepark and pseudo-sandbox (my made up term for games like EverQuest and Dark Age of Camelot).  It wants to be both, and it can be if done correctly.  I’m anxious to see how these public quests truly impact the world.  Regardless of the PvE or progression content, I’m very curious to learn anything I can about the PvP.

Star Wars: The Old Republic

I’m sad to say that most of my friends have cancelled their accounts.  I want to keep playing, see the content, and make the game last.  It’s just not happening for me.  One of my friends, Evalissa, is a major alt-aholic, but she’s expressed her disinterest in making alts.  I feel the same way.  I have no desire to make a character and see the game again.

SWTOR was a fun leveling experience, albeit one with moments of dull sprinkled throughout.  If I had to deliver a final verdict right here, right now, it would be that SWTOR is a 3 monther.  I expected it.  I planned for it.  I was very clear upfront with myself and all of you that I was going into SWTOR to play it like a Bioware RPG.  Mission accomplished.

I’ll keep playing as long as enough of my guild members log in to do content together.  Do I dislike playing? Nah, I’m just not motivated.  At most, SWTOR is a bridge allowing my to cross the void until GW2.