To Grind or Not to Grind?
As soon as I returned to LOTRO last October I immediately started replacing my level 100 gear with more appropriate items. I finally started using slotted armour and essences, using mainly the gear that dropped from quests along the way. As ever it’s not the best but it’s better than what I had. I never started the Dol Amroth repeatable quests that yield armour sets and as the gear is now only level 100, I’ve decided against that option. As I no longer have the time to regularly run instances, I can’t get a set from the Throne of Dread Terror (T2). Luckily, Turbine (now Standing Stone Games) introduced the Flora Barter system with Update 19: March of the King, which provides an alternative method of obtaining level cap appropriate gear.
As soon as I returned to LOTRO last October I immediately started replacing my level 100 gear with more appropriate items. I finally started using slotted armour and essences, using mainly the gear that dropped from quests along the way. As ever it’s not the best but it’s better than what I had. I never started the Dol Amroth repeatable quests that yield armour sets and as the gear is now only level 100, I’ve decided against that option. As I no longer have the time to regularly run instances, I can’t get a set from the Throne of Dread Terror (T2). Luckily, Turbine (now Standing Stone Games) introduced the Flora Barter system with Update 19: March of the King, which provides an alternative method of obtaining level cap appropriate gear.
So, I spent some time recently gathering the various plants in North Ithilien that yield Phials of Extract; the barter items need for the gear set. However, because I’ve been focused on other in-game tasks I didn’t really consider how long it would take to meet the criteria to obtain the full set of Light Weave Padded Armour for my Lore-master. Today I sat down with a pen and paper and did the math(s). A full set comprises of 6 pieces (no cloak). Each item requires 2 Phials of Sapphire Extract and 4 Phials of Amber. So, in total to purchase this set you need 12 Phials of Sapphire and 24 Phials of Amber. To obtain Phials of Sapphire and Amber Extract you have to combine lesser extracts such as Umber, Verdant and Crimson, which come from picking plants in North Ithilien. Sapphire requires 250 lesser extracts and Amber 125. So, to summarise here is a breakdown of the numbers needed for a full set of armour, be it light, medium or heavy:
250 Phials of Umber, Verdant or Crimson Extract x 12 to yield sufficient Sapphire Extract.
125 Phials of Umber, Verdant or Crimson Extract x 24 to yield sufficient Amber Extract.
In total a player needs to have 6000 of the lesser extracts (Phials of Umber, Verdant or Crimson) to then trade in for the necessary Phials of Sapphire and Amber Extract.
Now I spent approximately 90 minutes today collecting extracts from plants such as Horsetail, Dwarfsbeard and Elfspear (others species are available) and I managed to obtain 200 or so. The plants grow in a level cap zone populated by appropriate mobs and animals. So, you do lose some time in combat while collecting. Furthermore, like ore nodes these Flora are contested and you’ll often find yourself competing with other playes for them. Therefore, when you consider all these factors, I estimate it will take a calendar month to gain sufficient stocks of flora extracts to purchase the set. That’s a calendar month playing every day and investing and hour and a half of your time just collecting. It should be noted that there are now some repeatable quests that award random extracts as a way of trying to shorten this process but it really doesn’t make that much of a difference.
So, after figuring this logistical problem out I now have to decide whether I wish to “grind” for this armour set. It comes down to whether you feel that the time invested justifies the reward, or if it is simply too much work. Furthermore, I’ve been burnt several times in the past by Turbine when pursuing other gear grinds. I finally obtained my First Age Weapon from running Moria instances a week before Siege of Mirkwood came out with a new set of gear and weapons that made mine obsolete. The same happened with all the stuff I earned from Hytbold. No doubt Update 21 which is the Mordor expansion may well see a level cap increase. I want to be able enjoy any level 105 armour I obtain for at least six month before it gets replaced. However, I can at times be quite goal orientated so I may well embark on this project. Ultimately the deciding factor with any MMO is one of time.
MMORPGs: A Recurring Talking Point
Last night, I hosted the recording of the latest TGEN Tribunal, a quarterly roundtable podcast made up of members of The Gaming and Entertainment Network. Myself, Syl, Braxwolf and Brian discussed several subjects, one of which was regarding the MMORPG genre. The initial question was quite specific but the discussion soon expanded to cover wider aspects of online multiplayer games. Overall it was an interesting debate, as all present have been playing MMOs for years and have certainly seen their relationship with them evolve. When we finished recording it occurred to me that the subject of MMOs has been a major theme of many of the podcasts I’ve been involved with over the years.
Last night, I hosted the recording of the latest TGEN Tribunal, a quarterly roundtable podcast made up of members of The Gaming and Entertainment Network. Myself, Syl, Braxwolf and Brian discussed several subjects, one of which was regarding the MMORPG genre. The initial question was quite specific but the discussion soon expanded to cover wider aspects of online multiplayer games. Overall it was an interesting debate, as all present have been playing MMOs for years and have certainly seen their relationship with them evolve. When we finished recording it occurred to me that the subject of MMOs has been a major theme of many of the podcasts I’ve been involved with over the years.
For myself and many others, the appeal of the MMORPG lies in the concept of a persistent world that can be shared and explored with others. Although the inherent novelty of the multiplayer aspect of the MMO may have lost its lustre over the last decade, I still from time to time pause and reflect, whenever in-game, that all the other avatars around me are players like myself, sitting at their computers and looking for fun and engagement. The MMO genre also lends itself to strong narratives, often stemming from the intellectual properties they create or license. This is a major attraction. Then there’s simply the fascination of people watching. MMOs mirror aspects of real life with their economies and social hierarchies.
Over the years the genre has evolved, as have the communities that spring from them. The MMO has changed from a complex, time sink that was funded by subscriptions to a more casual and flexible experience. Free to play caused outraged, as did a move away from “hard core raiding”. But the genre still survived and the player base adapted. Allowing more players to participate with alternative business models certainly did have an impact upon content and the quality of some players. Certain MMOs that prided themselves on the rectitude of their player base, found out the hard way that not everyone was amicable by default. Yet regardless of all the challenges that have emerged and numerous prophecies of impending doom, the MMO endures and along with it so does our interest.
I played my first MMO in winter 2008 and I was not exactly an early adopter. By then, many of my peers had cut their teeth on titles such as Ultima Online, EverQuest and World of Warcraft. However my initial MMO experience came at the right moment, when I had the time and inclination to indulge my passion. And because my initial experience with LOTRO was so positive, I subsequently tried all major MMOs that were released thereafter. Thus between 2009 and 2014 the MMO genre was effectively my game of choice. In light of such an admission, it hardly seems surprising to see that enjoyment and affection reflect in my writing and podcasting. In more recent years it has also become apparent that my relationship with the MMORPG has changed, as the demands on my time mean I can no longer commit to a game in the same manner as I did a decade ago.
So, is there a point to all this introspection? Yes there is. After last night’s recording, I decided to search through my archive of podcasts that I’ve created over the last seven years. I found a roundtable discussion, similar to yesterdays. It was recorded in summer 2012 and features my regular co-host Brian, Merric from A Casual Stroll to Mordor and Syp from Massively OP and Bio Break. The show was specifically about the “future of MMOs” and although it’s very much couched in the context of the time, it still has some interesting and relevant points to make. Listening to it again, has certainly highlighted how I’ve moved on in some regards, yet in others I’m still quite enthusiastic. One thing does stand out for me; the fact that LOTRO is still a constant.
So I’ve reposted the podcast. If memory serves, this show was well received upon its original release and now serves as a quasi-historical document, in so far as being a snapshot of the MMO fan base at the time. At the very least it may raise a wry smile from among those who originally participated in the recording. Perhaps we could even do a retrospective of our own show at some future date and discuss what we got right and what we got wrong. In the meantime the MMORPG still endures and adapts to the modern gaming market. Perhaps it is that propensity for survival that makes it such an interesting subject to return to and explore.
UI Customisation
Game complexity can be both a boon and a bane; a selling point and a source of irritation. There are many titles that I enjoy that have a wealth of systems and mechanics that add greatly to the overall immersion and entertainment. The MMORPG genre excels at this. However, this data all needs to be displayed visually, in an efficient and intuitive fashion. It has to be readily available and easy to navigate. Naturally, there’s a fine balance between making such a system accessible without becoming a source of distraction. This is the challenge that all developers face when designing a user interface. However this problem is compounded further by the human element. Regardless of how well crafted a game’s UI may be, players will always wish to change it to suit their own needs and requirements.
Game complexity can be both a boon and a bane; a selling point and a source of irritation. There are many titles that I enjoy that have a wealth of systems and mechanics that add greatly to the overall immersion and entertainment. The MMORPG genre excels at this. However, this data all needs to be displayed visually, in an efficient and intuitive fashion. It has to be readily available and easy to navigate. Naturally, there’s a fine balance between making such a system accessible without becoming a source of distraction. This is the challenge that all developers face when designing a user interface. However this problem is compounded further by the human element. Regardless of how well crafted a game’s UI may be, players will always wish to change it to suit their own needs and requirements.
What I often find in the MMO genre, is that the UI is streamlined at the beginning of a game with all the essential data that you need to play, evenly distributed around the screen. This grows exponentially as the game progresses, especially with older titles that frequently suffer from skills bloat. LOTRO is a classic example of this with a wealth of data swamping the screen when you reach level cap. I remember having similar issues when I was actively playing SWTOR. I encountered the same in STO recently, especially with regard to the skills hot bar. This was growing and intruding further towards the middle of the screen, impeding combat.
Mercifully most games have the ability to customise the UI, allowing players to indulge their preferences. Furthermore custom HUD settings can frequently be saved and then loaded when required. Monitor size and screen resolution also play a part in this matter and can have a positive impact if altered. Many games also have a cottage industry of players creating and sharing their own custom user interfaces. LOTROinterface has proven to be very popular over the years. The WoW and ESO communities also have multiple sites and resources for such changes. In the competitive genre of MOBAs, a common interface between team mates can be advantageous.
I currently have a 24 inch monitor with a resolution of 1920 x 1200. It provides a fairly large gaming canvas and allows me to spread the various elements of the UI to the borders of the screen. However an excess of data on the periphery of your vision can be distracting, especially if it flashes or attempts to alert you in some fashion. I also find it an impediment if my hot bars start to encroach towards the centre of the screen. I don't know if this is due to a foible of human vision but I find it draws my eyes away from where they need to be. I've had such problems in STO recently with my hot bar resembling a pyramid, resulting is some judicious customisation.
The ability to alter a games GUI, raises some interesting questions. The most obvious is whether or not you actually need everything on-screen. My view is if you're not using a specific element of the HUD, then remove it and that goes for skills as well. Then there is the matter of whether games developers are doing their best to accommodate the needs of players with disabilities. Resizing elements and changing colour schemes, as well as assigning audio alerts can all be incredibly beneficial. Fonts can also be a bone of contention, with some not lending themselves readily to being scaled. A simple change of this nature can often improve gaming.
Personally, I would like to see more customisation options added to games. The mod scene in Skyrim really set the standard. I also like the way that some MMOs such as LOTRO have built in voice chat and access to social media. STO allows players to utilise third party audio players while in-game and The Secret World has its own internal web browser as part of the narrative. Although it is to a developer’s advantage to keep the player focused and in-game, facilitating customisation and providing multiple tools aids this process. Flexibility and accommodating change needs to be more of a driving factors in games development because no two players are alike.
The Geography of LOTRO: Part 2 Bree and Bree-land
In the second part of our look at the geography of Middle Earth, we shall be focusing of the town of Bree. It has a pivotal role in the events of the book and subsequently play a similar part Standing Stone Games Lord of the Rings Online. Before we start, let us remind ourselves exactly what Tolkien writes when introducing Bree to the reader. The following quote is the opening paragraph of chapter nine; At the sign of the Prancing Pony from The Fellowship of the Ring.
In the second part of our look at the geography of Middle Earth (part 1 is here), we shall be focusing of the town of Bree. It has a pivotal role in the events of the book and subsequently play a similar part Standing Stone Games Lord of the Rings Online. Before we start, let us remind ourselves exactly what Tolkien writes when introducing Bree to the reader. The following quote is the opening paragraph of chapter nine; At the sign of the Prancing Pony from The Fellowship of the Ring.
"Bree was the chief village of the Bree-land, a small inhabited region, like an island in the empty lands round about. Besides Bree itself, there was Staddle on the other side of the hill, Combe in the deep valley a little further eastward and Archet on the edge of the Chetwood. Lying round Bree-hill and the villages was a small country of fields and tamed woodland only a few miles broad."
This is a very clear description and to the developers credit they have interpreted this rather literally in the game. Focusing first on the town of Bree itself, Turbine have constructed a settlement that broadly conforms to Tolkien’s details. As you enter through the West-gate and follow the path of "The East Road" you will see the Hobbit holes and small holdings on the slopes of the hill. The homes of men are mainly to the East. "The Prancing Pony" inn is located at the top of the road, abutting to Bree hill itself. The building consists of two wings, as in the source text, though only one is accessible.
Where the game differs is in scale. Bree in LOTRO has been expanded from a simple village to a more substantial centre of commerce. This adaptation allows them to encompass all the crafting and training halls, along with the vendors and sundry NPCs. The only embellishment I personally feel a little excessive, is the town hall itself. It seems a little too ambitious for such a small and insular community. A similar view could be taken on several of the fountains and statues that adorn the various squares. The 2012 revamp has certainly made Bree more populous. Again, perhaps to the detriment of the lore. However, the hedge and dike that surround Bree are very much in accordance with the books and seem authentic.
Moving immediately outside of Bree into Bree-Land itself, we find both Combe and Staddle in the right locations. These being the respective local enclaves of men and hobbits. As specific details are lacking , Turbines visualisations are perfectly acceptable and not in any way excessive. The village of Archet however, has been moved considerably further North. This is to accommodate the fact that the area is a race specific starter area in the game and has been isolated to suit the mechanics of the game. Such local features within the Archet area such as "Bronwe's Folly", "Sprigley's Farm" and "Blackwold Roost" are non-canonical. However none of these are in any way contrary to prevailing regional design.
The above map and the one immediately below have been created using the original books and the subsequent histories of Middle Earth as a guide. They both depict a more Spartan and less populous village of Bree and a far more expansive Chetwood that extends in to the North and NorthEast. The Midgewater marshes are such a distance away as to not even be included on both maps. As are both Andrath and the South Downs. These points highlight the fact that Bree was the last major settlement East of the Blue Mountains before entering the Lonelands. This was a region that was unsettled and thus to a degree barren.
Turbines original condensing of Middle Earth was and remains a necessary factor in creating a viable environment for collective gameplay. However, on occasions, although LOTRO excels at capturing the spirit of Tolkien’s world, there are inevitable trade-offs. The loss of scale particularly in this region is a little disappointing and for those who may not be familiar with the length of original journey, may be somewhat perplexing. For those who wish for more technically accurate cartography, I would recommend the following books. Journeys of Frodo by Barbara Strachey and The Atlas of Middle Earth by Karen Wynn Fonstad. Both depict the routes taken by the fellowship and contain exacting details relating to dates and even the phases of the moon and stars.
Damning the Elder Scrolls Online with Faint Praise?
I recently wrote about how about how I finally purchased The Elder Scrolls Online, two years after the games launch. As the purpose of this post is to contrast my thoughts on the MMO both then and now and how they may have potentially changed, I must first reiterate how I felt about ESO initially. As memory serves, here is a breakdown of my initial impressions. I participated in the beta testing in 2014 and although I broadly enjoyed the game, I was not in any way blown away by it. Overall things took several hours to hit their stride as far as gameplay and enjoyment. I also felt that the early levels seemed too focused on establishing the narrative at the expense of the player getting into the game. Eventually I did get that Elder Scrolls vibe but it was not immediately apparent. The action combat needed refining and the multiplayer element frankly felt redundant, unless you were focused on PVP.
I recently wrote about how about how I finally purchased The Elder Scrolls Online, two years after the games launch. As the purpose of this post is to contrast my thoughts on the MMO both then and now and how they may have potentially changed, I must first reiterate how I felt about ESO initially. As memory serves, here is a breakdown of my initial impressions. I participated in the beta testing in 2014 and although I broadly enjoyed the game, I was not in any way blown away by it. Overall things took several hours to hit their stride as far as gameplay and enjoyment. I also felt that the early levels seemed too focused on establishing the narrative at the expense of the player getting into the game. Eventually I did get that Elder Scrolls vibe but it was not immediately apparent. The action combat needed refining and the multiplayer element frankly felt redundant, unless you were focused on PVP.
Upon my return, I found that the starting zone was still very much a handholding exercise with regard to the game mechanics and the central story. These “nursery” areas are always tend to be problematic for the MMO genre, often falling between two stools. Some players will find them to too hemmed in and on rails, yet there is a need to teach those new to the genre the basic mechanics of the game. Once out of the starter area, things do pick up and it becomes clear that the game leans more towards Skyrim that to other traditional MMOs. If you elect to play ESO with the standard interface, then it’s incumbent upon you to explore the world and figure things out. If you want a more contemporary MMO experience with mini-maps and a wealth of prompts, then add-ons are your friend.
Second time around I felt far more confident about ESO. Certainly, two years’ worth of patches have ironed out a lot of bugs. The combat is more fluid and will provide you with tells if you so wish. The quest lines are well written and engaging, as is the voice acting. The colour scheme is still very muted and this is a far from vibrant game world. However, the games aesthetics suit the lore and match the previous iterations of the franchise. My experience this time round was also enhanced by the wealth of videos and FAQs that are now available for ESO. I had to watch about thirty minutes of video in total to get an adequate handle on the games systems and intricacies. So overall this was a better experience for me, thus proving the old adage about not being an early adopter. The only thing that remained conspicuously the same was the issue of other players. So far, I’ve had no compelling reason to group or interact with them.
Admittedly, I have only been playing for a few days and therefore ESO may well have further revelations for me that will radically change my opinion on the game. Yet I have a nagging concern that that may not be the case and I’m just going to get more of the same. Namely, an MMO with various systems to progress, gear to grind for and a wealth of well written quests to embark upon. All of which is perfectly acceptable but far from exceptional. To summarise everything so far is okay. In fact, one word can sum things up. Adequate. Now there’s a word that often misunderstood so let us remind ourselves with its dictionary definition. Adequate (adjective) satisfactory or acceptable in quality or quantity". This office is perfectly adequate for my needs". Synonyms: sufficient, enough, ample, requisite, apposite, appropriate, suitable.
Now this raises a very interesting point. Is there anything is wrong with a game being just adequate? Why does every new MMORPG have to be revelation and gaming epiphany? To find an answer to this question, let us consider the realities of our own lives. I doubt very few of us receive utter perfection from any of the services we pay for or products we buy. I drink some well-known but distinctly mainstream brands of beer and spirits. That is not to say that they are not enjoyable but they are not anything special. They are merely serviceable. Society does not overtly balk at the notion of adequacy in other industries. So why are gamers aspirations regarding the MMO genre so much higher than those in other aspects of their life?
Some may feel that the use of such words as "adequate" is simply damning ESO with faint praise and that it is far from a complement. I'm not so sure. I think that the primary reason for ESO’s continuing existence is the franchise itself. This is after all the most current iteration of the Elder Scrolls mythos and it satisfies fan’s needs. The quality of the game, which I am arguing is not all bad, is a secondary consideration. If this was an MMO stripped of the vestige of the IP, perhaps it would not enjoy the level of success that it currently does. Perhaps adequate proves that ESO is still a work in progress, on a continuing journey of self-improvement. Being deemed acceptable and workman like across a spectrum of game mechanics is ultimately preferable to a broken game or one that excels at something and fails at others. At present ESO adequacy is sufficient reason for me to continue playing. After all I’ve played many adequate games over the years and have still enjoyed them.
Star Trek Online: Season 12 and the 7th Anniversary
There’s a lot going on in Star Trek Online at present. The game is currently celebrating its seventh anniversary which means there’s a chance to earn a new Tier 6 Lukari Ho’kuun Science Vessel, via the repeatable Omega Molecule Stabilization anniversary event. Season Twelve has also just launched, with the featured episode Of Signs and Portents. The story continues with Starfleet’s joint exploration with their new ally the Lukari, and features actor Tony Todd reprising his role of General Rodek. There is also the addition of the Lukari reputation faction, along with two new Tzenkethi Space Queues and Battlezone. If this wasn’t enough Cryptic have also added a new Kits and Modules Research School to the existing R&D system as well as a new lock box, featuring 23rd Century ships and technologies.
There’s a lot going on in Star Trek Online at present. The game is currently celebrating its seventh anniversary which means there’s a chance to earn a new Tier 6 Lukari Ho’kuun Science Vessel, via the repeatable Omega Molecule Stabilization anniversary event. Season Twelve has also just launched, with the featured episode Of Signs and Portents. The story continues with Starfleet’s joint exploration with their new ally the Lukari, and features actor Tony Todd reprising his role of General Rodek. There is also the addition of the Lukari reputation faction, along with two new Tzenkethi Space Queues and Battlezone. If this wasn’t enough Cryptic have also added a new Kits and Modules Research School to the existing R&D system as well as a new lock box, featuring 23rd Century ships and technologies.
As ever, Cryptic have been generously giving away free items from the C-Store over the course of the anniversary week, including uniforms, skills points, ships slots and drydock spaces. Furthermore, the console version of the game continues to grow, with the recent PC expansion Agents of Yesterday being ported to Xbox One and PS4 next month. Executive producer Stephen Ricossa stated in a recent anniversary letter that “2016 was not just another amazing year for Star Trek Online, but the best year we’ve ever had” and is confident that the game will thrive this year. “There are even more fantastic releases planned for 2017, and a continuation of the current story line that will grow and weave as it takes us well into 2018”. Marketing spin notwithstanding, the abundance of new material across multiple platforms appears to show that Star Trek Online is doing well in the current MMO market.
Conversely, at a time when STO is thriving, other MMOs are either treading water or in some cases facing imminent closure. Turbine will be shutting down Asheron’s Call at the end of January and it doesn’t look as if there’s likely to be an eleventh-hour rescue from a third party. In fact, Turbines exit from the MMO industry to focus on mobile games, indicates that the MMORPG as a genre is no longer considered as lucrative as it was a decade ago. Many developers have learnt the hard way that creating a World of Warcraft clone that produces the same level of financial success, is nigh on impossible. Star Trek Online, like LOTRO, endure mainly because of the popularity of the core IP and the inherent loyalty of the fan base.
Where LOTRO, under the auspices of Warner Bros. never fully tied in to the Hobbit feature films, it will be interesting to see if the new TV show Star Trek Discovery gets incorporated in to STO. Bearing in mind that Cryptic have so far included direct lore references from all previous Star Trek shows and even the J J Abrams movies under the guise of the Kelvin Timeline, then I’d say it’s more than likely certain. Enjoying such a cordial business relationship with the rights holders CBS, certainly seems to be proving healthy for STO. It’s curious that matter of the game license has never become such an issue among the fan community as it has with LOTRO. In the meantime, there’s plenty of content to explore in STO, ensuring my regular presence in the game for the immediate future. As a lifetime account holder, I feel that I always have the option of taking a break from the game, should it require it but so far, since May 2015 I’ve been pretty much continuously kept busy. Not bad for a seven-year-old MMO.
Yet Another Divided Community?
Overwatch is currently celebrating the Chinese New Year with an event that adds not only additional cosmetic skins but also a new game mode. Capture the Rooster is a themed variation of capture the flag. What makes this new content so interesting is that Blizzard initially stated that such a game mechanic would not be viable for the game, due to the abilities of specific characters giving them an unfair advantage. However, the developers have placed a time delay between capturing the flag and when a player can run with it, allegedly mitigating this loophole. Yet despite this change Capture the Rooster is still proving controversial with the player base. Feel free to peruse the comments section over at Polygon or on the Overwatch subreddit for further information. The key to success appears to be with having a balanced organised team. Thus, guilds that player regularly fair better than players who just auto group.
Overwatch is currently celebrating the Chinese New Year with an event that adds not only additional cosmetic skins but also a new game mode. Capture the Rooster is a themed variation of capture the flag. What makes this new content so interesting is that Blizzard initially stated that such a game mechanic would not be viable for the game, due to the abilities of specific characters giving them an unfair advantage. However, the developers have placed a time delay between capturing the flag and when a player can run with it, allegedly mitigating this loophole. Yet despite this change Capture the Rooster is still proving controversial with the player base. Feel free to peruse the comments section over at Polygon or on the Overwatch subreddit for further information. The key to success appears to be with having a balanced organised team. Thus, guilds that player regularly fair better than players who just auto group.
This point and others demonstrate the divide that has quickly formed within the Overwatch community. As ever this division forms around player styles. Specifically, casual players who auto group and play for fun and those who pursue ranked competitive gameplay. I’ve read a lot recently about the alleged “toxicity” of the Overwatch community but have not encountered it myself until recently. But then again, I have been “playing in the shallow end” with regard to my time in game. I usually just use the Quick Play facility to auto group with players of my level. If I want to try and familiarise myself with a new character, then I play against the game AI. So far, all my interactions with other players have been positive. There’s been a few crass comments but they’ve been few and far between. However, as I recently hit level 30, I decided to give the Competitive Play ago and the difference in behaviour was striking.
Competitive gameplay can be a good thing, or so I’m told. Please insert all the usual platitudes about team dynamics, creating communities and building character here. I’m not sure if they are applicable to all players but I’m prepared to consider that not everyone partaking of Competitive Play in Overwatch is ill-mannered and ill humoured. Yet the reality is that a lot are and as ever they leech all the enjoyment out of the proceedings. Tantrums about changing characters as well as blame and anger after a lost round are all too frequent. As ever, racially abusive terms, sexually violent threats and brooding rancour liberally abound in text and audio chat. There’s a somewhat tiresome and tedious inevitability about this state of affairs. Furthermore, it’s sad because the ranked games in Overwatch, do tend to be better. Players show a far greater understanding on their character’s skills and have better situational awareness. I must admit I’ve been impressed by the standard of the games I lost. It’s just a shame that all this goes hand in glove with a simultaneous race to the bottom.
I and possibly many of my colleagues have reached a point now in our respective gaming lives where these kinds of community divides are just a fact of life. Ranked playing simply comes with baggage and you just have to roll with it. If such a mechanic is introduced in to any game, then this kind of behaviour always manifests itself. Of course, different developers try different approaches to correct this situation, with vary degrees of sincerity and success but I suspect it is ultimately unsolvable. The anonymity of the internet simply frees people from social convention and shows that perhaps our default position isn’t as nice as we would like to think. So, it’s back to the “shallow end” for me. I have insufficient skill anyway to truly thrive in ranked gameplay and as a result I don’t enjoy such an environment. As for the issues of division and “toxicity” (which is a nebulous term) perhaps they just prove that the brotherhood of gamers, so often extolled, is a myth and that we all play for vastly differing reasons. Therefore, why should we all get along?
Looking for the Right RPG
Sometimes when you try something new, you can inadvertently enter the market at the top end. For example, if the first fantasy novel you read may be The Lord of the Rings or the first RPG game you play is either Skyrim or The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, then you’re definitely dealing with A list products. Although this has the benefit of providing a high quality personal experience, it also comes with a downside. The bar for such content has now been set extremely high and subsequent forays into similar territory may not be as good or enjoyable. To use a clumsy analogy, once you’ve had Châteauneuf-du-Pape, your local stores economy brand may no longer suffice.
Sometimes when you try something new, you can inadvertently enter the market at the top end. For example, if the first fantasy novel you read may be The Lord of the Rings or the first RPG game you play is either Skyrim or The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, then you’re definitely dealing with A list products. Although this has the benefit of providing a high quality personal experience, it also comes with a downside. The bar for such content has now been set extremely high and subsequent forays into similar territory may not be as good or enjoyable. To use a clumsy analogy, once you’ve had Châteauneuf-du-Pape, your local stores economy brand may no longer suffice.
I have grown to like RPGs in recent years. I enjoy the open world environments and the scope they offer for epic story telling. When done well an RPG creates the illusion of a living world. This can range from major events that have an impact upon the landscape, all the way down to the banter that is exchanged between NPCs in the town centres. For me the most important factor in all of this is the underlying narrative. I want to like the central character and participate in an engaging story. Effectively, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has spoilt me rotten and I would very much like to have a comparable experience with another title. However, finding such a game can prove difficult.
Recently I revisited Arcania: Gothic 4 and played through the main game as well as the expansion, Fall of Setarrif. The game's mechanics are perfectly adequate and the combat, crafting and skills point allocation have been straight forward. The game engine is not too shabby and ingame world looks quite vivid. The climate changes from sunshine to rain and the wind sways the foliage, producing a pleasant and credible environment to explore. The different zones do feel a little to artificially hemmed in at times, which can break the illusion that this is a true open world but it’s not a deal breaker. Sadly the sea is not accessible and you cannot swim from the coastline due to invisible walls
The character models are acceptable but upon closer inspection are repeated quite a lot within the game. You cannot customise the look of the character that you play, which is a little disappointing. The voice acting is also somewhat patchy and there are dialogue glitches that occur from time to time. The subtitles do not always match what is said, which can be both confusing and hilarious. Which leads me to the games overall story which is sadly an arbitrary fantasy adventure. It not excruciatingly bad and I've endured far worse in the past. It's just very generic with the usual tropes, faux lore and geographical locations. The dialogue is a very stylised form of "Olde English" with liberal use of UK colloquial slang.
It's a shame that there aren't more open world games based in different settings. The RPGs, despite having some high-profile forays in to the science fiction genre, still seems to be predominantly, fantasy-centric. Can we not have a change? This is one of the reasons I like Sherlock Homes: Crimes & Punishment and The Testament of Sherlock Holmes. I love the authentic Victorian world that developers Frogwares have created with its attention to detail and period atmosphere. Such an environment would be ideal for an RPG but sadly these games are not technically of that genre and merely hint at the potential of true open world. The bottom line is that fantasy sells, having a tried and tested track record, so it takes a bold vision to do something different.
Even with the latest technological resources, creating an expansive open world game which simulates a living world, as well as populating it with well-defined NPCs, is time consuming and expensive. As a result, game’s such a Skyrim and The Witcher 3 are few and far between. The PC port of Grand Theft Auto V, despite sporting a fantastically detailed sandbox environment sadly lacked the depth of narrative that I look for. It was a similar story with Watch Dogs. It makes me wonder if the RPG genre will ever reach its full potential, due to the fact that gamers aspirations and developers financial imperatives seem to be at odds with each other. In the meantime, I'll soldier on and try another of the RPGs I have in my Steam catalogue. Let’s see if there’s any mileage in Risen 3: Titan Lords.
Housing in MMOs
Having recently returned to The Elder Scrolls Online, there is a lot of excitement within the community regarding the introduction of housing in the next major game update in February. So far from the information that is available, there’s a wide variety of house styles and customisation options available. Properties can be bought furnished or unfurnished and players can further embellish their respective dwellings by crafting specific items for them. Housing also includes the usual fast travel options to and from their location and access can be shared among friends and alts. There’s a more detailed breakdown at The Elder Scrolls Online website and so far, ZeniMax seem to be offering all a comprehensive version of the current popular MMO mechanic.
Having recently returned to The Elder Scrolls Online, there is a lot of excitement within the community regarding the introduction of housing in the next major game update in February. So far from the information that is available, there’s a wide variety of house styles and customisation options available. Properties can be bought furnished or unfurnished and players can further embellish their respective dwellings by crafting specific items for them. Housing also includes the usual fast travel options to and from their location and access can be shared among friends and alts. There’s a more detailed breakdown at The Elder Scrolls Online website and so far, ZeniMax seem to be offering all a comprehensive version of the current popular MMO mechanic.
LOTRO is also implementing a housing upgrade with its next update, allowing home contents to be placed where the player wants them, as opposed to relying on predefined “hooks”. Again, this is an improvement that has been long awaited by the LOTRO community. Over the years, previous developers Turbine frequently promised changes to the housing mechanic but sadly failed to implement them. At present homes and the homesteads in which they are located, simply offer the same services as the major towns and social hubs, with the benefit of some extra storage. In fact, as far as I’m aware there is no major social dynamic to any of the housing systems implemented in any of the top ranking MMOs.
It is this social element or the lack of thereof that is predominantly of interest to me. Let us not be diverted with questions regarding the purchase of in-game housing. In the modern MMO market making premium housing available for cash purchase is simply a no-brainer. What you can do with housing is a far more interesting talking point. At present housing mainly offers in the MMO genre additional storage, an opportunity for aesthetic customisation and convenient support services. For example, in LOTRO if you repair your gear from a vendor based in the homestead, there is a discount. STO and SWTOR can offer access to personal and account banks as well as the auction facilities. STO is a little different to other MMOs in so far as your ship is your home to all intents and purposes.
What housing across most MMOs fails to do is offer any additional social facilities or unique group content. Players can group together and generate their own social events but they can also do that in other areas such as Bree, Earth Spacedock or Divinities Reach. Considering how many MMOs have strong social communities, especially among roleplayers, you’d think that game developers would be quick to capitalise on such human resources. If there were more reasons for players to use their homes and spend time in the homestead areas, the demand for housing would increase, thus bringing more revenue to any game. Housing could also provide a potentially different way to play MMOs. If crafting became more accessible via housing, players could level by developing their own cottage industries.
However, it is only fair to consider the other side of the argument. Some players may well like and prefer the relative tranquillity of housing as it is currently implemented. Not everyone wants to find fifty plus players embarking on a lengthy social event next door to them, spamming emotes and indulging in shenanigans. And many of the more recent MMOs do not seem to be as actively social as the older ones. So far, I have seen no compelling reason to join a guild or interact with other players in The Elder Scrolls Online. Guild Wars 2 is also a game I have predominantly played alone and it still seems to lack any essential social mechanic. Perhaps dynamic grouping effectively renders more complex social interaction redundant.
From my perspective, I always like to have more options than less. I also like social functionality to be optional and not essential. Therefore, I welcome any improvement to housing for any MMO along with any bespoke future social content. As long as it comes with a toggle in the UI settings then I’ll deem it an equitable arrangement. If a big guild wants to use its housing to a higher degree and access potential in-game benefits, then it should be afforded such an option. But I would also ask the developers to make judicious use of the phasing mechanic or offer the option to buy a “remote house” for those of a more solitary disposition. I am neither a strong advocate of either mantra, “better together” or Hell is other people”. I believe that the truth lies somewhere between the two.
The Abandoned Graveyard
In LOTRO, as you travel north of Bree along the Greenway, there is a small cleft in the hills to the left of the road. It’s southeast of Saeradan's Cabin, east of Thornley's Work Site, and south of the Festival Grounds. In this remote spot is a small abandoned graveyard within a low walled enclosure. An empty cabin overlooks the site and a solitary mourner weeps at the grave of a departed friend. It’s a rather mournful place and somewhat esoteric. The mourner doesn’t bestow any quests, nor do any of the other NPCs in the vicinity. In fact, beyond the aesthetic, this location serves no apparent purpose in the game. So, what is the purpose of the abandoned graveyard?
In LOTRO, as you travel north of Bree along the Greenway, there is a small cleft in the hills to the left of the road. It’s southeast of Saeradan's Cabin, east of Thornley's Work Site, and south of the Festival Grounds. In this remote spot is a small abandoned graveyard within a low walled enclosure. An empty cabin overlooks the site and a solitary mourner weeps at the grave of a departed friend. It’s a rather mournful place and somewhat esoteric. The mourner doesn’t bestow any quests, nor do any of the other NPCs in the vicinity. In fact, beyond the aesthetic, this location serves no apparent purpose in the game. So, what is the purpose of the abandoned graveyard?
Well after a little research, trawling through old forum posts and defunct websites, it would appear that this particular location represents a storyline and quest hub that was removed from the game during its development. Breeland is one of the original areas of LOTRO that came with Shadow of Angmar. It is quite common for material to be removed from a game during its testing. There are (or at least were) other examples of such in LOTRO. At one point a hidden Hobbit village, west of the Shire, was still accessible in the game. As for why such content was changed I cannot say. Size, relevance or quality may well have been deciding factors.
There is certainly some evidence remaining within the graveyard area itself that sheds light on a possible story arc. To the right of the cabin is an old wagon. Next to it is a corpse with a dagger in its chest. There are also skeletal remains scattered around the area. Was someone caught grave robbing and subject to summary justice? Also there’s the graveyard mourner and her reference to old Cal. Both present interesting possibilities. Who are they and what is their history. There is also one grave that differs from the others by having a small bush (or flowers) growing on it. Is this of any significance?
The graveyard itself is also a point to ponder. In western culture, such places are usually linked to major religious institutions. Yet Tolkien does not mention any comparable equivalent bodies in The Lord of the Rings. In fact, theirs is a conspicuous lack of any major organised faith in the source text. Although a Catholic, Tolkien conspicuously avoids any major theological elements in his work. With regard to burial practises, the only references that I can immediately recall are to barrows, burial mounds and tombs. So, is a graveyard a little incongruous, or should we just accept it, assuming it to be the standard manner of dealing with the deceased of Middle Earth?
There may well be more examples of residual stories and quest littering the game. However, they may not be as tangible as the abandoned graveyard. As the game has been revamped on several occasions, it gets harder to tell. So many NPCs, items and quest locations have been moved over LOTROs lifespan, it’s possible that many potential clues have now been lost. Yet these anomalies do add a great deal of character to the game which is one of the reasons I return to LOTRO frequently. And there presence provides more reasons to explore the MMOs extensive regions and zones.
The Geography of LOTRO: Part 1 The Shire
One of the most engaging aspects of The Lord of the Rings is the expansive and detailed world that Tolkien has created. His love of maps combined with his detailed descriptions of the geography of Middle Earth, makes a credible and living environment. The Shire in particular is described in great depth, becoming a character in itself within the narrative. So, when Turbine developed LOTRO a decade ago, they were faced with an extremely difficult task of adapting this territory into a suitable MMO environment. However, the results have been well received and this region has remained a firm favourite with LOTRO players. So, I thought it would be interesting to look in more detail at selected areas of Middle Earth and explore the subtle differences between the game and the source text over a series of blog posts. So, let us start where the story begins, in The Shire.
One of the most engaging aspects of The Lord of the Rings is the expansive and detailed world that Tolkien has created. His love of maps combined with his detailed descriptions of the geography of Middle Earth, makes a credible and living environment. The Shire in particular is described in great depth, becoming a character in itself within the narrative. So, when Turbine developed LOTRO a decade ago, they were faced with an extremely difficult task of adapting this territory into a suitable MMO environment. However, the results have been well received and this region has remained a firm favourite with LOTRO players. So, I thought it would be interesting to look in more detail at selected areas of Middle Earth and explore the subtle differences between the game and the source text over a series of blog posts. So, let us start where the story begins, in The Shire.
One of the most important factors to consider with regard to an MMO map, is size. No matter how much of a Tolkien purist you are, I do not think that any game player would be happy with an exact scale realization of Middle Earth. It would mean taking days to travel anywhere, which far from practical for an MMO. Remember that it took Frodo, Sam and Pippin two and a half days to get from Hobbiton to Crickhollow on foot. So Turbine have reduced the scale in a measured and reasonable way. They have also morphed the in-game map to give locations a more even spread . This is quite noticeable in "The Shire". Green Hill Country has been drastically reduced in size and several northern settlements such as Oatbarton and Dwalling removed from the map and relocated to the next in-game area. It should also be noted that at present, the entire "South Farthing" is absent from the game. In light of Standing Stone Games recent acquisition of the game, perhaps this area will appear later in a future expansion.
Despite these adaptations, Turbine have still managed to recreate the spirit of The Shire. They have maintained the rustic feel with the farmlands, orchards and such embellishments as waterwheels and windmills. It is easy to balk at the encompassing mountains ranges that effectively fence in each gaming area but one is hard pressed to come up with a suitable alternative. As a gamer, I have never been a big fan of invisible barriers as they are jarring and can break immersion for some. The Shire is also filled with a wealth of features taken directly from the book, varying from the well-known to the subtle. Various taverns and farms can be found which most readers will be familiar with, as well as more esoteric landmarks such as Three Farthing Stone.
When you contrast the in-game map with one from the books, you discover much that is missing from LOTRO. As mentioned earlier, some may well feature in future expansions. Currently in LOTRO, The Shire has a gate not far from the homestead entrance, that separates the "South Farthing". Beyond this should lie such settlements as Hardbottle, Sackville and Longbottom. The latter being the main area for the cultivation of pipe-weed in The Shire. Another thing to consider is the substantial reduction in size of Green Hill Country. Although I can see the necessity to do so, it does mitigate a plot point. Unspoilt areas of forest such as the Woody End, were rare in this region of Middle-earth. This was a main reason that the High Elves still visited The Shire and is therefore of significance in terms of the story. It should also be noted that much of the infrastructure of the area (roads and bridges) were originally established by the Dunedain. The region was initially was a part of Arthedain, and as such a part of Arnor. It was at one time part of the farm land for that kingdom.
The Shire remains one of the most popular areas in LOTRO. Turbine managed to create a depiction of Tolkien's work, that despite practical compromises, has not been trivialised or suffered from "Disneyfication". It captures the essence of the source text, which in itself is based on pre-industrial West Midlands of England and offers a very striking visual interpretation. As one of the first areas made for the MMO, The Shire has a level of attention to detail that has been missing from some of the more recent zones. Perhaps that is why it resonates so well with the community. You’ll find region bustling with players throughout the year.
The Elder Scrolls Online, Again
I participated in the Beta testing of The Elder Scrolls Online in spring 2014. Overall I found the game agreeable enough but chose not to purchase it upon its release, due to the subscription model and a lack of time. Like many MMOs the initial launch was problematic and the game had numerous issues and bugs. Within a year, the game was re-branded with a buy-to-play business model and extensive patching made the overall game more equitable. As a result, I’ve had my eye on The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited for a while and frequently toyed with the idea of buying it. Perhaps one of the reasons I’ve held off from purchasing the game is because I have such fond memories of Skyrim and therefore wonder if I’d prefer a new RPG to an MMO.
I participated in the Beta testing of The Elder Scrolls Online in spring 2014. Overall I found the game agreeable enough but chose not to purchase it upon its release, due to the subscription model and a lack of time. Like many MMOs the initial launch was problematic and the game had numerous issues and bugs. Within a year, the game was re-branded with a buy-to-play business model and extensive patching made the overall game more equitable. As a result, I’ve had my eye on The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited for a while and frequently toyed with the idea of buying it. Perhaps one of the reasons I’ve held off from purchasing the game is because I have such fond memories of Skyrim and therefore wonder if I’d prefer a new RPG to an MMO.
However, to cut a long story short, a deal turned up recently on a key selling site and was still there a week later. So, I took advantage of this favourable offer tonight and bought The Imperial Edition of The Elder Scrolls Online for just under £14. This particular variant of the game comes with the following bonuses and extras:
Imperial Race: Play as an Imperial in any alliances.
Imperial White Horse: This in-game mount has the same stats as any other horses in the game.
Rings of Mara: Receive the blessing of Mara, the goddess of Love, who will bless your union with a partner of your choice (aka friend).
Mudcrab Vanity Pet: A self-explanatory cosmetic pet.
Another thing worth noting about The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited, is that the game client is currently up to a whopping 38GB which is not an easy download, even for those with a decent fibre connection. The game also has an optional subscription service (ESO Plus) that allows access to the various DLC that have been released in the last year. These can be unlocked for a monthly cost of £8.99 or bought permanently using the in-game currency. For the meantime I shall defer both options. It remains to be seen whether I need additional content as there may be sufficient in the base game. The Crown stipend that comes with the sub is not a compelling bonus at the moment.
Because I’m the sort of gamer that likes to know in advance “what’s what”, I’ll probably read a few FAQs and websites before I jump in to the game. It may beneficial for me to join a US rather than European server, as I know several people that play The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited and they are all in North America. Another major plus that this MMO offers, is the opportunity to write about a game again, which is something I’ve been struggling with recently. So, expect to see some posts regarding my initial experience in Tamriel over the next week or two. Hopefully it will be a positive one.
Meanwhile, Back in LOTRO
The recent news regarding Standing Stone Games’ acquisition of LOTRO has certainly re-invigorated the fan community and led to some renewed wider interest in the game. I’ve kept my own subscription going mostly out of curiosity for LOTROs future, rather than a burning passion for the MMO. In fact, on Laurelin server, it’s pretty much business as usual. My kinship has a core group of players who logon regularly as do most others. Key regional hubs such as Bree and the Twenty-first Hall are relatively busy, usually with role players and music groups running events. Beyond this there doesn’t appear to have been a major change at present to the game’s overall population. Perhaps something tangible needs to be added to LOTRO first before we see such a shift.
The recent news regarding Standing Stone Games’ acquisition of LOTRO has certainly re-invigorated the fan community and led to some renewed wider interest in the game. I’ve kept my own subscription going mostly out of curiosity for LOTROs future, rather than a burning passion for the MMO. In fact, on Laurelin server, it’s pretty much business as usual. My kinship has a core group of players who logon regularly as do most others. Key regional hubs such as Bree and the Twenty-first Hall are relatively busy, usually with role players and music groups running events. Beyond this there doesn’t appear to have been a major change at present to the game’s overall population. Perhaps something tangible needs to be added to LOTRO first before we see such a shift.
In the meantime, I continue to work my way through various regional quests in The Beacon Hills, Taur Drúadan and North Ithilien, in a leisurely fashion. My primary character is a Lore-master at level cap that I’ve had since I first started LOTRO back in Winter 2008. Yet despite numerous in-game achievements over the last eight years, I still find outstanding deeds to do and activities to pursue. LOTRO has an inordinately large amount of content and landmass to explore. At present, I’m spending some time on my Explorer vocation that I’ve neglected of late. The tenth tier was not unlocked, so I focused on that today. Crafting ingots is still a trying affair. Plus, I only just noticed that an auctioneer had been added to the Bree Crafting Hall, which shows how infrequently I visit.
Another more recent addition to Bree is the Scholar’s Hall (opposite the Cat Lady’s House). This has apparently been added to LOTRO to accommodate the Mythgard Institute's academic lectures with the Tolkien Professor, as well as concerts and other community events. Although I welcome such a venue being added to the game, its distinctly Gondorian style of architecture (and not Anorian) does seem a little incongruous, considering its location. I suppose it’s easier to use existing in-game assets than create new ones. The interior is suitably sumptuous and reflects the various regions of Middle-earth. Let us hope that the faithful find it useful and to their liking.
I recently found some use for my LOTRO points (formerly Turbine points), spending several thousand of them on Relics for my Legendary Items. Although the store Settings, Gems, and Runes may not be the best, they certainly offer both convenience and a leg up on those I had already. Their addition to my weapons has had a tangible impact upon my stats. I have also finally grasped the nettle and started equipping slotted armour and adding appropriate essences. In the past, I have eschewed this game mechanic because it adds another layer of complexity that lazy players such as I eschew. However, I found that I had sufficient funds to buy suitable essences and have started grinding for the latest armour set.
Having no significant alts, means that I have a lot of time to spend on my primary character. Therefore, at present, my time in LOTRO is spent at a sedate pace. I set straightforward goals and pursue them in a manner that still allows me to enjoy my surroundings. The ambient music in North Ithilien is of a high quality and I suspect that some material that was recorded earlier on in the games life, was kept back for key locations. My recent tinkering with my build means that even an indifferent player such as I, doesn’t have to worry about survivability. All in all, I go where I please and face no major challenges, which is how I like to play. I dislike being underpowered and at a disadvantage. Let us not forget what Conan said about what is best in life.
Such is my personal status quo in LOTRO at present. I must admit it’s an advantageous position to be in. It certainly allows me to reflect upon what may be coming next in 2017. Will the Daybreak Gaming Company offer a new tier of subscription? There are occasions when I do regret not buying a lifetime sub but I wouldn’t be surprised if that gets replaced by something else. A new broom always likes top sweep clean and all that. Then of course, there is the small matter of getting to Mordor and may be beyond? LOTRO in the Fourth Age is an interesting proposition. Over to you Standing Stone Games. We await new content.
Landmark to Close on February 21st
It was announced yesterday by the Daybreak Game Company that the MMO Landmark will be closing on 21st of February. Landmark joins an ever-growing list of titles that have closed since DGC acquired SOEs back catalogue. As ever the press release does not give any specific details as to why the game is to be shutdown. However, it is more than likely down to operating costs versus profits. Furthermore, irrespective of the corporate reasons for the decision, there are still numbers of Landmark players who will be saddened by the news. This development is also of interest to LOTRO and DDO players, due to the Daybreak Game Company recently becoming the publisher of those titles.
It was announced yesterday by the Daybreak Game Company that the MMO Landmark will be closing on 21st of February. Landmark joins an ever-growing list of titles that have closed since DGC acquired SOEs back catalogue. As ever the press release does not give any specific details as to why the game is to be shutdown. However, it is more than likely down to operating costs versus profits. Furthermore, irrespective of the corporate reasons for the decision, there are still numbers of Landmark players who will be saddened by the news. This development is also of interest to LOTRO and DDO players, due to the Daybreak Game Company recently becoming the publisher of those titles.
Now if you peruse the comments section of a site such as Massively OP, then you’ll find statements such as “LOTRO is fine” and there’s nothing to be concerned about because DGC is just the publisher for Standing Stone Games. However, I don’t think the situation is as binary as that and it would be wise to scrutinise the business relationship between DGC and SSG more closely. Because I and others suspect that DGC may well have underwritten SSG costs, when they acquired both DDO and LOTRO from Turbine and Warner Bros. If that is the case, then such financial involvement give DGC far more leverage with SSG than merely publishing their gaming catalogue.
Too many gamers allow personal sentiment and affection for the games that they play to blind them to the realities of business. MMOs as I have said time and time again are not social services but products to be bought and sold for money. The moment any product doesn't meet the expectations its owners, then it's future is in question. I would have thought that was abundantly clear by the way Warner Bros. cut LOTRO and DDO loose, as they organise their balance sheet for their pending acquisition with AT&T. Why should the Daybreak Gaming Company, itself a subsidiary of a Russian venture capital company, view its assets any differently?
Game Developers often have the best of intentions for the products they make. Artistic vision and ethical practises may well be key to their business ethos. However, unless those that create have total financial and therefore legal control, then such noble aspirations can and are frequently side-lined. In my experience business is usually driven by those who control the purse strings, which once again returns me to the question of whether DGC are merely SSGs publisher or is there a more complex business relationship? Are LOTRO and DDO going to be measured by criteria set by their developers or someone else? If these games survival is dependent on targets set by DGC, then their future may not be as rosy as some like to think.
A Year in Multimedia
In the past, I’ve often written a summary of my experiences with gaming, movies and TV at the end of each year. Similarly, I usually reflect upon my activities in podcasting and blogging as well. However, 2016 has been unique in many respects. Political and social tides have changed in the West and there is much to reflect upon in the real world. Certainly, my appetite for creating content has taken a knock and I have at times stopped and wondered if it really is all worth the bother. But after such moments of introspection I still see the benefits of the written word or bellowing in to a microphone, so here we are once again. The only difference this time is rather than multiple posts, I can pretty much distil my thought on 2016 in one simple account.
In the past, I’ve often written a summary of my experiences with gaming, movies and TV at the end of each year. Similarly, I usually reflect upon my activities in podcasting and blogging as well. However, 2016 has been unique in many respects. Political and social tides have changed in the West and there is much to reflect upon in the real world. Certainly, my appetite for creating content has taken a knock and I have at times stopped and wondered if it really is all worth the bother. But after such moments of introspection I still see the benefits of the written word or bellowing in to a microphone, so here we are once again. The only difference this time is rather than multiple posts, I can pretty much distil my thought on 2016 in one simple account.
Gaming:
To things have had a major impact upon my gaming this year. A lack of time and too few new titles that aroused my interest. I started the year playing through Hearts of Stone, the first DLC for The Witcher III: Wild Hunt and continued with the second expansion, Blood and Wine when it was released in May. I waxed lyrical about the quality of this RPG last year and will continue to do so this time. The last DLC not only added yet another superbly crafted narrative but refined the game mechanics and system even further. I think it will be a long time before I find another game from this genre that offers anywhere near a comparable experience.
MMO wise I have continued to regularly log into Star Trek Online during 2016 as it has frequently had new content to explore. This year being the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek, the new expansion, Agents of Yesterday, offered an appropriate homage to the original series. The new lighting system has improved the overall aesthetic of the game and it’s clear that developers Cryptic have plenty more in store for the MMO. It’s recent port to consoles clearly indicates that the game is in a healthy state.
LOTRO has had a curious year. I took a six-month break from the game due to the repetitive and formulaic nature of the new content. Yet the Battle of Pelennor Fields brought me back, being surprisingly well realised given the restrictions of the ageing game engine. Update 19 released in October took the game one step closer to Mordor. As ever the epic central story continues to be written to a high standard and certainly compensates for other more pedestrian regional quests. Recent news that ex Turbine staff have formed a new independent company and taken over the development of the game does seem to have renewed interest in the MMO. I remain cautiously optimistic for LOTRO’s future.
It would be remiss of me if I didn’t mention Overwatch. I played the open beta out of idle curiosity and was greatly surprised by how accessible the game is. It has now become my game of choice whenever I want a quick fix of entertainment. I’m still amazed at how equitable this team based, first person shooter is and how anyone can find a role to play, regardless of the style or abilities. It continues to add content and new characters ensuring longevity. Something that Pokémon Go has failed to do. This was another title that I was drawn to out of nostalgia and curiosity but it quickly became apparent that it was unsustainable.
TV and Movies:
I only went to my local multiplex to see movies upon their release, six time this year, which is unusual for me. This is mainly due to there being precious little of interest for me these days. Cinemas seem choked with Blockbusters and Super Hero movies. A lot of the more niche market, independent films have limited releases and tend to be available on-demand very quickly. Those movies I did see were suitably entertaining. Deadpool provided audiences with exactly what they expected and proved that the R rating could still be economically viable. Star Trek Beyond finally saw the new stories set in the Kelvin Timeline hit their stride. It offered a good character driven story that finally tapped in to the soul of the original series. Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them also proved to be a crowd pleaser with excellent production values and a decent storyline. I have high hopes for this off shoot of the Wizarding World franchise. Rogue One certainly met with my approval and filled a suitable gap in the Star Wars lore. I almost got as much fun out of the fan driven debates about the story as the film itself.
TV once again proved to be the home of more cerebral and densely plotted drama. Stranger Things was a wonderful homage to eighties genre cinema and popular culture. Finally embracing both Amazon Prime and Netflix certainly afforded our household with more choice and provided a respite from the scourge of advertising which just seems to become increasingly preposterous and crass. The Man in the High Castle provided a suitable bookend to the start and end of the year and continues to be both intriguing and entertaining. It has also been beneficial to have access to all previous series of Star Trek and work my way through those shows I’m less familiar with.
Network TV on both sides of the Atlantic has been entertaining. There are still far too many shows to keep up with and I’m constantly amazed at how many shows bite the dust after one lacklustre season. Elementary still maintains a high standard of writing and the central characters of Holmes and Watson still have engaging story arcs. The final season of Person of Interest was both succinct and fitting, providing a bitter sweet, yet plausible ending for the show. Blindpsot somehow made it to a second season and completely reinvented itself to try and escape the narrative knot it had go itself in to. Back in the UK, Endeavour once again proved to be both superbly acted and well written. It’s sedate pace and introspective themes continue to be captivating.
As a grandparent, I also watch a great deal of children’s television, especially those aimed at the pre-school demographic. Therefore, I would like to praise CBeebies for their continued quality programming and point out that Hey Duggee is a sublime show. If you are thirtysomething, then you’ll love the pop culture references that litter every episode. Plus, in the last few days, I also been caught up in the hype surrounding Guillermo del Toro’s Trollhunters. Let it suffice to say that it is charming and entertaining. It’s curious how some creative talents can handle sentimentality without tipping in to emotional overkill.
Blogging and Podcasting:
I stopped writing daily in 2016. I simply ran out of steam after five years and then real world changes meant that such a schedule was off the table for the immediate future. However, I managed to contribute to this year’s NBI and Blaugust, so I guess content creation wasn’t a complete write off (no pun intended). The Burton & Scrooge Podcast became The Burton & Scrooge Uncut Podcast and followed a somewhat erratic release pattern. I enjoy recording with my co-host Brian but I’m thinking we need to either seriously rethink the show format for 2017 or take a break for a while. I’m determined to get my movie related show in to production next year and I also need to return to writing my book, which ground to a halt this summer.
It would appear that real life and all that it contains caught up with many of my blogging and podcasting colleagues this year. Thus, there was reduced output from certain quarters and some went so far as to take a break. It’s sad but totally understandable. Yet it was not all doom and gloom. Syp over at Bio Break continues to write and podcast with great enthusiasm. The year also saw the launch of the Geek to Geek Podcast with Void and Beej. Their dedication and focus has been a source of inspiration and the show itself is thoroughly entertaining. It also reacquainted me with the concept that you can agree to disagree, cordially. Pam over at Cannot be Tamed also produced lots of quality content via blog post, podcast and You Tube. Joseph (formerly known as the MMO troll) kept creating his own unique brand of content with the Pthppt! podcast. It always raises a wry smile and I’ll happily listen to topics that I usually wouldn’t consider exploring.
Valedictory Remarks:
For me the overwhelming impression that 2016 leaves is ones of change. This has been reflected in politics, world events, within the entertainment industry per se and even my personal life. Yet change is an inherent part of life and cannot be avoided. Therefore, I intend to start 2017 with a positive outlook and rather than focus on what I can’t do, explore what can be achieved with the time and resources that I have. I’m also sure there will still be good content available in all mediums. It may simply be a case of having to broaden one’s search. I recently discovered to my surprise that there’s a fourth instalment of Sniper Elite arriving in spring and I’m still greatly looking forward to Star Trek Discovery. I shall also continue to blog and podcast in my own peculiar way. Perhaps I may even encourage others to do so. After all, you’ve got to have a project.
Standing Stone Games and LOTRO
To date one of LOTRO’s greatest weaknesses has been the way it’s been run and marketed. There are other flaws but these have been fully discussed over the years, so I see no reason to revisit them. Considering the games pedigree, the nine-year-old MMO has never reached its full potential but that is a criticism that can be levelled at many entries in this genre. In recent years LOTRO has limped forward, hobbled by an ever-diminishing development team and starved of resources by its corporate master. Yet because of the dedication of a core group of fans the game generates sufficient revenue to keep it from folding. Thus, despite continued predictions of closure from armchair experts such as myself, LOTRO endures, while other titles have sailed into the West.
To date one of LOTRO’s greatest weaknesses has been the way it’s been run and marketed. There are other flaws but these have been fully discussed over the years, so I see no reason to revisit them. Considering the games pedigree, the nine-year-old MMO has never reached its full potential but that is a criticism that can be levelled at many entries in this genre. In recent years LOTRO has limped forward, hobbled by an ever-diminishing development team and starved of resources by its corporate master. Yet because of the dedication of a core group of fans the game generates sufficient revenue to keep it from folding. Thus, despite continued predictions of closure from armchair experts such as myself, LOTRO endures, while other titles have sailed into the West.
Yesterday it was announced that Turbine would no longer be overseeing the development of LOTRO. In fact, the core team that has running both LOTRO and DDO over recent years, has formed their own new independent game studio called Standing Stone Games and have acquired both properties. Furthermore, Standing Stone Games have partnered with Daybreak Game Company who will provide global publishing services. Sundry press releases were made by both parties and a FAQ was posted to reassure existing customers of both MMOs. The separation process from Turbine and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is ongoing but already LOTRO has been patched to add the Standing Stone Games logo.
Now whether you are a die-hard LOTRO fan or a casually interested bystander (I’m somewhere between these two positions), this change raises a lot of questions. As ever a lot of the answers will only be known to those at the top of each respective company and will not be addressed publicly. However, common sense and a degree of deductive reasoning will probably furnish some answers. For example, it is reasonable to assume that the licensing issue has been addressed and that LOTRO has gained an extension and will not close in 2017. Middle Earth Enterprises may well have become more relaxed about licensing per se since the recent death of Saul Zaentz. I certainly can’t see any company embarking on such a transfer of ownership for a product that had less than a year to live.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment obviously didn’t see the need to hang on to LOTRO, which is hardly surprising as they’ve done precious little with the IP since they acquired Turbine in 2012. At the time, many LOTRO players envisaged a sizeable capital injection and an increase in game development but it never really happened. Warner’s were more than likely just acquiring studios and assets for licenses and patents. So, Standing Stone Games proposition was probably viewed as expedient and convenient. However, the most intriguing aspect of this transfer of ownership is the involvement of Daybreak Game Company. Their acquisition of SOE in early 2015 was surprise and their management of several online titles has been chequered to say the least. Exactly what impact (if any) will they have upon LOTRO?
As a publisher of an online game DGC will theoretically be responsible for things such as account systems, support services and server infrastructure. However, from what we’ve learned already it would appear that a lot of the existing facilities for LOTRO are to be maintained. However, there is the issue of the Turbine Store which no doubt will be quickly converted to reflect DGCs branding. Can we expect to see a change in the LOTROs monetisation policy? It’s very dependent upon Standing Stone Games relationship with Daybreak Game Company. As a new indie studio where did SSG get its funding. Is DGC bankrolling the development team? Or did they provide the capital for the game license which I’m sure did cost pocket change. If you follow the money you usually find out who calls the shots and that will surely impact upon the direction that LOTRO takes.
As ever with a change of this kind, speculation seems to be at both ends of the possible spectrum. LOTRO according to some is to enjoy some sort of renaissance and have a wealth of new content, or alternatively decline into lock box, money grab hell and be dead within six months. Realistically the truth is more than likely somewhere in the middle. Standing Stone Games is now in a better position to focus exclusively for content creation for both LOTRO and DDO without losing staff to other projects. If this transition is handled well then LOTRO can still deliver a modest and steady stream of revenue. DGC may well be pursuing a different endgame that is beyond LOTRO. Perhaps they have an eye on a longer-term relationship with SSG and future products. As ever only time will tell but in the meantime, it is wise to remain cautious. Perhaps this unseen news may even encourage some players to return to LOTRO. Either way my advice is to live in the present and enjoy LOTRO while you can.
Cosmetic Uniform Controversy in Star Trek Online
Star Trek Online like many MMOs uses multiple in-game currencies. Reputation, fleet equipment as well as cosmetic items are purchasable using a variety of energy credits, dilithium and reputation tokens. Cryptic have therefore placed various restrictions governing these items to ensure that the game economy remains functional. However many players still amass sizeable quantities of these currencies overtime; especially those with multiple alts and sufficient time to invest in the game. At present although dilithium ore can be earned in multiple ways, a daily cap allows only 8,000 units to be refined each day. It is refined dilithium that can be used as a tradeable currency.
Star Trek Online like many MMOs uses multiple in-game currencies. Reputation, fleet equipment as well as cosmetic items are purchasable using a variety of energy credits, dilithium and reputation tokens. Cryptic have therefore placed various restrictions governing these items to ensure that the game economy remains functional. However many players still amass sizeable quantities of these currencies overtime; especially those with multiple alts and sufficient time to invest in the game. At present although dilithium ore can be earned in multiple ways, a daily cap allows only 8,000 units to be refined each day. It is refined dilithium that can be used as a tradeable currency.
Five years on from its launch STO has a sizeable player base with a high percentage of veteran players. Because of the nature of the franchise, a lot of these are lifetime account holders who invest heavily in the game and make it their personal gaming focus. In a nutshell, a lot of folk have a ton of dilithium. Farming across multiple toons is a common practise and even I have a modest supply that is regularly topped up via four characters. So naturally the game developers from time to time, create new dilithium sinks as a way of reducing the surfeit of this in-game resource. Today Cryptic did just that and added some cosmetic outfits to the dilithium store; items that had previously been available in the Zen store and purchasable for real money.
As ever with matters of this nature, the decision has been met with disapproval from some quarters. The prices for these cosmetic uniforms range from one to two million dilithium. That equates to approximately 2,482 Zen at current exchange rates which would cost about £17/$22.50 in real money. The fact that these purchases are character bound and not unlockable across an entire account has also met with criticism. However it should be noted that cosmetic items and ships are already purchasable from the Lobi store for similar prices with comparable criteria, which does somewhat mitigate such complaints.
I personally have no objection to dilithium sinks of this nature and it can be cogently argued that nothing currently on sale in the dilithium store is essential to play STO. Perhaps Cryptic could offer a wider variety of items, such as some of the limited edition ships that were exclusively available from previously events. Items of this nature may well be perceived as better value than cosmetic uniforms. However offering previously exclusive items can similarly antagonise a percentage of the player base, proving yet again that you cannot please everyone in the MMO genre. Ultimately this particular “drama” will pass with time, like most others and do no major harm to the game. Furthermore the need for a dilithium sink will continue to occur through STO’s lifecycle.
New Content or Rinse and Repeat?
Over the weekend I finally finished the Blood and Wine DLC for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. By which I mean I’ve completed the main story (and achieved the “best” of three possible outcomes) and all (allegedly) of the secondary quests. It’s hard to tell with this game; it may well still have surprises to spring within its open world. However pedantry aside, to all intents and purposes I’ve played through the game. This got me thinking about the thorny issue of game content because The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and all its DLC contains a lot. Playable content is a subject that frequently comes up when discussing games because there is no standard quantity. Furthermore the nature of content itself varies. Some is meant to be unique where other is specifically designed to be repeated. Whatever a developers approach to this issue, a game’s content is certainly a key selling point.
Over the weekend I finally finished the Blood and Wine DLC for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. By which I mean I’ve completed the main story (and achieved the “best” of three possible outcomes) and all (allegedly) of the secondary quests. It’s hard to tell with this game; it may well still have surprises to spring within its open world. However pedantry aside, to all intents and purposes I’ve played through the game. This got me thinking about the thorny issue of game content because The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and all its DLC contains a lot. Playable content is a subject that frequently comes up when discussing games because there is no standard quantity. Furthermore the nature of content itself varies. Some is meant to be unique where other is specifically designed to be repeated. Whatever a developers approach to this issue, a game’s content is certainly a key selling point.
Both the RPG and MMO genres are very much dependent on the volume of content that they contain. New releases need to ensure that the player has a viable amount of content to work through. It’s the same with expansions and DLC. Players want to feel they are getting “value for money” although that can prove a somewhat nebulous term to quantify. However creating quality new content for both these genres, is both expensive and time consuming. It requires input from writers, programmers and a plethora of other creative artists. Furthermore regardless how much is produced, players always seems to burn through it too quickly. Consumption and demand simply cannot be met.
One solution to this conundrum is to encourage players to replay old content. This is common in the MMO genre and is also applicable to RPGs. With a game such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, due to the multiple story outcomes, there is a sufficient incentive to play again. Some MMOs will offer you a degree of new content if you play through old content with a new class or faction. SWTOR does this well, offering a bespoke central regardless of what character you choose to play. Guild Wars 2 also provides a similar degree of variety. Star Trek Online also does this to a degree, offering unique stories to each faction for the first third of the game. After that the remainder of content available is standardised. However Cryptic have cunningly devised ways to encourage players to repeat content. Last year saw the Delta Recruitment event and the current expansion, Agents of Yesterday, provides further incentives. Enhanced XP, bonus Dilithium, improved loot drops and account wide unlocks can encourage even the most reticent of STO players to do it all again.
Sadly there are many examples of games that are far from generous with their content. Star Wars Battlefront for example launched with a woefully poor amount of maps and game modes. Subsequent DLC has addressed this to a degree but that didn’t benefit those playing on day one of the game’s launch. Also many of the ageing MMOs suffer from a lack of new content. A declining player base means less revenue which inevitably means less frequent new content. LOTRO is a prime example of this. Since the game moved from paid expansions to free updates, most new content has just been variations on existing themes. It keeps the faithful quiet but does not bring new players to the game. Guild Wars 2 has also suffered from lack of regular new content. Last year’s expansion was aimed squarely at those players at level cap and the new content was far from universally well received. Beyond that the base game endured without any significant update for several years.
As a player, a simple solution to this problem is to not be an early adopter. Starting an MMO a year or so after launch often ensures a fair amount of content will be available. Once the game of the year edition of an RPG is released, twelve months after the initial launch, players often find the game bundled with all DLC and a lot of bug fixes. I tackled Skyrim in 2013, eighteen months after it’s release and as a result got over three hundred hours of enjoyment out of the game. However the issue of repeating content is a more difficult matter. Some players simply don’t like to play through material they’re already familiar with. It’s a position I have a degree of sympathy with as it’s not something I always enjoy. Certainly there is no incentive when it comes to older MMOs unless the games developers make it so. At present replaying through Rift, or Age of Conan: Unchained will not be significantly different experience to how it was five years ago.
Conversely music, books, films and TV can all be revisited at a later date after their original consumption, to varying degrees of success. This may be due to the respective depths of these mediums and the fact that content of these genres can be multi-layered and nuanced. Each visit can potentially yield something new or a broader meaning. The fact that we change with age and experience may also aid this process. Games may not necessarily follow suite. Gaming mechanics do not always offers such varied outcomes and unfortunately many games still suffer from poor narratives, especially the RPG and MMO genres. Overall I think that for the immediate future there is no long term solution to this problem. Content availability is still going to be a sticking point for both developers and gamers. Perhaps the future lies with games that side step this issue. Procedurally generated content is one option as is simply relying on non-narrative driven genres. Perhaps Pokémon GO and Overwatch ultimately offer greater longevity, due to their non-narrative nature. The content in these cases is the unique experience of actually playing the game. If that is the case we may need to rethink exactly what the definition of content is.
Pokémon GO – Ten Days Later
Ten days on from the launch of Pokémon Go the game has finally been officially released in the UK. However judging by the amount of gyms that have been claimed in my neighbourhood, it would seem that many people have already opted to download and install the client unofficially, like myself. Pokémon Go has gone beyond being just a popular mobile game and quickly morphed into a pop culture phenomenon. It’s everywhere at present and Nintendo are obviously enjoying the fruits of their labour. However it will be interesting to see in the weeks to come whether the level of enthusiasm the game currently enjoys can be sustained.
Ten days on from the launch of Pokémon Go the game has finally been officially released in the UK. However judging by the amount of gyms that have been claimed in my neighbourhood, it would seem that many people have already opted to download and install the client unofficially, like myself. Pokémon Go has gone beyond being just a popular mobile game and quickly morphed into a pop culture phenomenon. It’s everywhere at present and Nintendo are obviously enjoying the fruits of their labour. However it will be interesting to see in the weeks to come whether the level of enthusiasm the game currently enjoys can be sustained.
As for me, I’ve already dialled back by excitement for Pokémon Go. All the local Pokégyms are beyond my current level and none of my existing Pokémon are sufficiently robust enough to provide a significant challenge, so I’m mainly focused on collecting at present. Due to where I live, there are plenty of Pokéstops. It would appear that pubs, churches and parks all meet the games criteria to be a designated as such and there’s no shortage of these in South East London. Avery Hill Park next to the Halls of Residence for Greenwich University has over twelve Pokéstops and two gyms. The park itself can also offer a variety of Pokémon, which change according to the time of day.
The twenty minute walk that it takes to reach this particular open space, plus the time needed to walk round the entire park provides a great opportunity to hatch eggs. This is an additional facet of Pokémon Go that brings me pleasure, although it raised a curious look from Mrs Peril when I told her I was going out to incubate my eggs. It’s also the only aspect of the game that has so far made me contemplate spending money. I briefly thought it may be useful to purchase additional incubators but quickly shelved the idea. I already put enough money into several other games that I play and am still suspicious about the cost to fun ratio of mobile games. I also have a nagging doubt that I may get bored with Pokémon Go because I cannot invest the time that is needed to progress and succeed in the game.
One final part of Pokémon Go culture that is worth mentioning is the comradery. I was at the Crayford branch of Sainsbury’s yesterday and there was several families shopping while playing the game. A few friendly words were exchanged once everyone determined we were all doing the same thing, which makes for a pleasant change. I also noticed more people politely nodding and smiling when out and about. I guess the way we carry our phones and the manic grin is a bit of a giveaway that we’re all after the same rare Pokémon. Personally I find these minor but positive changes in social interaction a pleasant counterbalance to all the negative stories that have been associated with the game. It would seem that there are still many players who seem oblivious to their own and others safety.
Pokémon Go uses a popular franchise and combines it with the human compulsion to collect, as well as our love of gamifying the arbitrary and the mundane. I’m still not sure if the game is a stroke of genius or a case of the emperor’s new clothes. Certainly it has been nice to be part of a burgeoning craze while it actually happens, rather than being on the outside looking in. I also think that Augmented Reality may be the sleeper game format that gazumps the crown that Virtual Reality is striving for. We’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime perhaps we should start placing bets on other popular franchises from the nineties that may be revived. My money is on Johnny Bravo.
Pokémon GO – The Madness Spreads
Well the world seems to be going crazy for Pokémon GO at present, myself included. I must admit the first thing I did today when I woke up was reach for my phone and log into the game. I ended up catching a Drowzee in my bedroom which came as a surprise to me. So much for me trying to temper my smart phone “addiction”. Just five days after the release of Pokémon GO, the Nintendo Corporation is enjoying a $7.5 billion increase in their market value. The game itself is certainly gaining a lot of media attention as well as traction with the player base, despite performance issues and bugs. I hope that Niantic release an updated client soon with various fixes.
Well the world seems to be going crazy for Pokémon GO at present, myself included. I must admit the first thing I did today when I woke up was reach for my phone and log into the game. I ended up catching a Drowzee in my bedroom which came as a surprise to me. So much for me trying to temper my smart phone “addiction”. Just five days after the release of Pokémon GO, the Nintendo Corporation is enjoying a $7.5 billion increase in their market value. The game itself is certainly gaining a lot of media attention as well as traction with the player base, despite performance issues and bugs. I hope that Niantic release an updated client soon with various fixes.
Although I applaud the notion of encouraging gamers to venture outdoors and exercise, it would seem that many of the problems that I and others pointed out last week, have indeed manifested themselves. PokéStops and Gyms are at times in inappropriate locations. Health and safety issues have also been raised over players pursuing their quarry. Sadly it’s the human factor that is the most upsetting and problematic. Stories have emerged of players behaving poorly in sensitive places such as cemeteries, churches and even the Holocaust Museum in Washington. The fact that some people don’t seem to have any grasp of social etiquette, decorum and old fashioned good manners both worries and angers me. Here are a few examples (and yes I know not everyone is an asshole but guess what, they’re far more than you think!)
Pokémon Go: Singapore company sacks Australian for rant
US Teens Accused Of Using Pokémon Go To Rob
Pokémon Go player finds dead body in Wyoming river while searching for a Pokéstop
However, it is not all doom and gloom. The Pokémon Company has since clarified that there is a system in place for buildings and businesses to be delisted from the game. "PokéStops and Gyms in Pokémon Go are found at publicly accessible places such as historical markers, public art installations, museums and monuments," a Pokémon Company spokesperson said. "If you want to report inappropriate locations or content, please submit a ticket on the Pokémon GO Support website https://support.Pokémongo.nianticlabs.com." In the meantime, let us hope that at least some of the offending individuals reflect upon the situation and moderate their behaviour.